Following their defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Dallas Mavericks were looking to get back on track against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were not included in the roster for the Mavericks for this game. Despite the fact that Doncic contributed 39 points, eight rebounds, and ten assists, the Mavericks were able to win 132-122 and improve their season record to 19-14. In the meantime, the Dubs fell to a record of 15-17.
Due to left quad stiffness, Doncic needed to perform a pre-game workout in order to decide whether or not he would be available to play after entering the day. In the end, he participated in the game; however, Irving and Mаxi Kleber were not allowed to play, and Draymond Green was not allowed to play because of an NBA suspension that was indefinite.
On the other hand, the Warriors placed a strong emphasis on attempting to contain Doncic by switching at the point of аttаck, sending assistance rotations that utilized an early low man, and showing help at the nail when it was required. The traditional technique that teams have been using in recent times, which involves blitzing and double-teaming early on in order to get the ball out of his hands, was contrasted with this. Doncic played well from long early on, making three three-point shots to make the defenders pay for his efforts.
Due to the fact that the Warriors were using small-ball personnel, the Mavericks were need to take into consideration the difficulties that Stephen Curry would face when playing out of handoff actions, as the offense would flow into several actions after that. This matchup was the first time that Dereck Lively II had ever encountered it, yet he handled it very effectively throughout the entirety of the game. Due to the fact that they did not take into account weak-side crashers and cutters, Dallas occasionally had trouble finishing plays.
Despite the fact that Kevon Looney had already checked into the game, the Warriors decided to place a small on Lively in order to eliminate the possibility of moving him up into a screening action. However, in order to provide Doncic with a different look, the Warriors implemented a 3-2 zone late in the first quarter. Despite this, the Mavericks continued to hold a 34-26 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Hоt shooting from the perimeter by Grant Williams and Dante Exum was key in expanding the lead to 12 points, which was rounded off by Jaden Hardy countering a hedge in double drag for a mid-range step-back. Doncic was not on the court at the time. Despite the fact that Doncic returned to action, the Mavericks were still leading by double figures. Stephen Curry had returned to the game to offer a spark for the Mavericks. At 3 minutes and nine seconds left in the first half, Curry led the Warriors on a run of 12-0, which brought them back within 49-45.
Towards the end of the second quarter, the Warriors started doubling Doncic early on in possessions. This allowed the Mavericks to take advantage of the coverage and play advantage basketball by hitting the short roller with the pass. When there was only a minute and twelve seconds left in the half, Dallas got creative and ran a Zoom action for Doncic, which resulted in Exum making a corner three-pointer with a wide open lane. This brought the advantage back up to double figures (60-48). An and-one on a lob was the consequence of a screen executed by Lively at the midcourt level, which flowed into a re-screen and prevented a trap from occurring. Chris Paul made a baseline jumper on an isolated possession just before the halftime break, bringing the Mavericks’ advantage to 63-54. Prior to that, the club had been leading by ten points or more on multiple occasions.
Due to the fact that Doncic was having difficulty getting into the paint throughout the first half of the game, the Mavericks started using various screening actions in order to open up opportunities for him. In the downhill direction, he was able to successfully аttаck space, whether he was getting a paint finish or a mid-range jumper. Before Lively finished a play with a jump hook, Exum and Hardy each had a finish at the rim, playing off the catch as a release valve for Doncic. Lively also had a jump hook to finish a play.
After suffering through a drought from deep, Doncic made a step-back three-pointer, and when it went through the net, he showed indications of relief. At the halfway point of the period, the shot gave the Mavericks an edge of 80-67, which they managed to maintain throughout the rest of the game. Shortly after that, he flipped a switch and rang another one against Looney, which prevented the Warriors from generating any significant momentum.
Once again, the Warriors started doubling Doncic, which prompted the Mavericks to deploy him as an off-ball screener. They did this in order to take advantage of the attention that he commands and clear up a spot for a teammate. Tim Hardaway Jr. capitalized on the situation by converting a pindown into a catch-and-shoot three-point shot. This was in response to Brandin Podziemski’s made triple, which had previously reduced Dallas’ lead to single figures. The momentum was further maintained by Josh Green’s four-point play, which brought the team’s advantage to their current level of 15 points. The supporting cast of the Mavericks made plays at the right time to punish the Warriors for their concentration on Doncic.
In spite of the fact that the Warriors scored 35 points in the third quarter, the Mavericks’ scorching оffensive performance overtook them with 38 points, which resulted in a 101-89 advantage for the Mavericks at the beginning of the fourth quarter. At the beginning of the final period, Doncic was sitting on the bench, so Exum took the initiative to start the оffensive, and Dallas maintained their lead. On the other hand, after Doncic and Green came back into the game, Curry scored a three-point shot at the 8:09 mark of the final period, bringing the Mavericks’ advantage down to only seven points (108-101). Curry had a clear look in transition.
After Doncic struck a one-legged jumper in the middle of the court, the Mavericks reclaimed a 117-106 advantage with 5 minutes and thirteen seconds remaining in the game. Hardy then nailed a corner 3-pointer in transition, which prompted Golden State to call a timeout. The Warriors continued to make pushes, but the Mavericks recovered their lead. Doncic had successfully figured out the Warriors’ defense, and he was able to maintain the advantage by making a number of step-back jumpers from mid-range against switches. These jumpers were effective in destroying momentum.
After Curry made a three-point shot, the Warriors forced a steаl against a team that was in a state of disarray. A turnover was caused by zoom action, which resulted in Paul having a transition look that he made from deep. This allowed the Warriors to get within five points of the opposition (119-114). Having gone to the line, drawn a foul, and making both of his tries, Doncic then responded to the question.
In spite of the fact that they made a couple attempts to win, the Warriors were unable to successfully rally back and win the game. In response to the defense’s attempt to double Doncic, Hardaway made a difficult mid-range shot as the weak-side relief option. This caused the defense to fail. After another foul, Doncic was sent to the free throw line with the Mavericks in the bonus, and he made both of them, putting Dallas ahead by nine points (124-116) with 1 minute and 51 seconds remaining in the game.
While continuing to take double teams, Doncic lost possession of the ball, and his teammates continued to deliver. Exum drove down the center of the court for a scoop finish, which resulted in an eight-point lead (127-119) with just than a minute remaining in the game. The Golden State Warriors were unable to mount a comeback because Dallas was able to provide an answer for its coverages and obtain stops when they were required.