After an abysmal shooting night for the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday (36.0% from the field and 22.9% from 3), the Golden State Warriors captured Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals with a blowout victory, 112-87. The game was really settled by the end of the 3rd quarter, and Warriors guard Steph Curry never even had to re-enter in the game during the 4th.
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The Dubs were able to keep All-NBA guard Luka Dončić relatively quiet in Game 1, holding him to just 20 points after averaging more than 31 points per game through the playoffs. And while the Mavs shot poorly as a whole, the Warriors star players didn’t look too hot in the first half, either.
The Splash Brothers combined for a total of 4 points before the break, but they came out shooting in the 3rd quarter and quickly put the game away. Steph led both teams in points (21) and rebounds (12) while only playing 31 minutes. If the Warriors continue to dominate the glass (come on, 12 rebounds for Curry?!), it’s going to be a short series for the Mavs.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors: Western Conference Finals Game 2
- When: Friday, May 20, 6:00 p.m. PST
- Where: Chase Center
- TV: TNT (streaming with Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV)
- Radio: 95.7 The Game, San Francisco
The cheapest tickets for Game 2 are shockingly lower than they were for Game 1 (score!), but they’ll still set you back $195.50 each at Ticketmaster for section 210, in the top corner of the arena. The cheapest seats on Stubhub were going for $204, but they’re also in section 210. To sit a bit closer to the court, expect to pay around $500 or more per ticket.
If you want to get as close to the action as possible, you can always opt for the VIP courtside tickets in row AA. For Game 2, these bad boys will run you $12,750 each for just the base ticket price. After all the fees, you’ll be paying a shade under $30,000 to sit courtside with a friend. Or, you know, you could just spend the same amount of money and buy 3,000 Big Mac meals and throw a huge hamburger party. Your choice.
What to watch for in Mavericks vs. Warriors Game 2
In Game 1, Andrew Wiggins was the primary defender on Dončić for much of the game, and he defended the All-Star point guard as well as anyone in the league could. With stout one-on-one defense on Luka, the rest of the Warriors were able to stay in front of their men and force 3-pointers.
The Mavs have been living and dying by the 3 this postseason, and they were only 11 of 48 in Game 1. If they continue shooting like that, they'll die by the 3 in this series. But as good as the Warriors defended, the Mavs missed a lot of wide-open 3s that they usually make. It’ll be interesting to see how head coaches Jason Kidd and Steve Kerr adjust the gameplans heading into Friday’s game.
Watch for Luka to bounce back in Game 2 and take over like he did against the Phoenix Suns last round. Wiggins was great in Game 1, but nobody in the league has been able to contain the 23-year-old superstar on their own. At the same time, look for Steph to play better in the first half than he has been throughout these playoffs.
It seems only a matter of time before a classic Steph Curry 40-point playoff game. Let’s see if it happens on Friday.