Warriors vs. Mavericks: What to watch for

Programming note: Warriors-Mavericks coverage kicks off tonight at 5 p.m. with Warriors Pregame Live on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area!

It might not be as simple as this, but its close: If the Warriors beat the Mavericks on Monday in Dallas, it will have been a good road trip; if they lose to Dallas, then its a not-so-good road trip.The Warriors conclude their three-game trip at American Airlines Center, a place where Dallas has beaten Golden State in 11 of the past 12 meetings.The Warriors are 1-1 on this trip, with a victory at Minnesota and a loss at Oklahoma City on Sunday.

Here are some things to watch for during Sundays game between the Warriors and Dallas:Make some 3s: The Warriors have raised some eyebrows with their ability to score inside this season. Rookie Harrison Barnes has been a factor by being able to get to the bucket, and David Lee and Carl Landry have made an impact at times on the interior.But for the Warriors to be at their best, theyre going to need to do a better job of making 3-pointers. The Warriors (5-5) are shooting just 30.4 percent from beyond the arc, and second-year guard Klay Thompson is in a particular funk.Thompson is shooting 31.4 percent from the field, but has only made two of his past 14 attempts from out there.Win the frontcourt matchup: The Mavericks have a big front line, but its not exactly spry. They start Chris Kaman at center and Elton Brand at power forward, with Troy Murphy coming off the bench.
That will give the Warriors a quickness advantage on the interior. Players such as Carl Landry and Barnes, who has been attacking the rim in recent games, have an opportunity to be effective.Know the stakes: If the Warriors want to make the playoffs this season, theyre going to have to finish ahead of the Dallas Mavericks in the standingsin all likelihood.The Warriors will have a better chance to do that if they win the season-series from the Mavericksand a win in Dallas could go a long way toward getting that done.