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Mavericks

By appearing in the Western Conference Finals, the Dallas Mavericks showed that they have collected some of the ingredients of an NBA title contender.
Prior to that, the Mavs had not made it out of the first round of the playoffs since winning the Finals in 2010-11, and had exited the postseason in the first round each of the last two years. Even this season, Dallas had its doubters in the first round against the Utah Jazz, and most of the national audience was against them versus the dominant Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;
Then, the Mavericks won. Luka Doncic continues to ascend as one of the best basketball players on the planet. Several supporting cast members helped carry the load as well, whether it was Jalen Brunson in the first round, Maxi Kleber's Round 2 fireworks or Spencer Dinwiddie's production in the West Finals.
For so long, the narrative in Dallas had been: Does Luka have any help? After 2021-22, we at least know the Mavs have pieces to the puzzle. This summer presents the opportunity to shape the vision of a championship under Doncic and second-year head coach Jason Kidd.
The Mavericks boasted the sixth-best Defensive Rating (109.4) in the NBA during the regular season, per Basketball-Reference. That's impressive growth from a 20th-ranked unit in 2020-21 that didn't undergo massive roster overhaul. Our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-do-the-mavericks-have-an-elite-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nekias Duncan covered Dallas' defense back in January</a>, and it kept up the work even after trading Kristaps Porzingis away in the deal that returned Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans.&nbsp;
No single, All-Defense-caliber player even stands out on the roster right now. Dorian Finney-Smith is very solid and so is Frank Ntilikina, though his minutes are too inconsistent currently. It's a true team-wide shift that significantly raises the team's floor come playoff time.&nbsp;
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With that being said &mdash; finding a true center to anchor the paint and provide stability on the glass remains a high priority. Dallas was 15th among the 16 playoff teams in offensive rebounding percentage (45.1%) and second chance points per game (9.0). They also gave up 14.2 second-chance points per game to their opponents, ranking fourth-highest in the postseason. The Mavs scored just 42.9 points in the paint per game during the regular season (ranked 29th of 30) and 35.4 in the playoffs (13th of 16) despite boasting two of the league's best driving threats in Doncic and Brunson.
Dwight Powell is a fine, rotation-caliber NBA player, but his minutes decreased in each subsequent series. Kleber is an awesome sharpshooting big and solid defender, but not an impactful interior presence.
Fortunately, there are several available free agents who Mavs president and general manager Nico Harrison could pursue in his second offseason with the team. Unfortunately, they have severely hamstrung themselves financially. According to Spotrac, they're a luxury taxpayer, which only leaves a mid-level exception worth just over $6.3 million to spend on a free agent. Dallas has virtually no path to cap space this season.
Jusuf Nurkic and Mitchell Robinson are the biggest names to hit unrestricted free agency as a center. They would almost instantly plug the rebounding hole, but are they the types of defenders and rim-runners who would thrive with Doncic? And is there a realistic way for the Mavericks to even sign them?
Other free agent centers who could fit in the mid-level exception include JaVale McGee, Andre Drummond and Bismack Biyombo, for some quick suggestions. Dallas does also hold a $10.2 million trade exception that it created when the team traded Josh Richardson to the Boston Celtics. It expires on June 27, before free agency begins, but it provides another avenue to acquire a rotation-level player.
It might make more sense for the Mavs to pursue a sign-and-trade with a restricted free agent. Obviously, Deandre Ayton is the marquee man. Evan Sidery toyed with <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-destinations-for-deandre-ayton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">potential trade packages for the Suns</a>; could Dallas offer something in this ballpark?
I personally am intrigued by Mo Bamba's potential fit. The 2018 No. 5 overall pick had a solid developmental year in Orlando, but appears to be the odd man out in a crowded young locker room. Bamba feels like a worthwhile gamble as a rebounder and rim-protector with a bit more mobility and shooting than your traditional bruising center.
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Of course, all this free agency discussion will come after the Mavericks address their largest elephant in the room. Jalen Brunson broke out as a secondary scorer this season, culminating in his huge games that gave Dallas the edge against Utah. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-destinations-for-jalen-brunson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He's an unrestricted free agent</a> who deserves a bag this summer.
"It&rsquo;s the top priority,&rdquo; Harrison said about re-signing Brunson in his <a href="https://www.mavs.com/brunson-is-top-priority/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exit interview Friday</a>. &ldquo;We got to figure that out. Obviously, we&rsquo;re not in control of it. But he&rsquo;s definitely a priority. We want to re-sign him. He knows it. And we want him back. He&rsquo;ll be a big part of our future.&rdquo;
The Mavs' last route to improve is with their No. 26 overall draft pick. Dallas has been a mixed bag with drafting in recent seasons, but this is the first year Harrison will be at the helm after the franchise passed on the process in 2021. Most recently, the franchise selected Josh Green at No. 20 and Tyrell Terry at No. 31 in 2020. Green's development has been slow but notable through two seasons, while Terry is no longer in the organization.&nbsp;
Matt Babcock's latest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Mock Draft</a> projects the Mavericks to select Max Christie, a freshman wing from Michigan State. Christie was a five-star high school talent who struggled to produce as a college freshman. But his tools as a shooter, scorer and on-ball defender have all flashed and can be sharpened in the right environment.&nbsp;
Aside from Brunson, reserves Trey Burke and Theo Pinson are the only other players entering free agency. However, Dallas notably has just four players under fully guaranteed contracts in 2023-24, per Spotrac: Doncic, Finney-Smith, Bertans and Tim Hardaway Jr. If the squad underwhelms next year, the 2023 offseason could open up a serious roster makeover.&nbsp;
Dallas is on the cusp of true title contention. This offseason is all about checking off some final boxes, keeping the successful core intact and adding depth to a team that persevered through several injuries during the season.
If the summer breaks right, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Mavericks emerging as everyone's favorite championship sleeper by October.
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The Mavericks exited the Western Conference Finals with a strong playoff run, but have several glaring needs.

2022 NBA offseason preview: What's next for the Dallas Mavericks?

One of the breakout stars of this year&rsquo;s NBA playoffs has been Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson. He&rsquo;s old-school, unconventional, talented, savy and up for a big pay day this summer. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound guard and Villanova alum was selected No. 33 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft and is one of the better second-round draft picks over the past few classes.
Last year, he was a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, averaging 12.6 points and 5.5 assists on 52/41/80 shooting splits in this third season with the Mavericks. This season, as a full-time starter, while watching his minutes jump from 25.0 to 31.9 per game, his productivity increased to 16.3 points and 4.8 assists per game on 50/37/84 shooting. In the playoffs (35.2 minutes per contest), Brunson jumped to 21.6 points and 3.7 assists per contest on 47/35/80 shooting.
His 2022 postseason included signature performances like a 41-point game in a win over the Utah Jazz in Game 2 without Luka Dončić and a 31-point effort against the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. He also had a meaningful 24 points on 11-of-19 shooting in Dallas&rsquo; shocking Game 7 romping of the Phoenix Suns.
But now, he&rsquo;s an unrestricted free agent. Dallas has a lot of questions to answer. How can they best build around Dončić? What do they do with Tim Hardaway Jr.? If they want to upgrade at center, what's the best answer at that position?
Among the most important questions is: do they extend Brunson? Here are some teams to watch in the Brunson sweepstakes this offseason.
NEW YORK KNICKS
The New York Knicks haven&rsquo;t had a reliable point guard since Raymond Felton in their famed 54-win season back in 2012-13. Since then, it&rsquo;s largely been a revolving door of meh at the point of attack at Madison Square Garden. Jose Calderon was past his peak when he got to New York. Iman Shumpert, though very talented, wasn&rsquo;t a natural point guard. Frank Ntilikina is closer to a three-and-D wing than a true floor general. Jerian Grant never panned out. Neither has Kemba Walker. Derrick Rose has arguably been the best of the bunch.
Walker, Rose, Alec Burks, Immanuel Quickley and Miles McBride make up the Knicks' point guard depth chart for 2022-23, in no particular order. Walker&rsquo;s health can&rsquo;t be trusted for an entire season. Burks isn&rsquo;t a true point guard and might be a trade chip. Quickley, if he starts, is probably better suited next to a natural point, and the same could be said for R.J. Barrett. And McBride is young, raw and inexperienced. Brunson is better than all of them, hard stop.
Because Brunson will be unrestricted, the highest-bidder has a chance. The bad news for the Knicks is that <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/new-york-knicks/cap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">they&rsquo;re pretty much capped out</a>.
That means getting Brunson to New York would require a sign-and-trade. The good thing is that the Mavericks need a Mitchell Robinson type of center, and for about two years, I've been pushing for Brunson-Robinson swap. The Knicks should throw in something else, be it draft capital and or an additional young piece to make the deal work (for cap purposes too), but that&rsquo;s the framework that can come from this. Robinson gives Luka a lob threat, gives the team a higher upside defensively, and gives the coaching staff a player who can share the floor with just about anyone on the roster.&nbsp;
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LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
If Brunson can play with Dončić and Spencer Dinwiddie, he can share a backcourt with Reggie Jackson. Kawhi Leonard has <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2020/10/19/report-kawhi-leonard-wants-clippers-to-add-point-guard/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wanted a point guard</a>, but the Clippers still don&rsquo;t have one. It&rsquo;s Jackson, and that&rsquo;s it. Norman Powell, Luke Kennard and Terance Mann are guards, but they're all wings. 2021 second-round pick Jason Preston still hasn&rsquo;t played due to injury, and Xavier Moon was a two-way guy last year who played just 10 games. <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2020/10/19/report-kawhi-leonard-wants-clippers-to-add-point-guard/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leonard&rsquo;s been wanting a point guard for two seasons</a>, and it&rsquo;s time for the Clippers to address that spot since both Leonard and Paul George are due back next season.
Given the Clippers' cap situation, this would most certainly be a sign-and-trade. Powell, Marcus Morris, Kennard and Robert Covington all make between $12 and $16 million next season, and any of them could make sense going to Dallas. Only one or two of them would probably need to go at most, among other compensation (i.e. young players and picks).
Brunson in L.A. would join the starting line-up alongside Jackson, Leonard, George and a center. Ivica Zubac is an expiring $7.5 million contract next season, and he could actually be a piece Dallas wants in return. Assuming he stays in Los Angeles, Zubac rounds out their starting five and gives Los Angeles a true point guard, which they&rsquo;re clearly missing.
DALLAS MAVERICKS&nbsp;
The Mavericks reportedly had multiple opportunities to sign Brunson to a four-year, $55.5 million deal before and during the season, <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/04/25/report-mavericks-didnt-offer-jalen-brunson-contract-extension-until-after-trade-deadline/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per reports</a>, but did not. As a result, he could be looking at <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2952513-latest-nba-trade-intel-lakers-realistic-targets-myles-turner-landing-spots?share=sms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">something in the $80 million range</a>, and possibly more after these playoffs.
Clearly, the offense works with him and Luka in the backcourt, blending in Dinwiddie in a natural role as a combo guard off the bench who can finish games. Dallas can keep their core together (those three and Dorian Finney-Smith) and work around the margins.
After losing to the Warriors in Game 5, Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban said that keeping Brunson is a priority, and damn near guaranteed that it&rsquo;ll happen.
"We can pay him more than anybody,&rdquo; Cuban said. "I think he wants to stay, and that's most important. I think [Jason Kidd] has a big part to play in that... JB blossomed as a player as much as anybody on this squad. From where he was last year to how far he came this year is a tribute to how hard he worked. And the support he got from his dad and his family and his girlfriend, but also, what he was able to learn from [Kidd]. I think he recognizes that, and I think he wants to stay."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/mcuban?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mcuban</a> reflecting on the 2021-22 Dallas Mavericks season with Marc Stein. <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> | 📺 BSSW | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dALLasIN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dALLasIN</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheSteinLine</a> <a href="https://t.co/YZROfVsnq0">pic.twitter.com/YZROfVsnq0</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsSW/status/1530038560673435658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Brunson didn&rsquo;t have the exact same tone, but he&rsquo;ll cross that bridge when he gets there, it seems.
"When it&rsquo;s time, it&rsquo;s time. I&rsquo;m not worried about it right now," Brunson said, <a href="https://twitter.com/sixfivelando/status/1530037759955636242" target="_blank" rel="noopener">via Landon Thomas of Mavs Fans For Life</a>. "I&rsquo;m just really happy I got to play with these guys and what we did this year. I&rsquo;ll think about that later.&rdquo;
For Dallas, this is probably the move. Keep Brunson and build around the margins, particularly on the interior. Four years in, we can now say, as long as you have Luka, you have a chance. You just have to nail what&rsquo;s around him, and Brunson is someone you should want back in Dallas.
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Jalen Brunson was a breakout star for the Mavericks this postseason and is now an unrestricted free agent. Where will he end up?

