The Dallas Mavericks have lost significantly to the Milwaukee Bucks (137:107) after the injury of star player Kyrie Irving. It was already the third defeat in a row for the Texans.
After the trade of Luka Doncic, there has been a cautious sense of optimism in Dallas in recent months. However, the injuries to Anthony Davis and now Kyrie Irving have dampened this again. From a sporting point of view, the Mavericks have been passed from the direct playoff spot to the last play-in spot in recent weeks. They were under pressure accordingly.
Giannis cracks historic mark
But Dallas once again put in a disappointing performance against the Milwaukee Bucks. Especially defensively, the Texans were hardly able to stand up to the home team. Giannis Antetokounmpo once again shone with 32 points and 15 rebounds. The Greek also became the first Buck in franchise history to crack the 20,000-point mark.
Without their nominal point guard Irving, Dallas actually did well to move the ball through their own ranks. With 30 assists and only ten turnovers, they even topped Milwaukee’s performance.
The problem was more in the actual scoring. Only 13 of 39 three-pointers found their way through the net. In addition, Jason Kidd’s team only earned ten free throws, of which they missed six. The Bucks, on the other hand, sank 17 of their 19 attempts.
Mavericks lose direct playoff spots out of sight
Dallas trailed by 13 points after the first quarter (30:43) and was unable to recover. The Bucks won all four quarters and were only once behind in the opening minutes. Klay Thompson was the top scorer with 28 points (11/27). Damian Lillard scored 34 points for the home side.
The defeat consolidates the Mavericks’ position in tenth place in the Western Conference – two defeats behind the Sacramento Kings and three victories ahead of the Phoenix Suns. The Bucks, on the other hand, won their fourth game in a row and remain in fourth place in the East.
