Game 1 game thread

[FreshJive]

Originally Posted by Dtownsfinest

I mean KP is 7'3....what can Leonard do when a guy that big is coming at him other than to get called for a blocking foul lol?

He finished with two fouls. There was a minute left in the game. Why shouldn’t he foul?

[FreshJive]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

and... why, exactly?

Seriously, I don't get it. Last season was a success. This season is has been a success too, even if we don't get past the Clippers. We're the 5 seed, and looking at the roster I'd say that's exactly where we're supposed to be. Early on in the season things looked really bad, and I said if the Mavs didn't turn it around, then they probably needed to move on from Carlisle. But they did turn it around. There have been ups and downs but in the end this season IS a success.

How much higher do you think this team's ceiling is? How many more games would we have won with a better coach? And who would that be? The roster isn't that good. I don't see a whole lot of room for improvement in the coaching department.

Those question marks and profit are too tempting to pass up. Also, the underpants.

[MFFL]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

How much higher do you think this team's ceiling is? How many more games would we have won with a better coach? And who would that be? The roster isn't that good. I don't see a whole lot of room for improvement in the coaching department.

There are probably a half dozen games we lost because of coaching and there are about the same half dozen game we won because of coaching

This team is where it is. We don't have a championship roster and of the 19 problems this team has, Carlisle is WAAAAAY down the list

[purplefrog]

Andrew Greif
Los Angeles Times
Mon, May 24, 2021, 6:15 AM
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 22

Stationed high in the corners of Staples Center, cameras tracking the moves of each player in the Clippers’ Game 1 loss to Dallas registered what the rest of the audience witnessed — Mavericks guard Luka Doncic finding success against defenders not named Kawhi Leonard.

In a league dominated by pick-and-roll offense, with defenders running a variety of coverages to stop it, deciding defensive matchups is not a straightforward exercise, which is why the NBA tracking data that generates such analysis often is presented with caveats. It generally tells the broader story, and Saturday, it was that Doncic scored 16 of his game-high 31 points when guarded by center Ivica Zubac. He was guarded most often by backup forward Nicolas Batum.

Why was Leonard, a six-time member of the All-Defensive team and a two-time defensive player of the year, not guarding Doncic more often than his credited 7.2 partial possessions, during which Doncic didn’t attempt a field goal or a free throw?

“He has to carry a lot of the load offensively, and we have three or four guys that we can put on [Doncic] and mix it up,” Coach Tyronn Lue said Sunday. “But, I think you’ll get what you’re asking for come Tuesday.”

If Leonard defends Doncic more often in Game 2, one concern will be keeping the Clippers’ leading scorer out of foul trouble, because Doncic doesn’t absorb contact from defenders as much as he creates it. Within the first four minutes of Game 1, he backed down Patrick Beverley in the post and drew two fouls.

Yet the Clippers’ defensive adjustments could be moot if all five players on the floor don’t communicate better, Lue said.

“I’m too embarrassed to say what the number was with points we gave up on our miscommunication and not following the game plan,” he said.

Lue added that the Clippers’ 17-6 deficit within the first six minutes Saturday reflected a relaxed approach that led to questionable shots, and transition opportunities and drives for Dallas.

“It’s the playoffs, you can’t ease into the game,” he said. “We gotta be physical right from the jump and have a defensive mindset.”

Yet as much as the Clippers’ adjustments must make Doncic’s life tougher, their hopes also rest on making their easiest shots.

In a season with a wide-open championship race, the Clippers’ case as contenders has hinged on their reliability in making more wide-open shots than anyone: Their 40.9% three-point accuracy when the closest defender was between four and six feet away led the NBA, as did their 44.4% shooting with the nearest defender six-plus feet away.

In Game 1, however, they made just 11 of 34 shots when the nearest defender was at least four feet away. Most troubling for the Clippers is that even though such shooting looks like an outlier, it fits in line with a trend when facing Dallas. During the teams’ three regular-season matchups, Los Angeles made only 23 of 84 three-pointers when a defender was at least four feet away.

“We did some good things rotating to shooters but we also have areas where we need to do much better,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. “We have great respect for their team, for the way they shoot the ball and for their two superstar players. When those guys create a problem and we get in a situation where we need to double team, our rotations have to be lightning quick and on point.”

Throughout the season, the Clippers shook off dismal shooting performances. On five occasions, they shot 30% or worse from deep to make at least 48% of their three-pointers in their next game.

One of those examples started with an off night against Dallas. The Mavericks have held the Clippers to 30% three-point shooting or worse three times, including Game 1.


“They did a good job of trying to run us off the line so we gotta do a better job of just attacking them,” Lue said. “I thought we had some good shots as well. When shots are not falling, they’re pretty low in the league, I think 29th in the league, as far as rim protection, so we gotta mix it up. We gotta take our shots, but we also gotta put the ball on the floor and drive and get to the paint, as well.”

Asked about the Clippers' offensive breakdowns that led to just six points in the final 6 minutes 8 seconds, Lue added his team needed to “get to the paint or die trying — that’s what we have to do.”

[SMC0007]

If Luka wants a switch, he's gonna get one. Imo, the series was always going to hinge on out ability to make 3s.

[Melonhead]

Fully expect them to make adjustments, and throw more Kawhi/more double teams at Luka, with Demarcus Cousins and Luke Kennard more minutes.

