Final: Warriors 128, Mavs 120
Box Score | Highlights
Behind the Box Score
The Mavs got off to a scorching start, scoring 1.222 points per possession in the first frame behind some electric guard play from J.J. Barea and Raymond Felton. Dallas didn’t come into Oracle Arena scared, that’s for sure. This was a team which, although significantly shorthanded, didn’t play as if it was at a significant disadvantage. The Mavericks were aggressive from the opening tip to the final buzzer, a mentality that will get them where they want to go.
Dallas scored 1.348 points per possession in the third quarter on 50 percent shooting, actually outscoring the Warriors in the frame 31-30 despite the Warriors shooting at an equally impressive clip. The Mavs did well to keep pushing on that side of the ball as the game wore on.
Notebook
No Dirk Nowitzki due to rest, no Devin Harris due to the birth of his third child, no Deron Williams due to an abdominal injury, and no Chandler Parsons, who’s out for the rest of the season. Dallas was severely undermanned in this game, yet the Mavericks scored in bunches offensively and hung in there with a team perhaps destined to surpass the single-season wins record, getting to within as much as three points late in the fourth quarter. Golden State hasn’t lost a regular season home game in more than a year, but the Mavericks didn’t look afraid or over-matched. They played in rhythm offensively and didn’t miss a beat without three starters. Coming into this game, no team in the league had scored more efficiently against the Warriors than the Mavericks, and that statistic should still hold true after this contest.
J.J. Barea was absolutely spectacular in the starting point guard role, continuing his run of standout performances whenever he gets an opportunity to start the game. He scored 16 points in the first half alone and finished with 21 to go along with six assists on the night. We don’t usually see Barea play many minutes without Nowitzki on the floor, so it was interesting to see how he’d perform in a situation without him. Not surprisingly, he answered the bell and had a terrific individual game. He commands the offense, controls the tempo, and always seems to find the right balance between looking for his own shot and looking for others.
Wesley Matthews played one of his best games of the season, particularly on offense. He shot 8 of 16 from the field and hit six three-pointers, one of his more efficient performances in months. On the tail end of two red-hot showings against the Blazers, we’re now left to wonder how much longer the wing can ride this undeniable wave of momentum. The Mavs need his offense without Parsons for the rest of the season, and Matthews so far has answered the call and then some. He’s heating up at the right time of the year, especially with a tough back-to-back approaching later this weekend. He finished with 26 points on the night.
There was a cool moment before the game when David Lee received his championship ring for his contribution to last season’s Warriors run to the title. Lee was instrumental in the Finals and was a key player on the club for five seasons and he received a raucous ovation as a tribute video played and he finally received the stunning piece of jewelry. Lee shined on the floor as brightly as his ring shined off it, scoring 12 points to go along with nine rebounds and six assists in the starting power forward role.
Charlie Villanueva put on one of the fiercest microwave performances we’ve seen from any player all season, hitting four three-pointers in the fourth quarter and scoring 16 points overall in the frame. He was sensational and a huge reason why the Mavericks were able to take the Warriors down to the wire. His 16 points were the most scored in a quarter by any Maverick this season.
What’s Next
The Mavs (35-37) play the Sacramento Kings (27-44) Sunday at Sleep Train Arena. Tip-off is at 5 p.m. Central.
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