Sergio de Larrea had 30 minutes to solve New Orleans’ pressure on Wednesday. Six assists showed that he found answers. Five turnovers showed how often the Pelicans found a different answer first.
De Larrea finished with 10 points, six assists, four rebounds, one steal and two blocks in Dallas’ 101-97 preseason loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. The five turnovers are the part that prevents a comfortable conclusion. The six assists and positive scoring contribution are the reason the conversation remains worthwhile.
Dallas’ 101-97 preseason loss supplied a substantial test for the rookie because the usual options were scarce. Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg rested. Daniel Gafford, Marcus Sasser, Morez Johnson Jr., Dereck Lively II, Santi Aldama and Jett Howard were also unavailable, and Moussa Cissé left after hurting an ankle. Extended responsibility can be useful without being comfortable.
Dallas needed a ballhandler who could organize an improvised group, and nobody played more than de Larrea’s 30 minutes. He was not merely present while the offense happened around him. He made 3-of-6 field-goal attempts, connected on 2-of-3 three-pointers and converted both free throws.
The most useful scoring sequence arrived during the fourth-quarter push. With Dallas trailing 85-73, de Larrea knocked down a 26-foot three-pointer assisted by Tarik Biberovic at the 7:40 mark. Later, with 5:31 left and the Mavericks behind 87-78, he made both free throws to cut the deficit to seven.
Those plays were separated by more than two minutes of game time, but they showed why his scoring matters to the passing evaluation: he could add points during a difficult comeback instead of depending entirely on a teammate to finish the possession.
Six assists matter in this setting, too. John Poulakidas and Tobi Lawal each scored 16 points, and Dallas’ reserves supplied 70 of the team’s 97 points. A guard who contributes six assists can help others capitalize on those opportunities. Adding 10 points of his own gave Dallas another source of production with several usual contributors unavailable.
The concern arrived in the same general area: pressure. Dallas finished with 27 turnovers, and New Orleans converted those giveaways into 27 points. The Pelicans collected 14 steals, while the Mavericks forced 21 turnovers and scored 16 points from them. New Orleans therefore gained 11 more points from the exchange, a margin large enough to explain why Dallas’ late rally never became a victory.
Five of those Dallas turnovers belonged to de Larrea. That does not make him the sole culprit. Coach Dusty May identified illegal screens, limited offensive variety, poor spacing on drives and New Orleans’ physical pressure as contributors.
