MINNEAPOLIS - Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle strongly hinted after Friday's home loss to New Orleans that a starting lineup change might occur Saturday against Minnesota.
So it did, when, 30 minutes before tipoff, Nerlens Noel's name was removed from the starting lineup and Salah Mejri's was inserted. It marked the sixth different starting lineup Carlisle has used in just 11 games.
"He always brings a lot of energy, a lot of fight," Carlisle said of 7-foot-2 Mejri who had started just 17 times in 113 previous NBA games, none this season. "He brings a certain combative personality to the game, which is something we need right now.