The Dallas Mavericks looked dead in the water in the final minute of action against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Maxi Kleber and Kyrie Irving apparently took some CPR classes together, connecting on the final play that won the Mavs the game at the buzzer.
Check out the frantic finish below:
MAXI KLEBER CALLS GAME 🚨pic.twitter.com/yn3zzI3yCP
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) March 18, 2023
With both teams battling it out in the Western Conference playoff picture, the result could be a devastating blow to the Lakers' chances down the line. The Mavs, meanwhile, overcome another missed game from Luka Doncic to stay afloat in the standings.
Had the Lakers prevailed, they would have matched the Mavs with a 35-36 record in the standings. That would have kept LA in a three-way tie with Dallas and the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 8th seed. Instead, the Lakers fall to 34-37 which puts them just barely ahead of the 11th-placed Utah Jazz in win percentage.
LeBron James continues to heal up on the sidelines and seems at least a week or two away from returning to the lineup. With critical games against the Thunder, Timberwolves, and two with the Jazz in the coming weeks, they'll need to hold firm if they want to keep their spot in the play-in tournament.
The Mavs' win catapulted them back to sixth in the West for the conference's final guaranteed playoff spot. After a brutal 3-9 stretch amid a slew of injuries to both Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, they've ripped off two crucial wins and now have some breathing room in the standings.
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