Dallas Mavericks: 3 takeaways from the win in San Antonio

4 of 4

1. Figuring out crunch time

The Dallas Mavericks had an 11-point lead to start the fourth quarter. The Spurs started with a six to zero run. It forced coach Rick Carlisle to put Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis back in the game with 9:22 left. Porzingis finally got Dallas on the board by hitting one of two free throws. San Antonio then had a seven to zero run to grab their first lead since the opening minute.

The Dallas Mavericks have struggled down the stretch in close games all season. Bobby Karalla tweeted this after their last contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Exactly half the Mavs' games have been clutch games (score within 5 inside the final 5 minutes), while half have not.

Clutch record: 11-18
Non-clutch record: 24-5

Should be noted their record in clutch games with Doncic is 9-11. 2-7 without him.
— Bobby Karalla (@bobbykaralla) February 25, 2020

The two teams went back and forth until the game was tied at 96 with four minutes remaining. The Spurs had just made a comeback. They appeared to have all the momentum.

It was different on Wednesday night, though. The Mavericks immediately responded with Luka finding Porzingis for a three-point play the old fashioned way. Doncic then got a steal which led to KP 3-pointer on the other end.

Why the Mavs won the KP trade. Next

They kept the ball rolling and created open looks in the final minutes. That led to a victory. It is just one game, but it could be the start of them figuring out their struggles in clutch situations. Hopefully, it continues over the final 23 games of the regular season and into the playoffs.