GDT: Game 71 - Clippers (45-22) at Mavs (41-29) 5:30pm TNT/FSSW

[EricaLubarsky]

Final five games of the season for the Mavs and Clippers. Mavs are all but locked into the 7th seed which currently is slotted to play the Clippers, but the Nuggets (2-0) are looking to overtake the Clippers (0-2) and are now only a half-game back.

Ironically, if we lose this game then we'll be 0-3 against the Clippers and will almost guarantee that they are our first-round opponent. If we show that we can potentially take a game or two by winning against the Clippers, that may bump them to #3 and we'll instead face the Nuggets in the playoffs.

Injury report - Mavs
Curry - leg soreness - out
Powell - Achilles - shooting and running, but out
Brunson - shoulder - can do everything, but still working on conditioning. Will not play in the next five games
Lee - calf - out for remaining five games
WCS - family - out for remaining five games

Injury report - Clips
Beverley - calf tightness - out
Harrell - family death - questionable

[Melonhead]

I assume were not getting Lee or WCS for the playoffs as well correct?

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by Melonhead

I assume were not getting Lee or WCS for the playoffs as well correct?

Only guy who may come back is Curry unless something very unusual happens. Lee is the only one who is likely to even be able to return and he may not.

Powell - running and shooting, but "a few months out" according to Carlisle

Brunson - doing everything, but "a few months of strengthening work" until he can come back according to Carlisle

Lee - probably saw his last PT for the team on his expiring contract. Wasn't a rotation guy before his injury. He technically could come back, but even if he gets healthy, he may not play.

WCS - Opted out of the bubble, is done for the season according to The Athletic (and for the Mavs because he's player option this summer. Probably already played his last minute for us.

[Dallas41]

Actually Lee was starting games towards the end of the season which shows how inconsistent the starting lineups would change from game to game when a guy who was supposed to be traded all last summer and all season leading up to the trade deadline.

But somehow he developed into a spot starter before the covid shutdown lol

As for this game tonight maybe the young mavs find some poise like the even younger Suns did to win a close game vs the clippers.

The differ is somehow Phoenix seems to play a little better defensively than our mavs and they have a little more size in their wings.

Hopefully both George and Leonard struggle

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Only guy who may come back is Curry unless something very unusual happens. Lee is the only one who is likely to even be able to return and he may not.

Powell - running and shooting, but "a few months out" according to Carlisle

Brunson - doing everything, but "a few months of strengthening work" until he can come back according to Carlisle

Lee - probably saw his last PT for the team on his expiring contract. Wasn't a rotation guy before his injury. He technically could come back, but even if he gets healthy, he may not play.

WCS - Opted out of the bubble, is done for the season according to The Athletic (and for the Mavs because he's player option this summer. Probably already played his last minute for us.

Thanks. I really liked WCS. I figured it was pointless for them to go inside the bubble and all the prep involved.

[Rostick]

This is as exciting of a game as we can hope for at this point in the season and with the Mavs locked in 7.

There's a lot to play for, a win could give the team and the fans some much needed confidence in perspective of facing the Clippers in the playoffs, and could also knock the Clippers to 3rd, which would be huge in my opinion.

With a loss, the regular season is done for the Mavs, and I don't think there will be that much excitement for a playoff series against the Clippers either.

[KillerLeft]

Personally, I'll be super excited to watch a Mavs/Clippers playoff series. The Clippers are the best team in the league, imo.

I don't need or expect the Mavs to be there, yet. I'm still just jazzed to know with certainty that the arrow is pointed up again, and I'm looking forward to watching the team grow and improve each year.

Getting the chance to play the NBA's best in their very first playoff series should only accelerate that time line, right?

[KillerLeft]

I get how easy it is to get down on a team's progress when they're so important to you, but reading through these game threads from night to night, I really think some of you might want to reflect on just how terrible literally every season between the championship and Luka's rookie year actually were.

Those teams were all bad, to varying degrees, but they were consistently and definitively worse investments of our time than this current team, no matter how much you hate certain players, or the rotation, or whatever. Those teams had no future. This one does.

For me, that's what I need to be a fan. The 2010's Mavericks taught me that about myself. I want the team to get to the top of the mountain, of course, and I'll be disappointed if they don't, but I've learned that what I REALLY loved was watching young Nash/Dirk/Finley go on that journey together, and the trials they encountered along the way. That's what made 2011 so damn special.

We're getting to start that over, FINALLY, after so many years of just wandering in the desert. Wins, losses, lessons...it's all good. Enjoy the ride!

