What Has To Happen? NBA Playoffs Ramifications in Dallas Mavs Final Game
The NBA regular season is closing in a big way with all 30 teams in action and postseason implications on the line. The Dallas Mavericks travel to Minneapolis in their finale to take on the Timberwolves. The outcome of the game will help determine the Mavericks final seeding and their first round opponent for the 2020-21 NBA Playoffs following Sunday night’s action.
The Mavs have won six of their last seven games while the T'wolves have lost five of their last seven games. Minnesota is currently tied with the Cavaliers for the fifth best lottery odds.
PLAYOFFS: The Mavericks punched their ticket to the NBA playoffs, clinching their 17th postseason berth over the last 21 years in Friday's win over the Toronto Raptors. Dallas is currently alone in fifth place in the Western Conference but could slide to sixth with a loss, plus a Lakers loss, plus a Blazers win.
The Mavs will hold at No. 5 if any of these happen Sunday: a Dallas win over Minnesota, a Portland loss to Denver, or a Lakers victory at New Orleans.
The Mavs will face off against the Los Angeles Clippers or the Denver Nuggets in the first round, with Denver likely to finish at No. 4 and destined to face Dallas.
[READ: Dallas Mavs' Kristaps Porzingis Denies Off-Court Issues With Luka Doncic]
ODDS: The Mavs opened as 8-point favorites over the Timberwolves.
RECORDS: DALLAS MAVERICKS (42-29) @ MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (22-47)
WHEN: Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. CT
LOCATION: Target Center (Minneapolis, MN)
TV/RADIO: NBA TV, BSSW, ESPN 103.3 FM, Univision 1270 AM
FINAL WORD: Coach Rick Carlisle on Sunday’s regular-season finale, in which all 30 teams play:
“Look, it’s great for our league. It’s consumed social media, it’s consumed the Internet, the league’s getting amazing attention with how close and competitive it is. Those are all great things... The way I look at it is we’ve all got to embrace the competitiveness of this. It does get nerve-wracking for everyone, but these are the moments that you really learn how to focus and block things out and that’s how we’re going to have to proceed.”
