GDT (Game 2): MAVS @ THUNDER

[AO41]

Simple..........Mavs win tonight.

Mavs 101
Thunder 96

[Erod]

Which is more likely.....?

The Stars win a Stanley Cup

or

The Mavs win a playoff game.

That's a legitimate question.

[MavzMan]

Stars bring home the cup.

Mavs are beyond done with current roster injury situation. If OKC doesn't let up on us, tonight could be even worse than game 1 as far as offense goes.

[turin]

My preference:

1. Harris starting/ Felton
2. Matthews/Felton/JA
3. JA/Powell
4. Dirk/Powell/McGee/CV
5. Mejri/McGee

Go big (literally) or go home. Yeah, this is pure fantasy, but I like the idea of bigger and athletic. Better defense, more energy, better rebounding, shot blocker in middle. I'd even give CV a few minutes to see if he can hit a three. It sure would be helpful with drive and kick; otherwise, he can keep Zaza company on the bench. Gotta pass with this lineup. Iso with Dirk and everybody else watching will be a waste of time with any lineup, especially this one. Sad thing is, if this worked and game was close going down the stretch, Carlisle would go back to Zaza and vets to close and give game away. Oh well, at least it would be fun to watch for 44 minutes or so.

[yahyes]

They're going to have to figure out to get ibaka in foul trouble. Wes should just stick to guarding westprick. Then take the chance having Anderson guard durant.

[turin]

Originally Posted by yahyes

They're going to have to figure out to get ibaka in foul trouble. Wes should just stick to guarding westprick. Then take the chance having Anderson guard durant.

A real roll of the die would be to start McGee. No way he gets rolled more than Zaza, but this isn't going to happen.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by turin

A real roll of the die would be to start McGee.

I'm not sure if you're clear on what "roll the die" means -- the expression you're looking for is "punt the football."

[rimrocker]

So who all is out tonight.....Parsons, DWill, Barea, Lee and Evans?
Damn, we're basically in the same boat as Memphis.

Rick just needs to unleash the rookies and play as big as possible.....we're in a nothing to lose situation at this point as far as I'm concerned.
Not sure anyone even expects us to win a game at this point, let alone the series.

[yahyes]

If our guys can get to the free throw line early and often. It'll keep the game close. Dirk especially.

[Javale McGeeber]

Originally Posted by Underdog

I'm not sure if you're clear on what "roll the die" means -- the expression you're looking for is "punt the football."

Oh yea! I'm gonna punt the crap outta them tonight!

[purplefrog]

The achilles for OKC has been turnovers. So, the Mavs have got to figure out a way to exploit that weakness with a roster not built to accomplish that goal. The best I can see is to start this group:

Felton
Matthews
Anderson
Powell
Dirk

Press the ball all over the court, hope for turnovers and easy baskets. Perhaps play Powell a bit on Durant to give different looks. Likewise, give Anderson some time on RW. Mix it up in the hope of keeping OKC off balance. Pray.. pray... pray for a better shooting night. Only use ZaZa for an occasional foul when someone (RW) drives the lane. Send him to the floor, so he will start complaining to the refs. A pissed off RW will either make him go off for 50 or take his head out of the game, and he will start jacking up 3s. Gotta take that chance.

That's all I've got.

Mavs 93
OKC 90

[rimrocker]

Originally Posted by purplefrog

The achilles for OKC has been turnovers. So, the Mavs have got to figure out a way to exploit that weakness with a roster not built to accomplish that goal. The best I can see is to start this group:

Felton
Matthews
Anderson
Powell
Dirk

Press the ball all over the court, hope for turnovers and easy baskets. Perhaps play Powell a bit on Durant to give different looks. Likewise, give Anderson some time on RW. Mix it up in the hope of keeping OKC off balance. Pray.. pray... pray for a better shooting night. Only use ZaZa for an occasional foul when someone (RW) drives the lane. Send him to the floor, so he will start complaining to the refs. A pissed off RW will either make him go off for 50 or take his head out of the game, and he will start jacking up 3s. Gotta take that chance.

That's all I've got.

Mavs 93
OKC 90

Another thing to mix it up would be to put 2 shot blockers in the game at the same time at times.
Play Mejri and McGee at the same time and see what that yields. If we can't score we might as well turn them into a jump shooting team and take our chances.
We've lost some of our better offensive guys but our best defenders are still available....try winning with that for a change.

[turin]

Originally Posted by Underdog

I'm not sure if you're clear on what "roll the die" means -- the expression you're looking for is "punt the football."

LOL. As if McGee could get owned any more than Zaza. SMH

[turin]

Dupe

[turin]

Originally Posted by rimrocker

Another thing to mix it up would be to put 2 shot blockers in the game at the same time at times.
Play Mejri and McGee at the same time and see what that yields. If we can't score we might as well turn them into a jump shooting team and take our chances.
We've lost some of our better offensive guys but our best defenders are still available....try winning with that for a change.

