MILWAUKEE — Happy days are almost here again for the Dallas Mavericks.
The Mavs (29-33) enter their game against the Milwaukee Bucks (32-29) at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Bradley Center riding a modest three-game winning streak. It’s just the fourth time all season the Mavs have put together a streak of wins that has lasted at least three games.The only other streak longer than three games this season for the Mavs occurred when they won four in a row from Jan. 10-16 after they defeated Sacramento, Memphis, Minnesota and Houston.The Mavs’ hot streak comes at a critical juncture since they’ll play 11 of their next 13 games against teams who would be in the playoffs if the postseason started today. Thus, the Mavs will have to continue revving up their game if they desire to be among the NBA’s 16 teams that advance to the playoffs.“We’ve got to be up to it. We’ve got to be good enough, and we’ve got to execute and we’ve got to do things harder,” coach Rick Carlisle said after Monday’s practice. “ Staying in the present has got to be what it’s about for us. We control our situation with our games. Beyond that, what other teams do, who’s beating who — none of that can be our concern right now.”What is of concern to the Mavs is trying to exact revenge against a Bucks team that upended them 95-90 in Dallas on Feb. 26 despite 21 points and 20 rebounds from Dirk Nowitzki.“We’ve got to really just dial in on doing what we can to win games and try to get to the hump, and when we get to it, then we’ve got to try to get over it,” Carlisle said. “Every game is really a critical situation for us, so we’re going to approach it that way. Twenty games is a long time — a lot can still happen — but we’ve got to make it happen for us.”After winning the first two games of their four-game road trip against Detroit and Minnesota, the Mavs hope to continue making it happen Tuesday against the Bucks and when the road trip ends Thursday in San Antonio.“It’s pretty obvious that we’re up against it,” Carlisle said. “We’ve been up against it, really, for most of the year. That’s got to be motivation for us.” Mavs to make historyChris Wright will become the first player ever with multiple sclerosis to play in the NBA when the Mavs sign the point guard to a 10-day contract Tuesday.Donnie Nelson, the Mavs’ president of basketball operations, acknowledged that Wright’s battle with MS tells a lot about him as a person and a player.“It’s really a testament to his character — the fact that he has overcome odds and put himself in a great position,” Nelson said. “ He’s performed at a very, very high level throughout the year in the D-League without issue, and we don’t foresee that being anything but an inspirational issue for him and others that have [MS].”After signing his contract Tuesday, Wright will join the Mavs in time for Thursday’s contest in San Antonio.In 38 games this season for the Iowa Energy of the D-League, Wright averaged 15.5 points and seven assists. Wright is taking the roster spot vacated by guard Dominique Jones, whom the Mavs waived on Saturday.Nelson said he might sign Wright to a pair of 10-day contracts. He also said that after Wright’s 10-day contract expires, the Mavs might sign either Justin Dentmon or Sean Singletary of the D-League’s Texas Legends to a 10-day contract.“Chris is rated the top point guard in the D-League and is one of five very high considerations,” Nelson said. “He’s a true point guard that has got a really good body and can find people and runs a good pick-and-roll. So we’re going to bring him in and give him an opportunity to show us what he’s got with a 10-day contract.”Dwain Price, 817-390-7760 Twitter: @dwainprice
