THE Dallas Mavericks will travel to take on the Chicago Bulls at 7 p.m. central time. The Mavericks have won two in a row, following a costly losing streak five of six games.
The Mavericks are fighting for the standings as they try to avoid play-in. They are currently one game away from Phoenix Suns who sit in sixth place, even though the Mavericks hold the tiebreaker.
Chicago is currently ninth in the East as they also battle for play-in positioning. Here are the things to watch out for.
The historic journey of Luka Doncic
Doncic has long been the straw that stirs the drink for the Mavericks. Recently he also drank the whole drink. Doncic is on a historic streak with six straight triple-doubles of 30+ points and five straight triple-doubles of 35+ points. Both are NBA records.
The Bulls have one of the best defenders in the world, Alex Caruso, who will surely be deployed to try and end these streaks. Doncic is also on a historic streak of technicals as he inches closer and closer to his 16th and a mandatory suspension. He must not allow Caruso to get under his skin and cause a technical foul.
The Mavericks’ central position
The Mavericks have won all four games started by Daniel Gafford despite roster data suggesting the Mavericks are better with him on the bench. He has made his last 19 shots from the field, being perfect in three straight games. However, Derek Lively is a much more versatile defender and a pillar of the Mavericks’ future. The Mavericks’ center position remains a fascinating position to watch moving forward.
Tim Hardaway Jr emerges from his difficulties
Hardaway played well against the Detroit Pistons, hopefully ending his long slump. Hardaway is the Mavericks’ most important shooter outside of Doncic and they need him to make shots. He was 4 of 8 from three against Detroit. I hope he can transfer that shot into this game, as the streak shooter is capable of going on long hot streaks.
How to watch
This game is on WFAA at 7 p.m. local time.
