Warriors Dismantle Mavericks in Game 1
The last time the Warriors and Mavericks faced off in the playoffs was in 2007 with the infamous We Believe team. The young and scrappy Warriors were led by Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson and then-Head Coach Don Nelson had their unique 7-seconds or less offense and shocked the basketball world when they became the first team in NBA history to knock out a No. 1 seed as the No. 8 seed.
Now, the script is reversed. The Warriors are the veteran team that has years of championship experience and the Mavericks are an exciting up and coming team. Mavericks guard Luka Doncic is one of the league’s premier young talents and is never afraid of the big moments as demonstrated by his 35 point performance versus the Phoenix Suns in Game 7.
Knowing Doncic’s capabilities as the main offensive engine on the Mavericks, the Warriors consistently threw different coverages at him throughout the game. Midway through the first quarter, the Warriors switched a 3-2 zone and deployed the box-and-one to limit Doncic’s production. Additionally, Warriors forward Draymond Green drew the early assignment on Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson, which seemed to throw off the Mavericks as they probably assumed Green was going to be the primary defender on Doncic.
“We wanted to make things tough for him on the defensive end [and] not foul,” Green said. “I think if we can defend without fouling — we can get into transition.”
The Warriors were able to shut down the Mavericks offensively — as the Mavericks only shot 27% from 3-point range in the first half. Though, the 3-point shooting wasn’t as great on both ends.
Warriors superstar Stephen Curry finished the half with 12 points and went three-for-four from the field but shot one-for-six from distance while Warriors guard Klay Thompson went scoreless in the first half.
As a result, Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins stepped up to the challenge and provided the offensive spark in the first half with 15 points.
“It helps me see a different side of the game,” Wiggins said when asked what joining the Warriors did for him. “The culture, the people, the organization. Most importantly, being around winners. It’s been great.”
Curry commented on Wiggin’s progression with his time as a Warrior and said Wiggins understands the nuances of what winning basketball is. Throughout the Grizzlies series, Wiggins was key in crashing the boards and contributing solid production night in and night out. Though the first time All-Star struggled as the season came to an end, Wiggins continued his production and the Warriors can always rely on at least 15 points from him.
As for the bench play, Warriors guard Jordan Poole came alive with 19 points. A key emphasis in this series will be on the battle of sixth man. Both Poole and Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie play pivotal roles for the respective teams, but Poole was able to out-play his counterpart and helped steer the Warriors offensively throughout the game.
The Warriors forced Doncic to work on the defensive end as well — consistently attacking him in the pick-and-roll action.
When asked about the Warriors’ strategy to defend Doncic, Wiggins said, “94 feet, make him work. Make it tough for him.”
Though Doncic scored 18 points in the first half, Doncic struggled mightily as the game continued — as he only made one field goal and the Warriors forced him to seven turnovers.
It was close in the first half, but a 10-0 run blew the game open for the Warriors and they never looked back, as the Warriors claimed Game 1 with a 112-87 victory.
As both coaches continue their chess matches, look for the Mavericks to respond in Game 2 on Friday, May 20.
(Photo Credit: John G. Mabanglo / EPA)