Playoffs Seeding - And Luka & Porzingis Health - On The Line: Dallas Mavs vs. Raptors GAMEDAY
DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks are one win away from avoiding the NBA Playoff play-in tournament, which earns them a week to recover before beginning their postseason run.
Rest for Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis? Invaluable.
The Mavs host the Toronto Raptors Friday night in their final regular-season home game on Friday night.
Dallas has won 5 of their last 6 games and 8 of their last 10 to improve to a season-high-tying 12 games above .500 (41-29). On the other hand, the Raptors have trended the other direction, losing eight of their past nine games overall and are eliminated from playoff contention.
LUKA MAGIC: Luka Doncic is averaging 24.5 points (.476 FG%, .811 FT%), 9.8 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game in four career games against Toronto.
PLAYOFFS: The Mavs currently control their own destiny for the 5th seed in the Western Conference after the Phoenix Suns narrowly defeated the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night. A win tonight would clinch at least the 6th seed.
[READ: Dallas Mavs' Kristaps Porzingis Denies Off-Court Issues With Luka Doncic]
ODDS: The Mavs entered the day as 13.5-point favorites over the Raptors, and the total over/under is N/A.
RECORDS: DALLAS MAVERICKS (41-29) VS. TORONTO RAPTORS (27-42)
WHEN: Friday, May 14, 2021 • 8:00 p.m. CT
LOCATION: American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)
TV/RADIO: NBA TV, BSSW, ESPN 103.3 FM, Univision 1270 AM
FINAL WORD: Mavs coach Rick Carlisle on the Western Conference Standings:
"This is all anybody’s talking about; the play-in, not play-in and all of that... We’re one step closer. We still have some level of control of our destiny. We obviously need one more to secure at least the sixth position. But there’s still a lot to be determined. There’s plenty more games left. We have two but other teams have two as well and there’s not much of a difference in record."
