Minnesota at Denver, GAME 7 Thread

[Luka77]

All of the inside the NBA guys took the Wolves

[fifteenth]

Yes, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't bc he lacks creative to get over short cummings.  But these are the types of changes Rick would make.

You think Rick would take a rook who barely played in the regular season and play him in the playoffs? I don't think you know Rick.

[dirkfansince1998]

You think Rick would take a rook who barely played in the regular season and play him in the playoffs? I don't think you know Rick.

Don't look at the average age and experience of his Pacers team. He is a new RC. Or maybe he was always the same and just worked for an organization that always picked vets over young guys.

[mvossman]

Don't look at the average age and experience of his Pacers team. He is a new RC. Or maybe he was always the same and just worked for an organization that always picked vets over young guys.

Regardless there is no way he would be playing Omax, especially considering the last I heard he was still in a boot.

[fifteenth]

Well Conley is 6ft and can't move at all with the same speed as DJJ. I'd put him in pick and rolls till his legs fall off. 

Attack the low man and have DJJ be the lob threat off the baseline

Wasn't DJJ's best offensive game against OKC when OKC took SGA off of PJ and put him on DJJ? Seems like the Mavs intentionally got the ball to DJJ because of that.

[fifteenth]

Don't look at the average age and experience of his Pacers team. He is a new RC. Or maybe he was always the same and just worked for an organization that always picked vets over young guys.

It's not that I don't think Rick plays young guys. Most of the young guys that didn't get play here hadn't really earned minutes. But some young guys did get played.

I'm just saying that Rick wouldn't be throwing Omax into the WCF's with how little NBA experience he has. Omax hardly played this season.

[KillerLeft]

Don't look at the average age and experience of his Pacers team. He is a new RC. Or maybe he was always the same and just worked for an organization that always picked vets over young guys.

Or, maybe he now has an organization that picks the RIGHT young guys.

[OBX Maverick]

Sure could use Maxi vs Minny. How quickly we went from a biggish team yesterday to a smallish team for this next round…..

[The Jom]

Wasn't DJJ's best offensive game against OKC when OKC took SGA off of PJ and put him on DJJ? Seems like the Mavs intentionally got the ball to DJJ because of that.

How I remember it is SGA guarded PJ for all his 20+ point games. Then switched to DJ for the last 3 when DJ went off. Just needs to guard guys without a J in their name and he’ll be fine.

[MrGoat]

Absolutely epic choke job by the Nuggets, worst game 7 choke in NBA history, 15 point halftime lead blown (NBA record), 20 point lead blown (NBA record). Jokic has still never beaten a 50 win team in the playoffs in his career, something Luka's already done twice this run. Hopefully the real MVP is feeling healthier for this upcoming series

Minnesota's defense is going to be a problem but their offense isn't as good as OKC's so I like our chances of really stifling them. If we keep the games close I like our chances in the clutch. This post Grant Williams version of the Mavs never played the T Wolves during the regular season so we'll have to feel out the matchups. We always lose game 1s with Kidd so no panic when that happens again

[audiosway]

Or, maybe he now has an organization that picks the RIGHT young guys.

I think that's it. Indy has picked some good young guys. Donnie had some great picks but then also had some serious question marks. Rick always played young guys that earn minutes. Brunson started 38 games and averaged 22 mpg in his rookie year under Rick.

As a side note, I couldn't be happier with Nico. He is doing a fabulous job.

[dirkfansince1998]

Scoring splits for the Nuggets are brutal.

For the game:

Murray 35pts 13/27 FG
Jokic 34pts 13/28 FG
role players 21pts 8/28FG

2nd half:

Jokic 21pts 7/16 FG
Murray 11pts 5/12 FG
role players 5pts 2/11 FG

4th quarter:

Jokic 14pts 5/10 FG
Murray 6pts 3/5 FG
role players 3pts 1/5 FG


I think on average the Mavs can have at least four guys in double digits each game. And compared to the Nuggets they have more talent in the 7th-9th roster spot. Don't think the Mavs will have a game like this where no one except for Luka and Kyrie shows up. So far it has been the opposite. Kyrie and Luka had some really bad games and role players stepped up to make up for it.

[Chicagojk]

Scoring splits for the Nuggets are brutal.

For the game:

Murray 35pts 13/27 FG
Jokic 34pts 13/28 FG
role players 21pts 8/28FG

2nd half:

Jokic 21pts 7/16 FG
Murray 11pts 5/12 FG
role players 5pts 2/11 FG

4th quarter:

Jokic 14pts 5/10 FG
Murray 6pts 3/5 FG
role players 3pts 1/5 FG


I think on average the Mavs can have at least four guys in double digits each game. And compared to the Nuggets they have more talent in the 7th-9th roster spot. Don't think the Mavs will have a game like this where no one except for Luka and Kyrie shows up. So far it has been the opposite. Kyrie and Luka had some really bad games and role players stepped up to make up for it.

They were really rough.  I like Braun and think Payton Watson is going to be fine.  He just is so young and not ready yet.   I am not sure what they do with Porter.   When they are really going, he is an excellent wild card player.   Where he scores 30, it is really hard to stay close to them.   It is different when they are counting on him to be consistent.

