Mavericks at Pelicans
The Dallas Mavericks might have squandered any slim chance they had of challenging for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference when they coughed up a 13-point lead down the stretch in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday. The New Orleans Pelicans, who host the Mavericks on Wednesday, can relate to the postseason hopes slipping away.
Dallas dropped four games behind the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets entering play on Tuesday when they let Russell Westbrook score 12 points during a 14-0 run that ended the game and left the Mavericks with a 92-91 setback. "You know, it’s a very disappointing loss," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told reporters. "The end of the game was disappointing. It was physical, nothing was easy, and they made plays and we didn't." The Pelicans planned to make a big push after acquiring All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins over the All-Star break but are instead a half-game behind the Mavericks after dropping two of three on a road trip against playoff contenders. "We're still fighting every game," New Orleans point guard Jrue Holiday told reporters after Monday's 108-100 loss in Utah. "I don't think we rolled over today. I guess I know I didn't. I try to play hard as I can every game. We had this goal to come 2-1 out of this road trip. Unfortunately, we didn't. I think we fought today, and that's all you could ask for."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), FSN New Orleans
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (31-42): Dallas went 1-3 on its just-completed homestand and now will try to stay on the fringes of the race while navigating a schedule that includes four straight and six of the final eight games on the road. The Mavericks clinched the franchise's first losing record since 1999-2000 with Monday's setback as 38-year-old Dirk Nowitzki struggled. The future Hall-of-Famer, who was in his second season in 1999-2000, scored in single digits in each of the last two games - both losses - after reaching double figures in the first 12 games this month.
ABOUT THE PELICANS (31-43): All-Star power forward Anthony Davis is still trying to drag New Orleans to the postseason and averaged 33.3 points on 59.4 percent shooting and 16 rebounds during the three-game trip but only managed one win - a 115-90 triumph in Denver on Sunday. Davis and company get four straight home games to try to turn things around but finish out the regular season with four on the road. "We've just got to play good basketball and we can't worry about anything else," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. "I'm not going to go in (the locker room) and say, 'Hey guys, time is running out.'"
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Mavericks SG Seth Curry (shoulder) was a late scratch on Monday and is day-to-day.
2. Cousins (ankle) sat out the last two games and is questionable for Wednesday.
3. Dallas took two of the first three meetings this season but fell at New Orleans 111-104 on Dec. 26.