The Dallas Mavericks were officially eliminated from postseason contention on Monday night. Ten games remain. What’s left now is time to build a foundation for next season. Next up is the Denver Nuggets. The Mavericks head to Ball Arena on Wednesday for a tip-off set for 9 p.m. CT.
Dallas enters the game with a 23-49 record, having lost four straight and 23 of its last 27. Many of those 62 outings have been classified as clutch games. In fact, 41 of them have.
“I think it’s going to help everyone,” coach Jason Kidd said. “Anytime you have real live plays that come down to the last minute or two minutes of a game, it’s about understanding how to get what you want. That’s what the great ones do. It doesn’t happen overnight.”
The Mavericks’ previous two games ended in overtime losses at American Airlines Center, between Saturday’s 138-131 defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers and Monday’s 137-131 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
“Just stay together. Stay together, stay locked in with each other,” Marvin Bagley III told Dallas Hoops Journal. “Don’t try to go left, don’t go right — there’s 10 games left. Just try to build good habits. Try to build the right form, good habits going into the next season, and continue to build on that after that.”
Since finding a rhythm after an eight-game absence caused by a left midfoot sprain, Flagg has kept producing. He’s averaging 20.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists on the season and has thrived against Denver specifically, averaging 21.0 points across three matchups. Back on Dec. 1, he put up 33 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists on 14-of-21 shooting in a road win.
Dallas won that game and the next one too before dropping the third meeting, 118-109, on Jan. 14.
Back-to-Back Advantage
The Mavericks could benefit on Wednesday with Denver playing on the second night of a back-to-back. The Nuggets are coming off a 125-123 road loss against the Phoenix Suns — a game that did not end until 11:45 p.m. MST. Jokić put the Nuggets on his back, putting up 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 17 assists and knocking down the game-winning floater with 11.5 seconds left for his 29th triple-double of the season.
The Nuggets are 45-28 and have won three in a row amid an ongoing chase for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, trailing the Los Angeles Lakers by just 1.5 games. Seven of Denver’s last nine are at home.
Peyton Watson was back Sunday after missing 16 games with a hamstring injury, but sat out Tuesday and should play Wednesday. Gordon logged 26 minutes against the Phoenix Suns a night after missing 34 games with two separate hamstring issues; expect him to sit again.
Nobody in Dallas is under any illusion about stopping Jokić. The goal is everything around him.
“It’s not really about trying to limit what he can do — it’s about how we can stop everybody else as a team,” said rookie guard John Poulakidas ahead of Wednesday’s game. “Cam Johnson is shooting the ball terrific in his last five to ten games. Obviously, Murray is playing at a high level as well. Defensively, if we can hold our own on that end, I feel comfortable that we can get the looks we want on offense.”
Keys and Mindset
Ball security has been the biggest theme coming out of the last two games. The Warriors forced 23 turnovers Monday and got 29 points off them.
“They’ve got guys that can guard the ball,” Kidd said. “They can put ball pressure and are great on-ball defenders. They came up with some steals, especially late.”
Thompson shot 5-of-9 from three Monday for 15 points off the bench. He explained to Dallas Hoops Journal after the loss, keeping it simple.
“Probably be more sure with the ball,” Thompson told Dallas Hoops Journal. “We had a wide-open look from Naji — I trust him to make that shot every time.”
Poulakidas has provided Dallas another shooter to lean on, averaging 5.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in 14.8 minutes per game, while converting at 40.0% from beyond the arc.
Ten games to close it out. Kyrie Irving is due back next season from knee surgery, and Dereck Lively II figures to be healthy, too. These last few weeks are about being ready for that.
“It’s just been instilled in me since I was young,” Flagg said of his approach in high-leverage moments. “I like making the right play — the simple play — and living with it.”
Up Next
The Mavericks finish their two-game road trip with a visit to Portland on Friday before hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.
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