12-12-2021, 09:48 PM
LUKA-LESS MAVS TOP TOOTHLESS THUNDER
The Mavericks entered the contest searching for an elusive W, and were favored to win against an OKC team eager to accumulate losses. As it happened, the Thunder provided more sound than fury, and the Mavs cruised to a comfortable win.
GAME NOTES
Willie (personal reasons) and Sterling (foot) remained out. Luka was added to the injured list on account of a “flare-up” of his ankle injury. Stein revealed that the young Slovenian is expected to be out for multiple games, but that a precise timeline has not yet been developed. He apparently himself feels that he may have tried to come back a little too early after the initial injury, and probably should not have played in the fourth quarter against Indiana. Hope he gets well soon.
Starting lineup Brunson-Bullock-DFS-KP-Powell
FIRST QUARTER
Bullock starts the game well with a three. — Powell with an OR and putback. He has to come out of the game, after being hit in the face with the ball and dislodging his contact lens. Moses comes in.— Moses puts back a missed three from Reggie! Then goes out, with Powell’s lens back in place. 7-0 9:24
OKC gets on the board with a late three. The home crowd, which stands until the first home basket, finally gets to take a seat. — Giddey with a second-chance basket. Dort picks up two quick fouls. He stays in. — Dorian tries to pass to DP instead of shooting, and turns it over. — Brunson fouled, two of two. OKC with a three, Harp suggests closing out. — KP answers. — Brunson kicks out to Powell, who bricks a three. Don’t love it. — KP and-one lay-in. Moses keeps Giddey out of the paint. Dort with a corner three. Mavs still not guarding them. Doe-Doe answers. — DFS steal, pass to Moses, who puts it in. Cool! 19-11 4:30
Hardaway for a triple. — OF on Moses. OKC on 8-0 run. — MK from Timmy. Mann makes it 6-11 from three for OKC. Josh Green fouled. One of two. SGA ties the game with an and-one. — Now another, but misses the FT. Burke with the step-back three!
28-27 after one
Ten Mavs score in the first. OKC 6-12 from three.
SECOND QUARTER
Green with a nice cut and score. — KP kicks out to Timmy, who bombs one in. — Burke takes it inside. — Maxi to the basket. — Maxi puts back his own miss. — Powell going out again with a hit to the midsection. Commentators remind us that Dwight takes a licking but keeps on ticking. 39-33 6:57
Mo fouled inside, one of two. — Scores inside again! — And an and-one over Muscala! Misses the FT, but still. Uh-oh, Dort and Hardaway collide, both are down. Tim called for a foul, and is hobbling back to the bench. 44-33 5:06
Bullock aggressive to the paint, jumper over his defender, hits the and-one. Some of these Thunders are so young, they look like boys. KP hard dribble and jump hook. — DFS nails an unguarded three from Jalen. — Brunson with his first basket. — KP called for OF, Dort still on the ground, limps off the floor. — Green from Dorian!
56-46 HT
I don’t mean to speak disrespectfully of the Thunder, but these guys have beclowned themselves numerous times. Oof. Mavs put nine more shots up than OKC, taking advantage of 8 offensive rebounds and 6 Thunder turnovers. Big Mo leads the Mavs with 9 points, Lu Dort with 10 for OKC. Dallas bench has 31 points. No FB points for either team.
THIRD QUARTER
Mavs start the third with a shot-clock violation. Dort has been ruled out for the game with an ankle sprain. — Dorian steal, but misses the breakaway basket. — Brunson with an airball three that results in a shot-clock violation. — Brunson draws a late-clock offensive foul from Giddey. Score has been stuck on these numbers for a while now. 60-54 7:20
Brunson paint basket ATO. Mavs can only manage a missed Powell long two. -- Brunson three! — JB makes it 7-0. — Free throws for Brunson make it 8-0. — Brunson again! — Tim finds Maxi. 72-63 3:46
DFS attacks a close-out, scores. — Mo with an and-one from Dorian! — Another SCV by Dallas. Thunder over and back, Mavs timeout. 80-71 .3 seconds
ATO for KP, but no cee-gar.
