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Tim MacMahon, ESPN Staff Writer
BOSTON – The Dallas Mavericks have proven to be a dangerous team when they’re facing an 0-1 deficit in a playoff series. They have a lot of practice.
The Mavs’ 107-89 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the NBA Finals marked the sixth time that Dallas has dropped the opener in seven series under coach Jason Kidd.
Dallas has recovered to win five of the previous six series despite falling behind, including the first two rounds of this postseason against the LA Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
By contrast, the rest of the NBA is 9-30 in Game 2s after losing the series opener over the last three postseasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
“There’s no panic with this group,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said after Saturday’s practice on the eve of Game 2. “We didn’t play well in Game 1. Give credit to Boston; they did. But it’s a series. We don’t just look or capitalize on just one game. We’ve lost Game 1 a lot of times, and we’ve responded. We believe that we can respond in Game 2.”
The Mavs became the first team in NBA history to trail by at least 25 points in the opener of three series in the same postseason, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Dallas bounced back from double-digit losses in their Game 1s against the Clippers and Thunder by evening the series with a road win in the next game.
The Celtics are well aware of their opponent’s history of responding to series-opening setbacks.
“They come back in Game 2, so we’re going to get a forceful, more aggressive team on Sunday,” Celtics forward Jaylen Brown said, comments that were echoed by his co-star Jayson Tatum. “We got to be ready, because they’re really good after a loss, so we can’t be surprised. That’s what I’m preparing my team for.”
Mavs superstar Luka Doncic, in particular, has a tremendous track record in Game 2s and immediately after a playoff loss.
Doncic has averaged 33.9 points in Game 2s. It’s the highest-scoring average in Game 2s in NBA history (minimum 5 games), six-tenths of a point higher than Michael Jordan.
Doncic has averaged 34.3 points per game immediately following a loss in that playoff series. That is the highest-scoring average in NBA history in those situations (minimum 10 games), a point higher Michael Jordan.
Doncic finished Game 1 with 30 points on 12-of-26 shooting but only a playoff-career-low one assist. Kidd has encouraged Doncic to “take the layups” if the Celtics continue to prioritize preventing him from throwing alley-oops and passes to corner 3-point shooters off his drives.
“I think just be a little bit more aggressive,” Doncic said. “I think we all came out for the game with little energy. So I think we have to be better with our energy, especially from the start.”