Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) argues a call with referee Eric Dalen (37) during the second ... [+] half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets in Dallas, Friday, March 24, 2023. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.If the Dallas Mavericks aren’t at rock bottom, they are not far from it. The lowly, lottery-bound and shorthanded Charlotte Hornets walked into the American Airlines Center in Dallas and pummeled the Mavericks on Friday night. They left with a 117-109 win in a must-win game for Dallas.
The loss to the Hornets sucked the air out of the room for a struggling Mavericks team. Dallas now finds itself outside the playoff picture looking in with eight regular season games remaining. The desperate reality of their situation is becoming a heavy burden to bear.
“It’s really frustrating,” Luka Doncic said. “I think you can see it with me on the court. Sometimes, I don’t feel it’s me. I’m just being out there. I used to have fun smiling on the court, but it’s been so frustrating for a lot of reasons — not just basketball.”
For his part, Doncic did what he could in the box score. He tallied 34 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, but the effort and drive to win on both ends never fully materialized for him or his teammates. It didn’t help that their three-point shooting failed them either — Dallas was 9-36 from deep.
Doncic and the Mavericks were 16-point favorites heading into their contest with the Hornets, but Charlotte came out aggressive, looking like a team with something to prove. They bullied Dallas in the first half, building a 69-55 halftime lead.
“It was awful. Dogshit,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said about his team’s effort. “I think just understanding the talk before the game of what we’re playing for — playoffs or championship — and to come out in that first half, but more-or-less that first quarter, and give up 37 [points]. The interest level just wasn’t high. It was just disappointing.”
Kidd wasn’t the only one disappointed in the team’s effort. Fans rained down boos as the Mavericks walked off the court at halftime, voicing their pent-up frustrations with a team that has only won consecutive games once since the All-Star break and has proved to be a disappointing mess for much of the season.
Even the addition of Kyrie Irving hasn’t worked out in the Mavericks’ favor. Dallas has a 3-7 record when both Irving and Doncic play. Even though he struggled shooting the ball, Irving still totaled 18 points, nine boards and seven assists.
“In terms of concerns, we have to throw all of that out before we get on the court,” Irving said. “I have been in positions before in the season when we have been under .500 and scratching and clawing to get into the playoffs. It’s not a position you want to be in, but it’s our reality, and we have to face it.”
Facing that reality isn’t easy. Dallas advanced to the Western Conference Finals a season ago and might now miss the playoffs. The loss dropped the Mavericks into eleventh in the Western Conference standings and out of the play-in tournament bracket.
If there is some cause for hope, it’s that only one game separates the seventh seed and the eleventh seed. The Mavericks also hold tiebreakers over the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz, two teams jockeying for play-in positioning.
Those tiebreakers mean nothing if the team continues to flounder and show complete disinterest in competing as it did Friday night. The players and coaches are the ones who let this season spiral out of control. Only they can turn things around, but time is running out.
“We’ve got to fight hard and play hard, and that’s about it,” Doncic said. “We’ve got to show we care, and that starts with me first. We’ve got to believe this team can be better and play harder.”
Doyle Rader, Contributor
https://www.forbes.com/sites/doylerader/2023/03/25/dallas-mavericks-fall-out-of-playoff-seeding-with-loss-to-charlotte-hornets/
By: Doyle Rader, Contributor
Title: Dallas Mavericks Fall Out Of Playoff Seeding With Loss To Charlotte Hornets
Sourced From: www.forbes.com/sites/doylerader/2023/03/25/dallas-mavericks-fall-out-of-playoff-seeding-with-loss-to-charlotte-hornets/
Published Date: 03-25-2023
Frequently Asked Questions
Which NBA player has blocked the most shots in a single season?
Mark Eaton held the all-time block records of 456 and blocks per match (5.56) during 1984-1985. Eaton's total in that season was the highest single-season NBA number.
Hakeem Olajuwon currently holds the NBA record for most career blocks, with 3,830. Olajuwon was averaging 21.8 points per game, 11.1rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 3.0 blocks over his 18-year professional career.
What is a buyout for the NBA?
In the NBA, a buyout is a contract between a team or player. The team agrees that it will pay a portion or all of the contract amount that the player is entitled to. This allows players to become free agents and sign with any other team in the league as soon as their buyout is complete. It allows teams to trim salaries or alter their roster composition as needed.
What does NBA refer to as "waived"?
Waived in the NBA means that a team has officially removed a player from its roster. This can happen for many reasons including salary cap issues or disciplinary action. The player becomes an unrestricted, free agent after being waived. They can then sign with any other league team. A player who was waived within the last three months of the previous season is not eligible to play for the playoffs.
