2024 NBA Playoffs: Western Conference Finals: #3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs #5 Dallas Mavericks (DAL WINS 4-1)

[Dirk]

Impressive how locked in the Mavs were. An absolute treat to watch.

Playing as a team.

Spoiler:

A reminder that many Wolves fans were super confident coming to this series and expected a sweep/win in 5. Mavs had no shot. At least those fans now got to watch Luka and probably their main take away is that he is not Booker, KD or Murray. And Edwards is also probably not in the same galaxy as far as playmaking.

A word of appreciation for the Wolves guys (except Gobert), the games had good rhythm, games were fair, no complaining. Wolves crowd also not annoying. I now understand that Towns just has no control whatsoever, I read a description somewhere that he is like a cat following a laser light. I hold nothing against him, although he is a public menace to other players.

Made no sense how the Wolves can compete in a game 4, but then get dismantled like this.

Spoiler:

The Wolves have to be very good to destroy the Suns and win a game 7 on the road against the champs. They probably didn't show their best version here. I guess on one hand they simply didn't actually match up well with the Mavs offense. And then on offense, they had 3-4 phases in those earlier games where they blew leads. We all know the scores were close.

I am just happy to be done with this and not see Lively get knocked out again.

Spoiler:

How Irving even SAW Kleber there...

I didn't know Fin was in the Mavs' FO! One of my favorites when he was playing; I'm happy to see him doing well.

He plays a vital role for the Mavs, keeping Luka's alcohol intake in check.

Spoiler:

Rudy travelled

Very rough to watch. I think the refs had some pitty of him in the first quarter. They let him get away with blatant offensive fouls (pushing guys to get rebounds). Then they also let him do that...

Spoiler:

I guess a lot of people who watched these games... now understand better why this dude seems to be so disliked. Just throwing his limbs around and acting tough... while constantly getting embarrassed by Luke.

[thinktank]

Wolves fans did not expect a sweep. Look at the poll, silly.

[tsherkin]

How Irving even SAW Kleber there...

That looks just as impressive the second time around. He went up, he juggled, he tossed it through like three defenders out to Kleber on the left wing... that's a pretty challenging pass. Kyrie started a little cold, he was like 2/6 or something, and then just lit it the hell up. He and Luka went super saiyan, it was crazy. Luka, of course, from the word "go."

[Dirk]

How Irving even SAW Kleber there...

That looks just as impressive the second time around. He went up, he juggled, he tossed it through like three defenders out to Kleber on the left wing... that's a pretty challenging pass. Kyrie started a little cold, he was like 2/6 or something, and then just lit it the hell up. He and Luka went super saiyan, it was crazy. Luka, of course, from the word "go."

Luka fanboying Kyrie perhaps:

Spoiler:

So Luka had to also get a taste of Towns right after.

Spoiler:

[tsherkin]

Luka fanboying Kyrie perhaps:

I enjoy their chemistry, and how happy they seem to be for one another.

[mabundo_nagumbe]

Game 7 Luka vs the Suns will be the Luka we all see tonight. Mavs are 6-2 on the road in the playoffs. Twolves are 3-4 at home in the playoffs. Mavs win tonight.

aged like fine wine

[TimberKat]

Impressive how locked in the Mavs were. An absolute treat to watch.

Playing as a team.

Spoiler:

A reminder that many Wolves fans were super confident coming to this series and expected a sweep/win in 5. Mavs had no shot. At least those fans now got to watch Luka and probably their main take away is that he is not Booker, KD or Murray. And Edwards is also probably not in the same galaxy as far as playmaking.

A word of appreciation for the Wolves guys (except Gobert), the games had good rhythm, games were fair, no complaining. Wolves crowd also not annoying. I now understand that Towns just has no control whatsoever, I read a description somewhere that he is like a cat following a laser light. I hold nothing against him, although he is a public menace to other players.

Made no sense how the Wolves can compete in a game 4, but then get dismantled like this.

Spoiler:

The Wolves have to be very good to destroy the Suns and win a game 7 on the road against the champs. They probably didn't show their best version here. I guess on one hand they simply didn't actually match up well with the Mavs offense. And then on offense, they had 3-4 phases in those earlier games where they blew leads. We all know the scores were close.

