Mavericks vs. Warriors score, takeaways: Luka Doncic, Dallas make it rain against Golden State to force Game 5

 The Mavericks of Dallas aren't packing their belongings just yet. In Game 4, they defeated the Golden State Warriors 119-109 at home to earn their first win of the Western Conference finals. The series will return to the Bay Area for Game 5 on Thursday night, with the Warriors leading 3-1.
Following a close first quarter, the Mavericks jumped up to a double-digit advantage in the second quarter, leading by 15 at halftime. Then, due to a leak in the American Airlines Center's roof, the game was called off. When play was finally resumed, the Mavericks continued where they left off, putting up a 29-point advantage thanks to some spectacular 3-point shooting While.

After a close first quarter, the Mavericks jumped up to a double-digit advantage in the second quarter, leading by 15 at halftime. The game was then called off owing to a leak in the American Airlines Center's roof. When play was finally resumed, the Mavericks continued where they left off, building a 29-point lead thanks to some spectacular 3-point shooting. The game was never ever in doubt, even though the Warriors' backups made a valiant comeback that dropped the margin to single digits late in the fourth quarter.

Luka Doncic was not as effective as usual, but he still led the team with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists. The Mavericks' major story, however, was their 3-point shooting. They made 20 of 43 3-pointers in the playoffs, improving to 7-3 when making more than 15 3s. Reggie Bullock scored 18 points by hitting six of them.

The Warriors did not have a fantastic game, while their fourth-quarter surge makes some of the overall numbers look good. Steph Curry led the squad with 20 points, but he only made 7 of 16 shots from the field. With 17 points and eight rebounds, Jonathan Kuminga was a bright spot in the loss.

As Dallas avoided a sweep, here are some critical takeaways:

Mavs have an incredible night from 3-point land

The Mavericks' offensive arsenal is focused around the 3-point shot to the point that whether or not those shots go in often determines their fate. They hadn't done so in this series until the first half of Game 2, which is why the Mavericks were down 3-0 and on the verge of elimination.

They regained their stride in Game 4, going 20 of 43 from deep en route to a series-saving victory. They matched the Warriors on the perimeter, outscoring them by 30 points from 3-point range, which was too much to overcome. When the Mavericks make at least 15 3-pointers in the playoffs, they are 7-3, and when they don't, they are 2-4.

Reggie Bullock, who went 0 for 10 from the field and didn't score a point in Game 3's loss, led the club with a team-high six 3-pointers in Game 4. The remainder of the team joined in on the fun, with at least one triple hit by eight different Mavericks.

Making 20 3-pointers in a game is clearly easier said than done, but if the Mavericks want to keep this series alive, they'll need more performances like these.

In elimination games, Doncic continues to shine

Luka Doncic's standing as one of the league's finest players was validated before to the game when he was nominated to the All-NBA First Team for the third straight season. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is the only other player with a three-year string of First Team honors.

If you were still not convinced of Doncic's talent before the game, he provided more proof once the game started. While not at his best, he did everything for the Mavericks, finishing with 30 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and two blocks.

Few players have the same level of control as Doncic, and he was not about to let the Mavericks lose. Given his prowess while facing elimination, this shouldn't have come as a surprise. Doncic and the Mavs are now 3-0 in must-win games in postseason, and Doncic has a lifetime scoring average of 36.6 points in elimination games, which is the highest in league history.

A weird night of basketball

Overall, it was one of the strangest basketball evenings we've seen in the playoffs. The rain delay, in particular, prolonged halftime to over 30 minutes. A leak in the American Airlines Center's roof caused water to spill onto the court, right adjacent to the Warriors' bench. 

Workers at the arena had to scale the catwalks near the roof to set up a tarp system to capture the water.

That would have been strange enough, but the strangeness didn't end there. Draymond Green stepped to the free throw line in the third quarter, and his initial effort bounced about before coming to a complete halt on the back of the rim. Everyone was laughing, including Green, who exchanged a quick smile with Doncic.

Finally, Doncic had one of the most remarkable makes of the entire postseason from a pure talent (luck) standpoint, and it didn't even count. He fired the ball twenty feet into the air after a pause in play, and it bounced once before rattling around the rim and going in.

Strange, strange stuff. Hopefully Game 5 will be more normal; a bit of competitiveness wouldn't hurt either.