That One Stings: Gordon Hayward Personally Shuts Down Mavericks in OT

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The Dallas Mavericks seemed to make going into overtime into a vivid art form while playing on their home court at the American Airlines Center. And Tuesday evening was no different… well, except for the outcome they so desired.

The clock hit 4.2 seconds when Utah Jazz guard Gordon Hayward got his hands on the ball after catching an inbounds pass and moved with ease right past veteran Raymond Felton in order to get into position. He then stepped back with a baseline jumper right over the head of Zaza Pachulia.

https://youtu.be/6s_gdMadREo

Swish.

With their seventh straight win, the Jazz went nuts on their side of the court while the Mavericks looked at each other in utter disbelief and dejection – how could they let another win slide through their fingers?

“They rose up and hit a difficult shot,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said following the 121-119 loss. “We had a couple of opportunities to step in to really good shots and they just didn’t go down. It’s a make-or-miss league, but I’m extremely proud of the way we competed.”

Well, at least he can look at it positively.

Guard Wesley Matthews doesn’t quite see it the same way.

“I’d rather have the win then this loss,” Matthews expressed after asked if he can take the guilt from this particular loss as a positive. “It didn’t matter win or lose, our mentality had to be the same which is we have to win a lot of games. We have to come out with a fight and an aggression more so because this is a sprint now to this break and recharge.”

The Mavs were up by as much as 15-points but watched everything crumble in the final quarter of the game and couldn’t manage to close during OT. Dallas had led by three with 7.1 seconds left, but a coaching decision by Carlisle looks like it may have cost his boys the game.

He failed to foul Trey Lyles, who is a 62 percent free throw shooter.

Lyles then passed to Rodney Hood, who hit a corner trey, tying the game with 1.9 seconds left.

“We just decided not to,” Carlisle explained to the press. “We decided to switch it and make them make as difficult a shot as possible. They did. Give them credit.”

Chandler Parsons, who led the Mavs with 24 points, had his hands on the ball in his team’s last possession, but it failed to fall.

The Mavericks are resting in sixth place in the West going into the All-Star break, but are only one game ahead of the Jazz.

It’s clear that some time away from the court could prove to be the much needed breather Dallas needs to bounce back.