Mavs still keeping hope alive in series against Warriors

No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit and won a best-of-seven series in the 75-year history of the NBA. But that piece of historical information won’t prevent the Dallas Mavericks from trying to become the first franchise to accomplish that remarkable feat.

Following Sunday’s 109-100 loss to Golden State at American Airlines Center, the Mavs trail the Warriors, 3-0, in the Western Conference Finals. Game 4 is Tuesday at 8 p.m. at AAC, and guard Jalen Brunson has the recipe that he hopes will keep the Mavs alive in this best-of-seven series that has already tested this team’s resolve.

“We just got to play all-out,” Brunson said. “Every possession means something, and we can’t look forward to trying to win Game 7.

“We’ve got to win Game 4 and then keep moving on. It’s going to be tested, but I think we have a group of guys who enjoy each other and want to try and, I guess, try and make history.”

Step one in the Mavs’ attempt to make history is to find a way to win Game 4 and send the series back to San Francisco, where, if necessary, Game 5 will be played Thursday at 8 p.m. Also if necessary, Game 6 will be at AAC on Saturday at 8 p.m. and Game 7 will be May 30 in San Francisco at 7 p.m.

Coach Jason Kidd insisted that the stage hasn’t been too big for a young Mavs’ team that’s advanced past the first round of the playoffs this season for the first time since 2011. Meanwhile, the Warriors have reached at least the conference finals for the sixth time in the past eight seasons, were in five straight NBA Finals from 2015-19, and captured NBA titles in 2015, ‘17 and ‘18.

“It’s just basketball,” Kidd said. “The court doesn’t get any bigger. Unfortunately, we get more of you (media) guys around, but that’s the only difference. The rim doesn’t go any higher. It’s just about experience, understanding how to handle different things at this time of the year, and unfortunately we don’t have anyone on that roster who’s played until May 23 or May 24.

“And I said that last night, this is a great journey for us to go through. When you look at their roister and they’ve had quite a few guys play until June. I don’t think it’s showing our true self, but it’s showing who we can become.”

Center Dwight Powell acknowledged that the Mavs have learned a lot about themselves in this series. But he also reminded his listeners not to pour dirt on them, and that this series isn’t over until it’s officially over.

“There’s a very long list of things I think we’ve all learned individually and as a team, but at the end of the day we’re still in this series and we’re taking it game-by-game in terms of trying to win the series,” Powell said. “I think that’s something we have to take a step back when this is all over and whenever we’re done and kind of review the season at that point.

“But as for right now we’re focused on things that we can kind of tighten up and learn from this most recent game and move forward.”

The Mavs were counted out of the conference semifinals when they fell behind the top-seeded Phoenix Suns, 3-2, in that best-of-seven series. But the Mavs rallied and won the final two games, including Game 7 in Phoenix, when the Mavs led at one stage by a whopping 46 points.

“Golden State has championship experience,” Brunson said. “Nothing against Phoenix at all. They’re obviously a great team. They were a one seed in the entire league.

“But (the Warriors have) been doing this for the last decade. They’ve been in this position before and obviously we’re new to it, but we’re going to keep fighting.”

In comparing getting past the Suns to trying to get past the Warriors, Powell said: “It’s a different game, different scenario, different team. Like I said, we’re focusing on the mistakes we’ve made and things that we’ve also done well in the last game and trying to enhance those things and fix the things that we did well for tomorrow.”

One thing the Mavs know they need to do better is rebound. The Warriors are simply having their way on the boards with the Mavs.

In Game 3, Golden State outrebounded the Mavs, 47-33, including a 14-7 edge in the offensive boards. That led to the Warriors outscoring the Mavs, 18-4, in second-chance points.

“We’re trying to grow,” Kidd said. “Right now we’re stretching our smalls. They’re hanging from a pole trying to stretch and get taller.

“We got to be more aggressive, we’ve got to be physical. We’re small, but we’ve got to be able to team rebound. It’s going to take all five (players). It’s not just (Luka Doncic), or Dwight or Maxi (Kleber). It’s all five. We need Brunson to get back in there and help and we need Dorian (Finney-Smith). We need everyone, because we are small.”

Powell indicated that rebounding – or lack thereof — has definitely been a point of emphasis among the Mavs. He said the Mavs have to particularly be aware of the athletic Warriors trying to crash the boards from the weakside.

