In-Form Mavericks Come to Town for Final Home Game of the Season

Luka Doncic, P.J. Washington, and Dallas head to Spectrum Center on Tuesday.

Injury Report

Hornets: OUT Ball (Ankle), Curry (Ankle), Martin (Ankle), Williams (Back) QUESTIONABLE Bailey (Illness)

Mavericks: OUT Lively II (Knee), Brown III (Personal) DOUBTFUL Green (Ankle) QUESTIONABLE Kleber (Back)

Game Preview

While the Hornets' season has been winding down at the bottom of the Eastern Conference for quite a while now, evident by their 2-8 record in recent contests, Dallas is still on the hunt for wins. The Mavericks are currently sitting at the 5th spot in the Western Conference, two games behind the 4th placed Clippers who they will most likely face in the first round of the playoffs. If Doncic and co. want to have any shot at home-court advantage at the beginning of the postseason, they will need to beat a once again injury-weakened Charlotte squad.

Judging by their recent form, they are more than likely to do just that. After playing very inconsistent at the start of the season, the franchise from the northeast of Texas has had great success recently, winning ten of their last eleven games. During that period, Dallas boasts the best Defensive Rating and second-best Net Rating, while also playing some of the fastest basketball in the association (5th in pace). 

What sets this year's Mavericks squad apart from those in recent memory is the production coming from those around MVP candidate Luka Doncic. At the guard position, Kyrie Irving has delivered great scoring as a second option. Quietly, Dante Exum and Josh Green have also provided extremely solid all-around play. In the frontcourt, rookie Dereck Lively II and newly acquired Daniel Gafford greatly improved the center rotation. Add to that former Hornet P.J. Washington, the consistently inconsistent Tim Hardaway Jr., and veterans like Maxi Kleber, and you get a squad that could be set for a deep playoff run.

Key matchup: Containing Luka Doncic

Although the Slovenians' supporting cast is strong enough to win many games by himself, few teams will be able to hang with Dallas if Doncic can have his way. The former EuroLeague MVP is able to do pretty much anything on offense. Whether he casually sinks absurd circus shots, threads beautiful passes to wide-open teammates, or muscles through contact on the inside: Doncic is one of the leagues' finest Swiss army knives. There is no surefire way to take him out of the game, but Charlotte will have to at the very least limit him to his usual production to achieve the upset.