After losing the first two games in the series, the Dallas Mavericks are at home to try to change their fortunes against the Phoenix Suns.
Phoenix has proved to everyone why they have the NBA’s best regular-season record so far here in the playoffs. Can the Mavericks turn things around and be the winning NBA pick?
Phoenix Suns vs. Dallas Mavericks
Friday, May 06, 2022 – 09:30 PM EDT at American Airlines Center
Suns vs. Mavs Game 2 Recap
The Phoenix Suns completely controlled the fourth quarter of their Game 2 win against the Dallas Mavericks. Chris Paul had 14 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Suns to a 2-0 series lead.
The Suns were down 60-58 at halftime but won the second-half 71-49 to cruise to an easy Game 2 victory. The Suns showed once again that they are the much more complete team in this series, and how much defense matters.
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The Suns relentlessly attacked Luka Doncic in Game 2. On almost every play in the fourth quarter, Chris Paul would motion for whatever man Luka was covering to come set the pick in order to have Luka switch onto the ball-handler.
Luka offered little to no resistance and his feeble defensive effort allowed the Suns to run away with the victory. Mikal Bridges did not fill up a box score but his impact was felt everywhere on the floor. Bridges had 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists in the last game. He was an efficient 5-6 from the field and was completely disruptive on the defensive end.
Although he was credited with only two steals, he broke up the Mavericks' offensive flow multiple times and prevented the Mavericks from getting into their offensive sets.
Luka Doncic Led the Offense in Game 2
Luka Doncic once again led the way on offense for the Dallas Mavericks with 35 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists. Luka was 13-22 from the field and 5-10 from the three-point line.
Luka played 36 minutes and was absolutely exhausted from trying to carry the team on the offensive end. This led to an easily exploitable defense by Doncic and the Suns were happy to take advantage of Luka's tired and lackluster effort. The Mavericks need to change their offensive game plan to have a chance here in Game 3.
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Luka Doncic needs to trust his teammates more. By taking on so much of the offensive load, he's doing is a disservice to his teammates on the defensive end. The Mavericks do have other guys who can create their own shots, such as Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie.
Yet Luka seems to feel that he can do it all on his own, and not trust his teammates. Luka Doncic is a great player who will learn. Michael Jordan had the same problem in his early years with the Bulls. Will Luka trust his teammates tonight, or will it take multiple seasons before he learns he cannot try to do it all?
Suns vs. Mavs Key Matchup: Paul vs. Doncic
Chris Paul relentlessly hunted Luka Doncic in the fourth quarter, and this mismatch led to an easy Suns victory. Doncic will need to trust his teammates more on the offensive end and put more effort into the defensive end if the Mavericks are going to have a chance to turn this series around.
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With Luka running around exhausted, he has no chance at stopping the 12-time All-Star Chris Paul, whose assortment of veteran skills and moves were too much for the young Mavericks superstar.
If Doncic cedes some of his offensive responsibility to his teammates and puts forth a great effort on the defensive end, the Mavericks have a great chance to win this game and stay alive in the series
If Luka insists on doing everything on the offensive end at the expense of his defensive intensity, Chris Paul will take advantage of this mistake and his Suns will grab the commanding 3-0 lead.
Suns vs. Mavs Best Bets for Game 3
There are two ways to approach betting on Game 3. The first way is through the 'under'. While both teams played fast in Games 1 and 2, I expect the pace of this game to slow down here tonight.
The Mavericks looked exhausted on the floor in the fourth quarter and will realize that getting into a fast-paced shootout with Phoenix is not the way to approach this game. The Mavericks will need to change their tactics and strategies, especially when it comes to setting the pace of the game in order to turn the series around.
Also, I expect a slower, more deliberate pace from the Mavericks in order to conserve energy and put forth a more stout defensive effort. Our first bet for tonight's playoff game is the Phoenix Suns vs. Dallas Mavericks Under 220.
NBA Pick: Under 220 (-108) with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Unfortunately for the Mavericks, I think the Suns will be too much for them in this series. I don't think Luka Doncic understands the importance of relying on his teammates, and his defensive effort is definitely suffering because of his lack of trust in his teammates.
I think this will be a hard lesson for Luka to learn and I don't trust that he will turn it around this quickly. Coach Jason Kidd, who was a ball-dominant guard himself in his playing career, seems content to let Luka run the offense completely.
With both the coach and the superstar aligned in the idea that one man will carry the whole offensive load, the defense becomes too easy to attack. Although the Mavericks will play better at home, the Suns are the more complete team, are more balanced, and much better coached.
Our second best bet for tonight's playoff game is the Phoenix Suns +1 as shown on the NBA odds board.
NBA Pick: Phoenix Suns +1 (-108) with Bovada (visit our Bovada Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
