"He didn’t even have the decency to record a foul" - Stephen A. Smith calls out Hall of Famer's son for lackluster performance

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith criticized Dallas Mavericks swingman Tim Hardaway Jr. for his disappointing outing. In Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the Mavs got into trouble as Luka Doncic fouled out in the fourth quarter with four minutes left. This prompted head coach Jason Kidd to put Hardaway in the game.

Hardaway already had some playing time before subbing in for Doncic in the fourth period. But his performance during the last four minutes of the games wasn't impressive as he didn't register a single point. In a crucial game against the Boston Celtics, the Mavs hoped to see the forward contribute on the offensive end.

He played 19 minutes of action and failed to make a single field goal. Hardaway went 0-5 from the field and 0-3 from beyond the arc. The Mavs forward hasn't contributed much in the postseason due to injury and fell out of the rotation. But with no other options left, they had to turn to him for help.

Smith wasn't impressed with his subpar performance and called him out.

​

"You’re gonna have a long offseason, brother. 19 minutes and not a single point," Smith said. "Not only did he not score a single point, but he also didn’t have a foul. He didn’t even have the decency to record a foul."

During the regular season, Hardaway was the team's third-leading scorer. He averaged 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists. So far in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, the most points he's gotten was 17 in Game 2 of their second-round series against the OKC Thunder.

---

Mavericks rookie made history despite Game 3 loss

The Mavericks are on the brink of being swept in the NBA Finals as they are down 0-3 against the Celtics. While most fans are fixated on the performances of the stars, Doncic and Kyrie Irving, their rookie made significant a contribution on Wednesday.

Dereck Lively II recorded 11 points, 13 rebounds, and two steals in Game 3. With his performance, he became the youngest player in NBA Finals history to record 10+ rebounds.

​

After two games where he only recorded two points each, the rookie found his footing in the series. With the support from the home crowd, the former Duke center made the most of his minutes. He only missed one of his six field goal attempts, which was key in making the game close in the first half. So far, Lively is averaging five points, 8.3 rebounds, and a steal.

The Mavs will need a lot from the rookie in Game 4 to save their season and get back to the series.

​