DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks, without Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving in the lineup, lost 107-89 to the Detroit Pistons on Friday. With the Mavs already locked into a top-five seed, both superstars were expected to be given a chance to rest.
Irving has already been ruled out permanently with a sore left hamstring, while Doncic has been demoted to questionable due to soreness in his left ankle. Derek Lively II, as expected, remains sidelined with soreness in his left ankle and will likely miss the remainder of the regular season. Despite not playing, Irving participated in pregame on-court training to stay sharp for the postseason.
April 12, 2024. Dallas, Texas, USA.Dallas Mavericks forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper (18) and Detroit
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Issues beyond basketball were at the forefront for the Mavs with the passing of Lively's mother, Kathy Drysdale. Lively made the announcement on Instagram before the game and was still watching. The team held a moment of silence before tipoff.
It has not yet been determined when Game 1 of Dallas' first-round playoff series will take place against the Los Angeles Clippers, but the opponent has already been decided so the team can begin to focus and prepare. .
The Pistons started the game with momentum. Chimezie Metu scored from beyond the arc to give Detroit his 12-4 lead. The Mavs quickly came back, going on a 12-4 run to tie the game at 16-16 midway through the period. Washington and Hardaway were often the focal point of Dallas' offense. Dallas ended the period trailing 27-21.
The Mavs took advantage of several transition opportunities early in the second quarter given the athleticism they had on the court with Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Derrick Jones Jr. and Daniel Gafford. Prosper's dunk gave Dallas a 33-31 lead at the 7:55 mark of the period.
After halftime, the Mavs placed players in their normal rotation who would receive little or no playing time. The Pistons gained momentum after the break, building a 14-point lead midway through the third quarter.
“We have some guys who only play half the game, some guys who don't play at all,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said before the game.
After trailing by as many as 16 points, the Mavs' reserves made it 86-80 early in the fourth quarter. Detroit continued to hold the lead for the remainder of regulation.
The Mavs will close out the regular season on Sunday afternoon against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center.
