shack009 said:

---

On Lively... His box score isn't great, but he contributed. I thought he had a really good game, particularly defensively. The 1/7 hurts but he was clearly fouled on at least a couple of those misses. Needs to be stronger finishing through contact but he'll learn and get stronger as he gets older.

There is a reason he was +18, though.

---

Sorry, I meant contributed offensively. He absolutely contributed defensively. I was just focusing on the offense.

mavsfan4ever said:

---

I think a big reason for Gafford and Lively struggling so much at the rim is that we are giving them the ball so high up. They are doubling the ball handler, and Luka/Kyrie will split the double with a pass so that Lively and Gafford receive the ball near the 3 point line and then drive into the paint. So the shot is near the rim, but it's not the near-rim shots they have been getting and making all season (where they catch a lob or catch the ball in the paint and go up).

Both of them are driving the basket and taking contested layups which have no shot at going in. That is not their game. And even though the shot chart will show a shot at the basket, those shots are vey low percentage.

---

Exactly what I have seen and been saying in teh playoffs. Its weird because now I cant remember if this happened in the regular season as well and I just forgot it.

PatAg said:

---

mavsfan4ever said:

---

I think a big reason for Gafford and Lively struggling so much at the rim is that we are giving them the ball so high up. They are doubling the ball handler, and Luka/Kyrie will split the double with a pass so that Lively and Gafford receive the ball near the 3 point line and then drive into the paint. So the shot is near the rim, but it's not the near-rim shots they have been getting and making all season (where they catch a lob or catch the ball in the paint and go up).

Both of them are driving the basket and taking contested layups which have no shot at going in. That is not their game. And even though the shot chart will show a shot at the basket, those shots are vey low percentage.

---

Exactly what I have seen and been saying in teh playoffs. Its weird because now I cant remember if this happened in the regular season as well and I just forgot it.

---

Ya it was actually a pretty effective tool the mavs often utilized but the difference is Gafford would actually facilitate the next pass. I think there was a stretch of games where Gafford had like 4asts/gm because he would just hit cutting mavs with a pass from the shirt roll. But I haven't seen any of that. It's mostly everyone standing around and Gafford has to try to muscle his way to the hoop.

I think if the Thunder keep conceding that open space around the free throw line, they need to have Green or DJJ ready to cut down the baseline to give Gafford the option of passing because he's actually quite good at it!

Lively and Gafford are having such a strange postseason....both have been really good defensively but they are really struggling finishing at the rim....especially Lively.

It could be nerves, but my hunch is that the size of Zubac in round 1 and Holmgren right now is kinda bothering them

Hearing a lot of "that was the best version of dallas" and that is why we cant win.
I dont see how that was the best we can play at all.

It's definitely the best version of PJ, Hardaway and Green. Luka, Kyrie, Gafford and Lively can play much better than last night though.

The takeaway from that game is Luka was playing on one leg and Kyrie turned in a B- performance and we still held a double digit lead most of the 4th quarter on the road against the one seed. No PJ probably won't do that again but he doesn't need to on the nights Luka and Kyrie are combing for 60+.

PatAg said:

---

Hearing a lot of "that was the best version of dallas" and that is why we cant win.
I dont see how that was the best we can play at all.

---

I agree that it isn't the very best (though it was obviously a very good version). People just look at the 3PT% and say that. We still left a lot out there, particularly at the rim. We also missed quite a few very wide open corner 3s. We only shot 33% from the corner. That's pretty crazy when you consider we shot 49% from 3. Kyrie had 9 points on 2/8 and missed a FT.

It's not like we hit contested 3s all night. Most were wide open shots. Also helps that Luka busted out of his slump in a big way.

One of OKC's main guys became unplayable last night. Mavs only shot 45% from 2 last night. OKC has a lot to worry about going forward.

Will be interesting to see what OKC does with Giddey, they are effectively playing 4 on 5 offensively when he's out there right now but Wiggins and Wallace have too many holes in their games to just use them as an aggregate in his place.

There's no way they can play him anymore. His creation, which he hangs his hat on, isn't even there anymore. They'll have to replace his minutes with all of JWill#2, Heyward, Joe, Wallace, and Wiggins.

He was -20 in 11 minutes last night and -7 in 17 game 1 minutes which OKC won by 22. Daigneault is too good a coach to not see that Giddey can't play in this series.

Infection_Ag11 said:

---

Will be interesting to see what OKC does with Giddey, they are effectively playing 4 on 5 offensively when he's out there right now but Wiggins and Wallace have too many holes in their games to just use them as an aggregate in his place.

---

It's interesting because he was great against New Orleans.

I'm wondering if he is the odd man out for OKC. He's extension eligible this summer. But Chet and Jalen Williams are next summer and both get the 25% pretty easily. Also they have like 10 picks the next two years.

Good breakdown. Goes to what most of us have been saying about the "best version of the Mavs" stuff. They are allowing us to have open 3s to try to shut down the roll man.

That kind of shooting night is extremely repeatable because they are all good looks.

This Minnesota/Denver series is wild. That was a 53 point swing from one game to the next.

This guy is over the top but it's fun. Recommend turning your volume down.



"Corruption!!!"

Lol. Very first play he comments on, everybody has been doubling Kyrie in the playoffs, then it was smart to help off Luka because he's been so terrible from 3. It was actually the correct strategy by OKC, Luka just decided to come out of his slump.

Looked like Luka sold that one, but Dort should still have 2 fouls already.

Yeah that's not a foul

Let's get a 3rd on dort

Feeling very similar to game 2 right now.

Lively needs to wake up a bit

M.C. Swag said:

---

shack009 said:

---

On Lively... His box score isn't great, but he contributed. I thought he had a really good game, particularly defensively. The 1/7 hurts but he was clearly fouled on at least a couple of those misses. Needs to be stronger finishing through contact but he'll learn and get stronger as he gets older.

There is a reason he was +18, though.

---

Sorry, I meant contributed offensively. He absolutely contributed defensively. I was just focusing on the offense.

---

Yet another Duke big man with zero offensive skill.

Really bad sign to be down three after the way the game has gone so far. Missed their shot to get up big and now OKC is gonna start hitting shots.

All over Lively's arm on the missed alley oop leads to a OKC 3. This **** is getting out of control.

This game seriously going to come down to Isaiah Joe v THJ

Luka really needs to stop shooting

Love to see Lively going with authority there. With Chet out of the game, we should get really easy looks at the rim.

Lively had to take 4 steps to avoid shooting the ball.

Lively learned nothing… needs to go to the rim strong and not do a turnaround hook…

Hopefully that turns Luka on

Trash defense at ththe end of the half

Freaking Isaiah Joe going to wreck this game…

Piss poor effort and intensity to start the 2nd half.

Every time Jones shoots, an angel loses its wings.

Luka just giving up points again by barking at refs. GD I hate that ****

Kyrie is being way to passive