Brandan Wright on his starting role with the Dallas Mavericks

Brandan Wright 14.5 PPG

Brandan Wright found himself in Dallas last year to play limited role as a bench player. Someone that had good size and great potential, but a backup. In the 2011-12 season, his first with Dallas, Wright averaged 6.9 points per game in his backup role. This season since being inserted as a starter due to an injured Dirk Nowitzki, he is averaging 14.5 points per game. We caught up with 6 '10 210lbs power forward before taking on the 1-0 Charlotte Bobcats to find out what he thinks about his current role on the team and his offensive game coming to life.

RF: Tell me a little bit about how you feel about your role on this team having the start the first two games. How do you feel about having a starting role?


Wright: It is going well. Obviously, we had a big road win to start it off and we played a good first half in Utah then we fell off in the second half, but I feel comfortable about what is going on right now. I think we are really coming into our own and it will be another big challenge tonight because a team that lost 20 something games last year and then get a huge win on opening night they have to be feeling real good.

RF: What do you think about people now looking at your offensive game like they forgot you had one, now that you are putting it on display? Is that something you wanted to get accomplished this season?

Wright: I think that has always been one of my biggest strengths to use my quickness and length to pretty much do whatever I want to do on offensive end. I mean, I don't know if people forgot about it or whatever, but it has been one of those things were I have to be aggressive on this team and provide a punch.

RF: So what coach Carlisle been working with you on or saying to you about your role and such a good job you have been doing in the first two games so far?

Wright: Well you know he keeps it pretty simple for us guys. For me he told me just do what you do best. I mean it is has simple as that. Don't try to do anything that you are not comfortable doing or that you don't do. Stick to the basics. Stick to what got you here and you will be fine.

RF: Coach Carlisle talked in the pregame press conference about not trying to run to many plays in order to get you guys ready for playoff basketball, so out there on the floor in a game, how do you all communicate?

Wright: We are getting comfortable. We have a point guard that wants to push the ball and I think the way coach has just allowed us to play freely it is going to be beneficial. He does not want to control us to much or call 50 sets in a game, he wants us to play basketball. That is why the system is so beneficial to us.

RF: Do you think when you get everybody back 100%, specifically Dirk back in the lineup, how good can this team be?

Wright: I think we can be a formidable team in the West. We can surprise a lot of people. We still have to get healthy, but we will continue to get better and work hard everyday. What is really comes down to is playing with who we have right now. It is a long season and injuries always happen. It is hard to have a team that goes through the whole season without guys banged up. Hopefully we get all the guys back together and we'll be ready to go.