Rapid Fire: Mavericks fall to Pistons, lose season high fourth straight game

 

After dropping three straight games, Dallas hoped to right the ship on Wednesday night against the Detroit Pistons. Unfortunately, the Mavericks’ (33-32) energy waned late and Detroit (33-31) held on for a 102-96 victory. The loss is Dallas’ fourth straight, its longest losing streak since January of 2015. 

 

Too little too late:

 

The Mavericks had a prime opportunity to get back in the game with less than 40 seconds remaining, but Piston’s guard Reggie Jackson hit a 35-foot three pointer as the shot clock expired to give his team a 98-92 edge.

 

“It was a lucky shot,” Carlisle said. “This is a difficult time without question. We’ve got to find little ways to help each other through the tough portions of the game.”

 

Dallas did its best to mount a run, but the damage was done and not enough time remained.

 

Tough down the stretch:

 

The Mavericks were forced into several difficult shots in the last few minutes of the game, particularly when the ball found its way into Nowitzki and Chandler Parsons’ hands. Carlisle chalked the poor opportunities down to a lack of ball movement and quality opponent.

 

“The ball found [Parsons] a couple times, he was just unable to get good looks,” Carlisle said, “That’s when the ball has to move. I’ll take the blame and responsibility for that stuff.”

 

A season’s worst:

 

The loss marked Dallas’ fourth consecutive loss during a stretch in which the team plays several playoff opponents. It is its worst losing skid of the season.

 

“We’re having some bad luck,” Carlisle said. “And in this situation, you have to make your own luck. We had some bad decisions at key times. We just can’t survive

that.”

Next up: Dallas hosts the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, March 12. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m.