2024 NBA Playoffs: Western Conference Finals: #3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs #5 Dallas Mavericks (DAL leads 3-0)

[IG2]

Clippers and OKC put up a better show against Mavs, in retrospect they were tough competition

Luka seems healthier now than those series'.

[durden_tyler]

Celts will pick on Luka defensively. He may score 35 but will prob give up 35.

Yes, the Celtics have the tools to slow down Luka. Brown as the primary defender, Tatum can guard him too and of course a splash of Holiday and even White.

On the other end though, Tatum might choke end game too as he does not have the Kyrie/Luka Kobe DNA so it's really going to be an interesting close series considering the talent of these squads and more importantly the verstatility of both of these teams to just switch everything as everyone can play respectable defense (no Conley type of weakness in the Celtics lineup)

[BeiBeau]

Celts will pick on Luka defensively. He may score 35 but will prob give up 35.

Already starting to talk trash? Can we at least see both teams close the series?

Mfers aren’t even watching Dallas games. This guy goes to the Skip Bayless and Steven a smith school of basketball takes

[Yuri36]

Donic has a chance to become the #1 player in the world if he beats the Celtics in the Finals. He will need to be all-time great which I think he is more than capable of pulling off.

Honestly, if Luka and Kyrie play both as well as they've done tonight during the rest of POs and win the chip, i'm tempted to give the FMVP to both.

[ArksNetsSince99]

Celtics vs Mavs will be a great series to watch. Two very skilled teams. WIll be a ton of hype. Can't wait.

Won’t be as good as this one , Mavs will sweep Celtics and won’t be close games

[HotRocks34]

Great job Mavs.

Great fight Minny.

Get well Lively.

[Kurtz]

Celts will pick on Luka defensively. He may score 35 but will prob give up 35.

Yes, the Celtics have the tools to slow down Luka. Brown as the primary defender, Tatum can guard him too and of course a splash of Holiday and even White.

On the other end though, Tatum might choke end game too as he does not have the Kyrie/Luka Kobe DNA so it's really going to be an interesting close series considering the talent of these squads and more importantly the verstatility of both of these teams to just switch everything as everyone can play respectable defense (no Conley type of weakness in the Celtics lineup)

You don't want your star offensive player being the primary defender on Luka, it'll wear him out.

Boston's edge is they got the guys to guard Kyrie without doubling.

[DreamTeam09]

Kyrie & Luka are the only starting backcourt to score +30pts 3x in a postseason in the last 50yrs.

[HotRocks34]

The two Dallas stars are just extremely hard to deal with, especially when their centers are stout in the middle.

[Riverwalk2021]

Celtics vs Mavs will be a great series to watch. Two very skilled teams. WIll be a ton of hype. Can't wait.

Won’t be as good as this one , Mavs will sweep Celtics and won’t be close games

Being a Nets fan has understandably turned your brain into mush.

[blueberrysticky]

Luka is getting healthier every game. Mavs are looking better as a result

[jokeboy86]

If the T-Wolves lose I can already see ESPN starting the talk and fake rumors of Edwards wanting to leave in a few years cause they’ll say he doesnt have enough help in small Minnesota . And of course they’ll say he wants to go to the Lakers or another big market. I guarantee they mention how much he loved playing with other stars during the Olympics to start these rumors next year

See, I laugh at this post. Not because how ridiculous it sounds, but because of how scarily true it sounds. It'll be followed up with Ant reassuring that he wants to stay in MIN and possibly sign another extension.

ESasPN is very predictable and could care less about small markets or foreign stars in the NBA. To them every American star player wants to play in a big market or team up with another American star. They still are trying to get Lillard out of Milwaukee as we speak

[LaLover11]

What does this say about Denver if Dallas sweeps the Wolves?

That matchups matter!

