The Dallas Mavericks are shaping up to be a real threat in the NBA playoffs. But their next rivals, the Charlotte Hornets, aren't exactly in the same boat.
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The Dallas Mavericks are shaping up to be a real threat in the NBA playoffs. But their next rivals, the Charlotte Hornets, aren’t exactly in the same boat as they head to Charlotte for the Hornets’ last home game of the season on Tuesday.
The Mavericks (48-30) are on fire lately, winning 14 out of their last 16 games, and they’ve got a three-game winning streak going. They’re really gunning to skip the play-in games and secure a solid playoff spot, so snagging a win in Charlotte would be huge for them.
The Hornets (19-59) are aiming to grab some excitement before the season wraps up, especially with Steve Clifford’s coaching tenure coming to an end. When Dallas comes to town, it’ll cap off the longest homestand in franchise history at eight games. The Hornets haven’t had the best luck during this stretch, going 2-5 so far, and two of those losses were super close, decided by just three points. It’s tough facing off against teams that are all fired up to improve their playoff standings.
For the Hornets, Ball, Curry, Martin, and Williams will not be playing the game. Besides, Bailey could miss the game. As for the Mavericks, Brown, Green, and Lively will sit this one out.
The Mavericks have been pretty solid on the road, with a 23-15 record away from home. They’ve got three out of their last four games on the road. As for the Hornets, injuries have been a recurring issue, but they got center Nick Richards back after he sat out for three games. Grant Williams stayed in the starting lineup on Sunday when the Hornets fell short against the Oklahoma City Thunder, losing 121-118.
Williams put up 19 points, leading the Hornets in scoring for the second time since joining the team in a trade with Dallas back in February. Meanwhile, Tre Mann was perfect from the field, going 7-for-7 and racking up 18 points.
The Mavericks took the first matchup 124-118 back on Nov. 5 at home, led by Doncic with 23 points. In that game, Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball had a triple-double with 30 points, but he’s been sidelined for months due to an injury.
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