The Dallas Mavericks were missing something in the NBA Finals, and it showed when they only won one game against the Boston Celtics. They hope they addressed the issue by bringing in Klay Thompson, but they had someone on their roster who might have been able to pick up some of the slack.
Tim Hardaway Jr. averaged 14.4 points in just under 27 minutes per game for the Mavericks during the regular season but was mostly left out of the rotation during the playoffs. He saw his minutes drop to under 13 a game when he did get in and registered eight DNPs.
His father, Tim Hardaway Sr., a five-time NBA All-Star, had a lot to say about the matter on the All the Smoke podcast.
“As a pops, it is tough knowing your son’s supposed to be out there, and he knowing that he can help the team win, but for some reason, Jason Kidd and Nico (Harrison) are not telling nobody what’s the deal,” said Hardaway Sr.
Hardaway Jr.’s lack of playing time was mostly swept under the rug and brushed off as a poor shooting stretch. However, he shot the same shooting percentage from three (35 percent) in the playoffs as in the regular season, and the team desperately needed a scoring spark off the bench. The decision was puzzling, but what is one to say when the team is winning games and makes it all the way to the finals?
“I played with you on the 2000 Olympic team, we got gold together,” said Hardaway Sr. on Jason Kidd. “We are all in this fraternity together, and you don’t have the dignity to go to my son and say this is x, y, and z; this is why I’m not playing you.”
Hardaway Jr. has moved on and is now a member of the Detroit Pistons, but making a deep playoff run is supposed to be a high point of a player’s career, and not contributing was not a highlight for the former Michigan Wolverine.
“When they are talking about my son not playing and coming in and not shooting the ball well, first of all, you have to get the ball. It’s up to Luka because Luka runs the whole show there. I was there talking to him, I was there consoling him, I was there just like a father is supposed to be and making him understand it’s going to be alright. There are better days to come,” said Hardaway Sr.
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