Three years later, Golden State is very close to tasting an NBA final again: the Warriors, carried by Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins, won (109-100) a third success in a row against the Mavericks, Sunday in Dallas.
Never has a team trailing 3-0 managed to win the last four games of a series in the play-offs.
Stephen Curry was again instrumental in the success of his team. The playmaker played fair and efficient (31 points, 5 out of 10 behind the arc, 11 assists).
His lieutenants Klay Thompson (19 points) and especially Andrew Wiggins were perfect relays. The Canadian winger scored 10 of his finals record 27 points in the fourth quarter, including a power dunk on Luka Doncic.
First, the referee whistled an offensive foul due to contact between Wiggins’ elbow and Doncic’s neck, which fell to the ground. Steve Kerr asked for a “challenge” and after viewing, the basket was granted, the contact not having been considered a “charge”. ” He touched me a little but I’m not going to lie to you, I saw the video, it was impressive, incredible even “, recognized the Slovenian handsome player.
On the next action, Wiggins managed a tap which gave air to his people (95-83), when Dallas tried to pick up the score.
Doncic too alone in attack
But Luka Doncic had not said his last word. The Slovenian prodigy was exceptional in the last twelve minutes, with 21 points in the bag, to finish the meeting with 40 units and 11 rebounds.
Problem, he was too alone in attack. Of Doncic’s eight games with forty points and more in the play-offs for three years, the Mavericks have lost six times.
Apart from Spencer Dinwiddie (26 pts), very good off the bench, and Jalen Brunson (20 pts), the other Mavericks, especially inside, were insufficient. The Reggie Bullock-Maxi Kleber duo, for example, totaled a terrible 0 out of 15 in shooting in 65 minutes of combined play. French playmaker Frank Ntilikina played four minutes late in the first quarter for a missed shot and an assist.
The Mavs, at home, nevertheless picked up five points with one minute and fifteen seconds remaining, but an award-winning shot from Jordan Poole definitely tipped the game and probably the series.
If the long-range clumsiness (13 of 45) still punished Dallas, the credit also goes to the defense of Golden State, which has in the past built its successes – three NBA titles in four years (2015, 2017, 2018) and two lost finals (2016, 2019) – on his fire attack and rebound. Sunday, they again dominated the circles (47 catches to 33, including 14 offensives).
All these ingredients, under the leadership of “Chef Curry”, spice up the game of the Warriors, now very close to finding the peaks, after three difficult years. ” I like the position we are in now. We felt that we had to take a victory tonight (Sunday). When we lead 2-0 and we move, we must take advantage dynamics commented Steve Kerr.
Game 4 is Tuesday night in Dallas. The Warriors will play a place in the final and the Mavericks a first success not to finish fanny and maintain a very, very slim hope of returning to the series.
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