The Dallas Mavericks had a golden opportunity to even the series in Golden State. But the Warriors stormed back to steal the win on their home floor.
Luka Doncic knows where things went wrong. The Mavs star didn't need a convoluted explanation for what doomed Dallas in the second half against the Dubs.
Via Callie Caplan:
“Bad defense. That’s it,” Doncic said. “It’s very hard to stop them. … We were up 19, so it’s a tough situation, but we can’t look back.”
The Mavs were one of the best defensive teams in the NBA during the regular season, really ratcheting up their intensity during the second half of the season. But they defensive identity was non-existent in Game 2.
Dallas used their offense to build their lead via a scorching-hot first half in which Dallas led by as much as 19 points. But once their offense started cooling off, their defensive fortitude disappeared with it.
Mavs head coach Jason Kidd called that out after the game.
“We play defense when we play offense,” Kidd said, “and we play no defense when we can’t score.”
The Mavs head back to Dallas facing a must-win scenario in Game 3 to avoid a 0-3 hole. Their defense will have every reason to stay motivated throughout the game.
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