Windy: Mavs look like the biggest threat to DEN in the West

[Astaluego]

I always thought it’s Minny, because they are best at negating the things at negating DEN’s match up advantages.

MIN plays Towns on Jokic. Nobody stops Jokic, but Towns length helps reduce his passing ability, and makes Jokic more of a scorer. That allows Gobert to protect the paint while he guards Aaron Gordon. For most teams, that means if they use their PF and C this way, Porter has a big size advantage on his defender. The Wolves though are loaded with quality players 6-9 or taller, with Jaden McDaniels, Naz, and Kyle Anderson. In fact, MIN likely has the size advantage in the match up, because DEN’s bench bigs aren’t as deep as MIN.

Next, Jamal Murray is an under-rated player finally getting his due, and a lot of that credit goes to receiving great passes from Jokic. But MIN is showing that with defenders like McDaniels and Ant (and Nickiel Alexander-Walker), they can really limit perimeter scorers, like Devin Booker.

On the other hand, how does DEN handle Ant? They don’t have Brown this year, and the only player that could maybe defend him is Gordon. However, Gordon is the ONLY option they have to defend Towns size and scoring ability. Towns shoots over smaller guys, and drive past bigger, slower defenders.

I’m not saying MIN is better than DEN, and they should be favored. I am saying that MIN’s team composition (both built by Tim Connelly) create a lot of match up issues for the Nuggets. I wonder if Connelly realized that for the MIN to have high level success, he needed to build a team that could match up with with DEN, and that influenced him to pay such a high price to acquire Gobert?

I hear what you’re saying about Minny and largely agree. But I wouldn’t put Gordon on Towns if I’m Malone.

Gordon on Ant
KCP on McDaniels
Murray on Conley
Jokic on Towns
Porter Jr on Gobert

I’m not 100% sold on this but I would start with this. Letting Ant go rampant off the bat is a bigger disaster.

I wouldn't put Gordon over Ant (too quickly) and leave Jokic with Rudy, if you put him over Towns, wouldn't this take him away from the paint?
KCP...Ant
Gordon..Towns
Murray..Conley
Porter.. McDaniels
Jokic...Gobert

[Astaluego]

As a Mavs fan...I think both Denver and Wolves are probably a step above...but we match up better with Denver and I would prefer to face them (if we get there)...I feel like we can hurt them in the PnR,...the Wolves They are a nightmare confrontation

[PistolPeteJR]

I always thought it’s Minny, because they are best at negating the things at negating DEN’s match up advantages.

MIN plays Towns on Jokic. Nobody stops Jokic, but Towns length helps reduce his passing ability, and makes Jokic more of a scorer. That allows Gobert to protect the paint while he guards Aaron Gordon. For most teams, that means if they use their PF and C this way, Porter has a big size advantage on his defender. The Wolves though are loaded with quality players 6-9 or taller, with Jaden McDaniels, Naz, and Kyle Anderson. In fact, MIN likely has the size advantage in the match up, because DEN’s bench bigs aren’t as deep as MIN.

Next, Jamal Murray is an under-rated player finally getting his due, and a lot of that credit goes to receiving great passes from Jokic. But MIN is showing that with defenders like McDaniels and Ant (and Nickiel Alexander-Walker), they can really limit perimeter scorers, like Devin Booker.

On the other hand, how does DEN handle Ant? They don’t have Brown this year, and the only player that could maybe defend him is Gordon. However, Gordon is the ONLY option they have to defend Towns size and scoring ability. Towns shoots over smaller guys, and drive past bigger, slower defenders.

I’m not saying MIN is better than DEN, and they should be favored. I am saying that MIN’s team composition (both built by Tim Connelly) create a lot of match up issues for the Nuggets. I wonder if Connelly realized that for the MIN to have high level success, he needed to build a team that could match up with with DEN, and that influenced him to pay such a high price to acquire Gobert?

I hear what you’re saying about Minny and largely agree. But I wouldn’t put Gordon on Towns if I’m Malone.

Gordon on Ant
KCP on McDaniels
Murray on Conley
Jokic on Towns
Porter Jr on Gobert

I’m not 100% sold on this but I would start with this. Letting Ant go rampant off the bat is a bigger disaster.

I wouldn't put Gordon over Ant (too quickly) and leave Jokic with Rudy, if you put him over Towns, wouldn't this take him away from the paint?
KCP...Ant
Gordon..Towns
Murray..Conley
Porter.. McDaniels
Jokic...Gobert

Yes, but Jokic's rim protection isn't really much to deal with in the first place. I guess putting Porter Jr or Gordon on Towns instead is something to consider, but tbh, if Minnesota's smart, they ride Towns then. Porter and Gordon both can't touch him when he's in the post. He's much stronger than he looks and he's agile.

[Drakeem]

Jokic got exposed in the pick and roll in 19, 21 and 22 by the Blazers, Suns and Warriors respectively. The 20 Lakers used to run more PnR too with a younger Lebron, a better structured team, and an AD who hit 3s. You will have various excuses, and I will say he should have done better and looked exposed. I want to see how this playoffs fares before I grant that it's not an issue.

You didn't answer the question I gave to you based on the previous post.

You said he underperformed, meaning that his play fell below his average and he lost his team the series. I see you pointed out three series. Would you say that he "underperformed" and lost as the favored team to those three teams?

