Nembhard Gains +14 Minutes a Night as a Teammate Sits Out
With a teammate out, Ryan Nembhard is playing and scoring more for the Mavericks, and it may not last.
Ryan Nembhard is playing 14 more minutes a night than usual over his last three games, with a teammate out of the Mavericks' lineup. The stretch runs through last season's game on April 12, 2026.
The scale of the shift is clear. Across the 2025-26 season, over 60 games, Nembhard averaged 19.5 minutes and 6.6 points a night. In his last three games, that rose to 33.6 minutes and 12.3 points. Both figures nearly doubled his season pace.
The shift depends on the teammate who is out staying out. Nembhard's added minutes came from that absence, not from a permanent change to his role. If that player returns to the lineup, there is no reason for Nembhard to keep 33.6 minutes a night.
Until then, the question is whether Nembhard can hold his production at this workload. Three games of 12.3 points is a small sample next to a full season at 6.6. If the absence continues past April 12, 2026, his next few games will show whether this is a real role change or a short-term bump.