The Dallas Mavericks threaten after the next defeat the playoffs in the NBA to miss.
The team around superstar Luka Doncic and the German national player Maxi Kleber lost on Saturday evening (01.04.2023 / local time) at the Miami Heat with 122:129 (64:76) and conceded the third defeat in a row. Overall, the “Mavs“We have now lost six of the last seven games, which means that the prospects of making the playoffs have further deteriorated.
Doncic with 42 points, defensive “nonexistent”
Although Doncic shone offensively with 42 points, ten rebounds and eight assists, the Mavericks also had a strong throw rate of 61 percent. However, as recently, the team showed weaknesses on the defensive. “Not existent”, called her trainer Jason Kidd, “we couldn’t stop them.” Miami’s Jimmy Butler had 35 points and 12 assists. Kleber had eight points, five rebounds and three assists.
Miami on course for the playoffs, Dallas lagging behind
With the win, Miami further secured its seventh place in the Eastern Conference and thus the best starting position for the play-in tournament for the playoffs. Sixth place and thus direct entry are still within reach. Teams ranked seventh through tenth will play out two more playoff spots.
For Dallas, on the other hand, it is now only about qualifying for the play-in tournament. The “Mavs” (37-41) are currently in eleventh place Western Conference and have one win less than that Oklahoma City Thunder, who, however, also won the direct duel between the two teams. The “Mavs” still have four games to play this season, but after the away game in Atlanta there are still three home games on the program.
They are in seventh place New Orleans Pelicans (40-38) playing the second NBA game of the night against the Los Angeles Clippers won with 122:114. The Clippers, for whom Kawhi Leonard has 40 points, are sixth by one win over the Pelicans.