3 things to watch for in a must win Game 3 for the Mavericks to catch the Celtics in the NBA Finals

The NBA Finals are back at the American Airlines Center in Dallas for the first time in 13 years, and the Dallas Mavericks find themselves in a must-win scenario in game that can be watched Wednesday night at 7:30 PM CT on ABC. After dropping the first two games to the Boston Celtics the series is on the line for Luka Doncic and company. It’s unfamiliar territory for this Mavericks team, who split or won the first two road games in each of the previous three series.

The Mavericks nearly stole Game 2 in Boston on a night where the Celtics couldn’t consistently hit threes, the lifeblood of their offense. But Dallas’ offense stagnated, and outside of Luka Doncic’s scoring push no one else on the Mavericks has discovered their game in the finals. Much of that is credit to a stout Celtics defense, who continue to bottle up all role contributors and have shut off a lob game that’s been a staple of Mavericks play. And the defense that’s been Dallas’ calling card has been stretched, literally, to its limits. Plenty of storylines, both new and carried from the first two games, will be at the forefront of Game 3. Here’s what we’ll be keeping an eye on.

Porzingis with a new injury

Tuesday afternoon the Celtics announced a rare injury to former Maverick, current Celtics star, Kristaps Porzingis. On an awkward second half play in Game 2 Porzingis landed funny fighting for a rebound with PJ Washington and ended up hobbled and eventually pulled from the game for good. The report states he suffered a “torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg”. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla characterized it as a serious injury, however they’ve declared him day-to-day with the possibility of playing Wednesday.

This is obviously a key factor in this game, and going further in the series. The oft injured Porzingis had just returned from a five-week stint out of the lineup recovering from a calf injury to this same leg. He returned at the start of this series in a bench role and absolutely lit the Mavericks up in Game 1. The Mavericks have had little answer for him, and he’s had every answer for Dallas in their drive attempts, swatting nearly every shot at the rim. The Celtics are plus-25 in Porzingis’ minutes, and even with the Mavericks during his time on the bench.

The possibility of Porzingis’ absence wouldn’t solve everything for the Mavericks. But if he is out a greater pressure rests on Al Horford and several bench bigs that have not yet appeared in meaningful minutes in this series. This is still a massive TBD.

Kyrie getting free, and on track

The Mavericks haven’t been without Irving’s scoring support since the second round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Against the young number one seed Kyrie wasn’t himself as a scorer, effected by the physicality and length of the Thunder defense. He averaged just 15.7 points per game in that series.

The Celtics are the supercharged version of that Thunder team on both ends of the floor, and they have the veteran prototypes of those same Thunder defenders. Boston has disrupted Irving’s rhythm — and even in the open looks he is generating you can sense him second guessing when he does attack or pull-up, concerned about whatever length might be lurking. Through two games in the finals Irving is averaging 14 points.

In the second round he supplanted his scoring in a variety of ways — he was still efficient from three, hitting 11 of his 26 three point attempts. He also created for others, averaging over six assists per game. But in these two games Irving’s handles have been sloppy, coughing up the ball in inopportune moments and managing just four assists per game. He’s also 0-for-8 from three.

Game 3 is a big moment for Kyrie. It has been a long and winding journey to get back to this stage and by all accounts this postseason has been a remarkable bounce back for him. The Mavericks need to work to get him open and attacking early, setting high screens for him to get going downhill. If Porzingis is hobbled or absent Wednesday Irving will stand to benefit if he can shake his defender earlier and get attacking against Horford. The Mavericks desperately need their veteran leader in this one.

Life around the rim

Much has been made of the Celtics suffocating the Mavericks from corner three attempts, but their ability to remove shots at the rim has been just as vital. The Mavericks put more emphasis on involving Daniel Gafford in Game 2, something that gained a little more steam in the second half; he’s 9-of-12 from the field in the finals. But the way Gafford is getting those baskets isn’t what he’s accustomed to the flow of the Mavericks offense. They’ve all been near the rim, though only one has been from an alley-oop. Most of his production has been on late dump-off passes near the rim, still shots he has to work for. Gafford has been guarded by Jayson Tatum often, and with that the Mavericks have targeted putting Gafford on the block to be physical with Tatum early. It’s produced some decent looks, but can’t be a preferred method for Dallas to generate offense.

Lively has seen the rim even less, going just 2-for-4 in the series. His first shot attempt was a dunk with just 6:51 remaining in Game 1. His other basket highlights what may be possible if Porzingis isn’t 100-percent or isn’t available at all.

Boston will likely adjust their coverages if Porzingis isn’t on the floor, and will protect Horford from these situations. But this play highlights some potential in how the gravity shifts. Even in Derrick White’s closeout here Lively has the option to kick to the corner for Irving to see a wide open corner three, something Dallas basically hasn’t seen since the Conference Finals. The Mavericks will need to find new ways to open up the floor for their big men to create these chances.

How to watch

Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM CT and can be watched on ABC.