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Andrew Wiggins posterizes Luka Doncic as Warriors sit 1 win from NBA Finals

DALLAS — There were plenty of opportunities for the Dallas Mavericks to put their stamp on Game 3 and get back into the Western Conference finals.

But it was Andrew Wiggins’ poster on Luka Doncic that punctuated another Golden State Warriors win, 109-100, Sunday night at American Airlines Center. The Warriors have a 3-0 series lead and eyes firmly on their sixth NBA Finals trip in eight seasons.

Doncic did his best to keep the Mavericks in it, including hitting an incredible 32-foot buzzer-beater to end the first quarter, punctuated by a shimmy reminiscent of Stephen Curry. Doncic had 10 points in the first period as the Warriors held a three-point lead.

Doncic couldn’t get the help he needed, again, as the Mavericks shot just 40% from the field and 28.9% from 3-point range. He finished with 40 points, his eighth 40-point game in the playoffs, a Mavericks record.

Dorian Finney-Smith, Reggie Bullock and Dwight Powell combined for just 12 points. Bullock shot 0-for-10 from the field.

Spencer Dinwiddie, coming off a four-point outing in Game 2, was the Mavericks’ second-leading scorer with 26 off the bench.

The Warriors were unfazed by their own shooting woes. The long ball wasn’t falling for either team and Golden State shot 34.4%. They made up for it on the boards with an 47-33 advantage.

Curry led Golden State with 31 points, while Wiggins had 27.

Otto Porter Jr., one of the Warriors’ key contributors, sustained another foot injury in the first half that needed X-rays. He was ruled out after halftime with left foot soreness.

Golden State took a one-point lead at halftime, but Dallas couldn’t capitalize with another disastrous third quarter.

Game 4 is 9 p.m. ET Tuesday on TNT.

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (22) drives to the basket past Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, left, during the second half of Game 3 of the Western Conference finals in Dallas on May 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (22) drives to the basket past Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, left, during the second half of Game 3 of the Western Conference finals in Dallas on May 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)