CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Mavericks’ no-good, very-bad tumble down the Western Conference playoff standings hit its lowest point — at least so far — Sunday in Spectrum Center.
Less than two full days after losing to the tanking Hornets in a boo-filled American Airlines Center, the Mavericks lost 110-104 in Spectrum Center while appearing just as sluggish and defensively disinterested to finish this home-and-home rematch.
The consecutive matchups against the now-25-win Hornets appeared to be near-guarantee victories before the weekend began, but the Mavericks led for just 17 seconds Friday and then 1:14 total after Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving 3-pointers gave them two temporary leads late in the fourth quarter Sunday.
This defeat will bring a tangible hangover, too.
Officials called Luka Doncic for a technical foul for protesting a no-call midway through the third quarter, marking his 16th of the regular season to trigger a one-game suspension Monday against the Indiana Pacers if the league office does not rescind the unsportsmanlike conduct whistle.
So the spiral continues.
Bally Sports Southwest — whose parent company Diamond Sports Group filed for bankruptcy earlier this month — might’ve saved some money by just airing a replay of Friday night’s dud again Sunday afternoon.
Early double-digit deficits.
Late run to cut the score to one possession.
Clutch scoring in the final minute from former Mavericks lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr.
Doncic started 0 of 6 from the floor, the first time this season and the eighth time in his five-year NBA career that he played an entire quarter and failed to make a field goal, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
He appeared dejected and apathetic.
During the break between the first and second quarters, Doncic walked slowly off the court with his head down and didn’t reciprocate a high-five from Theo Pinson. He sat down at the end of the bench, separate from the Mavericks’ huddle, and wiped his face with a towel. He didn’t look up when Frank Ntilikina came over to pat him on the leg.
Doncic has displayed a variety of emotions over his five seasons in Dallas: pure joy after his buzzer beaters, indignation toward officials, ruthless determination against his top rivals, anger after defeat.
But until his return this week from missing five games with a left thigh strain, Doncic had never appeared so gloomy for an extended period.
After Friday’s home loss to Charlotte, Doncic referenced — but declined to elaborate on — issues in his personal life that have added to the frustration he’s felt with the Mavericks’ on-court skid, and Kidd reiterated his 24-year-old superstar’s need for understanding and support.
Kidd lauded Doncic for admitting publicly that he’s endured personal struggles and said he and other Mavericks leaders have spent more time with Doncic in recent days.
“He’s human,” Kidd said. “He spoke his truth, and it’s fine. As an organization, our job is to help, so we’re helping, and hopefully you’ll see that smile today and that swagger. I would bet that you’ll see it. He’s 24 years old. He is going through a tough time, he said it, off the court.”
The swagger returned, at least for a bit, late in the second quarter.
After Friday’s home loss to Charlotte, Doncic referenced — but declined to elaborate on — issues in his personal life that have added to the frustration he’s felt with the Mavericks’ on-court skid, and Kidd reiterated his 24-year-old superstar’s need for understanding and support.
Kidd lauded Doncic for admitting publicly that he’s endured personal struggles and said he and other Mavericks leaders have spent more time with Doncic in recent days.
“He’s human,” Kidd said. “He spoke his truth, and it’s fine. As an organization, our job is to help, so we’re helping, and hopefully you’ll see that smile today and that swagger. I would bet that you’ll see it. He’s 24 years old. He is going through a tough time, he said it, off the court.”
The swagger returned, at least for a bit, late in the second quarter.
Doncic continued to shout and argue with the officiating crew during the break a couple possessions later, but he and the Mavericks will now need to plead with the NBA for forgiveness in hopes the league office rescinds his suspension-triggering 16th tech of the regular season, as it did after the penultimate game of the regular season last year.
Add that to Irving’s frustration with a fan who he asked security to eject, Dallas’ slide to 3-8 with their superstar duo playing together and a looming back to back against former coach Rick Carlisle’s Pacers, and the Mavericks’ tumble further from the play-in standings became even more alarming Sunday.
