The Dallas Mavericks are in danger of missing the playoffs in the North American professional basketball league NBA. The team around superstar Luka Doncic lost 122:129 (64:76) at the Miami Heat on Saturday (local time) and has now lost six of the last seven games.
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. “Non-existent,” she called coach Jason Kidd, “we couldn’t stop her.” Miami’s Jimmy Butler scored 35 points and played 12 assists.
The win further secured Miami’s seventh-place finish in the Eastern Conference, putting them in the best position for the play-in tournament for the playoffs. Sixth place and thus direct entry is still within reach. Teams ranked seventh through tenth will play out two more playoff spots.
Play-in tournament as a straw for Dallas
For Dallas, on the other hand, it is now only about qualifying for the play-in tournament. The Mavericks (37-41) are currently in eleventh place in the Western Conference and have one win less than the Oklahoma City Thunder, which, however, also won the direct duel between the two teams. In seventh place are the New Orleans Pelicans (40-38), who won the night’s second NBA game against the Los Angeles Clippers 122-114. The Clippers, for whom Kawhi Leonard has 40 points, are sixth by one win over the Pelicans.
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