{"id":47335,"date":"2022-05-17T15:00:10","date_gmt":"2022-05-17T19:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=47335"},"modified":"2022-05-17T11:46:59","modified_gmt":"2022-05-17T15:46:59","slug":"western-conference-finals-preview-warriors-vs-mavericks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2022\/05\/17\/western-conference-finals-preview-warriors-vs-mavericks\/","title":{"rendered":"Western Conference Finals Preview: Warriors vs. Mavericks"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a <\/span>pair of grueling<\/span><\/a> second-round series<\/span><\/a>, the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks are set to square off in the Western Conference Finals. The series starts in San Francisco since the Warriors clinched home-court advantage with a superior regular-season record. However, Dallas beat Golden State in three of their four matchups despite being the lower seed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The season series comes with asterisks on both sides, however. <\/span>Draymond Green<\/b><\/a> missed three of these games due to injury, and <\/span>Klay Thompson<\/b><\/a> was available for just two. Two games took place before Dallas\u2019 <\/span>Kristaps Porzi\u0146\u0123is<\/b><\/a> trade, which brought in <\/span>Spencer Dinwiddie<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>D\u0101vis Bert\u0101ns<\/b><\/a>. This is a matchup few expected, and the lack of prior information makes the prospect of this series particularly exciting. So who will win the Western Conference Finals? This series\u2019 key questions are below, along with our prediction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Western Conference Finals Preview: Warriors vs. Mavericks<\/h2>\n

Can Luka Don\u010di\u0107 be stopped?<\/b><\/h3>\n

This is the key question of the Western Conference Finals. It could be the question every team in the league has to answer for the next decade. <\/span>Lebron James<\/b><\/a> held the mantle of \u201cplayer who can guarantee an elite offense no matter his supporting cast\u201d in his prime, and <\/span>Luka Don\u010di\u0107<\/b><\/a> has assumed it.<\/span><\/p>\n

The one weakness in Don\u010di\u0107\u2019s offensive game is shooting. He finished 35.3% from three and 74.4% from the free-throw line on his way to 28.4 points per game (PPG)\u00a0 this season. Those numbers are in line with his career averages, but the Warriors wouldn\u2019t know. Don\u010di\u0107 flamb\u00e9ed Golden State en route to 31.5 PPG in just 34.5 minutes. His averages increased to 38.2% from three and 87.5% from the line while playing like the <\/span>best player in the NBA<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thompson and <\/span>Andrew Wiggins<\/b><\/a> will likely be the primary Don\u010di\u0107 defenders, with Green likely to get some stints late in close games. Dallas is unafraid to let Don\u010di\u0107 attack in isolation and will set screens for him repeatedly. Wiggins and Thompson will need to have the strength to fight for position in the post and get through screens and the mobility to stay in front of Don\u010di\u0107\u2019s drives. If they execute, the reward is chasing to contest a step-back three. Expect <\/span>Gary Payton II<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Andre Iguodala<\/b><\/a> to take turns on Don\u010di\u0107 as well if either gets healthy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>