The Mavericks’ weak point: Luka’s defense

Offense alone won’t knock off the Celtics

BY DAVID THORPE

Lazy defense at the point of attack is dooming the Mavs. ADAM GLANZMAN/GETTY IMAGES

The Celtics have eviscerated the Mavericks’ defense. Even as Luka Dončić torched the Celtics in the first half of Game 2, the Mavs never seemed competitive—for the second straight game, they failed to crack 100 points. But they won’t solve the Celtics merely by scoring more. They need to string together stops, especially in late-game situations.

A rare mix of skilled drivers, slashers, and shooters, the Celtics are much like the Thunder—just echelons better, as the Mavs have learned in consecutive losses. Atop the best offensive rating in history, Boston has also been amazing in the clutch. The Mavs aren’t winning any games if they’re down 10 points with five to play and they’re jogging to contest shots. 

To win even one game in this series, the Mavs will require far more effort from Luka and Kyrie Irving on the defensive end—especially at the point of attack. 

Here are six plays that tell the story from Game 2 and show what the Mavs will need to do to avoid going down 3-0.

Position and awareness

Rarely does a single play symbolize the entire story of a game. After the Celtics ran them out of the gym in Game 1, we had to assume the Mavs’ primary focus would be playing better defense in Game 2.

Defensively, every plot begins with the starting position—or where a defender is in relation to his man, the ball, and the other four offensive players. Starting position is more than standing in the right place; it’s about ball awareness and threat recognition as well.