PLAYOFF ROUND 2 GAME 2: DAL (0-2) vs. PHX (2-0)| 109-129 loss

[Kammrath]

That goes to Brunson for me. I would actually bench him

The three worst performances tonight IMO:

1) DFS
2) Luka's D
3) JB

Supposedly the Mavs three best players (though I do not agree that DFS is one of the Mavs three best players and never have).

I am getting terrified of the JB contract watching him these last two games...

[cow]

I can't wait for the episode of Unsolved Mysteries on Luka's second half performance.

[LifeAquatic]

There was a stretch of time where he played some of the worst defense I have seen, over and over.

He carried the team for a game and a half and ran out of gas. When he stopped the team stopped.

[Branduil]

I can't wait for the episode of Unsolved Mysteries on Luka's second half performance.

He's been playing heavy minutes and has to do everything on offense because Brunson and SD are MIA. It's a pretty easy mystery.

[SleepingHero]

The three worst performances tonight IMO:

1) DFS
2) Luka's D
3) JB

Supposedly the Mavs three best players (though I do not agree that DFS is one of the Mavs three best players and never have).

I am getting terrified of the JB contract watching him these last two games...

Luka gets pass for being the only one able to create anything. But yes I agree his defense was horrid. All night actually. Routinely closed out poorly on Crowder and then got torched by CP3.

Have to wonder if that bruised thigh was bothering him.

[cow]

He's been playing heavy minutes and has to do everything on offense because Brunson and SD are MIA. It's a pretty easy mystery.

Goes back to the locker room (for an IV) in the 3rd and security has to stop him from fighting a fan.  I know there have been some miscues on offense but he's had a ton of uncharacteristic off target passes and turnovers.  How many times has he tried to split a double team with a pass for it to get kicked?

[Kammrath]

All night actually

Yes ALL night. AND last game as well. 

This isn't a "he's tired" thing, he is not giving the effort at ALL at this point. Totally coasting on that end and it is leading to PHX shooting a stupid high percentage.

[Branduil]

Yes ALL night. AND last game as well. 

This isn't a "he's tired" thing, he is not giving the effort at ALL at this point. Totally coasting on that end and it is leading to PHX shooting a stupid high percentage.

Well I'm glad you're here to tell us Luka isn't actually tired and is just not giving effort

[cow]

Luka gets pass for being the only one able to create anything. But yes I agree his defense was horrid. All night actually. Routinely closed out poorly on Crowder and then got torched by CP3.

Have to wonder if that bruised thigh was bothering him.

He and the Mavs need to reevaluate the offense this offseason.  He's one of the most gifted drivers of the basketball the league has ever seen but pounding the rock that much takes a toll on your body.  Even LeBron, who's a much better conditioned athlete, can't do that for all of his minutes on the floor.  Defense takes effort too, so it makes sense why the Suns have targeted him the 4th.  It's just too much responsibility and the faults in his conditioning start to show up.

It also goes back to depth, we can't fix that in an offseason.

[VintagePejav2]

Suns in 4. At least it will all be over quickly with the condensed schedule. A Mother’s Day massacre reversal coming on Sunday.

[ItsGoTime]

Mavs in 41!!!

[Branduil]

He and the Mavs need to reevaluate the offense this offseason.  He's one of the most gifted drivers of the basketball the league has ever seen but pounding the rock that much takes a toll on your body.  Even LeBron, who's a much better conditioned athlete, can't do that for all of his minutes on the floor.  Defense takes effort too, so it makes sense why the Suns have targeted him the 4th.  It's just too much responsibility and the faults in his conditioning start to show up.

It also goes back to depth, we can't fix that in an offseason.

I mean the Mavs tried to get Brunson and SD going and they responded by repeatedly bricking layups. The Luka-centric offense is a necessity but as we can see it ends with Luka exhausted and then the team crashes because he can't move on D any more and no one does anything on offense.

