DALLAS — The Mavericks return to Dallas looking for answers, down 0-2 in the Western Conference semis to Phoenix as the Suns roster looks to overmatch the Dallas rotation. With the Mavs aiming to right their ship, several changes will be needed to present a fighting chance for Luka Doncic and the gang.
Doncic and who?
With the rest of the team looking for a way to break out, Doncic has shouldered the brunt of the load with an offense that has opted for reactionary prayer shots rather than the efficient and planned attack that Dallas showed in their series win in Utah.
Dwight Powell in particular has been ineffective in this series, neutralized by his inability to contribute on either end of the floor.
It is clear that the coaching staff for the Suns have deployed a defensive effort meant to tire the All-NBA star as Dallas has shown no other viable offensive options this series, with Jalen Brunson particularly regressing after his standout performance against the Jazz in round one.
With Powell being a black hole for production, and Spencer Dinwiddie remaining cold, Doncic has turned into a one-stop shop for the Dallas offense, leveraging efficiency for desperation as the sole Dallas option.
Defend home court
The Mavs took a couple of haymakers in Phoenix while Luka turned his on-court trash-talking into legit stare-downs with Phoenix fans, showing the frustrations of playing in a hostile environment. Now, the team returns to the friendly confines of Dallas, Texas, looking to feed off their own home court energy and make a stand to fight off an 0-3 series result.
The first Western Conference semifinal game in the American Airlines Center since 2011 on Friday night should have the faithful rallying to the cause. Perhaps the home cooking can help Maxi Kleber to set the tone early and help space the floor for the Dallas guards. Brunson, meanwhile, will look to be a bigger part of the game after starting off cold in Phoenix.
Best in the west
Phoenix (64-18) is the number one seed for a reason. They won eight more games than second place Memphis and twelve more than Dallas (52-30). The Suns bring an incredibly deep squad with outstanding perimeter defense, multiple shot creators, and a reliable inside offensive game.
The Mavericks entered the series as the clear underdog and the ability of the Phoenix roster has not betrayed those expectations thus far. However, regardless of the series result, the Mavericks are playing with house money after climbing over the first-round hurdle.
But the Mavs can pat themselves on the back and celebrate their successes another day, as they still remain just one of eight NBA teams continuing their 2022 season.
While attempting to slay Goliath in the first two games, the Mavs made the Game 1 box score look closer with a rally in the 4th quarter. This was the complete opposite in Game 2, with Suns guard Chris Paul on a personal mission to make the game a blowout.
With Paul and Devin Booker taking turns closing out quarters, the Mavericks have their work cut out for them and will need to play near-perfect to have a chance at cutting into the series lead against the title contender.
Do you think the Mavericks will be able to come back against the Suns? Share your thoughts with Irvin on Twitter @Twittirv.