146 teams have faced the same fate, being down 3-0, and none have come back and won the series. Mavericks will have a chance to keep their season alive in tonight’s matchup against the Warriors.  

Heading into game 4, everyone at American Airlines Center will know the game plan – attack the paint, defend better, and fight like hell.  

They have played well in small stints but have yet to string together consistent play for four quarters. For tonight’s matchup, here are some observations, we’re going to keep an eye on.

Mavs grit

It’s expected that every team on the brink of elimination to fight for their life. No possession is wasted and every thing between the line is a desperation play. Mavs has shown resiliency all regular season and this postseason. They’ve overcome subpar playing before All-Star break, new coach adjustments, blockbuster trade, played two games in the first round without their best player, and annihilated the best regular season, team record-wise, in Game 7 on the road. But tonight will be their biggest test yet, as they face an eager team in the Warriors, with championship aspirations, who are looking to end the series and officially end the Mavs season. And perhaps, for the first time in the postseason, the pressure will be on the Mavs to respond and win. They played with house money during this postseason because no one expected them to make this far. Look for Dončić to be aggressive and for the role players to make a statement game.

Attack the paint 

Sorry for singing the same tune but its emphasis cannot be understated. Early in game 3, we saw a more aggressive approach led by Dončić who made a driving layup two minutes into the game. Brunson and Dinwiddie did what they could to help offset zone defenses, combining a 14-of-25 from field goal. In this series, the Warriors bread and butter has been their defense. More specifically, their zone defense. Warriors recognized the strength and weakness of the Mavs is their shooting. They have made the Mavs think twice about getting in the paint when they are faced with zone formations. In simpler terms, Warriors are forcing Mavs spot-up shooters to drive to the lane. Their reluctancy to attack points to the bigger picture, that is, the Mavs have less players who can do so, and expecting them to do that, can result in a skewed view of ability.  

3-pointers are what get the AAC rocking but they will appreciate a win, even if 

Defend better 

Maybe, we’re asking too much from this Mavs roster to defend this championship-proven team of this pedigree. Stephen Curry draws two defenders every he touches the ball, and his ability to –shoot a 30-footer with a nail width of space, blow pass said two defenders due to nimbleness and quickness or find the cutting man – has sucked the wind out of the Mavs defense. But what are they to do? Will Kidd resist the urge of trapping and just play Curry one-on-one and live the results? Dončić will continue to get picked on by Wiggins, and for the most part, he will be left on an island because everyone else will be too busy worried about Curry and company. They were able to limit the Warriors to five transition points and  

Shoot efficiently 

Mavs are looking for the same spark they had from the first half in Game 2. They shot 13 more threes than the Warriors, and only made 11 on a putrid 28 percent. Reggie Bullock, winner of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justic Champion Award, laid a dud at AAC. He missed all his shots, including 0-from-7 from three. Though Kleber did a better job of staying out of foul trouble, he missed all his shots from beyond the arc. When Mavs hit their shots from 3, it opens the lane. Mavs are going to have to dig deep and keep it loose. Game 2, they hit 21 three-pointers. Those same opportunities will present themselves in game 4.  

Other points 

The Mavs will look at game 3 and see where they left some points on the board. Warriors fast paced style can sometimes mirror sloppy basketball. They had 13 turnovers in game 3 but the Mavericks were only able to get nine points. Those extra possessions can give the Mavs an offensive edge, but they must finish the play. Also, they had the free-throw edge finishing with 34 attempts but left seven at the stripe. Each possession in the playoffs have more meaning than the next, and could it be a costly one or the winning play that shifted momentum and win the game.

It’s easy to dissect the last two possessions in the fourth quarter that would’ve given the Mavericks a three-point lead if Powell made his two free throws with 19.8 seconds left just like he made the previous two, and if Spencer Dinwiddie would’ve made the game winning 3-point attempt at the buzzer to give Mavericks a commanding 3-1. It would have been a poignant statement with Luka Doncic in the lineup, who scored a game-high 30 points, in his first game back this postseason.  

If only.  

With time running out and the ball in Doncic hands with 5 seconds left, the Mavericks has been in this position before. It’s the same play they ran against the Brooklyn Nets when Dinwiddie hit the buzzer winning shot out of a Doncic-trap. (It’s a play that gives the Mavs different options to choose from based on matchups and time remaining.) Only this time, it was House Jr. and Bogdanovic who trapped Doncic, which Doncic anticipated and swung it to Dinwiddie for the shot. In both scenarios, Finney-Smith was wide open in the corner. Gobert, who had to guard in open space between Finney-Smith and Dinwiddie, recovered well enough to throw a hand at Dinwiddie’s vision. It’s also the same play they ran that led Powell to the line for those crucial free throws. 

The game is predicated on makes and misses and the Mavericks came up short. It was another game they should have won but lost at the last seconds. People will look at those two possessions as the deciding factor why the Mavericks lost. And for good reason, that would be enough to settle a debate. But that’s a snapshot of what happened. The bigger picture is to look at other moments that happened in the game that didn’t fall into Mavericks favor. Here are 4 observations that contributed to the 100-99 loss against Utah.  

