Despite a five game losing streak, Mavs Gaming still has a route to the playoffs

The first year of the NBA 2k League has been an interesting first run. There are so many ups and downs that result in real time trash talk right to your face—and all live on Twitch. Mavs Gaming started the season dishing out the smack with a 4-1 start to the year but since then they’ve gone just 1-6 and are currently on a five game losing streak.

The team is feeling the struggle, including Mavs wing Ryan de Villon known as “Devillonn.”

Mavs Gaming (or MavsGG) coach Jonah Edwards has tried a great number of adjustments to try and right this ship including lineup changes, archetype alterations, and even moving the number one overall pick Artryo “Dimez” Boyd (who has always been a point guard) to the small forward position for a few games. Despite all of these moves the Mavs haven’t stopped sliding and are now just 5-7 on the year and sitting in the 11th spot in the League Standings.

However, there’s still a very realistic route to a playoff birth.

Just eight teams qualify for the playoffs. Knicks Gaming (5-8) has already secured a spot in the playoffs since they won an in-season tournament back on July 14th. Blazers Gaming (11-2), 76ers GC (9-4), and Pistons GT (9-4) are almost certainly clinching playoff spots. Which leaves just four spots remaining with these eight teams in the hunt. Tiebreakers are based on each team’s record during the three in-season tournaments.

The Mavs have two must-win games remaining: Aug. 10 at 8:00 p.m. CST against Bucks Gaming (5-8) and a game against Kings Guard Gaming (3-8) that was postponed from this past weekend. MavsGG has already beat the Bucks this year and the Kings are the only team currently on a longer losing streak than the Mavs (seven). If the Mavs drop either of those two games there’s no scenario in which they could still make the playoffs.

Between these eight teams vying for playoff spots the Mavs need five of them (including themselves) to end with 7-7 records. Specifically, the Mavs need four of these teams to finish 7-7 on the year: Magic, Wizards, Raptors, Pacers, or Heat Check.

This could happen in two scenarios.

Scenario 1:

• Raptors to lose to Heat Check
• Magic to lose Cavs & Celtics
• Wizards to lose to Knicks
• Pacers to lose to one of Blazers/Kings/Warriors

Scenario 2:

• Heat Check to lose out (Raptors, Grizzlies, Kings)
• Magic to lose to both Cavs & Celtics
• Wizards to lose to Knicks
• Pacers to lose to one of Blazers/Kings/Warriors

MavsGG needs those specific teams to end with 7-7 records because of their tournament records. The Mavs split all of their tournament games this year and went 6-6. But only two of these teams boast a better tournament record than MavsGG: Celtics Crossover and Cavs Legion.

Tournament Records:

• Celtics Crossover: 9-3
• Cavs Legion GC: 5-4
• Mavs Gaming: 6-6
• Wizards District Gaming: 3-5
• Raptors Uprising GC: 2-4
• Pacers Gaming : 2-4
• Heat Check Gaming: 1-5
• Magic Gaming: 1-5

Those are two ways that Mavs Gaming can still make the playoffs. Between then and now here are the matchups to watch and when to watch them.

(Times pictured are in Eastern Time)

Spoiler: Every single game on Aug. 11 has Mavs GG playoff implications.

Aug. 9 at 5:00 p.m. CST on Twitch

Mavs GG vs Kings Guard

Aug. 9 at 6:00 p.m. CST on Twitch

Pacers vs Warriors

Aug. 9 at 9:00 p.m. CST on Twitch

Heat Check vs Kings Guard

Aug. 10 at 5:00 p.m. CST on Twitch

Wizards vs Knicks

Aug. 10 at 8:00 p.m. CST on Twitch

Mavs GG vs Bucks

Aug. 11 at 10:00 a.m. CST on Twitch

Raptors vs Heat Check

Aug. 11 at 11:00 a.m. CST on Twitch

Magic vs Cavs

Aug. 11 at 12:00 p.m. CST on Twitch

Pacers vs Blazers

Aug. 11 at 3:00 p.m. CST on Twitch

Heat Check vs Grizzlies

Aug. 11 at 4:00 p.m. CST on Twitch

Magic vs Celtics

Aug. 11 at 5:00 p.m. CST on Twitch

Pacers vs Kings