Mavericks' Jason Kidd Says They're 'Going To Need' Tim Hardaway Jr. in Game 5

Hardaway started to hit some shots in Game 4, will he be able to carry that over to Game 5?

May 22, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) talks with head coach Jason Kidd in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game one of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

After a disappointing Game 3 where Tim Hardaway Jr. was 0/5 and a -16 in 19 minutes, he was out of the main rotation in Friday night's Game 4. Because the game got out of hand so quickly, it allowed Jason Kidd to empty his bench and see if anybody could get their confidence up, specifically Hardaway. He responded by hitting five 3-pointers in the 4th quarter, joining sharpshooters Ray Allen and Stephen Curry as the only players to hit 5+ threes in a single quarter of the NBA Finals.

When asked about that shooting flurry in Sunday's press conference, Kidd responded "He looked like Ray and Steph. We're going to need that here in Game 5. If it's a close game, hopefully, he's able to knock down same shots, but it was great to see Timmy knock down those shots and hopefully, he can build on that."

"He looked like Ray and Steph. We're going to need that here in Game 5."

Coach Jason Kidd sounds off on Tim Hardaway Jr. catching fire in Game 4 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/xq3AcJ98do

— NBA (@NBA) June 16, 2024

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Mavericks fans likely don't want to see major minutes from Hardaway Jr. again, as his performance in Game 3 was one of the major reasons the Mavs lost that game. If Kidd does use him early, he'll need a quick leash in case he disrupts the flow of the game and the offense. Most Mavs fans would like to stick with the same rotation they ran in Game 4, with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Derrick Jones Jr., P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford starting, and Dante Exum, Josh Green, Maxi Kleber, and Derrick Lively II as the bench pieces. That was the unit that allowed Dallas to dominate Game 4.

If Tim Hardaway Jr. can shoot the ball efficiently in Game 5, it would give the Mavs a much-needed shooting boost. Outside of Game 4, Dallas' role players have struggled to shoot the ball from the perimeter, relying mainly on Doncic and Irving to make the majority of their 3-pointers.

Dallas is trying to pull off the impossible by being the first team in NBA history to come back from down 3-0 in any playoff series, much less in The Finals. They got one game on Friday night but every game from here on out is an elimination game. If they can win Game 5 Monday night, all the pressure will be back on Boston to close the series out.

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