2024 Playoffs Rd 1 Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers

[EricaLubarsky]

Mavs cut it to 20. Outscored them 22-16

Just sucks that we spotted them a 29pt lead

Kidd's laid back coaching was okay in the regular season, but you can't have a terrible half and expect to win a lot of games. Even the Rockets game was a fluke because of the two missed FTs. Most games if you come out lazy, unengaged, and unprofessional, you lose the game in the first twelve minutes.

[Dallas41]

Now we post up Luka

[BPo001]

Luka sick of Maxi too lol

[Dallas41]

Luka screaming at maxi 😂

[BPo001]

Good to see Gafford back out there

[EricaLubarsky]

Awesome quarter outscoring them by 5. Wouldve outscored them by 15+ if they weren't shooting 80% from three on some freak threes.

Sadly all that did was cut it to -20 because Kidd's teams don't know how to be professional and play 48 minutes, especially in matinees

[Dallas41]

Welp time to regroup for game 2

Too bad Kawhi will probably be back by game 3 though

[EricaLubarsky]

Great quarter. Defense was clicking. Offense was good. Outscored them by 3 to cut it to -23

That's why first halves are important.

[EricaLubarsky]

Lively having 3 blocks is a nice surprise. I fully expect this series to go 6-7 and this is just a dud. HCA means home team wins something like 90% of the time.

[EricaLubarsky]

You know you are screwed when Westbrick shoots 67% from three

[EricaLubarsky]

Outscoring them by 14 since the halfway through the second is awesome.

Spotting them 29pts (26 at the half) is the problem

We outscore them by 14 and are still down 15. Even a half-decent half we go down 12 at the half and are up three now, but we still have a hill to climb and runs tend to end and momentum tends to shift.

[SMC0007]

Early game and rust is the only thing that I have a glimmer of hope about going forward, but we are getting our asses blown apart without KL.

We didn't challenge that bs leg kick out by Harden on his 3 and i dont know why. We have a good record on challenges. I guess everyone just choking today.

[BPo001]

Gafford 14 min. 0 rebounds. Never thought I?d see that stat.

[BPo001]

wtf was that Zubac?

[EricaLubarsky]

Brave of them to cut it to 15. Professional teams don't come out lazy, starstruck, and as stoned as Kidd always seems to be.

[SMC0007]

Maxi and Thj are bumbling clumsy fools. Lol.

[EricaLubarsky]

Brave run to cut it to 14, but the 29pt deficit in the first 18 minutes killed us.

[Dallas41]

Originally Posted by BPo001

Gafford 14 min. 0 rebounds. Never thought I?d see that stat.

Mavs role players in general Gafford, PJ, THJ, Kleber, DJJ all struggled today.

But that was my concern coming into the playoffs that a few of those guys wouldn't make open shots or play well

I definitely expected them to take advantage of the Leonard injury but hey its the mavs.

When you expect them to be great they will lay an egg

[DevinHarriswillstart]

I mean, I more or less was calling this to happen. Rest doesn't do well with this team.

Now they can actually start the series and play better next game.

Role players have to step up though. Our centers should be a plus...not a meh.

[EricaLubarsky]

Outscored them by 19 since halfway through the second

Just cant dig a 29pt hole

[SMC0007]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

I mean, I more or less was calling this to happen. Rest doesn't do well with this team.

Now they can actually start the series and play better next game.

Role players have to step up though. Our centers should be a plus...not a meh.

Yea. Too much rest right off a hot run, then an early start and we lay a fn egg. I was right there with you.

The coaches have their work cut out for them and if thats the best we can do ... without KL, its going to be bad.

The Clips are a better team so we need to fire on every cylinder to win this series.

Also looks like Luka was laying around eating burritos since his last game.

[blessednegr0]

This is the worst game the Mavericks could have played. We were outclassed by Harden and PG. Honestly, Kidd needs to fix the rotations. Josh Green contributed more than THJ did. We absolutely need to make a statement game 2.

30 points in a half is disgusting. If we played consistent this would be a win.

[SMC0007]

Hell I would roll out Omax before Maxi.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by SMC0007

Also looks like Luka was laying around eating burritos since his last game.

That's why that Stein show was so telling. Luka doesn't like to rest. So if the best player in the goddamn league doesn't want to rest...maybe don't rest him.

Clippers lost out. We coulda had home court. Long shot, sure, but it was there. Instead, just letting everyone take a week and half off put a bitter taste in my mouth.

Now it's a big hill to climb especially of KL comes back at some point. No way we win the series if he gets healthy. Big if but not impossible.

[Melonhead]

Embarrassed to admit I turned off the game with 3 min left in the 2nd quarter and never went back. A nap was a better choice for me in that moment.

[FreshJive]

Kyrie was a complete no show for the first half. Can?t have that. Zubac just destroyed them.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

So annoying hearing fans clamor for Rick Carlisle like Lue didn't run circles around him as well.

And Rick is getting his ass kicked by the Bucks.

Kidd sucks but Rick really isn't much better. They are just both bad in their own way.

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

So annoying hearing fans clamor for Rick Carlisle like Lue didn't run circles around him as well.

And Rick is getting his ass kicked by the Bucks.

Kidd sucks but Rick really isn't much better. They are just both bad in their own way.

still garbage defense from Rick, like we've always seen. And when Pacers offense isnt being historic, they get destroyed too.

[Melonhead]

I really don?t understand Lukas mindset to open the game. Just come down and shoot 3s without moving the ball much. Like you really thought that?s all that was needed to win a road game in the playoffs.

Granted I didn?t watch the second half but idk what he was thinking to start.

