Doncic is left with anger and without victory against the Wizards

The Mavericks they gave up in favor of the Wizards the confrontation of both at the American Airlines Center this Tuesday by a tight 126-127. With this, the Texans extend their losing streak. This January they have won just four of their twelve games, a negative tally for one of the two West finalists last year. The sky darkened in the last plays and the one who saw the best in the darkness was the team from the capital, who have won three games in a row. Kendrick Nunn, recently transferred from the Lakers by Hachimura, has not yet made his debut, and they also did not have Kristaps Porzingis, injured in his left ankle, but not for that wheel that already places them eleventh in the East, just one step from the cut.

The evening ended with a heart-stopping ending in which deficiencies were seen, both in ideas and in execution, on the local side. And, above all, in a Luka Doncic who finished the night with 41 points, 15 rebounds and a pissed-off face.. “This match is for me. It is my fault”he said when he finished. Why? If the sequence with which this party said goodbye is analyzed, it is understood. With the Wizards one up, it was entered in the last couple of minutes. Dinwiddie hit a three-pointer, Beal responded in kind. Avdija extended the lead to three with two free throws. Beal had the opportunity to sentence with only one minute left to play, but that’s when everything began to go wrong; He tried to pair up with Doncic in attack, slower than others to defend him, but he was too stubborn, the Slovenian held the guard’s turn and forced a steal from an attentive Finney-Smith on the side, Luka ran on the counterattack and was fouled. There he missed one of the two free ones he had and ripped his shirt as a sign of anger. Before he could change it, the next action came, in which Kuzma launched himself on the attack also looking for Doncic on defense; he broke into a run when Green forced the two-on-one and Luka pressed a little too hard on the forward’s torso and sent him off the field, which was called for a foul with just five seconds left on the clock. Kidd asked for the challenge (It is understood, it was on the edge of the legal) and the referees ratified their decision between the protests of those present. 1/2 for Kyle. And the last action was double and there the blame is distributed. To finish off, Dinwiddie served, Doncic received and the ball returned to the server, that was the idea, but Delon Wright caught him the first time, committing a foot foul, and, far from changing strategy, the offense repeated itself as a photocopy and the player from DC was prepared the second time around with the hand to steal and run to the win.

The Mavericks They managed, in the first person with Doncic but also with that immovable idea of ​​Kidd, that ending. And they are placed with 25-24. They have been surpassed by the Clippers and are at the level of the Suns, on the verge of being left out of the first six and direct access to the postseason. This month they have been bad at it despite having recovered two of their three injured men, Smith and Green, so, given that the deadline is approaching, one or more movements of Harrison in the market are not ruled out for offer Doncic, and the coach as well, a few more reasons to repeat last season’s success.

Dinwiddie complained at the end of the game that the Wizards are, apart from their exes, a team of “players who are there to get paid and not to play winning basketball”. Well, he may be partly right, but they’ve beaten the Mavericks in both games this season and they’re back to a good peak of results. Kidd wanted to secure this one yes or yes, going to a short rotation of eight members, and was left without the victory. The night was even, a lot, even in the bad defenses as a reason to end as it ended, they being the protagonists. A small change of mentality is urgently needed in the Texas team if you don’t want to miss the conference train, which is tied and any bad streak of this style makes you lose it. For example, without Wood, Powell was left alone as a center for the coach’s use and that cannot happen again. For example, Green’s good form and a successful night from Bertans were little used. Wes Unseld’s men left Dallas having done a better job and reading the decisive moments more calmly; 2023 must bring a little more hope for a stranded franchise due to a lack of incentives.