1. Jazz aggression 

Utah Jazz took a staggering 42 trips to the FT. I know Mavericks fans find that number upsetting and unfair. But credit the Jazz for being more aggressive on the pick-and-roll and using their size and physicality in the paint for extra possessions, putting the refs to blow the whistle in their favor. Once their guards were able to turn the corner on screens, they found their way to the paint which led to them either getting a bucket or attempting free throws. They went at Doncic several times, who looked a step behind and still getting adjusted to the playoff intensity.  

2. Bench points  

Jordan Clarkson had his best game shooting 56 percent FG and team leading 25 points off the bench. Mavericks got little contribution from its bench, with 13 points total. In both wins, the Mavs bench contributed by knocking down their 3-pointers. In this game, they only made three. They had good looks created off Brunson and Doncic dribbles but couldn’t capitalize when it mattered. Dinwiddie had another forgettable shooting night with 22 percent and only one made 3-point out of five attempts.  

3. Maxi Kleber fouled out 

Much of the reason why the bench had a poor shooting night was their best man Maxi Kleber fouled out with six points in 18 minutes played. His recent shooting burst creates instant offense and opens the spacing that guards need to go to the paint. With him being on the bench, it made it easier for Gobert and Whiteside to hover around the paint and stay in front of guards for contested shots. He’s also one of their better rebounders and rim protectors and wasn’t on the floor in the last two minutes. If the Mavericks are going to win more games, they need Kleber on floor as another shooter. With the rotation tightening, they can’t afford to have him watching from the sidelines.  

4. Utah Offensive rebounds 

The Mavericks couldn’t contain Gobert off the boards. His 10 offensive rebounds felt like momentum shifts with each grab. Having two bodies on him wasn’t enough, as he led the game with 15 rebounds. Perhaps, the biggest rebound didn’t come from Gobert, but from Mitchell who grabbed his rebound with 31 seconds left off a driving layup and put back with an and-one to make it 99-97. The Mavericks will have to do a better job of boxing out and cleaning the boards to eliminate second chance offense. 

The prior possession to Dinwiddie’s game-winning miss, Donavon Mitchell connected with Gobert for alley-oop off a simple pick-and-roll to give them 100-99 lead. They made their shot when it mattered and it’s a big reason why the series is tied 2-2. 

The Mavericks entered the night looking for answers on offense after a disheartening loss Saturday. Jalen Brunson wasted no time being the solution.

In the first quarter, less than four minutes into the game, Brunson took his first 25 ft 3-pointer to give the Mavericks an 8-4 lead. On the following two possessions, Brunson hit back-to-back 25 ft 3-pointers, much to the adulation from the crowd. On the next possession, he hit a jumper in the face of Royce O’Neal and had American Airlines Centers rocking and the Mavericks bench on the court. By the end of the quarter, he scored 18 of the Mavericks 24 points. His first quarter dominance was a prelude to the historic night that was to come.  

He wasn’t alone on this record setting night. Maxi Kleber broke out of his shooting slump by making eight 3-pointers. His 3-pointer with 4:21 in the fourth quarter, gave the Mavericks 99-98 lead. He was everything the Mavericks needed to seal the win.

Much like the Mavericks reliance on Luka Doncic to make their offense flow, Utah Jazz dependence on Gobert to cover their defense limitations was highlighted. Gobert’s willingness to guard the paint was proven costly against Kleber. In their Game 1 loss, the Mavericks couldn’t knock down their 3-pointers nor give Gobert the temptation to move away from the paint, thus making his job to clog and hover around the rim much easier. Tables turned in Game 2, as with each 3-point attempt made, Gobert had to press up on the screen and step away from paint. But even Gobert’s attempt to hedge the screen wasn’t enough to stop the Mavericks guards from easily getting by Utah’s perimeter defenders. Brunson blew by defenders with and without help from screens. He made the right decisions once he got in the paint by either making a floater or hitting the open man in the corner for a 3-pointer.

The Mavericks showed resolved when Utah made a run by counterattacking with their punches. Brunson controlled the pace of the game and was methodical by attacking the defenders rather than reacting, similar to their injured All-Star Luka Doncic. Their win tonight outlined the formula they need to win more games.

Brunson and Kleber served as two-man tandem that gave the Mavericks the 110-104 win and helped even the series 1-1.  They needed all of Brunson’s 41 points and Kleber’s 25 points to help avoid going 0-2.

Tonight they answered those questions and will have to do the same on the road in what will be a rowdy crowd awaiting in Utah.

Luka Doncic high IQ continues to be an invaluable weapon as the Dallas Mavericks pulled away with a 118-112 road win over the Milwaukee Bucks in a contested game against the defending champs.  

