DALLAS — Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were absent for the Dallas Mavericks' loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday, but the team had already clinched a top-five seed in the Western Conference and is likely to advance. The sex was zero.
Derek Lively II remained sidelined recovering from a sprained right knee, but the rest of the team played.He rejoined the team on Friday
February 12, 2024. Dallas, Texas, USA.Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) talks with guard Luka
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Lacking a superstar backcourt, the Mavs start Dante Exum and Tim Hardaway Jr. next to the team's usual frontcourt options of Derrick Jones Jr., P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford. did. The team set a one-minute limit for each player and limited them to playing only the first half.
“Everyone's on a minute limit. No one was going to play any longer than the first half,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said.
The Mavs plan to rest all of the players who started against the Pistons, except Hardaway, when they face the Oklahoma City Thunder in Sunday's final regular-season game.
“Four of the five starters tonight won't play in Oklahoma City. The only one who will play is Timmy (Tim Hardaway Jr.). We understand what we're trying to do at Oklahoma: They're the No. “We're playing for seeding. “After Denver loses. We're ready.”
In the final game of the regular season, the Mavs will be focusing on the development of young players such as Jaden Hardy and Olivier-Maxence Prosper. Against the Pistons, Hardy had 25 points, seven rebounds, and two assists, and Prosper had 16 points, six rebounds, two steals, and one block.
“It's very exciting. I'm very excited to talk about it. [Jaden] Hardy and Omax (Olivier Maxsens Prosper), it's just development,'' Kidd said.
The Thunder still have a shot at earning the top seed in the Western Conference, so this is a meaningful game for them and a great development opportunity for Hardy and Prosper, as well as the team's other available players. It will be.
“You can see the depth because those two guys didn't get a lot of playing time this season because of our depth. Again, as we move forward with contracts and trades. “The caliber of these two young players can fill the slots in the team.''
The Mavs are already scheduled to face the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs, but the schedule for Game 1 has not yet been announced. The series could start as early as April 20th, but otherwise it will take place on April 21st.