I'm perfectly fine with throwing two shot blockers out there. What's the fear? Mavs may lose? Uhh, a sweep is pretty much a foregone conclusion if Mavs play in typical Rick fashion.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by turin

I'm perfectly fine with throwing two shot blockers out there. What's the fear? Mavs may lose? Uhh, a sweep is pretty much a foregone conclusion if Mavs play in typical Rick fashion.

We shot 29.8% last game and you think adding a little rim protection is going to impact this series??

Shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic...

[rimrocker]

Originally Posted by Underdog

We shot 29.8% last game and you think adding a little rim protection is going to impact this series??

If we're going to shoot that percentage we might as well do it with young energy guys and defenders on the floor.
Rim protectors are usually dunkers on the offensive end so maybe that would increase our shooting percentages

I'd just like to see Mejri and McGee play together for the entertainment value.
Agree with turin....we ain't winning in Rick's system with this depleted roster so what's the harm?

[TheSportyChannel]

I say Thunder become very relaxed today and mavs sneak out a win. Time to take home field advantage. Go Mavs!

[Murphy3]

Obviously, nothing is going to completely change the tide of the series to where the Mavs win other than a couple of huge injuries for OKC. But, I suppose it's just a discussion about what can be done to make the series somewhat respectable..

[41creepingdeath]

Meanwhile... https://www.instagram.com/p/BESvSCRKUN4/

[Bryan_Wilson]

No clue why McGee has been such a hot topic for weeks now. When he's gotten on the floor I thought he's been genuinely not good. He might make a dunk that looks cool but he can't even set a good screen. In an offense thats built around good screens and making the right read he does neither. He blocks shots but is he a good defender? Whiteside blocks shots and is a terrible team defender due to the fact he's always trying to block shots that things like boxing out and positioning get ignored.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by Bryan_Wilson

No clue why McGee has been such a hot topic for weeks now. When he's gotten on the floor I thought he's been genuinely not good. He might make a dunk that looks cool but he can't even set a good screen. In an offense thats built around good screens and making the right read he does neither. He blocks shots but is he a good defender? Whiteside blocks shots and is a terrible team defender due to the fact he's always trying to block shots that things like boxing out and positioning get ignored.

Mejri already offers everything that McGee might bring to the table. The McGee question was answered long ago and almost certainly won't be on the team next season.

[yahyes]

Id rather take the chance double teaming westprick every time than durant. Take out their point guard to see if they panic.

[yahyes]

Originally Posted by Bryan_Wilson

No clue why McGee has been such a hot topic for weeks now. When he's gotten on the floor I thought he's been genuinely not good. He might make a dunk that looks cool but he can't even set a good screen. In an offense thats built around good screens and making the right read he does neither. He blocks shots but is he a good defender? Whiteside blocks shots and is a terrible team defender due to the fact he's always trying to block shots that things like boxing out and positioning get ignored.

At this point we need bigs like him to grab boards. We gotta make oklahoma hesitant in the paint.

[TheSportyChannel]

Originally Posted by 41creepingdeath

Meanwhile... https://www.instagram.com/p/BESvSCRKUN4/

This just pisses me off.

[CGM]

The Underdog (the Mavs, not the Mighty One!) will shock the NBA World... at some point in the 3rd, Wes will play at the 1, Dirk will play at the 2, while Powell the Powellful, Mejri the Mejriant, and Angus MacGeever will play the 3, 4, and 5 and dominate the boards... the Tumbler will be so confused that the Mavs will be able to get a 20 point lead in the 3rd, which in the 4th will be reduced to a 2 point Mavs' win... in short, tonight, the Mavs get home court advantage....

Mavs - 104
Tumbler - 102

[yahyes]

Originally Posted by 41creepingdeath

Meanwhile... https://www.instagram.com/p/BESvSCRKUN4/

As long as Lee or Parsons didn't have a drink.

[Bryan_Wilson]

Originally Posted by yahyes

At this point we need bigs like him to grab boards. We gotta make oklahoma hesitant in the paint.

I mean idc if we play him with all the injuries we have, but it's not the same kind of situation as Mejri and Anderson needing minutes and everyone being legitimately frustrated at RC. With McGee it feels more like a complaint just to complain about RC's rotation. McGee isn't even rebounding well in his recent chances. Salah, Powell, and Anderson all took advantage of their minutes garbage time or not. McGee brings nothing and has shown nothing since early in the season, and playing him isn't going to stop okc from going inside because our guards can't stop them on the perimeter. It won't stop them from beating us on the boards because they beat everyone on the boards. It will show, again, how awful he is at setting screens and we may get some shaqtin entertainment also.

