With "Dominic Wilkins new," the Warriors declare: "Yes, we are championship favorites"

Golden State is enthusiastic about the formidable dunk and contribution of Andrew Wiggins, rejoices in a case that "ages as nicely as Jordan and LeBron," and believes the sweep is approaching: "We have champion DNA."

In Dallas already admit: this series is just a baptism of fire, we did not expect more

Walla!

sport

23/05/2022

Monday, 23 May 2022, 09:40

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

• Share on general

• Comments

  Comments

Stephen Kerry celebrates Golden State's victory in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals (from the official NBA Twitter account)

The 2022 playoffs will be remembered, among other things, as the playoffs in which the Golden State show returned.

After a few less good and less accomplished years, the Warriors are making huge strides toward returning to the playoffs, and they too may reach it as favorites - whether the rival is Miami or Boston.

One thing is for sure: after the 100: 109 victory tonight (Sunday through Monday) in Dallas that gave them a 0: 3 lead in the Western Conference Finals, they will arrive fresh and safer for the Finals Series.

"Yeah, for me we're favorites to win the championship," Clay Thompson is not afraid to state.

"I can not say that about any other team. We have a home advantage if we win the next game, and I estimate it will happen. We know we have champion DNA, we have great young players, and we are connecting at just the right time. So yeah, For me, we are the favorites. "

Thompson scored 19 points on just 6 of 18 from the field, clearing the stage for Steph Kerry and Andrew Wiggins who won the game for the Warriors.

Kerry sniped 32 points including 5 threes - most of them with high and typical difficulty levels - and was responsible for some crucial moves in the final quarter.

Overall, after a less-than-good regular season by the high standards he set, Kerry looked sharp and zero in the playoffs, and tonight recorded a seventh game with 30 points or more in the current post-season.

By comparison, only Michael Jordan and LeBron James reached that amount of playoff games at age 34 and up.

Both, by the way, won the MVP title of the final series that season - perhaps the most notable personal title missing for Kerry Baron.

"Steph is aging nicely. He's in fantastic shape, and it's just fun to watch him play," Steve Kerr said at the conclusion.

Wiggins, as mentioned, is the X Factor of the Warriors in the series and in the playoffs in general.

The 27-year-old small forward came to the league with a label of "next LeBron James", was selected first in the 2014 draft and did not live up to expectations over the years, but at Golden State he reinvents himself as an ideal complementary player who knows how to contribute on both sides of the field.

More on Walla!

Golden State won 100: 109 in Dallas and climbed to a 0: 3 lead in the Western Conference Finals

To the full article

Like Jordan and LeBron.

Kerry (Photo: GettyImages, Tom Pennington)

Tonight he did it again, with 27 points, 11 rebounds, a good personal save for Luka Doncic (especially in the first three quarters) and a resounding dunk on his face, which gave the Warriors a shot of confidence late in the fourth quarter.

"Andrew is just outstanding. He looks like the new Dominic Wilkins with that dunk," Clay Thompson praised him, and Steve Kerr went on: "The dunk was just awesome. Every time Andrew hits the basket and gets a chance to jump like that, it looks very impressive. He had more Dunk against Minnesota over Carl Anthony Towns, and tonight it reminded me of him. It's so fun to see him play at that level and get the respect he deserves. We would have died without him in this series. "I'm just happy we have him, I really need him."

Symbolic moment.

Wiggins drowns over Doncic (Photo: GettyImages, Ron Jenkins)

On the other hand, Dallas and Luka Doncic are learning the hard way how to play in such positions, and what it takes to really threaten the championship.

The Slovenian lift did score 40 points - 21 of them in the final quarter in which he almost led the Mavericks to an impressive comeback - but again lost, and again did not receive enough assistance from teammates.

Reggie Bullock and Maxi Caliber, two important complementary players whose main job is to score threes, finished the game with a joint balance of 0 from 12 off the arc, and no points.

For Doncic, it's the eighth playoff game of his career with 40 points or more, but in six of them he went down undefeated.

It may also be related to his insufficient contribution on the defensive side, which is drawing criticism.

Fox Network commentator Colin Kohard, for example, said tonight that "he did not defend at all, and that is a serious problem," even though Doncic had signed two blocks, a steal and some not-so-bad defensive actions.

It could not have looked different?

Doncic is frustrated (Photo: GettyImages, Tom Pennington)

For Jason Kidd, it's all tuition that the Mavericks have to absorb anyway.

He says they use the series against Golden State primarily to gain necessary experience for years to come.

"For us, we always try to look at the big picture. It's bigger than a single game, or a single series. It's a huge thing for this team," he explained.

"None of the commentators gave us a chance to get here. If we had listened to you, we would all be deep in summer vacation. But we are here, and in front of us is a huge, historic group, which is a kind of dynasty. It is not the end, but just the beginning of something big. That's how we look at it. "

• sport

• NBA

Tags

• Golden State Warriors

• Andrew Wiggins

• Dallas Mavericks