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***Official NBA Thread***

dontcloseyoureyes

BARNES OUT
A slaughter in Minnesota.

Didn't one of the rent-a-hot-take guys say they were "moving on" from Doncic recently?
There has been noise around that for a couple of years now though. Most probably from Doncic's side pressing for the team to be active in the market - but it's been there.
 

Ali TT

International Vice-Captain
There has been noise around that for a couple of years now though. Most probably from Doncic's side pressing for the team to be active in the market - but it's been there.
This was "moving on" in the sense that the guy was suggesting he was never going to make it over the hump, basically like Carmelo. Too lazy, too much iso.
 

Ali TT

International Vice-Captain
Jesus, don't listen to ****ing Cowherd.

The dude once said John Wall would never win a championship because didn't have a Dad growing up (he died when Wall was 8 - and was in prison for the other 8 years). He's a ****ing idiot.
I mean I don't, other than he always from time to time on my social media. I find these hot take guys like him, Stephen Smith, Nick Wright frankly ridiculous. They exist just to get views and clicks by saying nonsense.
 

Teja.

Global Moderator
This is beautiful to see how far we’ve come since last year man. Lukai can make a grown man cry.

Luka’s Mavs are now 3-0 against 55+ win teams in the playoffs and 4-1 against 50+ win teams while being the road team in all those series.

but the best part of this is that PJ, DJJ, Lively and Gafford who were supposed to be garbage time players out defending another great team and supposed best defensive team of the century. I know Luka can have a bad game on offence but DJJ never has a bad game on defence.

Mavs are 27-5 playing the current 5 min line up with Lively as the 6th man with all players fit to play.

Boston is favs to win but the winning team shapes how other teams build their own and who wants to see every team try to build a team of five 6’4-6’7 crossfit athletes who are all elite but basic bitch 3 and D players. Everybody’s shooting 37-38% from 3 off 7/8 attempts and exclusively playing dunks and threes with all of them being very boringly good at both but none of them being truly great at either skill like a Steph/Kyrie from 3 or a Lebron/Giannis in the paint.

Boring as **** team to watch compared to Luka, Kyrie and the Lob brothers.
 

Anil

Hall of Fame Member
This was "moving on" in the sense that the guy was suggesting he was never going to make it over the hump, basically like Carmelo. Too lazy, too much iso.
Luka is on a completely different level compared to Melo in terms of skill.
 

shortpitched713

International Captain
Luka is certainly at his peak, but i don't think the Mavs are a one man team, like in the past.

On paper though, the Celtics should have a huge advantage. I might be rooting for a dominant Kyrie MVP performance in this one. Honestly not the biggest fan of either team, and how stupid the league narratives will be when one of them wins.
 

Ali TT

International Vice-Captain
I think a lot depends on Kristingle's fitness. If fit I think Boston have too many scoring options. Will they put Jrue on Luka and can he contain him?

The Mavs have really clicked though, and physically battered the TWolves. Loved watching Gilbert and KAT looking like Bambis on ice trying to guard the perimeter.

Boston haven't really been tested and even cruised through when pushed by the Pacers. If Dallas can take it to 2-2, would they have the mental advantage?
 

Teja.

Global Moderator
Luka has a USG of 32.1 in the playoffs this year which is pretty normal for a No.1 and not even top 5. His USG is similar to Jokic this playoffs.

As to Luka’s defence, every opposition so far has planned to hunt Luka on defence since he has entered the league. Since 2022, it stopped working in the playoffs because Kidd plays great all round defensive line ups which manage to get guys overextending to hunt Luka into the post and getting swarmed. Luka is very intelligent defensively and is not often a target on an Island for defences. Once you get to the post he’s a positive defender surrounded by excellent ones.

The Mavericks are statistically the best defence in the NBA since March 7 over 35-40 games and that wouldn’t be possible without Luka and Kyrie buying in. The Mavericks are also 27-5 in that stretch when Luka, Kyrie, PJ, DJJ and Gafford are starting with Lively coming off the bench.

