GAME 57: LAC (27-30) vs. DAL (33-23) | 97-99 loss

[MaxiThreeba]

Luka seems like he’s overthinking things a bit tonight. I don’t feel like I have seen him struggle in this exact way very often.

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Lots of really bad, unnecessary passes.

100%.  He looks like he’s just guessing possession to possession and definitely is not controlling the flow like we see him do so often.  

No team more familiar with his game than this team.  They are doing a really good job of making everything tough on him.  And with Burke out and Jalen sitting that lineup has nowhere else to go.

[KillerLeft]

And with Burke out and Jalen sitting that lineup has nowhere else to go.

In before @"Kammrath" drops his “Dinwiddie should be a big upgrade in that area.”

[Kammrath]

And with Burke out and Jalen sitting that lineup has nowhere else to go.

Dinwiddie should be a big upgrade in that area.

[dirkfansince1998]

Mavs are only 15/35 from 2. Clippers defense has been really good. Nothing easy in the paint.

[MaxiThreeba]

In before @"Kammrath" drops his “Dinwiddie should be a big upgrade in that area.”

We are going to have to hope that’s exactly what happens.  Watching anyone but Luka and JB try to initiate the offense is rough. 

And watching those two have to do it solo is tough too because of how much it puts on their shoulders for 48 minutes.

[dirkfansince1998]

RoCo still has super quick hands.

[KillerLeft]

RoCo still has super quick hands.

@"ItsGoTime" nodded with approval when he read this, I’m sure!

[Kammrath]

Lue is a top 5 coach in the NBA IMO.

[ItsGoTime]

RoCo still has super quick hands.

Nodding with approval!

[KillerLeft]

Lue is a top 5 coach in the NBA IMO.

Yeah, he has won my respect really fast. Big upgrade over rivers, I think. This clippers team is going to be scary when healthy.

[dirkfansince1998]

Everything rimming out. Not the Mavs night.

[Kammrath]

Holy missed shots Batman.

[Kammrath]

[MaxiThreeba]

Agreed this is one of those nights for the Mavs offensively.  But also agree that Lue is a heck of a coach and his adjustments have a lot to do with the Mavs struggles. 

Also just for an apples to apples talent comparison take Luka and JB out and the Mavs are nowhere near where this Clippers team is at.

[SwisherPrice]

No chance tonight with Burke getting hurt. It's not about him as a player but it's the threat of having another ball-handler out there. The Clippers know that it's just Brunson and Luka who can create offense/move the ball and they're both slow anyway

[KillerLeft]

No chance tonight with Burke getting hurt. It's not about him as a player but it's the threat of having another ball-handler out there. The Clippers know that it's just Brunson and Luka who can create offense/move the ball and they're both slow anyway

Yeah, this is not going to be a popular post, but the second Burke went out and Ntilikina came in I started to understand why Burke has gotten a shot to play ahead of him recently. 

I like Ntilikina quite a bit as a prospect, and I am not down on him. But, the honeymoon phase where his three-pointer was dropping seems to be over and he is really struggling out there to create anything.

[ItsGoTime]

Also just for an apples to apples talent comparison take Luka and JB out and the Mavs are nowhere near where this Clippers team is at.

Dinwiddie, Bertans and Kamm are shaking their head in disapproval!

[HoosierDaddyKid]

DFS with 3 pts and Kleber with a goose egg ?  Gotta give the team something.

[dirkfansince1998]

Yeah, this is not going to be a popular post, but the second Burke went out and Ntilikina came in I started to understand why Burke has gotten a shot to play ahead of him recently. 

I like Ntilikina quite a bit as a prospect, and I am not down on him. But, the honeymoon phase where his three-pointer was dropping seems to be over and he is really struggling out there to create anything.

I don´t think they are competing for minutes. Green vs Frank and Burke getting replaced by Dinwinddie. Now Burke is out and both Green + Frank are having really bad games.

[KillerLeft]

I don´t think they are competing for minutes. Green vs Frank and Burke getting replaced by Dinwinddie.

Totally! 

But, I think the need for that third playmaker is why Burke has been playing ahead of Frank recently, before the trade. That’s what I’m saying. I think both of their asses are about to be glued to the bench down the stretch, more often than not.

EDIT: I see what you’re saying now, sorry. I agree that Green is involved, too. Oddly I feel like he is still going to get some minutes. I don’t anticipate that he’ll lose them to Fank.