Denver invested on three young players in the draft last year.  It will be interesting if any of them can break through.   They need to find some depth pieces.  I am not sure if they will have the MLE, but I think a Buddy Heild would be great there.  Not the defender but a real nice heat check guy off the bench.   They also need to get some better bigger bodies.    Not much there behind the starters.

[OBX Maverick]

I think that's it. Indy has picked some good young guys. Donnie had some great picks but then also had some serious question marks. Rick always played young guys that earn minutes. Brunson started 38 games and averaged 22 mpg in his rookie year under Rick.

As a side note, I couldn't be happier with Nico. He is doing a fabulous job.

Nellie & Donnie struck gold in the draft with two generational players in Dirk and Luka. Count Brunson in there, too. Otherwise their draft record was pretty abysmal with a few other exceptions. I will give them credit, however, for making a few good trades which really boosted the franchise. 

But what Niko is doing is phenonemal. I was watching a national broadcast the other day (and typically I could care less what those talking heads have to say), but I think it was Michael Wilbon who put it perfectly…..after the loss of Brunson, the picks given up in the Kyrie trade, the draft “tank-gate”, and the Grant Williams miss, Niko otherwise threaded the needle perfectly  with the draft of DL3, the signings of DJJ and Exum, and then the trades for PJW and DG. There was literally no room for error for the Mavs to contend this year and beyond, and he succeeded.

[mvossman]

Nellie & Donnie struck gold in the draft with two generational players in Dirk and Luka. Count Brunson in there, too. Otherwise their draft record was pretty abysmal with a few other exceptions. I will give them credit, however, for making a few good trades which really boosted the franchise. 

But what Niko is doing is phenonemal. I was watching a national broadcast the other day (and typically I could care less what those talking heads have to say), but I think it was Michael Wilbon who put it perfectly…..after the loss of Brunson, the picks given up in the Kyrie trade, the draft “tank-gate”, and the Grant Williams miss, Niko otherwise threaded the needle perfectly  with the draft of DL3, the signings of DJJ and Exum, and then the trades for PJW and DG. There was literally no room for error for the Mavs to contend this year and beyond, and he succeeded.

Nellie & Donnie struck gold twice and it should have been 3 times (well documented that Cuban stopped Donnie from drafting Giannis).  Who knows what other things were screwed up by Cuban meddling, including trading a lot of our picks.  Most of the picks were late first rounders as well.

Nico first two years here were a disaster.  The list is long of terrible moves, the worst being not offering Brunson an extension.  I mostly blame Cuban for this.  Why bring in a guy with no FO experience to run the show?  The disaster of last season may have been enough for Cuban to both bring in somebody with actual legit FO experience (Lindsey) and back away a little bit.  I'm hesitant to say they threaded the needle perfectly though.  Williams was a miss and they were saved from themselves on Kuz.

[OBX Maverick]

Nellie & Donnie struck gold twice and it should have been 3 times (well documented that Cuban stopped Donnie from drafting Giannis).  Who knows what other things were screwed up by Cuban meddling, including trading a lot of our picks.  Most of the picks were late first rounders as well.

Nico first two years here were a disaster.  The list is long of terrible moves, the worst being not offering Brunson an extension.  I mostly blame Cuban for this.  Why bring in a guy with no FO experience to run the show?  The disaster of last season may have been enough for Cuban to both bring in somebody with actual legit FO experience (Lindsey) and back away a little bit.  I'm hesitant to say they threaded the needle perfectly though.  Williams was a miss and they were saved from themselves on Kuz.

I’ll give you that Cuban’s meddling, especially after the 2011 championship, played a role in who we drafted… Giannis as you mentioned being the biggest flub.  However, Donnie/Nellie made a lot of questionable picks which had nothing to do with Cuban. 

Obviously it was a slow start for Nico, and his hands were tied by Cuban, I believe, in regard to the Brunson extension. (Also there were some other factors at play there.) But over these last 14 months he has done an amazing job.

[MarkAguirreWrathofGod]

Denver could’ve really used another vet or two off the bench. Booth should’ve been pounding the table if tax was what keeping them from adding another useable player or two. Malone is really annoying too. I generally like Denver but don’t mind seeing little Napoleon’s comeuppance.

[KillerLeft]

Denver could’ve really used another vet or two off the bench. Booth should’ve been pounding the table if tax was what keeping them from adding another useable player or two. Malone is really annoying too. I generally like Denver but don’t mind seeing little Napoleon’s comeuppance.

I hadn't heard Malone speak much prior to this series, but I really didn't like his postgame interview after game 7. He was pretty annoying, I agree.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

I hadn't heard Malone speak much prior to this series, but I really didn't like his postgame interview after game 7. He was pretty annoying, I agree.

He should apologize to that reporter. It was a honest question. But I get his emotions were running wild in that tough loss.

[MarkAguirreWrathofGod]

I hadn't heard Malone speak much prior to this series, but I really didn't like his postgame interview after game 7. He was pretty annoying, I agree.

He also upbraided the female reporter who had the temerity to call him “Mike.” 
Like, would you snap at Pop if he said “nice game Mike” in the handshake line after a game. I think not. These guys are very well compensated and the reporters are doing a thankless job for not a lot of pay. Have some class.