Mavericks young guard's elevated play makes Lakers guard look stupid

The Dallas Mavericks look to take a dominating 3-0 series lead tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves. After a historic playoff game-winner in Game 2, Luka Doncic and the Mavs hold their head high.

The Minnesota coaching staff implemented some adjustments in the previous game, but ultimately, the Mavericks slithered their way back into the game, enforcing their game plan and getting whatever they wanted on offense.

The Dallas coaching staff has out-coached each opposing staff thus far, which seems to have continued in these Conference Finals.

The Mavs have been very reactionary with their lineups, and during the middle of the Western Conference Semifinals, we finally sawn Jaden Hardy get some impactful minutes.

Jaden Hardy's elevated play makes Spencer Dinwiddie look stupid

Jaden Hardy has been the most underrated player during this playoff run. His ability to control the pace, make quick decisions, and handle the ball with elite vision has helped the Mavericks sustain their offense in the minutes without Luka or Kyrie Irving.

During the regular season, former Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie was bought out of his contract and had the option of returning to Dallas or joining the Los Angeles Lakers.

Dinwiddie decided to sign with Los Angeles, which, in hindsight, seems like the wrong choice for him. His decision to be a Laker was a blessing in disguise for the Mavs.

The minutes he would've gotten have gone to Dante Exum, and now Jaden Hardy, who is blossoming on the biggest stage.

Hardy contributed some very impactful buckets during the Mavericks' comeback run. His numbers don't pop out, but the timeliness of his buckets and ability to run the offense stand out.

We're sometimes seeing Hardy get minutes over Exum, Tim Hardaway Jr, and even Josh Green. Hardy has proved his confidence never wavered, even in a season where it was questioned how trusted he can be on the court.

Spencer Dinwiddie is definitely watching his former team and wondering what could have been. For the Mavericks to defend home court and go up 3-0 in this series, they'll need Hardy to continue contributing as he has been.

Stay tuned for more updates on Jaden Hardy and the Dallas Mavericks.