The Pacers take on the Dallas Mavericks tonight in the team's last scheduled game of the Summer League season. The team will play at least one more game, but whether it is part of the playoffs or simply another exhibition is still up in the air. If we beat the Mavericks, we'll have a chance at finishing in the top-4, which is the cutoff for the playoffs.

As you can see from the standings, a win would give us a 3-1 record and put us is a multiway tie for fourth place. According to NBA.com, the tiebreaker procedure is as follows:

More Than Two Teams Tied. If more than two teams have the same record after the first four games, the following criteria (in order) will be utilized:
• Point differential: The team with the greater point differential will receive the higher seed.
• Total Points: The team with the most total points will receive the higher seed.
• Random drawing: If necessary, the higher seed will be determined by a coin flip.

Therefore, the fourth place playoff spot will likely go to the team with the highest point differential. We're not far off the top, so a resounding victory against the Mavericks could do the trick.

But before worrying about the math, the Pacers need to win. Based on Wednesday's performance, that is not something we can simply take for granted. Against the Thunder, the Pacers got a taste of their own medicine. For the first time this summer season, the Pacers were the less experienced team facing a loaded squad of young NBA rotation players.

Predictably, the Pacers' offense looked unmoored without Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin on the floor. Unpredictably, it was Jarace Walker who handled the lion's share of playmaking duties while he was on the court. Though he was far from efficient, he didn't look totally out of his element either. He showed patience as the pick-and-roll ball handler and was able to work his way into the lane to create his own shot, usually a floater. He only recorded two assists – which is a little disappointing – but he didn't struggle with turnovers. In the end, he posted his best scoring game, finishing with 20 points and 9 rebounds. However, his 42%/20%/24% shooting percentages need to come way up if he wants to continue to be featured on offense.

The other player who was able to make plays was Isaiah Wong. Wong had his best game of the season, scoring 17 points on great efficiency, dishing out four assists, and contributing two blocks and one steal. Though he nominally started at point guard, he played more of a secondary playmaking role alongside Walker. Having said that, he looked solid when asked to run the pick-and-roll and generate offense. He made a couple of nice reads, including a behind-the-back pass to Walker for three and a few lasers to shooters in the corners.

He also put his athleticism on full display when he threw down a Derrick-Rose-like slam off two feet after Walker returned the favor with a nice bounce pass in transition.

In fact, Wong had a few athletic plays on defense as well, including an impressive block on the towering Chet Holmgren at the rim. However, the fact that Wong was matched up with the opposing center in the paint was an issue for the Pacers all night long. The Thunder quickly sussed out that the Pacers were switching ball screens defensively and began to hunt our guards on mismatches. Head Coach Jannero Pargo never adjusted and Holmgren was able to feast against smaller players as a result. We'll see if the coaching staff is a bit more proactive today with the playoffs on the line.

The Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks are sitting on a 2-1 record, same as the Pacers. They have a fun Summer League squad that features pre-draft favorite Olivier-Maxence Prosper, lottery pick Dereck Lively II, second-year scorer Jaden Hardy, and NCAA Tournament darling Mike Miles, Jr.

The Mavs won their previous matchup against the Warriors by a score of 98-96 in an OT thriller. With Summer League rules in effect and the teams tied at 96 a piece, they found themselves playing to a target score of 97 in a "next bucket wins" scenario. Mavs Forward Braxton Key blocked Brandin Podziemski at the rim and sent his team off in transition. He followed that up by filling the lane perfectly and finishing his teammate's missed layup with a thunderous slam for the win.

The good times kept rolling for the big-man, as he was rewarded with a Two-Way contract from the Denver Nuggets yesterday. I believe that means the Pacers won't have to face the conquering hero tonight, but they'll have their hands full regardless.

As always, join me in the comments as the team makes its final playoff stand.

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