Kyrie Irving looks to get back on track as the Mavericks return to Dallas for Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
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DALLAS — Everything is bigger in Texas, but does that also include the Dallas Mavericks’ chances of making this a competitive NBA Finals?
They lost two games and didn’t inspire much hope of putting the Boston Celtics on red alert. Maybe that’s changing now. Because:
- The Mavs return home for the next two games.
- Kyrie Irving can’t stay in a shooting state any longer, can he?
Kristaps Porzingis, a scoring player in Games 1 and 2, is listed as questionable for the Celtics with his latest injury.
And it’s tough to win 10 straight games in the playoffs, which would be the case if the Celtics won Game 3 on Wednesday (8:30 a.m. ET, ABC).
So the series is open to change, and if the Mavericks realize the urgency, then change is inevitable. They really don’t have a choice, do they? Falling behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven is basketball’s kiss of death.
Here are four things to look for in Game 3, which will be the end of the world for Dallas if the home team fails:
1. How long can Luka last?
No one is in perfect health at this time of year, not after almost eight months of effort, but it takes a particular toll on the most used players. Which brings us to Doncic and his aching limbs.
He is wrapped in ice before, during and after games and will now play two games in three nights. It’s clearly a work in progress, so it’s fair to wonder: will it eventually wear out?
“I don’t want to go into details,” he said before insisting: “I feel good.”
The Mavericks need Luka’s impact in three phases: scoring, rebounding and creating shots for others. He had two games as arguably the best player in this series. They could also use his energy late in the fourth quarter, facing a persistent Celtics defense designed to make him work hard. So what ?
The key to preserving Doncic is getting more offensively from Kyrie Irving. The Mavericks need both guards to be exceptional to have a chance of beating the Celtics four out of five. Only one has been delivered so far.
“They send specific strategies against me to make things difficult,” Irving said.
2. Tatum’s turn
The Celtics, for the most part, are rallying around Jayson Tatum, defending his poor shooting and imploring people to watch how he impacts this series with rebounding, passing and defense.
All this is true; Sometimes we put too much emphasis on grading. And the Celtics are up 2-0, so his misses don’t really matter.
But moving forward, can Tatum afford to continue shooting in the 30% range?
It depends on what others do and if they are able to make up for his lack of buckets and if Boston’s defense is so good that they really don’t need 30 from Tatum.
“I don’t want to put us in a difficult situation where I feel like I’m not shooting as well,” he said. “Yet we can win. I want to shoot the ball well.
“But that’s not the only thing I bring to the table. I am not defined by that. You’re not going to get every shot. The best of the best players have always found a way. That’s all I’ve tried to do is find a way to do everything I can.
It’s a bit similar to the 1981 Finals, when Larry Bird was struggling with his shooting – he was superb otherwise – and the Finals MVP went to Cedric Maxwell. The difference is that Bird was only in his second season and first finale; This is the second time Tatum has struggled in the championship series.
“You’re just trying to make it difficult for him,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. “That’s all you can do.” Hopefully keep the first move, keep the second move, keep the third move and contest. The guys do this at a high rate.
If this continues, Tatum never finds his touch again, and the Celtics continue to win, then the only loss for Tatum is Finals MVP. And if a team’s best player fails to win the award, well, that’s already happened in Boston.
3. Can the Mavs make 3s?
We can’t emphasize it enough: the Mavericks are unhappy when they aim beyond the 3-point mark. They are 13 for 53 in this series, and shooting 26% is not the recipe for winning.
One reason is that the Celtics’ perimeter defense doesn’t fool shooters to double-team Doncic and Irving. The other reason is that the Mavericks don’t make them pay even when Boston leaves shooters open.
Doncic’s advice: “Keep shooting. We all believe in these clichés. That’s how we got to the final. That’s how we played all season. We believe in these guys. Everyone believes. If you’re open, keep shooting. You’re going to drop it at some point.
The only respectable player deep in this series is Doncic. Everyone is flat – PJ Washington, Maxi Klieber and also local Derrick Jones Jr.. All three were effective in the Western Conference Finals, which means the Timberwolves have to look at this series and curse their luck.
If those shots start falling, then everything else opens up – Doncic doesn’t need to work, Irving’s problems aren’t as magnified and maybe Derek Lively II and Daniel Gafford can see the lanes open when they crush the paint for lofted passes.
4. Is Porzingis playing?
Kristaps Porzingis talks about the injury he suffered in Game 2 and how he feels heading into Game 3.
And if he doesn’t, who covers his score and especially his rim protection?
Because in the first two games, Porzingis was better than expected on both ends of the court after being inactive for more than a month.
It’s true that the Celtics didn’t have a problem when he was out of the lineup; this team only has two losses in the playoffs. And even…
“We’re a much better team when we have him,” Tatum said. “He’s as talented as they come.” Presents so many matchup problems on the offensive end. Then, on the defensive end, he’s someone who can affect shots.
“So yeah, we had success and found ways to win without him. Obviously we are better when he is in the team, when he plays with us. He does everything he can to make it happen and give us everything he can.
The Mavericks must seize the situation to the fullest. Which means Gafford and Lively have to roam the paint and put pressure on Al Horford and anyone else the Celtics use as rim protectors and rebounders.
It’s a cry for help from the Mavericks as they head into a game they can’t afford to lose.
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Shaun Powell has been covering the NBA for over 25 years. You can send him an email here, find his archives here and follow him on.
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