The post-Luka Dončić era for the Dallas Mavericks has hit another grim milestone. Despite a high-scoring game against the Golden State Warriors, the Mavs lost 137-131 in overtime. Though the Mavs tried to regain control of the game with a 42-point second quarter, they ultimately failed to keep the lead.
By halftime, the score stood at 73-63. However, the Warriors mounted a comeback and finished the game tied at 126, sending it to OT. In overtime, the Mavs failed to score more than 5 points against the Warriors’ 11, sealing their fate when the whistle blew.
With this win, the Warriors (34-38) kept their 10th seed in the West and a play-in tournament spot. Meanwhile, the Mavericks are officially eliminated from any postseason contention for the second consecutive year.
How the Mavericks Missed the 2026 Playoffs Without Luka Dončić
The fallout from the decision to trade Luka Dončić continues to haunt the Mavs’ front office. Although they secured the No. 1 overall pick in 2025 and drafted rookie phenom Cooper Flagg, his individual brilliance hasn’t yet translated into wins for the Mavericks.
After the mid-season departure of Anthony Davis to the Wizards, the roster was further depleted of veteran presence. Now, with only 10 games left, the Mavs are 23-49 after the loss to the Warriors.
Following the loss, social media exploded after the final buzzer, with fans and analysts questioning the Dallas Mavericks’ trajectory and decisions.
Legion Hoops pointed out that Dallas has suffered consecutive playoff eliminations since the Luka Dončić trade. “The Mavericks have been eliminated from the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since trading Luka Doncic,” posted Legion Hoops on X.
Kyrie Center emphasized how the Warriors vs. Mavericks game was likely to be his last watch for the season and tweeted, “Mavericks are officially eliminated from the playoffs, meaning this was my last watch of the season (crying emoji).”
The Mavs’ fan community account, MFFL NATION, shared: “The Dallas Mavericks have been officially eliminated from the 2026 NBA playoffs.”
Ron Harrod Jr., the Dallas Mavericks beat writer, stated, “A late-game rally by the Dallas Mavericks fell short Monday, as the Golden State Warriors pulled away in overtime to hand Dallas another home defeat at the American Airlines Center. That’s 12 straight losses at the AAC. The Mavs need a closer.”
He added in a follow-up, “The Mavericks are 13-39 this season without Anthony Davis, according to StatMuse. The Mavericks have gone 4-18 since trading him to the Wizards. This actually could either be looked at as a positive due to their draft position OR bad if you wanted them to make the playoffs.”
DALLAS MAVERICKS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM THE NBA PLAYOFFS IN BACK-TO-BACK SEASONS SINCE TRADING LUKA DONCIC 😳❌
Anthony Davis, the player Dallas traded for? He’s now in Washington with the Wizards.
Dallas DID get Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick in 2025 — a selection that… pic.twitter.com/yl4ZafExGM
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) March 24, 2026
Curse Muse, overseen by StatMuse, commented, “Kyrie Coop and whatever top pick we get. We’ll be back next season.”
Courtside Buzz (formerly NBA Buzz) chimed in to question Luka Dončić’s trade for Anthony Davis in order to acquire the No. 1 pick of the 2025 NBA draft, Cooper Flagg. But for what?
The post read: “DALLAS MAVERICKS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM THE NBA PLAYOFFS IN BACK-TO-BACK SEASONS SINCE TRADING LUKA DONCIC. Anthony Davis, the player Dallas traded for? He’s now in Washington with the Wizards. Dallas DID get Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick in 2025, a selection that most likely would not have occurred if they kept Luka Doncic, but Flagg’s stellar rookie season did not equal team success. Thoughts?”
As the 2026 NBA draft approaches, the Mavericks, with 9.0% odds to win the No. 1 pick, will be looking for prospects who could support the team while the franchise rebuilds itself around Cooper Flagg.
