The Mavericks' 96-94 victory over the Lakers in Los Angeles in Game 1 of their Western Conference Semifinals series was a bit unexpected, but the role unheralded reserve Corey Brewer played in the victory might have been the biggest surprise. Brewer came off the bench to score five points in just eight minutes, but his energy helped spark the Mavs in the second half.
Some quotes on Brewer, from Mavs Moneyball's comprehensive Game 1 recap:
Rick Carlisle:
"We needed energy. We needed enthusiasm. Ever since we got Brewer, he's come into practice every day with a phenomenal attitude. He has worked to get better and has gotten better. He had opportunities to go to other teams for more money and as good a winning situation as ours was. You're talking about a kid who won two national championships in a row, so he knows about big games. We got in a dire situation and he went in there and made some good things happen for us."
Brewer:
"It shows that the guys are counting on me. "They want me to go in and do good for the team. And for a guy like JET to tell me to be ready, ‘You know, we’re gonna need you,’ it means a lot. I just tried to go in and bring some energy, help the team any way I can."
Be sure to check out our Lakers vs. Mavericks hub for more on the series. For more on the Mavericks, visit Mavs Moneyball. For more on the Lakers, visit Silver Screen And Roll.