Mavs-Suns preview: Playoffs? Approach it ‘as if we’re not in,’ Hardaway says

If there was any doubt about the attitude the Mavericks must possess when they begin the stretch-run on Thursday against Phoenix, Tim Hardaway Jr. left nothing to the imagination.

“We got to approach it as if we’re not in the playoffs right now,” he said. “We’re only in the play-in with the standings how (they are) now.

“So we got to get back into the top six. And it starts tomorrow.”

Approach it like they aren’t in the playoffs. Because they aren’t.

That’s priceless advice for the Mavericks, who finished the pre-All-Star portion of the schedule with six consecutive wins and vaulted themselves into position to seriously compete for a spot in the top six, which would mean avoiding that perilous play-in tournament for teams finishing seventh through 10^th in the Western Conference.

Those four teams would slug it out for the final two playoff spots.

There are 27 games remaining for the Mavericks. They are nine games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2021-22 season, when they got hot at the right time and reached the Western Conference finals.

They are hoping something akin to that can happen again.

“The team we had a couple years ago made it to the Western Conference finals playing with heart, playing together, playing unselfishly and going out there and competing,” Hardaway said. “We have that kind of group.”

The next week will go a long way toward determining the Mavericks’ chances of making the playoffs, and not the play-in. After Phoenix on Thursday (6:30 p.m. tip), they head East to Indiana, Cleveland, Toronto and Boston.

Three of those teams feel like they have championship ability.

Toronto is simply Toronto, where the Mavericks have often struggled in the past, regardless of the Raptors’ fortunes.

So it’s a challenging stretch.

But it’s also not make or break.

“We know how important this game is,” coach Jason Kidd said of the meeting with the Suns. “They’re all important. But it’s not the end of the season if we don’t get a W.”

What the Mavericks need to do is try to re-ignite the good vibes they had working for them before the break. Their six-game win streak put them in a much more favorable spot than they were two weeks back.

But it’s not easy to replicate that after a weeklong interlude with no games when players scattered to sunny beaches far and wide.

“Sometimes you don’t want to break the continuity of a winning streak,” Kidd said. “But this is a chance to start another winning streak after the break.”

Here’s what else to look for when the Suns visit American Airlines Center.

• Everybody practiced for the Mavericks on Wednesday, although Dante Exum (right knee) only took part in non-contact work. “He’s heading in the right direction,” Kidd said. Exum will not play against the Suns, but the hope is that he returns to game action on the upcoming four-game trip.
• Luka Dončić also returned after a quick getaway after fulfilling his All-Star weekend obligations. “Luka was back. He said he enjoyed his vacation,” Kidd said. “It was good to have him back. He looked great, refreshed and happy.”
• The Suns are one game ahead of the Mavericks in the West standings and have 15 of their remaining 27 games on the road. They are full of firepower, led by Kevin Durant. “KD is one of the best players to play the game,” Kidd said. “He’s seen every defense. You just try to make it tough. He can (do everything). And he also knows how to use his teammates with Book and Beal over there.”
• That would be Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. Booker and Durant combine for 55.7 points per game. Beal chips in 18.2 points per game.
• The Suns are a potent offensive team, hitting 49.9 percent of their shots (third in the league) and 37.8 percent of their three-point shots (seventh in the league).

PHOENIX SUNS (33-22) at MAVERICKS (32-23)

• When/where: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, American Airlines Center, Dallas.
• TV: TNT.
• Radio: 97.1 FM The Freak; 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish).

X: @ESefko