Mavericks vs Warriors Preview: 4 things as Dallas heads to the Bay

Klay Thompson’s first game back where he made his name

The 5-5 Dallas Mavericks continue their daunting road swing with a trip to the Chase Center to face the 8-2 Golden State Warriors Tuesday at 9:00pm. Both clubs enter this contest after weekend tests against some of the league’s best teams, with the Mavericks falling in consecutive heartbreakers to Phoenix and Denver, and the Warriors serving as Cleveland’s tenth straight victim before overcoming an early deficit to beat Oklahoma City after Thunder center Chet Holmgren left the game with a hip injury.

While injuries to center Dereck Lively II (shoulder sprain) and forward P.J. Washington (knee sprain) have forced the Mavericks to field some smaller lineups lately, this season’s Warriors have done it by design. Golden State averages 39.5% accuracy on 41.3 3-point attempts per game and boasts five regulars shooting 40% or better from beyond the arc- guards Steph Curry, Buddy Hield, and Moses Moody; and forwards Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins- plus another, guard De’Anthony Melton, who connected on 5 of his 8 long-range attempts in his Warriors starting debut against the Thunder.

The injuries to Lively and Washington have robbed the Mavericks not only of scoring and rebounding, but also of two of the team’s better perimeter-defending big men, which makes Golden State a particularly difficult matchup. One glimmer of hope for Dallas can be found in the expected return of forward Maxi Kleber from a hamstring injury Tuesday, though he will likely play limited minutes.

Up front, the Warriors feature forwards Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis, the league leader in field goal percentage at .700, and can counter big lineups with reliable center Kevon Looney. Although the athletic Kuminga has been a questionable fit at times with the Warriors’ scheme and personnel, his talent and production off the bench have been undeniable. Mavericks center Daniel Gafford has provided scoring and rim defense in Lively’s absence but has been plagued in those games by foul trouble and having to face Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic. If Lively misses Tuesday’s game, expect Dallas to call on Dwight Powell for help at center.

NBA Cup

Tuesday’s game is the first of Group Play for both teams in this year’s NBA in-season tournament. The Mavericks will play each of their counterparts in West Group C, which includes the Warriors, Pelicans, Nuggets, and Grizzlies, between Tuesday and Dec. 3 to determine who will advance to the Knockout Round. The winners of each of the six groups and two wild card teams, the second-place group finishers with the best regular-season records, will move on to play in the tournament Quarterfinals.

Klay’s return

Mavericks forward Klay Thompson will play his first career game in the Bay Area as a visitor, having been an integral member of four Warriors title teams in his 13 seasons there. The team plans to honor one of the greatest players in franchise history with souvenir captain’s hats for the fans in attendance, to commemorate Thompson’s longtime practice of boating to games across the San Francisco Bay. After a hot start to the season for the Mavericks, Klay’s shooting touch has faltered lately as he went a combined 8-of-26 from the field against the Suns and Nuggets, including 2 of 13 from 3-point range.

Wanted: bench scoring

Lively’s and Washington’s absences have also highlighted how much Dallas has relied on Lively and forward Naji Marshall, who has filled in as a starter for Washington, for bench production in 2024-25. It’s also noticeable how little they have gotten from their reserve guards of late. Head coach Jason Kidd tried different approaches in the last two games to spark better output from outside the starting lineup, nearly emptying the bench against Phoenix before playing a short rotation against Denver, with similar disappointing results. Spencer Dinwiddie and Jaden Hardy combined for seven points Sunday, and Quentin Grimes did not check into the game. Depth was expected to be one of this team’s strengths, and it will have to be if the Mavericks are to compete against the Warriors.

The road ahead

Tuesday’s game marks the second in a stretch in which the Mavericks play 11 of 15 on the road after failing to capitalize on a five-game homestand during which they only won against Orlando and Chicago squads that were decimated by injuries. Between the travel and the team’s own shaky health (Luka Dončić has not missed any time but has been playing through a left groin injury), the Mavericks have their work cut out for them but catch a break in the next four games against the Spurs, Jazz, Thunder, and Pelicans, teams that are below them in the standings or missing key contributors due to injury.

While it didn’t help them in the standings, in their last six quarters of play the Mavericks have outscored the Suns and Nuggets 185-171, so the team is not without causes for optimism. Dallas continues taking good care of the ball, leading the NBA with a turnover ratio of 11.7, and has gotten several outstanding individual performances from its starters. Much has been asked of guard Kyrie Irving while the Mavericks have been shorthanded, and Sunday he responded to the challenge with incandescent shooting, tallying 43 points on 17-of-22 shooting, including making 6 of his 8 3-point attempts. Kidd has been critical of the Mavericks’ slow starts, and Dallas can help itself by reversing course and coming out strong. Against the Warriors, it may be necessary.

How to Watch

This one will be nationally televised on TNT!