Live Or Die By The 3? Dallas Mavs Are 'Not Golden State'
DALLAS - In the final minutes of Game 2 between the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz, when Maxi Kleber touched the ball from beyond the arc, the sold out crowd at American Airlines Center roared in anticipation. Swish. Chaos amongst fans, owner Mark Cuban and the Mavs ensued.
Kleber's long-distance shooting sparked the Mavs to upset the Jazz, 110-104, in game 2 of the NBA Playoffs first round. With one of the best shooting performances in franchise history, Kleber made eight 3-pointers. Each of Kleber's eight 3s were desperately needed and were just one shy of Jason Terry's franchise-record nine in Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011.
Dallas hit 22 3s to force the Jazz to put away their brooms, setting a new franchise best for the postseason.
“It’s not live or die by the 3," said Spencer Dinwiddie, who is averaging 19.5 points and seven rebounds in two playoff games. "We’re not Golden State.”
Taking 47 3-pointers is certainly not Dallas' mode of operation, however, Kleber's ability to stretch the floor paired with a career-high scoring night from Jalen Brunson triggered the Mavs' first playoff win at home since April 2015.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The joy gushed from Kleber's teammates, as he emerged from the worst shooting slump of his career when Dallas needed him most. Kleber's 3-point shooting percentage had been on 19 percent since the All-Star break. It was 73 percent in the Game 2.
"Yes, he was 8-for-11, but he’s also a guy who is willing to make the extra pass," Brunson, who became the first player in Mavs history with 40 points and no turnovers in a playoff game. "I’m happy for him the way he played tonight – just incredible.”
Will the Mavs hot shooting make the trip to Salt Lake City for Game 3? Dallas is massive 7.5-point underdogs and has lost 11 consecutive games in Utah. Immediately after Game 2, Brunson attempted to bury his best-ever performance.
“I’m already trying to forget about it. This is great, but long way to go," Brunson said. "This is a great win for us. Something we can build off of, but we have a lot of room for improvement. Things we can clean up and get better and we just got to stay the course.”
Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Will star Luka Doncic return? The timeline for a Grade 1 calf strain is typically 7-10 days, which would put Game 3 as a realistic opportunity for Doncic to be back. For reference, he suffered the calf strain on March 10, and it will have been 10 full days between the day of injury and Game 3 in Salt Lake City on Thursday.
