NBA Playoffs: Mavs To Need Bench To Step Up Further To Win Series

KEY POINTS

Jason Kidd’s odd move to use bench players may favor the Mavs all throughout the series
The Jazz are expected to get back at the Mavericks for dropping Game 3
Dallas needs to pull off more surprises to foil their talent-laden counterpart

The Dallas Mavericks are sorely missing the services of top star Luka Doncic, raising questions on how head coach Jason Kidd can handle a talent-laden team like the Utah Jazz.

The Mavericks do have a respectable lineup and all the 49-year-old head coach has to do is find the right mix.

In Game 3 of their first-round playoff joust with the Jazz, that appeared to be the case.

The Dallas Mavericks won over the Utah Jazz, 126-118, something that allowed them to take a 2-1 series lead.

Jalen Brunson remained at the forefront of the Jazz attack, dropping 31 points to offset the 32 markers of Donovan Mitchell.

With that area neutralized, it all boiled down to which bench would step up.

Maxi Keber and Josh Green were the uncanny players off the bench in the opening minutes.

Both connected from the three-point region, something that helped push the Mavs ahead.

From there, the odd mix of Spencer Dinwiddie, Green, Dorian Finney-Smith, Davis Bertans and Trey Burke took over, padding the lead for Dallas in the first half.

After leading at the half, 68-51, Dallas just saw all cylinders rolling to foil any comeback attempt by the Jazz.

One game alone may not matter much with Utah expected to bounce back following a loss right on their own turf.

Hence, Kidd will have to find a way to motivate his roster to do well with a Doncic return not showing much promise.

The ability to connect from the outside was a big factor for the Mavericks. Maintaining that will be tough.

However, the fact that multiple players proved that they could hit it from the outside is a good sign for Dallas.

With renewed confidence, players like Bertans, Green and Keber could carry on from their game 3 performance and give Jazz coach Quinn Snyder more things to worry about in the next games.

For Kidd, his masterful coaching is another reason for the Mavs' Game 3 win.

That odd move to field in Dinwiddie, Green, Finney-Smith, Bertans and Burke may have been a surprise to Utah.

Kidd will have to come up with more unexpected combinations if they are to fend off the Jazz and advance to the next round of the playoffs.