In a Western Conference Finals matchup that only a few saw coming, the recharged Golden State Warriors are facing off with the upstart Dallas Mavericks. Following the surprising conclusion to their series with the Suns, Luka Doncic and the Mavs are playing some of their best basketball. While they were able to knock off No. 1 seed Phoenix, Dallas still has to contend with the reimagined Warriors who, not too long ago, ruled the NBA. In Game 1 of the series, the Warriors trounced Dallas at home by a margin of 25 points. Can the Mavericks turn the tide in the Bay in Game 2?
In this breakdown, SBS will go over what to look for from each team and who will ultimately prevail in Game 2 on Friday evening.
In their Western Conference Semifinals matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies, the Warriors looked like their old selves with some dominant shooting, winning 4-2. This has permeated over to Game 1 of the Western Finals where the Warriors shot a dominating 56.1 percent from the field. In their first contest of this series, Golden State led throughout the matchup and stepped on the gas from the second quarter on. A full team effort, all five Warriors starters finished the game with double-digits in points scored. In fact, Golden State also outrebounded the Mavericks by 16 and basically never trailed in the contest.
Led by the greatest statistical shooter of all-time, Steph Curry (21 points in Game 1), the Dubs drubbed the Mavericks at the Chase Center. With the series staying in the Bay Area for Game 2, Dallas will have its hands full trying to clamp down on the blistering Warriors. While Golden State is known for their fantastic trio of Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, they got some much needed fire support from small forward Andrew Wiggins (19 points) and Jordan Poole (19). One of the most well-balanced teams in the NBA, Golden State is always a tough draw when you play them at home.
After slaying the dragon that was the Phoenix Suns, the Mavericks were riding high heading into Game 1 against the Warriors. That victorious feeling was short-lived though as Dallas looked flat in the second half against Golden State. All-Star guard Luka Doncic paced the Mavericks with 20 points, but he had a disastrous plus-minus ratio of -30. Though that statistic is not primarily Doncic’s fault, it still is a strong indicator that things were not going the right way for Dallas’ amazing star guard. In addition to Doncic, the Mavs also featured double-digit outings from guards Jalen Brunson (14 points) and Spencer Dinwiddie (17). A team that has some stout backcourt depth, Dallas will be relying on this more as they shift the game plan for Game 2 on Friday.
Perhaps the biggest area of improvement for Dallas could come from their frontcourt. While Doncic is of course the main centerpiece of the Mavericks offense, he will need some more help from his big man counterparts. For instance, forward Dorian Finney-Smith and Reggie Bullock combined for a paltry 17 points in Game 1 while center Dwight Powell only notched one field goal (three points). Even if they can just double the marks (for Finney-Smith and Powell), it will go a long way in helping Doncic and the guards fend off Golden State’s ferocious marksmen.
Prediction: The Warriors put together a terrific mark of 31-10 playing at home this last season. This record, along with their success against Dallas this year (+32 in games played vs. Dallas at the Chase Center in the regular season) gives Golden State the nod in Game 2.
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About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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