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

[zshawn10]

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[Oscar9992]

Absolute shot making clinic in the 4th by LuKai, the 12-1 run to put the game away started by PJ 3 and ended by Gafford lob, how symbolic.
Critical win since Lively is out for the series most likely.

Kyrie & Luka outscore whole Nuggets in 4'th quarter

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[Mavrelous]

Please, enough Celtics talk in this thread, it's not over, Mavs have 2/3 of their big rotation out, their whole defense is predicated on rim protection.

[zshawn10]

He can’t be serious right?

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[Forbes]

Nah they were fine without him.

It’s about having the size for 48min when on the other side is just 30-32min KP

KP? Are you talking about Celtics? There is a drop off for sure without Lively. I think they can survive it just like tonight. It makes Celtics series harder for Mavs because that's probably the advantage Mavs had in front court with Lively.

We 100% need Lively for the Celtics. Lively/Gafford for 48 mins is like having a Top 2 Center on the team. People are underestimating how badly Lively is needed. I hope he’s gonna be good to play the Next Series.

We need him whether KP play or not.

[Oscar9992]

Wolves outplayed Mavs as a team but still lost by 9 points

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[Eatgreenz]

Lesson for Ant

You don’t disrespect one Yugo when you about to start series against another one

I Believe Luka took this a bit more personal than usual

I actually think Kyrie was the one who took this personally.

This is just normal Luka. That dude has gamer rage lol.

I’m all for it , let’s Kyrie show Nets management how dumb they are , he already did actually

And let him earn the bag he deserves

Show nets management. He never came to work to show them anything

[Chuck Everett]

Can we agree on that the Mavs have the two best players of the series?

They might actually have more than that. One of the reasons KAT is playing so poorly is because of PJ Washington's defense.

Who's the best player on the Wolves this series. Is it Naz? Conley? I kind of don't know. Is it Ant or Gobert by default of what they're doing?

Honestly, I've watched all three of these games in their entirety same as you and I don't know either. I think Lively has been the third best player in this series (Luka and Kyrie are 1/2), even with him getting injured.

Gobert was out of the game for the first 8+ minutes of the fourth (game was tied at 87) and Minnesota still couldn't get a lead. So even without him on the floor supposedly clogging the lane, the Wolves still a) couldn't get any separation and b) weren't stopping the Mavs from scoring. And to me, it just boils down to the fact that Towns and Edwards just can't score as efficiently as Luka and Kyrie can.

The Mavs only had 19 assists on 38 baskets. So many of their baskets were pure-ISO. Doncic is basically walking Jaden McDaniels down to the basket and Ant isn't making things difficult on Kyrie either.

I think my biggest issue with the Wolves perimeter defenders is that they are not doing enough to fight over the screens. And if they're not going to fight over the screen, then they need to blow it up by taking a hard foul and running right through the screener's chest. When you do that (Kenyon Martin style), guys get hesitant to set screens the rest of the game.

Like Naz Reid is playing well offensively, but he's not really doing much on the defensive end or the boards, so again, even if Rudy wasn't playing, the Wolves still need to get stops. This entire game thread was people criticizing Dwight Powell, who has barely played the entire playoffs and was thrust into game action and he was literally -1 in 8 minutes. At the end of the day, the Mavs can live with that from him. His minutes didn't cost them much of anything. Wolves couldn't even hurt them even with a really cold player in the game.

[Yuri36]

I believe the Nuggets would've put up a better fight.

Jokic would've put much more pressure on their bigs than Rudy and KAT are currently able to.

The matchups mattered. The TWolves were purpose built to take out the Nuggets, but would probably struggle against the Thunder and are getting picked apart by the Mavs.

Offensively, for sure but defensively he would have been even more embarrassed than Rudy and KAT by Gafford and Lively's dunks from Luka and Kyrie's passing.

[LaLover11]

Next Edwards contract fine print

* No hot Cheeto fries and minimum 30fga

[Oscar9992]

Nah they were fine without him.

It’s about having the size for 48min when on the other side is just 30-32min KP

KP? Are you talking about Celtics? There is a drop off for sure without Lively. I think they can survive it just like tonight. It makes Celtics series harder for Mavs because that's probably the advantage Mavs had in front court with Lively.

Nah. Lively's rim protection & lob threat is very important for Mavs. He impacts both ends of the floor massively. Paint is locked with Lively in it & he is even better lob finisher than Gafford.

With Lively Wolves wouldn't even tied the game & go ahead tonight. Game wouldn't even be close at all. Mavs were comfortably leading 10+ points with him.

[Chuck Everett]

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Look at these numbers. How can any team win a series when their offensive stars shoot this poorly? I don't even know how these games are close with them shooting that bad.

[mademan]

Mavs have 11 days to get Lively and Maxi back. Theyre 100% gonna need both if theyre gonna win the title

[jc23]

KAT is just one of those guys i cant imagine as a champion.

[Cactus Jack]

Mavs going to sweep. Like they did against the Lakers before beating the Heat.

Always the underdogs

Now you just need the Cowboys to get their act together!

[rilamann]

KAT is just one of those guys i cant imagine as a champion.

The thought of KAT winning a championship almost makes you instantly burst into laughter.

[Ssj16]

Congrats to Dallas on another win. I picked the Wolves to take this series but it looks like the Mavs have it now and we'll deserved.

[GeorgeSears]

I believe the Nuggets would've put up a better fight.

Jokic would've put much more pressure on their bigs than Rudy and KAT are currently able to.

The matchups mattered. The TWolves were purpose built to take out the Nuggets, but would probably struggle against the Thunder and are getting picked apart by the Mavs.

Offensively, for sure but defensively he would have been even more embarrassed than Rudy and KAT by Gafford and Lively's dunks from Luka and Kyrie's passing.

Oh, they definitely would've gotten dunks and lobs, but they would've been in foul trouble by the 4th (especially Gafford).

Although, I'm not sure Murray's calf would've been strong enough to keep up with the scoring load of Luka and Kyrie.

[Johnny Firpo]

I'm definitely worried about Lively, right now he is our 3rd most important player. It could be really difficult to close this series without him.

[Scoundreldays]

Lmao KAT saying he’s shooting 1500 shots a day. Why lie?

The Paul George of Big men