How Mavs Get No. 6 Seed: GAMEDAY vs. Knicks
DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks take on the New York Knicks in the Mavs' third consecutive nationally-televised game on Friday night. It is the start a five-game homestand in the American Airlines Center for the Mavs.
The battle for NBA playoff positioning continues in the Western Conference. The Mavs are only one game behind the Portland Trail Blazers for the No. 6 playoff spot, which avoids the play-in tournament. Dallas can tie Portland for sixth tonight, if the Mavs beat the Knicks and the Blazers lose in San Antonio.
To do so, the Mavs will have to end the Knicks' four-game winning streak.
"UNICORN": Kristaps Porzingis has totaled 20 points in four straight games with 10 rebounds in three of his last four games. In his three games against his former team, the Knicks, Porzingis is averaging 20.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3 blocks per game.
FUN FACT: Head-to-head, the road team has won six of the last seven meetings between the two teams. In the most recent matchup on April 2, acting head coach Jamahl Mosley led the Mavericks to a 99-86 win at Madison Square Garden.
UNREAL DONCIC: Luka Doncic’s lunging, lurching, lofty 3-pointer at the buzzer – the Luka Leaner – is one of the most improbable, impressive, iconic shots in Mavs’ history.
The game-winning buzzer-beater to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night made Doncic the first player in franchise history with multiple game-winning 3-point buzzer-beaters. The other late-game heroic play came in Game 4 of the 2020 playoffs, when Doncic nailed a step-back 3-pointer in overtime to beat the Los Angeles Clippers.
COMING SOON: In this homestand, the Mavs host the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday before a pair of games against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday and on April 24.
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ODDS: The Mavs entered the day as 5.5-point favorites to the Knicks, and the total over/under is 210.5 points.
RECORDS: DALLAS MAVERICKS (30-24) VS. NEW YORK KNICKS (29-27)
WHEN: Friday, April 16, 2021 at 8:30 p.m. CT
LOCATION: American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)
TV/RADIO: ESPN, Bally Sports Southwest, NBA League pass, ESPN 103.3 FM, Univision 1270 AM
[READ MORE: Contending Mavs Need Less Whining, More Winning]
