RD 1 GAME #2: MAVS [0-1] @ LAC [1-0]—TUES 4/23 7 PM, TNT

[KL2]

Going to be a long few days.

[Max Headrom]

Knew it was gonna be ugly offensively because integrating someone as important to your team as Kawhi is gonna be tough after missing so many games. Not worried about this loss though. It was a close game and the Clippers played as bad a game offensively as they have all season. They're also one of the best teams on the road.

[og15]

Kawhi was not it tonight

I thought he was ok on the defensive side all things considered.

But what to do offensively? He forced some shots and some usual makes were on the front rim. He hasn’t played in 3 weeks and needs rhythm. How do you do that without disrupting others?

You don't bring him in game 1 back and run multiple isolations for him when he hasn't done any contact. First game back he should be a decoy and taking open shots off others. Wasted too many possessions trying to set up Kawhi iso while he was moving as slow as possible and barely getting shots off.

It stagnated the offense which there's no value in doing so it you can't get high value possessions out of it.

[Roscoe Sheed]

How can refs get reviews so wrong? Irving blatantly fouled kawhi on his arm. I wish they would get rid of all reviews

[NickP]

I don't know, man. Two of our "stars" are among the biggest choke artists in sports history, the other one is hobbled (but we still have to play through him anyway for the sake of his ego) and Lue is a terrible coach. It's just too much to overcome.

One of those stars has 2 finals MVP hardware. Kawhi coming back like this without real practices in a playoff game was always risky. It did disrupt chemistry.

[LamarWho]

Make or miss league. We shot 27% from 3s, not gonna win in today's NBA unless your opponent shot equally bad.

[nickhx2]

when kawhi's not comfortable he tends to play pretty off-kilter so there's plenty of hope for the games moving forward. the good news is it seems like we only need him to be kinda good, if he can make it that far, and the vast majority of the time he's the best player in the playoffs, so it's a low bar for him, relatively speaking.

the team was pretty bent out of shape with zu getting into early foul trouble and kawhi easing his way back in. i expect him and the team to be improved in game 3.

[Wammy Giveaway]

3-0. That was supposed to be the Clipper's mantra for this match. Now it's gone, and I'm concerned that it will now live rent free in their heads. Mavs have the edge now. I can see Dallas going up 2-1 (but not 3-1).

Clippers are going to need to win as a road playoff team now.

[clipperlover]

Not going to overreact. Mavs have to keep that same intensity for 3 more wins. We aren't even at closeout level mentality yet.

Playoff series is about adjustments. It is Ty's turn to make adjustments.

[KL2]

You don't bring him in game 1 back and run multiple isolations for him when he hasn't done any contact. First game back he should be a decoy and taking open shots off others. Wasted too many possessions trying to set up Kawhi iso while he was moving as slow as possible and barely getting shots off.

It stagnated the offense which there's no value in doing so it you can't get high value possessions out of it.

True. Easier to do in the regular season though. Maybe Lue can find a better balance after film sessions.

[madmaxmedia]

Knew it was gonna be ugly offensively because integrating someone as important to your team as Kawhi is gonna be tough after missing so many games. Not worried about this loss though. It was a close game and the Clippers played as bad a game offensively as they have all season. They're also one of the best teams on the road.

Chuck just said something that makes sense to me. If we're going to do anything in the playoffs we need him back, so may as well get him in and adjusted as early as possible.

[Max Headrom]

Also, when has Kyrie been allowed to hack like he's some defensive juggernaut??? Lol

[madmaxmedia]

Not going to overreact. Mavs have to keep that dame intensity for 3 more wins. We aren't even at closeout level mentality yet.

Playoff series is about adjustments. It is Ty's turn to make adjustments.

I think we can all agree we looked terrible the last few minutes, but still almost had a chance at the end get back into it.

I think we were really going to want to win 1 of the next 2 in Dallas. We can still do that, and then it's a 3 game series. I'm fine with that considering how pessimistic many were going into the series without Kawhi (who hopefully is good going forward...)

[nickhx2]

i mean you can integrate him a lot better when he's back in game shape, while still running him in decoy action and getting him easier shots, as og mentioned earlier, so i don't necessarily think chuck's take is valid, despite the logic having soundness.

[NickP]

We don’t know which way the series will go but if this was Kawhi’s rust shake game then I’ll take it. Now if Kawhi doesn’t practice with the team full contract then we could see a short series. If Kawhi can have a couple of good practices then we can take one in Dallas.
But as always, I’m more worried about PG. He needs to assert himself. He has way too much talent to not put his stamp on this series.

[clipperlover]

Norm Powell is they guy we need to get going. 2-10 from him is not the production we are accustomed.

Kawhi wasn't there offensively, but he was generating steals. Not sure he should have led us in shot attempts, but he has a lot of shots inside.

Luka was pretty good defensively, but can he maintain that for an entire series?

Zu had early foul trouble, but still ended up with a double double. The Dallas coaches need to find a way to take that away or it is going to be a long series for them. Their bigs can't match Zu's physicality.

[esqtvd]

Kawhi was not it tonight

I thought he was ok on the defensive side all things considered.

But what to do offensively? He forced some shots and some usual makes were on the front rim. He hasn’t played in 3 weeks and needs rhythm. How do you do that without disrupting others?

You don't bring him in game 1 back and run multiple isolations for him when he hasn't done any contact. First game back he should be a decoy and taking open shots off others. Wasted too many possessions trying to set up Kawhi iso while he was moving as slow as possible and barely getting shots off.

It stagnated the offense which there's no value in doing so it you can't get high value possessions out of it.

I liked my plan better.

[og15]

I thought he was ok on the defensive side all things considered.

But what to do offensively? He forced some shots and some usual makes were on the front rim. He hasn’t played in 3 weeks and needs rhythm. How do you do that without disrupting others?

You don't bring him in game 1 back and run multiple isolations for him when he hasn't done any contact. First game back he should be a decoy and taking open shots off others. Wasted too many possessions trying to set up Kawhi iso while he was moving as slow as possible and barely getting shots off.

It stagnated the offense which there's no value in doing so it you can't get high value possessions out of it.

I liked my plan better.

I missed that one, what was it?

[HardenGoat]

Iam glad this loss is out of the way. Wish we won of course but this was the shake the rust off Kawhi game. Iam not too concerned, I didn’t see anything gimpy from his other than not being in game shape. You have to get your best player back and be committed to that. I can see us getting a win in Dallas and regaining home court. Feels like a 7 game shootout in the end.

[Roscoe Sheed]

I don't understand why Lue put Harden on Luka at the end. It compromised their defense.