Southwest Notes: Walker, Hardy, Vassell, Zion

If there was a bright side to the Mavericks‘ 29-point loss to the Bulls Saturday night, it provided an opportunity for newly signed Kemba Walker to make his season debut, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.

A late starting time Friday, followed by a flight, meant the Mavs didn’t arrive in Chicago until 3:45 a.m. Coach Jason Kidd held out Luka Doncic, Josh Green and Maxi Kleber, who are all dealing with minor injuries, creating an opportunity for Walker. He responded with eight points and five assists in 20 minutes while playing for the first time since February.

“I wouldn’t say (I felt) super-comfortable,” Walker said. “But it’s my first game with new guys, trying to see where I can fit in, so it might take a little time. Or might not, I don’t know. But it was good to be out there with those guys. They made me feel good. They’ve been treating me well since I got here.”

The Mavericks also got an extended look at Jaden Hardy, a 20-year-old rookie who has spent much of the season in the G League. The second-round pick played 23 minutes Saturday and scored 15 points.

“It was a long travel day, but it felt good being out there being with the guys,” he said. “It was a tough loss, but I think we’ll put this one in the past and be ready for the next one.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

• Spurs swingman Devin Vassell sat out Thursday’s game with knee soreness and wasn’t sure he was going to play Saturday until warmups, tweets Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. He was on a minutes restriction, but scored 18 points off the bench. “I am going to play through it the whole season,” Vassell said of the knee issue, which has caused him to miss five games so far. “It’s good sometimes and it’s not sometimes. But I have to play through it. I have to be here for my team, so that’s what I am going to do.”
• Zion Williamson‘s late-game 360 dunk to punctuate the Pelicans‘ win over the Suns Friday night led to a skirmish (video link), but he considered it a manner of revenge for last season’s playoff loss, per Andrew Lopez of ESPN. Several players exchanged words after the dunk, but no punches were thrown. “I got carried away a little bit. I admit that,” Williamson said. “But you know, I was in that locker room when my brothers were down because the Suns sent us home last year. That’s a tough moment to be a part of. So in that moment, I got carried away. I admit that. … If they were to do the same thing, I wouldn’t have no problem with it.”
• The Pelicans are still without Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones for today’s rematch with Phoenix, tweets Will Guillory of The Athletic. Ingram will miss his seventh game with a toe injury and Jones will sit out his fourth with an injured ankle.