If we treat Jokic as the GOAT candidate some people here want to then he definitely underachieved. Underachievement is tricky, because people treated Jokic as a guy who wasn't in the top 5 players those years. So they didn't expect this lower rated player to triumph. Part of the reason he was not favoured to win those years was because pundits said "Jokic will get killed in pick and roll on D", and so he was. I remember how much the Nuggets hid from Harden and the Rockets, so bad of a match up was it for them. I don't think it's coincidence he won the title the one year there were no PnR dominant teams for him to play.

I mean, you still didn't really directly answer my question but fair enough. To that point, would we say Jordan underachieved before he broke through and won his first?

[HotRocks34]

No surprise here. The teams with the most legit top franchise player(s) shine in the playoffs, when the defensive intensity increases.

Also, Dallas is playing great defense now.

Since the trades and the refs started allowing more contact, Dallas' defense has been excellent.

They are a much tougher, more physical team than they used to be IMO.

[Yuri36]

No surprise here. The teams with the most legit top franchise player(s) shine in the playoffs, when the defensive intensity increases.

Also, Dallas is playing great defense now.

Since the trades and the refs started allowing more contact, Dallas' defense has been excellent.

They are a much tougher, more physical team than they used to be IMO.

And it's not like it's only been like that in this série, it's been like that basicly since the All Star break.

[ChipotleWest]

Mavs are definitely a threat, no other team outside maybe Minnesota can guard Luka like the Clippers have.

[Pelly24]

I do think the Mavs are the more dangerous threat. I think that not only is Luka better than everyone on the Wolves, so is Kyrie, and their defense has been elite the last few months. It's not just a fluke either; harden and PG and Kawhi in any condition are hard to cover, and the clippers are playing great defense on the Mavs and kyrie and Luka haven't even had legendary games yet. The thing is this: if the game is close at the end, there's no one who's a better passer and shot-maker than Luka (besides Jokic) and Kyrie is the ultimate run killer. Doesn't take a lot to get going, can score from anywhere and he won't turn the ball over. I don't trust KAT and Ant the same way, they lack the nuance even if their team is better.

[AleksandarN]

This is fun. Hey One and Done how do you determine who is a top high pick and roll team?

By using common sense, watching the games, and evaluating the personnel. It's pointless to look at RS averages sometimes. I don't know or care who the stats say used a box & 1 defence most this RS; I only know Philly has spammed it against NY. Teams play differently in the RS.

What games? lol. This is too easy. You are easy work.

You runaway again. This is sad. Everytime man

[AleksandarN]

You didn't answer the question I gave to you based on the previous post.

You said he underperformed, meaning that his play fell below his average and he lost his team the series. I see you pointed out three series. Would you say that he "underperformed" and lost as the favored team to those three teams?

If we treat Jokic as the GOAT candidate some people here want to then he definitely underachieved. Underachievement is tricky, because people treated Jokic as a guy who wasn't in the top 5 players those years. So they didn't expect this lower rated player to triumph. Part of the reason he was not favoured to win those years was because pundits said "Jokic will get killed in pick and roll on D", and so he was. I remember how much the Nuggets hid from Harden and the Rockets, so bad of a match up was it for them. I don't think it's coincidence he won the title the one year there were no PnR dominant teams for him to play.

I mean, you still didn't really directly answer my question but fair enough. To that point, would we say Jordan underachieved before he broke through and won his first?

He doesn’t. You call him out he tries to change the goalposts. If he can’t he runs away. He tries so hard to get engagement.

[One_and_Done]

By using common sense, watching the games, and evaluating the personnel. It's pointless to look at RS averages sometimes. I don't know or care who the stats say used a box & 1 defence most this RS; I only know Philly has spammed it against NY. Teams play differently in the RS.

What games? lol. This is too easy. You are easy work.

You runaway again. This is sad. Everytime man

People aren't always ignoring you because you're just too brilliant for them.

[AleksandarN]

What games? lol. This is too easy. You are easy work.

You runaway again. This is sad. Everytime man

People aren't always ignoring you because you're just too brilliant for them.

It's cute. Seriously is that all you got? Sad trolling step up your game.

[mcmurphy]

I always thought it’s Minny, because they are best at negating the things at negating DEN’s match up advantages.

MIN plays Towns on Jokic. Nobody stops Jokic, but Towns length helps reduce his passing ability, and makes Jokic more of a scorer. That allows Gobert to protect the paint while he guards Aaron Gordon. For most teams, that means if they use their PF and C this way, Porter has a big size advantage on his defender. The Wolves though are loaded with quality players 6-9 or taller, with Jaden McDaniels, Naz, and Kyle Anderson. In fact, MIN likely has the size advantage in the match up, because DEN’s bench bigs aren’t as deep as MIN.

Next, Jamal Murray is an under-rated player finally getting his due, and a lot of that credit goes to receiving great passes from Jokic. But MIN is showing that with defenders like McDaniels and Ant (and Nickiel Alexander-Walker), they can really limit perimeter scorers, like Devin Booker.

On the other hand, how does DEN handle Ant? They don’t have Brown this year, and the only player that could maybe defend him is Gordon. However, Gordon is the ONLY option they have to defend Towns size and scoring ability. Towns shoots over smaller guys, and drive past bigger, slower defenders.

I’m not saying MIN is better than DEN, and they should be favored. I am saying that MIN’s team composition (both built by Tim Connelly) create a lot of match up issues for the Nuggets. I wonder if Connelly realized that for the MIN to have high level success, he needed to build a team that could match up with with DEN, and that influenced him to pay such a high price to acquire Gobert?

a very nice and refreshing post amidst a sea of ​​useless troll posts