Round 1 - Game 5 game thread - Mavs at Clippers 9:00pm TNT

[EricaLubarsky]

Series only begins when the home team, I mean away team loses.

Thus starts our best of three.

Go Mavs!

[BPo001]

I hate these late tip offs, but zero chance I am going to sleep before this game is over (unless the Mavs are getting blown out late). LETS GO MAVSSSSS!

[Simon2]

Isn't this game 5? Good luck Mavs!

[D_D_D]

Originally Posted by Simon2

Isn't this game 5? Good luck Mavs!

Yep Game 5.

Let's go Mavs!

[SMC0007]

I'd like a re-do of game 4 too. Or maybe just get this shit over with. But anyway, we're still alive so go Mavs.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Remember that 1 game changes everything.

[washedklean77]

The Mavs will need a near perfect performance to win this game. And that will include significant contributions from KP and their role players - i.e. what we saw in Games 1 and 2. Will that happen? Highly unlikely, unfortunately. :-(

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by washedklean77

The Mavs will need a near perfect performance to win this game. And that will include significant contributions from KP and their role players - i.e. what we saw in Games 1 and 2. Will that happen? Highly unlikely, unfortunately. :-(

You speak as if teams don't need to always bring their best in the playoffs.

[washedklean77]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

You speak as if teams don't need to always bring their best in the playoffs.

They often don't. See Mavs performances via Games 3 and 4.

I'm okay with shots not falling because DFS and THJ weren't going to continue to have career best playoff games going forward. But where the rubber meets the road is hustle and intensity. I think most of us are okay with the Mavs losing, but just as long as we know that they threw everything and the kitchen sink in their losing efforts.

[Melonhead]

Biggest favorite of the series. Clippers -7.5 tonight.

They think the first couple games were flukes.

Let’s come out hot.

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by Melonhead

Let’s come out hot.

That's not the problem, although I hope it continues.

Mavs have lead by an average of 19 points at the 6-minute mark of the first quarter.

It's the adjustments and energy starting in the end of the first and the second that has sunk us.

[Simon2]

I'm crossing my fingers. Mavs win in a close game. Luka does his magic.

[EricaLubarsky]

[Zeus]

Originally Posted by washedklean77

They often don't. See Mavs performances via Games 3 and 4.

I'm okay with shots not falling because DFS and THJ weren't going to continue to have career best playoff games going forward. But where the rubber meets the road is hustle and intensity. I think most of us are okay with the Mavs losing, but just as long as we know that they threw everything and the kitchen sink in their losing efforts.

I am not ok with it - not that there is anything any of us can do. No A for effort. It's a bottom line business and the bottom line is that if the Mavs don't pull it together they will have shown zero progress from last year heading into Luka's 4th season. That is not slow steady progress.

[purplefrog]

Clippers: Ready to go and healthy.

Mavs: A bunch of question marks:

• Luka's injury: Will he be 100%, 90%, 80%, <80% for tonights game?
• Will KP show up or continue to fade into the background of the game?
• How is that achilles Maxi?
• THJ: Hot or cold tonight?
• Can the Mavs curtail the onslaught of drives to the basket by Leonard and PG?
• Do the Mavs shoot over 40% from the 3-point line?
• Can Luka make his free throws?
• Will RC please give some PT to Josh Green? Preferably to harass Rondo for at least 10 minutes.

Mavs have proven they can win two in a row, so I don't see tonight's game as being do or die. But we do need to see some intensity on defense that has been sorely lacking in the past two games. RC should empty the bench in search of that intensity if the rotation players don't bring it. No excuse for KP being lackadaisical, as he has had plenty of rest in between games.

Go Mavs!!

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by purplefrog

Clippers: Ready to go and healthy.

