Game 23 Dirkie Thread: Kyrie!...by a whisker in a cluster...

[ballsrchr]

The Mavs won by--36pts, and it wasn't really that close. Some sloppy play but a good scrimmage.

I always say that you need at least 4 players in double figures to win. What do you call it when you have 8 in double figures. Well...I would say it is tentative proof that scoring is not always the main criteria that makes a good player. Sure...it's usually #1, but it gives strong defensive players, or off ball players hope to contribute in any game.

Luka scored a triple double in 3 quarters. I guess you could call that a unique quadruple...whatever.

The thing most notable about Hardy's 13 points is that it was scored in 6 minutes. Hope his knee is ok.

Well...who gets my Dirkie tonight? Dereck Lively was a tasmanian devil out there. Kyrie was solid as a rock. Luka was--Luka. Quentin Grimes played some quality minutes when the Mavs needed it. I'm going with Quentin Grimes.

[The Jom]

There were a couple moments when it looked like W might make it interesting. Both times Kyrie crushed them.

[KillerLeft]

Can I vote for Kuzma, who vetoed a trade here?

[Mavs2021]

I give it to Wilt Chamberlain for keeping his record. He was lucky Hardy only played six minutes, as he was on pace for 104 points.

[Jym]

a decent Klay game with a massive +/- so I had to go with him

[SleepingHero]

This was just a thorough thrashing.

First time I've watched Washington all year and I can see why any opponent they play instantly becomes the best team of all time. The Mavs did not even try out there. In fact, this was the first time in the Luka era where I thought it didn't matter that the team came out and sleepwalked through the game. Usually they underestimate an opponent like this and it leads to a grueling difficult win when there wasn't a reason for it.

Thankfully they just toyed with the Wizards and the game was never in a panic mode. It felt like they versed the shanghai sharks in the preseason and just whooped their butts. I love to see that sort of calm composure and professional smackdown-age.

As such, it's hard to pick a Dirkie. The Mavs overmatched the Wizards so badly that basically everyone can get it. Luka had a great game. He was engaged on defense. He made some incredible passes and we saw the classic Luka offensive takeover. Ended it with a triple double. Certainly Dirkie worthy.

Klay, Grimes, Lively, PJ, Gafford, and Dinwiddie all played fantastic games and I could happily give them a Dirkie too. I'm going with Kyrie tonight for his slick haircut and even more sharp play. His offensive takeover in the 2nd and 3rd quarters was so entertaining to watch.

Finally, Alex Sarr does not look the part. I mean heck, he didn't look good in summer league but sheesh he looks like Kwame Brown out there. Zero offensive talent. He's constantly out of position on defense. He bites on every fake. He can't box out. BUT the athleticism is there.... I don't know. Maybe he puts it together eventually... I just don't see it with him. To me it looks like he conned the Wizards out of a lotto pick right now.

Great game by the Mavs. What a blowout!

[JamesConway912]

All around mature performance. Good start, slowly kept getting away further from WSH and never really let it get below a 12-13 point lead iirc. That’s how you show up in a trap game.

Big picture everything seems to be falling in place nicely. Starting five now has a +20 NetRtg as the sample size continues to grow, the bench has really picked it up and the injury troubles are slowly going away. Really fun to watch them play right now.

Now off to Toronto. Should be winnable as well given their poor record and the Raptors missing Poeltl, Quickley and Olynyk. Going 16-8 into the cup game against OKC would be huge.

[ThisIStheYear]

Washington should just change their mascot to the Generals. That’s one of the most hapless teams I’ve ever seen. Dallas could easily have won by 50 or more if for some reason they needed to. In the past, this would have been a great spot for Luka to go for a 60 point triple double. Instead, practically the whole team gets double figures and good shooting percentages. That’s progress. I voted Widdie because he was so good from three, but I don’t really have a Dirkie tonight. The Generals don’t merit it.

[Mavs2021]

Washington should just change their mascot to the Generals. That’s one of the most hapless teams I’ve ever seen. Dallas could easily have won by 50 or more if for some reason they needed to. In the past, this would have been a great spot for Luka to go for a 60 point triple double. Instead, practically the whole team gets double figures and good shooting percentages. That’s progress.  I voted Widdie because he was so good from three, but I don’t really have a Dirkie tonight. The Generals don’t merit it.

Well to a certain extent it speaks to our quality that we won by 36 without trying.

More strange that Boston did not understand the rules or did not care about the Cup, cause they only won by 12 against the Wizards and that´s basically what cost them in the H2H pt. differential with the Magic for the wildcard spot.

[Mavs2021]

Klay, Grimes, Lively, PJ, Gafford, and Dinwiddie all played fantastic games and I could happily give them a Dirkie too. I'm going with Kyrie tonight for his slick haircut and even more sharp play. His offensive takeover in the 2nd and 3rd quarters was so entertaining to watch.

Finally, Alex Sarr does not look the part. I mean heck, he didn't look good in summer league but sheesh he looks like Kwame Brown out there. Zero offensive talent. He's constantly out of position on defense. He bites on every fake. He can't box out. BUT the athleticism is there.... I don't know. Maybe he puts it together eventually... I just don't see it with him. To me it looks like he conned the Wizards out of a lotto pick right now.

I said before the draft that I would not bet any money on which of the French picks will have the best career.

#1 Risacher
#2 Sarr
#6 Salaun
#25 Dadiet
#51 Ajinca

So far none of them have set the world on fire, but it seems it will be Risacher, although Dadiet still is the most interesting to me. 

Our own Ajinca has barely played for ASVEL. 62 minutes through 6 of a possible 13 games in the EuroLeague. 59 minutes through 3 out of a possible 10 games in the French League. His first two games were promising with 9 PPG on 40% 3pt shooting. Third game last week was bad and dropped his percentages. Crazy part is that roughly 95% of his shot attempts are three pointers.

[Chicagojk]

In a walk over, let me give it to Gafford. More of a recognition for his recent play. Per Iztok, he has scored over 10- points in 15 consecutive games. Averaging a career high 12.8 pts per game on a league best 73% FG percentage. Just enters the game and wrecks the rim.