Mavericks face critical final three games to snatch Play-In berth

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The Dallas Mavericks are close to the bottom of the NBA in terms of chemistry, and that's just due to the fact that they haven't gotten much opportunity to play together.
The midseason Luka Doncic trade and injuries that followed forced the Mavs to try different lineups just to survive, but now they have to thrive with the playoffs afoot.
NBA.com writer John Schuhmann is cognizant of the team's lack of playing time with one another.
READ MORE: Mark Cuban's recent comments about Luka Doncic-Lakers trade are angering Mavericks

Mavs getting healthier at right time
"Both Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II returned from extended absences last week, but the Mavs lost three of four, blowing a double-digit, fourth-quarter lead to the Nets and getting clobbered in back-to-back games against the Clippers. So they still have some work to do to secure a Play-In spot in the West, with the 11th-place Suns (who they lead by 2 1/2 games) holding the head-to-head tie-breaker," Schuhmann writes.
The Mavs are in position to make the Play-In Tournament, but they have to find a way to clinch it themselves as the Suns could crawl back ahead of them if they win while Dallas loses.
READ MORE: Mark Cuban reveals what the Mavericks failed to realize about Luka Doncic before trade
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Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
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