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The Dallas Mavericks need to fix these 3 things before the playoffs

By Drew Ivery

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 08: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks moves the ball against the Milwaukee Bucks at The Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 08, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 08: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks moves the ball against the Milwaukee Bucks at The Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 08, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images) /

3. Defend the 3-pointer better

Throughout the 2020 season, defense is not what the Mavs have been known for. The league average in the NBA for 3-point shooting percentage is around 35.7 percent. In the Mavs’ three losses in the bubble, those teams averaged 40.1 percent from beyond the arc. In the Mavs’ two victories, those teams averaged 35.6 percent.

Why is this important? Here’s why.

The playoffs are a different animal. It’s not one game, then on to the next team, it’s multiple games against the same team in a win-or-go-home scenario. Teams analyze more than usual, gameplan differently, players are more locked in and the stakes are higher.

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If Dallas can manage to contain teams at the 3-point line now, that play will carry over into the playoffs. The difference is glaring in their wins and losses and the defense in this department often plays a big part in who comes out the winner in the end. Here’s an example of the difference it can make:

This past Tuesday when the Mavs defeated the Sacramento Kings in overtime, 114-110, the Kings started the first quarter shooting 56.2 percent on 9-for-16 from deep and jumped out to a 37-27 lead. Dallas clamped down defensively at the 3-point line for the rest of the night through regulation and OT, holding the Kings to 25.9 percent on 7-for-27 from beyond the arc the rest of the way. That game may have gone into OT, but imagine if Dallas allowed that sharpshooting to continue. It could’ve quite possibly been a loss, if not a blowout.

If the Mavs want to stand a chance in the playoffs, they have to be able to defend the 3-point line well.

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