Yesterday, 11:30 AM
(Yesterday, 10:43 AM)Chicagojk Wrote: Well Lakers team did what good teams do to bad teams. I thought they were going to give that game away in the third. In the fourth their defense was better. Dallas offense really struggled. It looks like they targeted one on one against Luka in the fourth and had no success. They probably should just have run offense, but not having a true #1 makes it tough.
Tough to really rate the Lakers without their injured guard. I don't think they look very good. Although when you have one of the best players in the league who can control a game so well on offense, you always have a chance.
Really good seeing Max being aggressive. Cooper too. He didn't really play great though. I do like him taking 20 shots. Williams was awesome in the third...but really bad in the fourth. I remain confused why Nembhard minutes are decreasing. Only 4 last night. Williams hot run in the third had something to do with it, but his organization would have helped at the beginning of the fourth.
Mavs really need to get PJ and Gafford playing better. PJ looks much more comfortable guarding in the paint (blocking shots) than defending on the perimeter. He may be going thru something off the court though. Gafford has also been hurt, but it is safe to say him and Powell level of play are not much different. Maybe Powell has been better. That should not be the case.
Martin with a real solid game. Even taking some threes. It is a drain when a pass goes to the corner (Martin and Marshall & Cooper too) and they hesitate and don't take an open three.
All in all, a fun third quarter after a messy first half and an ugly 4th. Ayton has had good moments, but it appears he is wearing thin in LAL. Just showed no passion in the game. Watching him the playoffs will be fascinating. I will say even when he scores 18 and 10, sometimes you don't feel that impact. This playoff run will be important to him. I have no idea what his salary range is for next year.
I thought Lakers were very good for approximately three quarters and beyond bad in the third and start of fourth. Or was it that Mavs were really bad for three quarters and very good in the fourth?
After the first half I was asking myself how could Mavs win four in a row with such a play. That quickly turned against me Reddick emphasised after the Clippers game that Lakers should play the right way more - sharing the ball. This was also first thing he said in the presser after Mavs game. I think that is why Luka looked somewhat passive in this one, only taking 15 shots, compared to his average 22. The results were mixed. Ok for most of the game, a disaster in the third, where role players were giving up ball one after another and one would really wish for more Luka ball in that time. Centers were extremely bad whole game and especially Ayton couldn't buy a bucket in this one, even from easiest positions.
I thought Lakers played very good defense, especially with the center-less line-up. Perhaps Kidd made a mistake going towards centerless line-up for the Mavs.
Lakers were attacking small Mavs guards whole game, posting them up with Luka, LeBron and even Smart and Timme. Lakers are posting up LeBron a lot lately and it ends with either someone cutting to the paint or LeBron taking a fadeaway shot that he converts decently. I think that is why Nembhard didn't get more burn. He has zero chance against those guys. Also a good showing of what to expect for the Mavs going forward and food for thought on how to hide him on defense. Williams was able to compensate that as he absolutely killed Lakers on offense in the third. But that stopped once Lakers went small(er) in the fourth.
Ayton is ok for 8 mil, but he is not a long term solution. He has some good games and some games where he just completely dissapears. Lakers need a far more athletic rim protector with much bigger motor.