Before the game, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wanted to make something perfectly clear.
“I’ll tell you one thing right now: We definitely aren’t tanking,” he said. “We’re going for the playoffs.”
It wasn’t an ideal moment to make such a proclamation. Friday night’s opponent was Milwaukee, possessor of the NBA’s best record, and predictably the Bucks and MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo won, 122-107 at American Airlines Center despite a franchise-record-tying 22 3-pointers by Dallas on 53 attempts.
“I’m not interested in the 3-point record,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “I’m interested in the level of resistance.