The Mavs no longer had a choice, they had to win to still believe it. Play a ” desperate basketball as Kyrie Irving puts it to avoid yet another setback almost synonymous with a premature vacation.
So the Texans, after a catastrophic “road trip” to the East, fed on their public to sign one of the most exciting successes since the beginning of the association of the point guard with Luka Doncic, beating the Kings ( 123-119). This victory, which puts an end to a series of three defeats in a row (more broadly seven defeats in eight games), is that of hope. Because they will have to fight to the end with the Thunder to qualify.
No doubt worn out from having played the day before, the Kings may regret their second period. After dominating their subject in the first (60-71), the Californians, who destroyed the Mavs on the rebound (57-39) and in the racket (58-36), suffered in address. And especially did not know how to channel Kyrie Irving in a last quarter of fire.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– A ROYAL finale for Kyrie Irving. We strongly recommend that you take a look at the leader’s fourth quarter, as he set fire to the American Airlines Center. The former Nets player showed exceptional skill on the periphery and made a few impossible shots despite a lack of space (see his “fadeaway” against Davion Mitchell). Symbol of his level of confidence, his winning shot three minutes from time in first intention while the five players opposite fell back and that… none of his teammates was still there to aim for the offensive rebound. The leader thus scored 19 points in the last period. Rather than Luka Doncic, it was Christian Wood who accompanied him in his effort, with three 3-point baskets too. It’s simple: Irving and Wood, who resisted Domantas Sabonis in defense, scored all of the Mavs’ 31 points in the period!
– Same record as the Thunder. 38 wins and 42 losses, such is the record this morning for the Mavericks and the Thunder. But the latter keeps his hand on 10th place in the West thanks to a “tie-breaker” favorable to the Texans. Which means that, to qualify, the Mavs must mechanically win one game more than OKC players by the end of the season. A possible scenario because Dallas ends with the receptions of the Bulls and Spurs, where “SGA” and his family, who remain on three defeats in a row, move to Utah before receiving the Grizzlies.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Kyrie Irving – Luka Doncic. The second, seeing the serious rise in temperature of the first, had the intelligence to step back in the last moments. The Slovenian only took and missed two shots in the fourth quarter, which does not detract from his solid overall performance. Authors of 60 points in total, the two men were well supported by the long distance address of Tim Hardaway Jr, and therefore this good final of Christian Wood.
✅ Domantas Sabonis. While De’Aaron Fox signed a strong game but with waste in shooting, the interior still touched everything in the game of the Kings to finish with his 14th triple-double of the season.
⛔ The Mavs indoor sector. The good end of Christian Wood should not make us forget the poor overall performance of the Texas interior sector. Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, JaVale McGee: none really had an impact in the game. As a result, Jason Kidd favored smaller players and Dallas was generally and largely dominated in the interior sector, whether on rebound or points in the racket. His salvation notably went through a better 3-point address.
LUKA AT THE BUZZER FOR PLEASURE
As the crowd celebrated his team’s victory, Luka Doncic sent a missile through the pitch before ending up in the circle. But just after the final buzzer, so the basket is not validated.
THE FOLLOWING
Mavs (38-42) : reception of the Bulls on Friday.
Kings (48-32) : reception of the Warriors on Friday.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D= defensive rebound; T = Total Bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
