DALLAS, TEXAS — After losing a close game against the Bucks on Friday night the Mavericks hosted the Chicago Bulls in a matinee matchup. Dallas was still without the 5 players who have been out due to Covid 19 protocol and contact tracing which has hindered the Mavericks balance rotationally. Dallas also learned they would be without Tim Hardaway Jr due to a groin injury who scored 20 + points in the Mavericks last 4 out of 5 games. Since the Bulls and Mavericks last matchup the Mavericks have won their last 4 out of 5 games and the Bulls have lost their last 4 losing their last game against the Thunder in which they held a second half lead but ultimately lost in overtime.
Dallas jumped out to an early lead Sunday afternoon and Luka Doncic was key to their early offensive success. Luka not only set up his teammates for easy buckets but also found success early from the field. Dallas’s offensive tempo subsided midway through the first and the Mavericks began to struggle shooting from the field and finished the first quarter converting on 36% of their shots from the field while the Bulls shot 41% from the field which resulted in the Bulls coming back to capture a 27-23 lead as time expired.
The Mavericks only connected on 9 of their shots in the first quarter and much was attributed to Doncic and how well he was playing, but Doncic’s supporting cast struggled. The rest of the Mavericks roster combined to knock down 4 out of 16 shot attempts, which was not typical for Dallas’s role players. The Mavericks bench was outscored by the Bulls which led to the Bulls capturing a 15 point lead going into halftime.
Dallas did what they could defensively, limiting arguably the Bulls best player Zach Lavine to only 6 first half points. Lavine gave the Mavericks fits in their first matchup and he finished the first half leading all scorers and finished the game with 39 points. The Bulls field goal percentage actually took a dip in the second quarter but the Mavericks had a hard time overcoming their own shooting troubles.
Luka by all accounts dominated finishing with 30 first half points, but the Mavericks as a whole couldn’t get into rhythm. Dallas has been able to flip only one halftime deficit into a victory this season, so facing adverse situations haven’t favored Dallas the entire season.
Entering the third quarter the Mavericks got it together offensively. Luka Doncic only hit 1 of his 9 attempts in the third quarter but the rest of the team converted on 56% of their shots from the floor. The double digit lead the Bulls once held was within single digits midway through the third quarter. The Mavericks bit down defensively and began to score points off turnovers and second chance opportunities which they weren’t great at during the first portion of the game and Dallas outscored the Bulls in the third quarter which was the first time that happened all game.
When the Mavericks began to execute on offense, the Bulls did the same making it hard for the Mavericks to make it competitive again. The Mavericks shot 59% from the floor but the Bulls shot 72% from the field. The Mavericks were a day late and dollar short in their comeback efforts, and the Bulls closed out their second win against the Mavericks 117-101 to complete the regular season series sweep.
After playing solid over the past 5 games without some of their players the Mavericks have been exceptional, but in their last two outings it has been clear what the Mavericks are missing and that is depth. This is the second time this season Dallas has lost two games consecutively. The 6-6 Mavericks will look to bounce back in a quick turnaround as they travel to Florida to play the Raptors tomorrow night.
