The Mavs avoid elimination by winning 119-109 with 20 shots from 3 to target. Golden State can close the accounts on Thursday at home
It’s raining in Dallas. In a literal sense (the water that filters from the roof of the American Airlines Center and delays the start of the recovery by 16 ‘) and in a figurative sense, with the Mavs that bring out the pride and build with a shower of triples (20) 119-109 which brings the Western Conference final back to San Francisco, with the Warriors now ahead 3-1 who on Thursday in front of their fans will try to win the return to the Finals. The Mavs won as a team, with Luka Doncic irresistible (30 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists) but with a lot of help from the others and the Warriors put on the ropes between the second and third quarters, capable only with the push of the bench in the final (from – 29 to -8) to put in that extra determination needed to beat a team like Dallas at risk of elimination.
Trust
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“We believe it,” says Doncic referring to the 3-0 comeback that no team in NBA history has ever managed to do. For Dallas, avoiding the coat (56 of the 146 teams managed to finish 3-0 before the Mavs) was already a great result, which will be repeated in Game-5 in San Francisco to prevent the season from ending. “We have taken the first step – says proud coach Kidd after the victory -, now we have to find a way to win game-5 away”. That first step was built on Doncic’s talent but above all on the contribution of those others who were missing, especially in race-3. The Mavs finished with 6 players in double figures, with Dorian Finney-Smith (23 points) best among those who are not called Doncic and Reggie Bullock (18 points with 6/10 from the arc) and Maxi Kleber (13 points from the bench ) returned to make a contribution. It is also important to have won the rebound challenge for once (45-42) and to have found precision from the bow, the main offensive weapon on which Dallas has built his challenge at Golden State. The Mavs remain with their backs to the wall, in an abyss from which no one has ever managed to climb: instead of accepting defeat, however, they have shown that they still have a great desire to fight.
False step
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Golden State collects the bad evening by looking at the half-full glass of the bench that in the fourth period reopened a game that seemed already at the end credits. On the shields are rookies Jonathan Kuminga, 17 points and 8 rebounds, who had not yet played a minute in the series, and Moses Moody, 10 points and an important hand in defense. “It’s fantastic that they managed to get noticed, to give us a little life, to lose us incredibly in the game – says Steph Curry as a good leader -. They have built trust and experience on a stage as important as this one. With the injuries we have, there are minutes available: to end the series we will need them too ”. Curry was the only one to work in the first three quarters, finishing with 20 points and 8 assists a game for him that was still below average. Golden State did not work as a team, unable not only to stop the triples in Dallas but also to react to the offensive gusts of the Mavs, very good at beating the Warriors’ zone in defense. “It’s an important lesson to learn for Race-5,” Steph teases. The Finals Golden State feels it belongs to are there, one win away: Curry wants to make sure his team doesn’t have to wait any longer.
The match
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Dallas puts 7 triples in the first quarter but takes control of the operations in the second, when a partial of 25-6 with Brunson as protagonist (10 points in the period) throws her on 54-37 with 3’50 “from the rest. The Warriors begin the recovery under 62-47, but instead of the usual 3rd fourth show they were accustomed to in the first three games they sink, hit by 8 triples of the Mavs sinking up to 99-70 on the siren. It seems over, with the two coaches leaving room for the reserves, but those of Golden State almost do the miracle, reopening (110-102 of Kuminga with 3’24 “to play) a game that seemed closed. Kidd puts Doncic back and he’s the one who closes the accounts, making sure Dallas has another chance. The return to the Golden State Finals is postponed.
Dallas: Doncic 30 (7/15 of two, 3/11 of three, 7/10 free throws), Finney-Smith 23, Bullock 18. Rebounds: Doncic 14. Assists: Doncic 9.
Golden State: Curry 20 (5/11, 2/5, 4/5 tl), Kuminga 17, Poole 14. Rebounds: Kuminga 8. Assists: Curry 8.
May 25, 2022 (change May 25, 2022 | 08:40)
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