GDT: Game #60 - Mavericks @ Nuggets

[saclare]

DEN - notable injuries include Murray (questionable; knee), Gordon (questionable; ribs), and Reggie Jackson (out; just signed)

DAL - notable injuries include Kleber (out; hammy), THJ (questionable; hammy), Bullock (questionable; illness), Wood (questionable; illness), Bertans (out; calf)

Gonna be a tough one against the best in the West...the Nuggets got a good win late Monday night all the way out East. Could be some heavy legs for the home team, but Denver is always a tough place to play.

The huuuge key and elephant in the room is interior defense. How will the Mavs game plan against Jokic? Hell, even Bryant will likely test us on the glass (what a sneaky good pickup for Denver btw). It would be a big boost if Murray gives the old knee another game off.

[Melonhead]

Scared for this one.

Thank god its the last game before all star break. Get these two in a gym together. I hope Luka is listening because as a basketball head, Kyrie is extremely knowledgeable.

[SMC0007]

I think we pull a surprise wire to wire win on the road to gain momentum going to ASB.

[dirt_dobber]

Playing the team with the best home record - psshhht -
Luka and Kyrie putting up 40 each and each getting a triple double.

[washedklean77]

Originally Posted by SMC0007

I think we pull a surprise wire to wire win on the road to gain momentum going to ASB.

I kind of feel that this will happen as well. Which makes it even more painful when we see the team constantly playing from behind at home to inferior teams.

[saclare]

Gosh, Mavs twitter has to feel blessed as some of the other insiders, reporters, and analysts really don't provide much other than basic reporting. Callie Caplan is plugged in for news and preferred over MacMahon/Stein, Grant Afseth for in depth basketball analysis, and Bobby Karalla aka the statistician, and Iztok Franko rounding it out for me.

We obviously have been talking Luka/Kyrie, but never thought about the variety of PnR defenses they see all the time. For tonight, the Nuggets run a lot of the same things the Timberwolves do, and according to Iztok, both are top teams in aggressiveness in defending the PnR. See below with follow up stats from Bobby:

Iztok Franko @iztok_franko

"Tweeted before the Minnesota game that Nuggets and Wolves are two teams that played most aggressive pick-and-roll defense on Luka.

Denver leads the NBA in blitz/contain/show coverage frequency, so hopefully Mavs use the learning from what Wolves did to their advantage tonight.
Denver forced Luka to give up the ball (he had 22 pts in last two games vs DEN) but Mavs shot tons of corner 3s. So Green, hopefully Bullock and others need to be ready.

Plus, we hopefully see Kyrie attacking on the weak side or initiating actions more.

Offense is not the main worry,defense is. Mavs managed to held Denver below 100 in 2 of the 3 gms, but Jokic didn't play in those 2. Denver is the best offense in NBA & Mavs are struggling on D

Dallas won last matchup when Jokic played 116-115, they need to keep it in 115 range"

Bobby Karalla @bobbykaralla

"Having a practice/shootaround/film sesh should hopefully help. Here's Mavs' points per chance against blitz/show/contain in the last three games.

vs. Kings (no Luka): 0.714
vs. Kings (first Kyrie/Luka game): 0.885
vs. Minny first half: 0.778
vs. Minny second half: 1.273

Part of this is repetition and learning tendencies and stuff, not just between Kyrie and Luka but between Kyrie and the entire team, but also it's about implementing and drilling screens involving both of them. That's something new. Denver is, uh, pretty good though so we'll see."

[saclare]

Kyrie initially downgraded to probable due to lower back tightness and has since been downgraded to questionable. Not a doc, but that doesn't sound like progress.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Yuck.

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by saclare

Kyrie initially downgraded to probable due to lower back tightness and has since been downgraded to questionable. Not a doc, but that doesn't sound like progress.

Carrying a team is hard

[saclare]

THJ officially out, Bullock upgraded to probable, Justin Holiday is out as he just signed

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by saclare

THJ officially out, Bullock upgraded to probable, Justin Holiday is out as he just signed

Maybe some hope Holiday plays...

Marc Stein
@TheSteinLine
New Mavs signee Justin Holiday has made his way to Denver to join the team, sources say. His playing status for tonight remains TBD.

Dallas is already shorthanded due to various injuries and has downgraded Kyrie Irving (back) to questionable.

[saclare]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Maybe some hope Holiday plays...

Marc Stein
@TheSteinLine
New Mavs signee Justin Holiday has made his way to Denver to join the team, sources say. His playing status for tonight remains TBD.

Dallas is already shorthanded due to various injuries and has downgraded Kyrie Irving (back) to questionable.

Hey, why not!

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Kyrie out, Holiday in.

[SMC0007]

Welp. I am no longer on the hook for my call for wire to wire win.

[Melonhead]

Frank is starting.

This basketball organization is so unserious

[EricaLubarsky]

Kyrie out
Kleber out
THJ out
Bertans out
Wood likely out

[SMC0007]

Curb stomp incoming

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by Melonhead

Frank is starting.

This basketball organization is so unserious

Frank shouldn't even be on the roster. Let's see how he does...

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Back to hot potato ball.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Luka passing up open threes isn't good. Yet he takes quick, contested ones.

[Melonhead]

Get Frank out of the god damn game

[DevinHarriswillstart]

God he is awful. Put fucking Hardy in.

[EricaLubarsky]

Free Hardy

[EricaLubarsky]

Fuck sake

Frank pulled and it?s for Pinson

[Melonhead]

Now Pinson in?this is a sick joke

[EricaLubarsky]

Jaden sighting

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Jaden sighting

Thank god, nearly turned it off.

And actually putting in Javale who is already better than Powell so far. Think they should start him see what happens.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Bad shot by luka with no ball movement. Think he is still kinda hurt.

[BPo001]

Hardy needs more awareness on those fast breaks. Not the first time he has been caught in a chase down block by an opposing player.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by BPo001

Hardy needs more awareness on those fast breaks. Not the first time he has been caught in a chase down block by an opposing player.

Considering rest of the team is playing hot potato, welp, someone has to try and score outside Luka. It's just the same bs without Irving. .

[BPo001]

What?s up with Wood and Kyrie missing tonight game? And why is Pinson suddenly in the rotation?

[EricaLubarsky]

Wood injured

Stepped on Hardy

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Hardy passed in that break and Den still got the stop.

[EricaLubarsky]

Wood is such trash

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Shoot the goddamn ball.

[EricaLubarsky]

Nuggets fans are booing? Easiest foul call in the world

[EricaLubarsky]

Wood 0-2
0 pts
0 reb
1 foul
1 To
3 missed defensive possessions

[EricaLubarsky]

Holy shot we suck

[EricaLubarsky]

-10 and sleepy ass Wood and terrible Frank are to blame

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Pinson blew that defensive assignment by a mile. The fact that we're even paying Pinson is just sad .