Losses at home to sub.-500 teams could haunt Mavs
Once again, the heated Western Conference playoff race resembles two peas in a pod.
Too close for comfort.
Seeded sixth in the West, the Dallas Mavericks are three games away from the No. 3 seed. They’re also only two games away from being the seventh seed.
That’s why losing games — especially home games — to teams with sub.-500 records is not a recipe for improving a team’s playoff fortunes. But that’s the situation the Mavs find themselves in after Saturday’s 104-94 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, their fourth home loss to an Eastern Conference team with a below .500 record.
The Mavs also stumbled at home against Miami 105-96, Indiana 111-100, and Detroit 108-95 — three Eastern teams with losing records. These head-shaking losses could affect the Mavs’ playoff seedings when the postseason starts in late April.
“You can go both ways really quick,” forward Dirk Nowitzki said. “You’re only one or two games out of third and then you’re only a couple up on seventh or eighth. That’s how it has been the last couple of years in the Western Conference. That’s why home losses are costly in this league.”
The Mavs are 20-10 at home. It’s the worst home record of the eight Western Conference teams that would qualify for the playoffs if the postseason started today.
Dallas (39-22) hosts the New Orleans Pelicans (32-27) at 7:30 p.m. Monday at American Airlines Center. The Mavericks start a three-game road trip Thursday in Portland.
Nowitzki said the Pelicans are “a very dangerous team. Especially at the point where we’re at. We’ve lost two in a row. We got to win [Monday’s] game before we go out for a tough road trip.”
In addition to Portland, the Mavs play at Golden State on Friday and at the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
Short-handed Pelicans
Short-handed Pelicans
For the fifth game in a row, New Orleans will be without forwards Anthony Davis (shoulder) and Ryan Anderson (knee). Guard Jrue Holiday (leg) hasn’t played since Jan. 12.
Despite the injuries, the Pelicans have won their last five games.
“They’re a hot team,” Nowitzki said. “We know they’re two weapons down, but I think they’ve won like three or four in a row, so they’ve been playing good ball.”
Guard Tyreke Evans has helped pick up the slack for the Pelicans. Over the last nine games Evans is averaging 15.2 points and 9.4 assists.
“I think Tyreke Evans is having one of his best seasons of his career,” Nowitzki said. “He’s playing really well, attacking, shooting the ball well.”
Mavs’ reinforcements?
Mavs’ reinforcements?
The Mavs hope center Tyson Chandler and forward Chandler Parsons are back against New Orleans.
Chandler sat out the last two games with a left hip flexor he incurred during Tuesday’s win over Toronto. Meanwhile, Parsons has missed four games since suffering a sprain and bone bruise to his left ankle Feb. 20 against the Rockets.
“I’m getting better,” Parsons said. “I’m doing more and more every day. My goal is [to play] Monday, and if I don’t play Monday, my goal will be Thursday [at Portland]. I’m trying to get back as soon as possible.”
Dwain Price, 817-390-7760
This story was originally published March 1, 2015 at 10:43 PM with the headline "Losses at home to sub.-500 teams could haunt Mavs."