Dallas Mavericks

The Indiana Pacers begin a short homestand tonight as they host the Dallas Mavericks in Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

For all the noise surrounding the Mavericks' ongoing late-season collapse, its root causes have been evident for a long time.

[Bucks](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/bucks/) and Mavericks tenures. (Don’t forget he was a healthy scratch in three of the first four games of this season.) [Jaden Hardy](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/jaden-hardy-qVOzeYX5dZEWtfyp/) is a rookie guard who wasn’t even supposed to play meaningful minutes this season. [Reggie Bullock](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/reggie-bullock-ikD8UAkJCkf8mvyF/), now 32, hasn’t been as effective. [Maxi Kleber](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/maxi-kleber-yLF22QB0J9VK3S0v/), 31, missed 34 games after having midseason knee surgery. [JaVale McGee](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/javale-mcgee-zFmNF44KQd7Dp4EF/), was supposed to provide rim protection the team lacked last year. [From before the season](https://theathletic.com/3650311/2022/10/11/mavericks-player-analysis-part-2/): “It’s not guaranteed he’ll fit seamlessly into the Mavericks’ defensive approach.” [Spencer Dinwiddie](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/spencer-dinwiddie-huzVN9MOnuJR3hwP/) could hold this team together despite often being alone on the court. “It’s not Brunson’s absence alone, necessarily, that could cause the Mavericks to underperform, but what his departure means to the successful recipe,” [I wrote](https://theathletic.com/3681008/2022/10/13/mavericks-best-worst-scenarios/) before this season began. [Kyrie Irving](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/kyrie-irving-c9XLlxAFm6NG5ddD/), this season was supposed to be far more successful than what it has been. “If Dallas falls below its over-under (of 48.5 wins), it starts with Dinwiddie not being the player he was when paired with another guard,” I [wrote back in October](https://theathletic.com/3681008/2022/10/13/mavericks-best-worst-scenarios/). [now-infamous failure](https://theathletic.com/3398786/2022/07/04/jalen-brunson-knicks-mavericks-free-agency/) to re-sign Jalen Brunson can be examined for eternity, but it was never ever in question that his exit would hurt. It has allowed realistic discussions to be had online about whether the team should simply shut down its stars and try retaining its draft pick this season, which is owed to the [New York Knicks](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/knicks/), top-10 protected.

With both Christian Wood and Kyrie Irving unrestricted free agents this summer, and with a first-round selection owned to the New York Knicks, the Dallas ...

There's little they can do about anything this summer, which has to be a topic of conversation going into next season within the front office. Dallas is 36-38 and ranks 11th in the Western Conference, which is considered a massive disappointment by all possible measures given that the team made the Conference Finals last season. Dallas does have their first-round pick this year, but only if it lands in the Top 10. It doesn't help the situation that head coach Jason Kidd has a tendency to put blame on his players as opposed to himself, something dating back to his days in Milwaukee where he coached another European superstar in Giannis Antetokounmpo. To acquire Irving, forward Dorian Finney-Smith was routed to Brooklyn, and he was one of Dončić's best friends on the team. With three years left on his contract after the conclusion of this season, Dončić looks increasingly trapped in a situation that's becoming untenable.

The Dallas Mavericks (36-39) visit the Indiana Pacers (33-42) on Monday. Tip from Gainbridge Fieldhouse is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (NBA TV).

The Pacers are 4-6 in their last 10 and 4-6 ATS in that stretch. The Dallas Mavericks (36-39) visit the Indiana Pacers (33-42) on Monday. [Tipico Sportsbook's](https://media.tipico.com/C.ashx?btag=a_94b_456c_+++SLUG+++&affid=47&siteid=94&adid=456&c=+++SLUG+++-pos1) lines around the Mavericks vs.

Dallas (36-39) has lost four straight and seven of its last nine heading into Monday's critical matchup against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis. Dallas sits ...

The technical came with 7:51 remaining in the third quarter of a 110-104 loss when Doncic argued a no-call after missing a shot on a drive to the basket. Doncic had picked up his 16th technical that was rescinded on Sunday in the team's second loss to Charlotte. ... Jalen Smith was the fifth player in double figure with 11 points. The Mavericks led 59-47 at the half and extended the advantage to 77-56 midway through the third quarter. ... Dallas' rebounding woes continued as they were beaten on the boards 43-29 by Indiana. Hield's 271 3-pointers this season rank second in the league, two behind Klay Thompson. The Pacers have lost three straight and six of eight as they move closer to locking up a lottery pick. Dallas took control of a back-and-forth game by opening the second quarter on a 14-2 run, taking a 43-29 lead. It wasn't by choice. ... The Mavericks completed the season series tied at 1-1 for the fifth consecutive season. “It's kind of, you know, they're not cheap so if you're going to get them, you better get your money's worth.” Kyrie Irving added 16 points and six assists for Dallas.

