Last night the Dallas Mavericks joined the Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, and Memphis Grizzlies in being officially eliminated from playoff contention this season.
This news shouldn’t come as a surprise to fans of any of those teams, but that doesn’t make it any less bittersweet for fans of a franchise with such a long and consistent track record of excellence. Yes, this is a necessary step on the path to good odds in the draft lottery. But it’s also the third time in the seven seasons since winning the NBA Finals, and the second year in a row, that the Mavericks will miss the playoffs.