‘Not Looking Ahead’: Mavericks Reach 50 Wins At Pistons
A non-conference matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons was about two franchises going in different directions.
The Mavericks are closing out the season trying to clean up lingering mishaps that could prevent the team from winning their second Larry O'Brien trophy in June. The Pistons are hoping to strike gold in the draft lottery in May for the second consecutive year.
The clash between the Mavericks and Pistons brought more excitement than anticipated, as Dallas managed to come away with a 131-113 at Little Caesars Arena.
With the win, the Mavericks improved their record to 50-30 on the year, which marked their first 50-win season since 2015. The Pistons dropped to 23-57.
“We have to continue to get better. We have two games left,” coach Jason Kidd said. “As we've said before, we're not looking at the playoffs. … We truly believe that we're a team. We play offensively together and defensively we help each other.”
Luka Doncic led the way for the Mavericks with a game-high 26 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds. He scored 16 points during the first half, and the Mavericks needed their MVP to proclaim his dominance early.
Behind 10 first quarter points by Rookie of the Year candidate Cade Cunningham, the Pistons came out aggressive on both ends of the court. The Mavericks had a rough start, but Doncic's play led to a 65-58 lead at halftime. Cunningham finished the night with a team-best 25 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.
The Mavericks received a significant boost from Jalen Brunson. He continued his case for Most Improved Player of the Year honors by finishing with 24 points. Spencer Dinwiddie scored 13.
The Pistons remained in the game until the fourth quarter due to the production of their second unit. Detroit's bench accounted for 44 points with three players scoring in double-figures. Braxton Key led all reserves in scoring with 14 points.
Dallas finished 50-32 in 2015, but ended the year as the seventh seed in a tough Western Conference. Monta Ellis and Dirk Nowitzki averaged a combined 47.2 points during the playoffs, but the Mavericks sustained a 4-1 first-round defeat to the 56-26 Houston Rockets.
The Mavericks will return home on Friday against the 27-52 Portland Trail Blazers. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. at American Airlines Center.