The Dallas Mavericks' playoff hopes hang in the balance after losing to the Charlotte Hornets for the second time in three days. The Hornets have the ...

Even being in this position proves that Mark Cuban and GM Nico Harrison haven’t done the greatest of jobs building around a top-five player and coach Jason Kidd hasn’t maximized the roster’s talent either. Irving is a free agent after this season and could seek a max contract which would be a [5-year deal worth $273 million](https://www.forbes.com/sites/doylerader/2023/02/06/what-a-new-contract-could-look-like-for-kyrie-irving-if-he-re-signs-with-the-dallas-mavericks/?sh=65b106593ab3). Acquiring an All-Star and still missing the postseason would be a disaster for the Mavericks, who traded what little they had in assets to land Irving. The Dallas Mavericks’ playoff hopes hang in the balance after losing to the Charlotte Hornets for the second time in three days. If they indeed miss the playoffs, then this offseason could be pivotal for Dallas. [Luka Doncic](https://www.nba.com/player/1629029/luka-doncic) has been vocal about the team getting him more help this season.

Being a Texas Rangers fan; Accidentally cutting a fingernail way too short; Getting habanero pepper juice in my eye; Having jock itch; Stubbing my toe in the ...

The flame will be lit by Mavs Man, as the prophecy foretold. - Being a - Stepping on a Lego on a hardwood floor

The Mavs are now 11th in the Western Conference with seven games left to play; FiveThirtyEight gives them just a 26 percent chance of crawling back over the ...

The t-shirt is available in unisex and femme sizing, printed by a union coop on shirts made in America.Shop Now →](https://defectorstore.com/products/no-star-tee) The Mavericks now face the ignominy of failing to even qualify for the play-in tournament one season after making the conference finals. A whopping 16 of the 21 games they've played since the trade have also been decided in the final five minutes; in those games they are a crummy 5–11. And with Irving's contract expiring after the conclusion of this miserable campaign, the only way for Dallas to give the Doncic-Irving pairing a real shake will be by making an expensive long-term commitment to an unreliable and deeply annoying 31-year-old point guard who may or may not work alongside Luka Doncic, who happens to be the face of the franchise. [the Kyrie Irving trade](https://defector.com/kyrie-irving-is-now-the-mavericks-problem)—sending out two valuable role-players and some valuable future draft capital in the deal—exactly because their season has been a big fat dud, right from the beginning. You would not expect to find it in the first season of a team overhauling its whole deal in order to feature a puny brain-genius of a ball-dominant shot-creator, let alone inside of the first 25 games. They peaked at six games over .500 back in early January after a particularly soft stretch of schedule that saw them play the dreadful Rockets three times in 11 days, but otherwise they have been the very picture of mediocrity. Dallas has won just about 60 percent of their regular season games over the last three seasons, and made the conference finals just last season; that plus the density of the Western Conference's middle class this season—the Mavericks were at one point fourth in the West, like just about every other team in the conference—might've left you with the impression, here and there, that the 2022–23 Mavs have at any point been good. But they haven't been healthy—Irving has missed four of Dallas's last eight games, and Doncic has missed five—and with a roster overhaul as dramatic as this one, and on the condensed timeline of a post-deadline sprint for the playoffs, the loss of opportunities to figure out how to make the new arrangement sing is deadly. The Mavs are now 11th in the Western Conference with seven games left to play; "I used to have really fun, smiling on court, but it's just been so frustrating for a lot of reasons, not just basketball." [FiveThirtyEight](https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2023-nba-predictions/?ex_cid=rrpromo) gives them just a 26 percent chance of crawling back over the line.

Pacers wing Aaron Nesmith got the primary assignment of guarding Doncic, and he managed to match his physicality, but whenever the Pacers switched on ball ...