Examining potential free-agent destinations for Jalen Brunson

Klay Thompson shimmied his way to 32 points and the Golden State Warriors advanced to their sixth NBA Finals in the past eight seasons by beating the Dallas Mavericks 120-110 in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Thursday night.
Thompson scored 19 points in the first half, including a 3-pointer that he punctuated with teammate Stephen Curry&rsquo;s signature shake as the Warriors raced out to a 17-point halftime lead and coasted the rest of the way.
Andrew Wiggins added 18 points and 10 rebounds, Draymond Green scored 17 points and Curry had 15 points and nine assists for Golden State.
Luka Doncic overcame a slow start to score 28 points for the Mavericks. Spencer Dinwiddie added 26.
After missing the playoffs in 2020 and &rsquo;21 in back-to back injury-plagued seasons, the Warriors are returning to a familiar stage. They are the first team to make six finals appearances in an eight-year span since the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls had a pair of three-peats from 1991-93 and 1996-98.
Golden State will host the winner of the Eastern Conference finals between Boston and Miami on June 2 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Celtics hold a 3-2 lead heading into Game 6 at home on Friday night.
The Warriors followed their pattern from the first two rounds by bouncing back after squandering a chance to end a series on the road by winning at home. Golden State is now 9-0 at the Chase Center this postseason, tying the 2017 team for the the most consecutive home wins in a single postseason in NBA history.
The star this game was Thompson, who sat out the past two seasons with injuries but showed flashes of his old self in this clincher.
After making just seven 3-pointers in the first four games of the series, Thompson had eight this game. He gave the Warriors a 13-point lead in the first half when he hit one from the corner before dancing and added two early in the third quarter for a 23-point lead.
Dallas cut a 25-point deficit down to eight in the final minute of the third quarter but couldn&rsquo;t get over the hump in the fourth. Thompson&rsquo;s 3-pointer with just under 3 minutes left gave the Warriors a 15-point lead.
SLOW START
Doncic has typically been a playoff star. His 32.7 points per game in his first 27 playoff games were second best to Jordan&rsquo;s 33.4 ppg among players with at least 10 playoff games.
But he had a rough start in this elimination game against Golden State. He shot 2 for 10 in the first quarter with his eight misses, tied for the most in the opening quarter of a playoff game since LeBron James missed all nine of his attempts in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against Atlanta in 2015.
Doncic was held to six points in the first half, his lowest opening half of his postseason career, on 2-for-12 shooting before finding his stroke in the third quarter.
MOODY MANIA
With Otto Porter (left foot) sidelined for a second straight game, the Warriors got a big boost in the first half from 19-year-old rookie Moses Moody.
Moody scored all of his seven points in the second quarter with his 3-pointer giving Golden State a 56-38 lead. Moody scored just six points the first three games of this series for the Warriors before scoring 17 the past two games with Porter sidelined.

Klay Thompson shimmied his way to 32 points and the Warriors advanced to their sixth NBA Finals in the past eight seasons.

Warriors beat Mavericks 120-110 to return to NBA Finals

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors have won nine consecutive games in the Western Conference finals.
They can make it an even 10, eliminate Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks and return to the NBA Finals after three years away with a victory in Game 4 in Dallas on Tuesday night.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not going to fast forward,&rdquo; Curry said after a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/dallas-mavericks-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-klay-thompson-2f6a0c58ab25f6512ffe1f090224f272">109-100 victory in Game 3</a> for a 3-0 series lead. &ldquo;We can play better, but we&rsquo;re finding ways to win games. There&rsquo;s no expectation other than what&rsquo;s the challenge ahead of us, and the challenge now is to close out a series against a really good team to get back to an opportunity to win the Finals.&rdquo;
The Warriors haven't lost in the West finals since erasing a 3-2 deficit to Houston in 2018, when they won the last of their three titles in four years by beating Cleveland in the NBA Finals. Golden State swept Portland for a fifth consecutive trip to the Finals in 2019 before losing in six games to Toronto.
The Mavericks are playing beyond the first round for the first time since <a href="https://apnews.com/article/dallas-mavericks-golden-state-warriors-milwaukee-bucks-brooklyn-nets-nba-7e323815c5abcc72eefbad4c6a6b2f36">first-year coach Jason Kidd</a> was the point guard on the Dirk Nowitzki-led team that won the 2011 title.
Dallas was down 2-0 to top-seeded Phoenix in the West semifinals before winning twice as the home team took the first six games. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/phoenix-suns-dallas-mavericks-milwaukee-bucks-nba-sports-1e6827985892edd105afa343820edddb">The Mavs stunned the Suns</a> with a 33-point victory in Game 7 in Phoenix, putting Doncic a year ahead Nowitzki's schedule in reaching his first conference finals.
Golden State rallied from 19 points down to win Game 2 at home before erasing a nine-point deficit in the final four minutes of the first half in Game 3 &mdash; and ending any hope of Dallas repeating its Phoenix feat.
Instead of winning four out of five, the Mavericks have to win the last four games of the series. No NBA team has done that.
Doncic scored 21 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter, but a desperate Dallas rally never gained traction. The young superstar masked a mediocre first half by hitting a 32-footer at the first-quarter buzzer.
&ldquo;I think the first two quarters I played very bad. That&rsquo;s on me,&rdquo; Doncic said after the Mavs fell to 2-6 in three playoff years when their All-Star scored at least 40. &ldquo;But I&rsquo;m still learning. I think after this season is done, whatever we are, I think we&rsquo;re going to look back and learn a lot of things. I&rsquo;m 23, man. I&rsquo;m still learning a lot.&rdquo;
Doncic also learned what it's like to be on the wrong end of a moment that will live forever on highlight reels.
The three-time All-Star who is used to sending defenders stumbling with crossover and step-back moves was posterized on a dunk by Andrew Wiggins.
Yes, the same Wiggins was who criticized by some after being chosen as an All-Star starter in his first appearance this year. He got the nod over Doncic, who started the season poorly by his standards because of issues with weight and conditioning.
That wasn't Wiggins' only dunk on his way to a playoff career-high 27 points, and he had another off one of his six offensive rebounds, just one fewer than Dallas had as a team.
The 2014 No. 1 overall pick also has been one of the primary defenders on Doncic in a multifaceted scheme that has limited Dallas' career triple-double leader to five assists per game &mdash; three below his career playoff average.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a fantastic two-way player,&rdquo; coach Steve Kerr said. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t win in the playoffs without guys like Wiggs. We&rsquo;re basically mirroring Doncic&rsquo;s minutes so that Wiggs can stay on him and he&rsquo;s another guy like Steph who just never seems to get tired. He&rsquo;s in amazing shape.&rdquo;
The Mavericks are in bad shape in this series because they've been outscored on average 62-47 in the second half. Part of the reason is the inconsistency of Doncic's supporting cast.
In Game 3, Spencer Dinwiddie scored 26 of Dallas' 28 bench points after the Mavs' reserves were outscored 36-13 in Game 2. But key 3-point specialists Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber and Reggie Bullock combined for just nine points &mdash; all of them from Finney-Smith after Kleber and Bullock missed all 12 of their 3s and all 15 of their shots overall.
Pardon the Mavs if they sounded a bit defeated, knowing the history of 3-0 deficits.
&ldquo;When you&rsquo;re in a battle, you&rsquo;re not thinking about the big picture,&rdquo; Kidd said. &ldquo;But as we reflect this summer, whenever that starts, we&rsquo;ll understand what we did and how we can get better. And that&rsquo;s the blessing of this whole thing is, we truly believe we belong here.&rdquo;
For now, the Mavs have to believe they can prolong things.
&nbsp;

The Warriors look to eliminate the Mavericks and return to the NBA Finals after three years away with a win in Game 4.

