Game 2 2024 Playoffs Dirkie Thread: LUKA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ballsrchr]

Our starters continue to play some pretty good team ball. Our short bench is hit or miss, but the hits are pretty damn good. It's very encouraging to see that when any of our players have a bad night the rest of the team picks it up.

I begin to notice that the Mavs, like many other great playoff teams, have another gear they can shift up into. I would rather they play in high gear all of the game but that may not be realistic.

I'm almost thinking that Jaden Hardy could do a pretty good job if he got more minutes. Might help rest some other people. I ALSO notice that I misspelled his name in the poll. I don't know how to correct it so...if one of the guys with more brain cells left can do it I would appreciate it.

So who earned my Dirkie?

Mr. Triple Double Doncic...

[BigDirk41]

Luka with the game winning step back triple. Gotta love it. He was born for the big moments. He's so clutch.

[Berknip]

There is no choice. Shut it down let’s go home! Luka all the way.

[RGP1981]

Poll: Who played above expectations?

I voted Gafford because of the Poll's question.

[MrGoat]

It's Luka, 30+ point triple double with what qualifies as a big balls shot even for him.

Gafford and Green deserve some shout outs, though

[The Jom]

I’ve seen Luka do this before. To the same “defensive player of the year.”

What I haven’t seen before is Daniel Gafford dominating his minutes in a playoff game. 5 blocks. 16 points. Uber efficiency. That layup as he crashed to the floor will prove every bit as memorable as the game winner.

But what clinches it for me is how our bigs just ran KAT’s legs right off his body. Dude got benched because his fat ass simply cannot sprint back on defense to keep in contact with Gaff and Live. And when your head coach gives up on your #2 star mid series . . . that, folks, is the series.

[LukaMVP]

Luka's knee injury held him back for a while in previous series but he's payed through it and the great luka is back even better and stronger. reminds me of dirk's broken finger in 2011.

[ThisIStheYear]

Signature career defining moment for Luka.

[omahen]

This is why I love Luka. Sure he has some flaws and sure he can still get better, but he is what I respect most. A natural born winner!

[Arioch]

I am one of those who rarely vote Luka for the Dirkie because I've become so inured to his greatness that a 30-point triple double is simply what I expect from him. So I wouldn't argue with other selections. But the fact that he is doing this while playing through pain that would have most people stuck in a recliner with their leg elevated means I have to keep giving him my vote.

It's been clear for a while now that Luka has more sheer talent and ability than Dirk. But his run this offseason is showing that is absolutely Dirk's worthy heir when it comes to heart and determination as well.

[Mavs2021]

10+minutes played last night, sorted by age and most minutes played....

25
32
25
27
20
23
25
21

Look on the bright side, at least you might get a championship out of me taking insufferable victory laps.  

Though I sure as hell did not see the Kyrie sanity thing coming.

I´ll actually give the Dirkie to the Mavs coaching staff for making impeccable important challenges. Kidd and his crew are never wrong, while I could immediately tell that the Wolves challenges would all fail. Also everybody and their momma saw that the ball was off Minny with 2.7 left in the first half, but they decided not to challenge. They´d have won the challenge, but wouldn´t have had one to overturn the 106-108 out of bounds call. So for all heroics by Doncic, Irving, Gafford and Lively in this game credit to Kidd and his staff. 

Also for the audacity to play Hardy and Green, never in a million years that happens under Carlisle. We should call Green "once a week, twice on Sunday", cause that´s how often I flip-flop between kepping him and trading him. A fatigued Edwards is the perfect match-up for the energizer bunny. Hardy just has no conscious and for this team bench it´s important. 

Final comment on Kidd´s coaching. I loved his timeouts. Every time PJ "grapefruits" Washington had the ball in open space from broken plays, Kidd called a timeout before Washington could do some crazy dribbling stuff.

[Chicagojk]

10+minutes played last night, sorted by age and most minutes played....

25
32
25
27
20
23
25
21

Look on the bright side, at least you might get a championship out of me taking insufferable victory laps.  

Though I sure as hell did not see the Kyrie sanity thing coming.