Mavs: A bunch of question marks:

• Luka's injury: Will he be 100%, 90%, 80%, <80% for tonights game?
• Will KP show up or continue to fade into the background of the game?
• How is that achilles Maxi?
• THJ: Hot or cold tonight?
• Can the Mavs curtail the onslaught of drives to the basket by Leonard and PG?
• Do the Mavs shoot over 40% from the 3-point line?
• Can Luka make his free throws?
• Will RC please give some PT to Josh Green? Preferably to harass Rondo for at least 10 minutes.

Mavs have proven they can win two in a row, so I don't see tonight's game as being do or die. But we do need to see some intensity on defense that has been sorely lacking in the past two games. RC should empty the bench in search of that intensity if the rotation players don't bring it. No excuse for KP being lackadaisical, as he has had plenty of rest in between games.

Go Mavs!!

Excellent analysis.

However, I know we CAN win two, but if we lose three in a row, I think that that the psychology takes over and this team struggles with psychology more than anything.

[SMC0007]

No way this team wins games 6 and 7 if we lose tonight. No fn way.

We can't stop PG and KL from getting anywhere they want so we are relying on extraordinary 3pt shooting. Live and die by the 3 still. I don't see how it changes next season either. It's a tough place to be.

[purplefrog]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Excellent analysis.

However, I know we CAN win two, but if we lose three in a row, I think that that the psychology takes over and this team struggles with psychology more than anything.

If by some chance the Mavs lose tonight, we will learn something about this team in Game 6. Will they play with intensity like a team that has their backs up against a wall and losing is not an option? Or do they give up and play like crap? I honestly do not what I would predict. I am confident Luka will play with intensity, but will his teammates? I don't know, and in and of itself, that says something about this season.

[purplefrog]

Originally Posted by SMC0007

No way this team wins games 6 and 7 if we lose tonight. No fn way.

We can't stop PG and KL from getting anywhere they want so we are relying on extraordinary 3pt shooting. Live and die by the 3 still. I don't see how it changes next season either. It's a tough place to be.

I respectfully disagree. I have seen extreme shifts in their level of competitiveness and unpredictability in their play this season. You never know who is going to show or not show up. The lack of consistency is a negative for sure, but it also means the potential is there for an extraordinary performance in two consecutive games. Nothing will surprise me with this team. Nothing. Good or bad.

[turin]

Originally Posted by SMC0007

No way this team wins games 6 and 7 if we lose tonight. No fn way.

We can't stop PG and KL from getting anywhere they want so we are relying on extraordinary 3pt shooting. Live and die by the 3 still. I don't see how it changes next season either. It's a tough place to be.

I agree with you. I think we get hit by a bus tonight. It's going to be a physical meat grinder, and we're not going to be able to shoot our way out of it. If Mavs are down by 10 early in the 1st, I'm turning it off.

Edit: I also expect the officiating to be even more pathetic than we're used to seeing. I expect at least 1 if not 2 dirty hits by the Clippers with a 50-50 chance of a Mav leaving the game due to injury. The better the Mavs shoot, the more likely it will be that this will happen. :-(

I'd love to see the Mavs kick their ass, but I don't think they'll capture lightning in a bottle a 3rd time in this series.

[SMC0007]

Originally Posted by purplefrog

I respectfully disagree. I have seen extreme shifts in their level of competitiveness and unpredictability in their play this season. You never know who is going to show or not show up. The lack of consistency is a negative for sure, but it also means the potential is there for an extraordinary performance in two consecutive games. Nothing will surprise me with this team. Nothing. Good or bad.

It would certainly surprise me. The reason I say this is imo because psychology takes a toll, losing 3 in a row after a team makes wildly successful adjustments is incredibly difficult to overcome. It can be done if we go unconscious hitting 3s. The roster is what it is, we can't make minor adjustments because we lack 2 way players who can get buckets AND stops. We don't even have 1 of those guys tbh, not one that is anywhere near elite. So we have to make big adjustments and have several guys play above their normal abilities.

I give it a 10%chance that we have multiple guys come back and play above their normal level in game 6 and 7 if they lose game 5. I hope they win tonight.

