Jump to content

2023 - 2024 Dallas Mavericks Season Thread - I'm watching, just like you guys


gsoda3

Recommended Posts

Our interior defense is so good. I thought we'd have a noticeable defensive dropoff against the other team's primary ball handler when Josh Green went down but dj55 has done better than Josh. The way he gets around and through screens is one of those details you'll never notice unless you're looking for it. He's a master.

  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, BeardIP said:

At this point the Mavs should be safe from a play-in game to rest. Luka will need it for a miracle playoff run.

I don’t think we’re a “miracle” team right now. We have two elite players (one is MVP caliber), an elite center rotation and some dudes that are starting to guard. If THJ can’t hit shots we’ll get exposed at SF but in a playoff series Luka and Kyrie can carry you pretty far. 

  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Firemans4Horn said:

I don’t think we’re a “miracle” team right now. We have two elite players (one is MVP caliber), an elite center rotation and some dudes that are starting to guard. If THJ can’t hit shots we’ll get exposed at SF but in a playoff series Luka and Kyrie can carry you pretty far. 

Yep. Everything that was exposed against Golden State has either been addressed or is significantly improved.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, gsoda3 said:

Our interior defense is so good. I thought we'd have a noticeable defensive dropoff against the other team's primary ball handler when Josh Green went down but dj55 has done better than Josh. The way he gets around and through screens is one of those details you'll never notice unless you're looking for it. He's a master.

This is so weird to read this sentence and it be about the Mavericks. 

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, Hornius Emeritus said:

When I see clips like this or the “called bounce” all star game shot, in conjunction with everything he’s showed us in his game the last 5 years, I feel like Luka is a savant.

He sees the game like it’s a natural language and he just has fluency. He sees the ball and the sport and the geometry like when Neo finally sees the Matrix.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

i don't know that i've ever seen anyone with luka's basketball iq.  he slows everything down and is in complete control of the game to the point it looks boring.  i wish his emotional iq was higher-  i'm not asking for great, but average would be nice.  

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, BeardIP said:

At this point the Mavs should be safe from a play-in game to rest. Luka will need it for a miracle playoff run.

I disagree anyone needs rest. If we’re in a game where we’re up 18 to start the 4th, like yesterday, yeah, Luka only plays 35 minutes and that was probably too much.  We’ve been on awesome run but this team needs more time with each other, not less. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)
18 minutes ago, Rex Kramer said:

I disagree anyone needs rest. If we’re in a game where we’re up 18 to start the 4th, like yesterday, yeah, Luka only plays 35 minutes and that was probably too much.  We’ve been on awesome run but this team needs more time with each other, not less. 

I was talking about a rest from the all-out push of the final 1/4 of the season we've been seeing lately (up to and including the final 8 games-- for better seeding and better positioning of Luka's MVP chances) and before the playoffs begin in earnest. Being able to not be a party to the play-in game will give a breather from this sprint.

Edited by BeardIP
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, gsoda3 said:

i don't know that i've ever seen anyone with luka's basketball iq.  he slows everything down and is in complete control of the game to the point it looks boring.  i wish his emotional iq was higher-  i'm not asking for great, but average would be nice.  

This is very well put. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So if we have a choice to play the Clippers or the Wolves, who are you choosing? I really would prefer to play someone besides the Clippers in the first round. At this point, ending with the 6th seed might not be terrible if you can give guys more rest and end up with a better matchup in the first round. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

57 minutes ago, LurkingHorn said:

So if we have a choice to play the Clippers or the Wolves, who are you choosing? I really would prefer to play someone besides the Clippers in the first round. At this point, ending with the 6th seed might not be terrible if you can give guys more rest and end up with a better matchup in the first round. 

Was thinking the same thing, particularly since we have out Gafford and Lively rotation down. 

But it doesn’t matter because we’d beat either one of them. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So if we have a choice to play the Clippers or the Wolves, who are you choosing? I really would prefer to play someone besides the Clippers in the first round. At this point, ending with the 6th seed might not be terrible if you can give guys more rest and end up with a better matchup in the first round. 

Kinda feel like we owe the Clippers a good beat down.
  • Hook 'Em 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, BeardIP said:

I was talking about a rest from the all-out push of the final 1/4 of the season we've been seeing lately (up to and including the final 8 games-- for better seeding and better positioning of Luka's MVP chances) and before the playoffs begin in earnest. Being able to not be a party to the play-in game will give a breather from this sprint.

I'm not sure why you think a 2-game cushion with 8 games remaining justifies calling off the dogs.  I'm fine with not trying to catch the Clippers, as both teams have the same amount of success at home and on the road.  Not trying to win could easily result in us drawing Denver in the first round or falling into a play-in position.  No thanks.  Let's just win and protect our current seed, and if we can rest players while doing that, then do it.  Once we have clinched a top 6 with no chance of a Denver match-up, then I don't care what we do.     

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, idigTexas said:

I'm not sure why you think a 2-game cushion with 8 games remaining justifies calling off the dogs.  I'm fine with not trying to catch the Clippers, as both teams have the same amount of success at home and on the road.  Not trying to win could easily result in us drawing Denver in the first round or falling into a play-in position.  No thanks.  Let's just win and protect our current seed, and if we can rest players while doing that, then do it.  Once we have clinched a top 6 with no chance of a Denver match-up, then I don't care what we do.     

