Dallas Mavericks, Klay Thompson, Quinten Post | Thearon W. Henderson/GettyImages
The Dallas Mavericks couldn’t secure the win against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, falling 126-102 in San Francisco. With the win, the Warriors evened the season series at 2-2, led by Stephen Curry’s game-high 30 points. Golden State has now won five of six games since acquiring Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, with its only loss in that stretch coming against Dallas earlier this month in a tightly contested matchup.
Offensively, the Mavericks struggled to find consistent scoring outside of Kyrie Irving and P.J. Washington, who led the team with 17 points each. Irving was the only Dallas ball handler who could reliably create his own shot, as the Warriors’ defense locked down Max Christie, limiting him to just two points in his worst performance as a Maverick so far. Jaden Hardy provided a small bright spot off the bench with 11 points on 4-7 shooting, an encouraging sign given his struggles since returning from an ankle injury.
Klay Thompson, who had been averaging 22.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in three previous matchups against his former team, wasn’t able to replicate that production but remained aggressive throughout the night. Meanwhile, Golden State’s defense set the tone, stifling Dallas’ offense the entire night.
A new rivalry is taking shape with Mavericks and Warriors
While the Warriors controlled this game from start to finish, this matchup carried more significance beyond the final score. A budding rivalry between the two teams is starting to emerge, fueled by recent exchanges both on and off the court.
The Warriors didn’t take P.J. Washington doing the “night night” celebration a few weeks ago lightly. On Sunday, they made sure to respond, with both Curry and Draymond Green using the gesture as a statement. Curry directed it at Washington after drilling a three, while Green taunted the Mavericks bench in the fourth quarter. What started as a small moment earlier in the season has now added another layer to this potential growing rivalry.
It was clear that Dallas and Golden State would have a bit of a rivalry this season when Thompson left the Warriors to join the Mavericks over the summer, and Green stirred the pot with Thompson by claiming to set the tone early when these two teams matched up for the first time. Thompson has had some outstanding performances against the Warriors this season, and he definitely brings extra flare every time he plays against his former team.
The Mavericks aren’t strangers to emotionally charged matchups, and they’ve often thrived in them. Dating back to last season’s trade deadline and their NBA Finals run, Dallas has embraced the intensity of heated series, using physicality and a chip-on-their-shoulder mentality to fuel success. Washington has become a key figure in that approach, bringing toughness as both an enforcer on the court and an emotional leader in the locker room. His confidence and willingness to stir the pot fits right into the Mavericks’ identity, and while the Warriors got the last laugh on Sunday, it’s clear this battle is far from over.
With tensions rising and both teams desperately fighting for playoff position, this rivalry could be continued in the Play-In Tournament or in the Playoffs. Stay tuned for the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.