2024 NBA Playoffs - West 1st Round: #4 Los Angeles Clippers vs #5 Dallas Mavericks (Series tied 2-2)

[og15]

I think for the Clippers to win this series Kawhi needs to be at the absolute peak of his powers for the entire series.

Is he capable of doing that again? He only lasted 3 games in last year's playoffs before getting hurt. I just don't know if he can summon apex Kawhi and also stay healthy for an entire playoff series.

Two

He was technically injured in game 1 even and played through in game 2.

[ChipotleWest]

Is Kawhi expected to be ready for Game 1? Seems the Clippers have been very quiet about him.

[Froob]

Mavs in 7. Maybe they just smoke em in 5. Clipps havent been playing well lately.

[Swish77]

If Dallas beats the Clippers, look out.

This team is dangerous.

I can't think of an easier matchup for OKC, SGA will get to abuse Luka on every possession and Dallas has to go small as Gafford and Lively can't abuse Chet, but Dallas lacks the personnel to go small.

Yeah this is incorrect. Mavs can go small ball. Only time Mavs and OKC played past the trade deadline with both teams healthy was Feb 10th. Mavs blew them out of the water at home. Mavs played them again March 10th without luka they lost by 7. Thunder were fully healthy during that game.

[HadAnEffectHere]

If Dallas beats the Clippers, look out.

This team is dangerous.

I can't think of an easier matchup for OKC, SGA will get to abuse Luka on every possession and Dallas has to go small as Gafford and Lively can't abuse Chet, but Dallas lacks the personnel to go small.

Yeah this is incorrect. Mavs can go small ball. Only time Mavs and OKC played past the trade deadline with both teams healthy was Feb 10th. Mavs blew them out of the water at home. Mavs played them again March 10th without luka they lost by 7. Thunder were fully healthy during that game.

Mavs cannot play small ball at all because Kyrie and Luka are easily abusable and none of the Mavs' small bigs are good or playable.

[Swish77]

Is Kawhi expected to be ready for Game 1? Seems the Clippers have been very quiet about him.

I haven't heard anything yet.

[Swish77]

I can't think of an easier matchup for OKC, SGA will get to abuse Luka on every possession and Dallas has to go small as Gafford and Lively can't abuse Chet, but Dallas lacks the personnel to go small.

Yeah this is incorrect. Mavs can go small ball. Only time Mavs and OKC played past the trade deadline with both teams healthy was Feb 10th. Mavs blew them out of the water at home. Mavs played them again March 10th without luka they lost by 7. Thunder were fully healthy during that game.

Mavs cannot play small ball at all because Kyrie and Luka are easily abusable and none of the Mavs' small bigs are good or playable.

Again incorrect.

[HadAnEffectHere]

Yeah this is incorrect. Mavs can go small ball. Only time Mavs and OKC played past the trade deadline with both teams healthy was Feb 10th. Mavs blew them out of the water at home. Mavs played them again March 10th without luka they lost by 7. Thunder were fully healthy during that game.

Mavs cannot play small ball at all because Kyrie and Luka are easily abusable and none of the Mavs' small bigs are good or playable.

Again incorrect.

Well, when Chet is ignoring PJ Washington, we'll see how it goes.

[Swish77]

Mavs cannot play small ball at all because Kyrie and Luka are easily abusable and none of the Mavs' small bigs are good or playable.

Again incorrect.

Well, when Chet is ignoring PJ Washington, we'll see how it goes.

Our winning or losing doesn't depend on PJ hitting shots.

[GameOver25]

This one is really a toss up.

[TinmanZBoy]

Clippers

[bovice]

Dallas got hot during the time of the year where half the league is tanking.

[CobraCommander]

Luka gonna go scorched earth

Footage of Luka walking into the arena every game knowing he got a locked in Kyrie and Kawhi now has playoff Harden…



Ty Lue when he saw they were going to be playing a pissed off revenge seeking Luka and a locked in invested kyrie and the Mavs in the first round….


Mavs in 7 lol

Gonna be fun and let’s pray to Zeus and Odin for health of all the oft injured Mavs and Clippers - so pray for everyone lol


If anyone remembers Christmas Luka (which is even better than PLAYOFF Luka), that’s the Luka that plays against a worthy opponent that he respects. Luka clearly wanted to own KD as he owns Booker… this is his chance to put Kawhi, Harden and PG13 in the rear view officially…

[CobraCommander]

Dallas got hot during the time of the year where half the league is tanking.

Yeah that means those wins might not mean much to ther people they beat but the Mavs finally have momentum and chemistry and true championship aspirations

Check the receipts - I called this potentially a Mavs year before the season

[dirkforpres]

For all of J-Kidd's coaching faults, he at least deserves credit for how well he had the Mavs prepared when they went into each round of the 2022 playoffs. Luka, Kyrie, DJJ, Exum, and Gafford are all too athletic. I just think the Clips are too old to hang with any team with that style over a 7 game matchup.. Especially if Kawhi is compromised.

If Lively is playing, I say Mavs in 5. Without him, I say Mavs in 7.

[CobraCommander]

For all of J-Kidd's coaching faults, he at least deserves credit for how well he had the Mavs prepared when they went into each round of the 2022 playoffs. Luka, Kyrie, DJJ, Exum, and Gafford are all too athletic. I just think the Clips are too old to hang with any team with that style over a 7 game matchup.. Especially if Kawhi is compromised.

If Lively is playing, I say Mavs in 5. Without him, I say Mavs in 7.

Hell no - the Mavs need to win now with Kidd or Kidd is the problem. Only Boston prohibitively has a better roster than the Mavs and even Boston isn’t a true super team. It’s time for Kidd to prove he deserves to lead a team with an MVP level talent and a HOFer

[PeteyPablo]

ESPN is giving the Clippers a 56.8% chance to win game 1 on Sunday

[jigga_man]

For all of J-Kidd's coaching faults, he at least deserves credit for how well he had the Mavs prepared when they went into each round of the 2022 playoffs. Luka, Kyrie, DJJ, Exum, and Gafford are all too athletic. I just think the Clips are too old to hang with any team with that style over a 7 game matchup.. Especially if Kawhi is compromised.

If Lively is playing, I say Mavs in 5. Without him, I say Mavs in 7.

I understand fans tend to overstate the importance of their players but a rookie role player is not going to decide a series between 5 or 7 games. That's literally all star type of impact.

[Swish1906]

Mavs cannot play small ball at all because Kyrie and Luka are easily abusable and none of the Mavs' small bigs are good or playable.

Again incorrect.

Well, when Chet is ignoring PJ Washington, we'll see how it goes.

Again, you know there were already two games where Chet played PJ/Gafford and couldn’t do jack?

[HadAnEffectHere]

Again incorrect.

Well, when Chet is ignoring PJ Washington, we'll see how it goes.

Again, you know there were already two games where Chet played PJ/Gafford and couldn’t do jack?

The point isn't what Chet scores.

The point is that Luka will have to score against Jalen Williams and rim protection while SGA gets to fillet Kyrie/Luka and the Mavs have no one in the paint because PJ Washington is standing next to Chet and Gafford and Lively are out of the game.