Game 26 Dirkie Thread: Luka!!

[ballsrchr]

The Mavs started out like a house on fire. Luka was on point with scoring, but tired a bit near the end of the game.

P.J. Washington still doing his yoeman service as a power forward. I think he needs some help in that area.

It is so nice to have two quality big men. Hard to remember back when that has happened.

This is sort of what we envisioned for Klay Thompson. Truth is I hoped this is what we would see from him, but what the hell. Better later than never.

I think Quentin Grimes was trying too hard...maybe too much. Hard to say that when we expect every player to give all of what they have, but it is a team sport. Sometimes we gotta involve the rest of the team.

Ah...Luka! Triple Double Luka. AND 45 points. I'm giving my Dirkie to Luka!

Didn't both teams set some sort of record with the number of made threes?

[SleepingHero]

What a freaking game. I mean sheesh. I don't think I've ever seen such a high octane shooting game like this one from BOTH teams. But really, the Mavericks were insane. Almost 60% from the field. 51% from 3, and 143 points on the board overall. Just a dominant shooting performance. Their defense waned a bit as the game went on, but given how much energy they were exerting on offense, I can understand it.

Omax gave me even more to get hyped on. His energy all over the court was infectious. He had some mistakes tonight, especially in transition. He let the Warriors get at least 2 threes by missed rotations. BUT, he also had some great defensive possessions, hit a 3, and just looked like he was a rotation player. He definitely is on one right now. I'm excited for more OMAX!

Gafford had some good and some bad. Defensively he's being picked apart by the spacing of teams. I mean there was a moment in the 4th where Kidd just had to bring Lively back in because the Warriors wouldn't stop going at Gaff. Granted, he had to close out and stop Steph Curry, so it's hard to blame his follies there. What was great is that he's still dominant inside. He was all over the glass and just had that naaaaaaaaaaaaasty jam on the Warriors head. Good game!

DLive fared much better tonight guarding the Warriors. He just knows how to defend in space. And offensively his touch is just a sight to see. That lob from Luka got me out of my chair. Solid game overall from Lively.

Grimes and PJ both had great games. Filled their role and were as hot as can be. They both kind of disappeared in the 4th, but before they were just pouring it on. PJ had that great steal on Curry to stifle their run. Just solid stuff.

Kyrie had a quiet 21 points, but they were an efficient and effective 21. He just got everyone involved. He also played some great D on Curry.

But, the real headliners tonight both have to be Luka and Klay.

Klay had probably his best game as a Mav thus far. 29 points on 9-14 shooting and 7-11 from 3. In a shootout, I'm glad we have a caliber shooter that is Klay Thompson on our team. He just took over the 2nd half, scoring 21 points on 6-7 shooting and a perfect 5-5 from 3. When things got dicey and everyone on the Mavs got cold at once, Klay stepped up and just kept raining 3 ball after 3 ball. Its so much fun watching him shoot the ball. He would've been my Dirkie tonight, but I mean...

Luka freaking Doncic wow. What??? Just... I mean.. my goodness. 45 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists on 16-23 from the field. As Mark Followill loves to say, he went to that special place tonight. He played almost a perfect game. He was doing everything. His vision tonight was at another level. His effort on defense was there the entire night. And the shot making.... MY GOODNESS. Luka is insane. I think he was 16-20 at some point before 3 bad misses, which just shows how dominant he was tonight as a guard freaking shooting that level of efficiency. Carried the team. The Luka-Klay connection was unstoppable tonight. Amazing game and well deserved Dirkie.

Finally, our starting 5 is making my eyebrows raise. Luka/Kyrie/Klay/PJ/Lively is just steam-rolling opponents. They were before tonight +18 on the season, and I think this game will make that number go even higher. Just insane stuff. What a game. Good shit Mavs. Now rest up and time to end this crazy road schedule.

[SleepingHero]

Now I'm going to spam tweets:

@noahweber00
Luka Doncic said that Quentin Grimes is one of the best catch-and-shoot players in the NBA and thinks they need to use him more in that way.

[SleepingHero]

@marshall_naji8
Dang I wish I was out there w my dawgs man

[SleepingHero]

@qdotgrimes
KLLLLLAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY

[SleepingHero]

Landon Thomas
@sixfivelando
Klay Thompson’s last 4 games:

19.8 pts (52.8 FG% 51.4 3PT%)
4.0 reb, 1.5 ast, 0.8 stl, 0.3 blk

Klay finding his rhythm shooting the ball makes the Mavs much more dangerous.

He was doing all the little things and playing good defense but now the three is consistently going in.

[SleepingHero]

Chuck Cooperstein
@coopmavs
We all feeling better about Klay Thompson and his shooting? He said it would take 25-30 games. And so it has. 18-32 from 3pt in his last 4 games

[SleepingHero]

Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2)
Klay Thompson on the Mavs & Warriors breaking an NBA record for most combined 3s in a game:

"That's good because I saw what Charlotte & Chicago did (75 combined missed 3s), so it's nice to counter that because a lot of fans think too many 3s are being attempted, so it was nice

[SleepingHero]

@NationMffl
PJ Washington on the Dallas Mavericks expectations for this season:

“It’s championship or bust.”

https://x.com/NationMffl/status/1868521173866397760

Whole interview there ^

[SleepingHero]

https://x.com/MasterTes/status/1868502711135850608

Klay letting the Warriors crowd know!

[SleepingHero]

PJ Washington also letting the Warriors know

[The Jom]

That time when Podziemski got punked in the corner by the runaway Dirkie winner.

[SleepingHero]

https://streamable.com/bc9431

Luka tells someone in the crowd to shut the F up, then clarifies to Draymond he was not telling him to shut up, then tells Draymond to shut the f up anyway. LOL

[ThisIStheYear]

When I listen to Luka in postgame press conferences, sometimes I think he remembers and can recall every play and stat in the game.

Someone grading on a steep curve might vote for Klay, but a 45 point triple double with 84% true shooting is a nearly impossible game to match. I bet it’s been done less than a handful of times in history, or at least, I can only think of about 5-6 players ever who could pull something like that off.

[KillerLeft]

Lots of great stuff in this one. The bottom line for me is that this was probably the first official "special" Luka game of the season. He looked like a dominant, top-5 guy out there from start to finish. He gets the Dirkie.

[Reunion Mav]

When I listen to Luka in postgame press conferences, sometimes I think he remembers and can recall every play and stat in the game.

Someone grading on a steep curve might vote for Klay, but a 45 point triple double with 84% true shooting is a nearly impossible game to match. I bet it’s been done less than a handful of times in history, or at least, I can only think of about 5-6 players ever who could pull something like that off.

I saw the stat on NBA TV post game. Luka’s stats for this game has only been done once:  by Michael Jordon. Mic drop.