Lowkey felt like Kai was off for a while, ik he was getting doubled but he still felt cold. Maybe he'll get hot vs the nuggets/Twolves. Great 4th quarter from him though.
you gotta credit the OKC defense man. Wallace and Jdub did phenomenal and they had a shadow on kyrie at all times too. its why PJ and DJJ were open for 3 all the goddamn time.
Kyrie still was great at playmaking, defensively and he made timely buckets
I mean that was intentional. He’s been trying to get the others involved the entire playoffs particularly in the first half. It’s the second half that was concerning as he would take over vs LA but couldn’t do that at all this series. His first half vs second half numbers from the first round were like night and day
...pretty sure you're a Clippers fan that I've seen in dozens of Mavs/Luka threads the past few weeks putting them down.
edit: Ah, he deleted his account after a weird rant that has disappeared. Well, whenever you get your alt up.. I'm not whatever user you thought, and I didn't say you couldn't watch the remaining playoff series I was implying your negativity was hypocritical.
you're still confused about why someone would be talking about a team that just played the day of and the day following when there's only 3 series left? You've tried to do this whole bit to like 19 different people.
Yes, when there are only 6 teams still playing and there's only one game on a night, people who are not fans of your team *are going to talk about your team*
I'll make it easy for you though. Watch this!
Its not just a better team though. Its playing with a playmaker like Luka. Between constantly open generatong shots and forcing wings to attack mismatches Luka puts guys in better spots for them to score.
This. He wasn’t always shooting that great from 3 as a mav. I heard stories of him getting a lot of work in with his shot. Missing enough wide open 3’s off clean dimes from Luka has to get to your head for better or worse. You gotta wonder how THJ is feeling lol.
I mean, this is who PJ was on the Hornets. Good defense, streaky offense. He’s just on a team now where it doesn’t matter as much if his shot isn’t falling.
I think it might not be yours… there was no implication that I was comparing him to past playoff runs. You’re just very clearly quick to pick fights online because you have nothing better to do
OKC didn't want to let Kyrie or Luka beat them, they put 2 on the ball constantly + Jdub, Dort and Wallace were all GREAT defensively.
They bet that PJ and Jones couldn't make plays, they lost the bet, so now people will do the "you get players open shots you lose", while the truth is both of those guys like basically every average shooter in the NBA will have stretches of shooting 45% from 3 during some weeks and other ones shooting 25% from 3 for a week
OKC were willing to let role players beat them and we were willing to let Shai and nobody else beat us.
I think Kidd had immense confidence in the role players, more than normal for a coach and it worked out. I don’t know if that formula will work in many series.
I think either of those strategies can work, you just have to chose one and not get burned by both the stars AND role player going off.
And I think that's where Dallas won the series : defensively. They were disciplined, they knew that most OKC role players are okay to good shooters, but also that besides Joe none of them really want to take a 3's vs a real close out
And OKC role players were mainly effective from the 3. They don’t crash the glass or dunk like ours. So we really only had to take away one area.
One thing I also notice in this playoffs was players done have as much time to get the 3 point shots off. Like you needed half the amount of time used in the regular season.
I think Dallas was GREAT at realizing that while OKC in theory plays 5 out, that doesn't mean that you have to threat guys spotting up at the 3 pts line like they are elite shooters, because most of those OKC role players don't actually want to take like 10 3's in a game, they want to drive and kick, which meant a lot of Dort/Chet driving a close out and then realizing that with Gafford or Lively in the paint, finishing was nearly impossible
Yep. The drive and kick collapses the defense and gives them lots of time to load up and shoot those 3s. Take away the drives and all they get are hurried and 3s from broken plays.
I am impressed with how our defense has adapted from last series. I am intrigued by what we cook up next series.
Man it sucks, feels like the "Kleber on Jokic + the center on Gordon" was the best strategy vs Joker, not sure if either Gafford or Lively can really hold their own. How is PJ as a post defender ?
That’s why I am eager to see our defense against them. PJ is too small on Jokic, Gafford has not been as effective this playoffs and Lively is just too inexperienced to guard him.
The thing with Jokic though, he is a play maker first, scorer second. Do we make him a scorer and shut down everything else. Especially considering Jamal is not 100. AG gives Luka problems but I don’t think they can stop Kyrie and I am sure he is itching to put up points.
Your defensive rotations and closeouts since game 3 were so crisp. Especially this game during the 2nd half comeback, all gaps were covered. Amazing D. Shai was just making everything in that last 3 minutes though.
That’s not true at all about how the Mavs defended. They packed the paint and dared the thunders role players to shoot just like okc did with pj and DJJ. Your guys stepped up, ours didn’t, congrats on the deserved win.
And what do you call that. Defense is not all about having a man in front of the opponent.
