2024 Playoffs- 4th Round: Boston Celtics - Dallas Mavericks

[The Jom]

Last time I looked being a good fan didn’t mean overrating your opponent at any cost.  Not you, but several others on here are acting like this Boston team is some all time great. This Boston team most likely would not have won the West.

Boston can win but it’s not because they are great. 

Dallas can win too. But it’s not because sometimes upsets happen or “matchups”. 

The best team will win this series but won’t be an all time great.

I like it! Keep talking smack to these Eeyores. Some really grumpy folks on here. 

And they really do love them some Mavs opponents (especially Jokic and Gordon). If we lose game 1 (like we usually do), there will be so much Mavs loathing on here it becomes insufferable. For some reason, deriding your own team is viewed as analysis, but bashing the opponent is disrespectful homerism.

[The Jom]

Back to basketball.

As I recall the 2011 Finals, Brian “the Custodian” Cardinal played a key role after a pretty awful stretch of underperforming or sitting during the playoffs up to that point. Peja, who had been great, proved unplayable. And a surprisingly good JJB became even more surprisingly good.

Which is to say, I wonder if we’ll have some of the same. Players who’ve stepped up and impressed who continue to do so? Plus one or more who take some steps back? Plus somebody who shows up in a big way after we’d given up on him?

There are certainly candidates for those roles on this roster:

Cardinal: Exum? THJ?

JJB: PJ? DJJ? Party?

Peja: Gafford? Maxi?

[dirkfansince1998]

My fault. I thought this is a place where people discuss basketball. In the future I will stay away from stats and links to video breakdowns and focus on the important stuff. All of us coming together and repeating Mavs in 4 over and over again.

[dirkfansince1998]

Mavs in 4.

Side note: Suprised by the anti spam functions. 30s timeout after every single post. And I cannot even post the same stuff twice. Would need to make some kind of change.

[fifteenth]

Yep, and they had the bad luck of running into the only playoff team that could beat them in the first round, even though that opponent might not have been able to beat any of the other teams. Horrible luck.

Styles make fights.

They also ran into Nellie, the mad scientist who created Dirk and adopted Avery. 2007 Nellie is what made me a little nervous (maybe irrationally so) about the possibility of facing the Pacers.

[fifteenth]

I'm sticking to my Mavs in 6 prediction. During the Clippers series I told a friend of mine they were going to the finals. I have a breakdown of why I think they will win. I'll put it up here tomorrow. Tested positive for Covid so I finally have some free time. lol.

Sorry for the bad news, pal! Get well quickly, audio!

[fifteenth]

I like it! Keep talking smack to these Eeyores. Some really grumpy folks on here. 

And they really do love them some Mavs opponents (especially Jokic and Gordon). If we lose game 1 (like we usually do), there will be so much Mavs loathing on here it becomes insufferable. For some reason, deriding your own team is viewed as analysis, but bashing the opponent is disrespectful homerism.

Sir Wind wasn't replying to Mavs bashing. He's against honest analysist of an opponent. It seems to me that poor analysis of an opponent, claiming that they're worse than they are, does disservice to the Mavs. In my mind, the fact that the Mavs are playing a team that won lots of games and has four all-star level players means that a Mavs victory will be all the sweeter. Irrationally knocking Boston (or the Clippers, Thunder or TPups) doesn't help the Mavs, imho. 

And I know that some folks here can get pretty down on the Mavs at times. But that's not a Mavs fan thing, that's a sports fan thing. I don't roll that way, but it's sort of a sports fact of life that that's how some fans fan. I've been trying to cheer up that crowd for decades, and I don't think I've made a dent. But I don't really try to change people anymore, probably because I'm old. 

Anyway, I think Boston is a really, really good team. And I also think that the 2024 Mavs have shown us that they're one of the big boys as well. 

This should be an amazing series and a Mavs championship during a year when none of us expected it (at least until recently) would be so, so sweet. 

LET'S GO MAVS!!

[fifteenth]

My fault. I thought this is a place where people discuss basketball. In the future I will stay away from stats and links to video breakdowns and focus on the important stuff. All of us coming together and repeating Mavs in 4 over and over again.

LOL. I'd like to request that you not do that, pretty please. I like your Mavs talk, pal! It makes me smarter.

[fifteenth]

Mavs in 4.

Side note: Suprised by the anti spam functions. 30s timeout after every single post. And I cannot even post the same stuff twice. Would need to make some kind of change.

