Dallas Mavericks head to Miami in a precarious position

The Dallas Mavericks travel to Miami to face the Heat tonight where the Mavs hold Miami’s playoff chances in their hands. Will Dallas take it to Miami and put their draft chances in danger or will the Heat be ready to play?

This season has not gone according to plan for the Dallas Mavericks. When it all started, Luka Doncic looked so good that there was some honest belief that the team was good enough to compete for a playoff spot. This was the belief all along for the Mavs front office, who sent off this year’s draft pick for Luka.

With a starting lineup of Dennis Smith Jr., Luka, Wesley Matthews, Harrison Barnes and DeAndre Jordan, the team really did look good on paper. They started the season getting used to each other’s playing style before going on a run that gave them a 15-11 record. Injuries and inconsistencies set the team back and they never found their footing again.

After a January meeting with the Knicks in New York, the Mavs appeared to be poised for a potential run that could put them back in the playoff picture. Their record of 22-27 was not pristine, but the team was finally showing signs of life, including the hope of a DSJ/Luka backcourt finally taking off.

A few hours later, the Mavs had traded three of their starters for a player who wouldn’t play the remainder of the season.

At that point, the Mavs and their fans attempted to embrace an inevitable drop in play that would lead to the NBA Draft lottery. What we had no idea of was that the team would be way more relevant in the lottery odds than could have previously been imagined. With a top 5 protected pick, the Mavs assumed that would translate this summer. It is looking less likely each day.

As of today, the Mavericks are 6th in “tank standings”. They are half a game in front of the Memphis Grizzlies who are the 7th worst team in the league and 2.5 games behind Atlanta for the 5th spot. The Mavs would love to get to that 5th spot for a higher chance of keeping this year’s pick, but it still seems like a longshot.

On the other side of the court for this game, the Miami Heat are still in the fight of their lives for a playoff spot in the East. They would love to send Dwyane Wade off on a high note with a playoff appearance, but it will be tough as they are in a 5-team race for the final two spots in the East.

This win would get them within one game of a .500 record which may be all that is needed to grab that 8th spot. With the Mavs reeling after what seemed like a certain win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, the Heat could face some fire from Luka Doncic and company.

Regardless of what happens, this is likely the final matchup between Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade, a pair of players who’s paths crossed so many times it is amazing what the two have been through against each other. The game will tip-off tonight at 6:30 central time as the legendary two go head-to-head once more in Miami.