The Mavericks needed to do a few things different in Game 3 Friday night.
But mostly, they just needed to do a lot of things better, particularly when it came to defending Chris Paul.
The Phoenix Suns’ point guard had incinerated the Mavericks during the second half of Game 2, making nine of his 10 field-goal tries.
Before Game 3, coach Jason Kidd was asked what players he was prepared to run at Paul defensively in a game that the Mavericks simply had to win.
“The whole team?” he said, half jokingly. “Switching, different defensive concepts, the big (guys) are going to have a chance, the smalls have a chance. The mediums have a chance. Everybody has a chance.”
The most chances continued to go to Reggie Bullock during the Mavericks’ series-saving 103-94 victory in Game 3 Friday night. It was Bullock who hounded Paul all over the court when the two of them were in the game together.
“Reggie’s done this for us all season,” Kidd said. “He’s always been asked to guard one of the two best players. He never complains. He gives everything.”
As Luka Dončić added about Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith: “We did a great job. Reggie and Doe-Doe, both of those guys are incredible on the defensive end. They showed today once again. We got as they go on defense. And they did an amazing job.”
But it was a team effort that limited Paul to just two points until the wee minutes of the second quarter. Keeping him down, however, got tougher as the game went along.
He had five quick points late in the first half as the Suns cut a 14-point lead in half before the intermission.
But the biggest number was seven first-half turnovers for Paul.
“It was uncharacteristic,” said Jalen Brunson. “But we’ll take it.”
And file it away in how to work against Paul on Sunday in Game 4.
“His basketball IQ is off the charts,” Kidd said. “And he understands at this point of his career what’s at stake and that’s winning the championship. And that’s what he’s going for.
“He understands how to play the game. He picks his spots. He doesn’t have to do it for 48 minutes. He doesn’t have to do it for 36 minutes. He understands when it’s winning time and he’s delivered.”
The Mavericks were determined to change that and the fact that Paul had seven of Phoenix’s eight first-half turnovers was proof that they were doing something right.
Among the players who was ready to take a crack at Paul was Frank Ntilikina, who is back healthy after an emergency tonsillectomy sidelined him, Ntilikina played 12 important minutes, particularly when Luka had foul trouble late in the game.
“Definitely. Everybody’s ready,” Ntilikina said about the prospects of checking Paul. “We’re always working together. If coach calls my name, definitely ready.
“He (Paul) has been doing this for so long. He’s one of the toughest guards in the league. The stuff he does, he does at an extremely high level. We’re going to try to deny him from the things he likes to do.”
It worked on this night. Paul finished with 12 points. The Mavericks also limited Devin Booker to 13 shots and 18 points. Keeping the Suns’ backcourt in check was the difference as the Suns’ lead in the series was trimmed to 2-1.
Mavericks fined $25,000: The NBA fined the Mavericks $25,000 Friday afternoon for violating league rules regarding bench decorum.
The league said several players and a member of the coaching staff stood away from the team bench and were encroaching on the playing court during Game 2 at Phoenix on Wednesday.
Apparently, they need “get back” police on their bench.
But the fine did not seem to send the right message, according to Kidd.
“The league is worried about the wrong thing,” Kidd said. “You have millionaires cheering on millionaires. That doesn’t happen in society. The enthusiasm for the game for a teammate to cheer on a teammate is special. And sometimes, we’re focused on the wrong thing.
“When you look at people who make a lot of money cheering on their teammates and their (fellow) employees, that’s what sports is all about. For us to get fined, it’s cool. It’s going to another good cause, charity.”
Kleber recovering nicely: Maxi Kleber took a nasty fall early in the fourth quarter of Game 1 when he flew in for a dunk and his hands slipped off the rim and he fell squarely on his neck and upper back.
On Friday, he was still feeling some of the effects of the fall, although he was grateful that it wasn’t worse than it was.
“It’s better,” he said. “I still feel it a little when I move my head. But I was lucky.”
Kleber came through with a nice night in Game 3, rolling up 14 points and playing most of the second half.
The more eyes, the better: The Mavericks have welcomed legendary NBA assistant coach Tim Grgurich into their practices the past few days and Kidd said the move is a natural.
Kidd and Grgurich have known each other since Kidd was a middle-schooler in the Bay Area.
“He’s the reason why we have so many big staffs,” Kidd joked. “He’s the godfather of the big staff.”
Turning serious, Kidd explained why the Mavericks are happy to have Grgurich, who will turn 80 on June 10, in their corner.
“He’s always been a father figure,” Kidd said. “I’ve known him since eighth grade. Just talking to him about basketball and the defensive side. But overall, the total game, and what we can do better.
“Fresh eyes, if that’s what you want to call it. But a very high IQ basketball coach, so why wouldn’t we have him around.”
Briefly: Among celebrities in the crowd were Masters champion and Highland Park product Scottie Scheffler and Jamahl Mosley, the Orlando Magic coach who formerly was Rick Carlisle’s assistant here . . . Torrey Craig, the Suns rugged forward who took a hard fall near the end of Game 2, was out Friday for Game 3 with an elbow contusion . . . Kidd was asked about the propensity of role players playing better at home than they do on the road, and couldn’t resist having some fun with his answer. “Yeah,” he said, “I was a role player my whole career.”
Twitter: @ESefko
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