Too easy.
There wasn't even the slightest interference. It was practically the same as letting Chen Xi go straight for an uncontested layup...
Gobert was still two steps away from him, and Doncic on the side was even farther out of the play.
He just stood there without moving an inch~~
So Kidd felt it necessary to emphasize the importance of defense to them.
This was the Playoffs, not the Regular season.
If they couldn't quickly raise their defensive focus and intensity to the level expected in the Playoffs, then against the powerful Thunder,
the Mavericks would most likely be swept out of the series, just like they had been in the 2019–20 season...
The Mavericks had already experienced being swept out by the Thunder once.
And once was more than enough for that kind of experience.
That was true both for the newly appointed Kidd and for Doncic, who was still brimming with ambition.
So, very quickly, they readjusted their state and returned to the court with a noticeably different mindset.
After the timeout, the Mavericks began their first possession.
Doncic brought the ball up and initiated a Pick-and-Roll at the Top of the Key.
At the same time, several teammates on the weak side quickly sprang into motion and began moving without the ball.
Using the screen to drive to the free-throw line, Doncic quickly passed the ball to Kleber in the corner.
After receiving the ball, Kleber used a Shot Fake to get Jeff Green off the ground, then put the ball on the floor and drove into the paint. After leaping, he passed again in midair, feeding Gobert inside.
After receiving the ball, Gobert also made a fake. Seeing that Little Jordan hadn't jumped, he turned and passed back out to Tim Hardaway Jr. in the