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Bob8 wrote:Game was already over in Q4 of game 1 and he was gassed in game 2, because there was 0 support by Kyrie. Kyrie is the most important player on Mavs in game 3, if he doesn't start to play decently, it's over. He needs to take some scoring burden from Luka. His value is negative, if he is shooting 35% Fg, because he doesn't do anything else.
CoP wrote:Bob8 wrote:Game was already over in Q4 of game 1 and he was gassed in game 2, because there was 0 support by Kyrie. Kyrie is the most important player on Mavs in game 3, if he doesn't start to play decently, it's over. He needs to take some scoring burden from Luka. His value is negative, if he is shooting 35% Fg, because he doesn't do anything else.
Luka needs to play better in the 4th or it's over. Bad turnovers and a 26% TS isn't going to cut it.
Mr. Perfect wrote:SIRMER wrote:Handlez wrote:Does Boston even need KP?
I think they could lose two starters and still have a talent advantage.
I Think in Lowe podcast they said Celtics have 102 offrtg and 120 defrtg without KP on the floor and 126 offrtg and 96 defrtg with him on. I think he is quite important piece in the puzzle.
Boston has only blown out the Mavs in 1 quarter these 2 games. Game 1, Q1 when unicorn played the quarter of his lifetime.
The next 7 quarters after that have been fairly contested despite Boston going on their crazy runs, the Mavs hang around.
This is a closer series than we think, if KP is down for the next 2 it absolutely gives the Mavs a massive shot in the leg and we could be going back to Boston tied.
Chuck Everett wrote:So if C's hold on and complete the mission, it means Dennis Schroder was right back when he ticked everyone off in Toronto about Tatum and Boston going out and winning the chip. Funny how things work.
Bob8 wrote:Playing better in 4th, after doing everything in first 3Q, means he will score 40 points+ with 60 Fg%, 4x in next 5 games. I would say that Kyrie starting to play better, letting Luka to rest a little, is far more realistic expectations.
Bob8 wrote:CoP wrote:Bob8 wrote:He might play bad D, but in that case we should say that Celtics are playing bad offense too, because they can't capitalise on Luka's bad D.
Yeah, the Celtics are shooting way below their averages from 3:
- 38.8% from three during the regular season, 32.1% in the Finals
- 38.8% in open 3s during the regular season, 33.3% in the Finals
- 41.6% on wide open 3s during the regular season, 36.1% in the Finals
They're getting a lot of open looks from 3 due to drive and kicks from blowing past Luka and then passing out when the defense collapses in the paint. They're just not making them.
What about non Luka's Mavs %? How are they shooting open 3s?
Mavs contested 3s visually better in game 2 than in game 1. Plan was pretty obvious, navigate drivers to help D and rotate to perimeter. Tatum having awful % tells us that plan is not that bad. Sure Celtics could hit more 3s, but they also made 2 they normally shouldn't.
I still find funny, how Luka is immensely criticised for letting Tatum going past him, although Tatum was shooting 6/22. Nobody can expect from Luka to create more than half Mavs points, with good efficiency and then play good D against Brown and Tatum in almost every possession. Mavs needed to find solution and they find it with the way they're approaching drives.
PLO wrote:Tatum played OK - took advantage of a few mismatches - decent on the defensive end. He is what we thought he was going into the season - a technically very proficient player operating close to his career ceiling as a rookie.
Chuck Everett wrote:So if C's hold on and complete the mission, it means Dennis Schroder was right back when he ticked everyone off in Toronto about Tatum and Boston going out and winning the chip. Funny how things work.
shi-woo wrote:Well no Porzingus kind of sucks...
Celtics will still be able to generate open looks, but they need to actually make them now. Tatum can't miss his layups either, and needs to play big on both ends, physically and metaphorically
Not sure what the rotation will look like now, as I'm not sure I want to see Kornet get minutes in the finals, Luka and Kyrie will just hunt him. This might be Brissets or Tillmans 15 minutes of fame if Mazzula trusts one of them enough. I like their size and quick feet on the perimeter, but neither has really played all year, let alone in big games, but you never know, guys leave it all out there when it's the finals.
My main concern is we play yhe starters and Al 40-44 minutes, lose, and we go into game 4 which is the only game without 2 days rest burnt out.
I'm hoping Boston is just hot from 3 and can put this game away. We tend to play better on the road for some reason, and we're going to be going against a Mavs team that is most likely going to come out with urgency, Kyrie and Luka focused, and probably getting a much more favorable whistle.
KP was only playing 20 mins, and this team has a lot of continuity even with him on the bench, so I don't expect us to be shook like most teams would be in this situation.
I'm looking at DWhite and Tatum this game, neither has played particularly well on offense, and this needs to be the game. Going up 3-0 is demoralizing, and even if the Mavs have a shot with no Porzingus would take a lot of things to go their way to win 4 in a row. This game is a game 7 essentially for both teams, and Celtics need to perform like it and come out and not get suckered into the BS and play their game.
If DAL is killing it, just keep it within 10 going into the 4th and hope Luka is tired like he has been and you will have a chance
LaLover11 wrote:I bet you $100 Mavs beat the Celtics
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