Out: Luka Doncic and the Mavericks miss the playoffs. Bild: picture alliance / ASSOCIATED PRESS
Last year, the Dallas Mavericks were still in the final of the Western Conference – now the play-offs are taking place without the team around superstar Luka Doncic. The signs point to change.
Die 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 rested players, the Mavs lost 112:115 to the Chicago Bulls – and will now probably build a new team.
Clubs ranked seventh through tenth in each conference participate in the play-in tournament Los Angeles Lakers on the other hand, sure, for the record champions there is even a small hope following the 121:107 once morest the Phoenix Suns for sixth place in the Western Conference and thus direct qualification for the round of 16.
“Maybe a step back”
“We were fighting for our lives, but the organization decided to change course,” Dallas head coach Jason Kidd said of his staff in the duel with the Bulls, announcing that “a lot of people won’t be coming back next year.” The Mavs leadership is apparently looking for a better position for the draft, the talent lottery of the NBA.
“In this business, decisions are sometimes difficult. We’re trying to build a championship team. This decision is perhaps a step backwards. But hopefully it will lead to a step forward,” Kidd commented.
Mavs top star Luka Doncic only played in the first 12 or so minutes, in which he scored 13 points – making him the top scorer for his side, which saw plenty of playing time given to numerous substitutes and role-playing players. Kidd had already announced before the game that the Slovenian all-star Doncic would probably only play the first quarter because of his thigh problem.
With the Lakers, national team captain Dennis Schröder was out for a short time due to neck pain, while the Californian’s top scorer was D’Angelo Russell with 24 points.
The Orlando Magic, for whom the season is over, lost 84-101 in their penultimate game of the season at the Brookyln Nets. National player Franz Wagner had twelve points and five rebounds.
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Isaiah Hartenstein (three rebounds, five assists) lost to the New Orleans Pelicans 105-113 with the New York Knicks, who had already qualified for the championship round.
