Thursday started the NBA’s final two weeks of the regular season, and while two of the games were blowouts between teams mostly set in their playoff standings, the third (and ironically, the one not on national television) had huge implications.
NBA scores 2015: Why the Mavericks’ loss to the Rockets may help them and 3 other things we learned
Dallas lost to a division rival, but it might net them the playoff opponent they actually wanted.
Let's start with a series of things we know: the Mavericks are nearly a lock for the No. 7 seed and barring huge collapses from both, Memphis or Houston will be the No. 2 seed. Any opponent will likely be favored against the Mavericks, but the Grizzlies in particular are a terrible matchup. If Memphis is a no-go, then the Mavericks must be rooting for the Rockets, whom they beat only once this season but played close in every game.
That left Dallas, who hosted the Rockets at home on Thursday, in a complicated position. In theory, on the second night of back-to-back games, they could have rested everyone and let Houston win, putting them a half-game up on the Grizzlies. But the sports ethics of that would make national headlines, it would have given the Rockets motivation should the playoff series come to fruition and it would be a lousy move for the Dallas fan base at the American Airlines Center.
Instead, the Mavericks played it relatively straight. Headed into the third quarter, the Mavericks led 83-77 but ended up losing 108-101. Head coach Rick Carlisle played Dirk Nowitzki at center and J.J. Barea down the stretch while Tyson Chandler sat. Chandler Parsons was ruled out of the game at the third quarter with right knee soreness.
Regardless of what you make of their intentions, the Mavericks end with an outcome in their favor. If Houston had lost, their chance at the No. 2 seed would have been slim. It's still far from a lock, since the Grizzlies own the tiebreaker and the Rockets have to face a home-and-home series against the Spurs on April 8 and 10. However, Houston probably has a slightly easier schedule overall.
| Houston Rockets | Memphis Grizzlies |
| at Oklahoma City | vs. Oklahoma City |
| at San Antonio | vs. Washington |
| vs. San Antonio | vs. New Orleans |
| vs. New Orleans | at Utah |
| at Charlotte | at LA Clippers |
| vs. Utah | at Golden State |
| vs. Indiana |
The Mavericks’ poor fourth quarter gave the Rockets room to continue pushing for No. 2 and, if things fall right, gave them the playoff opponent they wanted all along.
3 other things we learned
This season by the Warriors is charmed. Stephen Curry beat Phoenix with a three-pointer and then, when Eric Bledsoe had a wide-open layup, Harrison Barnes did it again at the buzzer for a 107-106 final. It's their 11th straight and No. 62 this season, meaning a 69-win season is still in play -- which would be tied for the second-most ever.
More likely, though, the race to history will depend on how the Warriors choose to rest players down the stretch. They play road games in Dallas, San Antonio and New Orleans before finishing the season with a four-game homestand against Portland, Minnesota, Memphis and Denver. That’s four West playoff teams and another fringe one in New Orleans, and at some point, you’d think Golden State will bench the starting five. But when they’re trying, Golden State can annihilate virtually any team they want. Who is going to be able to beat this team four times once we reach the playoffs?
As for Phoenix, the sun is setting. The loss was their fifth one at the buzzer, which accurately summarizes their season. Bad luck and injuries have hurt, while the West has been just as brutal to a team that should be an up-and-coming lower seed. They're now a full four games back of Oklahoma City for the No. 8 seed, which means the Suns have been eliminated from the playoffs by everything but math. That's tough and disappointing for Suns fans hoping to taste the playoffs again, but sometimes basketball is too cruel.
LeBron James makes short work of his former team. After an awkward-looking spill, the Heat are thankful that Dwyane Wade only suffered a bruised knee in the first half. Miami is trying to hang onto the No. 8 seed in the East, where they are currently tied with the Celtics. The injury scare left them only a little time to miss James, even though he was at his finest: 23 points on 16 shots, eight rebounds, seven assists and three blocks.
Play of the Night
Where did Tristan Thompson even come from to jam this?
3 fun things
Houston have two players who are battling each other for the illustrious title of "worst free throw shooter."
Dirk’s not known for his alley-oop passing.This is why.
Final scores
Cavaliers 114, Heat 88 (Fear the Sword recap | Hot Hot Hoops recap)
Rockets 108, Mavericks 101 (The Dream Shake recap | Mavs Moneyball recap)
Warriors 107, Suns 106 (Golden State of Mind recap | Bright Side of the Sun recap)
See More:
