San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Brunson’s breakthrough timely
DALLAS —Jalen Brunson, who usually ascribes to Villanova basketball interview doctrine of “bland and generic answers,” was bluntly candid about his Games 1 and 2 production against Phoenix. “Terrible.”
Nor, following his 28point performance in Dallas’ Game 3 Friday night victory, did Brunson mince words about what the 45-hour wait between Games 2 and 3 were like, knowing he hadn’t played to expectation.
“It was awful. It was terrible. But I found a way to bounce back.”
In many respects, Brunson’s timely breakthrough mirrored that of the Mavericks, who in the process of pulling within 2-1 in this Western Conference semifinal series, conquered the mental hurdle of 11 straight losses to Phoenix.
Sunday’s quick-turnaround 2:30 p.m. Game 4 in American Airlines Center seemingly favors the Mavericks. They are the team with the momentum and 23-year-old point guard as opposed to the Suns’ 37-year-old Chris Paul, coming off a seventurnover Game 3.
Then again, as Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith was quick to remind, the 64-win, reigning West champion Suns are “a great team; they’ve been here before.” Game 3 was uncharacteristic of Paul and the Suns, and a win Sunday would set up a potential close-out Game 5 Tuesday in Phoenix.
Losing Games 1 and 2 tilted the odds significantly against Dallas, requiring four wins in five games against probably the best team in the NBA. But now at least the Mavericks have proved to themselves that Phoenix is beatable.
Brunson and coach Jason Kidd said there was no locker room discussion about the Suns’ 11-game stranglehold over Dallas, but...
“I think collectively we knew what we had to do and just go out there and be together and play, and not really trying to think about that,” Brunson said. “But I think, deep down, we all knew that’d be fun to get over that one.”
The Mavericks had no chance of getting back in the series unless Brunson’s play returned to regularseason form, much less his breakout 27.8-point-per game showing against Utah in the first round.
Through two games of this series, Brunson totaled 22 points on 9-of-28 shooting. Friday he missed his first three shots, but continued to be aggressive, finishing 10-of-21.
Brunson and Doncic outscored Phoenix’s AllStar backcourt of Paul and Devin Booker 54-30. Paul and Booker combined for more turnovers (12) and field goals (11), while Dallas’ starting backcourt totaled six turnovers.
“Happy to see it,” Finney-Smith said of Brunson’s play. “He was struggling last two games; credit to them. But that’s the JB that I know and who I’ve been on the court with all year.”
Finney-Smith and Reggie Bullock were the primary defenders on, respectively, Booker and Paul, though Paul also credited Dallas’ traps, with big men Dwight Powell and Kleber aggressively jumping out to the perimeter on pick-and-rolls and helping whenever the Suns got dribble-penetration.
“If I don’t turn the ball over like that, I feel like it’s a different game,” Paul said. “So give them a lot of credit. They came out and did what they were supposed to do. We’ll be back on Sunday.”
For much of the game, Bullock picked up Paul full-court, much like New Orleans and pesky guard Jose Alvarado did during the teams’ six-game firstround series.
Bullock sustained a first-half rib injury in Game 3, courtesy of a Suns back-screen, but he finished the game, playing 41 minutes, reminiscent of when he played 44 minutes while ill during Dallas’ clinching Game 6 win over Utah.
Will Bullock be ready physically capable of defending Paul all over the court come Sunday afternoon?
“Well, CP’s 37 years old,” Bullock said. “I’m 31. So hopefully I’ve got a little bit more energy in my tank than he does. He’s a great player, but I’ve just got to wear him down with my youth and try to be on him as best as I can.”