The Dallas Mavericks enjoyed their Game 2 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, but Game 3 proved that injuries are still a major factor in the series.
The Dallas Mavericks, fresh off of an exhilarating win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2, entered the American Airlines Center for a critical Game 3.
They had seized possession of home-court advantage after winning on the road, but Game 3 provided a new set of challenges for the Mavs. It was a given that Kevin Durant would not go 7-for-33 from the field again, and while the Mavs welcomed David Lee and J.J. Barea back into the mix, they lost starting point guard Deron Williams.
The energy in the building was electric early on, but as the Mavs proceeded to crumble under the pressure of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook again, it became obvious that Game 2 might turn out to be the only game of its kind throughout this series. After all was said and done, the Thunder took a 2-1 series lead after a 131-102 win.
The answer as to why the Mavs have not had consistent play in this series is obvious: injuries. Though it’s not every day that you see a team with enough pieces to match up against Westbrook and Durant, there are instances where the right kind of playmaking can make up for a lack of defensive stops.
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I’m certainly not saying the Mavs were better than the Thunder when they were completely healthy, because if they were they would’ve beaten them at least one time during the regular season.
However, they provide a better matchup against OKC when they have players like Deron Williams and Chandler Parsons in the lineup.
Think back to Nov. 22, the first regular season meeting between the two teams. The Mavs fell 117-114, but they came into the game with a six-game winning streak and exchanged punches with OKC all night in their own building.
Another instance came on Jan. 22, again when the Mavs were fully healthy. Though they lost 109-106, they made it a game late and Chandler Parsons outdueled both Durant and Westbrook.
You can make the case that they won in Game 2, even without Lee, Barea and Parsons, but they also played a complete game, utilizing offense and defense into the perfect combination to slow down OKC’s fast pace. That’s something that’s not going to happen for three or four games in a row.
Rick Carlisle mentioned this after Game 3 (via SportsDay):
"“Their talent is a significant problem. We know that. But the way to mitigate it is to be really tied together and play extremely hard.”"
Right now, the Mavs are simply facing too many injuries. They don’t have Parsons, who is arguably their most dynamic player. Barea and Lee are playing, but they are still feeling the impact of their recent injuries. Williams has fallen back out of the lineup again because of his ongoing sports hernia and Dirk Nowitzki has a bone bruise in his right knee, though it wasn’t a major factor in Game 3.
So here's the rundown of Maverick injuries: Dirk, Barea and Lee will play. Deron Williams appears to be a no-go.
— Eddie Sefko (@ESefko) April 21, 2016
That’s a collection of a lot of very important players all dealing with issues. It’s hard enough for the Mavs to beat a team like the Thunder even when they are fully healthy, so dealing with a plethora of injuries all at the same time is not something that leads to success.
I think the real way to look at it is like this:
The Mavs are obviously not going to win the series. Even if they win another game, there’s a very slim chance that they actually beat the Thunder three more times without a full roster. With that in mind, I think it’s time to let the young players get major minutes in this series, because when they do, they produce.
Game 1 did not accurately represent this due to the fact that everyone besides Nowitzki was awful, but since then, we’ve seen that it’s a valid option to consider.
During Game 2, Justin Anderson, though he only added six points and five rebounds in 14 minutes, provided a spark that often led the Mavs to short runs in order to keep themselves in the game. In Game 3, he played 19 minutes and put in 12 points, but most of his points and playing time came in the fourth quarter. By that time, it was too late for any kind of impact.
Tear up Justin Anderson’s rookie deal and give him the max.
— Zach Harper (@talkhoops) April 22, 2016
The same can be said for Salah Mejri, who played 28 minutes in Game 2 but only 14 in Game 3, with eight coming in the fourth quarter.
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It seems like even when the rookies play well, Rick Carlisle always decides to place them back on the bench during times when the team needs their energy the most. At this point, what do the Mavs have to lose? If nothing else, the young guys get valuable playoff experience that could help develop their respective games for a time in the future when the team has a decent shot at contending again.
In my opinion, the Mavs need to think of this series like they do back-to-back games in the regular season. When the team is getting throttled on the first night, naturally, you rest your starters and look forward to the next night.
The Mavs need to take a similar approach now. I’m not saying they should completely strip the roster of playing time, but simply give some of the younger, more important future assets some time to adjust and develop their game in a time of the season where the spotlight is on. It doesn’t make sense for them to lose minutes to players that are attempting to fight through injuries.
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The bottom line is this: It’s going to be nearly impossible for the Mavs to win this series simply because they are lacking in firepower due to the injuries on the team. In that case, it’s time to let some young talent play heavier minutes. In a situation where there’s nothing to lose, you can’t go wrong with developing the future.