***Official 2020-2021 Dallas Mavericks Season Thread***

172,151 Views | 2549 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by MW03
Ol Jock 99
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Freaking Jazz decided to take the night off against Portland.
mavsfan4ever
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We should win the next two but we only have to win one to be out of the play in game. Who knows if 5 vs 6 is better but as long as we are out of the play-in I'm happy.

And I really want the Lakers to be in the play-in just for entertainment purposes.

Edit: if Lakers somehow lose to Houston tonight then we are safe from the play in.
EconAg18
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MW03
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Lakers should have lost to NYK, and Houston nearly beat them.
BallerStaf2003
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mavsfan4ever said:

We should win the next two but we only have to win one to be out of the play in game. Who knows if 5 vs 6 is better but as long as we are out of the play-in I'm happy.

And I really want the Lakers to be in the play-in just for entertainment purposes.

Edit: if Lakers somehow lose to Houston tonight then we are safe from the play in.


I think we would have a much better chance against Denver than the clippers.
Grapesoda2525
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Some ugly ass **** going on in Phoenix right now. Blazers are fouling on every offensive possession and the suns are choking the game away at the free throw line.

Jazz and suns are a bunch of losers. Can't beat Portland. What a joke man.
Grapesoda2525
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Now a double dribble. Why would anyone be afraid of the suns? Over rated.
Grapesoda2525
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Phoenix wins. They don't look very scary tho I gotta say.

I'm just glad someone helped us because I don't want the clippers again. Terrible matchup. Let someone else deal with Kawhi Leonard.
Carlo4
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Thankfully, Dallas back in drivers seat. Just win!
The Shank Ag
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Let's lock up the first part of the puzzle tonight and get out of the play in game discussion. The raptors are eliminated and their squad last night looked a lot like the Pelicans from Wednesday. No Boucher (left knee sprain), Lowry (rest), Siakam (left shoulder strain), or VanFleet (injury recovery), along with 4 others.

Who's to say whether all 8 are out again tonight, but being eliminated, I bet they try to get a look at their younger/less minuted guys in preparation for the offseason carousel. If so, I hope it's another game KP can sit the whole 4th, and Luka kept under 30 minutes

Grapesoda2525
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The Shank Ag said:

Let's lock up the first part of the puzzle tonight and get out of the play in game discussion. The raptors are eliminated and their squad last night looked a lot like the Pelicans from Wednesday. No Boucher (left knee sprain), Lowry (rest), Siakam (left shoulder strain), or VanFleet (injury recovery), along with 4 others.

Who's to say whether all 8 are out again tonight, but being eliminated, I bet they try to get a look at their younger/less minuted guys in preparation for the offseason carousel. If so, I hope it's another game KP can sit the whole 4th, and Luka kept under 30 minutes



The teams we're playing from now until the playoffs begin care more about losing games and trying out rookies / young players. Memphis is the last hungry team we faced. I was going to be so disappointed if we won out these last few and won 15 out of our last 20 games overall and our reward is the #6 seed and the clippers. If the clippers somehow get #4 then I won't complain as much because that is just terrible luck.

I still think the clippers are the worst matchup for us because of kawhi leonard being by far the best defensive player in the game and the clippers perimeter defense always gives the mavs a lot of trouble.

Utah and Phoenix also aren't as "battle tested" as the clippers are in terms of playoff experience.
The Shank Ag
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EastSideAg2002
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What are these guys doing?
Ol Jock 99
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A win is a win
hph6203
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Out of the play in, into the Clippers. Gonna be an interesting last game of the season for the league.
South Platte
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Looks like LAC tanked that loss to Houston so they could draw Dallas instead of Portland.
The Shank Ag
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Portland plays Denver to end it. They'll be playing to win, as a loss and the lakers winning out means play in game for the blazers.

The clippers get the thunder to end it. If mavs win, Portland wins, and clips win (the only real ? there is Portland if the clips aren't losing on purpose) then it's mavs Denver.

Need to be rooting hard for Portland
dave94
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South Platte said:

Looks like LAC tanked that loss to Houston so they could draw Dallas instead of Portland.


I thought I'd heard we have the tiebreaker against Portland?

