Game 7 DIRKIE: KYRIE!!

[SleepingHero]

[The Jom]

Hardaway gets my vote, even though he didn’t make the cut apparently. Efficient scoring. Rebounds. Some hard nosed D. Zero turnovers. That’s a considerable step-up from the norm.

[SleepingHero]

This was an equally frustrating yet enjoyable game. The 1st half Mavs plays some of the most uninspired, annoying basketball. But the 2nd half Mavs? *chefs kiss* perfection.

I went with THJ tonight. His shooting was integral to keeping the Mavs in the game. It's a very close call with Kyrie imo. I don't know how he does it but Kyrie just knows how to keep guys engaged and just make winning play after winning play. I feel like the offense is underutilizing him, and we should start to see more 40pt Kyrie games in the near future. But despite his slow start scoring the ball, he impacted the game from everywhere and I felt he also led this team to the win.

While I was watching, I genuinely thought Luka was having a horrific game. The first half he just kept turning the ball over and over, taking the most inane forced shots, and playing very uncharacteristically. But I kept telling myself; its the 2nd night of a back to back and he's obviously injured. Things didn't help when he tumbled into Goga's knee and almost entered concussion protocol. Then all of a sudden Luka starts the 4th off and running and I look down and he has 25pts on 8/12 shooting. Luka is something else and my barometer of what's a good game has been ruined by his brilliance. Even though he was not supreme Luka tonight, he still put up 29pts on <50% shooting. Halleluka.

Moment of the game had to be the Luka pass out of the double to Kyrie late in the 4th for a dagger 3 to put them up 11. Then the very next play Kyrie pushes the pace and repays Luka who hits a sweet transition 3 to really seal the deal. The chests were bumpin and the whoos were flying. You just love to see that between Kyrie and Luka.

Mavs improbably win in what was supposed to be a scheduled loss. I didn't even get to talk about the hustle of Powell (who had a pretty good game all things considered), Grant, or even Josh Green who had a quiet but impactful game.

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Hardaway gets my vote, even though he didn’t make the cut apparently. Efficient scoring. Rebounds. Some hard nosed D. Zero turnovers. That’s a considerable step-up from the norm.

LOL My bad. I literally voted for THJ for the Dirkie yet miraculously left him off the poll. Blame sleep deprivation. Fixed it now. Whoopsie!

[SleepingHero]

Highlight corner:

https://twitter.com/Mavs_FFL/status/1721684675532320984
https://twitter.com/Mavs_FFL/status/1721682969503440991
DJJ dunk w/ 2 angles

https://twitter.com/Mavs_FFL/status/1721710091529769100
Luka nutmeg to the 3pt play

https://twitter.com/NationMffl/status/17...6686653740
Plays of the night imo. Luka to Kyrie then Kyrie to Luka for the dagger

https://twitter.com/Mavs_FFL/status/1721715460041822483
Kyrie with the sweet hang and finish.

https://twitter.com/Mavs_FFL/status/1721712334714888289
Luka with the insane stepback 3 in the 4th.

[ballsrchr]

Kyrie gets my Dirkie. I'm enjoying this year. We seem to have a nice nucleus of 5 to 7 players who can earn a Dirkie on any night. We're playing a little defense, but the scoring has emphasized my theory that you need 4 players in double figures to win...maybe because you need the points, but the 4 players put pressure on the opposing teams defense.

[Chicagojk]

I think I will go with Hardaway as well. We know he runs hot and cold, but at this time if you are talking about 6th man of the year very early in the season, he needs to be in that conversation.

I really like how Kyrie is playing when the Mavs put their runs together. He is getting people involved, the pace is good and it appears the rest of the players like playing with him.

[JamesConway912]

Gave it to Hardaway as well, played an efficient game with force. Kyrie with a strong second half, Powell and Luka did so too. 

The refs were pretty terrible Imo. Missed some blatant stuff  like the Cole Anthony foul on DJJ but otoh they also were too trigger happy at times.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

Scott Foster isn’t an option?

[SleepingHero]

“Seems like we like close games, huh?” said Irving, after the Mavericks improved to an NBA-best 6-0 in clutch games, defined as games in which the margin is five or fewer points during the final five minutes. “When I signed back here, I knew that my role was going to be a little bit different than it was on other teams,” Irving added. “And even last year, when we had different pieces. “But I knew one thing: For certain down the stretch, I was going to have to maintain my poise and make sure that the guys knew that they can look to me emotionally, mentally, just for that reassurance that we’re OK.”

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

“Seems like we like close games, huh?” said Irving, after the Mavericks improved to an NBA-best 6-0 in clutch games, defined as games in which the margin is five or fewer points during the final five minutes. “When I signed back here, I knew that my role was going to be a little bit different than it was on other teams,” Irving added. “And even last year, when we had different pieces. “But I knew one thing: For certain down the stretch, I was going to have to maintain my poise and make sure that the guys knew that they can look to me emotionally, mentally, just for that reassurance that we’re OK.”

Crazy how much this matches the eye test.

[MrGoat]

There's not a eye catching standout performance where someone played wildly above expectations here so it's a close call. I'll vote Kyrie though I could have gone with THJ.

[SleepingHero]

Kyrie Irving: “It’s natural for me to say I’m frustrated with my own jump shot and focus on things I’m not necessarily doing well percentage wise or stats wise. That’s the easy thing, I feel like that’s kinda a cop out. The focus is really on our team wins and team camaraderie.”

[The Jom]

“Seems like we like close games, huh?” said Irving, after the Mavericks improved to an NBA-best 6-0 in clutch games, defined as games in which the margin is five or fewer points during the final five minutes. “When I signed back here, I knew that my role was going to be a little bit different than it was on other teams,” Irving added. “And even last year, when we had different pieces. “But I knew one thing: For certain down the stretch, I was going to have to maintain my poise and make sure that the guys knew that they can look to me emotionally, mentally, just for that reassurance that we’re OK.”

I get the reaction to the man’s, uh, “politics” let’s say. But as an on-court teammate? He’s a gem. Lucky to have him. Once he finds that 3-point range again, it’s gonna be all-nba-type stuff from him.