While the Dallas Mavericks won’t go places this season, they’re going to compete hard because head coach Rick Carlisle will see to it that they do. For a no-nonsense mentor like Carlisle, having someone like Dwight Powell on the team is a plus. And like Carlisle, Mavs guard J.J. Barea shares the same admiration for the 6-foot-11 power forward’s motor and perseverance on the floor.

In a brief interview with Fox Sports, Barea offered a high praise for Powell.

”Powell is the hardest worker we have on the team”

J.J. Barea is coming off a fantastic performance during a convincing 108-82 win over the L.A. Clippers Saturday in which he led the Mavericks in points (21) and assists (10) in just 24 minutes of action off the bench. Dwight Powell, on the other hand, had eight points and five rebounds, three of which coming from the offensive end of the floor. He also added a block and a steal.

While Powell’s season averages of 5.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game won’t make people jump out of their seats, his aggressiveness on the floor makes him a useful piece for the Mavs. He is second on the team in both offensive rebounds (1.4 ) and steals (0.9) despite playing in just 17.4 minutes per contest.