This is more supplementary to defence but Luka is also one of the best in the league at pass interceptions and key deflections. He has the most steals of anyone in the playoffs and the steals stat misses a lot of the hustle deflections that he and Kyrie make.
 

shortpitched713

International Captain
Luka has a USG of 32.1 in the playoffs this year which is pretty normal for a No.1 and not even top 5. His USG is similar to Jokic this playoffs.

As to Luka’s defence, every opposition so far has planned to hunt Luka on defence since he has entered the league. Since 2022, it stopped working in the playoffs because Kidd plays great all round defensive line ups which manage to get guys overextending to hunt Luka into the post and getting swarmed. Luka is very intelligent defensively and is not often a target on an Island for defences. Once you get to the post he’s a positive defender surrounded by excellent ones.

The Mavericks are statistically the best defence in the NBA since March 7 over 35-40 games and that wouldn’t be possible without Luka and Kyrie buying in. The Mavericks are also 27-5 in that stretch when Luka, Kyrie, PJ, DJJ and Gafford are starting with Lively coming off the bench.

This is more supplementary to defence but Luka is also one of the best in the league at pass interceptions and key deflections. He has the most steals of anyone in the playoffs and the steals stat misses a lot of the hustle deflections that he and Kyrie make.
Well, not going to much into defensive stats like deflections or whatever. They can lie quite a bit.

Doncic is far from the worst offensive minded perimeter player on defense (I'd go Halliburton, probably or Trey if we count non playoff players). But it's still always a good idea to attack him on the defensive end whenever possible. That's because if he is allowed to conserve energy for the offensive end, he an torch you, and you'd really much rather have him fatigued than not. Problem is, much like prime James Harden teams are attacking him in the wrong way.

He's a perimeter player who is much better at post defense, so you need to get him involved in an iso on the perimeter and clear out. Force him to work like that defensively is a good strategy, because the team simply cannot operate te same way with him resting on the bench. Obviously, his usage doesn't have to be as high, now that the Mavs have Kyrie, but trust that Luka with ball in hand is the most efficient option they have to milk, time and again, in the late, game winning possessions.
 

Anil

Hall of Fame Member
I think the Mavs will get it done. Tatum & Brown still have something to prove in crunch situations while both Doncic and Irving have shown they can rise to the occasion...
 

andruid

Cricketer Of The Year
I think the Mavs will get it done. Tatum & Brown still have something to prove in crunch situations while both Doncic and Irving have shown they can rise to the occasion...
The Celtics have a lot of length and defensive guards to throw at Doncic and Kyrie. So far both Tatum and Brown have shown the maturity to not think they have to superhero the team to victory, what with White, and Holiday being able to step up and carry some offensive load. Throw in Porzingis giving the squad new dimensions on offence and defence, and I would say this is the most rounded-out roster the Celtics have had in a long time.
 

Anil

Hall of Fame Member
The Celtics have a lot of length and defensive guards to throw at Doncic and Kyrie. So far both Tatum and Brown have shown the maturity to not think they have to superhero the team to victory, what with White, and Holiday being able to step up and carry some offensive load. Throw in Porzingis giving the squad new dimensions on offence and defence, and I would say this is the most rounded-out roster the Celtics have had in a long time.
Yes…on paper they are a complete team and they dominated their playoff opponents in the East. Remains to be seen if Tatum and Brown have scar tissue from their loss against Golden State a couple of years back…those two just haven’t done it on the biggest stage yet. Regardless of who else can “share the load”, the stars need to shine for Boston to win this.
 

duffer

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
The Celtics have a lot of length and defensive guards to throw at Doncic and Kyrie. So far both Tatum and Brown have shown the maturity to not think they have to superhero the team to victory, what with White, and Holiday being able to step up and carry some offensive load. Throw in Porzingis giving the squad new dimensions on offence and defence, and I would say this is the most rounded-out roster the Celtics have had in a long time.
I think you guys are going to get it done but I'm just hoping for a great series
 

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