GAME 2 2024 Playoffs: Dallas Mavericks (0-1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (1-0)

[OBX Maverick]

Gafford and Lively need to figure out how to push through contact and get the ball up to the rim. Struggling to do that over 6'5 Jalen Williams is unacceptable for 6'11" and 7'1" players.

Lively in particular…He was awful at the rim today. Has got to be stronger going up with the ball. Without looking at the boxscore, I think he only scored 2 and that was on an alley oop.

[Knutsen]

Great reaction by Luka…

https://twitter.com/worldwidewob/status/...93392?s=46&t=nd15nMzmPfvyLdp_Ss7pJg

[fifteenth]

Kidd’s got a formula that works. Lose game 1, give their opponents a false sense of confidence, then knock them out.

It's almost like game 1 is the scouting mission. Gather information about how the other team is going to play this series. Go back and set the game plan. Win 4 of the next 5 games. 

Seems like maybe you could set the game plan based on the tape. But whatever works!

[Chicagojk]

I am really surprised how Giddy has been relegated to low minutes. He has been pretty bad, it may not be a good matchup for him, and OKC has better guys who can do what he does. I think he is still good though. Maybe I am jinxing us and he plays well the rest of the series.

He seems like an odd fitting part with their core though moving forward though. Especially with all their upcoming assets. I still like him though. While I don't know much about the draft prospects this year, but it is not a good class. If I was a dreg of the league, I would seriously consider using my lottery pick and see if you could get Giddy. He is still only 21 and has a really smart game. He just can't shoot now.

Cason Wallace is going to be so good. His shooting form looks perfect to me. I think he has chance to be a 20 point a game scorer with good defense. Mavs got it right with Lively too. The Magic should have been aggressive trying to trade up rather than OKC for Wallace. It is really early for these prospects, but the Magic pick of Howard looks not great right now. Especially with all the players drafted around him.

[DallasMaverick]

https://www.landofbasketball.com/statist...es_1_0.htm

https://www.landofbasketball.com/statist...finals.htm

[MavUGA23]

Liked the way we started with Luka off ball first few possession to get everyone into it---make them have to adjust early, then Luka gets going---now OKC has to defend Luka 2 ways with and without the ball early.  I hope he finds a "Jordan" in him to get ticked off and take something personal like the MVP snub, and say " I'll show you"!  He was locked in early, as was everyone else.  OKC is dangerous, and they are gonna get looks--we have to keep shooting it well and keep OKC off offensive glass.  Lively and Gaff put the hip check on  em and out scrap them for the ball!

[LukaMVP]

we need a third star player to beat OKC and hope PJ fills that role, especially in a rotation where he has to play heavy minutes at PF due to maxi's injury. having a third guy who can exploit potential mismatches would help a lot offensively.

OKC have a good roster but they only have one superstar and if we can shut him down effectively we would cruise to the WCF. in defense we should force him to his weaker hand. while in offense whenever he guards either luka or PJ, just beat him by size. getting their best player in foul trouble is probably the easiest way to hamper their offense imho.

[fifteenth]

we need a third star player to beat OKC... 

I think we need good team defense (ending the with rebounds), Luka to be 75% Luka and not hurt, 35% Luka, and for several of PJ, Lively, Gafford, DJJ, Josh, Timmy or Exum to make some shots. We need some of the shots at the rim to go down, we need some of the guard/forward threes to go down and it would help a ton if some of PJ's and Timmy's twos to go down. 

Too obvious to post? 

I guess I'm beginning to feel like that if the Mavs play the game described above, which is the game we've seen about 5 times in the playoffs so far this year, that the Mavs can beat anyone. 

Not get too far ahead, but I'm excited to see what this roster can do with a healthy Luka and a full season together. But I should save that talk for July.

[MarkAguirreWrathofGod]

Luka… you’re better than that man. Begging for the call with a leg kick.

[The Jom]

I think we need good team defense (ending the with rebounds), Luka to be 75% Luka and not hurt, 35% Luka, and for several of PJ, Lively, Gafford, DJJ, Josh, Timmy or Exum to make some shots. We need some of the shots at the rim to go down, we need some of the guard/forward threes to go down and it would help a ton if some of PJ's and Timmy's twos to go down. 

Too obvious to post? 

I guess I'm beginning to feel like that if the Mavs play the game described above, which is the game we've seen about 5 times in the playoffs so far this year, that the Mavs can beat anyone. 

Not get too far ahead, but I'm excited to see what this roster can do with a healthy Luka and a full season together. But I should save that talk for July.

Team D, double check
75% Luka, perhaps, check
Several of PJ, Derek, Daniel, Derick, Josh, Tim, Exum hit some shots, check (PJ 11, Dan 4, Tim 3)
Some of PJ & THJ’s 2’s go down, check (7 of 15 from 2 combined)

Good list.

[omahen]

Luka… you’re better than that man. Begging for the call with a leg kick.

It looked to me like Dort took his leg before Luka sticked it out.