GAME 1 Playoffs 2024: Dallas Mavericks (0-0) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (0-0)

[dirkfansince1998]

Have to give props to THJ for being a teammate. You know he hates what’s happened to his game. His line tonight:

10 mins, 0 FGAs (ZERO!!!), 4 rebounds, 1 steal, +7

In game six of the OKC series Kidd subbed him in for a single defensive possession. I couldn't believe it. Known defensive specialist THJ on the floor for one of the most important possessions of the season. But he has been solid. Playing hard and moving his feet. Without any forced shot attempts. Almost wish that he would be a little bit more aggressive on offense. Luka and Kyrie could use some help.

[Mavs2021]

Also 16-17 from the FT line. Go 52% again and we lose easily. That´s why that game 4 against the Thunder was so annoying.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

I assume Josh Green is traded for some surplus leggings for Luka this off-season.

Jeeez.

[myconsumerclub]

up 4 with so little time what was it just under 10 seconds and Green gives him 3 free throws and only way that it works out bad is if they miss that third intentionally to try and score a 2 but then he missed his 2nd free throw and that just put the fear in them and from that moment onward we were safe from then sneaking in some heroics.

[fifteenth]

We shot 63% in the paint for 62 points. I hope they keep playing drop.

[dirkfansince1998]

I assume Josh Green is traded for some surplus leggings for Luka this off-season.

Jeeez.

Feel a little bit bad for him. It was a super soft call. There was more contact on most shot attempts in the previous minutes. And overall he had a solid game. His defense on Edwards was great. Better than DJJ in the same role.
I thought that size/length would be more important but it looks like a player like Green with great lateral quickness that allows him to cut off driving lanes is better suited for the job.

[Chicagojk]

I expect a better game by Minny in game 2. They will come out aggressive.

I know the Timberwolves have a great D. I just feel like OKC provided more challenges than Minny for Kyrie and Luka. They got a lot of good looks

[fifteenth]

I expect a better game by Minny in game 2.  They will come out aggressive.

I know the Timberwolves have a great D.  I just feel like OKC provided more challenges than Minny for Kyrie and Luka.  They got a lot of good looks

Maybe. We didn't allow Ant a path to the basket. We punished their drop coverage. 

Welcome to the playoffs Mr. "I got Kyrie"

[dirkfansince1998]

I expect a better game by Minny in game 2.  They will come out aggressive.

I know the Timberwolves have a great D.  I just feel like OKC provided more challenges than Minny for Kyrie and Luka.  They got a lot of good looks

They have all the bigs in the world but that isn't helping Ant and McDaniels on an island against Kyrie and Luka. That's how you beat Jokic. Not the Mavs.
Question is where they can improve. Cannot expect better shooting from their role players. They delivered. Really up to Towns and Edwards to be more efficient. To do what Luka and Kyrie did in game one. Create your own shot and hit tough shots.

[fifteenth]

They have all the bigs in the world but that isn't helping Ant and McDaniels on an island against Kyrie and Luka. That's how you beat Jokic. Not the Mavs.
Question is where they can improve. Cannot expect better shooting from their role players. They delivered. Really up to Towns and Edwards to be more efficient. To do what Luka and Kyrie did in game one. Create your own shot and hit tough shots.

I agree. Ant and Towns have to beat DJJ and PJ with Luka, Kyrie cutting off driving lanes and Lively waiting at the basket. 

I'm feeling good about our chances

[Chicagojk]

Don’t get a chance to watch many post game shows. The tnt guys are not experts but man are they entertaining. That shaqtin the fool segment was better than anything espn can do. It will be a shame if next year is the end of that show.

[KillerLeft]

I had something I couldn't miss during the first half, so I started the game late. Watched it in its entirety, but couldn't be in the game thread. I know nobody wants my thoughts, but I've chosen to subject you all to them, anyway. Here goes:

Right off the bat, since I was in on all the Gafford talk all day, let me just say that I thought he was pretty darn good tonight. This was my favorite game of his in the playoffs, so far. He's not going to win every battle on the boards, but he fought all game long. The only thing I didn't like were the two times he floored the ball, one on one of those short rolls I hate to see go to him so much (but WOW, only one! Yay drop coverage!) and another time when the ball found him and he just tried to freelance. His worst stretch was that chunk of time in the middle of the fourth where they had to rest Lively and the Dallas lead succumbed to that final Wolves run (this is probably why his +/- looks rough), but I don't think it was because he was out of place, like against OKC, I think he was just EXHAUSTED. And, Lively had to rest, no way around it. Gafford hung in there reasonably well, besides being on empty himself. Kudos to him for a great game tonight!

