MIAMI — After defeating the Miami Heat on Wednesday, the Dallas Mavericks clinched their 50th victory, securing a top-five seed in the Western Conference and winning their first Southwest Division title since 2021. . The Mavs are scheduled to play the Los Angeles Clippers. This is the third time in the Luka Doncic era that they have been to the first round of the playoffs, and the first two meetings ended in first-round eliminations for Dallas.
“We have to celebrate the little victories, and tonight was a step in the direction of recognizing the little victories in reaching 50 wins,” Mavs superstar Kyrie Irving said. “For some of the players in that locker room, this is the first time they've reached this milestone. We're also looking forward to the challenge of playing against a veteran ball club like the Clippers. We have to stay humble and continue to put in the effort necessary to differentiate ourselves in the postseason. ”
December 20, 2023. Dallas, Texas, USA.Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) controls the ball as L.A.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
In three regular season games against the Clippers, the Mavs are 1-2, losing their last two games. The teams met for the first time on Nov. 10, shortly after the James Harden trade, with Dallas winning 144-126 at American Airlines Center. The Mavs scored 88 points in a 19-point loss on Nov. 25 at Crypto.com Arena. In the most recent matchup on December 20th, the Clippers won by a final score of 120-111.
During his postseason career, Doncic has averaged 33.5 points, 9.5 assists, and 8.8 rebounds in 13 games with the Clippers. Since joining Los Angeles, Leonard has had a shocking performance against Dallas in the same setup, averaging 32.5 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Both superstars need to get fit, but Leonard is currently sidelined with a knee injury, so his health will continue to be monitored.
Irving's absence from the Mavs' most recent games was notable in their series against the Clippers. This season, he's averaging 26.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists against Leonard's teams. In previous playoff matchups, Dallas has struggled with the limitations and inconsistent appearances of Kristaps Porzingis, while Jalen Brunson has yet to establish himself as a standout player. Irving provides Doncic with a reliable superstar partner and matchup support outside of Luka, a conundrum that Paul George hasn't had an answer to until now.
Derek Lively II appeared in the series opener only when Dallas lacked another capable traditional center and Maxi Kleber was out. Additionally, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford have missed three games since being traded to Dallas in February. Since his arrival, the Mavs have improved their defense, ranking sixth in the NBA and contributing to a 21-7 record during that span.
By avoiding the play-in tournament, the Mavs could have five to six days to prepare before facing the Clippers. Despite having two games left in the regular season (Friday in Dallas against the Detroit Pistons and Sunday on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder), the Mavs are preparing for the Clippers game. can clearly concentrate on
Mavs coach Jason Kidd acknowledged the opportunity to give his team some much-needed rest, which could be crucial to the team's preparation and recovery. Kyrie Irving has already been ruled out for Friday's game because of a sore left hamstring, and Luka Doncic is questionable to play due to soreness in his left ankle. This break will be a strategic advantage, allowing Dallas to enter the first round refreshed while maintaining competitive momentum.
“I think we can get some rest here,” Kidd said. “We'll go home on Friday or so and see how things go, then Sunday and then go from there. It's good to rest, but sometimes you want to keep playing because of the rhythm we have as a team. ”
Since making multiple changes to the starting lineup, including replacing Lively and Josh Green with Gafford and Derrick Jones Jr. before facing the Heat on March 7, the Mavs have improved their fielding percentage (106.0). is the top in the NBA. The result achieved when that starting five is on the court since the All-Star break leads all combinations of five-man lineups since the All-Star break in defensive rating (99.7) when logging at least 100 minutes. are doing. Defensively, the focus remains on execution when handling a five-out offense.
Irving is acutely aware of the increased stakes and intensity of the postseason. He focused on preparation and stressed the need for the team to improve its game beyond its regular season accomplishments.
“We know the work is not done, it's just beginning,” Irving said. “It's great and great that we accomplished that in the regular season, but this is where the adults start to come into play.” May people win. ”
With a playoff position secured, the Mavs' coaching staff will be able to focus on understanding and analyzing specific opponents instead of juggling multiple potential matchups. Kidd joked that this would make the film room less stressful for the team.
“I think the only advantage is probably the film room and the coaches, knowing we don't have to prepare video for three or four other teams,” Kidd said. “When you talk about 1, 2, 3, if you're going to go No. 6. That's the benefit. I'm happy that the film room can just focus on the Clippers and the coaches.”
“We have to continue to work on our habits before we go to the Clippers,” Kidd explained. “Understand where our chemistry and trust is and continue to strengthen it.”
Kidd has been mindful of the team's recent history, especially how it fared after the All-Star break, and is using those lessons to help prepare the team. This blend of mental and physical preparation will be critical as the Mavs look to remain competitive and in rhythm heading into the playoffs.
“I understand the All-Star break, but we've been through it and we were playing well before the All-Star break,” Kidd said. “We stumbled a little bit coming out of the All-Star break, so we’re going to talk about that.
“We have to work and be ready. We'll have some time off, but we'll also have time to work on the mental side of the game to get better,” Kidd explained. “So it probably takes a lot of film, and sometimes the players don't like it, but just being mentally ready for the Clippers and being able to stay on the court and keep the rhythm.” Yo.”
Irving is usually outspoken about his insights on basketball strategy, but he decided to keep his cards close to his chest for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs. By withholding details, he hopes to force opponents to spend more time analyzing game footage rather than gaining direct insight from him. This strategic silence underscores the Mavs' emphasis on leveraging internal strengths and preparing tactically as they approach their upcoming playoff challenges.
“We can make different adjustments, and we've proven that over the last few games,” Irving said. “I think right now it's just to shut up and get ready to build on whatever game plan teams have for us and whatever we have in the first round. We're going to be who we are and some We are ready to take on the challenge.”
Irving emphasizes the team's strategic preparation during the off-season. Irving talked about how the Mavs use practice to challenge each other and refine their gameplay, emphasizing coordination and nonverbal communication between players while emphasizing the importance of adaptation and conditioning. Masu.
“We're creating healthy challenges, practicing on our own, showing different versions of each other, and being realistic about what it takes to win this series,” Irving said. “The focus right now is to be as good as we can and push ourselves for next week and weeks like that. You know, you're going to be out for a long time — that's just me personally and others. It's about the players in the locker room.
“We're going to have to play different roles, so we have to continue to work on adapting on the field, and then we have to work on coordination and non-verbal communication between players,” Irving explained. . ”
The NBA Playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 20, although a start date for Game 1 of the Mavericks vs. Clippers series has not been announced. Historically, the opening game between these two teams in the 4-seed vs. 5-side Western Conference series has been the second day of the playoffs in recent years.