Edit: Nm, we're down 3-4 to them
hph6203
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Think you just send Luka out there against Minnesota and tell him to tell the refs **** you twice in the first 10 seconds and rest for the game and let it play out the way it plays out.
EconAg18
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Let the mayhem commence
Grapesoda2525
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The Shank Ag said:

Portland plays Denver to end it. They'll be playing to win, as a loss and the lakers winning out means play in game for the blazers.

The clippers get the thunder to end it. If mavs win, Portland wins, and clips win (the only real ? there is Portland if the clips aren't losing on purpose) then it's mavs Denver.

Need to be rooting hard for Portland
Do the nuggets want to beat Portland? Any chance they rest their guys?
Infection_Ag11
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South Platte said:

Looks like LAC tanked that loss to Houston so they could draw Dallas instead of Portland.


No, they're trying to avoid the Lakers. The most likely scenario based on schedules is the Lakers win out and Portland loses to Denver, which makes LA the 6th seed. The Clippers want the 4 seed because they'd rather play anyone but them in round 1. With Davis back into form and Lebron returning, the Lakers are probably the best 6th seed of all time.
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Ol Jock 99
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Maybe I'm being naive, but I don't see a pro team intentionally losing on their way to the playoffs. Maybe rest a few more guys than normal, but you don't want to mess with your mojo at this point.

Play hard and let the chips fall.
Grapesoda2525
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Ol Jock 99 said:

Maybe I'm being naive, but I don't see a pro team intentionally losing on their way to the playoffs. Maybe rest a few more guys than normal, but you don't want to mess with your mojo at this point.

Play hard and let the chips fall.
Leonard and George didn't play against Houston last night. That's about as close as they can get to letting the game go and taking a loss willingly.
Infection_Ag11
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Ol Jock 99 said:

Maybe I'm being naive, but I don't see a pro team intentionally losing on their way to the playoffs. Maybe rest a few more guys than normal, but you don't want to mess with your mojo at this point.

Play hard and let the chips fall.


The Clippers benched 4 of their 5 best players with two games left in the season with the 3 seed up in the air. It's obvious what they are doing. Even the official NBA Twitter account called them out.
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Grapesoda2525
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https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-playoff-picture-standings-magic-numbers-warriors-vs-grizzlies-for-no-8-lakers-projected-for-no-6/

This article gives a good explanation. By losing to Houston, the clippers made sure there's no way they will play the Lakers in the first round. I think yesterday had all to do with avoiding the Lakers.

Denver:
Quote:

The Nuggets are tied with the No. 4 Clippers with the tiebreaker secured. If Denver beats Portland on Sunday, it clinches the No. 3 seed. But beating Portland could help the Lakers, if they beat New Orleans, jump Portland into the No. 6 seed. Does Denver want to play the Lakers in the first round? Probably not. Don't be surprised to see Denver basically throw this game and ty to set up a 3-6 first-round matchup with the Blazers.

  • Magic number to clinch No. 3 seed: 1
  • Remaining games: Pistons, Blazers
  • Projected seed: No. 4


Clippers:

Quote:

There is no scenario in which the Clippers can face the Lakers in the first round. They made sure of that by losing to Houston on Friday. The Clippers are tied with the No. 3 Nuggets, who own the tiebreaker. If the Clippers beat the Thunder on Sunday and the Nuggets beat the Blazers, the Clippers stay at No. 4 and play No. 5 Dallas. If the Clippers win and the Nuggets lose to Portland, L.A. goes to No. 3 and plays either the Blazers or Mavericks at No. 6, depending on whether the Mavericks beat the Timberwolves.
  • Final game: Thunder
  • Projected seed: No. 3


Grapesoda2525
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Looks like most likely opponent for the Mavericks is the Nuggets. I don't see why it would make sense for Denver to try and win against Portland. There's a good chance Portland will beat them anyway since they're at home and really need this game.

I also don't see why the clippers would completely tank and lose to the thunder. They already avoided the Lakers completely.
mavsfan4ever
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I think Clippers may be slightly more likely. I agree that Denver will probably want to lose. So it will come down to whether the clippers win or not. They may not want to win bc that would setup a possible second round matchup with the lakers. If they lose then they would be the 4 seed and we'd play them if we win.

I don't see us tanking with such a young team. But I have a feeling both Denver and LAC might tank.
Grapesoda2525
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mavsfan4ever said:

I think Clippers may be slightly more likely. I agree that Denver will probably want to lose. So it will come down to whether the clippers win or not. They may not want to win bc that would setup a possible second round matchup with the lakers. If they lose then they would be the 4 seed and we'd play them if we win.

