Dallas Mavericks: Mavs Take On Warriors at Oracle Arena

Game Day Preview: Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors

Steve Kerr has made it clear this week that he intends to let his players loose in pursuit of the NBA’s single season win record and NBA history, meanwhile in Dallas, the Mavericks are just trying to lock down a playoff spot.

For Dallas, things have been pretty bleak over the last two weeks. The Mavericks have lost 8 of their last 10, lost Chandler Parsons to a knee injury, and are struggling to find their identity on both ends of the court, much less capture a victory.

The Mavericks are clinging to a half of a game lead for 7th place over the Houston Rockets. Currently there are four teams within 1.5 games of 6th place in the Western Conference.

Tonight, the Mavericks will attempt to repeat what only six other NBA teams have been able to do – beat the reigning MVP and his cast of basketball revolutionaries.

Wes Matthews still holds the keys to the bus

The Mavericks highest paid player has been a major key in just about every Mavericks game this season. After an awful shooting stretch over the last month, Matthews has made 11-17 three pointers. Looks like playing against his former team (Portland) twice in one week was enough to get the struggling guard fired up.

Matthews defensive prowess and offensive reliability will be vital against a Warriors team that, frankly, is nearly unstoppable. Matthews will have to be firing on all cylinders tonight.

Small ball without Parsons

More than once against Portland on Wednesday, Coach Carlisle went with a small ball line-up against the Blazers with Dirk and Lee as the only big men. It didn’t work out too well against the Trail Blazers, but the Warriors version of small ball might just play right into Dallas’ hand.

Raymond Felton has been consistently getting worse, but big nights from Barea, Williams, Matthews and Harris, might be enough for Dallas to get the W tonight.

Defense or offense?

With a team that is a ruthless as Golden State, you have to be willing to pick your poison so to speak. Do you try and stop them? Or do you try and score with them?

The Mavericks have allowed 110 points per game since February 5th, so stopping the Warriors probably won’t really happen all that much. Dallas will just have to figure out a way to do a little bit of both. The key here? Guard play.

Dallas’ big men match up against Golden State decently, the mismatch however, is at the guard position. Curry and Thompson are nearly impossible to stop, but slowing them down a little bit and putting pressure on the bench could be the only way the Mavericks survive the onslaught.