Playoffs 20/21 - G7 - Mavs @ Clippers (Sund, 3:30PM EST)

[Absinthe]

It won't surprise me if this series will go down as the Spurs-Mavs series in 2014 and the Clippers will dominate the league until the Finals, if they can beat the Jazz (I think the Jazz are a bad matchup for them and I'd favour the Jazz), they'll beat Suns/Nuggers easily and continue to the finals.

Utah is a terrible match up for them. Gobert is better than any big the Mavs trotted out by ten times. He’s mobile, rebounds well, and is a shot blocking threat. Everyone on the Jazz can shoot too. If the Clips get into a shooting contest against the Jazz they lose. Mitchell, Bogdonavic, Ingles, Conley, O’Neal, and Clarkson can all shoot. Compare that to THJ, DFS, Kleiber, Brunson, and J Rich. And the Jazz will actually attack the basket. That’s something Dallas’ role players didn’t do the entire series. The entire team is solid from the starters down to the bench. I mean, how many bricks did THJ and Porzingis have? Do you think Bogdonavic and Clarkson would ever shoot 1 for 14 from three? It’s not happening.

[JJP]

This "out-of-shape" nonsense is grating on me. You may not like his unsculptured body style - I get that - but you don't go through an NBA season playing about 40 minutes a night, training every day, and beat your opponent badly on most nights and be called "out of shape". Does anyone think the Clippers players would call Doncic "out of shape"? They friggin couldn't guard him! Patrick Beverly was left dead on the side of the road in this series because Doncic was so "out of shape".

Doncic was out of shape when he returned at the beginning of the season... but you can't play that way a full season and not eventually be in NBA shape. He doesn't have LeBrons arms or abs, but that's just about weight training, not stamina. Doncic does more on the court than any player in the NBA... and still manages to play at a high level. Being "out-of-shape" is when you don't have the wind or the energy to finish games. Does that in any way sound like Doncic? They guy that lead the league in game winners? Cmon.

As for the team, this team needs to re-tool. It would be a dis-service to the fans if they didn't try to trade KP. He's not the future. Richardson won't have a future here either no matter what he decides. Hardaway is a tough call. I'd rather have Norman Powell for that money, but I admit that's not a game changer. Hardaway may be a decent choice if you can get get better elsewhere, but the front office is going to face withering criticism if they don't go balls-out to get better up front.

[Bob8]

I see that 36/8/10, 41% for 3 is still not good enough for some. Realistically there is not much room for improvement for Luka. He might be better from FT, but I'm not sure his 3pts % is sustainable. Only Curry is shooting pull-ups that good. Mavs will need to look elsewhere for improvement.

[JD45]

The 3pt shot gods determined this game.

The Mavs shot 27.8% and got 30 points from the 3pt line.
The Clips shot 46.5% and got 60 points from the 3pt line.
No way to get past that 30 point differential.

If both teams had shot 40%, the Mavs would have won. If the percentages were flipped, the Mavs win in a blow out.

[Bob8]

The 3pt shot gods determined this game.

The Mavs shot 27.8% and got 30 points from the 3pt line.
The Clips shot 46.5% and got 60 points from the 3pt line.
No way to get past that 30 point differential.

If both teams had shot 40%, the Mavs would have won. If the percentages were flipped, the Mavs win in a blow out.

To be honest Clippers were wide open in almost every shot.

[skywalker33]

The 3pt shot gods determined this game.

The Mavs shot 27.8% and got 30 points from the 3pt line.
The Clips shot 46.5% and got 60 points from the 3pt line.
No way to get past that 30 point differential.

If both teams had shot 40%, the Mavs would have won. If the percentages were flipped, the Mavs win in a blow out.

To be honest Clippers were wide open in almost every shot.

So what does that say about your defense ?

[Bob8]

The 3pt shot gods determined this game.

The Mavs shot 27.8% and got 30 points from the 3pt line.
The Clips shot 46.5% and got 60 points from the 3pt line.
No way to get past that 30 point differential.

If both teams had shot 40%, the Mavs would have won. If the percentages were flipped, the Mavs win in a blow out.

To be honest Clippers were wide open in almost every shot.

So what does that say about your defense ?

You didn't understand me. I said it wasn't about luck, but about D. Clippers were playing much better D.

[leolozon]

The 3pt shot gods determined this game.

The Mavs shot 27.8% and got 30 points from the 3pt line.
The Clips shot 46.5% and got 60 points from the 3pt line.
No way to get past that 30 point differential.

If both teams had shot 40%, the Mavs would have won. If the percentages were flipped, the Mavs win in a blow out.

To be honest Clippers were wide open in almost every shot.

So what does that say about your defense ?

I remember Mavs players being mostly wide open too. THJ and KP kept bricking their open 3s. Same with Kleber and Burke who were wide open when they shot.

They shot worst, I don't think the quality of the shots were THAT different.

[Bob8]

To be honest Clippers were wide open in almost every shot.

So what does that say about your defense ?

I remember Mavs players being mostly wide open too. THJ and KP kept bricking their open 3s. Same with Kleber and Burke who were wide open when they shot.

They shot worst, I don't think the quality of the shots were THAT different.

Difference was obvious. Clippers shots were wide open in higher %.

[leolozon]

So what does that say about your defense ?

I remember Mavs players being mostly wide open too. THJ and KP kept bricking their open 3s. Same with Kleber and Burke who were wide open when they shot.

