Mavericks lose to Bulls, gets eliminated from play-in race

Coby White scored 24 points and short-handed Chicago Bulls rallied past depleted Mavericks 115-112 on Friday night, eliminating Dallas from play-in contention a year after club reached Western Conference finals.

Dallas coach Jason Kidd said before game an “organizational decision” was me to limit Luka Doncic to first quarter while sitting fellow All-Star Kyrie Irving and four or regulars before club was eliminated from postseason.

Despite move, Mavericks led by double digits when Markieff Morris scored 13 points in second quarter and rookie Jen Hardy hit a half-court shot to beat halftime buzzer for a 67-54 le.

Neir Morris nor Hardy played in second half, and a lineup filled mostly with players who spent season at end of Dallas bench lost le but kept game close.

McKinley Wright IV's layup got Dallas within a point with 39 seconds left before Dalen Terry scored on an alley-oop dunk from White with 23 to go.

o Pinson missed a potential tying 3-pointer for Dallas, which h three more attempts at a tying 3 in final seconds.

loss clinched 10th seed and final play-in spot in Western Conference for Oklahoma City.

Irving was out for right foot injury recovery. ors sitting with him were Tim Hardaway Jr. with left ankle soreness, Maxi Kleber for right hamstring injury recovery and Josh Green and Christian Wood for rest.

Bulls sat ir top two scorers in DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, but y are alrey locked in to 10th seed in East. Patrick Williams scored 23 points, and Nikola Vucevic h 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Doncic, who scored 13 points, ended up playing a few seconds into second quarter on a night when Mavericks paid tribute to his home country of Slovenia.

Keeping Doncic in was an apparent attempt to get him an ovation after Kidd suggested before game it would be 24-year-old superstar's final action of season. move didn't work because fans didn't seem aware and refore didn't cheer.

Kidd said decision was me by owner Mark Cuban and general manager Nico Harrison to rest most of regulars. Dallas entered game tied with Chicago for 10th-worst record in NBA.

If Mavericks have a top-10 pick in draft in June, y get to keep it. If pick is 11th or lower, it goes to New York Knicks as final payment for Dallas' tre to acquire Kristaps Porzingis in 2019. Next month's draft lottery will determine final order.

Wright joined Doncic and Morris with 13 points to le Mavs.

SCORING RACE

Doncic's limited action in most likely his last game of season should clinch scoring title for Philelphia's Joel Embiid. Doncic is at 32.4 points per game to Embiid's 33.1. Sixers' MVP candidate is probably finished for regular season with his team locked in to third seed in East.

UP NEXT

Both teams are at home for ir regular-season finales Sunday. Bulls play Detroit. Mavs face San Antonio.