3 Reasons for Mavs Crushing Loss to Warriors
It's been a rough five-game stretch for the Dallas Mavericks. Tuesday's Emirates NBA Cup debut at the Chase Center ended poorly for the reigning Western Conference champions. Although Klay Thompson's feel-good 3-point shots made for memorable moments, Mavs fans will only recollect the crushing 120-117 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Dallas lost three consecutive clutch games in its last five, falling to 1-5. Alarmingly, the Mavericks inverted their clutch performance from the 2023-24 season. In such high-pressure, everything matters scenarios; you can spend hours picking apart what unravels the Mavericks in what seems every turn. Dallas Basketball analyzed three reasons why the Mavs lost to the Warriors on Tuesday.
Nov 12, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) loses control of the ball next to Golden State Warriors guard De'Anthony Melton (8) in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
© Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
1. Lacking Fourth-Quarter Rebounds
Daniel Gafford claimed he "put on a decent amount of weight, in terms of muscle" over the offseason. However, regarding in-game production, his muscles haven't transcended into basketball success.
In a game where every possession mattered, as multiple runs from the Mavericks and Warriors led to double-digit runs, grabbing a rebound to stop the bleeding is necessary to stay alive against the relentless Stepehn Curry-led offense. However, in four minutes of action in the fourth quarter, Gafford failed to grab a rebound.
Despite the Mavs' build and supposed advantage over teams regarding their physical bigs, Gafford couldn't fight over Golden State's sub-par athletic bigs. Physicality aside, Gafford failed to box out anyone, as smaller Golden State players crashed the boards to extend possessions.
Due to the Mavericks' personnel in the frontcourt, losing the rebound battle is nearly unacceptable.
2. Lack of Play-Calling
Similar to the Mavericks' loss to the Nuggets on Sunday, Tuesday's late-night game came down to one possession and whether or not the Mavs could get some room for a decent shot. However, despite games of tape suggesting the Mavericks desperately need attention to their clutch play calls, Jason Kidd trusted Luka Doncic, who went 16-48 over his previous five games, to hit a last-second 3.
Such a shot resulted in the ball cleaning the glass, with no sight of it touching the rim. Not only did that shot have no chance of going in, but it didn't even look clean coming off his hand. Maybe it's because Andrew Wiggins draped over him like a constant reminder of why Kidd must call a play, even for one of the best players in the world.
3. Luka Doncic Scoreless Fourth Quarter
Despite Doncic converting an abysmal 2-10 shooting line from 3, No. 77 failed to realize he must attack the basket. In the fourth quarter, Doncic only shot the ball three times, registering zero points in as many attempts. Furthermore, he oddly didn't get to the charity stripe in the final period.
Regarding Doncic's skill, no one can question his talent. However, state of mind comes to mind when critiquing Doncic. When Dallas went on multiple runs against the Warriors, many possessions featured Doncic pushing the pace, keeping his opponents on their heels, and guessing his next move.
Conversely, when he slows down the game, methodically working his way into step-back 3s, at least in the 2024-25 season, defenses take such a sequence as a victory. Doncic shot three times in the fourth quarter, with two being 3-point attempts, which did not come close to converting.
Perhaps the groin injury hinders Doncic's burst to the rim, but he showcased it during the Warriors game, suggesting he can pull off such an attack. In the fourth quarter, Kyrie Irving played as many minutes (11) as Doncic. Amazingly, Irving didn't miss a single shot, so excuses of fatigue and injuries can only maintain stock for so long when the NBA is experiencing a 35 percent increase in injuries from last season.
Closing Thoughts
For as devastating of a loss the Warriors provided the Mavericks, it sadly fits the theme of Dallas' season. Sitting at a disappointing 5-6, the Mavericks, again, slowly start a season despite having one of the better rosters in the league. There is plenty of bale to go around, but at this rate, coaching and the players must look in the mirror and take accountability for ruining the momentum of an NBA Finals rush of positivity.
