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Dallas Mavericks: The good news about winning during losing time

By Reid Hanson

DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 26: Dirk Nowitzki #41 of the Dallas Mavericks high fives Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks following the National Anthem prior to taking on the Sacramento Kings at American Airlines Center on March 26, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 26: Dirk Nowitzki #41 of the Dallas Mavericks high fives Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks following the National Anthem prior to taking on the Sacramento Kings at American Airlines Center on March 26, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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The Dallas Mavericks won another game they should have lost and subsequently decrease their odds of a first round pick, but there’s actually good news

It’s admittedly a bit odd writing an article apologizing for a victory, but that’s kinda where we are right now with the Dallas Mavericks. The Dallas Mavericks may not be in full-on tank mode but they also aren’t in full-on win-mode either.

Or so we thought…

For the second night in a row the Dallas Mavericks beat a team they had no business beating. First it was the playoff bound Oklahoma City Thunder, then last night they followed it up with a win against the 3rd seeded Philadelphia 76ers.

To make matters worse (worse?) the Mavs beat the defending champion, Golden State Warriors, just last week. Why all this angst over some meaningless victories over playoff-bound teams?

Ever since dumping 80 percent of the starting lineup for a better tomorrow, the Mavs have all but conceded the remainder of the season. And since Dallas only gets to retain their top pick IF it’s within the top-5, losing is the smartest way to go because it presents better odds at keeping the pick.

Long-shots

The thing to keep in mind is even if the Dallas Mavericks did tank these last few games of the season, they’re still statistically unlikely to snag a pick in the top-5. Even after this recent hot streak, the Mavs did little to change their tankathon odds.

Currently sitting tied for 6th worst, the Dallas Mavericks have a 34.2% shot at a top-5 pick and an 8.2% shot at snagging Zion Williamson in the draft. Considering the absolute worst team in the NBA only has 52.1%/14% odds, tanking doesn’t really favor anyone overwhelmingly. .

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Building

What these seemingly destructive wins do is lay the foundation for success later. I say it all the time, learning to win takes practice and learning to lose kills the soul. The Dallas Mavericks are a team inspired right now. They found a way to pull off wins against teams they had no business competing against, and did so without Luka Doncic.

Looking at the team after those wins, these upsets meant a lot to them. The jubilation is hard to deny and it’s clear these players are playing to win. Better yet, they’re learning to win.

Most importantly, this final stretch serves as an evaluation period for the Mavs. This is a great opportunity to hand the bulk of the workload to Jalen Brunson and see what he can do with it. It’s a great time to test Justin Jackson. Can he take Dorian Finney-Smith’s role should DFS leave in free agency this summer?

Next. Should the Mavs target Patrick Beverley in free agency?. dark

This last stretch serves a purpose and since the odds are stacked against the Dallas Mavericks in the lottery anyway, they might as well serve those purposes. Winning is always good, even it makes more sense to lose

  • Published on 04/02/2019 at 12:00 PM
  • Last updated at 04/02/2019 at 09:41 AM
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