MavsBoard

Luka is still clearly not 100% (not that anyone expected him too) - settled for too many outside shots. If he is guarded by Bojan, healthy Luka would have taken him to the rim and collapsed the defense every single time.

Man what a painful way to lose, 99-95 I thought it was over. Sigh..Luka probably thought so to, with all the trash talk after the made 3 (did not like it by the way).

We still have homecourt though, just need to hold serve and we should still win this.


Agree about Luka, his reputation will take a big hit if we lose this series (whether we like to admit it or not). He needs to get out of the first round.

Mavs were playing with house money. I would have sat Luka this game too. When he came back, it clearly threw the rotation off. Dinwiddie had to go back to the bench, and it took JB away from being the 1st option on offense so in essence it took him out of causing havoc to Utah's defense. Utah didn't have a answer for JB. He still had a decent game with Luka back, but his role went back to what it was prior to Luka's injury. Utah played better D this game, but I don't know if they can sustain it after one game.

(04-23-2022, 08:23 PM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: [ -> ]When he came back, it clearly threw the rotation off. Dinwiddie had to go back to the bench, and it took JB away from being the 1st option on offense so in essence it took him out of causing havoc to Utah's defense. Utah didn't have a answer for JB. He still had a decent game with Luka back, but his role went back to what it was prior to Luka's injury. Utah played better D this game, but I don't know if they can sustain it after one game.

My biggest concern is the fact that Luka and JB still do not seamlessly play off of each other. JB's brilliance was muted in a BIG way today by the presence of Luka. Their playing styles seem to say you can only have one of them to maximize their genius.

(04-23-2022, 08:23 PM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: [ -> ]Mavs were playing with house money. I would have sat Luka this game too. When he came back, it clearly threw the rotation off. Dinwiddie had to go back to the bench, and it took JB away from being the 1st option on offense so in essence it took him out of causing havoc to Utah's defense. Utah didn't have a answer for JB. He still had a decent game with Luka back, but his role went back to what it was prior to Luka's injury. Utah played better D this game, but I don't know if they can sustain it after one game.

This is exactly what I would think JB puts in the “cons” column when making a decision on where to sign in the offseason. I would love to see the two of them dominating every other play down the court (and one picking up the others slack on their off nights). Is that where this would go? I don’t know. I feel I’ve seen evidence to this staying Luka dominant and JB getting turns when Luka decides he gets turns as opposed to feeding the hot hand all game long (including the more role players).

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(04-23-2022, 08:43 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]My biggest concern is the fact that Luka and JB still do not seamlessly play off of each other. JB's brilliance was muted in a BIG way today by the presence of Luka. Their playing styles seem to say you can only have one of them to maximize their genius.

The genesis of having Robin Hood and his merry men as opposed to Batman and Robin(s).

(04-23-2022, 08:43 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]My biggest concern is the fact that Luka and JB still do not seamlessly play off of each other. JB's brilliance was muted in a BIG way today by the presence of Luka. Their playing styles seem to say you can only have one of them to maximize their genius.

I'm not sure I would say that was the problem in this game. Brunson just missed multiple easy shots he made in the previous ones, he makes those and he's close to 30 and both guys add up to 60. Can't ask much more from your top 2.


Bigger problem is Dinwiddie just completely sucking. He needs to give us something if he's going to be out there in the 4th by himself.

Lines are already up for game 5. I’m seeing Mavs -3.5 at most sportsbooks.

How many times did Michael Jordan lose in the playoffs after being up 4 with less than 40 seconds to play?

Inexcusable. This is where Luke needs to refuse to lose.

(04-23-2022, 10:21 PM)windjc Wrote: [ -> ]How many times did Michael Jordan lose in the playoffs after being up 4 with less than 40 seconds to play?

Inexcusable. This is where Luke needs to refuse to lose.

Luka was doubled and got the ball to an open guy that got fouled for FTs. That Powell missed. Which would seal the game essentially. It was absolutely the right call.

(04-24-2022, 12:18 PM)burekemde Wrote: [ -> ]Luka was doubled and got the ball to an open guy that got fouled for FTs. That Powell missed. Which would seal the game essentially. It was absolutely the right call.

Agree on that play. But I dislike that very last play with a pass to Dinwiddie. That was a set play that took longer to develop than it should have. 

There should have been an alternate to that play - like Luca breaking toward the basket for a floater or a pass to a cutter. You only needed two points. There's no sense in creating worse odds from long distance.

(04-24-2022, 12:18 PM)burekemde Wrote: [ -> ]Luka was doubled and got the ball to an open guy that got fouled for FTs. That Powell missed. Which would seal the game essentially. It was absolutely the right call.

Jordan would have beat the double team and scored.  end of story.

(04-24-2022, 12:36 PM)Winter Wrote: [ -> ]Agree on that play. But I dislike that very last play with a pass to Dinwiddie. That was a set play that took longer to develop than it should have. 

