Have the Dallas Mavericks’ NBA title dreams already been dashed?

The Mavericks lost the first two games of the NBA Finals on the road against the Boston Celtics, and now face the challenge of winning four out of the next five to keep their championship dreams alive. Is it too steep of a hill to climb, or does Dallas have what it takes to complete the comeback? All statistics are sourced from Basketball Reference.

Simply put, Dallas hasn’t led all that much in the NBA Finals so far. They were thoroughly trounced in Game 1, and while they hung around in Game 2, the Mavericks didn’t feel like a particularly good bet to make plays when they mattered most.

Mavericks fans were thrown for a loop in the hours leading up to Game 2, as Luka Doncic surprisingly had his game status downgraded from probable to questionable. ESPN helped detail the litany of ailments he was dealing with, inclusive of a right knee sprain, a left ankle injury and a chest contusion.

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Doncic did everything in his power to keep Dallas within striking distance in Game 2. Despite the physical toll he endured, he still put up 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in 42 minutes.

However, Doncic also accounted for six turnovers, and went 4-8 from the free throw line. In a revealing quote captured by CBS Sports, Doncic said his turnovers and missed free throws cost the Mavericks the game.

With Doncic hobbled, it might be difficult for him to put the team on his back for the remainder of the series. While there are lengthy breaks between Games 5, 6 and 7, Game 3 and Game 4 will be played with just one day of rest. That short turnaround time might impede Doncic’s ability to be as effective as he usually is when Game 4 rolls around.

Coming into the NBA Finals, Kyrie Irving’s experience in the biggest stage was lauded as a reason why Dallas was a serious threat to win it all. However, he hasn’t played as well as many fans would have expected.

In Game 1, Irving shot just 6-19 from the field. Things weren’t much better in Game 2, as the guard on 7-18 attempts.

Irving knows that he hasn’t been playing as well as he is capable of. Fadeaway World captured his thoughts after the Game 2 defeat, “A little disappointed in myself not being able to convert a lot more of the opportunities I have in the lane.”

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Kyrie Irving also brought up that getting easy shot attempts was no easy task against Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. With that being said, Irving’s resume suggests that he could erupt at any moment for a vintage performance, which gives Dallas a real chance to get their first win of the series in Game 3.

Before Game 2, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd told the media that he believes Jaylen Brown, and not Jayson Tatum, is Boston’s best player. It was an interesting comment that many have responded to.

While the validity of the comment can be sliced and diced elsewhere, it’s interesting that Kidd would feel the need to say that in the first place. It’s possible that he realizes the Celtics are a superior team, and was willing to do whatever it took to try and get a mental edge against Boston.

Sports Illustrated and others wrote about how it looked like Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis was injured late in the Game 2 victory for Boston. He has since come out and said he will be fine, but the Mavericks should try to test his mobility early and often in Game 3. Porzingis’ length is a problem for offensive players, but he might not be as effective laterally.

Tim Hardaway Jr. has not been a prominent member of Dallas’ NBA Finals rotation, only playing eight minutes in Game 1 and not seeing the floor at all in Game 2. The Mavericks may have a wrinkle up their sleeve in Game 3, which would involve Hardaway getting into the contest early to see if he can provide some offensive punch.

According to Diario AS, only five teams in NBA history have come back to win the title after going down 0-2. Dallas will need to find answers quickly in Game 3, and fans can expect Kidd (who was a player on Dallas’ last title time) to pull out all the stops on the bench.

Let us know what you think about the Mavericks’ chances to come back and win the series by leaving a comment!

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