A Game 1 blowout win over the Dallas Mavericks was objectively a good thing for the Warriors.
But if history is any indication ahead of Game 2 on Friday at Chase Center, that could either be a good or bad omen.
Bad news first: the Mavericks respond to blowout losses really well. Dallas is 10-0 this season in games after losing by 20 or more points.
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SIGN UP HERE That includes two of the Mavericks’ wins in the second round against the Phoenix Suns, which they won in seven. The Mavericks lost by 20 in Game 2 to fall behind 2-0 in the series, only to respond with two straight wins to even it up.
They then lost Game 5 by 30, putting them on the brink of elimination. But then Dallas turned the tables, crushing the Suns in both Games 6 and 7 to clinch a spot in the Western Conference finals.
Something will have to give then, because the good news for the Warriors is that they have won 19 out of 20 series under Steve Kerr when they’ve won Game 1. That one loss was in the 2016 NBA Finals, and that took an infamous comeback by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Both of their series wins this postseason included a Game 1 win, taking care of the Denver Nuggets in five and the Memphis Grizzlies in six.
Related: The importance of Poole's sneaky-good Game 1 win vs. Mavs
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But the Warriors haven’t faced a team like Dallas that is used to climbing back after lopsided losses.
The Warriors also are a perfect 7-0 at home in the playoffs this year. So if the Mavericks steal Game 2, that undefeated stat would have its first blemish.
Time will tell as to which trend wins out.