Suns coach has high praise for JaVale McGee

PHOENIX — New Mavericks center JaVale McGee played last season for Phoenix, and Suns coach Monty Williams didn’t mind showing him some love before Wednesday’s season opener.

“JaVale was tremendous for us,” Williams said. “The length, the athleticism. He’s just one of those guys that, he makes ‘wow’ plays. You have to account for him.”

In 74 games for the Suns last season McGee averaged 9.2 points and 6.7 rebounds while playing only 15.8 minutes per game. In essence, he was very effective once in the game, and his work ethic was impeccable.

“I just respect the way he worked,” Williams said. “I didn’t know he was that kind of pro. There would be days where I was leaving the office relatively late and there would be one car there, and it was JaVale.

“He was upstairs getting a massage or some type of body work. I didn’t know that he was that diligent. But you have to be to hang around as long as he has and still be effective athletically and from an IQ perspective.”

Asked how McGee will help the Mavs, Williams said: “We talked about him a lot the last couple of days. I think our guys know him. How he fits in with Dallas, I don’t care.”

CAMPAZZO COMPARABLE TO BEREA: The Mavs are saying new guard  Facundo Campazzo compares very favorable to former guard JJ Barea.

“And not because of height,” coach Jason Kidd said.

Barea was graciously listed as six feet tall, while Campazzo, who signed with the Mavs on Tuesday, is generously listed at 5-10.

“I love his spirit,” Kidd said of Campazzo. “I think we all love his spirit and what he’s done here in a short amount of time, and we’re excited to have him as part of the family.”

Campazzo was inactive for Wednesday’s game, but Kidd said he could be activated for Saturday’s home opener against Memphis.

“He’s a very good guy and very humble,” center Maxi Kleber. “I saw him play in Europe years ago. He plays the right way – with a lot of energy.

“He will be good for the team just from the standpoint of the energy. But also his passing skills are really incredible, too. I’m excited to see what he brings to the table for us.”

Barea played for the Mavs from 2006-11, and again from 2014-20.

NO RIVALRY WITH SUNS: Just because the Mavs upended the Suns in seven games in last season’s Western Conference semifinals, forward Dorian Finney-Smith noted that doesn’t consider the two teams to be rivals.

Finney-Smith pointed out that the Mavs probably have a rivalry with the Los Angeles Clippers, who defeated Dallas in the 2020 and ’21 playoffs.

“I don’t think it’s gotten to that level (with the Suns), because it’s only been one year,” Finney-Smith said. “We lost to the Clippers twice, so that’s more of a rivalry, I would say. We didn’t ever really get past them.

“If we were to play (the Suns) again I would say yeah, but we’ll see.”

BRIEFLY:  It should have come as no surprise to anyone that the Mavs opened this season against the Phoenix Suns. That’s the team the Mavs upset in last season’s Western Conference semifinals, so why not have them face off to start the season? “When the schedule came out I think we all looked and this was one of the last places we played during the playoffs in Game 7,” coach Jason Kidd said. “We really haven’t talked about last year. This is a different team, different changes, and so this journey will be different.” The Mavs also opened on the road last year – in Atlanta – and suffered a 113-87 loss. “Last year in Atlanta we ended up on national television and things didn’t go well,” Kidd said. “But that didn’t make or break our season. It’s just Game one of 82, and we’ll see where we are.” The Mavs stunned the Suns, 123-90, in Game 7 played in Phoenix. Suns coach Monty Williams said: “Outside of the emotions of what happened — which it’s there — from a human perspective we just respect them as a team. We had a tough series against them. The first game to start the season, we’re right back at it again. It’s almost like it happened yesterday.”. . . The Suns got a kick out of coach Monty Williams dunking during his team’s practice session. “I like getting out there and messing with the guys,” said the 51-year old Williams, who played in the NBA from 1994-2003. “I just want my boys see me dunk post-50. And now I’m like: it’s a wrap. Put the bow on it. I’m not going to jump like I used to forever.”

Twitter: @DwainPrice