The Mavs forced the game to be played their way and it worked. Game 2 between the Dallas Mavericks and the OKC Thunder saw Luka Doncic at his most comfortable, which was crucial in tying up their NBA playoffs series.
The distractions for Luka Doncic thankfully didn’t come until after the game. Despite the Mavs star picking up some knocks, he excelled as they overcame the OKC Thunder to tie up their NBA playoffs series.
Unstrapped and unwinding
This was, by some distance, the most comfortable Luka Doncic has looked at any point in the NBA playoffs so far this season. That was despite him getting hurt a couple of times during the run of play. Without the strapping and supports that had basically been uniform for him throughout the postseason, Doncic looked comfortable.
It certainly helped that the Dallas Mavericks found a third man to contribute heavily on the scoring front. PJ Washington won’t deliver 29 points every night, or indeed most. Still, his contribution in Game 2 against the OKC Thunder eased the load on Doncic considerably.
So too did Kyrie Irving’s adjustments. In yet another example of why players love playing with him, Irving moved to a primarily creator first role for the Mavs. This aided in a few respects. Naturally it brought more bodies into the offensive side of the game but it also enabled Doncic to play more off ball. Added to this was its role in enabling Doncic to not drain himself on every transition, knowing that Irving would carry a large chunk of the creative load.
Half Court basketball
After Game 1, it was obvious the Mavs had to make this match-up more old school. Even the most optimistic Dallas Mavericks fans wouldn’t have imagined how much they would commit to this.
Even when the OKC Thunder presented clear fast break opportunities for the Mavs, they almost always eschewed them. This was a methodical and deliberate approach. It was one that clearly eased the strain on Luka Doncic and made him less vulnerable defensively.
The way for Dallas to progress in these NBA playoffs is to find ways to make Doncic be most effective. By forcing a half court to half court clash, they succeeded in just that. Doncic was far more comfortable with his shot and pass selection. Similarly, he was nowhere near as liable to be out of position when the ball went the other direction. It’s simple but it proved brilliantly effective. The Thunder had their runs but they were never able to run the Mavs off the floor. Dallas always had something left in the tank.
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That moment
Given how serious these columns tend to be, it’s worth appreciating whimsy when the opportunity comes. There was Luka Doncic, in fine form and ready to answer some questions. All standard fare for the Dallas Mavericks star during the NBA playoffs.
A distraction came, one of the not safe for work variety that was reminiscent of the opening to the Shawn Michaels theme song Sexy Boy. You’ve got to think about what was going through Doncic’s head when it happened.
There he was, straight from beating the OKC Thunder and about to say all the usual platitudes. He was going to surely mention the importance of defence and how it’s vital they get the job done in Dallas. We all know the script. Then the whole place hears, well, that.
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Is it sustainable?
The strategy, not whatever was going on near the press conference room. As ever, the answer is a bit of yes and a bit of no. The OKC Thunder will naturally look to adapt and force a more running game next time out. It is a lot easier to slow a team down than speed them up. No doubt Jason Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks will be ready to counter the counter.
Through both games in Dallas, the Mavs should be able to keep this one as a grind it out affair. The Thunder will eventually find a way to open things back up. That’s what makes an NBA playoff series fascinating. We get to see strategies countered and then counter-countered.
What matters is making it work for as long as possible in terms of achieving the core goal. Keep Luka Doncic’s exhaustion and injury issues as minimal a factor in this series as possible. The less they impact the overall performance, the better it is for Dallas. Game 2 succeeded in that goal. That’s a good first step for now.
The post Luka Doncic guides a controlled Dallas Mavericks to victory appeared first on BallinEurope.
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