I am just happy to be done with this and not see Lively get knocked out again.

Spoiler:

How Irving even SAW Kleber there...

I didn't know Fin was in the Mavs' FO! One of my favorites when he was playing; I'm happy to see him doing well.

He plays a vital role for the Mavs, keeping Luka's alcohol intake in check.

Spoiler:

Rudy travelled

Very rough to watch. I think the refs had some pitty of him in the first quarter. They let him get away with blatant offensive fouls (pushing guys to get rebounds). Then they also let him do that...

Spoiler:

I guess a lot of people who watched these games... now understand better why this dude seems to be so disliked. Just throwing his limbs around and acting tough... while constantly getting embarrassed by Luke.

LOL, great win for DAL and I expected Twolves plays better but basically the entire TWolves team under performed. Agree Luka's play making is way above Ant. If we have the exact match up again next year, you will see a very different result. I don't see DAL being a cut above the rest of the Western top teams

[MrGoat]

I am so glad the Bulls stopped benching Robin Lopez when we wanted to tank for Luka. A couple of years of WCJ was super worth it.

*Silver threatened to fine the team and the Bulls FO folded like a cheap suit. Meanwhile OKC was allowed to shutdown Horford without anyone giving a sh#% like two years later. Yes I am still bitter.

You should be even more bitter. It was the Bulls the Mavs tanked against so shamelessly they got fined for it and ended up with Dereck Lively. And the reason that game was so shameful was because the Bulls were trying to tank it too because both teams had the same record at that point

[MrGoat]

Holy **** hahahahahha!!!

Read on Twitter

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I'll tell you right now. One of my toughest times ever as a Mavs fan was when Jason Terry nut shotted Michael Finley. It should have been funny because he was on the Spurs but we still loved Michael Finley. Been on our staff for a while now, too.

[rockmanslim]

I think its telling Kat and Finch both brought up conditioning and fitness in the presser

Ant said he was gonna get back to his program in college where he was uncomfortable and at his best fitness level

Ants 22yo but he was visibly gassing most games of this series including blowing an 18pt lead in game 2

He doesnt strike me as someone on a strict diet either lol bro prolly still eats Mcdonalds daily

The lesson is to drink beer instead of eating McD's.

Like wtf though Luka's Finals prep involves guzzling beers. I'm still processing this.

[Texas Chuck]

Imagine thinking Luka Doncic is the only NBA player who drinks alcohol during the season. I remember that Dirk (who really enjoys his beer btw) didn't drink during the season and how shocked everyone was by it.

People drink. Not just Luka.

[Dubnation]

Holy **** hahahahahha!!!

Read on Twitter

?t=0mrrRSiSyiaKWQvp5otEvA&s=19

Good move Mr. Findley. I always enjoyed your game back in the day. Focused.

[Mk0]

I am so glad the Bulls stopped benching Robin Lopez when we wanted to tank for Luka. A couple of years of WCJ was super worth it.

*Silver threatened to fine the team and the Bulls FO folded like a cheap suit. Meanwhile OKC was allowed to shutdown Horford without anyone giving a sh#% like two years later. Yes I am still bitter.

You should be even more bitter. It was the Bulls the Mavs tanked against so shamelessly they got fined for it and ended up with Dereck Lively. And the reason that game was so shameful was because the Bulls were trying to tank it too because both teams had the same record at that point

I am focused more on the can't miss generational player.

We would have f#%ked the 2023 pick. "We don't need Lively, we have Vooch"

[perempe20]

I really like the Kyrie and Doncic, too bad game 5 was the glorification of superstar ISO basketball.

[Texas Chuck]

Finch's pettiness -- got to say I love it. I loved all the complaining about Mavs illegal screens(Even got him some calls in game 5 lol). And I love the whole no I don;t really like Dallas style of offense that just blew the doors off my top-rated defense.

Now he doesn't have the players to play offense like Dallas, so its moot, but I admire the petty. Would be fun for Dallas to have a little rival for the next couple years.

[MN7725]

Finch's pettiness -- got to say I love it. I loved all the complaining about Mavs illegal screens(Even got him some calls in game 5 lol). And I love the whole no I don;t really like Dallas style of offense that just blew the doors off my top-rated defense.

