The Dallas Mavericks have clinched a postseason berth
Photo byThe Dallas Mavericks needed a win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night in order to secure a spot in the Play-In Tournament. Luka Doncic had other ideas, as he dropped 45-points on his old team and led LA to a 112-97 victory. The Lakers secured a Playoff bid outright with the win, leaving Dallas to fight another day… or get help from elsewhere.
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Generally, players and their fans would rather control their own destiny by securing their Playoff fate on their own terms. Sometimes you just have to take the gift in whatever form it comes. For better or worse, depending on your personal perspective, the Mavs will be no worse than the 10 Seed in the Western Conference, good enough for a shot to win two road games for the right to be called the 8 Seed and enter the Playoffs proper.
When all was said and done Wednesday night, the Mavs were surely happy to see they lost no ground to the 9 Seed Sacramento Kings, who dropped their game to the Denver Nuggets. Better still for their Playoff aspirations was the outcome of the Phoenix Suns matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Suns continued their free-fall, dropping an eight-straight game an eliminating their already-tenuous Playoff chances.
With their loss, the Mavs have guaranteed themselves a place in Postseason play. Dallas still has a chance to climb as high as the 9 Seed, but it will take some work with limited time. The Mavericks are a full game behind Sacramento, and the Kings hold the tie-breaker. If the Kings win one of their final two games, the Mavs will not be able to jump them. The only scenario where Dallas climbs is if they win their last two games in conjunction with the Kings losing their last two. This seems unlikely, but if this season has taught us anything, it is to expect the unexpected.
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