One of the Dallas Mavericks' biggest tasks against the Orlando Magic on Saturday is stopping Orlando swingman Arron Afflalo. The UCLA product is averaging 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists--all career-bests--with a staggering True Shooting mark of 61.3 percent.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle dished on Afflalo prior to Saturday's tipoff.
"He's an aggressive player who's got it going right now," Carlisle said. "He's what we call a 'hot player.' You make eight threes in one game, you're a hot player, you know?"
In Orlando's victory against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, Afflalo drained eight three-pointers. He finished the game with 36 points as Orlando erased a 19-point deficit.
Carlisle said accounting for Afflalo is a priority for his team.
"We gotta know where he's at at all times," the coach said. "We gotta try to limit his touches, limit his shots as much as possible." He also said that Dallas will try to wear him down by making him work hard at the defensive end.
Ultimately, Carlisle offered high praise for the Magic's starting shooting guard, concluding his pregame remarks with this comment:
"He's turning into a star player here."