Curry, Warriors go for sweep of Doncic, Mavs in West finals

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; Stephen Curry scored 31 points, Andrew Wiggins added 27 while posterizing Luka Doncic on a dunk and the Golden State Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks 109-100 Sunday night for a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Klay Thompson scored 19 with a pair of big fourth-quarter 3-pointers as the Warriors moved within a victory of a return to the NBA Finals, three years after the end of a run of five consecutive trips that yielded three championships.
Golden State, which swept Portland in its most recent West finals in 2019 before Toronto won the title, goes for the sweep in Game 4 on Tuesday in Dallas. No team has rallied from 3-0 down to win an NBA playoff series.
Doncic scored 40 and beat the first-quarter buzzer with a 32-footer that got the crowd going with the Mavericks again at home trailing 2-0, as they did against top-seeded Phoenix before winning the West semifinal series in seven games.
But that shimmy-inducing bucket was a blip on an otherwise rough night from 3-point range for the Mavericks, who missed their first seven and finished 13 of 45.
Reggie Bullock and Maxi Kleber, two long-range specialists for Dallas, missed all 12 of their 3s combined and were 0-15 overall. Both went scoreless, offsetting Spencer Dinwiddie's 26 points off the bench. Jalen Brunson scored 20.
Wiggins' dunk over Doncic was originally ruled an offensive foul midway through the fourth quarter. The Warriors challenged, and the ruling was Wiggins' elbow to Doncic was incidental contact, giving Golden State a 93-83 lead.
About a minute later, Wiggins, who had 11 rebounds, moved quickly down the right baseline for a follow dunk on a miss by Curry as the Warriors extended their NBA record with a 26th consecutive series in which they won at least one road game.
One of Dinwiddie's 3-pointers got Dallas within five points with 1:15 remaining, but Jordan Poole answered with one from the left wing just inside the final minute.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
The most tense moment of the series came late in the first half after <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1528557592779165697?s=20&amp;t=cABubKSbS8jV6RFWmjglSw">a corner 3 from Curry capped an 8-0 run</a> that put the Warriors in front by a point and helped them to a 48-47 halftime lead. And it left Curry confused.
Curry ran the length of the court with his tongue hanging out after Dallas called timeout. As he circled back toward his bench, Curry walked by Doncic with teammate Juan Toscano-Anderson nearby.
Doncic appeared to take issue with something Toscano-Anderson said and started toward the Golden State bench before officials along with coaches and players from both teams intervened. Meantime, Draymond Green and injured Dallas guard Tim Hardaway Jr. exchanged unpleasantries about 45 feet apart.
After the timeout, Curry could been seen saying, &ldquo;What happened?&rdquo; and approached Doncic to talk about it. The exchange ended with Green as the peacemaker with Doncic.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Green got a technical foul, his second of the series, after an extended conversation with official Marc Davis when he was called for a backcourt violation when he hurriedly tried to step back over the midcourt line to catch a long, unexpected pass from Curry. The crowd was howling for a technical and finally got it. Seconds later, Green was called for his first foul and didn't like the call. But he directed his complaint at his own bench instead of the officiating crew. ... Otto Porter Jr., who averaged 10.5 points on 82% shooting the first two games, limped to the locker room in the first half and was ruled out with left foot soreness.
Mavericks: <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1528536430280065024?s=20&amp;t=cABubKSbS8jV6RFWmjglSw">Bullock won the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar social justice award</a>. He has been active in the LGBTQ+ community. His sister, a transgender woman, was killed in 2014. Bullock worked with several organizations in the Dallas area after signing as a free agent in the offseason and has long been active in similar pursuits in his native North Carolina. ... Dorian Finney-Smith got a technical early in the second half for an elbow to the back of Green after a made Dallas free throw.

Behind big games from Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins, the Golden State Warriors took a 3-0 series lead over Dallas.

Curry, Warriors take 3-0 lead on Mavericks with 109-100 win

The energy in The Bay was palpable, a crowd starved for its team's first Western Conference Finals berth since 2019. The dominant rule of this Golden State dynasty had been rudely interrupted by a once-in-a-generation global pandemic, a slew of untimely injuries and a superstar migrating across the country to skyscraping lands. Even the Chase Center flooring glimmered in anticipation.
The only thing that gleamed more was the twinkle in the eye of the Warriors' team defense.
The Warriors faced a new challenge in the West Finals, going from containing the quick-twitch athleticism strewn across the Memphis Grizzlies' roster to now containing the pick-and-roll craftsmanship of Luka Doncic, arguably the best player of the 2022 postseason. Luka's a nightmare to deal with, to say the least. He can attack your bigs or smalls on switches in isolation. He makes passes that only a select few across the globe can make should he even gain the slightest bit of an advantage. Most of all, he's a true-blue three-level scorer, geared up with step-back threes, post-ups with Dirk Nowitzki-legged fadeaways, sikly floaters and elongated layups at his disposal.&nbsp;
Containing a player of that ilk is not as simple as just throwing one perimeter player his way and hoping for the best. And while Luka's primary defender, Andrew Wiggins, did an admirable job on Wednesday of holding Doncic to 4-of-10 shooting, it was Golden State's medley of defensive coverages that kept Dallas at bay during the 25-point evisceration.&nbsp;
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Steve Kerr's crew threw out six different coverages in the first half &mdash; blitzes, hedge-and-recovers, a shallow drop coverage, pick-and-roll switches, a 3-2 zone and even a Box-and-1 &mdash; to stifle Dallas' second-ranked playoff half-court offense to a crawl. Golden State's coordinated chaos worked effectively, as Dallas put up just 78.8 points per 100 possessions in the half-court during Game 1 (10th percentile, yikes!), well below the 101.3 Offensive Rating that Dallas normally averages in this setting.&nbsp;
We'll touch on a few of those coverages momentarily, but it was Golden State's zone looks that were particularly interesting. The Mavericks haven't seen a ton of zones this postseason, especially coming off a series against the Phoenix Suns that featured mostly drop coverage or the occasional switch with Deandre Ayton manning the middle.
Interestingly, Golden State aligned its 3-2 zone so that Stephen Curry was atop the formation, meaning that he was typically Luka Doncic's primary defender. This goes against conventional thinking; normally, you'd expect the Warriors to hide Curry in the corners on one of Dallas' non-threatening options (think: how Miami deployed Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro in the 2020 postseason) instead of guarding the best mismatch-hunter on the floor. The Warriors, however, felt confident about shuttling defensive possessions to Curry at the point-of-attack, trusting their superstar to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/stephen-currys-defense-continues-to-shine-for-the-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">utilize his best defensive attribute</a> &mdash; his quick hands&mdash; to frustrate Maverick ball-handlers.
Of course, it helps with Wiggins and Draymond Green situated at the nearby wings, able to sink down and contain should Doncic bullrush his way past the slighter Curry. That's exactly what happened during this first-quarter possession below; Curry bothered Doncic's dribble by sticking in an arm, and when Doncic gathered himself and prepared his attack, Wiggins provided assistance at the nail to erase the driving lane and coerce the kick out. Jalen Brunson, of course, misses the spot-up three (a trend on Wednesday night), and Golden State gets its desired result from the 3-2 zone.
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There's some irony in the Warriors &mdash; the same team that once complained about Toronto's "junk defenses" in the 2019 NBA Finals &mdash; throwing out Box-and-1s to fluster Dallas' heliocentric offense. And yet, a minute later, Golden State busted out that janky look, with Curry, Jordan Poole, Green, and Otto Porter Jr. spread across the lane lines to form the "box," and Wiggins smothering Luka from basically the mid-court line.
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When Maxi Kleber comes to set a screen for Doncic, Poole and Wiggins trap Luka and use the sideline as a third defender to force the pass. Dallas hot-potatoes the ball across the perimeter, frantically searching for a vialble option, and eventually the Mavs are left with a 27-foot three from Kleber. A result the Warriors will live with.
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The Mavericks mustered up just 18 total points in the first quarter, which effectively set the tone for the rest of Game 1. Looking ahead after the brutal loss, it begs the question: Where can the Mavericks go next?
Well, there's the obvious answer, for one: Make more friggin' threes. Duh. The Mavericks whiffed on 37 of their 48 total outside looks, with some of those misses being <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT-vnjKYwf0&amp;ab_channel=MattBrooksNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pretty dang brutal</a>. But there's more to the game than just blindly hoping for better results.
Thinning Out the Hedges
As mentioned, one of the coverages that Golden State threw at Luka was hedging and recovering on pick-and-rolls. Typically, this was done when Doncic and the Mavericks looked to target Curry in screening actions. Dallas would have Curry's defender &mdash; Reggie Bullock in the first clip; Spencer Dinwiddie in the second&mdash;set a screen on Luka's defender, Wiggins.
Rather than having Curry switch outright onto Doncic, Steph would instead jump out toward the 6-foot-8 ball-handler to buy Wiggins time as he recovered back to his assignment. Though it goes in, a tightly contested step-back three &mdash; which Luka is shooting just 32.1% on in the postseason &mdash; is a result the Warriors can stomach, especially with one of its smallest defenders (Curry) involved in the play.
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Thus, going at Curry with a slew of straight pick-and-rolls wasn't particularly profitable in Game 1. Golden State is too experienced, too disciplined and too even-tempered to be caught off-guard by opponents repeatedly targetting its superstar. After all, that's been the game plan since, what, 2015? Steph is well-versed in evading such narrow offensive game planning.
But Dallas has some unexplored avenues.
One such way could be to mix in more slips to the rim. Below, after Golden State pre-switches to initially neutralize the Doncic-Bullock pick-and-roll, Luka calls for a second screen from Brunson to bring Curry into the fold. When Steph hedges, Brunson then cuts to the rim instead of flaring out to the perimeter. And although the possession is smothered by Draymond Green audibling a switch with Curry and playing some free safety (goodness was he ever incredible in Game 1!), Dallas was able to get two feet into the middle of the paint to make decisions.&nbsp;
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Flipping the angle of the screen at the very last second, which is something the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/grizzlies-flattening-out-the-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grizzlies did against the Warriors</a> in the second round, is a counter yet to be tested by the Mavericks' offense. When Dallas did elect to re-screen in Game 1, it was only because the initial screen failed to connect.&nbsp;
Dallas could also add some intricacy to its pick-and-rolls by forcing Golden State to navigate secondary screens. Screen-the-screener (STS) plays were, once again, something the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/memphisminnesota-game-5-was-a-masterclass-in-playcalling-wizardry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grizzlies tinkered with</a> in the earlier rounds of the postseason, and forcing Curry to navigate an off-ball screen before being dragged into a ball-screen for Luka could put him behind the play, thus throwing off the timing of his hedge.
All Doncic needs is a moment of hesitation to create for himself or others, so mixing in each of the following&mdash; re-screens, slips to the rim, ram screens and/or STS plays and straight pick-and-roll&mdash;to keep the Warriors on pins and needles could prove to make the difference going forward.
Sniffing Out the Proper Switches
So yes, scoping out Curry on pick-and-roll-induced switches didn't go as planned for Dallas in Game 1 given his comfort level with hedging those plays into oblivion; but that's not to say that Dallas failed to get any sort of traction when Golden State swapped assignments after ball screens.
Here's something that should keep Mavericks fans up at night: Dallas was hunting the wrong Warrior guard. Poole was tested by both of Dallas' secondary and tertiary options (Brunson and Dinwiddie), and he looked like a fish out of water on switches. Collectively, Dinwiddie and Brunson went 2-for-3 from the field when defended by Poole in Game 1.
Dinwiddie is both too tall and too quick to be even slightly bothered by Golden State's prolific 22-year-old, and Brunson's veteran craft left Poole stumbling. Jalen's portfolio of pump-fakes, B-Boy dancer pivots and up-and-unders was one hell of a handful for the third-year player.
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Even when Golden State attempted to hide Poole with hedges, he just wasn't disciplined enough to masterfully pull off this coverage with regularity. Here, he "shows" (or hedges) way, way too high up the floor against Brunson, who has yet to burn Golden State with pull-up threes, and Poole ends up getting flamb&eacute;d in isolation.
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Dallas' one-two punch of Doncic and Brunson also got off some pretty clean looks when served up Kevon Looney on a platter. Look, Looney had himself one hell of a Wednesday evening and was maybe the Game 1 MVP, but his lateral mobility was tested by Dallas' lead options. Take a look for yourself:
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Dallas should continue to hammer this home in the series. Though it's admirable that Looney feels empowered to pick up individual creators of Doncic and Brunson's ilk so high up the floor, his hip flexibility doesn't afford him the requisite oomph when changing directions on either player's array of dribbling moves. Doncic found relative consistency in forcing Golden State rotations and passing to open shooters after beating Looney off the dribble; Brunson, meanwhile, danced and jitterbugged his way to his spots to go 3-of-4 when defended by the Warriors' starting center.
It's integral that Dallas continues to exhaust Curry by involving him in a never-ending loop of pick-and-rolls. The more mileage put on his body defensively, the better. But there's also some value in getting some easy ones against guys like Looney and Poole.
Other notes:
<ul>
<li>Testing Klay Thompson, still fresh off two major injuries, is inherently not a terrible idea. Doing so by posting him up and allowing him to use his strong base and 6-6 frame, however, is not so brilliant. Doncic wasn't able to gain any ground against Golden State's sturdy wing, and the Mavericks would be better suited having the bursty Dinwiddie or even the guileful Brunson go at Thompson in space.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Speaking of Brunson, how often he can make Golden State pay via pull-up threes should be a major theme in the West Finals. Golden State regularly went under ball-screens against Brunson, daring him to shoot, and he responded with a whole bundle of record-scratch moments. Brunson has shot a combined 30.4% on pull-up three-pointers in the regular season and the postseason on just 105 total attempts, and if he continues to feign at chucking them up when the defense drifts underneath screens, Dallas' offense will sludge itself to death.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>The Mavericks are one of those teams where you just wish they'd incorporate a little more movement into their offense. Dallas leaves food on the table with screening actions on the weak side of the floor, and it allows the low man to stay engaged when helping over should Doncic (or Brunson or Dinwiddie) discover a crack in the defense. That's particularly problematic against a team like the Warriors and Green, a hellish secondary defender to tangle with. Notice how Golden State preoccupies Luka, the low man in the clip below, with screening action between Wiggins and Thompson. When Looney slips to the rim, Doncic is late on his rotation because of the ensuing traffic on the weak side.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
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It'd be great if Dallas could incorporate some of&nbsp;that&nbsp;stuff into their pick-and-roll heavy offense.
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Matt Brooks goes in-depth to break down what the Mavericks can improve on offensively against a stout Warriors defense.

