GAME 57: LAC (27-30) vs. DAL (33-23) | 97-99 loss

[Arioch]

Excluding Burke, who went out after 2 minutes with an injury, the Mavs played 8 players.

4 of those players shot 32 of 67 (15 of 30 from 3). They also collected 30 rebounds.

The other 4 were 3 of 18 (0 of 9 from 3). They did have 14 rebounds (though 8 of those came from 1 guy).

Hard to win a game that requires 5 players on a team when you only have 4 show up.

[MaxiThreeba]

I didn’t see the game. But the box score says Mavs +14 in the 39 minutes DFS played. That means the 9 minutes without him were -16. So it really couldn’t be DFS who cost us the game.

Single game +/- is pretty useless. 

Dodo was bad tonight.

[MaxiThreeba]

Their offensive games are miles apart.

Yep.  Mann is better at just about everything. 

But the Mavs are going to have to hope Josh takes a mammoth step forward this offseason.  The cluster of a roster they’ve built unfortunately now relies on hoping for a lot of low percentage outcomes from players.  Green turning into someone as serviceable as Mann is one of those low percentage outcomes they need to luck into.

[ThisIStheYear]

Low key play of the game was the Mavs allowing 5 seconds to burn before they could get the foul at the end. That play was basically a victory for Lue in the coaching matchup and made a huge difference to the outcome of the game.

[soog]

Ha this got unstickied fast.

I realize there were some adjustments this game but overall I’d say the Clips took the same primary approach they always take.  Switch all screens and don’t help on Luka. Make Luka beat you by himself while you lock everyone else down.  The gambit here isn’t that he can’t do it, it’s that he will run out of gas and not be able to finish the job.  

I keep seeing people say (not necessarily here) “Luka hates the clips!  Looks at that box score!”  I think this is more a result of how they play him than how he targets them.

In some ways the strategy worked last game because while he did score 51 he slowed down a lot after the first quarter.  This game though it was incredibly evident in some of the easy misses Luka had - he just didn’t have the legs left at the end of the game to get some of those shots to drop.

It’s not a terrible strategy against one of the best players in the league who is regularly in sub-par physical fitness.

This also explains why the bench and role players looked so disappointing out there tonight.  Luka normally creates a vacuum that opens up cutting lanes and gives people more space for shots.  When the opposing defense is staying home and daring Luka to take it every time, everyone else is going to have a much harder time getting their numbers.

Kudos to Lue for sending the help defense that last play.  Luka obviously wasn’t expecting it and you could see by his on court reaction afterwards that he realized he should have passed.

My biggest problem with the team right now is lack of offense.  Not necessarily lack of shooting, but there is no movement.  One thing I love about golden state is that even with the shooters they have in that team they dont just sit around and watch each other.  The run beautiful set pieces with incredible movement that make it even easier for them to do their jobs.  I have to give it up to Kidd that he did what he said he’d do on defense.  I was a big doubter of his and I was wrong. Now I’d like to see him focus some on the offensive sets they run.  This game exposes how limited the Mavs are on offense given the current strategy.

[Chicagojk]

Ha this got unstickied fast.

I realize there were some adjustments this game but overall I’d say the Clips took the same primary approach they always take.  Switch all screens and don’t help on Luka. Make Luka beat you by himself while you lock everyone else down.  The gambit here isn’t that he can’t do it, it’s that he will run out of gas and not be able to finish the job.  

I keep seeing people say (not necessarily here) “Luka hates the clips!  Looks at that box score!”  I think this is more a result of how they play him than how he targets them.

In some ways the strategy worked last game because while he did score 51 he slowed down a lot after the first quarter.  This game though it was incredibly evident in some of the easy misses Luka had - he just didn’t have the legs left at the end of the game to get some of those shots to drop.

It’s not a terrible strategy against one of the best players in the league who is regularly in sub-par physical fitness.