They shot worst, I don't think the quality of the shots were THAT different.

Difference was obvious. Clippers shots were wide open in higher %.

Unless you have numbers, I don't think it was in a % high enough to explain the difference in shooting.

[Bob8]

I remember Mavs players being mostly wide open too. THJ and KP kept bricking their open 3s. Same with Kleber and Burke who were wide open when they shot.

They shot worst, I don't think the quality of the shots were THAT different.

Difference was obvious. Clippers shots were wide open in higher %.

Unless you have numbers, I don't think it was in a % high enough to explain the difference in shooting.

Here you have for first 6 games and it looked even more obvious tonight.

https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/shots-closest-defender/

[leolozon]

Difference was obvious. Clippers shots were wide open in higher %.

Unless you have numbers, I don't think it was in a % high enough to explain the difference in shooting.

Here you have for first 6 games and it looked even more obvious tonight.

https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/shots-closest-defender/

I'm not sure how this is an argument against what I said.

First, you would have to take Luka out of the equation, because he does his own thing with his step back 3. Luka was wide open on only 7.3%.

Considering the % I'm seeing from 3 (34.7% open and wide open for the Mavs and 38.1% for the Clips), minus Luka, I'm standing by the idea that the Mavs role players were also taking open 3s in this game and the difference was that they didn't hit them. A difference of 3.4% (minus Luka) can't explain shooting around 25% (without Luka) VS 46%.

[BlueSan]

Cuban already stated after the game, that he isn't changing the coach. In fact, the way he worded it, maybe he isnt even changing the roster haha

[arkuo]

Cuban will run it back the same way Miami isnt trading Butler or Adebayo despite a first round exit. I feel Dallas is stuck with the same core with minor changes here and there.

[fuller4379]

The KP gamble is looking terrible right now. It looked like a good gamble at the time because KP was an all star prior to the injury. He was solid his first season back, but this season his defense regressed so much that he was a liability on the court. I didn’t think a torn meniscus took this long to recover. I think he quit the team this year because he isn’t Robin to Batman, but a Wonder Twin to Superman.

[Absinthe]

The KP gamble is looking terrible right now. It looked like a good gamble at the time because KP was an all star prior to the injury. He was solid his first season back, but this season his defense regressed so much that he was a liability on the court. I didn’t think a torn meniscus took this long to recover. I think he quit the team this year because he isn’t Robin to Batman, but a Wonder Twin to Superman.

There’s got to be something going on behind the scenes. The coaching staff isn’t running plays for him and his teammates aren’t even looking his direction on the court.

[41Dirk41]

The 3pt shot gods determined this game.

The Mavs shot 27.8% and got 30 points from the 3pt line.
The Clips shot 46.5% and got 60 points from the 3pt line.
No way to get past that 30 point differential.

If both teams had shot 40%, the Mavs would have won. If the percentages were flipped, the Mavs win in a blow out.

Yes but they are way better shooting team than us, the numbers don't lie.
The firsts 3 games were not the normality.
Game7 was a god blessing with this supporting cast.

[Bob8]

Unless you have numbers, I don't think it was in a % high enough to explain the difference in shooting.

Here you have for first 6 games and it looked even more obvious tonight.

https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/shots-closest-defender/

I'm not sure how this is an argument against what I said.

First, you would have to take Luka out of the equation, because he does his own thing with his step back 3. Luka was wide open on only 7.3%.

Considering the % I'm seeing from 3 (34.7% open and wide open for the Mavs and 38.1% for the Clips), minus Luka, I'm standing by the idea that the Mavs role players were also taking open 3s in this game and the difference was that they didn't hit them. A difference of 3.4% (minus Luka) can't explain shooting around 25% (without Luka) VS 46%.

We were talking about wide open 3s. Playing Boban and zone will get those wide open shots for opponent. Calculated risk, because game plan with KP on C didn't work. And we're back with KP.

[MrOrange]

The KP gamble is looking terrible right now. It looked like a good gamble at the time because KP was an all star prior to the injury. He was solid his first season back, but this season his defense regressed so much that he was a liability on the court. I didn’t think a torn meniscus took this long to recover. I think he quit the team this year because he isn’t Robin to Batman, but a Wonder Twin to Superman.

No, no no. Meniscus played a HUGE part because he had no time to work on his lower body and general physique due to the late surgery and earlier-than-expected start of the season. It all came back to bite him in the ass. On the second point: if you were a max player, you would be pissed off as well to be relegated to a floor stretcher. It devalues him and every athlete has some sort of personal goals in sports as well. And there is something, of course, between KP and Luka that needs to be addressed. 2 passes on his early points last night came from Boban. At this point, KP is not tradeable for any value and he will be with the team next season. Hopefully in a better shape and a bit more muscle, capable of driving and cutting.

[GeorgeGervin]

So what does that say about your defense ?

I remember Mavs players being mostly wide open too. THJ and KP kept bricking their open 3s. Same with Kleber and Burke who were wide open when they shot.

They shot worst, I don't think the quality of the shots were THAT different.

Difference was obvious. Clippers shots were wide open in higher %.

Sure but to be fair THJ and KP had a lot of open shots too, they were getting the same quality of shots as usual, they just couldn't make them sadly. It's sad when you think about it, had the role players hit like 33% from 3 we could have won this series but that's part of the game.