I don't see us tanking with such a young team. But I have a feeling both Denver and LAC might tank.
Whoever comes out of 4 and 5 plays #1. Utah has only 20 losses, is much more healthy then the Lakers, and is almost unbeatable at home.

I just don't see an incentive for the clippers to tank tonight after the Houston game made sure they avoided the Lakers. The Lakers are probably a better second round matchup because of health. Do you really think Lebron and AD will be firing on all cylinders after both the play in and the first round? They will be exhausted and much more likely to be run down due to their injuries.
Grapesoda2525
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mavsfan4ever said:

I think Clippers may be slightly more likely. I agree that Denver will probably want to lose. So it will come down to whether the clippers win or not. They may not want to win bc that would setup a possible second round matchup with the lakers. If they lose then they would be the 4 seed and we'd play them if we win.

I don't see us tanking with such a young team. But I have a feeling both Denver and LAC might tank.
It frustrates me because the Mavericks are seemingly the only team in the nba who hates tanking. Teams tank when it is beneficial to them and they never get punished for it. Cuban and Carlisle need to get off their high horses and embrace the tank every once in awhile.

San Antonio tanked for Tim Duncan and got 5 championships out of it.
M.C. Swag
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lol we tanked pretty good for the Luka pick
Grapesoda2525
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M.C. Swag said:

lol we tanked pretty good for the Luka pick
The one rare exception in franchise history and we still got screwed by the ping pong balls and had to give Atlanta an extra 1st to move up.
hph6203
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How often since Cuban took over has tanking been beneficial to the Mavericks. You've already shown in the last couple of days that you misremember instances where you thought it would be beneficial.

The only time losing should be even remotely acceptable is when the outcome is entirely within your control and it's beneficial. Those instances are rare for teams that are in the playoffs and the Mavericks have only missed the playoffs 4 times in 21 years.

They missed the playoffs by 4 games in the 2013 season and were in line for the 13th best spot to win the lottery. The next closest team in the 12th best spot finished 8 games behind the Mavericks. By the time the Mavs knew they wouldn't make the playoffs tanking wouldn't have substantially helped their draft position.

In the 2017 season they went 2-9 to finish the season. They ended up with the 9th pick and Dennis Smith.

In the 2018 season they went 2-11 to finish the season, got the 5th pick, traded to get the 3rd and got Luka.

In the 2019 they had no reason to tank, because they didn't have a first round pick.

Last season they made the playoffs and this season they made the playoffs.


So in the two instances where it was clear that tanking would help, they tanked.
Grapesoda2525
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hph6203 said:

How often since Cuban took over has tanking been beneficial to the Mavericks. You've already shown in the last couple of days that you misremember instances where you thought it would be beneficial.

The only time losing should be even remotely acceptable is when the outcome is entirely within your control and it's beneficial. Those instances are rare for teams that are in the playoffs and the Mavericks have only missed the playoffs 4 times in 21 years.

They missed the playoffs by 4 games in the 2013 season and were in line for the 13th best spot to win the lottery. The next closest team in the 12th best spot finished 8 games behind the Mavericks. By the time the Mavs knew they wouldn't make the playoffs tanking wouldn't have substantially helped their draft position.

In the 2017 season they went 2-9 to finish the season. They ended up with the 9th pick and Dennis Smith.

In the 2018 season they went 2-11 to finish the season, got the 5th pick, traded to get the 3rd and got Luka.

In the 2019 they had no reason to tank, because they didn't have a first round pick.

Last season they made the playoffs and this season they made the playoffs.


So in the two instances where it was clear that tanking would help, they tanked.
What about those years after the championship where the mavs were "keeping their powder dry" and running out teams on 1 year contracts?

I'd argue they should've tanked then. Lamar Odom and Rajon Rondo were both disasters in a Mavericks jersey.
hph6203
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I don't think you intentionally create a bad team when you have a top 30 all-time player on your roster, even if he is in the twilight of his career. You try to put a talented roster together and hope it gels into something successful. They didn't do a great job of that, but I wouldn't say it's because they didn't try.

So no, I think you're wrong. As long as Dirk wanted to be in Dallas then the front office had a responsibility to put the talent around him.
 
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