Dallas Mavericks Look to Bounce Back in New Orleans

After a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, the Dallas Mavericks will try to rebound in the Big Easy as they start a 5-game road trip.

The Mavericks looked very good on Monday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Dallas even had a relatively commanding lead heading into the final minutes of the game. With 3:30 left in the 4th quarter, the Mavericks held a 13-point lead over Westbrook’s Thunder. However, the Thunder were able to go on a 14-0 run to end the game and defeat the Mavs by a score of 92-91.

Mar 27, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Yogi Ferrell (11) guards Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Thunder defeated the Mavericks 92-91. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Some Positives

Although the Mavericks lost, there was still some solid play from the Dallas players. Devin Harris put 12 points and had a plus/minus of +23. Also, Nerlens Noel put up one of his best all-around games of the season with 15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 2 steals.

It was nice to see everyone on the Mavericks making plays, but, after that loss, the Mavs currently sit at 4.5 games behind Portland for the final playoff spot. With only 9 games left in the season, a postseason appearance is not looking likely for the Mavericks, who have lost the most games this season since the 1999-2000 season.

But, we still have 9 games left to look for potential silver linings going into next season. Tonight, the Mavericks begin a 5-game road trip with a trip to New Orleans to face Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, and the rest of the Pelicans.

Dec 26, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) is fouled by Dallas Mavericks center Salah Mejri (50) during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Mavericks 111-104. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

Not So Big Easy

After the Pelicans acquired DeMarcus Cousins from the Sacramento Kings, there were a lot of people who were saying that the Pelicans were going to make a run for the playoffs. However, the superstar duo has not seemed to hit their stride, yet. Since Cousins put on the NOLA jersey, the Pelicans have only gone 7-9, including a loss to the Mavericks.

In that game against the Mavericks, Anthony Davis was able to put up 39 points. But, a balanced Dallas offense had 5 players in double digits, led by 19-points by Harrison Barnes.

Both teams are in pretty identical situations. The Mavericks currently sit at 31-42, while New Orleans has a record of 31-43. Technically, these teams have playoff hopes. So, this game does mean a lot as the season comes to an end.

Nerlens Noel, along with Salah Mejri and Dirk Nowitzki, will get another shot at two of the elite big men in the game. Dallas leads the season series 2-1 and will look to take game 4 tonight at 7 PM.

Next: Rondo Snubs Dirk in His Personal Starting Five

Make sure to follow The Smoking Cuban on Twitter for live tweets of tonight’s game, and check back after the game for a post-game recap.

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