Nba Playoff, Doncic is not enough and Phoenix overcomes Dallas in race-1

Not even phenomena like Luka Doncic can beat big teams like the Phoenix Suns on their own. The Slovenian invents a show match in game-1 of the Western Conference semifinals, 45 points which, however, serve Dallas more to stay in the game than to try to win it. Because Phoenix, with 6 double-digit players, is an amazing collective that controls for 40 minutes, taking the final 121-114 after being also at +21. “We trust each other, we are careful in defense and we follow our leaders, Chris Paul and Devin Booker – says DeAndre Ayton, devastating under the basket with 25 points -. Let’s not get too excited, though: let’s take this victory and think about race-2 ”. The final 8 ‘, the ones in which the Mavs, dragged by their phenomenon, are back under from -21, are the perfect reminder that this was only Game-1 of a promising series. Race-2 is Wednesday, also in Phoenix.

GROUP

–

The Suns won as a team. With the defense that let Doncic vent and controlled all the others (“Every time you see an opponent score 45 points against you you are not happy, but then I see that we have only granted 16 assists and this means that none of the others have played. at his usual level ”explains coach Williams) and with the attack perfectly managed by Paul (19 points and 3 assists) and above all Booker (23 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists), returned to full service after the injury. Important minutes for Cam Johnson, who tweaks his maximum in the playoffs to 17 points, and JaVale McGee, who deserves the praise of the coach despite the boxscore saying 4 points in 14 ‘. Phoenix for the 7th consecutive game shot over 50% from the field and dominated 51-36 in rebound, with Ayton enigma that the Dallas defense has hardly ever been able to solve. But those final 8 ‘make Coach Williams reflect: “Those minutes remind us that we can be better, that we cannot afford breaks against a team like this”.

ALONE

–

Dallas lost because he left Doncic alone. The Slovenian in attack was phenomenal, good at getting in rhythm and trying to involve his teammates and impossible to tame for the opposing defense. “Luka did what he wanted-confirms coach Kidd-. He played great, also trying to involve his teammates, but we have to be better as a team ”. When it is counted, the only one to really give him a hand was Maxi Kleber, the German born and raised in the same country as Dirk Nowitzki who finished with 19 points and 5 triples on target. Disastrous Jalen Brunson (13 points with 6/16 shooting), put out of rhythm by fouls in the first half and errors in the second, Spencer Dinwiddie also hurt (8 points and 4 assists) in 30 ‘. In the final encouraging flashes from Dorian Finney-Smith, who finished with 15 points and 6 rebounds but never managed to make a difference in defense. Dallas has to restart from the final 8 ‘thinking about race-2, how he reacted after a bad start. “I’m sure we will recover, that’s what we’ve been doing all year,” says confident coach Kidd.

THE MATCH

–

Phoenix at +15 (22-7) already after 7 ‘, but Doncic’s show (14 points in the first quarter) and Kleber’s triples keep Dallas in the game. The Mavs are back under 51-47 in the second quarter, but the Suns with Ayton (10 points in the period) reach the interval ahead 69-56. When in the second half Phoenix’s defense finds a way to stop Luka and the Dallas triples too (3/10 after 9/21 of the first half), the game breaks: the Suns score 93-75 with a triple from Payne a 3’18 “from the third siren, then McGee crushes 106-85 with 8’49” on the clock. With the match now compromised, Dallas under the pressure of Doncic reduces the disadvantage showing signs of recovery: they will be useful for game-2.

Phoenix: Ayton 25 (12/20 of two, 1/1 free throws), Booker 23, Paul 19. Rebounds: Booker 9. Assists: Booker 8.

Dallas: Doncic 45 (11/19, 4/11, 11/14 tl), Kleber 19, Finney-Smith 15. Rebounds: Doncic 12. Assist: Doncic 8.