On Sunday, the Dallas Mavericks opened the first round of their series on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The city of Dallas was excited to see their favorite team return to the NBA Playoffs after missing the playoffs last year, and this looked like the best roster in Mavs history with Luka Doncic at the center. Ta.
With Kawhi Leonard out with a knee injury, the Mavs lost 109-97, squandering a golden opportunity to take a 1-0 series lead.
The Mavs didn't look ready coming into this game, and head coach Jason Kidd is partly to blame for that. Dallas had a week to prepare for LA and everyone was fresh, but instead of throwing the first punch and setting the tone, LA did just that.
This loss isn't all Kidd's fault, but there were some decisions, or bad decisions, in this match that could have made it a little closer by the end of the match.
In a second quarter in which the Mavs scored just eight points, one decision that could have helped the Mavs gain much-needed momentum occurred with 5 minutes and 18 seconds left.
James Harden hit more 3-pointers than Maxi Kleber, and Kleber showed great defense against Harden, who was red-hot in this game. On the play, Kleber put his hand on Harden's face, and in the final seconds of the play, Harden's kick of his leg made contact with Kleber, prompting the referee to call him a foul.
The Mavs should have challenged the play, considering Harden has been an outstanding free throw shooter throughout his career and the fact that it was obvious that Harden kicked out his leg. That would have saved them three points, and the Clippers already had a lot of momentum.
After this play, the Clippers increased their lead to 12-2, but the Mavs did not make a shot in the final five minutes of the second quarter.
This play could have stopped the bleeding for Dallas, shifted some of the momentum, and sparked the Mavs.
The decision to challenge a play or not always seems to be at the discretion of the head coach, but the head coach does not always make this decision. The Mavs' coaching staff, who watched the play again after it happened, may not have seen the play early enough or may have told Kidd not to challenge him.
No one play decides the game, but the Mavs' decision to not go for a play that clearly would have gone their way in their worst quarter of the season was an ideal way to get back on track in that game. It wasn't on point.
Dallas' next chance to get revenge on the Clippers is tomorrow night.
Enjoy the latest updates on Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks during the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
