The Golden State Warriors won their second play-off game against the Dallas Mavericks despite trailing by 19 points at one point
Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Co. took the lead for the first time at 86-85 in the final quarter in a 126-117 win on Friday night (local time) and did not let the Texans past. The Mavericks around national player Maxi Kleber, who are back in the Western Conference finals for the first time since the championship with Dirk Nowitzki 11 years ago, thus squandered a much better starting position before the two home games in Dallas on Sunday and Tuesday.
“The experience and the chemistry – we have that mindset that we’re never really out. We believe in ourselves,” Curry said after the 200th playoff win in Warriors history. Only the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and San Antonio Spurs have reached that mark in the NBA. Curry was the best scorer for the hosts with 32 points.
The Mavericks around their star Luka Doncic had everything under control in the first half and silenced the fans in San Francisco time and again. Even at the end of the third quarter, which the Warriors won 25:13, the visitors were still ahead – but by then the game had already slipped away from them. Doncic finished the game as the best thrower with 42 points. With his seventh play-off game with at least 40 points, he equalled Nowitzki’s Mavericks record. Kleber hit one of his five attempts and recorded three points.
“We have to do better. If we try three or four threes and miss, then we have to get closer to the basket. Maybe that’s an experience thing,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “We died in the third quarter from trying so many threes and only hitting two. “