Who invented basketball
While the origins of basketball are not known, many believe that James Naismith invented it in 1891, while he was a teacher at Springfield College, now the International Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), Training School. Naismith wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto an elevated track. He formed nine teams from his 18-member class and began to teach them the basics. The original version was played with a soccerball and two peach baskets, which were attached to each side of the gym. It was possible to shoot from the bottom of the basket; goaltending was not yet an aspect of the game. Basketball spread quickly across America and was soon organized with professional teams playing at large venues. It is still one of the most beloved sports in the globe.
When did Bill Russell go to heaven?
"The great ones play when it counts most" -Bill Russell
A legend lives forever. When he stops playing, a legend dies.
But for those few moments, the greatest basketball player gave us a glimpse of his greatness.
Russell was conceived in February 1934. He passed away on July 31, 2022. In only thirteen seasons, Russell won 11 championships with Boston Celtics.
Bill Russell has five MVP awards and 12 All-Star selections and was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame. He was a phenomenal leader and defender who revolutionized the sport with his passion to win.
He made the Celtics a great team and one of the most admired dynasties sports history. He was a hard worker and a teammate who believed in his teammates.
Russell has inspired many players, coaches, fans, and others. His legacy will never fade.
Bill Russell, Rest in Peace. You will always be remembered as one the greatest basketball players.
Statistics
- As of 2014, 45 percent of its viewers were black, while 40 percent were white, making it the only top North American sport that does not have a white majority audience.[102]As of 2017Democrats than Republicans.[103]Outside (en.wikipedia.org)
- "NBA first-round ratings drop 27 percent, 40 percent since 2017–18". (en.wikipedia.org)
- An estimated 800 million viewers watched the [105]2017–18 season. (en.wikipedia.org)
- Between 2012 and 2019, the league lost 40 to 45 percent of its viewership. (en.wikipedia.org)
- The 2013–14 season opened with 92 international players on the opening night rosters, representing 39 countries and over 20 percent of the league. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
sports.yahoo.com
- Yahoo Mail, Weather, Search & Videos
- NBA Finals Game 1 receives the lowest audience in recorded ratings history
si.com
- NBA Free Agency Preview: Biggest Questions And Rumors
- Free from Quarantine: The NBA bubble Is A Unique Experience
twitter.com
- Tweet / Twitter
- Sam Amico on Twitter: "Timberwolves Waive PJ Dozier, CJ Elleby and AJ Lawson - Hoops Wire https://t.co/xKu1ZTuQZN" / Twitter
nba.com
How To
What is the best method to get drafted into NBA?
You can become a NBA player by going to college or high school.
NCAA schools such as Duke University and North Carolina State University offer college-level educations. These schools offer four year education and training. Players develop ball handling, shooting, and rebounding skills during this period. They learn how defense and offense can be run. They also learn how to be a professional athlete mentally.
Prep schools in other states are available for high school students. These schools offer personalized attention and focus on talent development. Students are taught how to be a good student, develop character, and practice sportsmanship.
Both types players must pass the identical physical tests to be eligible for the draft. The test requires that you run 40 miles, jump over a 5’6” box, stand on one side, and throw a football through an open tire.
Players who pass these tests are then invited to participate in workouts at different NBA teams. The players are judged on their height, speed, weight, wingspan, or size.
Teams also take into account their past experience. AAU basketball player will most likely get preferential treatment.
Players considered too small to play professionally are sometimes called "one-and-done" prospects. These players are usually selected in the second round.
Some players opt to skip college and join the NBA straight away. These players are called "prospects." Prospects don't have to wait to declare themselves eligible to draft.
They can ask for an exemption to allow them to participate in the draft early. If a prospect does this, he can compete with other prospects during the predraft process.
Participation is an option for prospective players who want to increase their chances in getting selected. Summer leagues are held in July, August.
These events allow scouts to see players in action without worrying about injury risks.
June marks the start of the NBA Draft. It is when all the top NBA prospects are evaluated. Each team has a specific number of picks for each round.
In this example, the 15th overall pick is the first pick of the first round. In the third round the 20th selection will be the 60th.
After the draft, teams make trades to fill out their rosters. Many teams hold mini-camps where draftees can train with them.
Draft day is exciting! What happens next
You can start waiting to hear your name called once the draft starts. Every NBA team takes turns selecting players from the pool of available hopefuls.
Once a team selects a player, it sends him a contract that outlines his salary, playing time, and benefits. He is a member the organization.
He also receives an embroidered jersey with his name on the front and a shirt with his new nickname.
He signs the contract. That is when he officially joins NBA.
