GAME 1 2024 Playoffs: Dallas Mavericks (0-0) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (0-0)

[Luka77]

Great post. He is not even mentioning Mavs actually lost that game 1 against Utah without Luka. OKC is of course a much different animal than that Utah team that was on a verge of collapse.

And?  The Mavs seem to lose every game 1 when Kidd is coaching.  Would it have been the worst thing like you suggested to let him sit out an additional game or two?

The Mavs won that series and advanced to the WCF by allowing Luka to rest.

[surfpuckmd]

It's hard to know exactly how long Luka would need to be out for him completely heal from his injury without knowing the severity of his injury.  That was what OBX was saying, not that extra rest would not help Luka heal.

Moreover, the treatment plan for a knee sprain (partial ligament tear) is rest and knee imbolization (to heal the ligament).  And yes I have medical training as well.

Derek Lively sprained his knee at the end of the season and that was his exact treatment.  His treatment plan was two to three weeks without basketball (ie. rest and imbolization).

His sprain was likely a grade one, which Iam guessing is similar to Lukas.  Othetwise, Luka wouldn't be playing on it, if it  more severe.  

Do you see Lively out there moving like your grandpa? No, you know why bc the Mavs allowed him the time for it to heal properly.

There is plenty of logic and reason to your posts.  If Luka were a high-school athlete, he would absolutely be advised to rest.

As a superstar professional athlete in a league run by superstar athletes, Luka gets to decide what he wants to do.  Luka has obviously decided that he wants to play even if the knee is clearly slowing him down.  He's an elite competitor and clearly refuses to sit during the playoffs.  If the Mavs decided to sit him against his will. there would be a lot of resentment.  The team physician who told Luka he had to rest his knee would not be the team physician next season.  

We might not win with an injured Luka playing but we're not gonna beat the Thunder without him either.  

I admire Luka's toughness and I personally prefer to have him rather than another superstar who is content to sit and rest (e.g. Kawhi).

[Luka77]

There is plenty of logic and reason to your posts.  If Luka were a high-school athlete, he would absolutely be advised to rest.

As a superstar professional athlete in a league run by superstar athletes, Luka gets to decide what he wants to do.  Luka has obviously decided that he wants to play even if the knee is clearly slowing him down.  He's an elite competitor and clearly refuses to sit during the playoffs.  If the Mavs decided to sit him against his will. there would be a lot of resentment.  The team physician who told Luka he had to rest his knee would not be the team physician next season.  

We might not win with an injured Luka playing but we're not gonna beat the Thunder without him either.  

I admire Luka's toughness and I personally prefer to have him rather than another superstar who is content to sit and rest (e.g. Kawhi).

Dirk was a superstar athlete that was told to sit out with the exact same injury.  Why was there no resentment then? Was Dirk not an elite competitor?

Yes, I don't think we beat the Thunder in a series without a HEALTHY Luka but we can definitely win a couple of games with or without Luka.  

Game one would have been the ideal time to sit Luka.  
If we win that one or it was a close loss I would have thought about sitting him for game two as well and reevaluate situation on a day to day basis.

[MaxiThreeba]

Luka is injured and there is absolutely nothing that can be done to change that. He is going to be injured for as long as the Mavs' season continues.

Is there a way to adjust the way you play to account for that, besides Luke just standing 40' from the basket like he was doing last night on the Kyrie led possessions? Unfortunately I don't think there is. He's not a spot up shooter. There is clearly some reason they aren't going to his post game more, and maybe that's injury related as well.

That said, I would at least like to see them TRY something. Maybe him in the corner some on Kyrie PnRs and see if OKC is fine tagging the roller from the weak side aggressively or if they hang tighter to Luka. Maybe put him in the dunker spot on Kyrie PnR action, not because he's gonna catch any lobs but because his gravity may create more room for Kai or a lob. Use him as the screener and see if you can hit him on the half roll.

I don't know that any of that makes sense, or if any of it would remotely work. But when the only off ball plan for Luka is to stand near half court and then come get the ball if the first action doesn't work I'm not sure you're even trying. Kidd's only plan to use Luka's gravity is to drag a guy out and try and play 4 on 4. I'd just like to see some wrinkles that take some possessions off Luka's plate while still trying to use his presence to create some favorable space for everyone else.

[MFFL]

It's hard to know exactly how long Luka would need to be out for him completely heal from his injury without knowing the severity of his injury.  That was what OBX was saying, not that extra rest would not help Luka heal.

Moreover, the treatment plan for a knee sprain (partial ligament tear) is rest and knee imbolization (to heal the ligament).  And yes I have medical training as well.

From ESPN on May 4th

Doncic struggled by his standards in the series while dealing with a right knee sprain he anticipates won't fully recover until he can rest this summer

+++

You do realize that Luka talks to doctors and they give him opinions. So who do you think knows MORE about Luka's medical condition, Luka or some random person on the internet with "medical training"? 

Prove you aren't a troll and drop it. Only a troll keeps arguing - hell I'm so tired of it I'm about to block you like GATA.

[MFFL]

Dirk was a superstar athlete that was told to sit out with the exact same injury.  Why was there no resentment then? Was Dirk not an elite competitor?

The Dirk situation was totally different. He was INJURED and the doctors advised him not to play to not risk LONG TERM injury.

The doctors have cleared Luka to play. You know how I know that? LUKA IS PLAYING!

[KillerLeft]

First I have probably been a Mavs fan longer than you have been alive.  Next, I don't have to prove myself to anyone, especially you.

Also if you are looking for someone to rah rah and shake their pom poms at everything Mavs related, go ahead and block me now.

Finally, Dirks situation was not different.  Don Nelson kept Dirk not the doctors.  The whole from fan base thought he should have played and were very upset. 

Moreover, Nelson went as far as saying that Dirk had many playoffs to go and he won't risk his career playing him for one playoffs.

I realize that the conversation is trending towards heated, and that it's not 100% your doing, but this one seems like an unneeded escalation. Let's calm down. People are disagreeing with you, but nobody is asking you to prove yourself. We're just all here talking basketball.

[KillerLeft]

Alright, I'm shutting this argument down now. Please leave it where it is. Tomorrow, the Mavs win game 2 and we'll all be friends again.

[KillerLeft]

Delete my comment? Goodbye!

Yep, you are contributing to a situation that has crossed a line. 

We can't outright cuss each other out, lol. I think you'll realize that when you cool off.