2024 Playoffs- 3rd Round: Minnesota Timberwolves - Dallas Mavericks- MAVS WIN 4-1!

[Smitty]

To me the matchups are pretty straight forward.

Conley 6'0  -  Kyrie 6'2
ANT 6'4  -  DJJ 6'6
McDaniels 6'9  -  Luka 6'7
KAT 7'0  -  PJW 6'7
Gobert 7'1  -  Gafford 6'10/Lively 7'1

Luka 6'7 - McDaniels 6'9
Kai 6'2 - ANT 6'4
DJJ 6'6  -  Conley  6'0
PJW 6'7  -  KAT 7'0
Gafford 6'10  -  Gobert 7'1

Min Bench: PF/C  Reid 6'9 , G  NAW 6'5 , SF  K. Anderson 6'9
Mavs Bench:  C  Lively 7'1 , G  Green 6'5 , PF/C  Maxi 6'10 , G  THJ/Exum/Hardy 6'5


The Mavs really need Maxi back for this one. It could get ugly with DJJ playing backup 4 minutes against KAT/Reid. I do see the Mavs using DJJ as the screener almost exclusively Game 1, in order to get Conley switched onto LuKai. Then you can use a secondary screen from the 5 to get Gobert involved and open up the lob game. 

I also expect this to be the series where Kidd eventually has to switch things up and start Lively over Gafford, my guess is Game 3 at home. Hope it doesn't rock the boat - but it feels inevitable from my perspective.

Minny was always the toughest matchup in the playoffs, imo. I personally wanted to face the defending champs but here we are. I've got to stick with Mavs in 6!