GAME 4 PLAYOFFS CANCUNIE

[Scott41theMavs]

Who evidently preferred vacation to a second round of the playoffs?

[MrGoat]

Kleber. His 4th quarter defense was pathetic. I've said before this team has a hard ceiling if we're overly relying on him. Kidd needs to trust Lively already. Kidd would also be a good choice for that decision. Fuck Tony Brothers, by the way

[ballsrchr]

Well...where do I start?

The Mavs came out flat and didn't start playing aggressively until later in the second quarter. Pretty much like the first game. The Clippers are not going to roll over and die.

The refs let the Clippers beat the hell out of Luka--who got a triple double, by the way--and to a lesser extent a few other Mavs players. Maxi got a bloody nose or lip, whatever it was. DJJ got kicked in the nuts, etc. 3 refs out there?...how can you miss all the fouls? And not call some that should have been technicals?...Like the foot grab.

But I've saved my cancunie for the man who gets the team ready for the game, calls the plays, rotations, matchups, etc. Mr. Jason "Kidd Cancunie". I think he's already bought his tickets...

[The Jom]

DJJ has really been great. Most of the season and all of the playoffs. I remember what you all said about Coach Kidd giving him the starting nod back in November, and it makes me think your Kidd votes suspect now.

My vote goes to Dante’s infirm, no?

[Scott41theMavs]

DJJ has really been great. Most of the season and all of the playoffs. I remember what you all said about Coach Kidd giving him the starting nod back in November, and it makes me think your Kidd votes suspect now.

My vote goes to Dante’s infirm, no?

Exum has obviously not been great in these playoffs. He's also been given a quizzically short leash that doesn't allow him to get into the rhythm of the game either. He was a huge part of the team's regular season success. They've got to get him going (more defensively and distributively than offensively), and a Rick-Carlisle-with-rookies imitation by Kidd doesn't accomplish that.

In other news, no, the Kidd votes are ***not*** suspect. It's his job to have them ready to play, and it's also his job to not be an abject moron and give Lively minutes in the fourth. It's his responsibility to make sure the team does well enough in terms of preparation and rotations to win two of the next three games. If not, he should 100% be fired, and 90% tragically probably won't be.

[SleepingHero]

Im shocked at how much of a non-factor Exum has been so far. Crazy he's been played off the court to me.

Hard to give it to anyone else but Luka for this one.

[SleepingHero]

[MrGoat]

https://twitter.com/sixfivelando/status/...8701968420

Luka was a +10 in this game. I reiterate, the answer is either Kidd or Kleber

[ballsrchr]

https://twitter.com/sixfivelando/status/...8701968420

Luka was a +10 in this game. I reiterate, the answer is either Kidd or Kleber

It's not Kleber--and it's not Exum.

That leaves one other choice...

[dirkfansince1998]

Can blame a coach that created an offense that solely relies on the iso qualities of his two star players or the star players for coming up short. Certainly not on the role players. Looking at the entire series they have played well above expectations. Especially on defense.
Kyrie had the best game of the series in game four. But in the first three games he was nowhere to be found for long stretches. Luka is having the worst playoff series of his career. He is shooting 38/30/81 splits for 50.4% TS. That's not going to cut it. But it is only one playoff series. Maybe the Mavs lose. Doesn't mean that Luka can never win. I am already seeing some of the late 00s Dirk narratives on social media and would bet that they will age just as bad. Luka is that good of a player.

[Smitty]

I can't believe I've been forced to defend Kidd lately. This fanbase, like most, is so predictable. If the Mavs win, Player A and Player B are the reason why. If the Mavs lose, Kidd is the reason why.

Kidd has 7 playable players in this series. The starters then Lively and Maxi. Some can argue Gafford isn't playable, others can argue Green is playable.
Kidd is not the reason for every loss. Players not making shots and turning the ball over on offense and then bad rotations or 1v1 defense on the other end are the biggest factors.

The Clippers two wins:
Game 1 50% from 3 (18-36)
Game 4 62% from 3 (18-29)
*Teams that shoot 62%+ from 3 on 20+ 3PA are 9-0.

I said before the series I think the Mavs win in 6. For me, it's encouraging that the Mavs losses are due to insane shooting from the Clippers - I just don't think it's sustainable to win that way in a 7 game series. We knew this would be a dogfight and it's lived up to that so far.

Despite Luka being +32 in his minutes on the court and -35 off the court, he hasn't played well yet. That's what needs to change!

[Scott41theMavs]

I can't believe I've been forced to defend Kidd lately. This fanbase, like most, is so predictable. If the Mavs win, Player A and Player B are the reason why. If the Mavs lose, Kidd is the reason why.

Kidd has 7 playable players in this series. The starters then Lively and Maxi. Some can argue Gafford isn't playable, others can argue Green is playable.
Kidd is not the reason for every loss. Players not making shots and turning the ball over on offense and then bad rotations or 1v1 defense on the other end are the biggest factors.

The Clippers two wins:
Game 1 50% from 3 (18-36)
Game 4 62% from 3 (18-29)
*Teams that shoot 62%+ from 3 on 20+ 3PA are 9-0.

I said before the series I think the Mavs win in 6. For me, it's encouraging that the Mavs losses are due to insane shooting from the Clippers - I just don't think it's sustainable to win that way in a 7 game series. We knew this would be a dogfight and it's lived up to that so far.

Despite Luka being +32 in his minutes on the court and -35 off the court, he hasn't played well yet. That's what needs to change!

Just as it is the case that the Clippers' poor performance in Games 2 and 3 on offense had a lot to do with the Mavs' defense, couldn't it also be possible that a major contributor to their 3p% success in Games 1 and 4 has a lot to do with a corresponding dearth on the Mavs' part? I'll hang up and listen.

[Smitty]

Just as it is the case that the Clippers' poor performance in Games 2 and 3 on offense had a lot to do with the Mavs' defense, couldn't it also be possible that a major contributor to their 3p% success in Games 1 and 4 has a lot to do with a corresponding dearth on the Mavs' part? I'll hang up and listen.

Well for the series:

Tightly Contested (2-4 ft.)

Harden is shooting 50% from 3. 18 attempts. 52% of Hardens 3's are tightly contested.
PG is shooting 50% from 3. 12 attempts. 36% of PG's 3's are tightly contested.

Luka is shooting 20% from 3. Only 5 attempts. 10% of Luka's 3's are tightly contested.
Kyrie is shooting 50% from 3. Only 6 attempts. 18% of Irving's 3's are tightly contested.

I'd say the Mavs defense has been good seeing that they're contesting so many of those shots. Harden and PG are just making them at an insane rate so far.