GAME 2 Playoffs 2024: Dallas Mavericks (1-0) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (0-1)

[WillE]

Btw: It's very interesting to go back in this chat and see the different emotional states. Some were confident or at least rather calm despite being down, while others revealed their tendencies towards verbal attacks and negativity.

I'm not judging, just observing. But for me personally, it gave me an insight into one or the other and helped me to weigh up better in future what I can and cannot expect from whom.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Celtics will be a tough matchup too but they have an obvious weak link in the paint (even with Porzingis) which we can exploit.

Are we looking ahead already? Just askin.

[dirkfansince1998]

Minny did a better job in the pick and roll compared to game one but the Mavs made some great adjustments in the second half. Mostly running double ball screens / spain pick and roll. Wolves never figured out the right switches and Mavs got whatever they wanted on offense. Should have scored more but still cannot make open jumpshots.

Last possession was a gift by the Wolves coaching staff. There are two guys on the Mavs roster that you don't want to have with the ball in their hands with the game on the line. Luka and Kyrie. Kyrie was more of a decoy. Luka gets the ball but instead of doubling him they switch their slowest defender onto Luka. Nothing Gobert can do. Cannot even blame him because he should have never been in that position. Don't think Luka ever created as much space on a game winner.
Only one possible outcome. Mavs win the game and we all get a new dancing Rudy meme.

[dirkfansince1998]

Also cannot believe that Finch really benched KAT in the 4th quarter. I thought PJ had one of his worst games in a Mavs jersey and he still outplayed Towns.

[donzingis38]

Are we looking ahead already? Just askin.

It aint over til it's over. I dont even wanna think of going there. Still gotta get 2 W's..

[Jakeospikez]

PJ's 1 on 1 defense vs KAT was great. Anytime KAT tried to go at him it led to a horrendous shot, like not even remotely close to going in. With how Naz was shooting and playing overall I don't see how you bring KAT back in. They definitely should have did some offense/defense shuffling with their timeouts near the end game though.

[dirkfansince1998]

https://x.com/mcten/status/1794198038824861880

During the time Anthony Edwards was checked out of the game from 7:53 to 5:31 remaining in the 4th Q, the Wolves guard put on a face mask to receive oxygen in the tunnel by the Minnesota bench.

[donzingis38]

Also cannot believe that Finch really benched KAT in the 4th quarter. I thought PJ had one of his worst games in a Mavs jersey and he still outplayed Towns.

Because KAT sucks defensively. In the 4th qtr, you could actually see Finch giving KAT the look for leaving Lively for an easy dunk.

But yeah, why can't KAT and Naz be on the court at the same time? I guess they had to sit one big and they couldn't afford to bench a "DPOY."

[fifteenth]

Celtics will be a tough matchup ....

Come on now. No parade route planning

[RGP1981]

Come on now. No parade route planning

Fully agree. Hope the team won't be taking it easy. 2 more wins still needed, just to get to the Finals.

Anything can happen, and it ain't over until it's over.

[The Jom]

Just listened to Timpf. He said it’s over.

[omahen]

What a game. Minny threw a big punch (their best?) in the first half but Mavs just never give up. They are huge mentally. Nothing rattles them. Opponent throws a punch, they will continue to try to come back. Even if opponent manages a big win, Mavs forget about it immediately and come back better next time. They lose a game they controled because of their mistakes, they come back better next game. Winners!

Mavs took Minnys soul in this one. Second game in a row they were up for most of the time, yet Mavs showed again they have the two best players on the floor. While Gobert is a great defender, Mavs are built to be effective against him. Gobert had 16 points and 10 boards, Mavs twin towers had 30 and 14. Not counting KAT and Reid as centers. There is the difference. Mavs have much better guards to put their centers in positions for easy baskets and they also have 48 minutes of high energy center play. I thought Edwards was much better on defense against Kyrie today, but it took his energy for the crucial minutes. Conley was carrying them through 3 quarters but at a time when stars should take over and bring it home, they were not there. Luka and Kyrie were! I hope DJJ and PJ will make some of those open shots, but it was expected to regress a bit due to their hot shooting in previous two series. No worries, Luka and Kyrie have this one. McDaniels is a great defender, but he is just not aggresive enough against Luka, who even missed some relatively easy (by his standards) mid range shots. Hardy was good from the bench. Aggresive on offense all the time. A couple of mistakes, but well done. Green hustled, I just wished he would have better decisions on offense. He is year 4 yet playing like a rookie on that end. Exum and THJ with another horrible outing.

[OBX Maverick]

It’s difficult to call Exum and Timmy’s outings terrible as they played only 8 minutes total between them. I knew Timmy’s role was going to be marginalized, but I don’t think anyone would have predicted him playing 5 minutes in a game especially with Maxi out. Not saying it’s a bad thing as I love what Hardy has added as a ball handler and playmaker in those minutes.

[dirkfansince1998]

It’s difficult to call Exum and Timmy’s outings terrible as they played only 8 minutes total between them. I knew Timmy’s role was going to be marginalized, but I don’t think anyone would have predicted him playing 5 minutes in a game especially with Maxi out.  Not saying it’s a bad thing as I love what Hardy has added as a ball handler and playmaker in those minutes.

The way it looks Kidd is giving all of them a couple of minutes in the late 1st/early 2nd and whoever delivers plays in the second half.

[BobyM]

Can somebody please make a meme of that last Luka's play with title: "Dances With Wolves", starring Luka Dončić ??

And as Gobert as DPOY: "Dance Performance Of the Year".

[surfpuckmd]

Coach Kidd deserves a lot of credit for both our wins in this series.  

I believe he's 4/4 on challenges thus far in this series.  We may not have been in position to win this game at the end without Kidd's successful challenges.

[Winter]

It’s difficult to call Exum and Timmy’s outings terrible as they played only 8 minutes total between them. I knew Timmy’s role was going to be marginalized, but I don’t think anyone would have predicted him playing 5 minutes in a game especially with Maxi out.  Not saying it’s a bad thing as I love what Hardy has added as a ball handler and playmaker in those minutes.

Actually, I did predict Timmy's minutes in a post from yesterday. But it was simply a matter of listening to Jason Kidd say he liked the way Hardy was playing - which I took as code for Hardy gets those minutes now. 

I have to believe that THj is truly bad these days. He's well-liked and I know Kidd would play him if he was at least decent. But his three-point attempts during the last two months have looked terrible.

[surfpuckmd]

Gobert is taking a lot of shit because of the end of this game.  He's not the reason they lost.  Rudy played pretty well overall and actually gave them some efficient offense.  Conley and Naz Reid were both outstanding.  The Timberwolves lost because of another bad game from Anthony Edwards and KAT.  Those two shit the bed again.  After the first two games, there's so much shit on that bed that they need to just throw away the mattress.  Gobert fought his ass off all game.  Luka makes a lot of great defensive players look foolish.  KAT was unplayable in the 4th and Michael Jordan has watched the last two games and thinks that Anthony Edwards is a pussy.

[Jmaciscool]

After seeing that dumb bad pass turnover with 12 seconds left I thought "Wow, maybe Ant really is the next Jordan...Poole."

[Smitty]

Btw: It's very interesting to go back in this chat and see the different emotional states. Some were confident or at least rather calm despite being down, while others revealed their tendencies towards verbal attacks and negativity.

I'm not judging, just observing. But for me personally, it gave me an insight into one or the other and helped me to weigh up better in future what I can and cannot expect from whom.

Just did the same and thought the same.