Game 58: Dallas Mavericks (33-24) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (37-19)

[GATA]

Irving is every bit as bad of a defender as Hardaway.

[GATA]

This game is another blowout in the making

[KillerLeft]

The worst part of the Luka Dončić step back is that when it misses, he is almost always low man on the following defensive possession. That means that basically, a miss is giving the other team points.

[donzingis38]

another frustrating game to watch. cavs just can't miss.........

[KillerLeft]

Mavericks are starting to catch up, going on a good run of clay on both ends of the floor. Does everyone notice who is playing center?

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Jared Allen can shoot all the running hooks he wants. I will take that over the several wide-open threes they were giving up playing two bigs all day long.

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Luka woke up.

[GATA]

Luka is unreal. Where is Lively and Hardy?

[KillerLeft]

Kleber
Washington
Doncic
Green
Irving

That’s the team’s best lineup, and it’s not close. The second best lineup is probably the same thing, but with Lively in place of Kleber. Then, you substitute Hardaway for any of the other three, and that is basically the top seven players on this team. From there, I would pencil DJJ in for some time behind Washington, bringing my rotation to 8.

I would only play Gafford when I thought I needed him - wouldn’t be every night.

[Chicagojk]

Amazing run by Luka. Great play calls

Small sample size but I don’t like that lineup in the first with Luka, Hardaway, maxi, jones and Gafford. Very little shooting with Hardaway struggling and no one who can create. That is the lineup Exum is needed…with another shooter if Hardaway is struggling.

[JamesConway912]

Mavericks are starting to catch up, going on a good run of clay on both ends of the floor. Does everyone notice who is playing center?

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Jared Allen can shoot all the running hooks he wants. I will take that over the several wide-open threes they were giving up playing two bigs all day long.

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Luka woke up.

Four straight stepback threes kinda helped Maxi‘s case though lol

I don’t have the numbers but so far the Kleber at PF-minutes didn’t appear to be great to me. But if that’s not working your C-rotation is completely overcrowded aka a bad use of assets. We need it to work.

I REALLY dislike the trend of not playing Lively in the closing lineups. At least he’s up to his mid 20s minutes-pace but they need to stop jerking him around.

Also: the Maxi at PF-minutes came with a ton of DJJ at the three. That might be an issue going forward due to the lack of shooting and craftiness from 3-5.

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Green might have taken a leap defensively. Gets even more steals and deflections and did a good job staying in front of his matchups.

Also it’s 2 AM over here. YUCK.

[donzingis38]

Offense is struggling because they can't get some stops. Start locking it down and they'll have an easier time scoring.

[KillerLeft]

Four straight stepback threes kinda helped Maxi‘s case though lol

I don’t have the numbers but so far the Kleber at PF-minutes didn’t appear to be great to me. But if that’s not working your C-rotation is completely overcrowded aka a bad use of assets. We need it to work.

I REALLY dislike the trend of not playing Lively in the closing lineups. At least he’s up to his mid 20s minutes-pace but they need to stop jerking him around.

Also: the Maxi at PF-minutes came with a ton of DJJ at the three. That might be an issue going forward due to the lack of shooting and craftiness from 3-5.

——-

Green might have taken a leap defensively. Gets even more steals and deflections and did a good job staying in front of his matchups.

Also it’s 2 AM over here. YUCK.

I agree with some of your analysis here, but I would like to point out that when Kleber is at the five, the SPACE that creates might just give Luka some extra options, know what I mean? 

Definitely agree that DJJ at the 3 will make anything not work. 

I don’t mind Lively not closing because Kleber/Washington out there is the best defensive approach they can take. They are stifling when they are playing well together.

[GATA]

Hardaway shouldn’t be playing. Hardy is much better than him. Why Lively is getting so few minutes is a mystery

[donzingis38]

Jkidd is being ridiculous. One of Lively or Gafford should be in the game at all times

[KillerLeft]

Jkidd is being ridiculous. One of Lively or Gafford should be in the game at all times

Hard disagree. The Gafford minutes killed them in the first half. Kleber minutes are when they caught up.

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When Kleber and Washington are in there together, the Mavericks are actually a good defensive team.

[KillerLeft]

Hardaway should’ve taken that shot. Good defense by him on the previous possession however.

[GATA]

Long stretches without Green don’t make a whole lot of sense

[KillerLeft]

I can’t get over how well Washington and Kleber play together on defense. Not quite 2011 Chandler and Marion, but the closest I’ve seen here since.

[GATA]

Can see us getting walloped on these non-Luka minutec

[KillerLeft]

Hardaway has got to get himself right again for this team to do anything down the stretch and in the postseason. They really, really need him to be the third scorer.

[Mavs2021]

WTF is going on with THJ. His shots are awfully short and he barely moved for that loose ball. If he´s injured, stop playing him. It´s hard to look at.