SUMMARY
- The Dallas Mavericks lost Game 4 to the Los Angeles Clippers.
- Coach Jason Kidd claims that a slow start to the game cost the Mavs this win.
After sustaining a loss at the LA Clippers’ hands in Game 4 of the Western Conference playoffs, Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd had quite a lot to say. As most NBA fans should be aware, the Mavs and Clippers have matched up once again for the first round of the postseason. Both teams have a significant amount of star talent on their rosters and aspirations to win an NBA championship this season.
At the moment, the series is tied at 2-2 and has the potential to go all the way down to Game 7. After the Mavs lost Game 4 despite having homecourt advantage and an elite performance from Kyrie Irving, Jason Kidd was interviewed regarding the mistakes the team made this game. He was also asked about what the Mavs need to do in order to win Game 5. With that being said, let us take a closer look at what he had to say.
The Dallas Mavericks were outscored 16-39 in the first quarter
Although an NBA game is divided into 4 quarters, one bad quarter could affect the outcome of a game quite significantly and put it out of reach. This occurred for the Mavs in the first quarter of Game 4. The team was outscored 16-39 by the Los Angeles Clippers and ended up trailing Los Angeles for the majority of the game.
“Our defense again in that first quarter was not up to par. We got great looks offensively, we missed some. It was kinda like Game 1 all over again, having a bad quarter. But the big thing is we fought take the lead we go up 1 and then Geroge hit a 3 a tough corner 3 they take the lead again. So just looking at the start we have to be better, contest the 3s is one thing but when you give these guys warmup 3s, you can put yourself in a bad situation.”
Giving any team open looks from the three-point line could prove devastating in a playoff series. Paul Geroge and James Harden took advantage and helped the Clippers take a lead that they were able to sustain till the very end. Jason Kidd also discussed the areas that the Dallas Mavericks would need to work on if they wished to win Game 5.
Jason Kidd wants the Mavs to not rely on the three-pointer and avoid turnovers in Game 5
Since the modern NBA relies on the three-pointer heavily, teams also struggle to score when the three-ball isn’t falling. This is exactly what happened to the Mavs in Game 4. Dallas was eager to catch up to the Clippers and shot from long distance with high volume. However, those misses ended up hurting the team greatly. Kidd opined that the team should play naturally instead of forcing up three-pointers in Game 5.
“After a game hard fought we have to be better. Our starts have to be better. We can’t rely on the 3. We gotta take what the team is giving us and then if we’re not scoring we gotta be able to put u a better fight defensively. But lastly, we gotta take care of the ball. We just had too many turnovers coming down the stretch or throughout the game and when we do take care of the ball and get shots it tends to help us score.”