[AO41]

Am I the only one that thought we started last game off really well on D and overall...BUT could not hit an OPEN shot to save our lives.

And of course if you keep missing open shot, OKC will eventually start making their shots and they did. So you figure...okay well we will start making shots and stay in the game...BUT no that did happen either and we got blown out. It will happen to the BEST team in the word if they are shooting like we did last game.


BUT lets remember the Mavs didn't turn into a horrible shooting team over night and they should be back to somewhat normal shooting even with all the injuries. If we can bring the same D...I honestly think we can make this a series.

Based on our shooting last game..I don't understand why so many are pancaking. And YES we will most likely lose the series but we have a shot IMO.

[rimrocker]

Originally Posted by Bryan_Wilson

It will show, again, how awful he is at setting screens and we may get some shaqtin entertainment also.

At least we'll get some type of entertainment
That last game was anything but entertaining....probably not even to OKC fans.

[yahyes]

Originally Posted by Bryan_Wilson

I mean idc if we play him with all the injuries we have, but it's not the same kind of situation as Mejri and Anderson needing minutes and everyone being legitimately frustrated at RC. With McGee it feels more like a complaint just to complain about RC's rotation. McGee isn't even rebounding well in his recent chances. Salah, Powell, and Anderson all took advantage of their minutes garbage time or not. McGee brings nothing and has shown nothing since early in the season, and playing him isn't going to stop okc from going inside because our guards can't stop them on the perimeter. It won't stop them from beating us on the boards because they beat everyone on the boards. It will show, again, how awful he is at setting screens and we may get some shaqtin entertainment also.

I also wont care if McGee does hard fouls. Cause we still have Mejri. The team flow was flat from starting a 3 guard lineup IMO.

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by yahyes

Id rather take the chance double teaming westprick every time than durant. Take out their point guard to see if they panic.

No way. Westbrook takes bad shots every game. I'd rather him shoot than KD. Durant is a cold blooded killer.

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by yahyes

As long as Lee or Parsons didn't have a drink.

Who cares if they did? They're both adults. These guys have lives outside of basketball. I don't want to see them out poppin' bottles at 3am, but if they want to go out and hang out I don't see the problem. Hopefully Parsons being out with Cubes means he will be back in a Mavs jersey next year. Maybe Lee too?

[yahyes]

Deron for 6th man then. Seems like he can play some

[TheSportyChannel]

Originally Posted by BPo001

Who cares if they did? They're both adults. These guys have lives outside of basketball. I don't want to see them out poppin' bottles at 3am, but if they want to go out and hang out I don't see the problem. Hopefully Parsons being out with Cubes means he will be back in a Mavs jersey next year. Maybe Lee too?

You mean the same Parsons who's been getting paid 17 million a years 2 years in a row and missing the playoffs 2 years in a row? Let me guess you're a fan of Jonny Manziel. He should be working out right now but instead partying. He was supposed to be the guy that helped Dirk in the playoffs but he never does

Parsons is the worst. Manziel 2.0

[TheSportyChannel]

All signs are that Deron Williams will play tonight. "I give him a lot of credit for going out there," Mark Cuban said. "I know he's in a lot of pain." The Mavs have left the decision up to Williams, who has a sports hernia.

[yahyes]

Originally Posted by BPo001

Who cares if they did? They're both adults. These guys have lives outside of basketball. I don't want to see them out poppin' bottles at 3am, but if they want to go out and hang out I don't see the problem. Hopefully Parsons being out with Cubes means he will be back in a Mavs jersey next year. Maybe Lee too?

Oh I'm talking about conditioning wise. Especially for Lee. Can't have hungover players on the court now. But I mean it's Amy Schumer they met up with

[MavzMan]

Anyone hear something about RC getting pissed at JA in game one? Thought I caught the very end of it on the radio. Maybe I heard wrong but just curious.

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by TheSportyChannel

You mean the same Parsons who's been getting paid 17 million a years 2 years in a row and missing the playoffs 2 years in a row? Let me guess you're a fan of Jonny Manziel. He should be working out right now but instead partying. He was supposed to be the guy that helped Dirk in the playoffs but he never does

Parsons is the worst. Manziel 2.0

Please. Manziel and Parsons are nothing alike. I'm pretty sure Parsons isn't snorting blow in the bathroom and flushing his career down the toilet. Instead, he's worked his ass off to help this team compete. Injuries happen. And for the record, no, I don't like Manziel.

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by yahyes

Oh I'm talking about conditioning wise. Especially for Lee. Can't have hungover players on the court now. But I mean it's Amy Schumer they met up with

There's a big difference between having a drink and being hungover.