The Dallas Mavericks host the Chicago Bulls at the American Airlines Center on Sunday, April 12, at 8:30 p.m. ET.
The Mavericks are 25-56 and 13th in the West with a 15-25 home record, while the Bulls are 31-50 and 12th in the East with a 13-27 road record.
The Mavericks are coming off a blowout 139-120 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, while the Bulls are also coming off a big 127-103 loss at the hands of the Orlando Magic on Friday as well. This is their second and final encounter of the season between the inter-conference opponents, with the Bulls winning their sole meeting so far 125-107 on January 10, 2026.
Everyone needs to tune into this season-ending Mavericks game to see what Cooper Flagg does to close out his Rookie of the Year campaign after averaging 21.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.9 blocks. The Mavericks will also hope for a big season-ending performance from veteran Klay Thompson, who is averaging 11.7 points on 38.2% from three this season.
The Bulls will likely be led by guard Tre Jones, who is averaging 14.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.4 assists this season. Collin Sexton is listed as probable for this clash, but would be a key player if he’s upgraded to available, averaging 17.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 25 games after joining the Bulls during the season.
Both of these teams have met their tanking objectives for the late-season, so a surprisingly competitive clash may await us, unless Flagg decides to have a statement night against a depleted Bulls squad.
Injury Report
Mavericks
Moussa Cisse: Probable (G League)
John Poulakidas: Probable (G League)
Tyler Smith: Probable (G League)
Marvin Bagley III: Doubtful (shoulder)
P.J. Washington: Doubtful (elbow)
Daniel Gafford: Doubtful (rest)
Naji Marshall: Doubtful (hip)
Caleb Martin: Doubtful (foot)
Brandon Williams: Doubtful (illness)
Kyrie Irving: Out (knee)
Dereck Lively II: Out (foot)
Bulls
Lachlan Olbrich: Probable (foot)
Collin Sexton: Probable (finger)
Patrick Williams: Probable (thumb)
Josh Giddey: Out (hamstring)
Isaac Okoro: Out (quad)
Guerschon Yabusele: Out (shoulder, elbow)
Zach Collins: Out (toe)
Noa Essengue: Out (shoulder)
Anfernee Simons: Out (hand)
Jalen Smith: Out (calf)
Nick Richards: Out (elbow)
Matas Buzelis: Out (ankle)
Why The Mavericks Have The Advantage
The Mavericks’ biggest advantage in this game is Cooper Flagg. Flagg has averaged 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks over the last 12 games and has made a surge in the Rookie of the Year race after many assumed Kon Knueppel had it locked up. Now, Flagg can put on one final statement performance to seal his case, and the shorthanded Bulls might be the perfect opponent. They don’t have a matchup answer for Flagg, who has taken huge leaps as an on-ball creator, whether it’s as a scorer or a playmaker.
It’s hard to analyze overall season trends for the Mavericks and apply them here, given that most of their core players are listed as doubtful for this clash. Nonetheless, certain overall patterns in coach Jason Kidd’s system should carry over to the court in this clash.
The Mavericks have a long injury list of their own, but they have some good players available for this clash, like Thompson and Max Christie, although they definitely will be over-reliant on Flagg to be the main vehicle for production in this game. The Mavericks have shown great stability defensively for most of the season, holding a 115.5 defensive rating. They also restrict opponents to 35.2% shooting from three, so their system does produce good defensive results that will restrict the Bulls from raining threes on them.
The Mavericks are set up to play fast-paced offensive basketball with guards like Brandon Williams and Ryan Nembhard. They play at a 102.5 pace this season (fourth-fastest), which could catch the Bulls off-guard in what might be a low-energy final game of the season for two tanking teams. The advantage is there for whichever team wants to grab it, as effort might be the biggest differentiator in this clash.
Why The Bulls Have The Advantage
Much like the Mavericks, it’s hard to apply overall season trends we’ve seen from the Bulls to this clash, given how many of their core players are expected to miss the game. We can assume the Bulls will look to use their passing as an advantage to unsettle the Mavericks’ solid defensive foundation. It’s hard to replicate the 318.1 passes per game (third-best) without Josh Giddey running the offense, but the likes of Tre Jones and Collin Sexton could try to replicate something similar in their minutes in this clash.
The Bulls have had a 112.1 offensive rating on the season and have plenty of interesting offensive options available in this clash, like Jones, Sexton, and Rob Dillingham. They will look to attack Dallas guards like Nembhard and potentially have big offensive games to try and keep up with the Mavericks.
One of their biggest advantages in this clash could be the standings reality the Mavericks find themselves in. A win might mean they end the season as the No. 12 seed in the West if the Memphis Grizzlies lose their game, which would affect their draft lottery odds in a year they need to maximize their pick.
The incentive to lose for the Mavericks is much higher, as the Bulls will likely hold onto the No. 12 seed even if they win this game. They have nothing to lose, while a Mavericks win could slightly worsen their odds for the last draft pick they control for the rest of the decade.
X-Factors
Max Christie might get a huge opportunity to have a strong game to end the season after not taking the step forward many Mavericks fans hoped he would take in a tanking season. He’s averaging 12.3 points on 40.3% three-point shooting and has proven his worth as a three-and-D option. This game might give him a bigger opportunity to make a difference as an on-ball contributor.
Ryan Nembhard has gone from being undrafted to being on a two-way contract to earning a two-year minimum deal with the Mavericks this season. He’s averaged 6.5 points and 5.0 assists this season, showing that he can be one of the best playmakers at his level when given the opportunity. Although being under six feet creates defensive issues, Nembhard has great chemistry with fellow rookie Flagg and could have a great passing game if Dallas intends to feed Flagg for a star-like season-ending performance.
Rob Dillingham joined the Bulls after getting traded midseason by the Minnesota Timberwolves for Ayo Dosunmu. Dillingham has averaged 9.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 29 games since joining Chicago. The No. 8 pick in the 2024 Draft has been underwhelming so far, so this final game of the season might be an opportunity for him to set himself up on the right path before next season. He’s still a high-potential scoring guard, but he needs to start showing the production to back that up.
Leonard Miller is averaging 11.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in 26 games since joining the Bulls in the Dosunmu-Dillingham trade with the Timberwolves. Miller was considered to be a throw-in to help the second-apron Timberwolves manage their cap, but he’s proven himself to be an effective NBA player in the minutes he’s received with the Bulls. He’s averaged 14.5 points and 7.3 rebounds in the last 17 games, and is proving that he can be a part of this team’s core alongside Giddey and Matas Buzelis next season.
Prediction
The Mavericks might hurt their draft odds if they win this game, but it won’t be easy to stop Flagg from trying to make a statement by ending his rookie season with a win. If having the seventh-best odds for the No. 1 pick instead of the sixth-best odds is the price to keep Flagg motivated, it’s well worth paying. The Mavericks also have more productive veteran options still available for this clash, like Khris Middleton, so it’s hard to imagine they’ll just throw in the towel. They’re the better team on paper, and should end their season with a win at home.
Prediction: Mavericks 119, Bulls 104
