Mavs-Suns preview: Two teams fighting for one spot

The last time the Mavericks and Phoenix Suns met, it was right Dec. 27 in the first game that Luka Doncic missed after his calf injury on Christmas.

Things have changed a bit since then.

Nobody knew then that Doncic would never again play for the Mavericks, ultimately being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Nor could they know that both teams would be well below .500 since then (12-21 for the Mavericks, 14-19 for the Suns).

The Mavericks and Suns now are stuck in a battle to see who will qualify for the play-in tournament among teams seeded seventh through 10th in each conference. One will make it. The other won’t.

The Mavericks have a two-game lead in the loss column, but the race could come…