This also explains why the bench and role players looked so disappointing out there tonight.  Luka normally creates a vacuum that opens up cutting lanes and gives people more space for shots.  When the opposing defense is staying home and daring Luka to take it every time, everyone else is going to have a much harder time getting their numbers.

Kudos to Lue for sending the help defense that last play.  Luka obviously wasn’t expecting it and you could see by his on court reaction afterwards that he realized he should have passed.

My biggest problem with the team right now is lack of offense.  Not necessarily lack of shooting, but there is no movement.  One thing I love about golden state is that even with the shooters they have in that team they dont just sit around and watch each other.  The run beautiful set pieces with incredible movement that make it even easier for them to do their jobs.  I have to give it up to Kidd that he did what he said he’d do on defense.  I was a big doubter of his and I was wrong. Now I’d like to see him focus some on the offensive sets they run.  This game exposes how limited the Mavs are on offense given the current strategy.

Yes, Luka is asked to do way to much.  And the scary thing is he can beat that defense even when they do everything right.  Scary thing is the Clippers are missing their best two defenders.   

You really feel it when Luka is out and they switch on everything.   They are literally forcing Jalen to get to the basket on isolation.   As good as Jalen is, being Luka is too much to ask.   We have no one to put pressure on the defense.  Everyone else is waiting for an open three look.   That doesn't scare the Clippers at all.   They either are going to force Jalen to create for himself or give the ball up.   If he gives the ball up and they take away the three.  The Clippers take that as a win if anyone else has to create besides Luka and Jalen.

[ItsGoTime]

Yes, Luka is asked to do way to much.  And the scary thing is he can beat that defense even when they do everything right.  Scary thing is the Clippers are missing their best two defenders.   

You really feel it when Luka is out and they switch on everything.   They are literally forcing Jalen to get to the basket on isolation.   As good as Jalen is, being Luka is too much to ask.   We have no one to put pressure on the defense.  Everyone else is waiting for an open three look.   That doesn't scare the Clippers at all.   They either are going to force Jalen to create for himself or give the ball up.   If he gives the ball up and they take away the three.  The Clippers take that as a win if anyone else has to create besides Luka and Jalen.

Twenty four MILLION dollars!

[Jommybone]

Single game +/- is pretty useless. 

Dodo was bad tonight.

It is almost useless. But the one thing it’s good for is figuring out how a team did NOT beat us. They did NOT beat us because of DFS. Mavs won his minutes handily and got completely smoked in the 9 mins that he sat. Wish someone who got to watch the game could tell me why.

[DanSchwartzgan]

This game felt like a loss almost the entire time.  We had a nice run and small lead in the middle of the first and then with the exception of a brief lead at the same point in the third, we played from behind the entire game.  

I get that Luka scored 45 points and all, but he was 38% through three quarters and hit two of eight FT's during that time.  He just couldn't get it going most of the game and didn't get much help at all.  It really makes sense to me that the FO went after some bench help.  Two guys who started at the beginning of the season are gone/unavailable (KP and THJ).  To replace them, we have basically robbed what was a good bench of two important contributors.  

The starters played fine in this game.  Where we lost it was late first/early second and again late third/early fourth.  You can call this bench time.  You can also call this single PG time.  Either way, it didn't work.  We lost 10 points in each of those stretches.  This group of starters has been surprisingly successful, but even a great starting five can't compensate for a bench that bleeds 20 points to a good team.

[burekemde]

This game felt like a loss almost the entire time.  We had a nice run and small lead in the middle of the first and then with the exception of a brief lead at the same point in the third, we played from behind the entire game.  

I get that Luka scored 45 points and all, but he was 38% through three quarters and hit two of eight FT's during that time.  He just couldn't get it going most of the game and didn't get much help at all.  It really makes sense to me that the FO went after some bench help.  Two guys who started at the beginning of the season are gone/unavailable (KP and THJ).  To replace them, we have basically robbed what was a good bench of two important contributors.  

