NBA Playoffs Will Not Feature A Team From Texas: Mavericks, Rockets Or Spurs
HOUSTON — At the start of the 2022-23 campaign, the consensus did not expect the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets to make the NBA playoffs. But the Dallas Mavericks were all but a shoo-in.
The Mavericks came three games away from the NBA Finals after falling to the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 Western Conference Finals. And Luka Doncic's historic start to the season had the Mavericks 22-16 at the start of the new calendar year.
Now, the Mavericks have joined their peers from Texas as non-playoff teams. According to ESPN, the 2023 post-season will mark the first time in league history all three Texas teams will miss the playoffs in the same season since the Mavericks became a franchise in 1980.
The Mavericks were eliminated from playoff contention following their 115-112 loss to the Chicago Bulls Friday night.
Since trading for Kyrie Irving on Feb. 6, the Mavericks have lost 17 of 26 games, including eight of their last 10, while falling from fifth place in the Western Conference to 11th.
The Mavericks and Rockets are entering the off-season with uncertainty. But Houston has established momentum by winning eight games since breaking their 11-game losing streak to the Spurs on March 4.
The Rockets' latest victory came Friday night in a 112-109 road win over the Charlotte Hornets.
The Mavericks have a three percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick, which would lead to the rights for Victor Wembanyama. The Rockets and Spurs are tied with the Detroit Pistons for best odds at 14.0 percent.
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