DALLAS -- Neither Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle or guard OJ Mayo wanted to revisit the fallout from Monday's 107-89 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Mayo had a horrible night against the Grizzlies, finishing with four turnovers and two points on 1-of-6 shooting. Afterwards, Carlisle went against the norm and heavily critcized Mayo for his poor performance against his former team.
“He wasn’t into it the first half,’’ Carlisle said following Monday's loss. “We showed him some film at halftime where he virtually was just standing around defensively. I said, ‘Hey, we need you.
“He just had a bad night -- I guess I’ll write it off to that. But I tell you what, if I was playing against my former team I’d come out ready to go at them. But that’s me. That’s me.’’
Carlisle has spent countless hours this season trying to help Mayo improve his overall game. But what he witnessed from Mayo on Monday, he figured, was unacceptable.
“With all the time that we put into helping him develop and bringing him along, in the biggest game of the year and an opportunity to be a winning team, for him to show up like he did tonight, I was shocked,’’ Carlisle said. “I just want to see him show up. I want to see him show up and compete.
He didn’t compete tonight.’’
Asked after Wednesday morning's shoot around if he had talked to Mayo since Monday's game, Carlisle said: "He's ready to go.''
Asked about if he'd consider resting Mayo, who has logged a team-high 35.6 minutes per game this season, Carlisle said: "He's ready to go. He's ready to go. Is that it?''
When Mayo was asked had he heard about the comments Carlisle made about him following Monday's game, he said: "Nah, what happened?''
Told that Carlisle called him out for lack of effort, Mayo said: "I don't blame him. I just didn't play well. It could be a combination of (lack of effort or not playing well).
"I didn't play well, I didn't play like I would like to. I'm pretty upset about the game, it was a winnable game, I didn't play well.''
Carlisle certainly agreed, saying so after Monday's game.
“If you’re not going to compete, don’t show at all,’’ Carlisle said. “Sometimes guys have bad nights.
“Make sure you put that in there, too. Well, the good news is there’s only an opportunity for one more (bad game).’’
As the Mavs (40-41) prepare to finish the season at 7 tonight at American Airlines Center against the New Orleans Hornets, Carlisle is hoping for a better game from his starting shooting guard.
"He had a rough night, but he wasn't the only one,'' Carlisle said of Mayo. "But tonight's a new night, today's a new day, so we're getting ready for tonight.''
-- Dwain Price
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