MavsBoard

(05-31-2021, 05:01 AM)ItsGoTime Wrote: [ -> ]As far as this series goes in general. What were you guys that predicted Mavs in 6 and 7 believing would happen? Those picking the Clippers in any number of games, how is the series matching up to those predictions? Only people who should be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth should be those who predicted (with a straight face) Mavs in 4 or 5.

I picked Mavs in 6. Admittedly a bit of a homer pick, but one that I thought had a decent chance of coming to fruition since we have tended to play the Clippers and other good teams well during the season.

I would have thought we steal a game in LA out of 1 or 2, defend home court, and close it out in Game 6. Never would have thought that we take both on the road, then drop both at home in increasingly disappointing fashion. 

At this point the momentum has swung so heavily that I don't know that we can grab it back with an ailing Luka, however, we've been a better road team so maybe going back out to LA for Game 5 is exactly what this team needs.

Mavs didn't "choke" in game 3. They got off to a hot start but that early in the game doesn't really matter...NBA teams make runs, especially good teams. It's just a bad matchup. The Clippers have the talent and experience for adjustments. Same thing last year after Luka tied it at 2-2 and then the Clips just took over to win in 6 games.

The Mavs are outmatched and RC knows it - that's why he had to resort to giving Boban a try. I expect him to just be throwing anything that he hopes will stick to the wall but it's not looking good.

The damage was done long before this series even started. This is how the Mavs play. They rely on Luka having some of the heaviest usage in the league and then live/die with the others making threes. In a 7 game series (assuming it goes that far), a team can hope to have 2-3 GREAT shooting games and then you have to scrap to survive the rest of the games, whether it's having a horrible shooting game or just average. The Mavs already used up their three great shooting games so it's unlikely they will make 17+ threes again. Now they have to figure out how to win if the shots don't fall and that's a big problem for a team that plays this style.

(05-31-2021, 10:30 AM)Time Machine Dirk Wrote: [ -> ]Overly enthusiastic? Did you watch the first two games? We had them on the brink of a 3-0 in game 3. We just didn't finish them. Pulling Luka too early and the wrong mentality lead to the Clippers comeback in game 3. This Clippers team is beatable. The first three games proved this.

The Mavs have to make their open shots and play better overall (especially defensively) again, of course. Is anyone here really of the opinion that the first two and a half games were a fluke?

Hell yes overly enthusiastic. According to that pre-series poll. When some people actually thought they would sweep the Clippers or win in 5. A sweep never entered my mind. Dallas is good, but they have a slimmer margin for error than the  better teams.They have to shoot lights out to beat the elite teams, because they aren't a great defensive team.  Sure the Clippers are beatable, all teams are. But Dallas doesn't have a deep roster of athletes that are dependable. When Brunson (who I love) is the best player on your bench, you're not going far. They could force a 7th game, but that game is played in LA.

I hate the analytics driven reliance on three point shots and abandonment of mid range game. Great if you are hitting the shots, but you have to be able to still use mid range options and make adjustments. I think that is the biggest problems with Mavs being inconsistent at times.

(05-31-2021, 03:05 PM)SwisherPrice Wrote: [ -> ]Mavs didn't "choke" in game 3. They got off to a hot start but that early in the game doesn't really matter...NBA teams make runs, especially good teams. It's just a bad matchup. The Clippers have the talent and experience for adjustments. Same thing last year after Luka tied it at 2-2 and then the Clips just took over to win in 6 games.

The Mavs are outmatched and RC knows it - that's why he had to resort to giving Boban a try. I expect him to just be throwing anything that he hopes will stick to the wall but it's not looking good.

The damage was done long before this series even started. This is how the Mavs play. They rely on Luka having some of the heaviest usage in the league and then live/die with the others making threes. In a 7 game series (assuming it goes that far), a team can hope to have 2-3 GREAT shooting games and then you have to scrap to survive the rest of the games, whether it's having a horrible shooting game or just average. The Mavs already used up their three great shooting games so it's unlikely they will make 17+ threes again. Now they have to figure out how to win if the shots don't fall and that's a big problem for a team that plays this style.

