Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports If you’re watching this game, you’re a true sicko The Dallas Mavericks wrap up the regular season in Oklahoma City on Sunday afternoon, taking on the Thunder in a game that means very much to one team and practically nothing to another. For the Mavericks, their playoff push is settled — the team is locked into the five seed and another matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers. There was an outside chance the Mavericks could catch the Clippers for the four seed, but the Mavericks loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday ended that idea, as the Mavericks rested Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. The Thunder have everything to play for, currently sitting in a three-way tie for first place in the West alongside the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets. Having home court advantage throughout the West playoffs is a huge, and all three teams will likely be trying to win on Sunday to claim that prize. Dallas instead will be resting basically everyone — nine players are already listed out on the injury report, including almost every key rotation play: Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, Derrick Jones Jr., Dante Exum, Dereck Lively, and Maxi Kleber. If Mavericks fans feel like taking this game off to be ready for the playoffs, we don’t blame you. But for the true sickos that still tune in, here’s what we’re watching for. Final auditions for Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green While the Mavericks couldn’t rest everyone in this final game, it is still interesting which of the regular rotation players the Mavericks coaching staff decided to keep active: Tim Hardaway Jr. and Josh Green. Both players have had uneven seasons, and presumably this contest could act as a final audition to prove to the coaching staff that they belong in what is becoming a potentially crowded Mavericks playoff rotation. In the playoffs, rotations typically shrink, so Green and Hardaway both need to state their case on why they need play. Hardaway has been slumping since the start of February — he’s only averaging 9.3 points per game since the trade deadline on 37.2 percent shooting, 33.1 percent shooting from three. Green’s numbers haven’t dipped much from his stellar third season, and he’s still shooting well from the corners, but his defense has nosedived, failing to navigate screens or mature more on that end of the floor to be a consistent positive force. Who knows if this game will actually matter in terms of what either does in the playoffs, but it would behoove both Hardaway and Green to put their best foot forward. O-Max opportunities By far the most exciting thing to watch in this game, much like the game against the Pistons, will be Mavericks rookie wing Olivier-Maxence Prosper. The 24th pick of last summer’s draft hasn’t gotten a ton of burn with the main club, but he’s played well in the G-League and the coaching staff likes the progress he’s made. Prosper had an electric dunk against the Pistons on Friday, part of his 16-point effort that looked genuinely impressive. Prosper won’t be a factor in the playoffs, but Kidd said on Friday he hopes and expects Prosper to compete for a rotation spot next season. Getting some more game-time against real NBA players will only help the big, athletic forward. How to watch Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m CST and can be watched on Bally Sports Southwest or NBA League Pass. Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2024/4/14 ... ahoma-city