RS 20/21 - Mavs @ Celtics (7:30 EST ESPN)

[aggerrard]

Can't watch any games atm due to time difference and new work. Only watching highlights and looking at the boxscore. Good to see the team grabbing some wins out there, and unfortunately Luka had to sit out in two important games. The Lakers downfall without LeBron and AD is the only hope for top-6. 'Only' 4 games behind - and if LeBron sits out for the next 10-12 games, that gap can be closed at that point.

[Archx]

Well CLEARLY whatever Mavs were doing was not working in the 4th. So maybe it would have been better if Rick forced Boston to adjust not the other way around. Specially because Mavs had the bigger lead. But hey, what do i know...

Read on Twitter

strongly agree with this.. i remember Charles Barkley jokingly tell a story about how he threatened to punch a coach maybe he says "ill punch your stupid head" and the guy goes don't forget you got a head too...
yeah, he might have a hard time guarding small guys but they will have a hard time against him too, scoring and rebounding wise.
but this also raises a red flag to me personally, its like just basically accepting or treating KP with kid gloves that you dont believe he can take advantage of those mismatches especially with this game against guys like smart, tatum, brown... its not like we want KP to battle with the elite strong bigs out there like adams,embiid and jokic, its legit small guys so i think its reasonable to expect him to rebound but instead you yank him out?? i dont get it. this is a guy on his 3rd yr of getting max money, dont coddle him too much.

Yeah...i don't know what kind a msg this sends out to anyone specially to KP by thinking like that. I mean, did Rick just admitted that KP is unplayable against smaller units? Or did he hinted that he doesn't trust KP to be better than smaller guys? Or am i maybe just overthinking this? Because if he keeps doing this, he will effectively give any playoff opponent a great idea how to plan against their offense and everyone will know Mavs will have only 1 threat late in the game, which is kinda silly.

We'll see what happens in the future but i don't like the way Rick is handling these things. KP at the end of the day is still quite mobile and can still space the floor and do good things around the rim. He was really good in this game, altered many shots and had team's best DRTG. His PnR defense is still quite bad but it didn't bother Mavs that much this time.

[Dirk]

Brunson was the MVP of the night. He's the reason Dallas came out with the win.

Ugly game from Luka other than shooting. He seems to be struggling again with small injuries or tiredness. His defense has regressed, he isn't attacking the rim as often, poor free throw shooting, a lot of bad TOs...

Yes, defense dropped. You can find various examples of being blown by as if he isn't there. Also agree that some of his TOs suggest his energy levels are down. He has lapses of concentration/focus.

Last 11 games, 63.8% FT. But 42.1% from 3... which is a great improvement.

Boston, Miami and Clippers are the teams that play Luka most aggressively. So it's understandable to struggle at times.

This game wouldn't have been won without him hitting some ridiculous shots.

Like these...

Spoiler:

Brunson was the man though. Made critical plays and hit the free throws at the end.

Mavs were "lucky" to win this game. Boston had so many open chances to get in the game. And as alluded, the ridiculousness of playing KP only 2 minutes in the fourth quarter is hard to understand.

We'll take the fact that they did win a close game. But this should have been much cleaner.

[JD45]

Its a win, but a win by randomness.

Mavs shot 49% from 3. Celtics shot 23% from 3. And the Celtics were missing open 3s, while the Mavs were making long range contested shots. If both teams shoot their normal %, the Mavs get blown out.

I am still very happy with the win. The Mavs have lost games where luck shifted fortune the other way. Thats just how it works. But I hope they study the tape on how the Celtics defended Luka. It was very effective and I bet other teams will copy it, especially in the playoffs.

[Bob8]

Brunson was the MVP of the night. He's the reason Dallas came out with the win.

Ugly game from Luka other than shooting. He seems to be struggling again with small injuries or tiredness. His defense has regressed, he isn't attacking the rim as often, poor free throw shooting, a lot of bad TOs...

Yes, defense dropped. You can find various examples of being blown by as if he isn't there. Also agree that some of his TOs suggest his energy levels are down. He has lapses of concentration/focus.

Last 11 games, 63.8% FT. But 42.1% from 3... which is a great improvement.

Boston, Miami and Clippers are the teams that play Luka most aggressively. So it's understandable to struggle at times.

This game wouldn't have been won without him hitting some ridiculous shots.

Like these...

Spoiler:

Brunson was the man though. Made critical plays and hit the free throws at the end.

