DALLAS — Jason Kidd, the coach of the Mavericks, had a concise message for his players before Game 3 of the N.B.A.’s Western Conference finals on Sunday night.
Open shots, he reminded them in the locker room, are easier to make than contested shots, so get into the paint and draw Golden State defenders. Do that, and space will open up on the perimeter.
“Attack, attack, attack,” said Kidd, his voice betraying no small amount of urgency. “Make them work.”
It was a smart strategy, and sure enough, it worked. The Mavericks generated a respectable number of clean looks at 3-pointers.