Playoff update: Mavs win, but remain 11th in West standings

It was a missed-opportunity night in the NBA on Monday when Denver and Philadelphia, two of the best teams in the league, met and the Sixers were at such a manpower disadvantage.

It was the third game in four nights for the Sixers, who sat Joel Embiid and James Harden in what should have been a featured game involving the likely MVP, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, and one of his closest pursuers, Embiid.

But it didn’t happen.

That’s life in the NBA. Kind of like winning at Indiana, which the Mavericks did as rookie Jaden Hardy had 20 points off the bench, and not gaining any ground in the Western Conference playoff standings.

That’s what happened as the Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns – four teams narrowly ahead of the Mavericks – all won on Monday.

That meant the Mavericks merely kept pace. They still are 11^th in the West, one spot out of the play-in tournament.

Here’s the updated race in the Western Conference.

4. Phoenix, 40-35, ———— Minn, Den, @OKC, SA, Den, @LAL, LAC.
5. LA Clippers, 40-36, ½, — @Mem, @Mem, @NO, LAL, Port, @Phx.
6. Minnesota, 39-37, 1½, —- @Phx, LAL, Port, @Brook, @SA, NO.

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7. Golden State, 39-37, 1½ , — NO, SA, @Den, OKC, @Sac, @Port.
8. New Orleans, 38-37, 2, —— @GS, @Den, LAC, Sac, Mem, NY, @Minn.
9. LA Lakers, 37-38, 3 ———- @Chi, @Minn, @Hou, @Utah, @LAC, Phx, Utah.
10. Oklahoma City, 37-38, 3 —- Char, Det, @Ind, Phx, @GS, @Utah, Mem.

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11. Dallas, 37-39, 3½, ———- @Phl, @Mia, @Atl, Sac, Chi, SA.
12. Utah, 35-40, 5, ————– @SA, @Bos, @Brook, LAL, OKC, Den, @LAL.

Twitter: @ESefko