Seeing Mikal Bridges, Devin Booker and the other Suns start the game very strong (9-0), and Luka Doncic send his first pass in the stands, we first thought that this Game 2 was going to start on the same bases as the Game 1. This feeling quickly dissipated, at least in terms of the evolution of the score. Because as in the first round, Luka Doncic, who saw his « backcourt » partner Jalen Brunson experience a new complicated start, took the game on his side Mavs.
Almost every opposing player was sent to the coal in an attempt to prevent him from getting closer to the circle. In vain. Even if it means sometimes abusing the isolation, by wanting to post Cam Johnson, the Slovenian scored or delivered the pass for 24 of his team’s first 28 points. With the fine address of the league’s leading scorer in the first quarters, Devin Booker, Phoenix however kept a slim lead (32-28).
It was not until the convincing entries of the trio of Texas substitutes Spencer Dinwindie, Davis Bertans, both skillful from afar to start, and Maxi Kleber to see Luka Doncic be supported in attack. And especially to see the Mavs leading to the score for the first time… in the series (38-43). Opposite, the Suns lacked lucidity in attack with an astonishing sequence of offensive faults. They managed to stay in thanks to an unexpected hero, Jae Crowder, skillful from afar and never the last to go and rub shoulders with Luka Doncic (58-60).
During the break, Phoenix reminded himself that by defending hard, the gap would widen. The locals have thus increased their defensive intensity, like several balls deflected by Mikal Bridges in front of the Slovenian. The latter was much better contained in this third period, during which Reggie Bullock, a rare Texan to still float, converted three award-winning baskets. Still in contact at the start of the last quarter (89-83), the visitors will explode in the following minutes.
The fault of an exceptional Chris Paul of address, imitated by Devin Booker who had already had the opportunity to heat up in the third quarter. Seven minutes later, the match was folded (119-95) and Jason Kidd decided to release the white flag by emptying his bench.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Storm Chris Paul! Look no further for the MVP of this game. At the start of the fourth quarter, the leader decided to take matters into his own hands with an assumed strategy: target Luka Doncic in defense. He thus mobilized who knows how many times Landry Shamet to obtain this desired « matchup » against the Slovenian, whom he overflowed with his left hand or made suffer with his « fadeaway » on the periphery. The leader, transformed into a killer, thus scored 14 points in just six minutes before returning to his bench for a deserved rest. He had just finished off the Mavs.
– Mavs defense explodes. 77 points in Game 5, 96 points in Game 6… The defensive renderings of the previous series seem distant. After containing the Jazz, one of the best attacks in the league, in the first round, the Mavs again exploded in defense against the collective armada of the Suns. And to say that their executioner in Game 1, Deandre Ayton, did not even reach 10 points… This is to say the offensive margin available to Monty Williams’ players who shot at exceptional skill percentages last night (64 .5% of which 52% by far).
– Interiors punished! This meeting was marked by quantity of faults distributed. The interiors were, on both sides, the most affected by the phenomenon. Dwight Powell and Dorian Finney-Smith could hardly speak. Ditto in front with a Deandre Ayton who could not reproduce his very good exit from the first match. His replacement, JaVale McGee, author of very solid entries, was also too much in contact in the racket. Result: Bismack Biyombo benefited from his biggest playing time in these playoffs and signed his best contribution.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Devin Booker. Undoubtedly the most consistent of the Suns throughout the game, except in the second quarter. The back was much more effective than in the previous game. After Chris Paul’s big pass, he drove the point home with three successive award-winning baskets before returning to the bench in turn.
✅ Jae Crowder. Energy in defense, a bit of “trashtalking” with Luka Doncic, long-distance address, a few good balls given below for JaVale McGee, the “role player” brought everything that could be expected of him. A benchmark match for the winger who has suffered from skill level so far.
✅ ⛔ Luka Doncic. Huge new first period for the Mavs playmaker (24 points) which had much less impact in the second. His big game in attack should not make us forget his seven lost balls and his difficulties in defense: he was personally targeted by Chris Paul at the end of the game. Like the other starters on his team, he finished with a hyper-negative +/- ratio (-28).
⛔ Jalen Brunson. A true copy of his Game 1 with clumsiness and concern for faults to start the meeting. The difference with his first game is that he didn’t really see any offensive improvement, with constant awkwardness near the circle or at half distance. Without a wake-up call from him, it looks complicated for Dallas.
THE FOLLOWING
Game 3 : in Dallas, on the night of Friday May 6 to Saturday May 7, at 03:30.
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