The felt like a postseason lock a few months ago. They reached as high as the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, and on Feb. 8, they were 30-26. Well, ever since then, they have gone an abysmal 7-16 and fallen to No. 11 in the Western Conference. Now, they'd need help just to reach the play-in tournament.They trail the Oklahoma City Thunder, currently seeded No. 10, by one game with three to play, but the Thunder have the tiebreaker between the two teams. Any combination Prince Amukamara Jersey of two Thunder wins or Maverick lo ses would ensure that the Thunder finish ahead of the Mavericks in the standings without some luck involving three-team tiebreakers. The situation in Dallas has grown so dire that some have even that the Mavericks Cody Whitehair Jersey might shut down stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving and accept defeat.But Doncic rejected that notion on Tuesday. He after practice that he plans to play against the Kings on Wednesday, and that "When there's still a chance, I'm going to play." While his teammates have struggled, Doncic has done his part over the past two months. He is averaging 31 points and 7.8 a sists per game since the Mavericks acquired Kyrie Irving. CBS Sports HQ Newsletter Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Jersey Your Ultimate Guide to Every Day in Sports We bring sports news that matters to your inbox, to help you stay informed and get a winning edge. I agree to receive the "CBS Sports HQ Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. By pre sing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the and acknowledge Paramount's . Please check the opt- Dick Butkus Jersey in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. Sorry! There was an error proce sing your subscription. Looming over this postseason push for the Mavericks is the reality that, in the long run, they may actually be better off if they mi s the playoffs. The Mavericks owe a first-round pick to the Knicks that they will only be able to keep if it lands in the top 10. Right now, the Mavericks have the 10th-worst record in the NBA. The NBA's new CBA makes it significantly harder for expensive teams like Sherrick McManis Jersey the Mavericks to add talent, so a cheap top-10 rookie would be a welcome addition, or, if the Mavericks could make the money work, a valuable a set to dangle in a trade for immediate help. Fortunately for the Mavericks, if they really are after a top-10 pick, they can likely get one without benching their stars. Everything needs to break right for Dallas to make the postseason right now, and if the past two months are any indication, that probably isn't going to happen.
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