I´ll actually give the Dirkie to the Mavs coaching staff for making impeccable important challenges. Kidd and his crew are never wrong, while I could immediately tell that the Wolves challenges would all fail. Also everybody and their momma saw that the ball was off Minny with 2.7 left in the first half, but they decided not to challenge. They´d have won the challenge, but wouldn´t have had one to overturn the 106-108 out of bounds call. So for all heroics by Doncic, Irving, Gafford and Lively in this game credit to Kidd and his staff. 

Also for the audacity to play Hardy and Green, never in a million years that happens under Carlisle. We should call Green "once a week, twice on Sunday", cause that´s how often I flip-flop between kepping him and trading him. A fatigued Edwards is the perfect match-up for the energizer bunny. Hardy just has no conscious and for this team bench it´s important. 

Final comment on Kidd´s coaching. I loved his timeouts. Every time PJ "grapefruits" Washington had the ball in open space from broken plays, Kidd called a timeout before Washington could do some crazy dribbling stuff.

What makes this extra fun is I thought Dallas was hiding in plain site all year.   All this narrative that Dallas mortgaged their future like the Suns or Bucks completely missed the point.   As you said, look at the ages above.  Not a bunch of 30 year olds.   Yes, they are out two first round picks after this year.  The pick swaps were good gambles by the Spurs and OKC, but time will tell if they have good value.   

Green has always been a tough evaluation for me.   There are times where I think he is about to break through, but than he goes back.   Early last night, I thought the game looked too big for him.   But he then played some really good ball in the second half.   I am really uncertain if this is who he is or if he has another level where he develops into a really excellent glue guy.   

Hardy needs to have a short leash.  I am not quite sure he is ready yet, but man he has looked the part the past 3 games.  Still I am worried that he is capable of a real bad stretch...more so than the other older guys.  Still, he has it.    Mavs got that pick right.  They just need to continue his develop.   I think he is a 20 minute player next year.

[The Jom]

Western conf finals. On the road. 12 seconds to go. You’re inbounding after a timeout, down 2. In the history of the NBA, who do you most want to inbound the ball to?

[SleepingHero]

WOW. WHAT A GAME. WHAT A FIGHT. I cannot believe the Mavs won this. I lost my voice from screaming.

Holy shit. Luka dominated. ON ONE LEG??!??!?!??!?!??!?!???!!!! This game was intense. The Mavs never gave up. I'm in disbelief at this win. To the dirkie candidates!

PJ had probably his worst game of the playoffs thus far. And yet his play was pretty crucial in this Mavs comeback. He boxed out and rebounded very well in the 2nd half. He started looking for his shot a bit during the end of 2nd to 3rd quarter, and he made some great plays off the dribble. He didn't score much, but the shots he did hit felt substantial. His defense still was solid. Overall okay game from PJ! And that's fine! He is still standing on business!

DJJ now also had a subpar game compared to how he was playing before. He couldn't buy a bucket. However he had probably one of the most important offensive possessions late in the 4th when he drove right at Gobert and drew his 5th foul with 3 mins remaining. Like PJ, he didn't score a lot, but the shots he did hit felt big. And also like PJ his defense was solid all night. Can't wait for the inevitable DJJ poster on Gobert this series!

Green has an honorable mention even though he doesn't deserve the dirkie. He hit a big 3 in the 2nd half when no one could hit one. Had some great passes too. But the difference between the 1st game and the 2nd game was massive. Big bounce back for Josh.


HOW ABOUT JADEN HARDY THOUGH? 8 points and some solid extended run this game. Its crazy how I'm way more comfortable with him on the court than THJ in the WCF. Never would've expected it given how his season went.

Gafford. FINALLY! What a great game from him. A menace at the rim all night. He had THREE blocks in the 1st quarter alone! His rebounding effort left a little to be desired, but truthfully rewatching some plays and Rudy keeps getting away with so much contact to his head. That doesn't stop the Landlord though. Had one of the craziest finishes I've ever seen off of a full court Luka pass. Falling down, no chance in sight with 3 Wolves around him and he somehow banks it in. Incredible.