Mavs didn't choke - that's right. But they weren't protecting their 19 pts lead in game 3 either. When you are leading by 19 pts and your opponent is nervous, the fans are loud as hell, then your task is simple: keep the opponent out of the paint - no layups, no rhythm, no confidence. Instead the Mavs began to give the Clippers and especiially PG a clean lane to the rim or close shots around the basket. After the first Clipper basket after the 19 pts lead I would have taken a timeout as a coach. Don't let them get into their rhythm. Also: NO layups whatsoever. Foul PG and anyone who drives to the basket! This way the Mavs could have protected their lead better and hindered the Clips to gain confidence and rhythm. Again, talking about game 3 and not game 4, which was a lost cause due to the Mavs poor shooting, defense and effort. But the poor defense started exactly after the 19 pts lead in game 3...

So the good and bad news is that one of the Mavs or Clippers still have to win 2 games. They are only half way to closing out the other team. Whoever wins game 5 is probably going to win the series. I felt confident from the very beginning Mavs would push this series to 6 or 7 games. It has not played out like I thought it would in that I never expected zero home wins 4 games into the series.

I think if Mavs lose game 5 they will probably be dejected enough to lose game 6. On the flip0side if Clippers lose game 5 they might be able to rally to force a game 7.

The thing that should give us hope is that the Mavs got 6 games out of the Clippers last year without KP who was playing well, DP, WCS or Brunson. It's amazing they went as far as they did honestly. Maxi was better which made a big difference and PG was in total meltdown. Mavs have Luka and he can make things happen so you are never out of it. He pulled game 4 out of his rear-end to win in OT last year so anything is possible.

(05-31-2021, 10:25 AM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]

Listen emporer. I want Rick to come up with a clever counter to Clipper small ball, Luka's neck to suddenly heal, for THJ and DFS to get their groove back, for the Mavs to send the Clippers home, get another series of experience under their belt (even though they'd most likely lose in round two), AND trade KP in the off season. Is that so wrong? Can I not have both?

What I want to hear from Paul George after game 5:

We forced 2 or more of their starters to the bench by totally defeating them yet they were so deep with other quality veterans and a quality energy guy that they have plenty of small ball players as well. We have less playoff level players so we have to go to Boban, Josh Green or a non shooting Powell. 

Someday we will load with veterans and salary like the Clippers and 2011 Mavericks. It is not time for that yet so we have to beat a deeper and more overall talented team.

However, will a Mavericks team that was kicked when they were down rise up yet again and beat a Clippers team that clearly does not always play to their talent level or will the Clippers beat us and blow up in a later playoff round.

My Mavericks in 6 is not dead yet but I am not spending that treasure. It does not look good.

(05-31-2021, 09:25 PM)fifteenth Wrote: [ -> ]Listen emporer. I want Rick to come up with a clever counter to Clipper small ball, Luka's neck to suddenly heal, for THJ and DFS to get their groove back, for the Mavs to send the Clippers home, get another series of experience under their belt (even though they'd most likely lose in round two), AND trade KP in the off season. Is that so wrong? Can I not have both?

Look, I WANT both as well......

....I just don't think we are going to get the series win. IF Luka plays transcendent, then it MIGHT happen.....stay tuned.

(05-31-2021, 09:25 PM)fifteenth Wrote: [ -> ]Listen emporer. I want Rick to come up with a clever counter to Clipper small ball, Luka's neck to suddenly heal, for THJ and DFS to get their groove back, for the Mavs to send the Clippers home, get another series of experience under their belt (even though they'd most likely lose in round two), AND trade KP in the off season. Is that so wrong? Can I not have both?

You can want both, you just can't think it is possible.

https://twitter.com/CallieCaplan/status/...4693502977