How the Warriors' defense flummoxed Dallas, and where the Mavs go next

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Luka Doncic scored 35 points, Spencer Dinwiddie added 30 and the Dallas Mavericks stunned the top-seeded Phoenix Suns with a 123-90 Game 7 blowout Sunday night, advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2011.
Dallas broke through on the road after the home team won the first six games of the series, dominating in a hostile environment from start to finish. Conversely, it was an embarrassing no-show for the playoff-tested Suns &mdash; who advanced to the NBA Finals last season with a very similar roster.
The fourth-seeded Mavericks travel to face Golden State in Game 1 on Wednesday.
Doncic earned the Mavs an early lead, making his first three shots, including two 3-pointers. That helped Dallas push to a 27-17 advantage in the first quarter and a whopping 57-27 cushion at the halftime break.
Doncic and Dinwiddie, who came off the bench, combined to pour in 48 of the Mavericks' 57 points.
Game 7 drama? Not in the desert.
Simply put, the Suns looked overwhelmed by the pressure of a Game 7. They missed shots they usually make, made bad passes they usually don't make and looked nothing like the team that won an NBA-best 64 games during the regular season.
By halftime, many Suns fans were booing at the unsightly display.
The series might have been close, but the individual games usually were not. Three of the first six games were decided by at least 20 points and none of the games came down to the final possession. The average margin of victory across the seven games was 19.4 points.
Game 7 followed a similar pattern, except the team doing all the damage was the road team. Doncic was fantastic, making shots from all over the floor and finishing 12 of 19 from the field, including 6 of 11 on 3s. He also got some help: Dinwiddie was fantastic in the first half with 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range.
Meanwhile, Phoenix's All-Star backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker was never a factor. The 37-year-old Paul is a 12-time All-Star that has done just about everything possible in the game except win a championship.
After this setback, it's fair to wonder if there will be many more opportunities. Booker finished with 11 points and shot 3 of 14. Paul had 10 points and four assists. The Suns shot just 37.9% from the field.
Dallas beat the odds with the win: After the Celtics defeated the Bucks earlier Sunday, the home team was 110-33 (77%) in NBA Game 7s.
It's the second straight year the Suns have lost a playoff series after having a 2-0 lead. They won the first two games against the Bucks in the NBA Finals last season before losing four straight games.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Doncic and Dinwiddie were the first teammates to have at least 20 points in a half in Game 7 since Patrick Ewing and Allan Houston did it for the Knicks in 1997, according to ESPN Stats &amp; Info.
Suns: Phoenix shot just 6 of 23 (26.1%) from the field in the first quarter. ... The Suns hosted another sellout crowd at Footprint Center. Celebrities in attendance included baseball great Alex Rodriguez and rapper Lil' Wayne. ... The Suns are the second team in NBA history to win at least 64 games in the regular season and not make the Conference Finals. The other was the Mavericks in 2007. ... Phoenix has still never won a title since coming into the league in 1968.

The Dallas Mavericks stunned the Phoenix Suns in Game 7 to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

Luka Doncic leads Mavs over Suns 123-90 in Game 7 blowout

Luka Doncic scored 33 points and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Phoenix Suns 113-86 on Thursday night to force a Game 7 in the Western Conference semifinals.
The home team has won all six games, none with a final margin closer than seven points. The deciding game is Sunday in Phoenix.
The Mavericks won when facing elimination for the first time in three tries with Doncic, their three-time All-Star.
The two losses came against the Clippers the past two seasons, including Game 7 in Los Angeles last year after the visitors won the first six games, a first in the playoffs. Dallas is playing beyond the first round for the first time since winning the title 11 years ago.
The Suns, seeking a second consecutive trip to the West finals, are going the distance in a series for the first time in two postseasons with Chris Paul and Devin Booker. The previous three went six, including Phoenix&rsquo;s loss to Milwaukee last year in the NBA Finals.
Booker scored 19 points but was shut out from 3-point range (0 of 4) while going 6 of 17. Deandre Ayton had 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Paul added 13 points.
The top-seeded Suns were held to a season low in scoring, regular season or playoffs, for the second time in the series.&nbsp;
Reggie Bullock scored 19 points and Jalen Brunson added 18 for Dallas. Spencer Dinwiddie had a series-high 15, all on 3s (5 of 7).
Doncic played through an apparent left leg injury that sent him to the locker room when he would have been out of the game anyway in the second quarter. He returned to the bench and rode a stationary bike before re-entering the game.
Soon after, the Mavericks went on a decisive 19-5 run to finish the first half, turning a two-point lead into a 60-45 halftime edge.
It was a home-team replay of the third quarter from Game 5, when Phoenix went on a 17-0 run for an 18-point lead and ended up winning by 30.
Doncic, who had 11 rebounds and eight assists, fought his shot while fighting the injury early, but had a 3 on the late first-half run and scored 10 in the third to help the Mavericks push their lead to 22 (94-72).
Paul mostly avoided the problems with turnovers and fouls that cost the Suns in the first two losses in Dallas. But the 37-year-old point guard was never much of a factor, getting just seven shots.
Booker was stuck on eight points while Dallas pulled away in the second and third quarters, opening the second half with a miss on an ill-advised 3 and not scoring again until the Suns were down 21 late in the third.
TIP-INS
Suns: Ayton got a technical for elbowing Doncic in the face when Doncic fouled him on a dunk in the third quarter. Doncic missed the technical free throw, and Ayton finished the three-point play. ... Bismack Biyombo didn&rsquo;t have the same impact as the replacement for JaVale McGee, who didn&rsquo;t play for the first time in the series. Biyombo had four points and three rebounds in 14 minutes.
Mavericks: This was the 10th consecutive time this season the Mavericks have answered a loss of at least 20 points with a victory. ... Dallas recovered from a slow start from 3 to finish 16 of 39 (41%) while holding the Suns to 40% overall for the game.

Luka Doncic scored 33 points and the Mavericks beat the Suns 113-86 on Thursday night to force a Game 7 in the West semis.

Doncic, Mavericks cruise past Suns 113-86 to force Game 7

Joel Embiid took a shot to the face that not even his mask could help him absorb. He went down in a heap and stayed on the court in pain until he could compose himself.
Game 5 would get worse in so many ways for Embiid and the 76ers.
There was the Heat&rsquo;s 35-point win that pushed them to the brink of a series win. Embiid was completely banged up. His thumb. His eye.
Add a bruised ego.
Embid, the NBA scoring champion, craved the MVP award that went to Denver&rsquo;s Nikola Jokic for the second straight season. Embiid was an MVP finalist for the second straight season &mdash; but fell short again of the NBA&rsquo;s highest regular-season individual honor.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s two years in a row I put myself in that position,&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;It didn&rsquo;t happen. It&rsquo;s almost like at this point, it&rsquo;s whatever. Last year, I campaigned about it. This year, I answered questions when I was asked. In the next few years until I retire, to me, I don&rsquo;t know what else I have to do to win it. It&rsquo;s whatever. It&rsquo;s about focusing, not that I wasn&rsquo;t focusing in the bigger picture, but it&rsquo;s really time to really put all my energy into the bigger picture, which is to win the whole thing.&rdquo;
Hold up, retire in the next few years?
OK, that&rsquo;s a topic for down the road, or at least the end of this season which could come for the Sixers as early as Thursday night. The Heat hold a 3-2 series lead after a blowout Game 5 win. The Phoenix Suns also lead the Dallas Mavericks 3-2 on the strength of a 30-point Game 5 victory.
The good news for the 76ers and Mavericks, Game 6s are both at home.
The bad?
The percentages are not in their favor.
Teams in NBA history that win Game 5 for a 3-2 series lead wind up advancing 82.2% of the time.
Embiid and the 76ers, and Luka Doncic and the Mavericks look to stave off elimination and move on with Game 7 wins and advance to the conference finals.
The home team has won every game in both series. The Suns lost in the NBA Finals last season.
&ldquo;At a certain point, it just comes down to grit. Want to,&rdquo; Suns guard Chris Paul said.
Thursday&rsquo;s games:
HEAT AT 76ERS
Heat lead 3-2. Game 6. 7 p.m. EDT, ESPN
&mdash; NEED TO KNOW: Blowout city. The 76ers lost Game 1 by 14 points, Game 2 by 16 and Game 3 by 35. Yikes. How low could they go if they lose again to Miami? Should the Heat build an early double-digit lead, keep an eye on the Sixers. Will they let the game get out of hand or put up a fight and force Game 7?
&mdash; KEEP AN EYE ON: James Harden. &ldquo;The Beard&rdquo; showed in Game 5 a sensational Game 4 was more an aberration in his short tenure with the Sixers than something to build on for the postseason. Harden has 46 turnovers in the postseason and was a whopping minus-29 in Game 5.
&mdash; INJURY WATCH: Easy. Embiid. If injuries continue to wear down the center, the Heat will likely win the series. And history says, Miami will win in a blowout.
&mdash; PRESSURE IS ON: Let&rsquo;s flip a coin. Heads, 76ers. Tails, 76ers. Hey, it&rsquo;s the 76ers! Lose and the season is over. Win, and maybe, just maybe, a healthy-ish Sixers team can pull out a Game 7 win on the road. After all, the Hawks did it to Philly in the second round last season.
SUNS AT MAVERICKS
Suns lead 3-2. Game 6. 9:30 p.m. EDT, ESPN
&mdash; NEED TO KNOW: The Mavericks have been sloppy. Dallas, which had a season-low nine assists in Game 5, committed a mind-boggling 12 turnovers in a third quarter (33-14) that decided Game 5 and could end up deciding the series. The Suns had a 17-0 run in the quarter.
&mdash; KEEP AN EYE ON: Doncic. He was terrible from 3-point range again (2 of 8 after 1 of 10 in Game 4). The difference was, he assisted on eight of the 20 Dallas 3s in Game 4. He had 11 assists in Game 4, two in Game 5.
&mdash; INJURY WATCH: Suns F Torrey Craig (right elbow contusion) was available to play in Game 5.
&mdash; PRESSURE IS ON: Dallas. The supporting cast failed Dallas again, or Dallas failed in getting them involved. Doncic and Jalen Brunson combined for 40 shots. The secondary scorers who have been so important in various victories combined for just 16. Spencer Dinwiddie&rsquo;s struggles continues. He was great in a couple of games without Doncic in the regular season, and good in the first three games against Utah. Since, he&rsquo;s averaging 8.5 points and shooting 34%. ___