[SMC0007]

Originally Posted by turin

I agree with you. I think we get hit by a bus tonight. It's going to be a physical meat grinder, and we're not going to be able to shoot our way out of it. If Mavs are down by 10 early in the 1st, I'm turning it off.

Edit: I also expect the officiating to be even more pathetic than we're used to seeing. I expect at least 1 if not 2 dirty hits by the Clippers with a 50-50 chance of a Mav leaving the game due to injury. The better the Mavs shoot, the more likely it will be that this will happen. :-(

I'd love to see the Mavs kick their ass, but I don't think they'll capture lightning in a bottle a 3rd time in this series.

The officiating was bad in G4. KL especially gets away with a lot of extra stuff defensively and he has been getting touch fouls on offense. That kind of crap makes this already tough to guard tandem even harder, and we don't have the defenders to overcome it.

KL and PG are a good combo when PG13 is playing well. This team is showing why 2 way players are and always should be a priority. When you have 2 of them that pose every threat you can imagine at the wing who can guard every single one of our 5 guys...pffffforget aboutit.

[Julius]

My bell will ring at 4 a.m. they better show a fight.
Go Mavs!!!!

[NeedlesKane]

I reached an emotional high when Luka hit those 3 quick baskets early into game 3, and not long after we had a 30-11 lead. It was so heartbreaking to see us surrender that lead quickly after subbing out our 22-year-old superstar right when he was on fire. Why put out that fire? I'll never understand that.

I didn't even bother with game 4. Now with days removed in between the games I've watched I think I will give them a chance tonight. Also I've been up since 11:30 PM. I'll totally need a good nap today. I hope I manage to take one. Otherwise there's no chance I stay awake for the whole game.

Right now I must say that I am just happy that the Lakers are down in their series against the Suns. Also I love watching how LeBron gave up. I don't ever remember seeing Jordan give up like that. Elite level champions never quit. Especially the GOAT, Michael Jordan. Even our GOAT, Dirk Nowitzki.

[NeedlesKane]

Anyway, I am happy that Kristaps Porzingis will have a personal high as a Maverick tonight, eclipsing the 39 point performance against the Rockets on 7/31/20. Luka will have a 20 assist game. Boban will have a double double in 10 minutes of play. Brunson will put up a stat line that shows that he should have been a legit 6th Man of the Year candidate. Hardaway is going to drill 10 3's. J-Rich is going to bring that physicality we wanted to see from him when we traded for him. Tonight the Mavericks will make you think you're dreaming while watching the game. Pinch yourself. You're awake. The Mavericks I refused to watch from 2 nights ago are not the same Mavericks we're ALL going to watch win game 5 tonight.

[EricaLubarsky]

So far Luka has gotten two playoff wins.

Even if we don't win this series, I'd still love Luka to keep doing better in the playoffs and three wins would be progress.

[washedklean77]

Originally Posted by NeedlesKane

Anyway, I am happy that Kristaps Porzingis will have a personal high as a Maverick tonight, eclipsing the 39 point performance against the Rockets on 7/31/20. Luka will have a 20 assist game. Boban will have a double double in 10 minutes of play. Brunson will put up a stat line that shows that he should have been a legit 6th Man of the Year candidate. Hardaway is going to drill 10 3's. J-Rich is going to bring that physicality we wanted to see from him when we traded for him. Tonight the Mavericks will make you think you're dreaming while watching the game. Pinch yourself. You're awake. The Mavericks I refused to watch from 2 nights ago are not the same Mavericks we're ALL going to watch win game 5 tonight.

Haha, that was a fun read. THJ may not have another good shooting performance until November - be it in a Mavs jersey or not. But yeah, the chips will have to fall perfectly for the Mavs to win tonight. Otherwise, it won't even be close.

