Mavs Secure Home-Court Advantage With Dismantling of Trail Blazers
DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks secured home-court advantage in the first round of the NBA playoffs with a 128-78 smashing of the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night. Dallas handed the Blazers, who are heading towards the lottery and playing young players to finish out the year, their 10th-straight defeat.
The victory was the Mavs' 51st win of the season, totaling the most regular season wins since the 2011 season.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Playoff Luka Doncic has arrived early; dazzling with 39 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in 30 minutes. Doncic shot 12-21 from the field, 7-14 from 3-point range and 8-11 from the free-throw line.
Not so dazzling, though: Doncic will likely get some league-mandated extra rest before the playoffs begin, as he received his 16th technical of the season on Friday. At the end of the first quarter, Doncic was visibly upset after getting undercut on a shot at the buzzer, leading to a technical foul being called by lead official Tony Brothers. If the technical foul does not get rescinded by the NBA, Doncic will serve a one-game suspension during the Mavs' season finale on Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs.
“I mean, I wasn’t trying to get anything," said Doncic. "I don’t think [Elijah Hughes] did it on purpose, but he went through the back. I don’t know how I got a tech, honestly. I just asked [Tony Brothers], ‘how is that not a foul?’ and he gave me a tech, so I don’t really know how I got a tech there. That’s it.”
Regardless of whether Doncic is suspended for one game or not, Mavs coach Jason Kidd isn't too worried about it.
"Tony [Brothers] was saying that [Luka] had to stop the complaining," said Kidd. "So, that is the interpretation of the ref trying to keep the game under control. It is what it is. It’s over with. We just need to get ready for San Antonio and if he can play he plays, and if he can’t then he moves onto the playoffs. It isn’t a big deal.”
Dallas dominated from start to finish and cruised to their third-straight win. Dallas got off to a quick double-digit lead, highlighted by a Reggie Bullock dunk that sent the crowd to their feet. Bullock finished with just five points on the night, but he played stellar perimeter defense, as he usually does.
At halftime, Dallas had a 68-44 advantage thanks in large part to a big effort from Dwight Powell, who finished with 18 points on 7-7 shooting from the field. Drew Eubanks led the Blazers with 18 points, but Portland never came close to competing with Dallas.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Maxi Kleber (right ankle soreness) missed his third consecutive game. Dallas hopes that Kleber can be fully rested for its upcoming playoff run. His versatility on both ends of the court will be greatly needed if the Mavs hope to make a deep push.
Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie joined Doncic and Powell as the only other Mavericks to score in double-figures. Finney Smith finished with 15 points on 5-7 shooting from deep, and Dinwiddie tallied 14 points off the bench on 3-4 shooting from deep.
Finishing the regular season strong to secure home court for the first time since the 2011 NBA Championship season was goal one for Dallas. Goal two? Luka Doncic, coach Jason Kidd and the Mavs look to win a playoff series for the first time in 11 seasons. Dallas has the 4th-best odds (+950) to win the west, an improvement from 6th-best one month ago.
Currently fourth in the West, potential first round matchups for the Mavs are between the Utah Jazz (48-32) and the Denver Nuggets (48-33). We will likely not find out who the Mavs will be facing in the first round until Sunday night.
