Sometimes, the 3-point math wins.
Game 4 of the Mavericks-Suns was proof.
The Mavericks pulled even 2-2 in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals in spite of making one less basket than the Suns. They shot one more time from the field.
The Mavericks shot and made just one more free throw than the Suns.
The only critical difference in offensive efficiency was the Mavericks’ 20 3-point shots that found the net. The Suns made only nine. The Mavericks shot 44 of them. The Suns shot 25. The Mavericks made 45.5 percent, the Suns 36 percent.
How many times have we heard from coaches that the simple math is that 3-pointers are worth more than 2-pointers, which is why virtually every team tries to shoot a lot of them.
The Suns are not virtually every team.
And a hot-shooting night from the perimeter is why the Mavericks got their 111-101 victory over the Suns in Game 4.
That, and a stout defense. More on that below.
So here’s our takeaways from Game 4 and how the Mavericks leveled the series to turn it into a best-of-three, starting Tuesday at Phoenix:
STICKY FINGERS: The Mavericks have been good all season at not turning the ball over. They had just 11 turnovers in Game 4. The Suns gave it away 17 times, which led to 23 Mavericks’ points off turnovers, a dozen more than the Suns got off of the Mavericks’ miscues. Coaches harp on avoiding catastrophic turnovers – those that end with live balls going the other way for transition layups or 3-pointers.
THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS: The Mavericks were able to cause those turnovers because of their defense. They didn’t play great on that end of the floor in the first two games, but, as Luka Dončić “our defense won us these two games.” They were particularly sharp in the second half, when the Suns could muster only 45 points. They hit only 40.9 percent of their shots (18-of-44). That was compared to the 56 points and 52.5 percent shooting they had in the first half. Yes, the Mavericks won that first half by 12 points. But they earned the victory by growing some defensive teeth in the second half.
INVISIBLE REFS: All anybody on either side wants is a level playing field when it comes to officiating. So how’s this for level? Both teams have made 63 free throws through four games. The Mavericks have taken nine more, but you won’t hear the Suns griping about a disparity that small. The fact is that the referees have not had any significant role in this series. Period. A rule of thumb that some of us like to use is that if both teams feel like they are getting jobbed by the refs, then the guys with the whistles usually are doing a pretty good job. Both sides feel like they have had the short end at times in this series. As bad as the Mavericks thought they were wronged in Phoenix, Chris Paul thought he was picked on by the refs in Game 4 when he fouled out in 23 minutes. So far, it’s a wash. And that’s a good thing.
CALL IN THE CAVALRY: The Mavericks needed others to “join the party,” as Jason Kidd had said after the opening games in Phoenix. On Sunday, it was Maxi Kleber, Davis Bertāns, Spencer Dinwiddie and even seldom-used Frank Ntilikina who combined to give the Mavericks major punch off the bench. That foursome combined to hit 8-of-14 3-pointers. They outscored the Suns’ bench 36-26, which just happened to be the margin of the final score in the game, too.
BEWARE THE BOUNCE-BACK: It was a horrible weekend in Dallas for Chris Paul. He had seven turnovers in Game 3 Friday, then fouled out with just five points in Game 4 on Sunday, playing only 23 minutes and just 4 after halftime. He was a nonfactor at winning time, which is totally out of his character. But that begs a word of caution to the Mavericks. You can bank that Paul is going to come back firing with his best game of the series on Tuesday in Phoenix. Anything less would be a shocker. So the Mavericks need to be prepared for it.
Twitter: @ESefko
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