What are you talking about? I literally reiterated that the rest I was talking about was the rest all teams seeded 1-6 get by virtue of not having to play the first game(s) as a 7-10 seed. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/31/2024 at 7:28 PM, BeardIP said:

At this point the Mavs should be safe from a play-in game to rest. Luka will need it for a miracle playoff run.

 

19 hours ago, BeardIP said:

I was talking about a rest from the all-out push of the final 1/4 of the season we've been seeing lately (up to and including the final 8 games-- for better seeding and better positioning of Luka's MVP chances) and before the playoffs begin in earnest. Being able to not be a party to the play-in game will give a breather from this sprint.

 

11 hours ago, BeardIP said:

What are you talking about? I literally reiterated that the rest I was talking about was the rest all teams seeded 1-6 get by virtue of not having to play the first game(s) as a 7-10 seed. 

 

Your first post in this series very clearly indicates that the Mavs should start resting now.  Your second post attempts to walk that back a little bit, but it still indicates that rest is called for rather than continuing to push.  All you've really clarified is that you think the Mavs are safely out of the play-in games. 

I contend that they should continue playing hard until the possibility of a play-in game is mathematically eliminated.  Once that is secured, I don't really care.  I previously posted that I would like them to avoid the Clippers in the first round, but that was when LA was playing at a very high level.  At this point, I'd prefer to avoid Denver more than any other top-4 seed, but if they finish above 6th, they will have already exceeded my expectations for the season.      

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, idigTexas said:

 

 

 

Your first post in this series very clearly indicates that the Mavs should start resting now.  Your second post attempts to walk that back a little bit, but it still indicates that rest is called for rather than continuing to push.  All you've really clarified is that you think the Mavs are safely out of the play-in games. 

I contend that they should continue playing hard until the possibility of a play-in game is mathematically eliminated.  Once that is secured, I don't really care.  I previously posted that I would like them to avoid the Clippers in the first round, but that was when LA was playing at a very high level.  At this point, I'd prefer to avoid Denver more than any other top-4 seed, but if they finish above 6th, they will have already exceeded my expectations for the season.      

After re-reading my first pos, it is not clear at all (don’t know how you can say it’s clearly anything) as that’s on me for vaguely communicating. What I’m meaning to say is (and I’ll restate for clarity):

At this point the Mavs should be safe from having to play in a play-in game which will be great as they can take a day or two off which they will need as they don’t let up and finish this season strong, and Luka/team can rest up between end of season and start of their series for a hopeful miracle playoff run.

Edited by BeardIP
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think playing Luka and Kyrie on a back-to-back at this point would be foolish. Luka is already questionable every night it seems like. The problem for the teams chasing the Mavs is they have pretty rough schedules down the stretch. It's likely 5-3 in the last 8 clinches a top 6 seed since we have the tiebreaker on both Phoenix and NO. Sac could still catch up but would have to go 7-1 in that scenario against this schedule:

image.png.fd4e7df8bec9100a8dad74f78c1953f9.png

 

Here's NO's schedule for reference:

image.png.b8e7b8ede083b59684405bcda5d642e1.png

And Phoenix:

 

image.png.d9483b9b25bcf9042da4805058e59570.png

 

Heck, 4-4 probably still gets us a top 6 seed. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This lineup is the worst. Can't defend. Can't score. That's what happens when you're missing Josh and DLive though. Luka needs to stop treating this like a game at Gregory and protect the ball.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Putting the small ball lineup of Hardy, THJ, and Kyrie at the end of the 3rd cost us this game. The advanced stats with those 3 (at the very least any lineup with Hardy and THJ) are atrocious. No idea what Kidd was doing there. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Give it up to Steve kerr. They spent the first 3 quarters pushing pace trying to negate our size advantage (even without lively). He finally figured out in the 4th quarter they could slow it down and rub off hardaway and Luka every time off ball because they're so terribly lazy in order to isolate cp3 on gafford or podsisjsi2ski on gafford. Kidd made zero adjustments - should have brought in Jones for hardaway or told Luka to go under the screen in the paint. Low IQ basketball and Kidd not doing anything to help is so frustrating to watch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Putting the small ball lineup of Hardy, THJ, and Kyrie at the end of the 3rd cost us this game. The advanced stats with those 3 (at the very least any lineup with Hardy and THJ) are atrocious. No idea what Kidd was doing there. 
Hardy and THj are unplayable together. Exum, or preferably Jones, should have played much more.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was pretty clear how bad they missed Lively with the second unit. Powell is usually serviceable in short bursts but at this point it isn’t fair to put him in spot duty at center. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, idigTexas said:

You may be right.  I suspect the same will be true with another loss.  

This team actually has been good at taking care of teams that are below .500. I suspect they'll bounce back against ATL and then get another shot at the Warriors who will also be on a B2B. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, LurkingHorn said:

This team actually has been good at taking care of teams that are below .500. I suspect they'll bounce back against ATL and then get another shot at the Warriors who will also be on a B2B. 

As always, I hope for the best while emotionally preparing for the worst.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...