With a Dallas Mavericks Game 3 against the Golden State Warriors on tap for Sunday night, many eyes will be on the Mavs to see if they will bounce back after dropping the first two games of the Western Conference Finals. Ahead of Warriors-Mavericks, we'll be making our Mavs Game 3 predictions.
Dallas was not expected to make this deep of a playoff run, but superstar Luka Doncic has played at an unreal level. His supporting cast has also stepped up, with Jalen Brunson emerging as a young star.
The Warriors have a more talented roster and much more playoff experience. This has helped them take a 2-0 lead despite Doncic playing at a high level.
However, the Mavs found themselves in the same situation in their last series against the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix seized a 2-0 lead in the series before the Mavs won both of their games in Dallas and went on to win the series in seven games.
With that said, here are three Mavericks Game 3 predictions against the Warriors.
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Dallas Mavericks Game 3 Predictions vs. Warriors
3. Jalen Brunson scores 30 once again
Jalen Brunson has grown into a young star right before fans' eyes in the postseason. In the playoffs, he is averaging 22.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.
Despite the loss, Brunson had a great individual performance against Golden State in Game 2. He finished with 31 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Brunson shot 11-of-19 from the field and 5-of-7 from behind the arc. His scoring ability takes some pressure off of Doncic as the defense focuses on the superstar.
Brunson's efficiency in Game 2 was tremendous, and it will be highly beneficial if he can keep it up.
2. Luka Doncic finishes with a 40-point triple-double
Luka Doncic has taken another leap from a superstar to a solidified top-five player in the NBA. While he has solid role players around him, no one expected the Mavs to make it to the Western Conference Finals.
During the playoffs, Doncic is averaging 31.4 points along with 9.4 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game. He is shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from downtown. While these shooting splits aren't great, they are solid considering the volume he is shooting and the defensive attention he is facing.
Doncic was another player who showed out in Game 2, even though the Mavs came up short. He ended up with 42 points, five rebounds, and eight assists. Doncic shot 12-of-23 from the field, 5-of-10 from 3-point range, and 13-of-15 from the free-throw line.
Back at home in what is basically a must-win game, Doncic should look to dominate from tip-off.
1. Mavericks win, make Warriors lead 2-1
As aforementioned, this game is crucial for the Mavs to win. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit, and Dallas doesn't want to fall into that hole.
The Mavs have been good at home in the playoffs, as they are 5-1. They held a commanding lead in Game 2, but the Warriors were able to overcome it in the second half.
Taking another lead early would be great for controlling the game. In order to maintain the lead, Dallas needs to keep its game plan offensively and not slow down because of a lead. That was the demise for the Mavericks in Game 2, as their offense became slower and more stagnant, leading to more stops for Golden State and, ultimately, a big comeback.
The Mavs need to get this victory, and it will take outstanding performances from Doncic and Brunson once again, as well as contributions from role players. Dallas has come back from down 2-0 before, and we'll see if this team can pull off more magic.
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