Golden State’s 73rd win.
Kobe Bryant’s farewell.
And, well down the drama in the NBA tonight, the Mavs’ playoff fate.
Just a tiny appetizer to the main courses on the West Coast, they will learn where they’ll finish in the West and which opponent they’ll face in the first round of the playoffs. And, yes, they’ll have a say in those answers.
Boosted by a 7-1 run and Monday night’s win in Utah, the Mavs have clinched a spot. Entering tonight they are the 6th seed with a record of 42-39. With a scrum of teams playing their final regular-season game tonight, they could finish anywhere from 5th to 7th.
Best-case scenario: Dallas beats the Spurs and the Blazers lose to the Nuggets. If those two happen, the Mavs finish No. 5 and will face the Clippers.
Worst-case scenario: Dallas loses to the Spurs and the Grizzlies upset the Warriors. If those two happen, the Mavs finish No. 7 and will face the Spurs.
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Most-likely scenario: The Blazers beat the Nuggets. The Warriors beat the Grizzlies. And it doesn’t matter what the Mavs do against the Spurs. They finish No. 6 and will face the Thunder.
Look, the Mavs will be huge underdogs to merely win a game in the first round. But their only full-squad victory over any of the West’s Top 4 was over the Clippers on Nov. 11. So that’s, by default, the best matchup. Plus, a couple of frenzied home games booing DeAndre Jordan would be a hoot.
So here’s what we’re hoping for tonight: the Mavs need to beat what will surely be a resting Spurs team, then pull for the Nuggets to beat the Blazers late in Portland.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
