Final: Warriors 127, Mavs 107
Box Score | Highlights
Behind the Box Score
Both teams shot it well in the first half, but the lid came completely off the rim in the third quarter. Golden State made seven three-pointers while the Mavs made six of their own. This was a wide-open game in terms of space and pace. It was a very entertaining contest to watch.
The Mavs shot 60 percent from the field and scored 1.13 points per possession in the second quarter, oustcoring the Warriors 26-24 to trail just 56-48 at the break. Considering Golden State has taken a double-digit lead into halftime 10 times in just 22 home games this season, Dallas did a good job of playing well and hanging tight in the first act.
Notebook
The Warriors are the most fearsome team in the NBA. They’re on pace to potentially break the all-time single-season wins record. No road team has won a game at Oracle Arena in exactly one year. But Dallas didn’t play afraid from the opening tip, attacking the rim on offense and pestering the Warriors on defense. After falling behind 20-6, the Mavs immediately clawed back into the game, reducing the deficit to as little as two points, 46-44, in the second quarter, and within one point in the third quarter. Dirk Nowitzki, Zaza Pachulia, and Devin Harris all missed the game, so it was good to see Dallas remain competitive for so long in the toughest environment in the league. Much of that had to do with the play of Chandler Parsons, who continued his impressive run as of late by tallying 23 points and grabbing seven rebounds.
Deron Williams had a huge third quarter, scoring 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting in that frame alone. Williams found himself in a bit of a scoring duel with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, who combined for 21 points in the frame themselves. Green, who spent the entire first half battling through foul trouble, didn’t miss a shot in the third quarter, and neither did Curry. Parsons, meanwhile, scored nine points of his own in the frame.
After scoring an efficient 18 points last night, J.J. Barea continued his groove in this one, scoring six quick points in the first half and adding a pair of assists. He was part of a lineup playing alongside Wesley Matthews, Justin Anderson, Parsons, and Dwight Powell that went +4 in the first half. That group has athleticism on both ends of the floor, and Barea and Parsons combine to forge a respectable playmaking duo, especially in the pick-and-roll. With no Nowitzki tonight, it was good to see Dallas still find ways to engineer points in the spread P&R that has typically revolved around the Big German. Barea finished with 14 points, recording back-to-back double-digit games for the first time this month.
What’s Next
The Mavs (26-22) play the Brooklyn Nets (12-34) Friday at American Airlines Center. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. Central.
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