The Sixers and Mavs are both in win-or-go-home situations against the two top seeds in the NBA on Thursday night.

76ers, Mavericks try and stave off elimination in Game 6

Among the many components integral to the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; dominant rise of the past two seasons is their multifaceted wing trio of Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson.&nbsp;
Devin Booker and Chris Paul are the headlining stars, but those three forwards are trustworthy shooters, passers and defenders. While their skill- ets in those categories range across a wide spectrum, they all factor into the Suns forging a two-way approach predicated on versatility.&nbsp;
Bridges&rsquo; exploits are routinely and justifiably lauded. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season and is regarded as one of the NBA&rsquo;s best budding wings. Johnson shot 42.5% beyond the arc and was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year.
Perhaps sometimes lost in the shuffle of those two &mdash; along with Booker, Paul and Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s stardom &mdash; is the well-traveled swingman in Crowder. His arrival in Phoenix has coincided with the team's ascension. His services are a prominent reason that the Suns lead the Dallas Mavericks 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series ahead of Thursday&rsquo;s pivotal Game 6.
Through five games, the 31-year-old is averaging 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 66.9% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s shooting 46.7% (14 of 30) from deep and 57.1% (8 of 14) inside the arc.&nbsp;
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Phoenix has entrusted him with a bevy of duties offensively, spanning from screener, to trigger man catalyzing sets, to off-ball shooter with a pop-gun release. The Mavericks have typically tried to hide lesser defenders like Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans on him. So, the Suns have countered by mildly increasing Crowder's offensive usage via pick-and-pops or other screening actions.&nbsp;
Whether he&rsquo;s concluding the play with his own points, or merely facilitating a mismatch for someone else to flourish, his screens and capacity to operate off of them have greatly aided Phoenix&rsquo;s offense.
Crowder is comfortable attacking off the catch to feature his floater, is a perceptive off-ball nomad and brandishes a snappy jumper to burn tardy closeouts. Periodically, he&rsquo;s even displayed some on-ball juice. Dallas is already grappling and concerned with slowing Paul, Booker and Ayton. A fourth (or fifth) option as a release valve against its compromised defenders has proven burdensome to contain.
Unlike some fifth options, Crowder cannot be entirely neglected offensively, and teams must pay him some respect. Trying to fight through his screen or show against it may create an opening for the ball-handler to pounce. To avoid those scenarios, Dallas is mostly switching, which leaves Crowder and/or the primary scorer in a beneficial situation.
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Much like his counterparts on the wings, Crowder provides ancillary traits (some of which are tied to scoring) that amplify his offensive value in a background setting. He&rsquo;s an adept connective passer and punctuality flows through his general decision-making ethos. In head coach Monty Williams&rsquo; <a href="https://www.nba.com/suns/features/coach-williams-05-system-calls-faster-pace-and-quicker-decision-making">0.5 System</a> that emphasizes quick decision-making, Crowder fits snugly.&nbsp;
Most of his passing opportunities are coming against a tilted defense where he can briefly survey the floor and proceed. Other times, he&rsquo;s catching the ball in space or on the move and extends an advantage.&nbsp;
Complementary offensive players who hammer home advantages enacted by initiators are critically important. Crowder&rsquo;s second-round showing embodies that. Dallas is repeatedly playing catch-up before possessions even migrate his way, and he&rsquo;s only furthering the divide. Historically, his shooting and playmaking ambitions intermittently grow overzealous, but he&rsquo;s been quite reliable in this series.&nbsp;
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Similar to his offensive output, Crowder dips his quill in a number of inks defensively. He&rsquo;s frequently mucking up drives as a helper around the nail, and can curtail forays into the paint. At 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, he&rsquo;s someone Phoenix sics on Jalen Brunson and contently sends Doncic&rsquo;s direction in a pinch.&nbsp;
Neither ball-handler is necessarily enduring a poor series, but they&rsquo;re both experiencing fewer profits than they did against Utah. The Suns&rsquo; collective upgrade on the wings defensively compared to the Jazz is a major reason for the discrepancy, and Crowder falls under that difference.&nbsp;
His strength, mobility and deft hands slyly bother Doncic, while Brunson&rsquo;s found tough sledding against Crowder&rsquo;s burly, durable frame. On and off the ball, the veteran is around to entangle himself in the Mavericks&rsquo; plans.&nbsp;
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During Phoenix&rsquo;s first-round duel against the New Orleans Pelicans, Crowder couldn&rsquo;t toss a penny in a fountain. He shot 33.3% from the floor, buried just two triples and scored 45 points on 48 shots across six games. Yet his defense, primarily on Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, shined.&nbsp;
Now, the offense has returned and the defense continues to elicit praise. As Bridges&rsquo; offense ebbs and flows in this round, Crowder&rsquo;s revival has been a welcomed addition.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s never one archetype necessary to construct a title team. But strong, defensively inclined wings who can cook a few different dishes offensively are a common thread among many recent Finals participants. Both with the Heat in 2020 and Suns a season ago, Crowder is among those teams.&nbsp;
Phoenix isn&rsquo;t this good without him. He&rsquo;s only missed the playoffs once in his 10-year career. Although he&rsquo;s fortunately been surrounded by numerous good coaches and stars, there&rsquo;s correlation involved.
Crowder fills a diverse secondary role and performs it well, which is all the Suns have ever needed from him.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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Jackson Frank analyzes the crucial secondary role that Jae Crowder plays for the Suns and how he's thrived vs Dallas.

Jae Crowder's versatility has shined against the Mavericks

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; Luka Doncic had 26 points and 13 rebounds, and the Dallas Mavericks turned up the defensive pressure to get back in their Western Conference semifinal series with Phoenix, beating the Suns 103-94 on Friday night.
The Mavericks spoiled Chris Paul's 37th birthday, forcing the 17-year pro into his most turnovers in any half of a playoff game with seven before the break.
Dallas cut the Suns' series lead to 2-1 and ended an 11-game losing streak against Phoenix, regular season included. Game 4 is Sunday in Dallas.
Paul didn't have any more turnovers after halftime, but the Suns finally struggled with their shooting when they weren't turning it over. Phoenix shot 45%, ending a run of at least 50% shooting in the playoffs at eight games.
Doncic just missed a triple-double with nine assists, while Jalen Brunson led Dallas with 28 points after struggling in the two losses in Phoenix when Doncic averaged 40 points but didn't get enough help.
Jae Crowder scored 19 for Phoenix, but the Mavericks limited the impacted of Devin Booker in much the same way they did Paul. Booker scored 18 but was just 2 of 7 inside the 3-point line, and Paul had 12 on just nine shots (five made).
A scrambling Dallas defense was the reason, starting from the opening tip with Reggie Bullock shadowing Paul everywhere. The Mavericks stepped into passing lanes, including when Spencer Dinwiddie tiptoed along the sideline after a steal for a layup in transition.
Paul had six turnovers in the first 16 minutes, including one when he simply lost the ball out bounds trying to work his way to the basket. The only Dallas turnover before halftime was an offensive foul on Doncic, who disliked the call enough to <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1522771120272723968?s=20&amp;t=2DJs6StXEo7r10jFWoQXxQ">mimic what he thought were flopping movements</a> by Paul.
Doncic had to leave with his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter, and the Suns cut an 18-point deficit earlier in the second half to nine just after he came back.
Brunson answered with free throws to get the lead back to double digits, and the Mavericks got enough stops in their best defensive effort of the series to stay comfortably in front.
The lead was eight when Doncic kept Crowder from getting a steal near midcourt with a minute remaining, leading to a corner 3 with from Bullock, who scored 15. He and Dorian Finney-Smith, who scored 14, had four 3s each.
TIP-INS
Suns: Mikal Bridges was called for a technical foul late in the first half, and Paul got one early in the second. Both came going into timeouts. ... Torrey Craig was out with a right elbow contusion. He played sparingly in the first two games of the series.
Mavericks: Bullock, who spent plenty of time guarding Paul in the first half, was reported as questionable with a rib injury at halftime. ... Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley, a former Dallas assistant, attended the game. Two of his players, Cole Anthony and Wendell Carter Jr., were with him.

Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks take their first win of the series at home against Phoenix.

