Dallas Mavericks: 5 things the team needs to make the Western Conference Finals

How can Dallas Mavericks make the Western Conference Finals? 5. Establish a consistent third scoring option

The Mavs evened their bubble record at three and three, but let some winnable games slip away. They know that every night Luka and Kristaps Porzingis will perform. To win in the playoffs, the Mavericks need someone else to step up.

In losses to the Suns and Clippers, Luka and KP were the only two Mavs to score more than 20 points. Trey Burke chipped in 30 in the extremely high scoring loss to the Rockets, but he could not make a 3-pointer in seven tries against LAC.

When Dallas upset the Bucks, their star duo got help. Tim Hardaway Jr. dropped 22, and Dorian Finney-Smith finished with 27 including a few clutch 3-pointers.

Unfortunately for the Mavs, Seth Curry has not yet hit his stride in the bubble. After missing some time due to injury, the league leader in career 3-point percentage missed all three of his triples and one of seven from the field against Milwaukee. Hopefully, his 22 points versus Utah sparks his play. The Mavs will need Seth Curry’s shooting back if they want a chance to make noise in the playoffs.

Hardaway Jr. shot 39.7 percent from 3-point range before the NBA suspended play. He has hit just 31.9 percent in Orlando after making three of six against the Jazz. The Mavs will desperately need some consistent scoring to lower the weight on Luka’s back if they want to make a run in the postseason.