The Dallas Mavericks will partake in the NBA Play-In Tournament for the first time since its inception, looking to make history and become the first 10-seed to make the playoffs. They face an uphill battle, having to play two road games to make that happen. But that brings up a promise to the fanbase the Mavericks made that they won’t be able to follow through on.
On April 5th, the Mavericks announced that they would give season ticket holders free tickets to the Play-In Game should they host a game. At the time, the Mavericks were the 9th seed with four games remaining, in good standing to host the 9/10 game, but they went 1-3 with all three losses being blowouts.
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Since the Mavericks got the 10th seed, they can’t host a game unless they make the playoffs, and the odds are stacked against them. The 10th seed is 2-6 in the short history of the NBA Play-In, and Dallas is 0-3 against the Sacramento Kings this season.
It may actually be for the best for the team that they’re not playing at home, though. The “Fire Nico” chants have been a distraction for the players by their admission, Nico Harrison has had to hide in the tunnel, and they are 3-7 at home since the start of March. That’s not exactly an environment conducive to winning.
There has also been some chatter that this team is already checked out and ready to get to the offseason. It’s been a season from hell with all of the injuries and the Luka Doncic trade, and they face a long, pivotal offseason if they can’t find a way to squeak into the playoffs.
READ MORE: Can Mavericks make a run? Breaking down NBA Play-In Tournament odds
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