Jason Kidd is a realist.
The Dallas Mavericks’ coach knows if his team has designs on winning this best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals playoffs series against the Phoenix Suns, somebody has to step up and give Luka Doncic some big-time help.
In the first two games of this series, Doncic poured in a whopping 80 points. The other four Mavs’ starters combined to score a total of just 70 points during the two games in Arizona.
Kidd knows that really hamstrings his team when it comes to trying to connect the dots and produce ways to defeat the Suns.
“I think we’ve got to do a better job of helping (Doncic),” Kidd said. “They’re bringing him up into everything. We knew that coming into the series.
“The last series (against the Utah Jazz) we did a better job of protecting one another, not just Luka. So we’ve got to get back to protecting one another for Game 3 back home.”
Being the humble person that he is, Doncic said the protection mostly starts with him.
“But I think we’ve got to trust ourselves better,” he said. “I think the way we did in Utah — obviously it’s not the same team — but I think we trusted ourselves better against Utah.”
The Suns lead this series 2-0 after winning both games on their home court. But the series has now shifted to American Airlines Center where Game 3 is Friday at 8:30 p.m. and Game 4 is Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
Doncic had 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists while playing 44 minutes during the Suns’ 121-114 win over the Mavs in Game 1 of this series Monday. And after Doncic collected 35 points, five rebounds and seven assists in the Suns’ 129-109 victory Wednesday in Game 2, a reporter asked Kidd if the Mavs’ superstar point guard was tired.
“He should be tired,” Kidd said. “He played 36 minutes and he played his heart out. He’s tired every night.
“He plays hard, but we’ve got to get other guys involved to help him. Right now it’s just been him. We’ve got to get (Jalen) Brunson and Spencer (Dinwiddie) going, and Doe (Dorian Finney-Smith). We’ve got to keep those guys on the floor.”
SLOW DOWN BOOKER AND/OR PAUL: Suns guards Devin Booker and Chris Paul are exceptional players. But the Mavs know they can ill-afford to have both players walk away with exceptional nights in the same game.
In Game 1, Booker contributed 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Paul added 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. In Game 2, Booker finished with 30 points, four rebounds and four assists, and Paul wound up with 28 points, six rebounds and eight assists.
The Mavs led Game 2, 60-58, at halftime. But Booker tossed in 12 points in the third quarter, which ended with the Suns nursing an 89-83 lead. And Paul grabbed the baton from there and flipped in 14 points in the frantic fourth quarter.
“You just got to keep wearing them down,” forward Reggie Bullock said, in reference to Booker and Paul. “They’re two guys that does a lot for their team.
“We have guys that can definitely guard these guys. But it’s going to take a team effort to be able to contain them.”
Paul was 11-of-16 from the floor in Game 2, including 6-of-7 from the field in the fourth quarter.
“He’s a helluva player,” Luka Doncic said. “He’s been in the league for a lot of years.
“He knows what this is about, so he’s very tough. But like I said, we’ve got to do a better job with that.”
PLAZA PARTY: In partnership with Michelob Ultra, the Mavs will host pregame events on the plaza for Friday’s Game 3 and Sunday’s Game 4.
Friday’s events will start at 6:30 p.m., and on Sunday the festivities will kick off at 12:30 p.m. Activities will include the Mavs’ merch bus with DJ Fishr, Tiff’s Treat – with free samplings – and photos inside The Photo Bus for fans.
The Drumline, Mavs Mascots, ManiAACs and D-Town Crew will provide the entertainment. In addition, on Friday at 7 p.m. auditions for the ultimate MFFL will occur with Chris Arnold and the ManiAACs with a chance to win passes to the “Rowdy, Proud and Loud’ section – presented by Sprite – for all of the Western Conference semifinal games.
SUNS HOT SHOOTING: The Suns shot 50.5 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from three-point range in Game 1, then went to a higher level in Game 2 when they shot 64.5 percent from the floor and 52 percent from downtown.
The Mavs realize they must shut some of this down in order to climb back into this series.
“It just comes down to just being able to guard your man one-on-one, and just playing with a force and trying not to get scored on,” Bullock said. “I just felt like at times we let our guard down a little bit on the defensive end and they were able to knock down some shots.”
BRIEFLY: Down 2-0 in this series with the Suns hasn’t shattered the Mavs’ confidence entering Game 3. “They held serve,” Kidd said. “They did what they had to do. Now we have to go back and protect home.”. .If it looked like the Suns didn’t miss a shot in the fourth quarter of Game 2, well, they were nearly perfect. During those final 12 minutes the Suns were 16-of-19 from the field for 84.2 percent, and 6-of-8 from three-point land for 75 percent. “They got going in the fourth quarter and made some tough shots,” Reggie Bullock said. “And I think that’s where the separation of the game went.”. .Each team got charged with 20 fouls in Game 2. “A lot of them are offensive fouls,” Kidd said. “Because we are small, we’re fighting. But we’re putting ourselves in harm’s way. When (Jalen) Brunson and Doe (Dorian Finney-Smith) gets three fouls (in the first half), it’s the next man up mentality. But when you have two of your best players sitting out there — Doe played 20 minutes (Wednesday). We need him on the floor.”
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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