On March 6, Beijing time, the Mavericks faced the Pacers at home. Sadly, they lost 120-137. Lately, the Mavericks' performance has been worrying. Although the loss to the Celtics can be reluctantly accepted, after all, the Celtics are strong, but the loss to the 76ers without Embiid seems a little undeserved. Now, the Mavericks have slipped to eighth place in the West and urgently need to stop the decline. The game against the Pacers was an opportunity for them, as the Pacers' recent performances have not been satisfactory either, and they even lost to the Spurs at one point. And Haliburton was also in poor form in the game, which provided a certain opportunity for the Mavericks.
At the beginning of the game, Doncic scored first for the Mavericks, but then Pacers players such as Haliburton and Turner quickly found the basket. At the end of the first quarter, the Pacers led by just three points. In the second quarter, Smith and Mathurin played well to help the Pacers maintain the lead, and although Doncic has been trying to catch up, the Pacers still have a slight advantage. At halftime, the Pacers led by four points. In the second half, the Pacers, led by Haliburton, gradually widened the difference. Despite Doncic's attempts to salvage the slump, the Pacers held the lead. In the fourth quarter, the Mavericks fought back, but Siakam and Shepard played well enough for the Pacers to win.
In this game, Haliburton's form has picked up, and he contributed 19 points, 6 rebounds and 11 assists. The Pacers played well overall, with nine players scoring in double figures, including Siakam with 13 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists, and Turner with 20 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
And the Lone Ranger is in trouble. Although Doncic had a triple-double of 39 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, he failed to lead the team to victory. The contributions of other players have been relatively limited, and Kidd's coaching has been questioned, especially for the use of the center forward position. Doncic himself was unhappy during the game and ended up throwing the water bottle in anger.
Overall, the game was a heavy blow for the Mavericks. They need to make improvements in terms of teamwork, tactical adjustments, etc., in order to achieve better results in the next competitions. But how exactly do they adjust? This is a question that requires serious consideration.