I dont expect clips to shoot that badly on wide open shots, and I dont expect the mavs to hit 48% of their threes.

Mavs have to withstand the storm coming out of game 2. Clippers will bring their aggression. Mavs must match it and not relax.

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by Melonhead

Fully expect them to make adjustments, and throw more Kawhi/more double teams at Luka, with Demarcus Cousins and Luke Kennard more minutes.

I dont expect clips to shoot that badly on wide open shots, and I dont expect the mavs to hit 48% of their threes.

Mavs have to withstand the storm coming out of game 2. Clippers will bring their aggression. Mavs must match it and not relax.

Agreed. Lue has already said we will see more Kawai on Luka game 2. KP is going to need to step up and carry some of the offensive burden. Clippers are going to do everything they can to get the ball out of Luka’s hands. I wouldn’t mind seeing Luka trying to get the ball in the post more if he can get a smaller/weaker defender on him.

[Dallas41]

Originally Posted by SMC0007

If Luka wants a switch, he's gonna get one. Imo, the series was always going to hinge on out ability to make 3s.

If the 3's don't fall it could get scary

Both Utah and Clippers killed it the regular season shooting 3's and both struggled big time in their game 1's when the 3's didn't fall.

Mavs have got to somehow try and stay it with defense (if possible) if those same shots don't fall.

Clippers are talking about moving Leonard over to Luka which might give KP a better matchup doing stages of this game.

I think he will have a much better showing kind of like game 2 last year when he followed up and played huge after not having a great game 1.

[turin]

Originally Posted by Dallas41

If the 3's don't fall it could get scary

Both Utah and Clippers killed it the regular season shooting 3's and both struggled big time in their game 1's when the 3's didn't fall.

Mavs have got to somehow try and stay it with defense (if possible) if those same shots don't fall.

Clippers are talking about moving Leonard over to Luka which might give KP a better matchup doing stages of this game.

I think he will have a much better showing kind of like game 2 last year when he followed up and played huge after not having a great game 1.

If either KP or THJ are shooting well, the Mavs have a chance. If neither are, they will lose. Lack of consistency and low bb IQ are killers in the playoffs.

Game 2 is huge for the Mavs. Their role players had probably their best shooting game of the series in game 1. I don't think we see a repeat of those numbers unless the series makes it to game 6 or 7.

I expect a bigger, more physical game with KL on Luka and some occasional zone. The Clippers should pound it inside with size and play an inside out game. If the Mavs don't start with intensity, things could get ugly fast.

I really have no clue as to how the Mavs start game 2, but I tend to expect the worst after such a good game in game 1. We'll see.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[Dallas41]

Originally Posted by turin

If either KP or THJ are shooting well, the Mavs have a chance. If neither are, they will lose. Lack of consistency and low bb IQ are killers in the playoffs.

Game 2 is huge for the Mavs. Their role players had probably their best shooting game of the series in game 1. I don't think we see a repeat of those numbers unless the series makes it to game 6 or 7.

I expect a bigger, more physical game with KL on Luka and some occasional zone. The Clippers should pound it inside with size and play an inside out game. If the Mavs don't start with intensity, things could get ugly fast.

I really have no clue as to how the Mavs start game 2, but I tend to expect the worst after such a good game in game 1. We'll see.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

They may try and post up KL a little bit more

But outside of him only Cousins has post skills amongst their bigs

Ibaka is more stationery shooter and Zubac is junk yard dog type on offensive rebounds no post game.

I'm hoping they keep Cousins glued to the bench along with Kennard as I stated earlier because I don't think Kennard will miss his open looks and Cousins for some reason always seems to play with more aggression vs Dallas.

The last thing we need is for the Clippers to get easy buckets or draw fouls on our on bigs with Cousins inside.

[FreshJive]

Originally Posted by Dallas41

They may try and post up KL a little bit more

But outside of him only Cousins has post skills amongst their bigs

Ibaka is more stationery shooter and Zubac is junk yard dog type on offensive rebounds no post game.

I'm hoping they keep Cousins glued to the bench along with Kennard as I stated earlier because I don't think Kennard will miss his open looks and Cousins for some reason always seems to play with more aggression vs Dallas.

The last thing we need is for the Clippers to get easy buckets or draw fouls on our on bigs with Cousins inside.

Yep. Clippers don’t really have the personnel to pound it inside. I do think they will try to attack the rim more, and the Mavs haven’t been good at stopping that.

The legend of Demarcus Cousins is getting out of control here. The big game he had against the Mavs he was 4-8 from 3. Also the Mavs had no Maxi, Porzingis, DFS, or Jrich for that game. They started Brunson, Green, Timmy, and Luka with wcs. So yeah, Cousins had a big game vs WCS and Boban and the short handed Mavs.

[Dallas41]

Originally Posted by FreshJive

Yep. Clippers don’t really have the personnel to pound it inside. I do think they will try to attack the rim more, and the Mavs haven’t been good at stopping that.

The legend of Demarcus Cousins is getting out of control here. The big game he had against the Mavs he was 4-8 from 3. Also the Mavs had no Maxi, Porzingis, DFS, or Jrich for that game. They started Brunson, Green, Timmy, and Luka with wcs. So yeah, Cousins had a big game vs WCS and Boban and the short handed Mavs.

He was kicked out of game prior to that game

Before he was kicked out I'm pretty sure he was pounding us inside the paint

That game we had more of our bigs

It was the altercation game with WCS.....