Mavs get defensive, top Suns 103-94 for 2-1 series deficit

Philadelphia and Dallas head home trying to stay in conference semifinal series against the top seeds &mdash; the 76ers forced again to play without Joel Embiid against Miami, and the Mavericks waiting for someone to help Luka Doncic against Phoenix.
The Sixers ruled out Embiid on Thursday for Game 3 on Friday night in Philadelphia with the orbital fracture sustained in the first-round clincher against Toronto. The Heat won the first two games with the MVP finalist sidelined. (Editor's Note: Embiid has since been upgraded to doubtful as of Friday afternoon, and could feel comfortable enough to suit up for Game 3 in Philadelphia, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1522608908707241985?s=20&amp;t=--wpyE3EkwmkWfua-te3eg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania</a>.)
Dallas coach Jason Kidd repeated himself following a second loss to Chris Paul, Devin Booker and the Suns &mdash; the 11th consecutive defeat for the Mavericks, regular season included, against the team with the NBA's best record.
Game 3 of the Western Conference series is Friday night in Dallas.
&ldquo;He (Doncic) had a great game, but no one else showed,&rdquo; Kidd said after a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/phoenix-suns-dallas-mavericks-nba-sports-1aea4448d88f9b92c0bbf86ebad8d9c5">129-109 loss in Game 2</a>, sounding about the same as he did two nights earlier following a series-opening 121-114 loss in Phoenix. &ldquo;We can&rsquo;t win with just him out there scoring 30 a night.&rdquo;
James Harden and Tyrese Maxey obviously are missing Embiid, who is also dealing with a thumb injury. The Philly guards couldn't find a way to get a split at Miami, the top seed in the East, without the five-time All-Star.
The Sixers weren't closer than eight points in the fourth quarter of the first two games, and Maxey sees the first quarter as the key to changing that.
&ldquo;When we go home with the crowd on our side, we&rsquo;ve got to hit first,&rdquo; Maxey said after the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-philadelphia-76ers-nba-sports-tobias-harris-26b997a57116cfa80251be70b77c1a59">119-103 loss in Game 2</a>. &ldquo;Coach Doc said something in the locker room before the game about, &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s not be a counterpunching team tonight.&rsquo; I think that really hit home. We&rsquo;ve got to go after them first and put them on their heels.&rdquo;
Philadelphia is battling history, too.
Miami has taken a 2-0 lead in 18 previous series, including the first round this season against Atlanta, and won the matchup every time. The 76ers have dropped the first two games 19 previous times, never recovering to win the series.
Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 23 points in Game 2. The Miami center tops the list of players impacted by the possible return of the 7-foot Embiid.
&ldquo;It changes dramatically. You&rsquo;re talking about MVP talent,&rdquo; Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. &ldquo;We knew that this series was going to shift and it was going to change pretty dramatically. It&rsquo;s better for it to change dramatically when we&rsquo;re able to get a couple of wins.&rdquo;
The Mavericks were close in the fourth quarter of Game 2 before Paul sparked a 23-2 run with the Suns leading by six. He had 14 of his 28 points in the fourth. Booker had consecutive 3-pointers during the run and scored 30.
&ldquo;We have guys that definitely can guard these guys,&rdquo; said Dallas guard Reggie Bullock, one of the defense-first players assigned that task. &ldquo;But it&rsquo;s going to take a team effort to be able to contain them.&rdquo;
Jalen Brunson averaged 27.8 points in the first-round win over Utah, when Doncic missed the first three games with a left calf strain. Brunson is averaging 11 points on 32% shooting against the Suns and has almost as many fouls (eight) as baskets (nine).
Doncic, who scored 45 and 35 points in the first two games, looked tired with the Suns repeatedly attacking him on screens, particularly in the fourth quarter when they shot 84%.
&ldquo;He should be tired,&rdquo; Kidd said. &ldquo;He played his heart out. He&rsquo;s tired every night. He plays hard. We&rsquo;ve got to get other guys involved to help him. Right now it&rsquo;s just been him.&rdquo;
HEAT AT 76ERS
Miami leads 2-0. Game 3, 7 p.m. EDT, ESPN.
&mdash; NEED TO KNOW: Miami G Victor Oladipo, playing in the conference semifinals for the first time in his career, scored 19 in Game 2. It was just his 12th game of the season, and he has played four consecutive games for the first time since joining the Heat after being plagued by issues with his right quadriceps tendon. A two-time All-Star in Indiana, Oladipo can help offset the return of Embiid with consistent production. He scored 23 in the first-round clincher against Atlanta.
&mdash; KEEP AN EYE ON: Philadelphia&rsquo;s 3-point shooting. The 76ers were the No. 3 team in the first round from beyond the arc (40.8%). They&rsquo;re by far the worst team so far in the conference semifinal round, connecting on just 21.9% in the first two games of the series.
&mdash; INJURY WATCH: Heat PG Kyle Lowry, who has missed the last four games with a strained left hamstring, was upgraded to questionable for Game 3. Playing in Philadelphia always has significance to Lowry, since he went to Villanova and is a North Philly native.
&mdash; PRESSURE IS ON: Philadelphia. The Sixers have to find a way win without Embiid. Otherwise, a 3-0 deficit might be the thing that gets them checking out and thinking about summer vacation.
SUNS AT MAVERICKS
Phoenix leads 2-0. Game 3, 9:30 p.m. EDT, ESPN.
&mdash; NEED TO KNOW: The Suns have shot at least 50% in all eight playoff games, with the 64.5% in Game 2 against Dallas the highest yet. Paul is shooting a mind-numbing 67% inside the 3-point line. The defensive turnaround for the Mavericks has been one of the biggest stories of Kidd's first season. They were second to Boston in fewest points allowed in the regular season and kept it up while beating the Jazz in six games. Not so much in this series.
&mdash; KEEP AN EYE ON: Dallas G Spencer Dinwiddie had some of his best games when Doncic was out during the regular season. His production is way off in the postseason. There were signs of life in Game 2, when he scored 10 of his 11 points to help Dallas take a 60-58 halftime lead. But he got just one shot, and missed it, in the fourth quarter.
&mdash; INJURY WATCH: Dallas F Maxi Kleber played 28 minutes and scored nine points in Game 2 after taking a nasty fall on his back, shoulders and neck in the series opener. The Mavericks have said he came through OK, but his effectiveness will bear watching after he acknowledged being sore.
&mdash; PRESSURE IS ON: Mavericks G-F Dorian Finney-Smith needs to stay out of foul trouble. He's among the most important defenders and was limited to 20 minutes after picking up three fouls in the first quarter.

Philadelphia and Dallas head home trying to stay in conference semifinal series against the top seeds.

Embiid upgraded to doubtful; Sixers, Mavs seek rebound vs. Heat, Suns

The top-seeded Phoenix Suns were braced for another fourth-quarter playoff fight on Wednesday night.
Chris Paul turned it into an early knockout.
The 12-time All-Star scored 28 points, including 14 in another spectacular final quarter, to lead the Suns over the Dallas Mavericks 129-109 for a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.
Paul, a 12-time All-Star who turns 37 years old on Friday, almost single-handedly turned a tight game into a comfortable victory &mdash; the Suns' 11th win in a row against the Mavericks counting regular-season games.
&ldquo;You've just got to lean on the work," Paul said. &ldquo;It all goes back to the work. You can't cheat the game. You've got to do the strength and conditioning, you've got to lift, you've got to get your rest, you got to get your shots up.
"When you do that, you live with the results.&rdquo;
Suns guard Devin Booker said he's run out of ways to describe Paul's fourth-quarter heroics.
&ldquo;You guys tell me, you're watching the same thing,&rdquo; Booker said. "It impresses us every time we see it, but it doesn't surprise us. It's just the will to win.&rdquo;
The Mavs led 60-58 at halftime but the Suns quickly recaptured the lead after Booker hit back-to-back 3-pointers early in the third. The Suns took an 89-83 advantage going into the final quarter and it looked like a tough fight was coming.
But that's about the time Paul decided the game was his to control, hitting six shots in a row on everything from 3-pointers to mid-range jumpers to layups. The feisty Mavericks finally didn't have an answer. Booker hit a pair of 3-pointers midway through the fourth to give the Suns a 114-95 lead.
Booker led the Suns with 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range. The Suns shot 64.5% overall &mdash; which was a franchise record in the playoffs &mdash; and made 52% of their 3-pointers. They shot 84% from the field (16 of 19) in the fourth quarter.
&ldquo;We have good players,&rdquo; Suns coach Monty Williams said. &ldquo;I'd love to sit here and tell you I'm moving the chess pieces around, but we have good players who can knock down shots.&rdquo;
Game 3 is on Friday in Dallas.
The Mavericks will go home in a 2-0 hole, desperately needing contributions from someone other than Luka Doncic, who scored 35 points on 13-of-22 shooting two nights after a 45-point performance in Game 1.
&ldquo;He had a great game, but no one else showed,&rdquo; Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. &ldquo;We've got to get other guys shooting the ball better. We can't win with just him out there scoring 30 a night. Not this time of the year and playing the best team in the league.&rdquo;
Reggie Bullock added 16 points for the Mavs.
&ldquo;The mood is fine,&rdquo; Doncic said. &ldquo;I think a lot of players, it's the first time in this situation. They've got to win four, so it's not over yet. We are going to go back home, our crowd is amazing.&rdquo;
The Suns jumped out to a 9-0 lead for a second straight game, but the Mavericks had a better response than in Game 1.
Dallas slowly fought back and Spencer Dinwiddie hit a pair of free throws to tie the game at 38. Davis Bertans followed with a 3-pointer with 7:56 left in the second quarter to give the Mavs a 41-38 advantage and their first lead of the series.
The Mavs took a two-point lead after a foul-filled first half. Doncic scored 24 before the break on 9-of-14 shooting, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range. Jae Crowder led the Suns with 15.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Bertans gave the Mavs good minutes in the first half, scoring nine points and going 3 of 6 from beyond the arc. ... Doncic briefly turned and stared down a Suns heckler late in the third quarter when he was walking off the playing floor into the tunnel. Doncic was quickly ushered away from the fan by Dallas team personnel.
Suns: Shot 64.7% from the field in the first quarter. ... Crowder picked up a technical foul in the second quarter. Ayton was called for a flagrant 1 foul after being called for an offensive foul, catching Dwight Powell in the face with his elbow. ... Phoenix hosted a sellout crowd for a 31st straight game.

Chris Paul scored 28 points, including 14 in another spectacular final quarter, to lead the Suns over the Mavericks 129-109.

Paul has another stellar fourth, Suns blow past Mavs 129-109

Deandre Ayton scored 25 points, Devin Booker added 23 and the top-seeded Phoenix Suns rolled to a 121-114 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.
The Suns never trailed, jumping to a 9-0 lead in the opening minutes and rarely let off the gas. They shot 50.5% from the field, won the rebounding edge 51-36 and beat the Mavericks for the 10th straight time, counting regular season games.
Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. It&rsquo;s the first time Dallas has advanced to the postseason&rsquo;s second round in Doncic&rsquo;s four-year NBA career.
Doncic and Maxi Kleber looked ready for the challenge but the rest of the Mavs didn&rsquo;t do much until it was too late. Kleber finished with 19 points.
Game 2 is on Wednesday in Phoenix.
Booker missed three games during Phoenix&rsquo;s first-round win over the New Orleans Pelicans because of a strained right hamstring suffered in Game 2. He returned for the closeout Game 6 and scored 13 points, but looked a little more cautious than usual in his effort to stay healthy.
That hesitancy was gone in the first quarter on Monday: Booker scored 13 points on 4 of 8 shooting and added six rebounds and four assists.
Ayton dominated in the paint and mid-range, hitting his usual array of turnaround jumpers, runners and dunks. The 6-foot-11 center shot 12 of 20 from the field. Chris Paul added 19 points and Cam Johnson had 17 off the bench.
All five Suns starters scored in double figures.
The Suns&rsquo; opening salvo was highlighted by a Jae Crowder 3-pointer and Booker&rsquo;s lob pass to Mikal Bridges for a dunk. Phoenix extended its lead to 18-6 midway through the first quarter before a discombobulated Dallas called timeout.
The Mavericks stayed in the game for a while thanks to Doncic and Kleber, who hit his first four 3-pointers. The pair helped Dallas pull within 51-47 midway through the second but the Suns finished the half with another run, going into the break with a 69-56 lead.
OUCH
Doncic was slow to get up in the second quarter after taking a knee to the groin from Jae Crowder, who was shooting a 3-pointer and called for the offensive foul.
After an official review, Crowder&rsquo;s foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1.
7-FOOT FUN
Suns backup center JaVale McGee brought the crowd to its feet early in the fourth quarter with a rare defensive play on the perimeter.
He stole the ball from Doncic and then dribbled the length of the floor, finishing with a powerful dunk to put the Suns up 21 points.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Doncic scored 14 points in the first quarter on 5 of 9 shooting. ... Kleber hit 5 of 6 3-pointers in the first half and had 16 points before the break. ... Kleber took a scary fall in the fourth quarter after being bumped by JaVale McGee while finishing a dunk. Kleber landed on his upper back and was shaken up for a few seconds before taking his free throw.
Suns: Crowder hit a 3-pointer in the second quarter then turned and started celebrating with former Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who was sitting courtside. Fitzgerald is a part-owner of the franchise. ... It was the 30th consecutive sellout at the Footprint Center, dating back to the regular season. ... Improved to 51-0 this season when leading after three quarters, including a 4-0 mark in the playoffs.