[EricaLubarsky]

I?m dying for an epic storyline that Athletic or Sports Illustrated will cover someday after our championship where the news breaks after game 1 that Kleber has a heart condition and is now away from the team indefinitely. Kidd is stuck playing untested rookie Omax. Omax surprisingly hits his stride in the second half of game 2 and Kidd has no choice to play him. Years later it?s revealed by some investigative journalist that Kleber never had a heart condition and it was just Kidd saving Kleber?s reputation.

[rimrocker]

Glad I missed this one.

[SMC0007]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

So annoying hearing fans clamor for Rick Carlisle like Lue didn't run circles around him as well.

And Rick is getting his ass kicked by the Bucks.

Kidd sucks but Rick really isn't much better. They are just both bad in their own way.

I didnt see Clips doing anything we havent seen before. Idk how much of it is Lue being a great coach vs JKidd sucks. Both might be true.

I think the Clips are just the better team and they executed while we were not assertive. They coasted for a while with a huge lead and we got it respectable.

[saclare]

I was just glad to see the Mavs battle back, even if the odds were long after spotting such a 1st half lead...

Zubac simply can't get that deep and can't have 20+ points -- that's an easy adjustment in my book

Green proved his worth of rotation minutes at the expense of THJ and Maxi. I don't care about the lineups with Maxi and PJ, those can be done in minimal spurts. Cannot have a blackhole out there on offense in the playoffs. Hit your shots or hit the bench.

Kyrie and Luka have to come out and respond in game 2. Absolutely inexcusable 1st half from Kyrie in a game where he had 30+ points. My prediction was that Kyrie was going to go off given his slight from Team USA. He played well, but much like the rest of the team, have to do it for 4 quarters!

Still not concerned about KL and his status. I do not think he will impact this series and it may be negatively given where he is. Focus on shutting down PG, he will get his. I think this version of the Clippers peaked in this game 1 and am not too concerned. The Mavs defense was still on display. Only 56 1st half points despite how shit they played on offense? That's a lowkey highlight lol and not to mention all the luck ass three heaves they seemed to be hitting all night. Tough loss, learn from it and bounce back. The goal against homecourt advantage is to always snag at least one win from the first two games.

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Sweep the leg. No more shitty first quarters.

This aged like wine-- or milk. Mavs have a professionalism problem starting games poorly.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Kidd should get blame for constantly not getting his team prepared, but it starts and ends with Luka. For him to basically not take the game seriously in the first quarter shows big time immaturity. This is a multi-billion dollar franchise...not some play thing for Luka. And that's exactly the vibe I got in the first half. Take your job seriously or nobody will take you seriously.

Like, Gafford took the blame yesterday for not being ready which is what leaders do. But Gafford can only be as good as Luka setting him up for easy baskets. Where was that?

6 assists and 4-12 on threes tells you everything.

[Dallas41]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Kidd should get blame for constantly not getting his team prepared, but it starts and ends with Luka. For him to basically not take the game seriously in the first quarter shows big time immaturity. This is a multi-billion dollar franchise...not some play thing for Luka. And that's exactly the vibe I got in the first half. Take your job seriously or nobody will take you seriously.

Like, Gafford took the blame yesterday for not being ready which is what leaders do. But Gafford can only be as good as Luka setting him up for easy baskets. Where was that?

6 assists and 4-12 on threes tells you everything.

I agree here

My biggest issue with kidd is that he allowed Luka to keep jacking up 3's in that 1st half instead of putting Luka ass in the post more like he did in the 2nd half.

When zubac is switched on to Luka you have to attack zubac off the dribble and not bail him out by shooting 7 1st half 3's

Can't live and die by the 3 anymore especially since your team thrives on points in the paint

[Dallas41]

Man jokic is amazing

I know as mavs fans we think Luka is the best but jokic imo as of right now is the best player in the NBA

His numbers in terms of points might not be the highest per game but don't just look at that...

I love how the Nuggets use him in so many different ways offensively and his skill set at that size is just fantastic

[saclare]

Originally Posted by Dallas41

Man jokic is amazing

I know as mavs fans we think Luka is the best but jokic imo as of right now is the best player in the NBA

His numbers in terms of points might not be the highest per game but don't just look at that...

I love how the Nuggets use him in so many different ways offensively and his skill set at that size is just fantastic

Any sane fan knows that Jokic is the better player for now, but he's also nearing 30. Luka has a chance to replicate what the Joker has done. It's been really fun to watch just how dominant he can be. The best part of his game was the deferral to Murray. He knew exactly where Murray needed to end up for the game winner and directed as much. Pointed to the spot, created the space/switch with the 2nd screen and just simply plays fantastic team basketball all while putting up MVP numbers.

It really is a shame how the media treated him and his deserved 3rd in a row MVP last year. They just couldn't stomach seeing a guy like him making that kind of history. Oh well, 3 in 4 years will cement him in all-time top lists. Another championship starts him in the top 20 and inching into top 10 status.

Someday, maybe we get to watch both Luka and Jokic play together. They would be an insane duo.

Edit: Jokic and Luka almost have the same birthday, with Joker being 4 years older. Can Luka go 3/4 MVP next 4 years?! That'd be fun...

[SMC0007]

Jokic is great.

In other news... we have a game to win tonight and we need our MVP to step into his all-time great shoes and get it done.

[EricaLubarsky]

Serieses start when the away team wins. A win tonight would put us in good position.

I'd feel bad about Sunday, but lower seeds were 0-8. We also have not seen a team tie it at 1-1-- until we do it tonight.