‘Game-To-Game, Quarter-By-Quarter’: Santi Aldama Cleared For First Dallas Mavericks Back-To-Back Against Indiana Pacers

DALLAS — Santi Aldama is off the Dallas Mavericks’ injury report for Monday’s game against the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Center, the second night of a home back-to-back. Monday is set to be his third game in four nights. Before his Dallas debut Friday, he had not played since Feb. 4.

Aldama scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, in 15 minutes of Sunday’s 130-93 win over the Brooklyn Nets. In his debut against the Utah Jazz, he had 8 points and 9 rebounds, 4 of them offensive, in 13 minutes, 3 seconds.

Before that game, Mavericks coach Dusty May said the staff had gone back and forth on Aldama’s workload because he had not yet played five-on-five with the main group.

“It’s really hard to say. This is a great problem that we have right now, where we have unbelievable depth, and right now we’re getting healthy,” May said. “And so it’s hard to say, and it’s tough for players to not necessarily know what their minute range is going to be a game. But right now, there’s several guys on our team where we don’t know what their minute … We haven’t mapped out what we anticipate it to be.”

“But based on what the game needs, I think in nights where we’re struggling scoring the ball, we haven’t found any offensive rhythm,” May continued, “I think he’ll play more minutes than he would on the games that are maybe we’re clicking offensively, and our high-level defenders are engaged in the game and in flow offensively.”

“So for a little while, we might be on a game-to-game, quarter-by-quarter approach to what these guys’ minutes are,” May added. “And that’s … it’s not easy for them. It’s not easy for us. But as we’re still learning our team, it’s necessary.”

Santi Aldama’s Knee Recovery Ran Longer Than Expected

Aldama had an arthroscopic procedure and an orthobiologic injection on his right knee March 17, while he was with the Memphis Grizzlies. Dallas acquired him in a six-team trade July 8. He was limited in training camp and sat out all four preseason games and the first eight of the regular season.

On Oct. 27, the Mavericks sent him to practice with the Texas Legends as part of his return-to-play protocol and recalled him the same day. He was listed as questionable Nov. 4 at San Antonio before Dallas ruled him out.

At shootaround Friday, Aldama said the long summer had given him time to reflect and get his body right.

“I wouldn’t say setbacks, but yeah, definitely thought it was going to be a little bit shorter recovery,” Aldama said, “but that’s part of basketball, that’s part of health and your body, but I feel really good right now, so I’m just excited to get out there.”

Last season, Aldama averaged career highs of 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists across 43 games for Memphis, 11 of them starts. Before Friday, he had not practiced with Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving, or P.J. Washington, and he had watched Dallas’ first eight games from the bench.

“Anytime I get to watch an NBA game and [not] play in it, it’s really tough,” Aldama explained. “But I really felt the love from them today. Obviously, but just walking around the city, everybody was just excited to have me back. And that means a lot to me because basketball is my life. And yeah, just getting to do that tonight was very special.”

Aldama, Morez Johnson Jr. Share The Frontcourt As Indiana Pacers Visit

Dallas was plus-17 with Aldama on the floor Friday, and he went 4-of-5 at the free-throw line. Afterward, May said the staff had a gut feel for him from the two-way players and the video room.

“We had a gut feel. We hadn’t really seen Santi play with our guys yet,” May said. “He’s played with the two-ways and the video room and things like that. And even today in shootaround … I just looked out and thought, wow, everything looks a little bit better with Santi because he’s such a good cutter.”

“He’s such a good decision maker. He stretches the defense with the spacing, so he’s just one of those guys that he’s an elite connector, but he’s also a good decision maker with the ball in his hands,” May continued. “And I thought he guarded well tonight, in addition to that.”

Aldama and rookie Morez Johnson Jr. checked in together midway through the first quarter Sunday. Johnson is questionable Monday with a left shin/tibia contusion, two nights after he grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds against Utah. Dereck Lively II is out after right foot surgery, and Daniel Gafford has started all 10 games at center.

Indiana (3-7) lost 114-102 to the Denver Nuggets in Mexico City on Saturday. Dallas beat the Pacers 121-105 in Indianapolis on Oct. 23, before Aldama was cleared to play.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT. The Mavericks visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, then play another back-to-back Saturday and Sunday at the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics.