Darren wrote:This is the first Finals game that the Mavs outsmart and outhustle the Boston team. I think the biggest different is more engaged Luka and Kyrie, especially on the defensive end. Boston has nothing to hunt. And Lively and Green is coming out of nowhere for help defense and rebounding. Another big thing is depth. When the Mavs is playing on quicker pace and getting deeper in the paint, the spacing for shooting is better. Half of the Mavs roster is actually performing better in this uptempo playing style instead of half court set. In particular, Green, Lively, Gafford, DDJ and Exum. This turns random players into great role players. Being so, the workload could be more evenly distributed. Green can attack on break. Lively can crash the ball and run the lob. Gafford can beat smaller player. DDJ can find transtion point. Exum get the space to shoot. I believe PJ could join the show as well. I believe most of the Mavs roster depth is built for uptempo playing style in Nash's Pheonix manner. Run and gun. Run and lob. In this way, Boston will be in foul troubles early. Is this kind of energy and effort sustainable? I don't know. But it starts with whether or not Luka and Kyrie could be effective. And the Mavs has successfully create more rhythm 3 and allow less rhythm 3 except 2 from Holiday. Even Hardaway joins the party. This is a good sign. Hopefully, it's not too late. Can Kyrie put the guilt in the past away now? If so, the series has just started, unfortunately with Boston being 1 win away from champ.
Before the game, Boston makes KP available. I believe Boston will at least try to put KP in the next game. But keep this running style. KP is still better suit in half court set.
Congrats to the Mavs. Smart and well-efforted win. Hopefully, Lively can hit at least 1000 threes every season on good percentage. Finally, the Mavs does not get outcoached.
I agree and I have been saying all series we need to push the pace more to get into our offense early. In order to do that, we have to at times get the ball out of Luka hands. Boston will go back to hunting Luka with J. Brown up the court. So, Luka needs to play with a pep in his step or we need someone else to step up - I say Kyrie/Exum/PJ Washington are guys who can handle point guard duties and really push the pace looking for opportunities to get to the basket or make a play.
Things we have to continue to do well going into game 5 in no particular order:
1-2 points: Play with pace and intention/aggression. One of the biggest adjustments Luka and especially Kyrie made against Boston is these last two games is to attack immediately. Stop playing with the ball and trying to figure everything out. Literally, one or two dribbles and then put the head down and attack the basketball. That's essentially what Brown and Tatum do every possession- they literally try to beat Dallas to the basket with their first step every play.
Which is why they should always shade them to their weak side and bait them into shooting jumpers - keep them out of your paint which forces your team into rotation. Which makes it more likely we give up a 3 or offensive rebound. How well we contain Tatum and Brown's penetration is basically the game.3rd point: We need someone else off the bench to have a big game -Exum, THJ, Green, Lively. We need our guys to be aggressive.
4th point: We need to keep exploiting Tatum in the post against Gafford with intention. We also need to keep using Lively as a 3 point shooter in the corner. Force whoever is guarding him (most likely Tatum) to honor his 3 point shooting ability which creates a little more doubt and a little more room for Kyrie and Luka to work in the paint.