Deandre Ayton scored 25 points, Devin Booker added 23 and the top-seeded Suns rolled to a 121-114 Game 1 win over the Mavs.

Ayton, Booker lead top-seeded Suns past Mavericks 121-114

Luka Doncic and his teammates remind Jason Kidd a little of the last Dallas Mavericks team to advance in the playoffs.
The coach now was the point guard then when the Mavericks had split the first four games of the 2011 playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers. He recalls people thinking Dallas might not even get out of that series.
Instead, the Mavericks won the next two games and never looked back. They swept the two-time defending NBA champion Lakers in the next round and ended up winning the title themselves by beating Miami in the NBA Finals.
This year, Dallas again started 2-2, then won two straight <a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-jazz-dallas-mavericks-nba-sports-donovan-mitchell-fb5fd38fade2be4e78e6676d735f2eec">to get by the Utah Jazz with a 98-96 victory</a> on Thursday night. The current Mavericks don't have the experience and may not have the talent of his title team, but Kidd said they are a special group.
&ldquo;They truly believe, small or big &mdash; we&rsquo;re not very big &mdash; but they find a way to win and they have fun doing it,&rdquo; Kidd said. &ldquo;And hopefully this gives us confidence going against the best team in the NBA right now.&rdquo;
That would be the Phoenix Suns, the No. 1 seed after finishing 64-18 for the NBA's best record. They also <a href="https://apnews.com/article/phoenix-suns-new-orleans-pelicans-nba-sports-playoffs-70682f2d4f433976ed229522060672a8">wrapped up their series with a Game 6 victory on Thursday in New Orleans</a> and will host the Mavericks in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Monday.
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;re going to have to play our best basketball,&rdquo; Doncic said. &ldquo;They were in the finals last year, No. 1 team this year, so it&rsquo;s going to be really tough. The crowd really gets them going, so I think we&rsquo;re going to have to play our best basketball to beat them.&rdquo;
Doncic always plays well in the postseason, but it hadn't resulted in a series victory yet. The Mavericks lost to the Los Angeles Clippers in each of the last two years, even though he averaged more than 31 points in both.
The Mavs had to open this series without their All-Star, who missed the first three games with a calf strain sustained on the final day of the regular season. Once he returned, he averaged 29 points and 10.7 rebounds.
Unlike those previous series, when it appeared sometimes Doncic had to do it all alone, he shared the scoring load against the Jazz. Jalen Brunson followed his best NBA season &mdash; and set himself up to cash in nicely in the offseason &mdash; by averaging 27.8 points.
That came after he didn't play in the 2020 series and played poorly in the final four games last year as the Mavs blew a 2-0 lead.
&ldquo;Pretty much I&rsquo;m over the past two years,&rdquo; Brunson said. &ldquo;This year is different for me and looking forward to continuing it and trying to help my team win.&rdquo;
With Doncic, Brunson and midseason acquisition Spencer Dinwiddie, the Mavs' strength is their three-guard lineup. Still, Dallas rarely looks explosive offensively.
Instead, it's a defense that allowed 104.7 points, just behind Boston for best in the NBA, that carried the Mavericks to a 52-30 record and the No. 4 seed in the West. Now they'll see what they can do against the Suns.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re not going to be a fancy group,&rdquo; Kidd said. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t have a lot of big names &mdash; Luka&rsquo;s the one that gets the majority of the attention &mdash; but JB, Dorian (Finney-Smith) and Reggie (Bullock) and those guys really, truly believe in team, and that&rsquo;s what helped us win this series.&rdquo;

“I think we’re going to have to play our best basketball,” Luka Doncic said of the Mavericks drawing Phoenix in the second round.

Mavs move on to Suns, reminding Kidd a bit of their past

Luke Doncic believes he can score on anyone. To advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time, he had to trust his teammates.
After previous postseasons filled with individual highlights, Doncic shared the ball and the Dallas Mavericks slipped past the Utah Jazz.
&ldquo;I like sharing the ball. If they&rsquo;re going to hit or blitz me, someone is going to be open,&rdquo; Doncic said.
Doncic and Jalen Brunson each scored 24 points and the Mavericks beat the Jazz 98-96 on Thursday night in Game 6 to wrap up the first-round series.
&ldquo;It was all about trust,&rdquo; Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. &ldquo;Luka did an incredible job knowing they were going to try and take the ball out of his hands.&rdquo;
After Brunson hit a 3-pointer from the corner, Mike Conley was called for traveling with five seconds remaining, and Brunson made one of two free throws with 4.3 seconds to play.
&ldquo;Playing with Luka the past couple years, I should expect the ball when I&rsquo;m not expecting it. The ball found me,&rdquo; Brunson said of his clutch 3-pointer.
The Jazz got an open look for Bojan Bogdanovic on the left wing on the final play, but he came up short and the Mavericks moved on to face top-seeded Phoenix in the second round.
&ldquo;Bogey don&rsquo;t miss a lot of those. My heart stopped. It felt like that shot was 15 seconds in the air,&rdquo; said Doncic, who had nine rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and two steals.
Spencer Dinwiddie added 19 points, and Dorian Finney-Smith had a playoff career high of 18 points as the Mavericks finally got the &ldquo;monkey off their back,&rdquo; as Kidd put it.
The Mavericks won in the first round for the first time since winning the 2011 NBA championship.
&ldquo;We have played a lot of games in the playoffs and still haven&rsquo;t got to the second round. But we feel like we can do something great this year, so we all expected to get this win,&rdquo; Finney-Smith said.
Donovan Mitchell had 23 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for Utah.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m speechless,&rdquo; Mitchell said about failing to advance. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s on me. I put a lot pressure on myself, but I just wasn&rsquo;t who I needed to be. I need to be better.&rdquo;
Bogdanovic finished with 19 points, but couldn&rsquo;t the make the shot that would have won it.
&ldquo;Obviously, Bojan is as clutch a player there is. You see him hit big shot after big shot,&rdquo; Utah coach Quin Snyder said. &ldquo;I think everybody in the locker room would want him to have that shot.&rdquo;
Bogdanovic was crestfallen.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no excuse. I needed to hit that shot to force Game 7,&rdquo; he said.
Earlier in the fourth quarter, Finney-Smith&rsquo;s 3-pointer gave the Mavericks their largest lead at 88-80 before the Jazz scored eight straight &mdash; many coming off hustle plays as Utah played with desperation &mdash; culminating with a Mitchell-to-Rudy Gobert dunk.
The Mavericks found their range in the third quarter as the Jazz tried multiple defenses but somehow seemed to consistently leave someone alone behind the arc. Doncic had 10 points and Dallas made 8 of 12 from 3-point range to outscore Utah 36-19 in the third quarter.
&ldquo;For guys like me, that&rsquo;s when I start smiling,&rdquo; Finney-Smith said about the ball movement to start the second half. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s when we get our spot-up shots. Luka causes so much pressure and then he finds guys.&rdquo;
The Mavericks shot 56% (14 of 25) from 3-point range after halftime, but several Dallas players credited their defense for the win.
Despite a height disadvantage and the fact that Utah had the NBA&rsquo;s most-efficient offense in the regular season, Dallas held the Jazz to just 99 points per game in the series.
D&Eacute;J&Agrave; VU FOR DALLAS?
Eleven years ago on the same date, Kidd was on the Dallas team that beat the Portland Trail Blazers and moved to the second round.
&ldquo;You make me feel old. It was a long time ago we won in Portland, and I just remember a lot of people didn&rsquo;t think we were going to get out of the first round,&rdquo; Kidd said.
The former point guard said this Dallas team is a special group, like the 2011 champions.
&ldquo;These guys aren&rsquo;t very big, but they find a way to win and they have fun doing it,&rdquo; Kidd said.
BRUNSON PROVES TO BE KEY
Jalen Brunson averaged 27.8 points in the series and kept the Mavericks ahead of the Jazz, including a 41-point game in Game 2, until Doncic returned from a calf injury.
&ldquo;We got everything we could out of JB. To start the series without Luka and have JB and Spencer carry us until he got back and then make to switch to play with Luka. He was really big for us,&rdquo; Kidd said.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Dallas missed all 10 3-point attempts in the first quarter. &ldquo;Our shoulders were up by our ears we were so tense,&rdquo; Kidd said. The teams combined to start 1 for 17 from beyond the arc. &hellip; The Mavericks shot 11 free throws, a series low. &hellip; Dallas again had single-digit turnovers, with nine.
Jazz: Conley had eight assists by halftime, but none in the second half. &hellip; Utah outrebounded Dallas 48-37. &hellip; Utah assistant coach Keyon Dooling was placed on administrative leave on Wednesday after being added to a fraud case concerning the league&rsquo;s health and welfare benefit plan.
UP NEXT
The Mavericks and Suns will open the second round Monday night in Phoenix.

Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson each scored 24 points and the Mavericks beat the Jazz 98-96 on Thursday night in Game 6.

