Cooked: Steph Curry, Warriors Pound Luka Doncic & Mavs - Live Scoring Update Final
A trip to the NBA Finals is on the line. And we set it up ...and then break it down, quarter by quarter ...
The Dallas Mavericks face the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday night. Expect the Chase Center in San Francisco to be rocking, as the Mavs attempt to upset the "Splash Triplets" in the best-of-seven series.
Dallas' defense will have its hands full with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and the surging Jordan Poole, who are averaging 66.6 points per game in the playoffs. On the other side, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and co. will be eager to target Mavs star Luka Doncic.
The Slovenian star shows up when it matters most. In 10 playoff games this season, Doncic is averaging 31.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. Doncic, who excels at controlling the pace to be slow and methodical, is preparing for the Warriors' defensive coverages.
"For me, maybe I'll see a couple more double teams this series, but that's fine," Doncic said. "I think we play the best when they double team me. You know, 4-on-3 basketball in the NBA. We have a lot of great players. ... We're ready for everything."
FINAL Warriors 112, MAVS 87 Luka Doncic shot just 6 of 18 and was a statistical non-factor in the second half - he scored just two of his 20 after intermission - as the Warriors won Game 1.
Overreact? Dallas has lost all three Game 1s in this postseason. As Golden State’s Steph Curry said, “There is still a lot of work to do.”
Was this loss about physicality? Maybe, as coach Jason Kidd said, We have to be physical, not just on the defensive end but on the offensive end."
Was it also about shot-making? Said Kidd: "When we go back and look at the open shots that we created, it's a lot of them. We just didn't knock them down."
Was it about Luka?
"He understands what they're trying to do,'' Kidd said of the Warriors' successful defensive approach. "And he'll be better."
More coverage of Game 1 is here.
TO THE FOURTH: After three quarters it’s 88-69, with Dallas finding no answers for Steph Curry (21) and the fast-paced Warriors.
The Warriors are shooting nearly 58 percent for the game, and the Mavs are increasingly guilty of offensive miscues. Doncic has 20, Brunson 18 and Dinwiddie 17.
HALFTIME WARRIORS 54, MAVS 45 : Luka Doncic got scratched in the face in the first quarter. Throughout the second quarter he repeatedly reached up to his right shoulder, indicating discomfort there.
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And by halftime? Yeah, the Mavs - even with Luka’s 18 points - are hurting. They are 7 of 29 from the arc. They’ve missed four free throws. They are getting out-rebounded 28-18 and out-assisted 13-6.
FIRST QUARTER WARRIORS 28, MAVS 18: The Mavs were involved in a tempest-in-a-teapot pregame issue when TMZ erroneously suggested that Doncic (and Boban) were enjoying pregame breakfast beers.
In fact, the photo is from Tuesday. But yeah, why let the truth get in a way of a good mythical tale? Especially when Dallas started this outing as if it was hungover?
One issue? Of Dallas’ first 20 shots, 15 were treys. … and 3 of 19 total.
The strategy - especially as the Warriors threw a wild assortment of defenses at Dallas - did not work, as overall Dallas shot just 27 percent.
Doncic ended the first quarter with eight points and four rebounds. But the Warriors poured it on with Andrew Wiggins leading the charge with 10 points.
LUKA MAGIC: Doncic (32.5 points per) owns the second-highest career scoring average in playoff history, just behind Michael Jordan (33.4).
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Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
RECORDS: DALLAS MAVERICKS (0-0) at GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (0-0)
WHEN: Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. CT
LOCATION: Chase Center (San Francisco, CA)
TV/RADIO: TNT, BSSW, 97.1 The Eagle (KEGL)
DALLAS INJURY REPORT: Tim Hardaway Jr. (left foot surgery) is out.
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Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
ODDS: The Mavs entered as 5-point underdogs to the Warriors.
NEXT: Game 2 will also be in San Francisco on Friday at 8 p.m. before the series shifts to Dallas for Game 3 on Sunday at 8 p.m. and Game 4 on May 24 at 8 p.m.
If necessary, Game 5 will be May 26 in San Francisco at 8 p.m., Game 6 in Dallas on May 28 at 8 p.m. and Game 7 in San Francisco on May 30 at 7 p.m.
LAST WORD: Jalen Brunson on teammate Doncic and the Warriors:
“He always tries to throw the first punches. He always has that killer instinct.”
“I think the Warriors are one of the best teams at not making it about themselves. They don’t really care who gets the credit. That’s what’s made them special for almost the past decade. It’s going to be tough. I’m excited for the challenge. We’ll be ready.”