[LifeAquatic]

He and the Mavs need to reevaluate the offense this offseason.  He's one of the most gifted drivers of the basketball the league has ever seen but pounding the rock that much takes a toll on your body.  Even LeBron, who's a much better conditioned athlete, can't do that for all of his minutes on the floor.  Defense takes effort too, so it makes sense why the Suns have targeted him the 4th.  It's just too much responsibility and the faults in his conditioning start to show up.

It also goes back to depth, we can't fix that in an offseason.

Yep. More flow and less ISO ball. When you're point guard is your best scorer and the rest of the team is failing, the ball stops.

[SleepingHero]

This isn't a "he's tired" thing, he is not giving the effort at ALL at this point. Totally coasting on that end and it is leading to PHX shooting a stupid high percentage.

Ok but he still isn't the issue. Luka scored 45 in the first game. 35 tonight. NO one else came close to 20 points in either game. 

Luka is 28-52 from the field in 2 games. He accounted for 28% of the total team shots tonight, and 33% of the total team shots in the first game. On that volume he's been relatively hyper efficient and has 37% and 32% of the total team points in each game respectively. 

NO one else is pulling their weight consistently. The team relies on having at least 2 creators out there to share the load. PHX has effectively made Brunson (9-28 from the field), and Dinwiddie (6-18) USELESS.

[cow]

I mean the Mavs tried to get Brunson and SD going and they responded by repeatedly bricking layups. The Luka-centric offense is a necessity but as we can see it ends with Luka exhausted and then the team crashes because he can't move on D any more and no one does anything on offense.

It is what it is right now.  And the team isn't going to look much different next year save for THJ.  That's assuming we resign JB and at this point, the MBT don't have much of an option.

---

NO one else is pulling their weight consistently. 

I'd a argue against that sentiment with Reggie Bullock.

[cow]

Yep. More flow and less ISO ball. When you're point guard is your best scorer and the rest of the team is failing, the ball stops.

If we are stuck with Bertans and stuck having to give him minutes, the team needs to figure out a way to utilize his transcendent talent.   

Giving the circumstances, I thought he played well tonight.

[Kammrath]

Ok but he still isn't the issue. Luka scored 45 in the first game. 35 tonight. NO one else came close to 20 points in either game. 

Luka is 28-52 from the field in 2 games. He accounted for 28% of the total team shots tonight, and 33% of the total team shots in the first game. On that volume he's been relatively hyper efficient and has 37% and 32% of the total team points in each game respectively. 

NO one else is pulling their weight consistently. The team relies on having at least 2 creators out there to share the load. PHX has effectively made Brunson (9-28 from the field), and Dinwiddie (6-18) USELESS.

Luka has been INCREDIBLE offensively....but PHX just set the ALL-TIME playoff record for single game true shooting (over 75%!!). If Luka and the Mavs don't lock in defensively it is over, no matter how great Luka is on offense.

My point: Luka's D IS a massive issue right now, he is getting scored on at will and is no better than an orange cone on many occasions. He can shoot 28-52, but if PHX shoots 32-52 then it doesn't matter.

[ItsGoTime]

At least 4 of the 5 Suns on the court can put the ball on the floor at all times. We struggle to get 3.

[Mavs2021]

He and the Mavs need to reevaluate the offense this offseason.  He's one of the most gifted drivers of the basketball the league has ever seen but pounding the rock that much takes a toll on your body.  Even LeBron, who's a much better conditioned athlete, can't do that for all of his minutes on the floor.  Defense takes effort too, so it makes sense why the Suns have targeted him the 4th.  It's just too much responsibility and the faults in his conditioning start to show up.

It also goes back to depth, we can't fix that in an offseason.

Oh but they will try to fix it in one off-season. That´s what they always do and fail. Tried and tested for the last decade. They are incapable of taking a step back with a big picture view. That´s how they ended up with a $160M pay-roll on a guaranteed 2nd round exit, that doesn´t even have any hidden (or obvious) upside like the other high-end busts this year like the Nets, Clippers or Lakers.

[LifeAquatic]

If we are stuck with Bertans and stuck having to give him minutes, the team needs to figure out a way to utilize his transcendent talent.   

Giving the circumstances, I thought he played well tonight.

Agreed.