Doncic near triple-double 32 points, 15 assists, and eight rebounds only tells half the story. He exploited the Bucks drop coverage and switch defense with methodical decision-making. He hunted for Bucks big men who found themselves on an island to defend step back 3’s and around-the-world type passes. He found small crevices past the Buck’s arm length to get to the open man for the hockey assist. Against man coverage and full court press, he had no issue of passing to the open man and trusting his teammates to make the right play, even if that meant the ball coming right back to him. Once he was in the paint, he surveyed and read the defense and decided in the moment what to do – a lob to Powell, a last second floater, or across the court pass to a shooter, as if it was a set play.  

Mavs fans have been waiting for a breakout game from Dwight Powell all season. With three games left of the regular season they finally got their wish. Powell was the Mavericks second best player tonight with an efficient night on both sides. Undersized against the Bucks big men didn’t stop him from having game high 13 rebounds along with 22 points. Powell found himself as the recipient of Doncic taking advantage of the Bucks swarming defense. His tip backs on the offensive glass, kept plays alive. His non-stop motor and awareness around the rim were the needed edge in this defensive showdown. Mavs fans can only hope this will continue when the playoffs start a week from now.  

The physicality and defensive intensity from both teams had the feels of a playoff game, and the Mavericks responded well. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s quiet 28 points and 10 rebounds wasn’t enough to overcome the collective effort of the Mavericks. This was a mouthwash win after the embarrassing 30-point loss against the Washington Wizards two nights ago.  

This game was a reiteration of the Mavericks system, that to be successful in the postseason, everything must start and end with Doncic. 

 Notable mentions 

Dorrian Finney-Smith two crucial assists to Powell and Bullock in the fourth quarter provided glimpses of being a multi-dimensional player. He made the Bucks pay by not settling for a contested shot. His shooting is what the Mavs expect and need, but if he continues to put the ball on the floor and read the defense and make the right play, it will be a welcome addition from the Mavericks coaching staff and fans.  

This win also moves the Mavericks to the third seed but will probably change due to seismic shift between the fourth seed Warriors who play against the Lakers tonight. 

After a slow start to the season, the Mavericks are one win away from their 50th, their first since the 2014-2015 season.   

There was a moment in the fourth quarter with two minutes remaining, when the Mavericks cut the lead down to one point with a corner three from Maxi Kleber to make it a 92-91. The home crowd gave its loudest ovation for a team missing its superstar Luka Doncic. It was the kind of shot that could swing the momentum in the Mavericks’ favor and give a gut-wrenching loss to the Utah Jazz who could potentially lose yet again after having a double-digit lead. 

 But that moment was short-lived and the cheers from the crowd turned into collective anxiety as they watched their determined but limited team come up short to the Jazz in a 99-93 loss. This game was a reminder that the postseason is about superstars. Debatably, there isn’t another team in this 2021-2022 postseason that desperately needs its superstar more than the Mavericks. Collective effort from competent role players who play to their strengths can win games but not a series. (I’m sure 2007 Golden Warriors We believe era have something to say about that.) 

Take a look at Utah for a moment. Their best player Donovan Mitchell got off to a slow start and didn’t score till 5:19 in the second quarter. Their role players Bojan Bogdanovic and reigning sixth man of the year Jordan Clarkson kept them afloat in the first half. Their role players did their job knowing at some point their All-Star was going to put his stamp on the game. He came out in the third quarter aggressively looking for his shot and found his way to the rim without much resistance. He finished the game as the leading scorer with 32 points.  

 For all intents and purposes, the Mavericks did what they could with the circumstances they’ve been given. Jalen Brunson was looking for redemption as last postseason deficiencies loomed over him. The shocking February trade for Spencer Dinwiddie was for this moment, to have another shot creator and guard size alongside Doncic and Brunson. Dinwiddie and Brunson scored the Mavs’ first 10 points and finished collectively with 46 points, more than the team altogether. But there were crucial moments in the game, where the offense became stagnant and getting to the rim wasn’t ineffective because Rudy Golbert was waiting in the paint. The Jazz had no problems playing the Mavs upfront and colliding in the paint when the Mavs found its 5 ft. from the rim. They dared rookie Josh Green to shoot open-wide threes. Kleber knocked down a crucial three but was mostly ineffective offensively. Mitchell and Bogdanovic took turns going at Davis Bortans who was defensive liability as much as he was offensive weapon.  

The Mavericks defense kept them in the game despite being outrebounded 55-34. They held the second most three-point attempts-and-made team to only 7-out-of 22. The Mavs had more free-throw attempts but left eight points at the charity stripe with 26 out-of-34 to Jazz 20 out-of-23. They had their chances to win but was missing their star power to propel them for a win.

Unlike the Jazz who had Mitchell to help get over hump, the Mavs points-by-committee system couldn’t compensate for Doncic’s absence.  

Doncic’s pending return will remain as the focal point of the Mavs postseason. Until then, they must rely on each other to make it a series. Perhaps, they can have a miracle like the We Believe Warriors.