Why so negative? Don't you know that this is the greatest forum software of all time! And all other forum software sucks! 

MavsForum in 4.

[omahen]

Everything I wanted to say about the series was already told. As OKC was very different than Clippers and Minny was different than OKC, Boston is again a whole new challenge. Mavs defense depended on closing the paint (helping on drives) and gambling on iffy shooters to not make shots. I am affraid if you gamble like that against Boston, each of their starters (thay you leave open) is capable of scoring 20 to 30 points on good efficiency. So it will be about being able to guard one on one and stay in front of their guards and wings. Boston weakness on defense is their center and a lot might defend if Mavs are able to get that guy to switch on Luka or Kyrie (or Boston ability to prevent that). Boston has 4 excellent defenders that might take turns guarding Luka and Kai and applying high level of pressure. I think Boston is a better team, but Mavs have at least one if not two best players. Mavs will imho win if Luka will be decisively best player in the series.

I will take the experience from first two series as a recipe for success. Win one on road, came out at least even after the home games and then it is on to the stars to show they are best players on the court bringing home games 5 and 6.

Mavs in 6!

[KillerLeft]

Everything I wanted to say about the series was already told. As OKC was very different than Clippers and Minny was different than OKC, Boston is again a whole new challenge. Mavs defense depended on closing the paint (helping on drives) and gambling on iffy shooters to not make shots. I am affraid if you gamble like that against Boston, each of their starters (thay you leave open) is capable of scoring 20 to 30 points on good efficiency. So it will be about being able to guard one on one and stay in front of their guards and wings. Boston weakness on defense is their center and a lot might defend if Mavs are able to get that guy to switch on Luka or Kyrie (or Boston ability to prevent that). Boston has 4 excellent defenders that might take turns guarding Luka and Kai and applying high level of pressure. I think Boston is a better team, but Mavs have at least one if not two best players. Mavs will imho win if Luka will be decisively best player in the series.

I will take the experience from first two series as a recipe for success. Win one on road, came out at least even after the home games and then it is on to the stars to show they are best players on the court bringing home games 5 and 6.

Mavs in 6!

Careful, “Eeyore,” it has already been established that picking the Mavs in six isn’t positive enough around here. There are actually people siding with random strangers over smart guys like you who make this place great. You might want to quickly edit to say “Mavs in 4” and nothing else.

[KillerLeft]

Mavs in 4.

Side note: Suprised by the anti spam functions. 30s timeout after every single post. And I cannot even post the same stuff twice. Would need to make some kind of change.

Here you go. We can just quote each other so the same message gets echoed over and over.

MAVS IN 4!

[The Jom]

Careful, “Eeyore,” it has already been established that picking the Mavs in six isn’t positive enough around here. There are actually people siding with random strangers over smart guys like you who make this place great. You might want to quickly edit to say “Mavs in 4” and nothing else.

I 100% know you can take a little trash talk. Which is what calling you (and more so others) a grumpy Eeyore is all about. 

I’m here for the smart takes. But a little rah rah never hurt no one.

[KillerLeft]

I 100% know you can take a little trash talk. Which is what calling you (and more so others) a grumpy Eeyore is all about. 

I’m here for the smart takes. But a little rah rah never hurt no one.

I have no idea what you are talking about.

MAVS IN 4!

[mvossman]

I 100% know you can take a little trash talk. Which is what calling you (and more so others) a grumpy Eeyore is all about. 

I’m here for the smart takes. But a little rah rah never hurt no one.

If by "rah rah" you mean saying this thread sucks and all of the posters are idiots, I am going to have to disagree with you.

[fifteenth]

If by "rah rah" you mean saying this thread sucks and all of the posters are idiots, I am going to have to disagree with you.

I so agree. I'm a fan of this thread. In fact, this thread in 4!

[SleepingHero]

Mavs in 4.

Side note: Suprised by the anti spam functions. 30s timeout after every single post. And I cannot even post the same stuff twice. Would need to make some kind of change.

Oh my bad. I installed that after we got hit by a spam attack 3 weeks ago. Should I remove it?

[Jmaciscool]

Here you go. We can just quote each other so the same message gets echoed over and over.

MAVS IN 4!

4??  You clearly aren't a real fan.

MAVS IN 3!

[michaeltex]

 Of course he had that all figured out by Game 5 and went Luklear before they could get to Anderson anyway.

I hope you copyrighted this term. I think it's going to pop up several times during the next few weeks.

[mvossman]

How do folks think we will defend Boston? Who will Luka guard?