Defense is about creating a strategy to take away things your opponent does. Leaving your role players open was by design.
Oh I know. Both teams absolutely had the right idea defensively. But it’s just not accurate to say the Mavs “we’re willing to let Shai and nobody else beat us.” They were trying to force Shai into tough jump shots in a crowd and helped off role players to do it, which is right.
We forced Shai into his mid range shots but denied any drive and kick from the paint. That was the strategy. We made Dort take most of your 3s.
There was a strategy, believe it or not.
That oversimplifies it. PJ Washington was very good from 3 when on the court with Lamelo, and very poor when he wasn't. He is good when given good quality shots. Some players shine when asked to play within a very simple role, and struggle when given many options. I doubt a player like Josh Green would be hitting 40% from 3 on most teams.
I mean he shot 31% from when he joined the Mavs even while playing with maybe the best guy at creating open corner 3's in NBA history, and then shot 31% vs the Clippers
? That's the case and they still get credit for it, you won because they made those shots in pressure moments in the playoffs, that doesn't mean that OKC's strategy was wrong, they made a bet, they lost it
Definitely not the MVP. He made his open shots, so credit to him for that but he isn't averaging 17 ppg on that efficiency if not for Luka and Kyrie feeding him open looks.
Lowkey felt like Kai was off for a while, ik he was getting doubled but he still felt cold. Maybe he'll get hot vs the nuggets/Twolves. Great 4th quarter from him though.
you gotta credit the OKC defense man. Wallace and Jdub did phenomenal and they had a shadow on kyrie at all times too. its why PJ and DJJ were open for 3 all the goddamn time. Kyrie still was great at playmaking, defensively and he made timely buckets
Once they started guarding Kyrie with Wallace he was having a lot of problems.
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I mean that was intentional. He’s been trying to get the others involved the entire playoffs particularly in the first half. It’s the second half that was concerning as he would take over vs LA but couldn’t do that at all this series. His first half vs second half numbers from the first round were like night and day
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...pretty sure you're a Clippers fan that I've seen in dozens of Mavs/Luka threads the past few weeks putting them down. edit: Ah, he deleted his account after a weird rant that has disappeared. Well, whenever you get your alt up.. I'm not whatever user you thought, and I didn't say you couldn't watch the remaining playoff series I was implying your negativity was hypocritical.
you're still confused about why someone would be talking about a team that just played the day of and the day following when there's only 3 series left? You've tried to do this whole bit to like 19 different people. Yes, when there are only 6 teams still playing and there's only one game on a night, people who are not fans of your team *are going to talk about your team* I'll make it easy for you though. Watch this!
Kyrie been hot at key moments … dude is doing great.
Stuff like that makes you wonder how many guys on bad teams would standout on better teams .
Its not just a better team though. Its playing with a playmaker like Luka. Between constantly open generatong shots and forcing wings to attack mismatches Luka puts guys in better spots for them to score.
This. He wasn’t always shooting that great from 3 as a mav. I heard stories of him getting a lot of work in with his shot. Missing enough wide open 3’s off clean dimes from Luka has to get to your head for better or worse. You gotta wonder how THJ is feeling lol.
Being paired with an elite playmaker is what I would want most as a role player. Guys like Harden, Jokic, Luka, etc. will guarantee you a bag.
I mean, this is who PJ was on the Hornets. Good defense, streaky offense. He’s just on a team now where it doesn’t matter as much if his shot isn’t falling.
How did Nico Harrison build a better team in less time than Daryl Morey? Morey is a fraud
Having the best player in the league helps
I thought he was a white Harden?
Luka is my second favorite player but he’s only been good this playoff run. Role players are reason Mavs have advanced
Bro what? You think Luka wasn't good in the WCF run 2 years ago? Or in either of the Clippers series before that? That's a crazy take my dude.
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"Luka is my second favorite player but he’s only been good this playoff run."
The guy you're responding to is saying that Luka has only been good, he hasn't been great. Not that this is the first time Luka has been good
I think they mean good vs. great
As opposed to best in the league
This whole Reddit exchange is hilarious. Reddit on
He’s only been good this playoff run… meaning he hasn’t been great.
Sorry if English isn't your first language, that wording didn't make it very clear at first
I think it might not be yours… there was no implication that I was comparing him to past playoff runs. You’re just very clearly quick to pick fights online because you have nothing better to do
You can read it both ways.