[Skywalker]

Boban in the S5

Boban
KP
DFS
THJ
Luka

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by KillerLeft

I get how easy it is to get down on a team's progress when they're so important to you, but reading through these game threads from night to night, I really think some of you might want to reflect on just how terrible literally every season between the championship and Luka's rookie year actually were.

Those teams were all bad, to varying degrees, but they were consistently and definitively worse investments of our time than this current team, no matter how much you hate certain players, or the rotation, or whatever. Those teams had no future. This one does.

For me, that's what I need to be a fan. The 2010's Mavericks taught me that about myself. I want the team to get to the top of the mountain, of course, and I'll be disappointed if they don't, but I've learned that what I REALLY loved was watching young Nash/Dirk/Finley go on that journey together, and the trials they encountered along the way. That's what made 2011 so damn special.

We're getting to start that over, FINALLY, after so many years of just wandering in the desert. Wins, losses, lessons...it's all good. Enjoy the ride!

Hard to be upset with people who understandably get irritated with how this team blows leads, and they've been doing it all season. Easy to look at things from afar when there isn't a game, but it's never less frustrating when witnessing it live. I mean, it took a miracle Luka game just to beat the Kings.

Otherwise, I mostly agree with you. Things are on the up and up.

[KillerLeft]

Does anyone have a link for this one?

[Skywalker]

http://nbastreams.xyz/live/4/

[KillerLeft]

Originally Posted by Skywalker

http://nbastreams.xyz/live/4/

Thanks!!!

[KillerLeft]

Giannis is single handedly destroying the Heat.

[Melonhead]

Let’s gooooo Boban SS gives me life

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by Skywalker

Boban in the S5

Boban
KP
DFS
THJ
Luka

That lineup is friggin huge

[Rostick]

Originally Posted by KillerLeft

Personally, I'll be super excited to watch a Mavs/Clippers playoff series. The Clippers are the best team in the league, imo.

I don't need or expect the Mavs to be there, yet. I'm still just jazzed to know with certainty that the arrow is pointed up again, and I'm looking forward to watching the team grow and improve each year.

Getting the chance to play the NBA's best in their very first playoff series should only accelerate that time line, right?

I guess you are right, maybe I was projecting my own feelings onto everybody else, because I'm rating the Clippers as both the best team in the league and the worst matchup for the Mavs ... when you add the meetings so far this year, I can't come up with any reason to have hope, and for me personally that's a big turn off. I assumed most ppl feel this way.

[Skywalker]

Harrell being out today will make things easier I think. We usually had no answer for him inside

[DevinHarriswillstart]

KP delicious dunk, but the Mavs still can't defend to save their lives.

[KillerLeft]

Originally Posted by Rostick

I guess you are right, maybe I was projecting my own feelings onto everybody else, because I'm rating the Clippers as both the best team in the league and the worst matchup for the Mavs ... when you add the meetings so far this year, I can't come up with any reason to have hope, and for me personally that's a big turn off. I assumed most ppl feel this way.

Oh, for sure. Right there with you on their chances to win. Non-existent.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

George just shoots it wide open. Just terrible.

[Dallas41]

I want to think Ciach Carlisle for finally giving a big starting lineup a chance

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Good shot by DFS

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Love how Burke runs this team. And he came from out of nowhere.

[EricaLubarsky]

Good fight

[Skywalker]

great effort by dfs there

[KillerLeft]

Am I crazy, or are the Mavs playing a little harder in this one than they have been?

[Melonhead]

God KP looks so good.

Inside out focal point on him will open up the offense so much.

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by Skywalker

Harrell being out today will make things easier I think. We usually had no answer for him inside

No Harrell No Lou No Beverly.

This team is beatable if they’re sitting.

Edit: Lou is playing lol

[SMC0007]

Awesome to see:
A bigger lineup
Luka posting up early last game
KP inside out game instead of hanging around the perimeter

[KillerLeft]

Luka with pretty solid D against Leonard.

[KillerLeft]

OMG they're doubling Luka early!

[Skywalker]

the defense finally showed up i guess

[KillerLeft]

Cool to see that they're not being totally outclassed by the Clippers to this point. Fun game.

[MFFL]

Originally Posted by KillerLeft

Cool to see that they're not being totally outclassed by the Clippers to this point. Fun game.

It’s been a fun watch so far

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Ugh, Wright. So bad.

[Skywalker]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Ugh, Wright. So bad.

that was terrible

[KillerLeft]

Yeah, they needed a better shot than that out of 2 on 1 situation.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Jackson has played reasonably well this bubble.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Wright for three! wow.