2024 NBA Playoffs: West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #5 Dallas Mavericks (DAL WINS 4-2)

[Biff]

I'm fairly surprised the Mavs won this series given how poorly Luka played for much of it. If Luka starts playing like he can, they have a damn good shot at making the finals.

[WestbrookGOATed]

Good series Mavs fans..

[mademan]

This probably isnt nearly as close of a game if PJ doesnt only play 6 min in the first half. Crazy how important he's become to the Mavs

D trade according to ESPN

[CobraCommander]

Are you really trying to detract from a clearly very young team that overachieved and surprised everyone?

Being young matters now?

Luka has been getting roasted and he’s younger than SGA.

Thank you. Luka got roasted when he was 20 losing to prime Kawhi.

They didn’t play one on one- Luka got roasted and we all gave him a pass cause he was playing prime Kawhi to a damn near stand still-

But that Luka ain’t show up this series -

He has 7+ turn overs in back to back games that Dallas WON-

This Mavs team is complete in ways OKC isn’t -

To the victor goes the spoils-

Go Mavs

[HotRocks34]

Thank you Grant Williams.

That worked out great.

[Mk0]

Mavs will beat Minnesota if they play them because they have elite rim protection for Edwards (nuggets/suns had none). Nuggets will be a challenge though.

Seeing how Luka reacts to the Wolves defense and the refs will be a sight to behold

[WestbrookGOATed]

That one hurt extra after the 17 point lead. But our future is so damn bright. Add another superstar in the offseason. We'll come back next year with experience.

[KyRo23]

Id personally quit watching basketball if that had happened to my team.

Meanwhile the commentators in collusion with the league don't go all in on how bad that foul call was.

You can't even block the shot anymore.

This is absolute nonsense. You clearly don't know what a block is, what a foul is, what a loose ball is. You're seriously suggesting that someone can just walk up to the ball handler, touch the ball, and then hack them on the arm? What?

You clearly comprehended what I said incorrectly. Go back and read it slowly .

I mean….

“Everything else after should be kosher. Including throwing his ass in the front row.“

You’re unhinged

[djsunyc]

It took 6 games instead of 5 but this worked the Mavs got rid of that sh*tty f**king commercial!

Read on Twitter

next on the docket...get rid of NO FLEX ZONE!

[The Corey's]

Washington never came down with the ball. If he did, then it would have been a jump ball. The right call was made.

Sent from my Pixel 6a using RealGM Forums mobile app

You reward the player for getting his hand on the ball. You don't call the contact on his arm AFTER the ball was touched.

It's never called like that.

I have no skin in the game, and it’s a foul.

You can’t just touch the ball in someone’s hand then do whatever you want after. If you come across the ball on a layup and take a player out, is it not a foul because he grazed the ball first?

The only time these are not fouls in todays NBA is when you hit a player after the ball is released. Not even close to the same situations

It's not that it's in his hand. It's in the act of shooting.

The NBA will clarify this rule because clearly there is none in the book that describes this very scenario.

Accepting this as a foul is conditioning.

[ArksNetsSince99]

If he had let go of the ball you'd be right, he still had the ball in his hand and Shai hit his elbow. That is a foul all day every day cry about it more it won't change anything.

Accepting this as a foul is to accept mediocrity.

Rule or not rule this should not be a foul.

I hope Mavs make the Finals because I got Mavs over Celtics and I challenge you to a bet loser leaves for a week. Unfortunately they don't have a cupcake like you do so they may or may not be there.

You mean KYRIE beating the Celtics in the finals ????

That’s like hell on earth for Celtics 100 times worse than to loose to any other player

I like your idea

[CobraCommander]

I'm fairly surprised the Mavs won this series given how poorly Luka played for much of it. If Luka starts playing like he can, they have a damn good shot at making the finals.

Something about the Mavs winning with kyrie and luka playing bad should scare the whole league -

I mean scare the $*** out of everyone -

If they can win without them being the best player in a series that’s insane- but if they can keep it close and give it to Luka or Kyrie to close you out - who can handle that ?

[RB34]

Are you really trying to detract from a clearly very young team that overachieved and surprised everyone?

Being young matters now?

Luka has been getting roasted and he’s younger than SGA.

