Game 69 Dirkie Thread: Exum!...by two lengths.

[ballsrchr]

Who played above expectations?

[ballsrchr]

I hate these games the Mavs are suppose to easily win. They are traps! Especially playing against Pops. We won! And played pretty good. Our big men made Wemby play hard. It's strange to have some big men that play so well. I like it!

Luka had an off night. Still, he was able to get the ball to the open players who, more or less, made the basket. Thus the 16 assists.

Kyrie provided a spark and kept the Mavs in the game when it was needed.

Exum quietly--if you look at the stats--didn't do a thing. The eye test show exactly the opposite. He was huge when needed--and provide that cohesive leadership down the stretch.

I will give my Dirkie to Kyrie.

[dirkfansince1998]

In another mass extinction event dinosaur ball was killed by the deep impact of asteroid Maxi Kleber...and he isn't even an option?

More seriously. Exum/Kleber minutes won the game. Defense was on point and they made the right decision 9/10 times on offense. Exum made clutch shots. Kleber anchored the defense and locked down Wemby in the clutch.
Only starter that is even worth mentioning is Kyrie. He delivered the necessary iso scoring to close out the game.

Kleber with defense and intangibles. Kyrie with scoring and boxscore production. Exum with both. Voting Exum.

[MrGoat]

Game 69, nice

Exum was so big down the stretch I think I'll give it to him. It was needed with Luka having such a brutal shooting night.

[ThisIStheYear]

Luka with the Westbrook triple double. Worst game ever but found a way to help. Kyrie was huge but have to give it to Exum who stepped up. If he were physically capable of playing 30 minutes 65 games a year, the Mavs roster would pretty much be complete. He’s a heck of a player when reasonably healthy.

[SleepingHero]

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh.

What a game from Luka. Probably his worst offensive game he's ever played? 6/27 from the field is giving me Kobe 2006 flashbacks. There were times where Luka was literally shooting the Mavs out of the game. I have to go all the way back to his rookie year to find a game where he shot worse than this one (Lakers 2/12). He had a game of 7/20. Several 5/20 performances. But never 6/27. He was the most ice cold I've ever seen him ever play. I am 100% sure his hamstring is bothering him still and it definitely affected him. YET!!!!!!!! And there always is a silver lining YET whenever Luka has an off game! Luka facilitated like a maestro tonight. He had some really bad turnovers, but you can't knock 16 assists to 4 TO. His passing really got everyone involved and he had some mind bending passes over Wemby tonight. Rest up big Don. It took the literal worst offensive performance from you to make this a game and despite that the Mavs won.

Shoutout PJ Washington. I thought he looked so good early on and then tapered off offensively. I still think he can give so much more on that end but the team doesn't want to feed him the ball at times, either by design or just by flow. His defense against Wemby was as good as I've ever seen. He was all over the court and really made life hell for the Spurs. Great game from him given he had the hardest task out of everyone.

Gafford and Lively as the tag team duo had 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Gafford had a strong 1st quarter until he got demon kicked in the nuts. After that he was just ok. Great finishing wise, rotations a bit slow. Lively I thought had some incredible moments marred by rookie mistakes. Case in point, he has a great drop step post up and hooks it with his left over Wemby, but also spaces out on a Kyrie pass that bounced off his head. He manages to do an incredible euro step and dunk around all the Spurs, and then finds a way to tweak his ankle just by walking. Lively is the future. He's so good. Just stay healthy and get that IQ up and you can see the greatness.


Kyrie freaking Irving. The dude is still a basketball savant. In a game where Luka struggled, he stepped up and then some. 28 points and big 8 ones in the 4th to push the Mavs ahead, he was integral to the Mavs winning tonight. It wasn't just offensively where Kyrie stepped up, but defensively as well. His big steal in the 4th quarter to give the Mavs momentum was huge. His fadeaway mid range shot shortly after was huge-er. He really took over and carried this team this whole game. Without him this was a blowout loss.

But my Dirkie winner, Dante Exum. Holy schmoly. What a game by the guy. He basically made every key play that helped the Mavs win. His 4/4 threes saved this team. The biggest one being in the 4th to put the Mavs up 3 with 30 seconds left. And then calmly sinking the FTs to put the game out of reach. He is the oil that makes the bench works and is so important to this team. PLEASE STAY HEALTHY.

That is all.

Ugly, but thankful win. Onto the worst city in America, Utah.

[SleepingHero]

Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth)
Luka Doncic on not needing a high volume of made 3-pointers to win recent games: "We probably wouldn't have won this game [in the past], but the players we have around now, it's a little different, and it's amazing."

Paul Garcia (@PaulGarciaNBA)
Throughout the game Dallas prioritized having players guarding the paint and allowing some Spurs players to take wide open 3s.

The Spurs struggled in the paint tonight with just 42 paint points and they shot 53% in the paint.


Mavs PR (@MavsPR)
Luka Dončić's 11 first-half assists against the Spurs tonight are tied for his most assists in an opening half in his career.

The most assists in any half in his career is 13 in the second half vs. OKC (12/2/23)

[meistermatze]

Ky kept us afloat but Exum nailed the important shots. Dirkie goes to him.

[SleepingHero]

Some highlights for you to peruse and enjoy.

https://streamable.com/qlip3e

Luka's incredible pass to DJJ for the oop

https://streamable.com/e5xv8d

Kyrie Dunk

https://streamable.com/5qf59p

Huge Exum 3.

[michaeltex]

last one was Luka/Wemby tangled up on the baseline.

Kind of rolled Wemby's ankle, but could have done knee damage if you see how the leg flexes to the outside. Rolled ankle may have saved something more serious.

[SleepingHero]

last one was Luka/Wemby tangled up on the baseline.

Kind of rolled Wemby's ankle, but could have done knee damage if you see how the leg flexes to the outside. Rolled ankle may have saved something more serious.

Exum 3 happens a bit later in the video.

Only video I could find of the 3 putting the Mavs up 6 with 30 seconds to go.

[The Jom]

PJ on Wemby early and Maxi on him late. Both were sensational. Wemby 3/13 from the field, 12 points, 5 turnovers. Not sure how Maxi posted a +27 in 22 minutes of a 6-point win, but he did. Luka’s struggles and Exum’s excellence were the headlines for sure. But Kyrie’s scoring and Maxi’s defense were the keys to the victory from my seat.

[KillerLeft]

PJ on Wemby early and Maxi on him late. Both were sensational. Wemby 3/13 from the field, 12 points, 5 turnovers. Not sure how Maxi posted a +27 in 22 minutes of a 6-point win, but he did. Luka’s struggles and Exum’s excellence were the headlines for sure. But Kyrie’s scoring and Maxi’s defense were the keys to the victory from my seat.

Agree wholeheartedly, and I'd add that Lively chipped in some nice defensive possessions against Wembenyama, too.

[ballsrchr]

last one was Luka/Wemby tangled up on the baseline.

Kind of rolled Wemby's ankle, but could have done knee damage if you see how the leg flexes to the outside. Rolled ankle may have saved something more serious.

I think Wemby has the skill to be one of the great ones.  But I also cringe every time I see him play.  He's so skinny!  I think the only thing that has saved him from injury so far is that he appears to be very flexible.  I truly hope that he adds a lot of muscle...and remains flexible.