80-71 after three
Ten-point quarter for JB, nine for SGA.
FOURTH QUARTER
Green with a nice save-in, leads to KP two. — KP running bank shot. — Green with his first three of the season, from the corner! — Mavs scamper through the fourth.
103-84 FT
ANALYSIS
Mavs overcome a 27% shooting performance from three by putting up 10 more shots than the Thunder and shooting 42% overall.
This Thunder team. WOOF!
There you have it.
PLAYER NOTES
BRUNSON (31 min) led the team with 18 points, and almost had a double-double, with 9 rebounds. MAXI (29) was the top scorer off the bench with 16 points and 7 boards. Viewers were rewarded with a delightful performance from MOSES against his former team. The big man had 15 points and 6 rebounds, and drew a team-high 8 FTAs in 20 minutes of action. PORZINGIS was also in double figures with 13 and 7.
GREEN (18) had a few nifty plays in extended minutes, and even scored 8 points! BURKE (17) served as backup point guard in Luka’s absence. Kidd said he told Brunson and Trey before the game to stay in character and not try to be Luka, and that turned out to be good advice. FRANK had a couple of minutes at the end of the game. The bench was big, with 54 points.
OBSERVATIONS
Kidd noted that, although his team still didn’t shoot well from distance, they scored in the paint, and the defense was good.
Fans who have been longing to see the youngsters in longer minutes will have enjoyed this one. Moses, in particular, was adorable, and Kidd commended both him and Josh for taking advantage of the opportunity to play a few more minutes, with other guys being out. I like it when the l’il cuties come out and shine.
OTOH, those MFFLs hoping to watch some first-class professional basketball tonight may not have found a lot to love in this one. Not much of a game as far as the entertainment factor, other than enjoying the kiddos, but it’s a win and counts as much as any other, so we’ll take it.
NEXT. The Mavs will play Charlotte in Dallas tomorrow night. Luka has already been ruled out.
The Mavericks entered the contest searching for an elusive W, and were favored to win against an OKC team eager to accumulate losses. As it happened, the Thunder provided more sound than fury, and the Mavs cruised to a comfortable win.
GAME NOTES
Willie (personal reasons) and Sterling (foot) remained out. Luka was added to the injured list on account of a “flare-up” of his ankle injury. Stein revealed that the young Slovenian is expected to be out for multiple games, but that a precise timeline has not yet been developed. He apparently himself feels that he may have tried to come back a little too early after the initial injury, and probably should not have played in the fourth quarter against Indiana. Hope he gets well soon.
Starting lineup Brunson-Bullock-DFS-KP-Powell
FIRST QUARTER
Bullock starts the game well with a three. — Powell with an OR and putback. He has to come out of the game, after being hit in the face with the ball and dislodging his contact lens. Moses comes in.— Moses puts back a missed three from Reggie! Then goes out, with Powell’s lens back in place. 7-0 9:24
OKC gets on the board with a late three. The home crowd, which stands until the first home basket, finally gets to take a seat. — Giddey with a second-chance basket. Dort picks up two quick fouls. He stays in. — Dorian tries to pass to DP instead of shooting, and turns it over. — Brunson fouled, two of two. OKC with a three, Harp suggests closing out. — KP answers. — Brunson kicks out to Powell, who bricks a three. Don’t love it. — KP and-one lay-in. Moses keeps Giddey out of the paint. Dort with a corner three. Mavs still not guarding them. Doe-Doe answers. — DFS steal, pass to Moses, who puts it in. Cool! 19-11 4:30
Hardaway for a triple. — OF on Moses. OKC on 8-0 run. — MK from Timmy. Mann makes it 6-11 from three for OKC. Josh Green fouled. One of two. SGA ties the game with an and-one. — Now another, but misses the FT. Burke with the step-back three!
28-27 after one
Ten Mavs score in the first. OKC 6-12 from three.