Now he doesn't have the players to play offense like Dallas, so its moot, but I admire the petty. Would be fun for Dallas to have a little rival for the next couple years.

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

it's nothing new or specific to the Mavs

[Texas Chuck]

Him complaining about other screens /= him not complaining repeatedly about Dallas screens right? Again, I admire the gamesmanship. A coach should be trying to create any edge they possibly can. No idea if his pre-game stuff had any impact, but his in-game complaining certainly did as he got a call right after complaining about a non-call.

Kidd should have been talking about Rudy's shuffling, shuffling, shuffling I guess.

[MN7725]

Him complaining about other screens /= him not complaining repeatedly about Dallas screens right? Again, I admire the gamesmanship. A coach should be trying to create any edge they possibly can. No idea if his pre-game stuff had any impact, but his in-game complaining certainly did as he got a call right after complaining about a non-call.

Kidd should have been talking about Rudy's shuffling, shuffling, shuffling I guess.

just pointing out that Finch complains about screening forever, not really anything about the Mavs, he actually calls out his players effort probably more than any NBA coach i've seen

and he's been crazy stubborn on his "free flowing" offense despite the results, Wolves fans wish he would adjust, again nothing to do with Mavs

stubborn, rather than petty, would be the word to describe Finch

[jkvonny]

I like Minny to be the first team to recover from a 0-3 deficit.

Unlikely, but not impossible. In the past few years we've seen a 16 beat a 1 in the NCAA Tournament. Obviously it's one game as opposed to a 7 game series, but it's something that hadn't happened before. At some point, there will be a team that comes back from an 0-3 deficit, whether it's this series or a series 10 years from now.

Two 16 seeds have beaten 1 seed in recent years.

UMBC (UVA) 2018
FDU (Purdue) 2023

As for teams to come back from 0-3 deficits to win.

None so far in the NBA . May happen sooner or later, IMO.

But there have been some close ones in the past .
Last season (2023) Miami beat Boston (higher seed, HCA). 4-3 ECF
2003 Mavs beat Portland 4-3 First round
1994 Jazz beat Nuggets 4-3 (Nuggz also upset #1 Seattle SuperSonics (now OKC Thunder) in prior round overcoming 0-2 deficit to win 3-2). SemiFinals
1951 Rochester Royals (now Sacramento Kings ) beat NY Knicks 4-3 . NBA Finals Championship.

All of the teams that fell 0-3 and forced game 7s were the lower seeds (underdogs). Boston was the favorite last year and higher seed.
Minn (favorite, higher seed, HCA) would be like Boston if they force game 7.

****
Only happen once so far in MLB. May happen again sooner or later.
2004 ALCS RedSox over NY Yankees 4-3

Almost happen again in 2020 ALCS TB Rays beat Houston Astros 4-3. Astros lost game 7.

****
Some reason it happens more frequently in NHL. Games and series are momentum driven.
Probably more in the future as well.

2014 First round LA Kings over SJ Sharks 4-3
2010 SemIFinals Philly Flyers over Boston Bruins 4-3
1975 Stanley Cup QrtFinals NY Islanders over Pitt Penguins 4-3
1942 Stanley Cup Finals championship Toronto Maple Leafs (home team, higher seed, HCA) over Detroit RedWings 4-3

The other ones that were close, but lost game 7.
2011 SemiFinals SJ Sharks over Detroit RedWings 4-3
2011 Conf QrtrFinals Vancouver Canucks over Chicago BlackHawks 4-3.
1975 Stanley Cup SemiFinals Philly Flyers over NY Islanders 4-3 (NY overcame 0-3 deficit in prior round against Pittsburgh)
1945 Stanley Cup Finals Championship Toronto Maple Leafs over Detroit RedWings 4-3. Det higher seed, HCA.
1939 Stanley Cup SemiFinals Boston Bruins over NY Ranger 4-3

NHL is odd.

Oilers just forced a game 7 after being down 0-3 to the Panthers.

Hockey series are games of momentum and hot goalies

[WentzerWuver]

How NBA players prepare for the finals!

https://youtube.com/shorts/WOBk9Q-JqMI?si=5YqN6VgGAG7liB3K