Former Dallas Mavericks great Jason Terry, who won a title with the franchise in 2011, is expecting a lot of “ebbs and flows” to the Western Conference Finals between the Mavs and Warriors. Game 1 is set for Wednesday night at 6 p.m. PT and you can hear all the action on 95.7 The Game.
Terry joined 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” Tuesday to give his thoughts on how the Warriors should try to counteract Luka Doncic. Terry told hosts Mark Willard and Dan Dibley that the Warriors are well-suited to try and slow down the superstar. Check out the full interview below:
“To me, that is the strength of the Golden State Warriors. They have multiple defenders that will give Luka some problems,” Terry said. “They’re not gonna stop him, but you just wanna wear Luka down, you wanna throw different looks at him. He’s an intelligent player, he has high basketball IQ. But if you give him different looks from possession to possession, quarter to quarter, game to game, then that’s where you have an advantage.”
While Andrew Wiggins will probably draw the lion’s share of minutes against Luka, other candidates include Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Jonathan Kuminga and Otto Porter Jr., who is listed as probable after missing Game 6 of the Grizzlies series with right foot soreness. Two more options for Golden State – Gary Payton II and Andre Iguodala – are out with respective injuries. Payton (fractured left elbow) is a “longshot” to return to the Western Conference Finals, according to Warriors coach Steve Kerr, while Iguodala (neck) is expected to be re-evaluated later this week.
“You wish GP was healthy,” Terry said of Payton. “Can you imagine GP picking him up 94 feet and causing them problems?”
Terry said the key is to prevent Doncic from using his left-handed dribble on step-back shots, because he loves to get in a rhythm that way. In pick-and-roll situations, Terry said you have to force Doncic into the screen and force him to make plays with his left hand as a passer, even if it requires a double team.
“Put two on the ball and make the other guys beat you,” Terry said. “He’s proven already in his young career, if you allow him to score and get in a rhythm early and not get physical with him, he can put up a big number on you – 35 points, 15-16 assists, 8-9 rebounds – you can not allow him to have that kind of impact on you in the game."
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We all know about Luka’s offensive prowess, but he’s not the game’s most gifted defender. Terry said it’s key for the Warriors to try and tire him out at the other end.
“You have to go at him,” Terry said. “You have to make him play defense. You have to put him in multiple actions, make him run around. Whatever his matchup is, you have to make that that guy is either setting screens or in a screening action to make him have to guard.”
Terry spent eight of his 19 NBA seasons with Dallas. He was on the wrong end of the epic “We Believe” upset by the 2006-07 No. 8 seed Warriors over the top-seeded Mavericks. Terry is expecting another intense matchup, starting Wednesday night.
"I can’t wait to watch it,” Terry said. “Die-hard, deep down in, I'm a Mavericks fan. But at the same time, I love shooters and Golden State has the best in history that we've ever seen. … I said it went the season started – if Klay Thompson came back and had any semblance of himself, which you’ve seen him start to get that form back last series – man, nobody can bet against the Warriors."
