In Dallas they needed the victory to believe and, even more, to speed up the qualifying options that they still have left. They got it. Now they just need to do better than the Thunder, who remain in tenth position in the West, in the remaining days of the regular phase and they will have saved themselves from absolute disgrace. Which is what it would be like to go from conference finalist to not even qualify for the playoffs in just one year.
With a tight 123-119, the Mavericks made their local condition good at the American Airlines Center against the Kings. They also asserted that the Californians were playing the second game in two days. They also took advantage of the fact that for Mike Brown’s men there is no goal in sight until the moment of truth arrives. It was what had to be done. The Texans’ qualifying balance now stands at 38-42.
For Mavericks there wasn’t much to think about beyond winning. They are going to have to keep an eye on what the Thunder do, yes, but the strategy is only worth it if they continue to fulfill the plan. They also need to win against Bulls and Spurs, which seems feasible, and for Daigneault’s men to lose one of the two scheduled matches: Jazz and Grizzlies. A distance battle to keep the last place.
They need their dynamic duo to perform better than De la Calva and Arcusa. And not only that. The Mavs also have to have a third player to add with them.. Few times since he signed in the winter market has gone well otherwise. In this case it was Tim Hardaway, author of 24 points with good percentages, after his father’s outburst about the lack of chemistry that exists this year. Doncic (29) was in his role. The one who stood out the most from the three was Kyrie Irving, who put the seal on the victory scoring 19 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter. Because, when you want, you can. And more in the case of people who have an innate facility to play this.
Final squeeze with a view to the future: Doncic, Irving…
Until Sunday there is room to transform all doubts into smiles (although uncertainty may continue to exist in the subconscious). A fall at this point would leave the project very touched after the joy of 2022.
Brunson’s absence from the roster this season has done terrible damage. This is how Luka Doncic confessed this week. He let go of a growing boy who had perfectly married the idea that the Slovenian wants the game to revolve around. In an interview prior to this game with the Kings, Mark Cuban, owner of the franchise, has spoken about this and other issues. He rejects Jalen’s version and surrounds him about his departure to the Knicks. “Everything fell apart when Rick, his father, took over. He always spends with the parents ”. It’s a double whammy, since a few hours earlier Tim Hardaway Sr. had called “weeping” Doncic and had questioned the harmony within the team in which his son plays. In the conversation with the usual press in the coverage of the Mavs, the owner spoke of his intention to renew Kyrie Irving next summer at the same time that he did not want to “comment on the situation of individual players” when Christian Wood was mentioned, he made his thoughts on Kidd clear (“I don’t think it’s their problem that we don’t have an identity, the game changes in ways you don’t expect”) and admitted that Luka’s frustration, committed to the project or not in a few years, must be corrected: “Players don’t say, ‘Hey, I’ll be here for the next 17 years.’ He may want to be here all that time, but we have to earn it.”.
Despite the fact that Doncic asked that the team be cleaned up with a player of great value (and thus his wish was fulfilled), the arrival of Kyrie Irving has not given the revenues that were thought. The bad thing is that, precisely in this case, the worst thing is not to be 10th.
fall eliminated in the normal season It will open a crack that is difficult to close. Doncic’s discontent is palpable, both in gestures and in his own statements, and alternatives must be offered to continue capturing his attention. Winning championships, says Cuban. Or at least be in a position to do so. The European star is young, 24, but he has been in the NBA for five years and the counter is going up. His contract runs through 2027, with a player option to leave in 2026, but he can force a trade the moment he hits a dead end.
|
44
davis bertans |
|
25
Reggie Bullock |
|
77
luka doncic |
|
8
Josh Green |
|
eleven
Tim Hardaway Jr. |
|
3
Jaden Hardy |
|
0
Justin Holiday |
|
2
Kyrie Irving |
|
42
maxi cleber |
|
0
JaVale McGee |
|
13
markieff morris |
|
twenty-one
Frank Ntilikina |
|
1
Theo Pinson |
|
7
Dwight Powell |
|
35
Christian Wood |
| Min | pts | RT | RO | DR | Ast | Per | rec | Tap | T1 | T2 | T3 | FR | CF | Val | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
44
davis bertans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
25
Reggie Bullock | 17 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 1/2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
77
luka doncic | 38 | 29 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8/10 | 6/8 | 3/11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
8
Josh Green | 30 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0/0 | 2/2 | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
eleven
Tim Hardaway Jr. | 36 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3/3 | 3/6 | 5/8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
3
Jaden Hardy | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/0 | 23 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
0
Justin Holiday | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
2
Kyrie Irving | 43 | 31 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1/1 | 6/13 | 6/10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
42
maxi cleber | 14 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1/1 | 1/1 | 0/2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
0
JaVale McGee | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
13
markieff morris | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
twenty-one
Frank Ntilikina | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
1
Theo Pinson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
7
Dwight Powell | eleven | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 1/1 | 0/0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
|
35
Christian Wood | 24 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1/1 | 2/8 | 3/7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
40
Harrison Barnes |
|
3
Terence Davis |
|
35
PJ Dozier |
|
17
Kessler Edwards |
|
23
Keon Ellis |
|
5
De’Aaron Fox |
|
22
Richaun Holmes |
|
9
kevin huerter |
|
25
Alex Len |
|
41
trey lyles |
|
7
Chimezie Metu |
|
fifteen
David Mitchell |
|
0
Malik Monk |
|
13
keegan murray |
|
10
Domantas Sabonis |
| Min | pts | RT | RO | DR | Ast | Per | rec | Tap | T1 | T2 | T3 | FR | CF | Val | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
40
Harrison Barnes | 29 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 7/12 | 0/2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
3
Terence Davis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
35
PJ Dozier | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
17
Kessler Edwards | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
23
Keon Ellis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
5
De’Aaron Fox | 32 | 28 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7/7 | 9/20 | 1/6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
22
Richaun Holmes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
9
kevin huerter | 31 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0/0 | 4/8 | 2/7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
25
Alex Len | 12 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 0/2 | 0/0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
41
trey lyles | 18 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 1/3 | 2/4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
7
Chimezie Metu | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
fifteen
David Mitchell | fifteen | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 1/1 | 2/5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
0
Malik Monk | 23 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1/1 | 3/9 | 2/6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
13
keegan murray | 30 | eleven | 9 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/1 | 23 | 2/5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
10
Domantas Sabonis | 3. 4 | 19 | eleven | 3 | 8 | eleven | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2/6 | 7/10 | 1/1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |