Mavs, Pacers Both Seek Bounce Back Game Amid Recent Struggles

The Mavs lost their previous matchup against the Pacers nine days prior to their rematch at American Airlines Center on Tuesday night.

DALLAS — For the second time in nine days, the Dallas Mavericks will host the Indiana Pacers in a critical matchup with playoff implications on Tuesday. The first matchup featured the Mavs losing 133-111, with Myles Turner scoring a season-high 33 points while the Pacers had 38 assists. Dallas had 15 assists and 15 turnovers.

The Mavs are eager to balance the scales against the Pacers after a defeat earlier in the season and are looking to overcome recent struggles that have seen them lose four of their last five games. Dallas credits a "great film session" on Monday for getting the team back on track with communication and ball control before its next game.

"I thought the guys in the fourth quarter played at a high level," Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. "I said this early in the year: our best defense is our offense. When we score, we're going to be one of the best teams in this league. When we don't score, we're one of the worst teams. And when we struggle to score, we tend to not do anything on the defensive end."

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Despite boasting one of the highest-scoring offenses in the Western Conference, the Mavs have been plagued by defensive ineffectiveness, which has become particularly evident during their recent slump. Dallas ranks 30th in defensive rating since the All-Star break. 

Luka Doncic, the NBA's leading scorer averaging 34.5 points per game, continues to make a transcendent impact, achieving his 13th triple-double of the season in their last game, yet acknowledges the need for improvement. Doncic finished with 33 points, six rebounds, and six assists against the Pacers in their previous matchup. 

"I think we just need to have more energy," Doncic said. "I can be better, for sure. When I bring it, people follow me, so I've got to be better too."

The Pacers face their challenges, coming off two consecutive losses, including a disappointing performance against the San Antonio Spurs. Tyrese Haliburton has struggled lately, going scoreless against the New Orleans Pelicans in 23 minutes on March 1, then shooting 4-16 from the floor and 0-6 from deep against the Spurs in his previous performance. 

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle emphasized the need for defensive improvement and more efficient offensive execution to secure a better standing in the Eastern Conference.

"We allowed (the Spurs) to shoot 54 percent and 40 percent from three. There's elements of the game defensively that we needed to do a lot better that we did not," Carlisle said. "I thought we tried hard, but we weren't good enough in this game and that's the bottom line."

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With both teams occupying the eighth seed in their respective conferences, the outcome of Tuesday's game could significantly impact their playoff aspirations, making this rematch a critical battle in the race for the postseason.