Mavs were "lucky" to win this game. Boston had so many open chances to get in the game. And as alluded, the ridiculousness of playing KP only 2 minutes in the fourth quarter is hard to understand.

We'll take the fact that they did win a close game. But this should have been much cleaner.

Luka was defended really well, much better than Clippers were able to defend him.

It's not only about his 3pts %, even more impressing is volume of 3s made. He's hitting 4.5 3s per game in March, which is elite. More than Dame made in any months. Interesting enough Luka has almost the same 3pts % as Dame, who is considered as elite shooter. Knowing how difficult are his shots, we can slowly count him between very good shooters.

Mavs biggest problem is still D. They have looked totally lost in second half. Why RC didn't put in rim protector is just baffling. Celtics were driving whenever they want and finishing easily.

[Bob8]

Its a win, but a win by randomness.

Mavs shot 49% from 3. Celtics shot 23% from 3. And the Celtics were missing open 3s, while the Mavs were making long range contested shots. If both teams shoot their normal %, the Mavs get blown out.

I am still very happy with the win. The Mavs have lost games where luck shifted fortune the other way. Thats just how it works. But I hope they study the tape on how the Celtics defended Luka. It was very effective and I bet other teams will copy it, especially in the playoffs.

It's on others, when Luka is defended like that. Brunson was perfect, some others disastrous.

[dirkforpres]

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What a f**king clown. I seriously can’t wait for Carlisle to retire or get fired. If Porzingis is supposedly that unplayable for an entire quarter in a close game, they should have made more of an effort to trade him last week.

And yet he kept Josh Richardson in the entire time while he was getting smoked all night and literally almost gave the game away multiple times

[leolozon]

I keep thinking about the games they gave up. I still don't know what's up with Doncic's back, but the games against OKC, Indiana and NOP would have been wins if he played, which means that the Mavs would be in really good position to get the 4th seed... now they're pretty much guaranteed the 7th seed. The Mavs still have the 2nd easiest schedule, while the Blazers have the 3rd hardest, but it won't matter if the Mavs sit KP and Luka on back to backs.

At the same time, is it better to play the Suns, Clippers or Nuggets? Anyone has a preference? Not sure that getting to the 5th seed and potentially playing the Nuggets is better considering they don't have anyone to stop Jokic.

The Blazers got away with some games they shouldn't have too. Their SRS is -0.84 vs 1.91 for the Mavs.

[boogiezen]

I can't stop thinking about the games they gave up. I still don't know what's up with Doncic's back, but the games against OKC, Indiana and NOP would have been wins if he played, which means that the Mavs would be in really good position to get the 4th seed... now they're pretty much guaranteed the 7th seed. The Mavs still have the 2nd easiest schedule, while the Blazers have the 3rd hardest, but it won't matter if the Mavs sit KP and Luka on back to backs.

At the same time, is it better to play the Suns, Clippers or Nuggets? Anyone has a preference? Not sure that getting to the 5th seed and potentially playing the Nuggets is better considering they don't have anyone to stop Jokic.

The Blazers got away with some games they shouldn't have too. Their SRS is -0.84 vs 1.91 for the Mavs.

More on trying to avoid the Lakers.

[Dirk]

I can't stop thinking about the games they gave up. I still don't know what's up with Doncic's back, but the games against OKC, Indiana and NOP would have been wins if he played, which means that the Mavs would be in really good position to get the 4th seed... now they're pretty much guaranteed the 7th seed. The Mavs still have the 2nd easiest schedule, while the Blazers have the 3rd hardest, but it won't matter if the Mavs sit KP and Luka on back to backs.

At the same time, is it better to play the Suns, Clippers or Nuggets? Anyone has a preference? Not sure that getting to the 5th seed and potentially playing the Nuggets is better considering they don't have anyone to stop Jokic.

The Blazers got away with some games they shouldn't have too. Their SRS is -0.84 vs 1.91 for the Mavs.

I would like to play the Suns.

They have a good record against the Mavs, but if you look closely at them... they must be one of the luckiest teams in the league as they seem to face every other team missing their best players. It's uncanny. I.e, lavine out for the Bulls last night. Lebron for the lakers before. Hilariously it feels like they rarely face better teams with their star players.

[Mavrelous]

Clippers for me, even though doesn't seem like 6th is realistic and Clippers aren't passing the Suns in standing.
I'm more worried about facing the Warriors in the play in TBH.