For all their talk about tanking, the Mavericks are just 2.5 games out of playoff position.
That might be a half game closer if they’d gotten correct officiating down the stretch of their 100-98 loss to the Suns on Saturday.
Marquese Chriss should have been called for fouling Dirk Nowitzki, disrupting the Dallas legend’s speed/quickness/balance/rhythm with 34.8 seconds left, according to the Last Two Minute Report:
Phoenix was in the penalty, so a correct call would’ve given Nowitzki – who’s making 88% of his free throws this season and for his career – two attempts from the line.
Instead, Mavericks guard Wesley Matthews missed a shot, and Devin Booker hit the game-winner on the other end.
(An earlier Suns possession included two incorrectly uncalled violations, according to the league: A Harrison Barnes foul and Booker travel. The foul would have preempted the travel, and Booker scored anyway. That’s a wash.)