“That has to be something we’re keying in,” Powell said, “and that’ll be part of watching the film and seeing those opportunities. . .and be physical on the boards.”

Also, Powell said those missed three-pointers by the Mavs normally makes rebounding a bit trickier.

“Longer shots typically result in a higher percentage of long rebounds,” Powell said. “You definitely have to patrol kind of that neutral zone of the high post, and even short corners.”

In order to get this series extended, Brunson noted the Mavs have to make sure they finish plays in Game 4.

“We played great defense to make them miss shots (in Game 3), but they had a lot of second-chance opportunities (and) they’re beating us to 50/50 balls,” Brunson said. “Their 50/50 balls and everything else, they have the edge on that. That makes a lot of difference. Small things like that can really hurt you.

“I think the main point for us is – obviously, the X’s and O’s are the things that we can get better. The attention to detail, the plays that may not show up in the stat sheet, the little things, those can go a long way. I think if we continue to do that and get better at that, it’s something that we can really grow from and really continue to get better at, but that’s probably the biggest takeaway, at least for me. We just got to play hard for the entire game. We can’t have mental lapses against this team. We just have to be locked in the entire time.”

Kidd, of course, was locked in and has championship experience, thanks to helping the Mavs capture the 2011 NBA title over the Miami Heat in six games. But before the Mavs prospered in that series, they were down, 2-1, then fought back and captured the final three games against the Heat and the series.

So how does Kidd relay what it takes to win a championship to his team?

“That’s easy,” he said. “It’s just basketball. It’s nothing bigger. It’s basketball. You have the four best teams right now playing, and you’ve got to accept that.

“And then there will only be two (teams), and then there will only be one standing at the end of the journey. But for us it’s understanding the situation and embracing it, and that’s what this group has done all year.”

Certainly, the Mavs have proven to be a close-knit group who always pull for each other’s success. And they’ve never lost more than three games in a row all season.

“Honestly, we’ve been together through the wins, the losses, the ups and downs, so it’s going to be tested, but no matter what we’ll be together,” Brunson said. “And I think that’s the best thing about this team. We were able to stick through a lot.

“We just got to extend it for a little more. Just another day, just trying to get better, just trying to see if we can get one (win) tomorrow and keep the season alive.”

BRIEFLY: Although Luka Doncic has strung together a pair of back-to-back 40-plus points games in this series, coach Jason Kidd said there’s more his superstar point guard can learn against the Warriors. “I think (Doncic can learn) how hard it is,” Kidd said. “It’s not easy. It’s only four teams (remaining in the playoffs). He’s done a lot for this team from the beginning of the season to where we are today, and he still has a lot to do, but a lot to learn. He is only 23. What he’s done at a high level for this organization and for the game of basketball is incredible. I think sometimes we take it for granted that he’s just going to score 40 every night, because sometimes it is easy — or he makes it look easy. But it’s hard. You’re playing against a very good team in Golden State, they’re well coached, they’ve been here not just once, but a lot of times, and they learned from their losses. We’ve learned from our losses. We’ve said that from Game 1 (in the opening round of the playoffs) against Utah. We’ll learn from this loss and we’ll be better the next time, and we were.”. . So how does Kidd’s coaching style mix with Doncic? “He’s a relaxed young man (and) I’m relaxed,” Kidd said. “Just the calm collective conversations of what I see, of what he sees, and there’s a trust and understanding that I’m here to help him. Not just myself, but the coaching staff and his teammates, and that’s where we are today. Everyone’s helped him, he’s helped others and he’s put us in a position to be in the Western Conference Finals.”. .The Mavs were off Monday, but players who had to receive some treatments did trickle into the team’s practice facilities. So what will Kidd’s message be to his players when they meet for a Tuesday morning shootaround? “No different than it has been since Game 1 against Utah,” he said. “We got to take one game at a time.”. .Kidd, of course, grew up in the Bay Area and would love a trip back to his home for a Game 5. But he said: “I’ve got to focus on tomorrow. The only way we get back to the Bay is by winning (Game 4). We’re not worried about the flight (to San Francisco for a possible Game 5). We’ve got to protect home.”

Twitter: @DwainPrice