There’s no longer any doubt that the Dallas Mavericks will be making their return to the postseason in 2020. Dallas has yet to officially clinch a spot in the postseason, but the Mavs have an 11.5-game lead with 18 games left to play, so it is just a formality at this point. Now, Dallas has its sights set on something more than just a playoff berth. The Mavericks would love to host a first-round series, and they are currently just 2.5 games behind the fourth-place Utah Jazz. They have won seven of their last ten games, and they have a manageable schedule the rest of the way. Meanwhile, their opponents on Tuesday night, the San Antonio Spurs, are just hoping to get back to the postseason, but the odds are stacked against them.
This game will take place at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on March 10, 2020, and the game will be broadcast on TNT.
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Head-To-Head Results to Date
This is the fourth and final meeting between these Southwest Division rivals. Dallas has toppled San Antonio in all three of the previous meetings, so the Mavericks are out for the sweep on Tuesday night.
In the first meeting between these teams, Luka Doncic went off. The second-year guard notched a career high 42 points, and he became the second-youngest player to record a 40-point triple-double in NBA history. Doncic made over 50 percent of his shots in the 117-110 victory.
The Spurs nearly knocked off the Mavericks on Boxing Day, but Doncic’s return to the team after missing four games due to injury spurred Dallas to a narrow win. All the Mavericks’ starters scored in double digits that game, but the team shot just 42.2 percent from the floor.
The last game between these Lone Star State rivals took place less than two weeks ago on February 26. In San Antonio, Dallas used a 36-point first quarter to beat the Spurs 109-103 as Doncic tallied another triple-double and Kristaps Porzingis recorded a double-double.
Injury Report
Dwight Powell is out for the rest of the season, and the Mavericks have four other players on the injury front. However, all of them are questionable to play on Tuesday. Tim Hardaway Jr. should be good to go after missing Saturday’s game against Memphis with an illness, while the statuses of Seth Curry (ankle), Dorian Finney-Smith (hip), and Jalen Brunson (shoulder) are more of a 50-50 proposition.
San Antonio won’t have center Jakob Poeltl available for another three weeks due to a knee injury. Lonnie Walker IV is questionable to play due to a leg issue, while LaMarcus Aldridge and Marco Belinelli have also been listed as questionable.
Matchup to Watch
The Spurs have had a difficult time stopping Doncic. He has been one of the best players in the league this season, and his ability to put up a triple-double in any game shows how difficult he is to contain. Doncic is averaging 28.4 PPG, 9.4 RPG, and 8.7 APG in his second season in the NBA, and his size makes it very tough for other guards to slow him down.
Game Preview
All good things must come to an end. San Antonio has tied the NBA record for most consecutive playoff appearances with 22 straight years in the postseason, but the Spurs are likely going to miss out this time. They are 4.5 games behind Memphis for the final playoff spot, and they are trending in the wrong direction. New Orleans, Sacramento, and Portland are all ahead of San Antonio in the playoff race, and these teams have improved over the second half of the season.
Prediction
Dallas has been one of the best road teams in the league this season. The Mavericks are 21-11 away from the Metroplex, and they are 10-2 against division foes. They will likely be a small favorite per the NBA betting odds, and it’s best to lay the points.
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