NBA: Dallas wins at home thanks to Golden State’s shaky shooting

Dallas, Texas - The Dallas Mavericks took advantage of a luckily easy night as they hosted the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.

Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith added 18 points for Dallas.
Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith added 18 points for Dallas.  © imago/Icon SMI

The Mavs outshot the Warriors at home for a 122-113 win, handing Golden State their third loss in a row while Dallas is now riding a three-game winning streak on the opposite end.

For the most part, the Mavs had control throughout the game, never allowing the Warriors to lead any point during the night.

On the surface, that sounds like a bit of a surprise, but sharpshooter Stephen Curry (33) along with Klay Thompson had trouble getting shots to fall throughout the night.

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Since Golden State’s offense had trouble clicking, the Mavs fought hard to take advantage of the Warriors’ offensive woes.

Dallas cruised through the first quarter and dropped nearly 40 points, backing it up by outscoring Golden State in the second quarter to go into halftime with a 68-54 lead.

As a team, the Warriors did manage to storm back in the third, but the Mavs did just enough to hold Golden State at arm’s length for the win.

The player spotlight

Mavs guard Luka Doncic scored a game-high 41 points against the Warriors on Thursday night.
Mavs guard Luka Doncic scored a game-high 41 points against the Warriors on Thursday night.  © IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

The Mavs’ superstar point guard, Luka Doncic, put up big numbers on Thursday night to lead his team to the impressive win.

The NBA’s sixth-leading scorer – and Dallas’ top point-producer with 27.8 points per game – definitely helped his cause to stay among the league’s best offensive weapons by netting over 40 points for the sixth time this season.

Adding to a great night on the court, Doncic was also one assist shy of his 10th triple-double this season.

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He finished the night shooting 15-for-26 from the field for a game-high 41 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists.

The big picture

Warriors forward Drayond Green has been out with a back injury for nearly two months, since last playing on January 9.
Warriors forward Drayond Green has been out with a back injury for nearly two months, since last playing on January 9.  © imago/Icon SMI

This was the Warriors’ second loss to the Mavs in five days, but the more important thing for Golden State to consider is getting back to contender status once their third superstar, Draymond Green, returns from a back injury that’s kept him out since early January.

Green’s hard-nosed play in the paint gives the Warriors a big defensive and rebounding presence down low – when he’s active, of course.

As for Thursday, the outcome could simply be chalked up to Golden State having a rare off-night.

While Curry was 4-for-5 from long-distance, he was an inconsistent 8-for-15 overall, racking up 21 points. Thompson could only muster 2-for-8 three-point shooting as part of a shaky 6-for-17 night that got him only 16 points.

With their kind of natural shooting talent, look for them to get back into a proper groove before long.

On Saturday, the Mavericks will stay at home to host the Kings while the Warriors remain on the road to take on the Lakers.

Cover photo: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

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