3 things to watch as the Dallas Mavericks face off with the Golden State Warriors

Nov 29, 2022 - 6:33 AM

The Dallas Mavericks (9-10) look to snap a four-game losing streak as they host the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors (11-10).

Milwaukee prevailed over Dallas Sunday evening, 124-115, in a game that saw Bucks sharpshooter Grayson Allen get loose for open shots early and often against the Dallas defense. Allen scored 25 points on 8-for-10 shooting including 7-for-8 from beyond the arc.

After the game, Spencer Dinwiddie’s post-game interview was refreshingly candid on the domino effect of dropping winnable games “This is why you can’t drop the winnable ones. The 20 point leads, or Denver without their players, or the Rockets”, Dinwiddie explained.

Will a return to the AAC end the losing streak?

The Mavericks' 1-4 start on the road before the recent three-game road trip could easily be written off as an early-season anomaly. Returning home with a 1-7 road record is more concerning. Dallas is set to face a Warriors team that has also struggled on the road this year, going 2-9 thus far.

The AAC has been much friendlier to Dallas so far this year. The Mavericks’ home record of 8-3 could easily be 10-1 if the letdowns against Oklahoma City and Denver had finished differently. Given the road-dominant schedule over the last few weeks, can the Mavericks take it to the champs and end this losing streak where it stands?

Steph Curry is having an absurdly good season

With so many names in the MVP conversation, it may be easy to pass over just how well Steph Curry is playing. 31.4 points per game on a 68.8 true shooting percentage is uproariously good. In a recent video from JxmyHighroller, Curry’s start is detailed to be even better than his unanimous MVP season from 2016 and yet he is only listed as fifth in the most recent MVP rankings on NBA.com.

With Curry’s blistering efficiency a near-foregone conclusion, keeping the complimentary scoring from Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins to a reasonable level will be key in tonight’s game.

Free throw percentage

The Dallas Mavericks have sunk 77.2 percent from the free throw line in wins this season and just 69.4 in losses - including 16 of 25 (64 percent) Sunday against Milwaukee. Unsurprisingly, the biggest driver of these percentages is Luka Doncic — as he is second with 198 attempts, only 2 behind Giannis Antetokounmpo. Trae Young is a distant third at 168.

Doncic is hitting 79.6 percent from the free throw line in wins this season and 65.6 in losses. After starting the season very well from the line, regression — perhaps connected to high usage — is bringing this number down. Keep an eye on this throughout the game as the attempts will be there — Dallas needs the makes to be there as well.

Where to watch

You can catch the Mavs and Warriors on TNT tonight at 6:30 p.m. CST