5 adjustments Dallas Mavericks must make in playoff Game 3 vs. Suns

Adjustment Dallas Mavericks must make in Game 3 vs. Suns: 1. 3 guard lineup

The Mavs want to play small and space the floor. It opens things up for Luka Doncic to attack the rim and makes Dallas difficult to stop, but they struggled to get to their preferred lineups in Game 2. Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith dealing with foul trouble limited the time they could go to it.

The Mavericks found success in Game 1 playing their three ball-handlers together with Spencer Dinwiddie replacing the team’s center. The micro lineup allows Dallas to maximize their playmaking and shooting while forcing the opposition’s big man to defend on the perimeter. Head coach Jason Kidd only used this lineup for two minutes in Game 2 because of foul trouble.

Expect the Mavs to go back to it on Friday night. It will be even more effective if they get Jalen Brunson going early in the contest. The Suns are going to be ready to counter, and they could go to a small ball lineup of their own with Cameron Johnson replacing Deandre Ayton. Dallas making Phoenix adjust to them is a small victory in a series where the Mavericks have not scored many of them so far.

The Dallas Mavericks are facing a must-win in Game 3. Expect coach Kidd to make the right adjustments, but will the supporting cast offer Luka Doncic enough help on Friday night? Be sure to tune in to find out.