[SMC0007]

Originally Posted by NeedlesKane

Anyway, I am happy that Kristaps Porzingis will have a personal high as a Maverick tonight, eclipsing the 39 point performance against the Rockets on 7/31/20. Luka will have a 20 assist game. Boban will have a double double in 10 minutes of play. Brunson will put up a stat line that shows that he should have been a legit 6th Man of the Year candidate. Hardaway is going to drill 10 3's. J-Rich is going to bring that physicality we wanted to see from him when we traded for him. Tonight the Mavericks will make you think you're dreaming while watching the game. Pinch yourself. You're awake. The Mavericks I refused to watch from 2 nights ago are not the same Mavericks we're ALL going to watch win game 5 tonight.

You sure you aren't sleep deprived bro?

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by NeedlesKane

Anyway, I am happy that Kristaps Porzingis will have a personal high as a Maverick tonight, eclipsing the 39 point performance against the Rockets on 7/31/20. Luka will have a 20 assist game. Boban will have a double double in 10 minutes of play. Brunson will put up a stat line that shows that he should have been a legit 6th Man of the Year candidate. Hardaway is going to drill 10 3's. J-Rich is going to bring that physicality we wanted to see from him when we traded for him. Tonight the Mavericks will make you think you're dreaming while watching the game. Pinch yourself. You're awake. The Mavericks I refused to watch from 2 nights ago are not the same Mavericks we're ALL going to watch win game 5 tonight.

Porzingod goes full super-saiyan and puts up 50pt game for us
Luka has the NBA's first 30-30-30 game
THJ goes a perfect 15-15 from three
J-Rich goes for a double-double of 10pts, 10steals (all of them on Kawhi)

[NeedlesKane]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Porzingod goes full super-saiyan and puts up 50pt game for us
Luka has the NBA's first 30-30-30 game
THJ goes a perfect 15-15 from three
J-Rich goes for a double-double of 10pts, 10steals (all of them on Kawhi)

lmao... so those 4 alone score at a minimum of 135 points... I can dig that!

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Porzingod goes full super-saiyan and puts up 50pt game for us
Luka has the NBA's first 30-30-30 game
THJ goes a perfect 15-15 from three
J-Rich goes for a double-double of 10pts, 10steals (all of them on Kawhi)

Do the Mavs still win though?

[Dallas41]

The only thing I'm nervous about is if this game comes down to a final possession or two and FT's play a major role

I'm afraid the Mavs will give this game away

While some have been critical of the officiating I feel the opposite way because the Mavs have been god awful at the FT line.

I'm completely baffled as to what Luka is doing shooting 40% on FT's while KL and George are both probably around 80% or better

[Grady Wilson]

The last 6 quarters doesn't give me much optimism. I picked the Mavs to lose by 1-9, but wouldn't shock me in the least to see them lose by double digits. I'd love to think they'll get back to where they were in the first two games, but they've lost all the momentum. In a weird way, I'd feel much better if the series were 2-2, but the Mavs had won a game on the road and one at home or even lost both on the road and won both on the road. Momentum shifts at this point in the series is huge. I have no faith that Porzingis will contribute in a significant manner.

[ozmavs123]

If Luka is even 80% and we are hitting our threes we will win. Go Mavs

[FreshJive]

Originally Posted by Dallas41

While some have been critical of the officiating I feel the opposite way because the Mavs have been god awful at the FT line.

I'm not a genius, but I think this is one of those non sequitur thingys.

[FreshJive]

The Mavs have only had one game that was bad enough that it was unwinnable, and that was with a gimpy Luka. I have hope if Luka is right.

[FreshJive]

Lue said that he expects the Mavs to go big tonight, and maybe start Boban?

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by BPo001

Do the Mavs still win though?

140-139

On a windmill dunk by KP as he literally catches on fire

[SMC0007]

Originally Posted by FreshJive

Lue said that he expects the Mavs to go big tonight, and maybe start Boban?

Pfft. If we so that...shit is worse than I thought.

[FreshJive]

Originally Posted by SMC0007

Pfft. If we so that...shit is worse than I thought.

Lol. I figured Lue was just talking, but I’m starting to see it from fantasy places. Not sure if they have other sources, or if they are just going from Lue.