Lively Lively Lively. What more can I say? I am not going to normalize a rookie playing the way he's playing. He was the spark of energy sorely needed this entire game. Game on the line, he stepped up and contained Ant and forced him into a turnover. The amount of incredible defensive possessions he had on Rudy seemed endless. Offensively he makes so many nice passes and he probably ends up with a triple double this game if DJJ or PJ hit their shots. But probably his biggest contribution to this game was his rebounding. 3 BIG offensive rebounds in the 1st half to keep the Mavs with some momentum. My favorite moment of the night was post Luka's shot (and we'll get there), he runs up and gives him a hug saying "IM THERE FOR YOU. IM THERE FOR YOU." I WILL RUN THROUGH EVERY WALL FOR LIVELY. LETS GO!

Kyrie Irving had such an emotional rollercoaster this game. Wolves adjusted from game 1, putting McDaniels on him for half the time. Kyrie was definitely taken out his rhythm for the majority of the game due to that. Further, the refs called so many ticky tack fouls on him that put him in foul trouble all night. Very hard to get a rhythm with that going on. But after the Mavs somehow clawed their way back in the 3rd quarter, you could almost sense Kyrie flip a switch entering the 4th. He starts the quarter hitting a 3 over Conley with a calm jab step and drains it in his face. The camera pans to Kyrie running back and he is so locked in, shaking his head that the Wolves dared to put Conley on him. He then comes back down and does the same exact thing to Naz Reid (after a HUGE hustle play by Lively diving on a loose ball!). Boom. 6 straight points from Kyrie to start the 4th in less than 2 mins. Mavs up by 1. Minny calls timeout. Mavs come out of the timeout and Kidd must've said: KYRIE IS HOT, GIVE HIM THE BALL! Because basically from then on the Mavs played through him until the last couple of minutes. Every possession was initiated by Kyrie. 2 mins after the timeout Kyrie hits ANOTHER 3. After that, Wolves start to double and Kyrie starts facilitating and finds Lively and Gafford for lob dunks. The heartbreaking moment had to be the FTs though. 3 missed FTs this game for Kyrie, ones that would've potentially tied/sealed the game. Unfortunate he missed them. But he still hit a final 3 with a minute remaining to keep the Mavs alive. 4 threes, 13 points, and 3 assists in the 4th to finalize the comeback. What a game from Kyrie.

But the man of the game, and rightful Dirkie winner is Luka. I mean shit. What a shot. But before we dissect that shot, his play for the other 41 minutes he was out there was nothing short of spectacular. He made so many incredible passes. He hit so many tough shots. Rebounded the best on the team. He was talking trash. He looked like the Luka of old, despite his obvious limping after he slipped early in the 1st. Luka is hurting man. He is not 100%. But he still put the team on his back and had a legacy game. Luka scored or assisted on 13 on the Mavs last 23 made shots. Including THE shot over Gobert. WHY would Minny give that switch?? I do not care at all. Luka's shot was incredible. Shades of his 1st game winner against the Clippers except this time he had a crowd in the building that could witness the greatness. Seeing Minny's fans become so deflated after that shot was such a joy. Luka talked his shit to Gobert too. "YOU MOTHERFUCKEEEEERRRRRR....YOU CAN'T FUCKING GUARD ME!"

TALK YOUR SHIT LUKA! WHAT A GAME WINNER. WHAT A GAME FROM THE DON! DIRKIE FOR HIM!

MAVS ARE UP 2-0! PROTECT HOME COURT AND PUT THESE WOLVES AWAY!

[SleepingHero]

AND NOW FOR HIGHLIGHTS!

https://twitter.com/UsherNBA/status/1794197772373258271
@UsherNBA
Daniel Gafford with one of the best individual sequences of this postseason

[SleepingHero]

https://twitter.com/realsamvalenti/statu...3712297246

@realsamvalenti
Here is the Mavs radio call of Luka’s game winner by @coopmavs on @theeagledallas. Absolutely electric call from one of the best in the business.
#OneForDallas #MFFL


Coop gave me some goosebumps here. Imagine Followill on this call!

[SleepingHero]

https://twitter.com/GrantAfseth/status/1...8141485280

@grantafseth
Luka. Doncic.


Listen to the crowd man.

[SleepingHero]

[SleepingHero]

https://x.com/nikotaughtyou/status/1794211918988898627

Niko (@nikotaughtyou)
Gotta get a shot up, incredible switch defense from Lively.

[SleepingHero]

(@cjzero)
Q: "So he can't effin guard you, huh?"
Luka: "I didn't say that... I was speaking Slovenian"


https://x.com/cjzero/status/1794215036099133615