3 discouraging takeaways from Dallas Mavericks loss to Pistons

The Dallas Mavericks dropped another inexcusable game on Dec. 1 as they lost to the Detroit Pistons 131-125 in overtime. Dallas made a late fourth-quarter comeback to force the extra session, but they gave up 14 points in the final five minutes to lose. The rebuilding Pistons were just 5-18 coming into the game, and Cade Cunningham was sidelined by an injury. Dallas got 35 points from Luka Doncic, and they shot over 53 percent from the field, but it was not enough on Thursday night.

It was a forgettable game for the Mavericks. They shot the ball well from the field and beyond the 3-point line, but they could not get any stops in Detroit. The Pistons were one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league, but they shot over 54 percent from the field on Thursday night as Dallas fell to 1-8 on the road to begin the season.

The Mavericks had three players score 25-plus, but it wasn’t enough. Here are three discouraging takeaways from another inexcusable loss by the Mavs.

Takeaway from Dallas Mavericks loss to Pistons: 3. Free throws

The Mavs struggles from the foul line continued on Thursday night as they made just 14 of 29. Dallas was 26th in the NBA on the season coming in at 72.7 percent, but they couldn’t even match that output in Detroit. The Mavericks got to the line plenty, but they just couldn’t make their freebies.

The misses piled up against the Pistons. They lost by just six points in overtime, and the Mavericks failed to convert 15 times from the foul line. They shot under 50 percent on their free throws as Luka Doncic was just two of six.

Poor shooting from the foul line lost them another game, but the problem is unlikely to go away as both Doncic and Christian Wood struggle from the foul line for their careers and they are the two players who get to the line most.