Dallas Mavericks: 5 things we learned in playoff preview versus Clippers

Thing we learned in Dallas Mavericks loss to Clippers: 2. Mavs need Curry

The Mavs made 17 of their 48 3-point attempts on Thursday against the Clippers. It was a bounce back after struggling in the two previous games. Luka Doncic got back on track too. He was three of 18 coming into the matchup against the Clippers. Doncic finished six of 13 on Thursday.

The Mavericks need Seth Curry to beat the Clippers. Trey Burke played 31 minutes on Aug. 6. He was five of 15 from the field and missed all seven of his threes. Burke has the quickness to get inside, but he cannot match Curry’s shooting ability. Dallas needs that to open the floor against LA.

There were multiple drives and kick-outs by Luka that did not turn into points. Tim Hardaway Jr. was two of eight from 3-point range. That did not help. Curry creates a bit of extra space too. His defender cannot leave him to stop the drives.

The positive news is the team is calling it right leg soreness for Curry. Hopefully, that means he returns in short order. The 29-year-old could make a massive difference in the playoffs. Stay tuned to see how his shooting changes the matchup.

Next: No. 1