Sga out played Luka this series from start to finish - that’s not in doubt -

The okc thunder YOUNG - sga and Luka same damn age-

It’s just math man and being young matters a ton-

Okc is the youngest team ever to win a playoff series -

Mavs 4 years older on avg

Better team and older team won-

Best player in series was Sga - Luka knows how that feels -

Thoroughly outplayed a clearly injured Luka except when it mattered the most. The Pels without Zion aren’t a playoff team and they were up against the 1 seed with an MVP candidate.

[Tha Cynic]

Kyrie Irving has been amazing these playoffs. You can tell he probably should have the ball a lot more than he has but he has adapted his game to let Luka do his thing. He's an absolute leader on the court and kind of balances the chaos that is Luka sometimes.

[JustBuzzin]

Rooting for the Mavs the rest of the way. PJ is still a Hornet at heart.

[The Corey's]

Washington never came down with the ball. If he did, then it would have been a jump ball. The right call was made.

Sent from my Pixel 6a using RealGM Forums mobile app

You reward the player for getting his hand on the ball. You don't call the contact on his arm AFTER the ball was touched.

It's never called like that.

It should be called like that every time. If the player still has the ball and is attempting to shoot, then you foul him, it’s a foul. Please just give up already, you’re wrong.

If you are fouled in the act of shooting then it should be a foul.

My point which is she's for you to understand, is that because he got ball first, the elbow is not a foul.

I eagerly await the NBA and their rulebook that describes this very scenario.

I don't expect mav fans to accept it. They can accept that ass whooping the next round though.

[ChipotleWest]

Being young matters now?

Luka has been getting roasted and he’s younger than SGA.

Thank you. Luka got roasted when he was 20 losing to prime Kawhi.

They didn’t play one on one- Luka got roasted and we all gave him a pass cause he was playing prime Kawhi to a damn near stand still-

But that Luka ain’t show up this series -

He has 7+ turn overs in back to back games that Dallas WON-

This Mavs team is complete in ways OKC isn’t -

To the victor goes the spoils-

Go Mavs

"Luka got roasted and we all gave him a pass cause he was playing prime Kawhi"

Just shows you're a clueless hater. Luka had an injured Porzingis the first 3 games of out 6 against Clippers, then Porzingis only scoring 13 ppg in the 2nd one. Luka averaged over 35 in the second series with all solid numbers and 32 in the first one at 20 and 21 years old. One of the starters in the second series was Boban, Brunson was averaging 8 ppg. It's a joke that anyone would blame Luka for either series, I don't care if he's 30 years old. He didn't need a pass he did everything possible but he had no teammates. It's like blaming Michael Jordan for getting swept against the super Celtics before he had Pippen nobody can just win by themselves.

If you're going to blame Luka for that you better blame Shai for losing this series. He had better teammates than Luka did and is 5 years older. I actually don't I give Shai credit, but I want YOU to be consistent.

[Rainwater]

Are you really trying to detract from a clearly very young team that overachieved and surprised everyone?

Being young matters now?

Luka has been getting roasted and he’s younger than SGA.

Sga out played Luka this series from start to finish - that’s not in doubt -

The okc thunder YOUNG - sga and Luka same damn age-

It’s just math man and being young matters a ton-

Okc is the youngest team ever to win a playoff series -

Mavs 4 years older on avg

Better team and older team won-

Best player in series was Sga - Luka knows how that feels -

I think I prefer Doncic, dude was getting triple doubles on a bad leg lol

[Baseline81]

OKC fans won't want to hear this, but this series showed the Thunder were a phantom one seed.

[dygaction]

Are you really trying to detract from a clearly very young team that overachieved and surprised everyone?

Being young matters now?

Luka has been getting roasted and he’s younger than SGA.

Sga out played Luka this series from start to finish - that’s not in doubt -

The okc thunder YOUNG - sga and Luka same damn age-

It’s just math man and being young matters a ton-

Okc is the youngest team ever to win a playoff series -

Mavs 4 years older on avg

Better team and older team won-

Best player in series was Sga - Luka knows how that feels -

lol, love the energy, you are tracing luka like eyeatoma to jokic.
That aside, the gigantic playmaking gap makes a hobbled Luka still impact the game comparable to SGA. SGA does have elite jumpers and ice in his vein, but his passing are all in the flow, lacking creation out of no where. That's why other teammates were having a more difficult time. Mavs just have way more easier shots.