"Kevon Looney and Andrew Wiggins were not Mark Eaton and Karl Malone as they had been in the first half of the series" - Nick Wright highlights the potential flaws in Golden State Warriors after their blowout loss in Game 4
After the Golden State Warriors' surprise 109-119 loss in Game 4, Nick Wright of "First Things First" used an interesting comparison to highlight the issues in the potential flaws in the roster.
Given the tremendous outings by the Warriors in the first three games of the Western Conference Finals, it seemed more than likely that the side would sweep the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4.
A key aspect of their success in these three games had been the contributions of Kevon Looney and Andrew Wiggins. Both of these players were playing well above their usual standards and the impact resonated throughout the Warriors' roster.
However, with the loss in Game 4, Nick Wright offered a comparison to two Utah Jazz legends while examining the issues with the Warriors. He said:
"We have us a Game 5 that the Mavericks can win, and we'll see if they do. What happened last night was, finally, Kevon Looney and Andrew Wiggins were not Mark Eaton and Karl Malone as they had been in the first half of the series. And you saw that the Warriors do have some issues."
"I did not account for Looney and Wiggins playing at the level they did in the first three games. They did, and to their credit, they built a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 lead."
Nick Wright brought up the notion of the Dallas Mavericks beating the Golden State Warriors at this point is not totally ridiculous. While referring to the Mavericks' performance so far, he said:
"The idea that it's an impossibility they win Game 5 is nonsense. And if they win Game 5, the screws start tightening. The anxiety starts building. And all of a sudden, the pressure only goes in one direction."
Although the analyst offered a vague comparison when he said that the two sides are tied with regard to the quarters won (8-8), Nick Wright addressed Chris Broussard by saying:
"To not acknowledge that if the Mavs win Game 5, they can win the series because no team's come back from down 3-0 - they wouldn't be down 3-0.They'd be down 3-2."
"We have a G5 that the Mavericks can win. We'll see if they do. In G4, finally Kevon Looney & Andrew Wiggins weren't Mark Eaton & Karl Malone as they had been the first half of the series. If the Mavs win G5, the screws start tightening." — @getnickwright https://t.co/alHZ3O7OHO
As things stand, the Dallas Mavericks will see the series head to Game 5 in the Bay Area. With a lot of momentum on their side and another elimination game in wait, the Mavs will be put to the test yet again.
Is Nick Wright's assessment of the Golden State Warriors true?
Although Nick Wright's passionate segment on the Dallas Mavericks' chances holds water to some extent, it underestimates the temparament of the Golden State Warriors.
Although the example with the Memphis Grizzlies series immediately comes to mind, the Warriors will be in a favorable position as they head home for Game 5.
The Dubs are a handful to deal with as a rule. But at home, in the playoffs, they're beyond formidable. The championship pedigree favors the Golden State Warriors overall.
Game 4 may have been a bit of an outlier in this regard for the Warriors. While the scoring seemed balanced overall, a number of their usual point-getters weren't as dominant in this game.
While this could be attributed to Dallas' defensive schemes, it is hard to overlook the quality of the offensive output as a whole.
Final 📊
Stephen - 20p/5r/8a/1s
JK - 17p/8r/1a
Jordan - 14p/4a/1b
Andrew - 13/5r/1a
Klay - 12p/1r/1a/2s
Draymond - 10p/6r/6a/2b
Moses - 10p/2r/2s
Damion - 6p/6r/1a
Beli - 4p/4r/3a
Kevon - 3p/6r/1a/1b https://t.co/HMHwDDjEr3
It is extremely unlikely that Luka Doncic and company will go down without a fight. They may even surprise everyone with a win in Game 5. But in the long-run, the Warriors are more likely to prevail.