SECOND QUARTER
Green with a nice cut and score. — KP kicks out to Timmy, who bombs one in. — Burke takes it inside. — Maxi to the basket. — Maxi puts back his own miss. — Powell going out again with a hit to the midsection. Commentators remind us that Dwight takes a licking but keeps on ticking. 39-33 6:57
Mo fouled inside, one of two. — Scores inside again! — And an and-one over Muscala! Misses the FT, but still. Uh-oh, Dort and Hardaway collide, both are down. Tim called for a foul, and is hobbling back to the bench. 44-33 5:06
Bullock aggressive to the paint, jumper over his defender, hits the and-one. Some of these Thunders are so young, they look like boys. KP hard dribble and jump hook. — DFS nails an unguarded three from Jalen. — Brunson with his first basket. — KP called for OF, Dort still on the ground, limps off the floor. — Green from Dorian!
56-46 HT
I don’t mean to speak disrespectfully of the Thunder, but these guys have beclowned themselves numerous times. Oof. Mavs put nine more shots up than OKC, taking advantage of 8 offensive rebounds and 6 Thunder turnovers. Big Mo leads the Mavs with 9 points, Lu Dort with 10 for OKC. Dallas bench has 31 points. No FB points for either team.
THIRD QUARTER
Mavs start the third with a shot-clock violation. Dort has been ruled out for the game with an ankle sprain. — Dorian steal, but misses the breakaway basket. — Brunson with an airball three that results in a shot-clock violation. — Brunson draws a late-clock offensive foul from Giddey. Score has been stuck on these numbers for a while now. 60-54 7:20
Brunson paint basket ATO. Mavs can only manage a missed Powell long two. -- Brunson three! — JB makes it 7-0. — Free throws for Brunson make it 8-0. — Brunson again! — Tim finds Maxi. 72-63 3:46
DFS attacks a close-out, scores. — Mo with an and-one from Dorian! — Another SCV by Dallas. Thunder over and back, Mavs timeout. 80-71 .3 seconds
ATO for KP, but no cee-gar.
80-71 after three
Ten-point quarter for JB, nine for SGA.
FOURTH QUARTER
Green with a nice save-in, leads to KP two. — KP running bank shot. — Green with his first three of the season, from the corner! — Mavs scamper through the fourth.
103-84 FT
ANALYSIS
Mavs overcome a 27% shooting performance from three by putting up 10 more shots than the Thunder and shooting 42% overall.
This Thunder team. WOOF!
There you have it.
PLAYER NOTES
BRUNSON (31 min) led the team with 18 points, and almost had a double-double, with 9 rebounds. MAXI (29) was the top scorer off the bench with 16 points and 7 boards. Viewers were rewarded with a delightful performance from MOSES against his former team. The big man had 15 points and 6 rebounds, and drew a team-high 8 FTAs in 20 minutes of action. PORZINGIS was also in double figures with 13 and 7.
GREEN (18) had a few nifty plays in extended minutes, and even scored 8 points! BURKE (17) served as backup point guard in Luka’s absence. Kidd said he told Brunson and Trey before the game to stay in character and not try to be Luka, and that turned out to be good advice. FRANK had a couple of minutes at the end of the game. The bench was big, with 54 points.
OBSERVATIONS
Kidd noted that, although his team still didn’t shoot well from distance, they scored in the paint, and the defense was good.
Fans who have been longing to see the youngsters in longer minutes will have enjoyed this one. Moses, in particular, was adorable, and Kidd commended both him and Josh for taking advantage of the opportunity to play a few more minutes, with other guys being out. I like it when the l’il cuties come out and shine.
OTOH, those MFFLs hoping to watch some first-class professional basketball tonight may not have found a lot to love in this one. Not much of a game as far as the entertainment factor, other than enjoying the kiddos, but it’s a win and counts as much as any other, so we’ll take it.
NEXT. The Mavs will play Charlotte in Dallas tomorrow night. Luka has already been ruled out.