Game 44: Phoenix Suns (25-18) vs. Dallas Mavericks (24-19)

[KillerLeft]

Pretty horrid last pass from Kleber to close out what was a pretty exciting first quarter.

MAVS need to keep this intensity up but maybe cut down on the fouls as we move forward.

[KillerLeft]

Stories of Maxi Kleber’s demise were greatly exaggerated.

He is defending his balls off out there tonight.

[KillerLeft]

First good decision Hardy has made all night, passing up that corner three.

[KillerLeft]

This has not been my favorite Derek Jones Junior game of the season.

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Exum passed up a good shot there. Can’t do that.

[KillerLeft]

Man, when the team is playing well, I feel like I am the only one in this thread watching the game.

Doesn’t anyone else LIKE the Mavericks? Aren’t we supposed to enjoy their better efforts?

[BoredAssistant]

This game is fun!

[Chicagojk]

Mavs hot start from three got them taking almost all threes. They should really try to drive. That will lead to drive and kicks. But the no drive three point possessions are killer. Even sometimes when they make them.

That and the free throws misses and putting them in the line are killer.

[ThisIStheYear]

They’re not really playing well.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

Suns literally fought their way back in it.

[DrMav]

Good game so far but worried we may lose both Luka and Josh for the 2nd half with foot/ankle.

Seems like refs did a very nice job keeping Suns in the game through the Mavs hot shooting, 15 fouls on Mavs, only 8 on the Suns.

[Chicagojk]

Just sloppy. Teams make runs but all the hard work the Mavs did, just disappears because they get careless on their shot selection and other weird things. Just not a mature team when their shot goes cold.

[MaxiThreeba]

Man, when the team is playing well, I feel like I am the only one in this thread watching the game.

Doesn’t anyone else LIKE the Mavericks? Aren’t we supposed to enjoy their better efforts?

I find it really hard to watch.  Never been too active in threads anyway.  But they have become a team I don’t enjoy watching at all.  Fought through it last year and early this season.  

Now I find myself throwing the games on as background noise.  May be an age thing, but I don’t ever recall myself being less engaged with a Mavs team…and yes that includes 90s Mavs. 

I’m trying, just have real low give a damn levels right now.

[BoredAssistant]

Okogie with some obvious flops. I thought the league was looking to penalize this specifically.

[KillerLeft]

They’re not really playing well.

oh, hard disagree. They are making some mistakes, for sure. But they are playing hard and that includes some really effective defense. to me it seems like the game plan on both ends of the floor is great - they just don’t have a lot of experience playing together recently.

The Suns are a good team. Their players get paid, too.

if you can’t enjoy this game, when they are focused and trying to execute, then you might be asking for too much. Results cannot be the only thing that entertain us, or we will all be miserable all the time.

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I find it really hard to watch.  Never been too active in threads anyway.  But they have become a team I don’t enjoy watching at all.  Fought through it last year and early this season.  

Now I find myself throwing the games on as background noise.  May be an age thing, but I don’t ever recall myself being less engaged with a Mavs team…and yes that includes 90s Mavs. 

I’m trying, just have real low give a damn levels right now.

I get that on some nights, but I don’t think it applies to this one. I think this game has been way fun to watch.

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Good game so far but worried we may lose both Luka and Josh for the 2nd half with foot/ankle.

Seems like refs did a very nice job keeping Suns in the game through the Mavs hot shooting, 15 fouls on Mavs, only 8 on the Suns.

great to see you Dr. MAV!

[ThisIStheYear]

Too many turnovers. Luka gets another T. Kidd just lets a 15-2 run go. This team needs to get its shit together.

[KillerLeft]

I don’t know if they’re going to win this game, or even if they will play well in the second half. I am ready for anything.

But if you guys are telling me that you did not enjoy watching the way Grant Williams and Maxi Kleber both played defense on Durant in that first half, or how hard Luka and Lively are playing, or Green… Man, I’m not sure what you need.

The offense doesn’t lend itself to a lot of beautiful basketball, but that’s just gonna be how it is until Kidd gets fired.

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Too many turnovers. Luka gets another T. Kidd just lets a 15-2 run go.  This team needs to get its shit together.

Yes, the suns made a run. Yes there are things the Mavericks could’ve done better to shut that down. Yes, Jason Kidd kind of sucks.

This is still a much, much better effort than the one against Boston the other night. I don’t care what you say, fight me.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

Luka rolled that ankle again. He just can't heal those nagging injuries. Kyrie too.

[rocky164]

This is much better effort especially defensively than against Boston. They are also making shots. Unfortunately for this team the two are related. Disappointing end to the second quarter but overall a fun game to watch.

[KillerLeft]

This is much better effort especially defensively than against Boston.  They are also making shots.  Unfortunately for this team the two are related.  Disappointing end to the second quarter but overall a fun game to watch.

Do you mean that when they make shots, they play harder on defense? Or, that when they play defense, they get better shots?

I actually think both of those things are true, I just want to know which one you meant.

[Reunion Mav]

I totally enjoyed the first half but I also got frustrated how no one but Luka could do anything right offensively after we lost our rhythm. Defense has been great but the ball keeps going right to them.