If Lakers played the Thunder in the 1st round
They would've beat them & went 7 games with Mavs

If Mavs played Denver 1st round they might've lost to the Nuggets in 6-7 Games

I really don't see how.
Dallas with lively and Gafford are at least as intimidating inside as Minny and Denver have even less quality than Minny in term of perimeters defenders who can annoy Luka and Kyrie.

If you watched the last game between Dallas and Denver, you saw Dallas beating Denver despite a terrible shooting night but taking nothing less than 20 more rebounds than Denver (Joker even said after the game that Denver were a small ball team comparing to Dallas)

Jokic would have Lively and Gafford in foul trouble by the 3rd quarter. Luka and Lydia would have to Guard MPJ, Murray & KCP thru screens and spot up 3's

PJ Washington and Luka would struggle with Gordon in the dunker position

[VicG]

Gafford is a real well-spoken dude!

[BliscoSantos]

Celts will pick on Luka defensively. He may score 35 but will prob give up 35.

Yes, the Celtics have the tools to slow down Luka. Brown as the primary defender, Tatum can guard him too and of course a splash of Holiday and even White.

On the other end though, Tatum might choke end game too as he does not have the Kyrie/Luka Kobe DNA so it's really going to be an interesting close series considering the talent of these squads and more importantly the verstatility of both of these teams to just switch everything as everyone can play respectable defense (no Conley type of weakness in the Celtics lineup)

You don't want your star offensive player being the primary defender on Luka, it'll wear him out.

Boston's edge is they got the guys to guard Kyrie without doubling.

Jrue and Brown will be on Luka and White and Jrue(when not guarding Luka) on Kai...Tatum Will be on PJ

[Statlanta]

TNT actually respectful not talking about Minnesota and focusing on Dallas

[Yuri36]

What does this say about Denver if Dallas sweeps the Wolves?

That playoffs are about matchups. And that Dallas is a really good team. Not your typical 5th seed.

Well precisely, that Mavs team with Gafford and PJ was not a 5th seed but the best team in the NBA.

[Slade3]

Minny need some roster changes. Edwards is the only one out there capable of making plays.

Boston vs Dallas will be fun!

These playoffs have lowkey been trash outside of like 1-2 series. Bunch of sweeps and blowouts.

Hopefully ,but Boston has some really good Luka and Kai stoppers... it's all about matchups and I'm afraid Dallas doesn't Match Up well with Boston

That's what they said about OKC and Timberwolves, look how that turned out.

[durden_tyler]

Celts will pick on Luka defensively. He may score 35 but will prob give up 35.

Yes, the Celtics have the tools to slow down Luka. Brown as the primary defender, Tatum can guard him too and of course a splash of Holiday and even White.

On the other end though, Tatum might choke end game too as he does not have the Kyrie/Luka Kobe DNA so it's really going to be an interesting close series considering the talent of these squads and more importantly the verstatility of both of these teams to just switch everything as everyone can play respectable defense (no Conley type of weakness in the Celtics lineup)

You don't want your star offensive player being the primary defender on Luka, it'll wear him out.

Boston's edge is they got the guys to guard Kyrie without doubling.

Yeah, that's why i said Brown was the primary defender and not Tatum. Holiday vs Luka is most interesting to me as i feel Brown might save some for offense too, the height differential is big for Luka but Holiday is just a great defensive player individually; will Luka post him up more knowing these Celtics do a lot of switches (and capable to make that effective)?

As for Kyrie, yes you are correct, as i mentioned these are no Mike Conleys and White himself can just try to handle Irving one on one and might be effective.

i trust the Mavs in the close games though. The Celtics were NEVER tested these playoffs, and the past playoff chokes (Miami last year) can still haunt them since they were never really put in a pressure cooker all postseason long.

Early lean is Dallas (in 6 or 7) but we have two weeks to evaluate this match-up so not rushing it. LOL

[Forbes]

Shoutout to Draymond coachin Gafford a little about them damn PNR turnovers. If he improves on that it’s game changing. Keeps us as a major threat offensively.