2024 Western Conference Finals: Dallas Mavericks vs Minnesota Timberwolves - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Melonhead · Yesterday, 10:04 PM

Congratulations to the team for getting to the western conference finals after missing the play in. Hard fought and well deserved.

It?s been an all hands on deck to get to this point, including Nico?s work in the offseason as well as the trade deadline. Quick shout out to Kidd, many of us think he?s slow to adjustments but the team has rallied around him and that?s what matters. What a time to be a Mavs fan.

And we are in for a hell of a series. Mavs will be facing another team with a rising star in Anthony Edwards. It?s time to put these pups to bed ala Dirk v Garnett.

May 22 Game 1 Wed @ 7:30
May 24 Game 2 Friday @ 7:30
May 26 Game 3 Sunday @ 7:00
May 28 Game 4 Tuesday @ 7:30
May 30 Game 5 Thursday @ 7:30
June 1 Game 6 Saturday @ 7:30
June 3 Game 7 Monday @ 7:30

(Maxi we need you)

MFFL · Yesterday, 10:23 PM

Lets go Mavs!

This will be a hard test but I think we have a strong chance. Hopefully Maxi will come back and will help with their 3 headed big rotation.

BPo001 · Yesterday, 10:29 PM

Going to be a tough series, but it?s the WCF. Let?s go Mavs!

Amarelooms · Yesterday, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MFFL

Lets go Mavs!

This will be a hard test but I think we have a strong chance. Hopefully Maxi will come back and will help with their 3 headed big rotation.

Need maxi bad

Amarelooms · Yesterday, 10:35 PM

Also sucks no extra days off. Play every other day.

EricaLubarsky · Yesterday, 10:39 PM

Wish we had Kleber. His ability to hit a three completely destroyed Gobert.

DevinHarriswillstart · Yesterday, 11:01 PM

6-7 game series again. Book it.

blessednegr0 · Today, 12:19 AM

We've got this one. The boys are grooving right now. Let's just get one in Minnesota and defend home.

Melonhead · Today, 07:26 AM

Ant Edwards was 6/24 due to being hit with double teams last night

ShaggyDirk · Today, 09:41 AM

Hopefully, we can neutralize Gobert to just an offensive rebounder on one end and a help defender on the other side of the ball.

DevinHarriswillstart · Today, 10:23 AM

Might consider playing Gaff and Lively together at some point.

Thespiralgoeson · Today, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Might consider playing Gaff and Lively together at some point.

Eh, I wouldn't. Neither of them can do anything offensively outside of 2-3 feet.

DevinHarriswillstart · Today, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

Eh, I wouldn't. Neither of them can do anything offensively outside of 2-3 feet.

True, but you're gonna have big trouble with Goebert and Towns on the court at the same time.

This is where Maxi would be valuable if he could come back.

rimrocker · Today, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Might consider playing Gaff and Lively together at some point.

Not sure Kidd would do that in this series unless we get desperate.
But next season I wouldn't mind seeing us experiment with something like that if one of them develop a decent shot.

EricaLubarsky · Today, 12:34 PM

I could see Lively/Kleber but I don't see Gafford/Lively.

If KAT is driving/not posting up then I could see PJ/DJJ harassing him into a lot of TOs. Lively matches up with Gobert for the defense/rebound.

If KAT is posting up? KAT uses his weight well, but not necessarily length so Gafford should be a good match up.

Rebounding was a strength in the OKC series, but we are not at a rebounding advantage. KAT/Gobert is an elite rebounding team. Reid, Garza, and Anderson are all 6'9" and elite rebounders.

Thespiralgoeson · Today, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

True, but you're gonna have big trouble with Goebert and Towns on the court at the same time.

This is where Maxi would be valuable if he could come back.

I'll take my chances with DJJ and PJ on KAT. Putting Lively and Gafford on the court at the same time is offensive suicide.

EricaLubarsky · Today, 01:04 PM

Offensive rating
Minny - 6th - 116.7
Dallas - 7th - 113.9

3pt%
Dallas - 6th - 36.6%
Minny - 8th - 35.8%

Dallas - 7th - 113.9
Defensive rating
Minny - 4th - 107.6
Dallas - 6th - 110.6

Rebound %
Minny - 2nd - 54.1%
Dallas - 6th - 51.5%

TO%
Minny - 11th - 13.3
Dallas - 12th - 13.8

Pace
Dallas - 8th - 93.38
Minny - 10th - 93.0

Not gonna lie. Minny leads in nearly every category. They have no weak underbelly like OKC's rebounding. On the other hand, OKC also led us in every statistical category.

Keys to the Series
1) Rebounding - they will probably win, but we have to keep it close
2) TO - We were good in the regular season. We were awful in the OKC series. The advantage we got from rebounding was counter-acted by TOs. We may need to to the opposite-- cut TOs to make up for the rebounding
3) Pace - hard to get pace without rebounding, but they are weak getting back. Gotta punish them when we have a chance.
4) Fouls - Gotta win the PF battle. Maybe even get them into foul trouble. Gobert/KAT are foul prone and getting them out of the game or at least playing carefully to avoid fouls could be a great advantage.
5) 3pt shooting - we have a slight advantage there and we're going to need it. With both bigs and a bunch of long defenders, we will need spacing more than at any time his POs. Kleber is shooting 56%. Irving 44%. PJail 41%. All are better options than Luka (30%). Maximize the good threes and reduce the number of Luka step-back threes and we could win the shooting battle.
6) Selflessness - ISOs are not going to work against that crazy length with two 7-footers backing them up. Gonna need to play selflessly and make the second, third, and even fourth pass. Luckily Kidd has us playing selflessly. We're going to need it. Plus pocket passes and passes into the weak side are great at a) high percentage shots and b) drawing fouls

purplefrog · Today, 01:08 PM

I think Gafford/Lively on Rudy and PJ on KAT would work reasonably well. If PJ gets in foul trouble, then I can maybe see playing Gaff and DLive at the same time. Another interesting match up could be if KAT and Naz Reid play side by side. The TWolves would have two bigs that can both shoot 3s and I am not sure Gaff/Lively can keep up with that if both are hitting their shots. On the other hand, the TWolves become less potent defensively as their shot blocker is on the bench, so maybe its a wash.

G-Man · Today, 03:02 PM

What an unlikely bunch.

No Mavs fan in his right mind expected DJJ and PJ to become the scoring, shooting heroes of the OKC series. They saved our bacon during the games where Luka was nursing injuries, and again in game 6 when he was better. I'd be surprised if they continue at this pace, but at least now we, and the opponents know its possible. The Wolves will have to defend them, which should make things easier for Kai and Luka.

The size of Minnesota scares me, as does Edwards himself. Maxi could help here, but I'm not counting on him being effective if he does return.

As in both series before, the opponents have far more talent, but the Mavs can win if they play good team ball. Remember, in the championship year, all the teams they played had more talent. Yet they swept the 2 time champion Lakers, beat Harden, KD and Westbrook in 5, and Miami's big three in six.

Great team ball can beat great talent. That's what we had when Kidd led this team in 2011. Maybe he can lead them like that now, from the bench.