Luka Doncic, Mavericks beat Jazz to advance to second round

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are struggling against Boston, and Ben Simmons won't be available to help them Monday night with the Brooklyn Nets' season on the brink.
His former teammate plans to play on, though. Joel Embiid is determined to stay in Philadelphia's lineup, no matter how much pain he has in his right thumb.
Now 2 1/2 months after their blockbuster trade, the Nets and 76ers are in decidedly different places. The 76ers can move into the second round with a victory in Game 5 against Toronto, while the Nets will be trying to avoid a sweep when they host the Celtics.
The idea of four straight losses in the first round seemed unimaginable before the season, when the Nets were an NBA Finals favorite with Durant, Irving and James Harden. But Irving didn't play at all to begin the season and then only on the road for most of it because he is not vaccinated against the coronavirus, making him ineligible in New York City. Then Harden was dealt to Philadelphia in a swap for Simmons at the trade deadline and Brooklyn never met those expectations.
Now even Durant doesn't look as expected. Boston had him second-guessing himself after he took only 11 shots Saturday in a 109-103 loss. Irving was 6 for 17, missing all seven 3-pointers, and the only people who don't seem surprised are the Celtics.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s going exactly how we expected for the most part, just because we believe in ourselves more than anything,&rdquo; Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart said. &ldquo;We knew the task coming in was high against a really good team with two of the best players to ever do this. So for us, we also knew that our defense had the potential to do our best on those guys because of our length, our size and the way we play defense together.&rdquo;
Simmons hasn't played at all this season, sidelined by a herniated disk in his back after coming to Brooklyn, and was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-celtics-brooklyn-nets-nba-sports-steve-nash-1bc623409719d0c145880d7e507ff1d5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled out of Game 4</a> after hoping to play during the series. Unable to play their best players on the floor often enough, the Nets don't have the chemistry of a Celtics team that started slowly but has kept getting better as the season went on.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re all just trying to jell,&rdquo; Irving said, &ldquo;and usually you&rsquo;re jelling around the right time and that team in the other locker room is jelling at the right time. They&rsquo;ve been jelling since Christmas.
"So for us, we&rsquo;re just in a new experience as a group and we&rsquo;ve just got to respect that and just bring everything we can to this next game and just do one possession at a time. I don&rsquo;t want to be too clich&eacute;, but I don&rsquo;t have a lot of answers for how you make up time from October until now when usually teams would be jelling and things would be feeling good.&rdquo;
Embiid's thumb isn't feeling good after he hurt it in Game 3. He acknowledged being in pain when the 76ers dropped Game 4 on Saturday but will try to ignore it.
&ldquo;Like I always say, when I go out there I&rsquo;m not really worried about whatever that can happen,&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;I just want to focus on whatever I can focus.&rdquo;
Monday&rsquo;s games:
CELTICS AT NETS
Boston leads 3-0. Game 3, 7 p.m. EDT, TNT
&mdash;NEED TO KNOW: Durant had five more turnovers in Game 3 and has committed 17 thus far in the series.
&mdash;KEEP AN EYE ON: Jaylen Brown. He was 6 for 9 in the second half Saturday and the Nets don't have a good matchup for the guard if he comes out aggressively.
&mdash;INJURY WATCH: Celtics center Robert Williams came through well after returning from a nearly month-long absence with torn cartilage in his left knee Saturday. He played about 16 minutes and coach Ime Udoka said he probably could have gone more. He was no longer listed on the injury report for Game 4.
&mdash;PRESSURE IS ON: Durant and Irving, just as it's been the entire series. If they struggle the way they have in the last 1 1/2 games, the offseason probably begins Tuesday in Brooklyn.
76ERS AT RAPTORS
Philadelphia leads 3-1. Game 5, 8 p.m. EDT, NBA TV
&mdash;NEED TO KNOW: The 76ers won their two home games easily to begin the series, with a 131-111 victory in Game 1 followed by a 112-97 rout in Game 2.
&mdash;KEEP AN EYE ON: Embiid. The NBA's leading scorer was only 7 for 16 in Game 4 and shooting could be a struggle if he is limited much by the thumb.
&mdash;INJURY WATCH: Toronto All-Star guard Fred VanVleet was limited to just 15 minutes in Game 4 because of a strained left hip and is listed as questionable. But Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes had six points and 11 rebounds off the bench after missing two games with a sprained ankle.
&mdash;PRESSURE IS ON: Harden. Knowing Embiid is battling an injury, the 76ers could be in trouble if Harden can't do much better than the 5 for 17 he shot Saturday.
JAZZ AT MAVERICKS
Series tied 2-2. Game 5, 9:30 p.m. EDT, TNT
&mdash;NEED TO KNOW: The Jazz evened things up with a 100-99 victory on Saturday after the Mavericks had won the previous two games.
&mdash;KEEP AN EYE ON: Rudy Gobert. His go-ahead dunk on a lob from Donovan Mitchell with 11 seconds left in Game 4 capped a game in which the Jazz center was more involved in the offense that he had been previously in the series. Gobert took a series-high eight shots, finishing with 17 points and 15 rebounds.
&mdash;INJURY WATCH: Luka Doncic seemed fine in Game 4 after missing the first three games with a strained left calf. The All-Star guard had 30 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes.
&mdash;PRESSURE IS ON: Spencer Dinwiddie. After averaging 19.7 points as a starter the first three games, the Mavericks guard managed just five off the bench Saturday after Doncic returned. He needs to impact the game more, especially since the Jazz know they can count on Jordan Clarkson to come off their bench and do so.

On Monday night, there are three NBA playoff games. Here's a preview of the slate.

As Nets try to hang on vs. Celtics, Embiid and 76ers can move on

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; Rudy Gobert gave Utah the lead with an alley-oop dunk with 11.0 seconds left and the Jazz held off the Dallas Mavericks 100-99 on Saturday in Game 4 to tie the first-round series.
Spencer Dinwiddie missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer for Dallas.
Jordan Clarkson scored 25 points for Utah, Donovan Mitchell added 23 points and seven assists, and Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 15 rebounds &mdash; 10 off the offensive glass. Gobert was 3 of 8 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter and 9 of 18 overall.
Dallas star Luka Doncic scored 30 points, 10 rebounds four assists in his return from a three-game absence because of strained left calf. Jalen Brunson added 23 points, and Dorian Finney-Smith, Dwight Powell and Reggie Bullock had 11 points apiece.
Game 5 is Monday night in Dallas.
After going 3 1/2 minutes without a basket, the Jazz took a 95-94 lead on Mitchell's layup with 1:27 remaining. Doncic answered with back-to-back baskets to put Dallas up 99-95.
Mitchell converted a three-point play to bring Utah within one. Powell missed a pair of free throws with 19.8 seconds left, opening the door for Gobert&rsquo;s winner.
TIP INS
Mavericks: Finney-Smith scored all 11 of his points in the third quarter. &hellip; Brunson is averaging 29.8 points per game during the postseason. &hellip; Dallas went 5 of 24 from 3-point range in the first half. &hellip; Maxi Kleber fouled out with 4:19 left.
Jazz: Mitchell was held to three baskets over the final three quarters. He went 3 of 14 from the field in that stretch, &hellip; Utah outscored Dallas 35-13 in bench points.

A Rudy Gobert dunk in the closing seconds lifted the Utah Jazz over the Dallas Mavericks in a critical Game 4.

Jazz beat Mavericks to tie series, spoil Doncic's return

Jalen Brunson scored 31 points playing with a bruised back and the Dallas Mavericks &mdash; without the injured Luka Doncic &mdash; beat the Utah Jazz 126-118 on Thursday night to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff series.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter for Dallas, Maxi Kleber had 17 points and Dorian Finney-Smith added 14 points, hitting a 3-pointer with 1:56 left for a 10-point lead.
Doncic has missed all three of the games in the series with a strained calf, with signs pointing to his return for Game 4 on Saturday in Salt Lake City.
Donovan Mitchell scored 28 of his 32 points in the second half for Utah. Bojan Bogdanovic added 24 and Mike Conley had 21. The Jazz had won 11 in a row at home against Dallas.
Conley got the Jazz to 103-102, but Dinwiddie made two baskets and Brunson scored six points on three straight possessions to make it 113-104.
Brunson appeared to hurt his back midway through the second quarter when Royce O&rsquo;Neale hit him full-speed from behind. He moved gingerly, rubbed his lower back and earned a technical on his way off the court complaining about a cheap shot.
But he shook it off and toyed with Jazz on a variety of drives to the baskets against several different defenders. Brunson now has 96 points in the three games of the series.
Once the Jazz finally matched the Mavericks and played without a center, the court opened up for Utah. Mitchell (18) and Bogdanovic (12) scored at will in the third quarter against a leaky Dallas zone. The Jazz made 14 of 18 shots and trimmed the lead to 97-91 entering the final period. The game was physical and chippy at times, featuring 60 fouls.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: After going 8 for 11 from 3-point range in Game 2, Kleber made three straight in his first two minutes on the court. &hellip; Tim Hardaway Jr. (foot surgery) is probably out for the playoffs unless Dallas makes a deep run.
Jazz: Olympic gold medalist skier Lindsey Vonn and boxer Floyd Mayweather sat courtside. &hellip; Clarkson made a three-quarter-court shot but it came just after the first-quarter horn. &hellip; Eric Paschall only played 10 minutes (at center) but scored six points and Utah outscored Dallas by nine points during that time.

Jalen Brunson scored 31 points playing with a bruised back and the Mavericks beat the Jazz 126-118 to take a 2-1 lead.

Brunson, Mavericks beat Jazz 126-118 to take 2-1 series lead

Every day, BasketballNews.com gives you NBA betting analysis before tip-off. Make sure you subscribe to our daily podcast, &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-but-bets/id1589799249" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6zNxt0NQXPmKuryAdz89m0?si=1038d121100444fd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spotify</a>&nbsp;or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Without further ado, let&rsquo;s dive into our favorite NBA spread bets for the night portion of Thursday's postseason slate.
Utah Jazz (-7.5) vs. Dallas Mavericks
The pessimism surrounding Luka Doncic&rsquo;s immediate playing time is obvious from Dallas. Reading the tea leaves, Doncic will probably be out for Game 3 due to a calf strain suffered in the Mavericks&rsquo; regular season finale. Jalen Brunson has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-stats-notebook-jalen-brunson-is-in-the-drivers-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">put on a show</a> in Doncic&rsquo;s place, but this series flipping back to the raucous environment in Salt Lake City could change things up.
Donovan Mitchell is poised for a big breakout performance, plus Rudy Gobert&rsquo;s defensive dominance is always a looming factor. In the end, hammer the Jazz to cover -7.5 over Dallas as a Best Bet.
Pick: Jazz -7.5
Player Props: Donovan Mitchell over 29.5 points, Jalen Brunson over 24.5 points, Rudy Gobert over 15.5 rebounds, Spencer Dinwiddie over 6.5 assists
Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors (-2.5)
Similar to the Suns series last season, the Nuggets are simply too outmatched here. Golden State&rsquo;s offense has exploded behind a new modern-ady death lineup: Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green. With an absurd Offensive Rating above 200 right now, Denver doesn&rsquo;t stand a chance against the Warriors
And with Devin Booker&rsquo;s hamstring now playing a major factor in the Western Conference playoff storylines, Golden State might have a clearer Finals path. Behind a big game from Curry, hammer the Warriors to take the commanding 3-0 series lead.
Pick: Warriors -2.5
Player Props: Nikola Jokic over 29.5 points, Jordan Poole over 22.5 points, Aaron Gordon over 5.5 rebounds, Stephen Curry over 3.5 threes
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Who are the best bets for Thursday night's NBA playoff games? We've got you covered!