The Dallas Mavericks (18-26) are back at home on Thursday to host the Golden State Warriors (25-20). It is a rematch of the 2022 Western Conference Finals, but it hardly resembles the matchup four years ago.
The Mavericks are hot. Their three-game win streak is a part of six wins in their last nine games. They are eighth in net rating (4.7) over that time frame and fifth in field goal percentage (49.3). They have wins over Houston and New York during this stretch and are looking to added another quality
victory on Thursday at home.
Golden State is not to be overlooked, either, though. They have won six of eight and have only lost four times since December 18th. The Warriors just lost forward Jimmy Butler for the season to a torn ACL and are coming off a big loss to the Raptors.
With the injury to Butler, this matchup will now feature three of the two teams’ four highest-paid players in street clothes. Fortunately for viewers, rookie sensation Cooper Flagg and Hall of Famer Stephen Curry are slated to play, so this game will still be must-see television. Here are three things to watch for when the Mavericks host the Warriors on Thursday:
Primetime revenge for Flagg
The last time Dallas was on national TV was a week ago at home against the Nuggets. The Mavericks got manhandled in that game, and Flagg was playing poorly before exiting the game with an injury in the first half. Thursday is an opportunity for Flagg to bounce back in front of a national audience against a team that he torched under heightened stakes on Christmas Day. Flagg had 27 points, six rebounds, and five assists in that game, and is surely thinking about repeating that performance while flipping the result this time around.
Steph Curry flurry
Curry has played very well in Dallas since the pandemic. He has averaged 28.1 points and seven assists against the Mavericks at American Airlines Center in that time frame, which includes a nuclear 57-point explosion almost five years ago. He had a putrid game in these teams’ last meeting, but do not expect a repeat of that. The Mavericks match up poorly with Curry, and without Butler on the floor, the Warriors are going to look to bomb away even more than they did already. The Mavericks’ fast pace and shot-making recently will also feed the game flow that Curry likes to play in.
Klay sticking it to his former team
This is a bit of low-hanging fruit, but Thursday is a big opportunity for Klay Thompson to remind his former team what they’re missing. Thompson has been up and down since arriving in Dallas, and this is especially true in games against the Warriors. His first two were incredible: 51 points on 16-of-31 shooting. The last three, however, have left a sour taste in Thompson’s mouth: 35 points on 12-of-35 shooting and a 1-2 record. Dallas has a great chance to win this game, and Thompson has shot 51.6 percent from three in the last three games. It will be at the forefront of his agenda to continue this hot play and show Golden State that he still has it.
How to watch
The game will tip at 6:30 p.m. CST on Prime Video.
