SAN FRANCISCO — No lead is safe against the Golden State Warriors.
The Dallas Mavericks led Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals by 19 points with two minutes and 21 seconds left in the first half.
The Warriors outscored them 78-50 to end the game as Golden State defends home floor and takes a 2-0 series lead, 126-117.
The Mavericks interior defense was exposed in the second half as Kevon Looney (21 points, 12 rebounds) was the x-factor for the Warriors comeback.
It was like a slow-motion trainwreck.
The Mavericks, who scored 72 points in the first half, mustered just 13 in the third quarter.
To make matters worse, the game turned with Draymond Green on the bench with five fouls.
You'd think having one of the top defensive players in the world on the sideline would help the Mavs.
Nope.
Instead, Dallas put together a series of horrendous offensive possessions and forgot how to play defense.
Looney feasted. The Warriors clawed back.
In the fourth quarter, the Splash Brothers put the game to bed.
Stephen Curry scored a team-high 32 points. 15 for Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole had 23 points off the bench.
It was the tale of two halves.
With Adele sitting courtside, Luka Doncic set fire to the rain in the first half.
The Mavericks phenom erupted for 24 points as the Mavs lead, 72-58, at halftime.
The global basketball icon has put on a show for the global music icon, her boyfriend (and NBA superagent) Rich Paul and more than 18,000 Warriors fans.
Doncic finished with a game-high 42 points, five rebounds and eight assists, but it came in a losing effort.
Jalen Brunson added 31 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Reggie Bullock chipped in 21 points.
The Mavs hit 21 three-pointers and made them at a 47% clip.
That efficiency and that complimentary production is usually enough to lead the Mavs to victory.
It's not enough against one of the best offensive nucleuses in basketball history.
The Warriors shot 56% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc.
The series heads to Dallas on Sunday night (8 p.m. on TNT) with the Warriors leading the Mavs 2-0.
