There was no better way for the Mavericks to force an improbable Game 7 against the team with the best record in the NBA than for the Mavericks to do it with defense. It just sums up the stark difference between this Mavericks team and the prior decade of Dallas basketball.
For over a decade the Mavericks have relied on a scorching offense behind a central pillar (Dirk Nowitkzi, Luka Doncic) while trying to at best plug holes on the other end of the floor. This season, with the addition of Reggie Bullock and a renewed focus from new coach Jason Kidd, the Mavericks aren’t just adequate on defense, they’re good.