The Dallas Mavericks missed the playoffs in the North American professional basketball league NBA for the first time in four years. Without national player Maxi Kleber, star guard Kyrie Irving and three other spared players, the Mavs lost to the Chicago Bulls 112:115 – and will now probably build a new team.
The participation in the play-in tournament of the clubs in the seventh to tenth place in each conference, however, have the Los Angeles Lakers safe, for the record champion after the 121:107 against the Phoenix Suns even a small hope of sixth place in the Western Conference and thus the direct qualification for the knockout round.
"Maybe a step back"
"We fought for our lives, but the organization decided to change course," Dallas head coach Jason Kidd said, referring to his personnel in the duel with the Bulls, announcing that "a lot of people won't be coming back next year." The Mavs leadership is apparently betting on a better position for the draft, the talent lottery of the NBA.
"In this business, decisions are sometimes difficult. We are trying to build a championship team. With this decision, this is perhaps a step backwards. But hopefully it will lead to a step forward," Kidd commented.
Mavs top star Luka Doncic played only in the first twelve minutes, in which he scored 13 points – making him the top scorer of his team, in which numerous reserve and role players received a lot of playing time. Kidd had already announced before the game that the Slovenian All-Star Doncic would probably only play the first quarter because of his thigh problems.
For the Lakers, national team captain Dennis Schröder was out at short notice due to neck pain, top scorer of the Californians was D'Angelo Russell with 24 points.
The Orlando Magic, for whom the season has already run, lost in their penultimate game of the season at the Brooklyn Nets with 84:101. National player Franz Wagner came to twelve points and five rebounds.
Isaiah Hartenstein (three rebounds, five assists) lost with the New York Knicks, who had already qualified for the championship round, at the New Orleans Pelicans 105:113.