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

[Jta444]

Unpopular opinion, after watching Lakers@Nuggets day before, these 2 looked like G-League teams.
So many though iso shots early in the clock, i dont understand it. Im alergic to it bcs of CJ and Brandon Ingram and it catches my eye easily.
Why not even try to get a better shot. Stepback 3 can be taken late in the clock if nothing better is available...

Yup just like last year Lakers-Nuggets is the real Finals dare I say. I think Lakers beats both Wolves and Celtics in a 7 game series. Lakers and Nuggets just seem far and away the top two teams in terms of execution, IQ, and playoff basketball. Celtics are damn close too but their new roster needs to be tested and the matchup vs Heat without Butler won’t show it yet.

[Texas Chuck]

Narratives are fun:

Your team shot bad -- my team shut them down. Luka wants none of Terrance Mann.
My team shot bad -- Luka's fat he can't defend me, we just missed wide open shots and Dallas still barely won.

Anybody watching this series and not appreciating the defense being played by both sides is missing it. This is high level, everyone all in playoff defense. And the refs aren't bailing anybody out. You have to play though stuff. And guys are.

And good on Kawhi for getting out there and giving them what he had. Clearly has no legs for his shot, but man he's a major problem defensively. He and PG13 in passing lanes is just causing Dallas tremendous problems.

[Texas Chuck]

and yeah put me down for hating that everything has to be all about how awesome the Lakers are because heaven forbid a series thread not involving them be actually about the teams in the series.

[GeorgeSears]

Luka looked like the best player in the league last night.

[Swish77]

Unpopular opinion, after watching Lakers@Nuggets day before, these 2 looked like G-League teams.
So many though iso shots early in the clock, i dont understand it. Im alergic to it bcs of CJ and Brandon Ingram and it catches my eye easily.
Why not even try to get a better shot. Stepback 3 can be taken late in the clock if nothing better is available...

Yup just like last year Lakers-Nuggets is the real Finals dare I say. I think Lakers beats both Wolves and Celtics in a 7 game series. Lakers and Nuggets just seem far and away the top two teams in terms of execution, IQ, and playoff basketball. Celtics are damn close too but their new roster needs to be tested and the matchup vs Heat without Butler won’t show it yet.

What in the world? Boston is by far the best team in the playoffs right now. No chance Lakers beat them.

[Swish77]

Crazy thing is The Clippers still haven't see the Real Luka or Kyrie yet and that's really scary.

[Texas Chuck]

Crazy thing is The Clippers still haven't see the Real Luka or Kyrie yet and that's really scary.

3Q game 1 they saw nasty, nasty Kyrie. Luka offensively has it tough in a series where his lob threats aren't there and the Mavs don't have quality shooters and the Clippers can switch basically every matchup save Zubac. Maybe we get some 40/15 games out of Luka, but I wouldn't expect it.

This series is going to be an absolute grind.

[Swish77]

Crazy thing is The Clippers still haven't see the Real Luka or Kyrie yet and that's really scary.

3Q game 1 they saw nasty, nasty Kyrie. Luka offensively has it tough in a series where his lob threats aren't there and the Mavs don't have quality shooters and the Clippers can switch basically every matchup save Zubac. Maybe we get some 40/15 games out of Luka, but I wouldn't expect it.

This series is going to be an absolute grind.

The crazy shots and crazy passes we as mavs fans see every game. That's the Luka I'm talking about the Luka when he hits 2 shots and the other team knows oh sh** we got a problem tonight. Like last night him shooting 11-26 isn't the real Luka we know of.

[Swish77]

Maximilian Kleber lives for this.

Might have to start calling him Playoff Maxi haha

[nbafan38]

I picked the mavericks in game 1 and clippers in game 2. Think im done betting this series, can't predict either of these teams.

[bisme37]

Hey great win last night Mavs fans congrats. Luka was awesome in the 4th.

[Dirk]

Unpopular opinion, after watching Lakers@Nuggets day before, these 2 looked like G-League teams.
So many though iso shots early in the clock, i dont understand it. Im alergic to it bcs of CJ and Brandon Ingram and it catches my eye easily.
Why not even try to get a better shot. Stepback 3 can be taken late in the clock if nothing better is available...

Can you imagine those teams shooting 55% if they were being locked up by Pj Washinton and Luka?

It all looks nicer when the ball goes in.

[Roy T]

I did not enjoy watching the game. Don’t know what’s putting me off, but I thought both teams played pretty poor…

[CobraCommander]

Luka D…fence lol

If Luka plays defense actively like this he will be tugging at Superman’s cape next year if not playing for a title this year.

We all know it- Lukas defense is his only true weakness. His bad leadership will improve as he ages- but if he has decided he is going to try on defense and magically he is actually good at it (because the same genius that makes him a offense god translates to stopping the other guy) Luka will fulfill his promise and get back on the road to the top 20…. I think he fell out of it by being a scorer only like Melo - but now I have some hope he will be able to keep up with SGA over the long haul…

Cause they better get going cause Wemby coming - they gotta get those rings and MVPs before he grows up lol

Luka play defense like that and Kawhi play offense like that last game and this goes 5

[Mr. Perfect]

Luka D…fence lol

If Luka plays defense actively like this he will be tugging at Superman’s cape next year if not playing for a title this year.

