GAME 5 Playoffs 2024: Dallas Mavericks (2-2) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (2-2)

[Knutsen]

Trying to get one or both in a rhythm is a good impulse. 

Unfortunately, the one and only selfish player on the team is also in the game.

I didn’t see Hardaway play, thought he was injured…?

[michaeltex]

It's not a confident thing for Green...he just has zero skills on offense and the team knows it. They probably barely develop any offensive skills for him in practice because at this point, they know all he can be is a guy who runs around and gets rebounds. I actually don't think he's been playing scared on offense, he just can't shoot at all so he's been playing the only way he can to try to stay on the court. If you want him to shoot open shots then he will look like Westbrook and go 1-8 to hurt the team (also why they play better without THJ since they don't have to worry about his cold shooting being a negative). At best, Green is a 10-15 minute energy player who can provide some quick rest for the starters but that's it.

I fully expect them to finally trade Green and THJ this summer to upgrade for bigger/longer players as it's evident with DJJ and PJ those are the types of players who fit better on offense and defense.

Whatever players that they trade for, if they're not 6'7" or taller with long arms then I'm not interested!

I'm old enough that I compare current players to historical ones and Green brings to mind Eddie Najera. Great team guy, great locker room guy. Brings pure energy when he plays, defense, rebounding, loose balls, whatever dirty work needs doing. But don't ask him to contribute a lot of scoring. On the other hand, the ball doesn't get stuck when passing to him.

He's not the heartbreaker like THJ, but he is what he is at this point.

[The Jom]

Rewatching the game, I noticed how hot the Clips started and, with the scrubs in, finished the game. It surprised me, given their dismal shooting for the game. So I went to the play by play and added em up. Here’s what I found:

In the opening 9 minutes, Clips shot 10/14 (3/4 from deep) and scored 23 points. In the closing 7:30, after Harden and PG were done for the evening, the scrubs shot 8/13 (3/5 from deep), scoring 21.

In the intervening 31:30, the home team could not buy a bucket. They shot 15/60 from the field and 3/26 from deep, scoring 49. That’s not dismal shooting. That’s historically bad.

The other thing I noticed was how PG seemed to show something at the end of Q3 right after DJJ picked up his third foul and sat for a stretch of 2:43. In the 4 possessions during that stretch, PG hit 2 contested 3s and assisted Powell for a third, the only 3s of the evening for either player in 12 attempts, and the only ones in between the opening and closing minutes noted above.

Frankly, this makes me doubt my Dirkie vote for Maxi.

[Winter]

Rewatching the game, I noticed how hot the Clips started and, with the scrubs in, finished the game. It surprised me, given their dismal shooting for the game. So I went to the play by play and added em up. Here’s what I found:

In the opening 9 minutes, Clips shot 10/14 (3/4 from deep) and scored 23 points. In the closing 7:30, after Harden and PG were done for the evening, the scrubs shot 8/13 (3/5 from deep), scoring 21.

In the intervening 31:30, the home team could not buy a bucket. They shot 15/60 from the field and 3/26 from deep, scoring 49. That’s not dismal shooting. That’s historically bad.

The other thing I noticed was how PG seemed to show something at the end of Q3 right after DJJ picked up his third foul and sat for a stretch of 2:43. In the 4 possessions during that stretch, PG hit 2 contested 3s and assisted Powell for a third, the only 3s of the evening for either player in 12 attempts, and the only ones in between the opening and closing minutes noted above.

Frankly, this makes me doubt my Dirkie vote for Maxi.

It's a bit sad in a way how little DJJ is talked about. We talk about him here, and just today I heard a couple of shout-outs from the media.... but really, outside of Luka and Kyrie, DJJ may actually have the most impact on a game than any other Mavs player. 

In the playoffs, this may actually be magnified more because he will be guarding the other team's best player - and the spotlight will much greater. Maybe his name will get the attention it deserves if we move to play OKC.

[Scott41theMavs]

It's a bit sad in a way how little DJJ is talked about. We talk about him here, and just today I heard a couple of shout-outs from the media.... but really, outside of Luka and Kyrie, DJJ may actually have the most impact on a game than any other Mavs player. 

In the playoffs, this may actually be magnified more because he will be guarding the other team's best player - and the spotlight will much greater. Maybe his name will get the attention it deserves if we move to play OKC.

Maybe we already have our POA defender.

[OBX Maverick]

It's a bit sad in a way how little DJJ is talked about. We talk about him here, and just today I heard a couple of shout-outs from the media.... but really, outside of Luka and Kyrie, DJJ may actually have the most impact on a game than any other Mavs player. 

In the playoffs, this may actually be magnified more because he will be guarding the other team's best player - and the spotlight will much greater. Maybe his name will get the attention it deserves if we move to play OKC.

He’s my favorite Mav, my DFS replacement! Wasn’t sure that void was going to be filled for me lol. He’s even stepping up and hitting timely 3’s this playoff as well. Hope to hell we can re-sign him this summer. However, for us to get where we want to go, he may price himself out of our market.

[juanc]

Hard to relax right now. Stars game just ended and now this Mavs game. I need some medicine

I know I'm a bit late, but...

[mvossman]

Maybe we already have our POA defender.

He is definitely our primary POA defender.  The issue is whether he can shoot well enough to stick in the starting/finishing lineup long term.  It doesn't help that PJ is not a great shooter either.  I think in an ideal world we replace one of them with a better shooter who is equally as good defensively.  I think it will be easier to replace DJJ (and we may not have a choice).

[michaeltex]

He is definitely our primary POA defender.  The issue is whether he can shoot well enough to stick in the starting/finishing lineup long term.  It doesn't help that PJ is not a great shooter either.  I think in an ideal world we replace one of them with a better shooter who is equally as good defensively.  I think it will be easier to replace DJJ (and we may not have a choice).

I agree that's a concern.

But I think they will go into the summer knowing they have a role here with specific goals on what to improve. They both have the goldfish mindset so just getting their shooting skills up enough to keep defenses honest will make a huge difference. For me, replacing them isn't a goal, although retaining DJJ certainly is a key for the offseason.

Apart from the referee thing, I think having good enough shooters to keep the defense balanced was the main difference between 2006 and 2011. This team isn't terrible, but just a little increase in reliability from PJ and DJJ would turn this roster into something truly awesome.

[Winter]

I doubt the Mavs would be looking to trade either one... and I suspect they make an effort to keep DJJ - depending on how far we get into the playoffs. I get the feeling that the players and front-office like what they have.

I think they will look for an offensive-minded rotation player in trading Hardaway. What they want - and have recently said as much - is to emphatically win the non-Luka minutes. I doubt they do that with Hardaway even when he's good. You probably need someone with Hardy's confidence, who is a better decision-maker.

[KillerLeft]

PJ will eventually find his rhythm here on offense and be much more of a factor on that end, including an improvement in his catch and shoot game. Trust me.

DJJ…I agree with the concerns, but I’m all for keeping him as long as it doesn’t require moving heaven and earth to overpay him.