It took him a while to find his aggressiveness, but he saw a few shots go down in the mid-range, started attacking off the dribble, and then hit a few 3-pointers to produce an offensive performance that was more typical of his season. Mathurin was forced into the starting lineup a few times because of injuries to others, but numbers showed that Mathurin was more effective coming off the bench, so Carlisle kept him in a sixth man role. He combined for just six points on 3-of-8 shooting against the Celtics and Hawks, though he entered Monday's gave averaging 16.3 points per game. That's why Carlisle moved Hield to the bench when Haliburton returned from his injury Friday and kept Mathurin in the starting lineup. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has acknowledged that with the season coming to a close and their play-in odds dwindling, they are in the "trying out some things" phase. Pacers wing Aaron Nesmith got the primary assignment of guarding Doncic, and he managed to match his physicality, but whenever the Pacers switched on ball screens or other actions, Doncic was dealing with a defender who wasn't nearly his equal and he exploited those matchups. They finished 39-of-93 from the floor with 1.01 points per possession and didn't defend particularly well. The numbers made it clear that the Pacers were playing a collection of unfinished products. Nesmith and Nembhard, who have been guarding the opponent's top two perimeter scorers all season, were the primary defenders of Irving and Doncic, respectively. The Pacers fell to 33-43 and are 10 games under .500 for the first time this season. Haliburton, Turner and Hield were the Pacers' three leading scorers coming into the game. INDIANAPOLIS -- With their top three scorers out for injury/illness, the Pacers were easily dispatched 127-104 by a Dallas Mavericks team that still has a lot to play for.

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots over Indiana Pacers forward Isaiah Jackson (22) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, ...

The technical came with 7:51 remaining in the third quarter of a 110-104 loss when Doncic argued a no-call after missing a shot on a drive to the basket. Doncic had picked up his 16th technical that was rescinded on Sunday in the team's second loss to Charlotte. ... Jalen Smith was the fifth player in double figure with 11 points. The Mavericks led 59-47 at the half and extended the advantage to 77-56 midway through the third quarter. ... Dallas' rebounding woes continued as they were beaten on the boards 43-29 by Indiana. Hield's 271 3-pointers this season rank second in the league, two behind Klay Thompson. Dallas took control of a back-and-forth game by opening the second quarter on a 14-2 run, taking a 43-29 lead. The Pacers have lost three straight and six of eight as they move closer to locking up a lottery pick. ... The Mavericks completed the season series tied at 1-1 for the fifth consecutive season. It wasn't by choice. “It's kind of, you know, they're not cheap so if you're going to get them, you better get your money's worth.” Kyrie Irving added 16 points and six assists for Dallas.

It was a win that snapped a four-game losing streak and had their season teetering on the brink as they fell out of the playoff. This win doesn't fix all the ...

More attainable, though, is for Dallas to get back to being stingy with possessions as they have been in the past. It was reminiscent of Dallas’ own performance against the Hornets in which they managed just 25% from three, as Indy finished just 8-of-28 from deep, just 28.6%. Dallas is not a good defensive team, and at this point in the season, it’s fool’s gold to think that’s a switch that can be flipped. The Mavericks went out and handily beat down a mediocre team that was playing heavily shorthanded. This win doesn’t fix all the issues revealed in the spate of recent struggles, but it’s a reminder that, when Dallas is executing what makes it successful, they can still win games comfortably. Luka Doncic led his squad with 25 points in 28 minutes to go along with one incredible assist that will likely stick on the career highlight reel.

INDIANAPOLIS – With losses piling up with too much regularity, the Dallas Mavericks went out Monday night and did Luka something about it.

“I think it came from the defensive end,” Doncic said. So with that, just playing that many bodies in a short amount of time, I thought the guys did a great job.” [“I think it was a bounce-back game for himself,” Kidd said. “I thought he did an incredible job, him and Frank (Ntilikina) coming off the bench. Make or miss, when you have that type of action when guys are making plays for one another and taking care of the ball, that gives us a shot at the basket. “He was everywhere,” Doncic said. “That’s just a hard pass on the baseline – there’s so many hands (for the ball to go through),” Kidd said. Then, when he saw me, I didn’t think he was going to be able to get it to me. Irving poured in 11 of his 16 points in the first quarter, and the Mavs were not going to be denied a victory this time. Earlier, McGee threw down a pair of dunks – including a poster dunk – that brought his teammates flying off the bench and cheerly wildly. I think it was a difficult situation. Kai (Kyrie Irving) and Luka, those two set the tone from the start.”

Tyrese Haliburton (ankle), Myles Turner (back), and Buddy Hield (non-COVID illness) all missed the game, so the blue and gold were reliant on younger players ...

The Dallas Mavericks have fallen out of play-in contention and may win a lottery selection in the upcoming 2023 NBA Draft this summer.