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The Big D Breakdown · Morning

Matt Cross Arrives As Dallas Leans On Moussa Cisse Up Front

A roster move and a thin frontcourt crunch set the stage before Wednesday's preseason test against New Orleans.

0-0Regular Seasonpreseason split 1-1 so far
132-115Rockets Rematchpreseason win, October 11
26.0Cisse Minuteslast 5 games, up 12
+12Poulakidas Bumpminutes a night, last 3 games
By the Mavericks Nightly Desk · Tuesday, October 13

Dallas added Matt Cross on October 13, a day after a report tied his arrival to New Orleans waiving Caleb Houstan. Four Mavericks, including centers Dereck Lively II and Santi Aldama, carry unresolved health tags into Wednesday's preseason game against the Pelicans.

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Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Cross In, Cisse Climbing

The Mavericks added Matt Cross on October 13. Hoops Rumors reported the move followed New Orleans waiving Caleb Houstan, clearing a path for Dallas to add the forward. The addition lands as Moussa Cisse's workload has nearly doubled: the center is playing 26.0 minutes a night over his last five games, up 12.0 minutes from his season rate, with Lively sidelined up front.

Four Names On The Shelf

Marcus Sasser, Dereck Lively II, Morez Johnson Jr. and Santi Aldama all carry unresolved tags, each tabbed for an October 14 return. Lively's case runs deeper: he has had no clearance update since a September 23 report that he wasn't ready for camp, and his absence is part of why Cisse and guard John Poulakidas, up 12 minutes a night over his last three games, are soaking up extra run.

Pelicans Visit Before The Opener

Dallas is 0-0 in the regular season after splitting its first two preseason games, a 117-135 loss and a 132-115 win over the Rockets. New Orleans comes to Dallas on October 14 on NBA TV, with Atlanta following October 16 before the Mavericks open the regular season at Houston on October 21. Whether Lively is back by then is still unanswered.

Is Dereck Lively II playing for the Mavericks right now?

No clearance has been reported since September 23, when he was said to not be ready for camp, and there has been no update on his timeline since.

Who did the Mavericks sign on October 13?

Dallas added forward Matt Cross, a move Hoops Rumors tied to New Orleans waiving Caleb Houstan the same week.

By the Mavericks Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.

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