There should have been an alternate to that play - like Luca breaking toward the basket for a floater or a pass to a cutter. You only needed two points. There's no sense in creating worse odds from long distance.

I agree, i think the last play was designed wrong. I really dont know what else Luka could do there. He was doubled from both directions, he could not get into the 2 point range, and neither get the shot off from 3 without being blocked. I think he made the right decisions.

Agree Mavs should have went for the 2 points there.

(04-24-2022, 01:57 PM)windjc Wrote: [ -> ]Jordan would have beat the double team and scored.  end of story.

Luka DID beat the double team. The guy he passed to just didn't convert.

Jordan routinely passed out of doubles if it was the right play. Remember the last guy he passed out of double team to? 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43iS3Fs9Ohs&ab_channel=EllieMiller

Powell fumbled the moment.

(04-24-2022, 04:07 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: [ -> ]Luka DID beat the double team. The guy he passed to just didn't convert.

Jordan routinely passed out of doubles if it was the right play. Remember the last guy he passed out of double team to? 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43iS3Fs9Ohs&ab_channel=EllieMiller

Powell fumbled the moment.

Totally agree SH. And Powell really fumbled the victory here, which was mainly sealed.

To Powells defense, he has never tried this before, having the responsibility for the entire team, in such an important game. He seems as a player that grows in impact and responsibility and mental toughness and consistency in his game. He might come a lot stronger after this. If I was Utah or the next team in series, I wouldn't bet on giving that opportunity again to Powell.

Laying it all on Powell seems like a prisoner of the moment.  JB had an awful first half.  Dinwiddie hasn't played a good all around game yet.  Josh went back to being a liability.  Maxi racked up fouls at a torrid pace.  Bertans was invisible again, much like the first two games in the series.  The offense didn't adjust well to Luka back in the lineup and I do question a lot of Luka's shot selections.  

On the plus side we are going home tied and wrestled back home court advantage all the while missing the head of the snake for the first three games.  Luka will certainly trust his health more on his second game back.  JB has emerged as our version of CJ McCollum (was really proud of his second half after a rough start to game 4).  Bullock has been sneaky good.

(04-24-2022, 04:35 PM)cow Wrote: [ -> ]Laying it all on Powell seems like a prisoner of the moment.  JB had an awful first half.  Dinwiddie hasn't played a good all around game yet.  Josh went back to being a liability.  Maxi racked up fouls at a torrid pace.  Bertans was invisible again, much like the first two games in the series.  The offense didn't adjust well to Luka back in the lineup and I do question a lot of Luka's shot selections.  

On the plus side we are going home tied and wrestled back home court advantage all the while missing the head of the snake for the first three games.  Luka will certainly trust his health more on his second game back.  JB has emerged as our version of CJ McCollum (was really proud of his second half after a rough start to game 4).  Bullock has been sneaky good.

Good analysis. Still not out the woods just because Utah has been less than stellar. Things change and every game is different. But if Dallas consistently makes shots, then they should win this series.

https://streamable.com/uszsi5

I freaking love Charles Barkley.

(04-23-2022, 08:43 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]My biggest concern is the fact that Luka and JB still do not seamlessly play off of each other. JB's brilliance was muted in a BIG way today by the presence of Luka. Their playing styles seem to say you can only have one of them to maximize their genius.

Which is exactly why I mentioned mid season that the plan should be to resign Brunson and flip him for a better fitting piece. If it happens in a S&T so be it. But, I think it would need to be by the TDL next season. They need a "Jimmy Butler" type player to play with Luka. Someone who is a stud defender and can score while playing a wing role. But, one that doesn't require the ball in his hands to be effective.

I think Dinwiddie has shown he can be that extra playmaker off the bench.

(04-25-2022, 12:42 AM)audiosway Wrote: [ -> ]Which is exactly why I mentioned mid season that the plan should be to resign Brunson and flip him for a better fitting piece. If it happens in a S&T so be it. But, I think it would need to be by the TDL next season. They need a "Jimmy Butler" type player to play with Luka. Someone who is a stud defender and can score while playing a wing role. But, one that doesn't require the ball in his hands to be effective.

I think Dinwiddie has shown he can be that extra playmaker off the bench.

See I think the ideal guy next to Luka is a brute of a center that can actually score around the rim. We've seen what he can do with Dwight Powell, who is essentially a warm body on offense when Luka isn't playing. 

Imagine him next to a guy like Jokic, Ayton, Bam, etc. Not only can they hold their own and create their own shot, but they lurk around areas on the court that are essentially pressure release valves for Luka when he's looking for people. 

JB gets his points much of the same way as Luka as he slowly breaks down his defender with a series of incredible moves and body control. I think he's been a fine number 2 so far this series and he was a couple of easy shots away from getting close to 30 points again.