Mavericks and Bulls Face Off in Meaningless Regular-Season Finale

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The Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls will face off in the final game of the 2025-26 NBA regular season, with neither team having anything to play for in terms of postseason positioning. The game holds significance primarily for the Mavericks' Cooper Flagg, who is in a tight race for the Rookie of the Year award, and the lottery odds for both teams as they look to improve their draft position.

Why it matters

This game is essentially a 'tankfest' between two teams that have already been eliminated from playoff contention. While it may not have much meaning in the grand scheme of the NBA season, the outcome could still impact individual awards and the draft lottery, which are important considerations for both franchises as they look to the future.

The details

Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg has been making a late push for the Rookie of the Year award, putting up impressive stat lines in recent games. However, his main competition, Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets, also has a chance to improve his case with the Hornets playing the Knicks, who are resting their starters. Meanwhile, the Mavericks and Grizzlies are currently tied for the 6th-worst record in the NBA, and the outcome of this game could impact their lottery odds, which is crucial for the Mavericks as they don't have their first-round pick in 2027.

• The Mavericks and Bulls will play their final game of the 2025-26 NBA regular season on Sunday, April 13, 2026.
• Cooper Flagg has been on a tear over the last two and a half weeks, putting up stat lines of 32-9-4, 51-6-3-3, 45-9-8, and 33-6-5.

What’s next

The lottery odds for the Mavericks and Grizzlies will be determined by the outcome of this game and the Grizzlies' game against the Rockets. The Rookie of the Year race between Flagg and Knueppel will also be closely monitored as the season comes to a close.