FINAL GAMEDAY: Can Mavs Sweep Spurs For First Time?

Star Luka Doncic is available after his 16th technical foul was rescinded.

Author:
Bri Amaranthus
Publish date:
Apr 10, 2022 10:21 AM EDT

DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks can end the regular season with a sweet sweep of the San Antonio Spurs for the first time franchise history at home on Sunday night. It would be the first time in franchise history that the Mavs have swept the Spurs in a season.

Star Luka Doncic will be available after the NBA rescinded his 16th technical foul. The Mavs look to improve their NBA playoff seeding by winning against San Antonio and also getting some help from the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Mavs (51-30) are gunning to catch the Golden State Warriors (51-29) for the third seed in the Western Conference. Currently in fourth place in the West, the Mavs have captured home-court advantage in the NBA playoffs for the first time since the 2011 championship season.

Potential first round matchups for Doncic and the Mavs are between the Utah Jazz (48-33) and the Denver Nuggets (48-33). Securing No. 3 would be monumental, because as the fourth-seed, a possible second-round match against powerful Phoenix looms.

San Antonio locked themselves into the tenth seed after a close loss to the Golden State Warriors in their home finale on Saturday night. The Spurs will open the play-in tournament against New Orleans with the winner moving on to play the loser of the Los Angeles Clippers-Minnesota Timberwolves game for the eighth playoff spot.

USATSI_18047337 — Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Doncic will be suspended for the Mavs' final game of the season unless his 16th technical foul is rescinded.

USATSI_18047312 — Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Spencer Dinwiddie fights through the Blazers' defense.

USATSI_18047060 — Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

If Doncic did play his final regular season game, he went out with a bang by scoring 39 points in just 30 minutes and three quarters of action.

FLASHBACK: Dallas won all three of the previous matchups and have taken eight of the last 10 meetings vs. the Spurs.

HOME SWEET HOME: Dallas is 20-4 in their last 24 games at American Airlines Center. Over its last 24 home games, the Mavs is holding its opponents to just 99.7 points per game.

RECORDS: DALLAS MAVERICKS (51-30) VS. SAN ANTONIO SPURS (34-46)

WHEN: Sunday, April 10, 2022 at 8:30 p.m. CT

LOCATION: American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)

TV/RADIO: BSSW, 97.1 The Eagle (KEGL)

DALLAS INJURY REPORT: Marquese Chriss (illness, non-Covid) is questionable; Tim Hardaway Jr. (left foot surgery) is out; Maxi Kleber (right ankle soreness) is out; Frank Ntilikina (illness, non-Covid) is questionable;