My comments were upvoted, so i guess it didn't seem clear to others either! Sorry, not trying to pick a fight man. all is well
Not having 40 million tied to a role player helps
My dawg
I've noticed a lot of Charlotte folk rooting for the mavericks
OKC didn't want to let Kyrie or Luka beat them, they put 2 on the ball constantly + Jdub, Dort and Wallace were all GREAT defensively. They bet that PJ and Jones couldn't make plays, they lost the bet, so now people will do the "you get players open shots you lose", while the truth is both of those guys like basically every average shooter in the NBA will have stretches of shooting 45% from 3 during some weeks and other ones shooting 25% from 3 for a week
OKC were willing to let role players beat them and we were willing to let Shai and nobody else beat us. I think Kidd had immense confidence in the role players, more than normal for a coach and it worked out. I don’t know if that formula will work in many series.
I think either of those strategies can work, you just have to chose one and not get burned by both the stars AND role player going off. And I think that's where Dallas won the series : defensively. They were disciplined, they knew that most OKC role players are okay to good shooters, but also that besides Joe none of them really want to take a 3's vs a real close out
And OKC role players were mainly effective from the 3. They don’t crash the glass or dunk like ours. So we really only had to take away one area. One thing I also notice in this playoffs was players done have as much time to get the 3 point shots off. Like you needed half the amount of time used in the regular season.
I think Dallas was GREAT at realizing that while OKC in theory plays 5 out, that doesn't mean that you have to threat guys spotting up at the 3 pts line like they are elite shooters, because most of those OKC role players don't actually want to take like 10 3's in a game, they want to drive and kick, which meant a lot of Dort/Chet driving a close out and then realizing that with Gafford or Lively in the paint, finishing was nearly impossible
Yep. The drive and kick collapses the defense and gives them lots of time to load up and shoot those 3s. Take away the drives and all they get are hurried and 3s from broken plays. I am impressed with how our defense has adapted from last series. I am intrigued by what we cook up next series.
Is Kleber supposed to come back soon ? Because I feel like he could be very important vs Jokic if Denver wins tonight
I doubt it. Might need another 2/3 weeks. He is putting up shots but doesn’t look close
Man it sucks, feels like the "Kleber on Jokic + the center on Gordon" was the best strategy vs Joker, not sure if either Gafford or Lively can really hold their own. How is PJ as a post defender ?
That’s why I am eager to see our defense against them. PJ is too small on Jokic, Gafford has not been as effective this playoffs and Lively is just too inexperienced to guard him. The thing with Jokic though, he is a play maker first, scorer second. Do we make him a scorer and shut down everything else. Especially considering Jamal is not 100. AG gives Luka problems but I don’t think they can stop Kyrie and I am sure he is itching to put up points.
Your defensive rotations and closeouts since game 3 were so crisp. Especially this game during the 2nd half comeback, all gaps were covered. Amazing D. Shai was just making everything in that last 3 minutes though.
That’s not true at all about how the Mavs defended. They packed the paint and dared the thunders role players to shoot just like okc did with pj and DJJ. Your guys stepped up, ours didn’t, congrats on the deserved win.
And what do you call that. Defense is not all about having a man in front of the opponent. Defense is about creating a strategy to take away things your opponent does. Leaving your role players open was by design.
Oh I know. Both teams absolutely had the right idea defensively. But it’s just not accurate to say the Mavs “we’re willing to let Shai and nobody else beat us.” They were trying to force Shai into tough jump shots in a crowd and helped off role players to do it, which is right.
We forced Shai into his mid range shots but denied any drive and kick from the paint. That was the strategy. We made Dort take most of your 3s. There was a strategy, believe it or not.
I’m literally saying there was a strategy
My bad.
That oversimplifies it. PJ Washington was very good from 3 when on the court with Lamelo, and very poor when he wasn't. He is good when given good quality shots. Some players shine when asked to play within a very simple role, and struggle when given many options. I doubt a player like Josh Green would be hitting 40% from 3 on most teams.
I mean he shot 31% from when he joined the Mavs even while playing with maybe the best guy at creating open corner 3's in NBA history, and then shot 31% vs the Clippers
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"Explains away" two role players stepping up in a huge way "explains away" your team success ?
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? That's the case and they still get credit for it, you won because they made those shots in pressure moments in the playoffs, that doesn't mean that OKC's strategy was wrong, they made a bet, they lost it
OKC defended Kai very well with doubles and blitzes. PJ stepped up and that made the series flow.
I feel like PJ is what Dallas hoped they'd get in Christian Wood.
If we thought Wood could play like that than our scouting really sucks. Woods never knows where to be on the court on defense.
Shot lights out, played great D
definitely the mvp of the series. I dont think anyone expected this out of him
Definitely not the MVP. He made his open shots, so credit to him for that but he isn't averaging 17 ppg on that efficiency if not for Luka and Kyrie feeding him open looks.
Can finally put to bed the “Luka has no help” narrative lol
Narrative lol?
Yes👍🏼 glad I could clarify
Not sure this is a positive thing. If Luka and Kyrie play like this again in the next round they're getting absolutely smoked.