Lively was AMAZING again! A couple of dumb fouls, an unnecessary 3-second call or two, if I remember correctly, but my goodness is there ANY level the rookie isn't ready for? 

I said something earlier about how sure I was that Minnesota was going to kill Dallas on the glass, and to the credit of all of you "bigger is better" folks, I didn't feel that way watching the game. Lively, Gafford, PJ and Luka held their own in rebounding. I don't know the total differential, but I was confident watching that they did well enough to compete in that category, which I was not expecting. 

The main thing I'm worried about, relative to the bigs, is FATIGUE. Again, Gafford was barely able to walk or get himself off the floor by the end of his last stint. I think he and Lively are both going to need great displays of WILL to keep this going. Something to watch, moving forward. 

Another thing I should get out of the way is that I was pretty disappointed with Washington's game. I thought he had a few really great moments, such as that huge corner 3 late, and that awesome reverse layup attacking a closeout. But, I thought he was a little nervous tonight, and it showed with a loose handle, a couple of out of control drives and some other weird miscues. The missed shots don't bother me, as long as he keeps shooting. He's going to need to hit more of those, but they escaped tonight, so all good. I thought this might have been his worst defensive game of the series, and having to guard KAT is a new challenge for him. Still, he got into the paint and mixed it up on the glass. I think (and hope) he'll do better as the series progresses, but his life will be harder without Kleber, for sure. Guarding KAT is probably my biggest concern coming out of this one, but luckily, KAT has been quite inconsistent in these playoffs. 

DJJ was just OK on offense, too, but I thought he (and a great team defense plan) were phenomenal on Edwards. This dude continues to amaze me. 

Speaking of the team defense, a team finally caught Kidd's go to plan with its pants down, as McDaniels hit damn near every three that Dallas very clearly was not interested in guarding. For those who haven't watched the Wolves much, try to be calm about that, because I highly doubt he'll ever get that hot again in the series. It's just as improbable as DJJ or PJ hitting that many in a row. AND THE WOLVES LOST! 

Which brings me to the next point, which is OMG, the Wolves creamed the Mavs in both 3-point attempts and percentage and still lost the game!!! Tell me that doesn't change the calculus of this series! I mean, Edwards is probably going to have several games where he shoots better, and KAT might have a couple, but McDaniels will not. Dallas finding a way to win despite losing that all-important category so decisively has me feeling extremely optimistic. 

I thought Dallas was the calmer, more poised team down the stretch (maybe not at the very, very end, more on that in a second) which is strange, because most of them are just as new to this level as Minnesota. But, Luka and Kyrie are NOT new to this level, and I think that showed with crystal clarity. 

This will induce some eye rolls, but I thought Hardaway played about as well as I've ever seen him play when he isn't a factor on offense (did he even get a shot off?). He made some nice passes, pushed the ball a few times, had some good defensive possessions, got to some loose balls and even a couple of man-style rebounds. There was one play in which he was helping in the paint, fell asleep and didn't close out in time to a Naz Reid three that dropped. Other than that, I thought his minutes were really good, actually (+/- agrees). That's big, because he's going to have to play some. 

Wow, JADEN HARDY! He looked WAY more ready in this one than he did against OKC. Like, WAY more. I think he's ready to be the first guard off the bench next season, and I'm pretty impressed that Kidd had the balls to give him a shot this deep in the postseason. Unlike his OKC minutes, I thought he made a positive impact out there, and he's starting pass. Well! 

Exum got some more burn, which I liked seeing. Unfortunately, same story. There was one play in particular where he beat his man, got into the paint and instead of trying a wide open layup he tried to force an awkward wraparound pass to Lively in the dunker spot. They didn't score, and it was the incorrect choice. I don't remember seeing him again after that. I wish he'd just realize that he's good and needs to shoot! 

Josh Green probably wishes he could have this game back. I have never seen him play worse. Yes, that corner three was huge, but OMG was his energy chaotic and out of the game's flow tonight. Edwards' few bright spots seemed like they all came while Green was guarding him, and he just generally didn't feel like he belonged on the floor tonight, at least to me. I'm 99.999% sure that last foul was intentional, which is baffling. I mean, I know he thought it would be "on the floor" but why even have that strategy in place for that situation? Down 4? I think that's a question for Kidd, and I hope someone asks him tonight, but even with that idiocracy, Green has to know to abandon the strategy in that situation. He just has to. 