The starters played fine in this game.  Where we lost it was late first/early second and again late third/early fourth.  You can call this bench time.  You can also call this single PG time.  Either way, it didn't work.  We lost 10 points in each of those stretches.  This group of starters has been surprisingly successful, but even a great starting five can't compensate for a bench that bleeds 20 points to a good team.

Totally agree, the bench lost this one. We were in front if i remember correctly, bench came in and the lead got away and Clippers came in front. The bench needs to produce, in order for Luka and Brunson unit to get more rest.

[DanSchwartzgan]

It is almost useless. But the one thing it’s good for is figuring out how a team did NOT beat us. They did NOT beat us because of DFS. Mavs won his minutes handily and got completely smoked in the 9 mins that he sat. Wish someone who got to watch the game could tell me why.

Hard to point to any one thing.  Almost all of the time DFS was out, Brunson was the lone PG and some combo of Maxi, Green and Frank were on the floor with him (often all three).  All of them were useless.  Green had 3 steals and played good D, but wasn't good at all offensively.  Something seemed off with Maxi.  He was sleepwalking in stretches.  

We were -14 with DFS out and Brunson as the solo PG.  The Clipper bench has some good defenders and were just noticeably better.

[soog]

After piling on the negatives I saw, the one positive I was very happy to see was the game and clock management that gave the Mavs a chance at a game winning shot.  Aside from how long it took to foul Jackson at the end, the last few minutes were managed very well. Despite the poor play and errors, the Mavs still gave themselves a chance to win the game.

[KillerLeft]

The starters played fine in this game.  Where we lost it was late first/early second and again late third/early fourth.  You can call this bench time.  You can also call this single PG time.  Either way, it didn't work.  We lost 10 points in each of those stretches.  This group of starters has been surprisingly successful, but even a great starting five can't compensate for a bench that bleeds 20 points to a good team.

This is a helpful way of looking at it, thanks. Very insightful.

[Bayliss]

So why didn't Dimwiddle and Bertans play?

And here I thought availability was one of the reasons for the trade.

[ItsGoTime]

So why didn't Dimwiddle and Bertans play?

And here I thought availability was one of the reasons for the trade.

Pretty sure that was a team decision. Kidd said they practiced with the small money guys a bit yesterday and will get a full practice in before Tuesday’s game. Looks like they are trying to integrate them a bit before throwing them out there.

[KillerLeft]

Looks like they are trying to integrate them a bit before throwing them out there.

Yeah, I think so, too. In particular, I think they want to make sure they understand the defensive approach, which, while not revolutionary or anything, is not exactly common or "vanilla." It took the rest of the team like two months to start executing it to an acceptable level, and now that it's starting to pay off a bit, I can see why they wouldn't want to throw it out the window just to play with their new toys. 

If this is what happened (who knows, maybe the front office support types were so sloppy they just couldn't get everything organized in time) I think it's another impressive notch in coach Kidd's column for me. He has already exceeded my wildest expectations of him. That's one reason I'm getting more hopeful as the season goes by, not less.

[Bayliss]

Pretty sure that was a team decision. Kidd said they practiced with the small money guys a bit yesterday and will get a full practice in before Tuesday’s game. Looks like they are trying to integrate them a bit before throwing them out there.

Well that was dumb.  The infusion of their perceived talent would have helped the Mavs last night.  Oh well, it is just one game.

But then again, the Mavs are a a bad two week stretch of being in that 7-10 fighting for a playoff spot mix.

[KillerLeft]

This tweet happened two hours ago. Can’t imagine what it must’ve been, but maybe there was something that delayed this all becoming official until today?

https://twitter.com/thesteinline/status/...74597?s=21

[Kammrath]

This tweet happened two hours ago. Can’t imagine what it must’ve been, but maybe there was something that delayed this all becoming official until today?

Well it wasn't the KP physical....maybe it was just that the NBA was slow approving everything since this trade would have been one of the last ones submitted to the NBA?