NBA: Golden State Warriors vs Dallas Mavericks | 19 May, 9 AM (PST)

[Mary C]

POTENTIAL STARTING LINEUPS: 

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: 

PG | Stephen Curry 

SG | Klay Thompson 

SF | Andrew Wiggins 

PF | Jonathan Kuminga 

C | Draymond Green 

 

DALLAS MAVERICKS: 

PG | Luka Doncic 

SG | Jalen Brunson 

SF | Reggie Bullock 

PF | Dorian Finney-Smith 

C | Dwight Powell 

 

After the defeat of the Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets, and Utah Jazz, only two teams proceed to the Western Conference finals this Thursday. It’s the Dallas Mavericks against Golden State Warriors this time. It is thrilling to witness opposite teams go head-to-head for Game 1, with one team led by a young star player and the other filled with veterans. The Dallas Mavericks were able to win four out of five games against the Phoenix Suns last week during the conference semifinals, and the Mavericks ended the series at 123-90, with a 33-point gap win. The Golden State Warriors, on the other hand, won three out of five games against the Memphis Grizzlies, ending the series at 110-96.  

 

Dallas Mavericks, 52-30, are fourth in the Western Conference. They lead the playoffs in time of possession, with an average of 22.4 minutes of possession from their first twelve games. The Mavs were also able to suppress the ball movement of the Warriors which gave them three wins out of four regular season meetings. However, they only rank 15th in player movement with 9.9 miles traveled per 24 minutes of possession and 16th in ball movement with 273 passes per 24 minutes of possession. 

 

The majority have their eyes on Dallas Mavericks’ young superstar Luka Doncic as he scored 35 points against the Suns. He also leads the postseason in terms of individual time of possession with 10 minutes per game. The team relies on Doncic’s brilliance to give them a boost against the Warriors veteran Stephen Curry. 

 

Golden State Warriors, 53-29, are third in the Western Conference. They led the regular season with 369 passes per 24 minutes of possession, but it is important to note that their lowest rate against any opponent in the Western Conference was the one they had against Mavericks which was 345 passes per 24 minutes. Golden State ranked 14th in time of possession at 20.2 minutes, with no player in the top ten among individuals. They also ranked first in player movement with 11.3 miles traveled per 24 minutes of possession and second in ball movement with 340 passes per 24 minutes of possession. 

 

It is most likely that the Warriors will try to contain Doncic, probably by exploiting his defensive weaknesses. Stephen Curry remains the leader of the team given his elegance and experience, but he is going to need all the help he can get, especially from Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, in case he encounters unfortunate moments. 

 

For this match, the Golden State Warriors expect a fuller roster, which gives them the upper hand. The play of the Dallas Mavericks may have improved with Luka Doncic’s dominance, but the depth of the Golden State might be too much for the Mavs. In this game, we can only expect the Warriors to fight and take the win. 

 

9:00 AM, Thursday, May 19, 2022, Chase Center, San Francisco, California