Speaking of questionable Kidd things (overall, I'm getting more and more impressed with him) I can't believe they didn't call a timeout and advance the ball with an ATO to get the ball inbounded better on that last possession. PJ actually made an exceptional pass, and DJJ made an exceptional catch, and they even got the ball to Kyrie, a great FT shooter, but man on man was that scarier than it needed to be. I was having flashes of last night's IND/BOS ending. I'm glad it worked out, because I can just imagine all of the PJ hate that would've come from that turnover, especially after the game he had, but in reality it would've been Kidd's fault, imo. And again, that pass was probably the best thing PJ did all night. 

Kyrie Irving was exceptional. Just amazing, on both ends. Player of the game probably, but if he wasn't, it would have to go to 4th quarter Luka, who looked better than I've seen him look in a long time. Again, they BOTH just seemed like they had been there before, and it made all the difference in the world. Kyrie's post game chat with the Inside the NBA guys was stellar, too. Very composed, very level, very confident. It's becoming more and more obvious that even though Luka is the team's best player, Kyrie is their LEADER, and I actually think he might be the best one left in the playoffs, kind of like Kidd in 2011 (only in a package that's still playing at a super high level). 

Anyway, I could probably ramble on some more, but I just wanted to at least get that much out. I wish I could've shared this win with you all in the game thread (now, I can't get back into the game thread until they lose a game, lol). GO MAVS! WHAT A WIN!

[Chicagojk]

Biggest concern for me in game 2 is Minny comes out ultra aggressive and they get a favorable whistle and PJ and/or Lively get in early foul trouble

[KillerLeft]

Man, reading through the game thread, y'all were much harder on Gafford than I was in this one.

[nicholasthefan]

Man, reading through the game thread, y'all were much harder on Gafford than I was in this one.

Unrightfully so, IMO

[dirkfansince1998]

Man, reading through the game thread, y'all were much harder on Gafford than I was in this one.

Maybe it is just Lively's greatness but in comparisation it feels like he is a step slow every single time. And that is all great shooters need to get a shot off. Be it a pick and roll ballhandler like Edwards or Conley or a pick and pop big like Towns or Reid. Against Lively they rarely get a shot off.

[KillerLeft]

Maybe it is just Lively's greatness but in comparisation it feels like he is a step slow every single time. And that is all great shooters need to get a shot off. Be it a pick and roll ballhandler like Edwards or Conley or a pick and pop big like Towns or Reid. Against Lively they rarely get a shot off.

Totally agree, Lively was better, and he almost always will be. I just didn't hate the Gafford minutes tonight as much as I expected. The only time I was really bothered was when he ran out of gas and let that lead slip away in the middle of the 4th.  But, there's no Kleber, and Lively can't play the whole 4th quarter!

[dirkfansince1998]

Looking at the Wolves. Are they making changes on defense? Start to double/blitz earlier and dare Lively/Gafford to make decisions. Switch up the matchups? Put NAW or Conley on Irving and let Edwards rest on defense.

[nicholasthefan]

Looking at the Wolves. Are they making changes on defense? Start to double/blitz earlier and dare Lively/Gafford to make decisions. Switch up the matchups? Put NAW or Conley on Irving and let Edwards rest on defense.

If they start to blitz, the mavs will have an answer. I almost feel like with the way the mavs talked after this game that they were baiting Minny into changing their defense.

[KillerLeft]

Looking at the Wolves. Are they making changes on defense? Start to double/blitz earlier and dare Lively/Gafford to make decisions. Switch up the matchups? Put NAW or Conley on Irving and let Edwards rest on defense.

I would get out of drop as fast as I could to prevent those lobs (which shouldn't be happening against Minnesota) and force Luka to give the ball to Gafford and/or Lively on the short roll, just like OKC did all series, to great effect. Neither is very good in that situation (Lively is much better, but still not stellar) and while they will run the risk of giving up some open corner 3's (which they clearly didn't want to do tonight), I think that's a poison I'd pick (both the short roll decision makers and then the corner shooters) over letting Luka cook against drop. His midrange game has been the only consistently passable tool in his belt this post season as a scorer, and we all know his chemistry with both bigs is through the roof. Even Kyrie was eating in the midrange tonight. The drop completely negates the size disadvantage he has in this series, and was probably the biggest reason for his great first half. 

But, that's me. I hate drop coverage. And, that's just kind of how Minnesota plays. So, I'm hopeful they'll be stubborn about it.