The Dallas Mavericks fell to the top team in the NBA last night when they faced off in a late game against the Golden State Warriors. The Mavs held their own before falling 108-99.
Last night the NBA-best Golden State Warriors took apart the Mavericks in a wire-to-wire win that showcased their never-before seen firepower. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant all enjoyed solid nights as the Mavs simply could not keep up with the NBA’s top offense.
Harrison Barnes led the way for the Mavs, going 11-18 from the field for 25 points in his return to Oracle arena. The other former Warrior, Andrew Bogut, did not suit up for Dallas as he rested on the second night of a back to back.
Barnes was not given too much help as Wesley Matthews poured in 14, while Dirk Nowitzki added 11. Deron Williams had a quiet night with 11 points and just 7 shot attempts.
Klay Thompson stole the show last night, dropping 29 on the outmatched Mavericks. Hitting 5 three-pointers and shooting 58% overall, Rick Carlisle simply couldn’t answer the onslaught put on by the second splash brother. Kevin Durant scored 19 points on 7-14 shooting as he continued to have a great first season in the Bay area.
Rick Carlisle and the rest of the Mavs attempted to preach optimism to the fan base after the team’s 24th loss in 34 games. “It’s been a whirlwind year, but we’re inching along with health and we’re seeing some positive things.” Health-wise, the Mavs are as close to 100% as they have been all season.
Rick Carlisle finally has Devin Harris fully back into the rotation, and once J.J. Barea is back, the Mavs will be able to use Deron Williams, Devin Harris, and J.J. Barea in a solid backcourt. Such depth will allow Seth Curry to return to his natural position as well, the shooting guard.
For now, however, Dallas still stands at 10-24. The Mavs have a long, long way to go to get back into the playoff race let alone reach .500. The Mavs streak of winning seasons is very much in jeopardy this time around, but a healthy Dirk Nowitzki can only help the limping Mavericks.