The Dallas Mavericks will take on the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night for a chance to officially clinch a top-six seed in the Western Conference standings. The goal has been to move up in the West and avoid the play-in tournament since early February, when the Mavs were 26-23, and Dallas, currently 48-30, is close to that.
On Tuesday, the Mavs can clinch a playoff berth by defeating the Hornets with a loss to either the New Orleans Pelicans or Phoenix Suns. The Pelicans will play the Portland Trail Blazers on the road, and the Suns will play the Los Angeles Clippers at home.
November 25, 2023. Los Angeles, California, USA.Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) takes a shot.
Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports
If the Mavs win and the Pelicans lose, Dallas will also win the Southwest Division title for the fifth time in franchise history. Ironically, the last four times Dallas won a district title, they lost in the first round of the playoffs. With Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving playing at an MVP level, and a roster with plenty of depth and talent led by Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington and others, the Mavs should be able to buck that trend this time around.
Unless something strange happens in these four games, the Mavs will likely start the playoffs on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers. It would be fitting for Irving to play his first Mavs playoff game in the same arena where he played his first Mavs regular season game last year. Kawhi Leonard's health will be a big storyline to watch, as he has missed the Clippers' last four games due to “knee inflammation.”
