Warriors vs Mavericks, 109-119
Luka Doncic of the Mavericks does not consider averting a sweep in the Western Conference finals to be an honor. Despite the huge odds, he stays committed to defeating the Golden State Warriors in the series.
The Mavericks are seeking to become the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3-0 hole to win a playoff series. Especially, a feat just 146 teams have accomplished. Dallas made a stride in that direction on Tuesday, winning 119-109 at the American Airlines Center.
“I mean, I still believe we can win, you know,” Doncic said. “Swept or not swept, in the end, if you lose, you lose. Don’t matter how many we win. We have to go game by game. We’re going to believe until the end.”
Dallas has already shocked the NBA this playoff, returning from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to defeat the No. 1 overall seed Phoenix Suns in the conference semifinals.
The Mavericks clinched the series by defeating the Suns by 33 points in Game 7. In fact, the largest blowout win by an away team in a Game 7 since 1948.
Doncic, the 23-year-old guard who was voted first-team All-NBA before Thursday’s game, added to his streak of strong performances in possible elimination games with a 30-point, 14-rebound, and nine-assist outburst against the Warriors.
“I just want to win the game and that’s it,” Doncic said. “We got more to do, you know. This is nothing. We got three more.”
They established a 29-point lead after three quarters, which Dallas coach Jason Kidd described as a “compliment… because they can’t stop us one-on-one.”
After three quarters, Dallas was 19-of-36 from 3-point shooting, prompting Golden State coach Steve Kerr to bench his starting.
Warriors vs Mavericks, 9:00 p.m. ET
“We weren’t alert tonight defensively,” said Kerr, whose team has failed in its first playoff closeout attempt in all three series. “We weren’t sharp. And I thought we let them kind of get into a groove, and once a team like that gets into a 3-point groove, it’s tough to get them out of it.”
The Warriors’ reserves cut the Mavericks’ lead to single digits with 3:23 remaining, prompting Kerr to reintroduce starters Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Andrew Wiggins during Dallas’ timeout.
In the following play, Doncic dunked off a pass from Jalen Brunson, extending the Warriors’ lead to 10, and they never came any closer.
“There’s no panic,” Kidd said. “We had a pretty big lead. They had to make a decision. They brought their group back in and couldn’t get it done.”
“Everybody in that locker room feels like we have more basketball to play,” said Mavs forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who had 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting. “We just wanted to get the win by any means necessary.”
American Airlines Center roof leak delays Warriors vs Mavericks Game 4
The Warriors’ nine-game winning streak in Western Conference finals games was interrupted, but they remain comfortably in control of the series as it returns to California for Game 5 on Thursday night.
Why didn’t the second half of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinal between the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors begin on time?
The start of the second half was delayed by 16 minutes due to a roof leak in American Airlines Center.
To limit the runoff from the second roof leak that has delayed a Mavericks game this season, arena workers covered the corner of the court in front of the Warriors’ bench with towels.
Players changed into warm-ups. Coach Jason Kidd and general manager Nico Harrison spoke at the bench while pointing up at the ceiling, where maintenance workers were attempting to control the problem.
The teams had to endure through an unusual rain delay after halftime while arena workers attempted to repair the roof.
The teams had to endure through an unusual rain delay at halftime while stadium personnel attempted to fix a leak in the ceiling high above caused by the rain outside.
Water leaking through the American Airlines Center ceiling disrupted a Mavericks game for the second time.
It also caused a 15-minute delay in the opening of a Timberwolves-Mavericks game on March 21.
The arena first opened its doors on July 17, 2001.
At halftime, the Mavericks lead 62-47.
During the wait, players from both sides stood at half court, staring up at the ceiling, with a couple of Warriors players passing the time by playing rock, paper, scissors.
While the leak leaked into the baseline just in front of the Warriors’ bench, the Mavericks began the third quarter on that side of the floor.
When the game restarted, the Mavericks extended their lead, racing out to a 99-70 lead at the end of the third quarter and winning 119-109.
For entertainment, the arena DJ played rain delay-themed songs, such as Rihanna’s “Umbrella” and the Jeopardy theme song.
Dallas ended the first half with 11 of 23 points.
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