NBA Games Discussion Thread - Part 5

[JWizmentality]

Porzingis was always our best player.

[9 and 20]

Celtics played great. Most on Dallas were trash. I expect a 40 piece from Kyrie next game. Feels like the only people who want Boston to win are either in Boston or named Kyle Kuzma.

[payitforward]

Hey, what do these 15 guys have in common?

Kristaps Porzingis, Daniel Gafford, Jeff Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Ish Smith, Thomas Bryant, Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr., Chris Chiozza, Bobby Portis, JaVale McGee, Dwight Howard, Markieff Morris, Jodie Meeks, Shaun Livingston.

They have two things in common:

1. They're all ex-Wizards
2. They've all played in one or more of every NBA finals series since the '17-18 season!

[montestewart]

I feel like the Celtics are Gafford's achilles heel. He has NEVER had a good game against them. Ever.

You aren’t kidding. 3.1 ppg career against Boston. The next lowest is 6 ppg against LAC.

[closg00]

Celtics played great. Most on Dallas were trash. I expect a 40 piece from Kyrie next game. Feels like the only people who want Boston to win are either in Boston or named Kyle Kuzma.

The Mavs have consistently come back big after blowouts like this, KP wont be on-fire like that consistently, but the Mavs have no answer for him when he is..

[penbeast0]

Celtics played great. Most on Dallas were trash. I expect a 40 piece from Kyrie next game. Feels like the only people who want Boston to win are either in Boston or named Kyle Kuzma.

Tatum sort of sucked; if he turns it on, they can survive Porzingis coming back to reality.

[nate33]

Prior to last night, the Mavs had lost 5 out of 6 Game 1's with Jason Kidd as coach, but have lost just 1 out of 6 playoff series'. This series isn't over yet.

[Kanyewest]

Prior to last night, the Mavs had lost 5 out of 6 Game 1's with Jason Kidd as coach, but have lost just 1 out of 6 playoff series'. This series isn't over yet.

Working in the Celtics favor - With Joe Mazulla, the Celtics are 4-0 when his team has won game 1 with no series going past 6 games.

Working against the Celtics - The let down usually happens with the Celtics in game 2 though. The last time the Celtics won game 1 and lost a series was in the NBA Finals.

Still, I like the Celtics to win barring any injuries although the games still need to play out(ie the 2016 finals a key example of this that anything can happen with Steph being hurt, Iguodala hurting his back, Bogut getting knocked out with an jury, Harrison Barnes going into a witness protection program with Roy Hibbert, Draymond getting suspended).

[Kanyewest]

Watch on YouTube

;ab_channel=ThinkingBasketball

[dobrojim]

DAL looks like they simply don't have enough horses in the barn. They need the
Knucklehead to get 25 (or 30) and 1-2 other players (PJ or center combo) to get 15 or so.
Tatum is blowing by whoever is defending him and once they get that
advantage, they know what to do with it.

[closg00]

Boston is so well-coached, non of Luka's defenders are falling for his usual tricks to draw fouls.

[dobrojim]

Put a fork in DAL. BOS has been the best team this year. No way they
become the 1st team to lose 4 straight up 3-0. Jaylen Brown has been
especially good. SMH thinking back to the suggestions last year that
they were so unhappy with him he might be traded.

[closg00]

Brown was selected 3rd in 2016, sandwiched between Brandon Ingram and Dragan Bender!?!

[Rafael122]

This Boston championship is going to be one of those "oh yeah, they did win it that year" type of championships. Kudos to them though, this probably cements Jrue as a Hall of Famer if he wasn't already and Tatum/Brown are on their way there.

[Kanyewest]

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=h4W8vnfu6NAaVyPu_QB9Ww

[Kanyewest]

Brown was selected 3rd in 2016, sandwiched between Brandon Ingram and Dragan Bender!?!

Jason Tatum was selected 3rd in 2017, sandwiched between Lonzo Ball and Josh Jackson
Porzingis was selected 4th in 2015, sandwiched between Jahil Okafor and Mario Hezonja

[Zonkerbl]

Boston is intentionally targeting Doncic on defense. They got him to foul out.

[Dark Faze]

Doncic's defense has been bad enough that he's painted himself as a target for next season's games.

He's always been known as a poor defender, but the Celtics exposed him as someone that you can build an entire scheme around.

He'd be wise to try to slim down and work on his stamina in the off-season because he will be tested next year.

[closg00]

Dallas thrashing Boston like they never have, gentleman's sweep?

[9 and 20]

Doncic and Kyrie combined 1-14 on three's through three quarters. Dallas up 30.

Need a 40 piece from Kyrie in game 5. If that happens and Dallas wins a game the next game in Boston, C's will wilt.