The Mavericks' recent match against the Los Angeles Lakers was a tense one. Despite holding a 27-point lead at one point, they found themselves struggling in the final possessions. The Lakers, well-versed in the pressure of clutch-time execution, took advantage of the Mavericks' inexperience with their new key players.
Jarred Vanderbilt, a newcomer to the Lakers, explained that their
strategy was to speed up the Mavericks and cause chaos and indecision. And it
worked. The Mavericks were trailing by three points with only 18 seconds
remaining. Despite the difficult spot they found themselves in, it was not
impossible to make a late rally.
However, the Mavericks' chances were sabotaged by an inbounds pass that
went awry. Luka Dončić tried to swat the ball back into the front court but it
ended up causing more harm than good. The Lakers took advantage of this
opportunity and secured their victory.
This game may have signified a turning point for the Lakers, who have
been mostly underachieving this season but have recently won four out of five
games since their major trade before the deadline. Coach Darvin Ham
acknowledged that this game could be viewed as a turning point for the Lakers
as they look to secure a spot and make their mark on the rest of the season.
Although the Lakers have been on a bit of a winning streak lately,
injuries could derail their progress. LeBron James had a scare during their
recent game against the Mavericks when he fell to the floor holding his right
foot. While he was able to finish the game with 26 points and eight rebounds,
he was noticeably limping on his way to the Lakers' bus afterward.
Despite the injury scare, James remained optimistic about the Lakers'
momentum and ability to steal a win even when they are down. He also noted that
the team has the ability to find different ways to win, even if they are not
shooting well from beyond the arc. For example, they can focus on getting the
ball in the paint and grabbing offensive rebounds.
This strategy worked well for the Lakers in their recent game against
the Mavericks. Despite missing their first 15 three-point attempts and shooting
just 32 percent in the first half, they outrebounded the Mavericks in the
second half and outscored them by a significant margin. Coach Darvin Ham
attributed this to the Lakers' aggressiveness in going to the basket and
forcing the Mavericks to play a more physical game than they wanted to. The
Lakers were able to secure the win despite making only six three-pointers
compared to the Mavericks' 20, thanks in large part to their 62 points in the
paint.
Injury news has been a hot topic in the NBA lately, and the Dallas
Mavericks are no exception. Head coach Jason Kidd provided an update on Maxi
Kleber and Davis Bertans before Sunday's game, stating that both players are
still sidelined but are making progress.
“Maxi and Davis are still out, but improving,” Kidd said. “They did
great with the stuff they’re working on. We’ll see at practice tomorrow
(Monday) if they continue to keep improving. Hopefully on the home stand they
get to play.”
There are four more opportunities for Kleber and Bertans to make a
return during the Mavericks' current home stand at American Airlines Center,
including Tuesday's game against Rick Carlisle's Indiana Pacers.
Kleber has been out of action since mid-December due to a right
hamstring injury, while Bertans has been sidelined for the last nine games with
a left calf strain, but Kidd had some positive news on Bertans.
“He just started to do some stuff,” Kidd said. “He’s shooting the ball.
As we go here this week, I can give you a little more concrete detail of when
they’ll be back.”
While the Mavericks are eager to have Kleber and Bertans back on the
court, they must also contend with their history of losing big leads. Here's a
look at the biggest leads that the Mavericks have lost in franchise history.
|
Date Margin Opp. Score Time
Final 12/22/2019 30
@ Toronto 85-55 2:32,
third 107-110 12/6/2002
30 @ LA Lakers 66-36
11:20, third 103-105
3/2/1997 27
Phoenix 85-58
3:09, third 108-109 (OT) 2/26/2023
27 LA
Lakers 48-21 7:08,
second 108-111 |
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