The Dallas Mavericks needed to get hot when it mattered most and they did just that pulling six straight wins out of the magicians’ hat. Unfortunately, the winning streak came to an end Sunday afternoon against the Los Angeles Clippers. Needing just one win to clinch the playoffs or a Houston Rockets’ loss, neither of those scenarios took place Sunday.
The Mavericks (41-39) went on a late run in the fourth pulling within five but it wasn’t enough as the Clippers (52-28) held on for the 98-91 victory.
“The third quarter was a bit of a killer,” Dirk Nowitzki said. “We were missing good looks.”
Jamal Crawford scored 22 points, J.J. Redick added 20 and Blake Griffin had 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in his best game since returning a week ago from a three-month absence.
Raymond Felton led Dallas with 21 points off the bench; Deron Williams added 15 points and Nowitzki scored 14.
Monday night is crucial for the Mavericks as one game separates them from the eighth-seeded Utah Jazz. A loss for Dallas would drop them to eighth and the uncertainty to make the playoffs.
A win for Dallas against the Jazz (40-40) will clinch a playoff berth but the Mavericks can’t stop there. Winning out is far more important now to try and secure the sixth-seed because no team wants to see the Golden State Warriors or the San Antonio Spurs in the first round.
Only one game separates the Mavericks and the Memphis Grizzlies for the sixth spot with the Grizzlies (42-38) still to face the Clippers and the Warriors (72-9) — a team on a mission to break the 1996-97’ Chicago Bulls record of 72-10.
It’s safe to say the Monday’s game won’t be as exciting as the last time these teams met on Feb. 9. Rodney Hood tied the game with a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation with Gordon Hayward nailing a game winner at the buzzer in overtime en route to a 121-119 victory.
Monday night will decide the tiebreaker between the two teams as this will be their third and final meeting of the season. The first two meetings were both in Dallas.
#LetsGoMavs
HOW TO WATCH:
Tip-off is set for 8:00 p.m. on Fox Sports Southwest.
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