Luka Doncic leads the Dallas Mavericks with 18 points in the first half, but the team started a paltry 7 of 29 from a distance of three points.
SAN FRANCISCO – After turning off the lights in Phoenix on Sunday, the Dallas Mavericks were unable to begin their Western Conference final series against the Golden State Warriors.
Game 1 opened at a frantic pace as both teams refused to allow the shot clock to drop below 17 seconds.
It should be noted that the Mavs were the slowest team in the NBA during the regular season. Meanwhile, the Warriors are one of the NBA’s fastest teams when they are in full force – as they are now.
Such a fast pace does not allow Dallas to set up a half-defense against people like Steph Curry (12 points). Crime Warriors love to hunt for such chaos.
While the style of play Golden State wins. At the end of the first half of the game, the Warriors lead the Mavs 54-45.
However, 23-year-old Mavs fan Luka Doncic leads all scorers with 18 points while shooting 5 to 12. But the rest of his team? Combined 9-on-32 – a meager clip by 28%.
For comparison, the Warriors threw 58% off the field in the first half, and the Mouse – 32% at the other end of the field.
Had it not been for a few uncharacteristically missed free throws, the Dubs would have been the result a lot more.
Mavs are certainly capable of driving themselves and getting high-percentage shots in a bucket. But at the moment the team lives and dies from the depths, and 15 of the team’s first 20 attempts from the game come from a distance of three points.
This is expected when a team moves the ball and creates open strikes for a variety of three-pointers.
But the Mavs won’t win this game – or this series – trying to outdo the Warriors.
Someone other than Doncic will have to give the Mavs a spark of attack.
Who it is remains to be seen.
