3 Keys to Mavs Beating the Spurs Tonight
By Joe Summers
The Mavericks bring a three-game losing streak into tonight's showdown with the Spurs. Dallas sits sixth in the Western Conference but has a fantastic opportunity to move up the standings in the coming weeks as Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić grow more comfortable together.
As the Mavs look to open the final stretch of the regular season with a win, there are a few keys to victory tonight I want to highlight.
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Now, let's get to those keys for a victory.
3 Keys to Mavs Beating the Spurs
Dallas has five consecutive wins over San Antonio, so the Mavs should be in good shape tonight. Regardless, here are the main things Dallas needs to accomplish to win:
Just Show Up
Honestly, the Mavs' primary concern should just be showing up. The Spurs are in full "tank mode" and want to lose this game as much as Dallas wants to win it.
San Antonio is 2-22 in its last 24 contests and has lost each of its last 14. Dallas, meanwhile, is earnestly trying to move up the standings in hopes of securing homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
As long as Luka and Kyrie don't somehow get lost in the tunnels before tip-off, the Mavs should have no issue cruising to victory.
Embrace Offensive Roles
Kyrie, Luka, and Christian Wood are learning to play together. We've seen some late-game struggles, and a game like this against such an inferior opponent is the perfect time to iron out the kinks.
Over the last 15 games, San Antonio ranks 28th in the NBA in defensive rating (120.7). Dallas is only 14th in offensive rating (117.9) in that stretch despite its newfound firepower. By season's end, the Mavs should hope to rank in the top-10 leaguewide.
Expect Dallas to use this game as a testing ground for its players to embrace their new roles offensively.
Lock in Defensively
The Mavs need to find an identity defensively. Over those last 15 games, they rank 19th in rating (117) and won't advance far in the playoffs if they don't shore up that end of the ball.
Just like this is a great time to embrace offensive roles, Dallas needs to use this game to shut down a stagnant offense.
San Antonio ranks dead-last in the NBA in offensive rating (107.8) and turns the ball over at one of the highest rates in the league. Like a vulture circling its prey, the Mavs should feast on a near-dead opponent.
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