Game 27: Los Angeles Clippers (15-12) vs. Dallas Mavericks (17-9)

[KillerLeft]

Mavs are very frustrated right now. Zero shots falling.

They battled. Just didn't have anyone consistently going offensively aside from Klay, who to me was our best player tonight by FAR!

A bunch of Robins, all forced to pretend they’re Batmans tonight.

[KillerLeft]

I'm not really disappointed in the loss - they were supposed to lose this game. I'm a little disappointed in Dinwiddie. He has been playing well lately, and they needed him to carry a huge offensive load tonight. Also, Lively needs to start getting back on track. Too many mental lapses from him lately. PJW played pretty well, considering he got the other team's best defender all night, which wouldn't have happened ordinarily.

[SleepingHero]

Only solace right now is that both the Suns and Wolves are getting blown the f out right now

[Chicagojk]

I'm not really disappointed in the loss - they were supposed to lose this game. I'm a little disappointed in Dinwiddie. He has been playing well lately, and they needed him to carry a huge offensive load tonight. Also, Lively needs to start getting back on track. Too many mental lapses from him lately. PJW played pretty well, considering he got the other team's best defender all night, which wouldn't have happened ordinarily.

Dinwiddie had some moments but boy does the ball stick with him a lot.  I am glad we dont need to watch that often.  Not a very pleasing way to watch a game.

That middle of the third )7 minutes to 2 minutes in the quarter).  Was the difference.  Kidd made some early subs and it just didn’t work.  Outscored like 19-6 in that segment. game was tied at 63.   Mavs were never able to get close after.

[sefant]

Dinwiddie had some moments but boy does the ball stick with him a lot.  I am glad we dont need to watch that often.  Not a very pleasing way to watch a game.
That middle of the third )7 minutes to 2 minutes in the quarter).  Was the difference.  Kidd made some early subs and it just didn’t work.  Outscored like 19-6 in that segment. game was tied at 63.   Mavs were never able to get close after.

7:09 - Daniel Gafford enters the game for Dereck Lively II - 63-63
2:37 - Dereck Lively II enters the game for Daniel Gafford 82-69

[ThisIStheYear]

The offense was worse than I thought it would be, and I had low expectations. The defensive effort was horrible. The Mavs lost some more ground tonight. They’ve got some work to do to grab a top 2 seed.

[KillerLeft]

The offense was worse than I thought it would be, and I had low expectations. The defensive effort was horrible. The Mavs lost some more ground tonight. They’ve got some work to do to grab a top 2 seed.

I think the defensive effort was pretty good, until it became apparent to everyone, including the Mavs players, themselves, that they couldn't score. That tends to suck the wind out of a team's sails, even on the other end.

[Chicagojk]

Was it because we were without Luka and Kyrie or did the Clippers just made it a staple not to guard Lively when he had the ball outside the paint? I can understand not guarding him at the the three point lane, but they didn't even bothering when he was in the three point line as well. And Lively didn't even look at the rim. He has shown a much improved touch shot, I would love to see that become a staple and not hesitate shooting it when teams don't guard him.

[KillerLeft]

Was it because we were without Luka and Kyrie or did the Clippers just made it a staple not to guard Lively when he had the ball outside the paint?  I can understand not guarding him at the the three point lane, but they didn't even bothering when he was in the three point line as well.  And Lively didn't even look at the rim.  He has shown a much improved touch shot, I would love to see that become a staple and not hesitate shooting it when teams don't guard him.

Both, I think. 

And, it's important to remember that Lively shooting isn't the only way to combat that. That particular offensive flow is fairly new for the team. They broke it out some in the playoffs last year, but I don't remember seeing it at all during the regular season, and only this season has it been a consistently go-to approach. It's going to be a while before they are as good at that stuff as they are at the spread pick-and-roll game.