3 things we learned in the Mavericks 95-88 defeat vs. the Heat

The Dallas Mavericks couldn’t stop the bleeding on Monday night, as they fell to the Miami Heat, 95-88. The loss was the Mavs’ fourth in a row, and dropped their record to 16-35 on the season. With a plethora of veterans on the roster, and the trade deadline being only ten days away, the Mavs have a lot of important decisions to make about how to approach the rest of what has been a very disappointing season.

Here’s what we learned from the game tonight.

Another center has his way against the Mavs

On this night, it was Hassan Whiteside’s turn to feast on a Dallas team that sorely needs a consistent presence down low. He finished the game with 25 points and 14 rebounds. Whether it’s by trade this season, or through the draft or free agency this summer, the Mavs need to find themselves a stud. It’s just painfully obvious on most nights how outmatched the Mavs are at the center position. It’s a shame that the Nerlens Noel situation didn’t work out, making us have this conversation, but it is what it is.

Dennis Smith Jr. really struggled from the field

But that didn’t stop him from racking up a lot of assists. Smith scored 14 points (4-of-17 from the field) and 10 assists in tonight’s game. He only shot 1-of-7 from the three-point line, but the one he did hit was a thrilling buzzer-beater going into halftime.

Despite the poor shooting night, Smith really impressed with his passing. It’s nice to see him continue to have an impact on the game even when his shot just isn’t falling. He’s a smart young player with an extremely bright future ahead of him. Smith’s game will continue to grow with experience, but you can’t be upset with what you’ve seen so far from the ninth overall pick in last year’s draft. He’s still awaiting that official invitation to the dunk contest, too. You’re move, NBA.

The Mavs also lost the uniform battle tonight

I have to admit, the Mavs’ new “City Edition” uniforms have grown on me a little bit. I’m not sure if that’s just because the Mavs have forced them down my throat for four consecutive games or what, but the uniforms are still nothing in comparison to the Heat’s “Miami Vice” themed uniforms. As much as we all despise the Heat, we must admit that those new threads are so very nice. The current “City Edition” uniforms will be for this season only, as Nike will shuffle the deck every season. Can the Mavs win this uniform matchup next season? Only time will tell.

The Mavs will now travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns on Wednesday night. That game will be aired on ESPN at 8:30 central time.