We all know it- Lukas defense is his only true weakness. His bad leadership will improve as he ages- but if he has decided he is going to try on defense and magically he is actually good at it (because the same genius that makes him a offense god translates to stopping the other guy) Luka will fulfill his promise and get back on the road to the top 20…. I think he fell out of it by being a scorer only like Melo - but now I have some hope he will be able to keep up with SGA over the long haul…

Cause they better get going cause Wemby coming - they gotta get those rings and MVPs before he grows up lol

Luka play defense like that and Kawhi play offense like that last game and this goes 5

Why would Luka need to keep up with SGA? It's the other way around. SGA does not have 10% the resume that Luka does, despite being the same age.

[ChipotleWest]

If Mavs drafted Jaden McDaniels instead of Josh Green they would win the championship.

[CobraCommander]

Luka D…fence lol

If Luka plays defense actively like this he will be tugging at Superman’s cape next year if not playing for a title this year.

We all know it- Lukas defense is his only true weakness. His bad leadership will improve as he ages- but if he has decided he is going to try on defense and magically he is actually good at it (because the same genius that makes him a offense god translates to stopping the other guy) Luka will fulfill his promise and get back on the road to the top 20…. I think he fell out of it by being a scorer only like Melo - but now I have some hope he will be able to keep up with SGA over the long haul…

Cause they better get going cause Wemby coming - they gotta get those rings and MVPs before he grows up lol

Luka play defense like that and Kawhi play offense like that last game and this goes 5

Why would Luka need to keep up with SGA? It's the other way around. SGA does not have 10% the resume that Luka does, despite being the same age.

Neither has done anything yet - actually -

Both were top 5 mvp last year with sga 4 and Luka 5

This year they will both be 2 and 3

All nba and the other accolades are interesting- but these guys are neck and neck to most people. Like how Giannis and Jokic were.

You can disagree but check the mvp voting last year and their records over the last 2 years - these guys are playing equivalent ball.

I anticipate sga to be better than Luka long term if Luka doesn’t up his defense and get in better shape…. But…. Luka is playing good defense and Luka looks like he is in decent shape…. So this is the best outcome for a non-Dallas non-okc nba fan. I get to watch these two young guns battle in the same conference- this is perfect.

Biggest problem I have about mj and Hakeem is they never met in playoffs -

I’m worried I’ll never see Giannis or Embiid face off with Jokic…

Fortunately lbj played every one

[ChipotleWest]

Luka D…fence lol

If Luka plays defense actively like this he will be tugging at Superman’s cape next year if not playing for a title this year.

We all know it- Lukas defense is his only true weakness. His bad leadership will improve as he ages- but if he has decided he is going to try on defense and magically he is actually good at it (because the same genius that makes him a offense god translates to stopping the other guy) Luka will fulfill his promise and get back on the road to the top 20…. I think he fell out of it by being a scorer only like Melo - but now I have some hope he will be able to keep up with SGA over the long haul…

Cause they better get going cause Wemby coming - they gotta get those rings and MVPs before he grows up lol

Luka play defense like that and Kawhi play offense like that last game and this goes 5

Why would Luka need to keep up with SGA? It's the other way around. SGA does not have 10% the resume that Luka does, despite being the same age.

Neither has done anything yet - actually -

Both were top 5 mvp last year with sga 4 and Luka 5

This year they will both be 2 and 3

All nba and the other accolades are interesting- but these guys are neck and neck to most people. Like how Giannis and Jokic were.

You can disagree but check the mvp voting last year and their records over the last 2 years - these guys are playing equivalent ball.

I anticipate sga to be better than Luka long term if Luka doesn’t up his defense and get in better shape…. But…. Luka is playing good defense and Luka looks like he is in decent shape…. So this is the best outcome for a non-Dallas non-okc nba fan. I get to watch these two young guns battle in the same conference- this is perfect.

Biggest problem I have about mj and Hakeem is they never met in playoffs -

I’m worried I’ll never see Giannis or Embiid face off with Jokic…

Fortunately lbj played every one

Well if Mavs beat Clippers and OKC beats Pelicans we get Mavs-OKC.

[ryguy613]

I did not enjoy watching the game. Don’t know what’s putting me off, but I thought both teams played pretty poor…

yeah it was an ugly game. lots of turnovers. lots of missed shots... a low FG% for both teams. Lots of iso plays. Lots of low percentage shots jacked up. A rusty Kawhi, an injured THJ. Two teams fighting in the mud. certainly not pretty

[Forbes]

If Mavs drafted Jaden McDaniels instead of Josh Green they would win the championship.

It literally simple decisions like this that are currently holding the Mavs back. Just having good quality roleplayers. Meanwhile everytime Norman Powell pulls up for 3 I think it’s going in.