2024 Playoffs- 3rd Round: Minnesota Timberwolves - Dallas Mavericks- MAVS WIN 4-1!

[dirkfansince1998]

Never liked him going back all the way to endless discussions with Kammrath but the Wolves cannot afford to bench Gobert. Their defense collapses when he is on the bench. Even as a walking meme he still offers more than Towns and Reid.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

I suppose it doesn't matter since the Finals don't start until the 6th regardless, but I'm kinda annoyed that Rick couldn't do the Mavs the solid of making the Celtics work a little more.

Huh??  The Pacers played them pretty tough even without Haliburton. Did you see the end of the game tonight? It took a White 3 to win the game, 105-102. Plus they gave away game one. The fact they got swept doesn't take away they were in the fight the whole series.

[mvossman]

I don’t care about on/off numbers in a 3 or even 20 game sample size. Naz Reid is much better for them against the Mavs than Gobert is. Some stats don’t agree, others do. Don’t care about any of them. My eyes are the deciding factor in this strong opinion.

I mean that's fine, but you were replying to a post showing PER leaders.  I think Naz Reid defense is overrated on this board.

[KillerLeft]

I mean that's fine, but you were replying to a post showing PER leaders.  I think Naz Reid defense is overrated on this board.

Yeah, I haven't checked since game 3, but I was pretty surprised to see that the Wolves were WINNING the Gobert minutes for games 1 and 2. 

He's such a confusing player. Obvious flaws, but undeniable impact, despite it not always being visible. If he just had better hands, he'd have been the perfect center for a pick and roll team like Dallas.

[Smitty]

I mean that's fine, but you were replying to a post showing PER leaders.  I think Naz Reid defense is overrated on this board.

That’s fine that you think that. I think Gobert is overrated. I said before the series that Naz Reid is the one that worries me. 3 games later my opinion hasn’t changed. Gobert has been picked apart and Reid has given them a chance.

[KillerLeft]

That’s fine that you think that. I think Gobert is overrated. I said before the series that Naz Reid is the one that worries me. 3 games later my opinion hasn’t changed. Gobert has been picked apart and Reid has given them a chance.

I think they're BOTH pretty overrated, myself. Gobert is undeniably impactful, but I wouldn't want him on my team, especially at his salary (yikes) and at the cost of like 1,117 first round picks (TRIPLE yikes). 

Naz Reid isn't what this board thinks he is, but he's a good tool to have in the belt. His catch and shoot game is obviously fire and he can move a lot faster than you'd think for his size. Good handle and straight-line drive game, too. I'm just not sure he's much of a defender.

[Scott41theMavs]

Huh??  The Pacers played them pretty tough even without Haliburton. Did you see the end of the game tonight? It took a White 3 to win the game, 105-102. Plus they gave away game one. The fact they got swept doesn't take away they were in the fight the whole series.

Lol "both teams played hard." I wanted the Celtics to play hard for another game. I have thought a lot about how basketball is a game of inches, how the Mavs have come back to win so many of their playoff games, how close the margin in several of them was. Bottom line is, what would have helped the Mavs was the albeit-Haliburton-lacking Pacers *winning a game* against the Celtics, and that didn't happen. They'll never take the Pacers' effort away from them? Effort? That's what 41 said about the ***championship***.

[Smitty]

I think they're BOTH pretty overrated, myself. Gobert is undeniably impactful, but I wouldn't want him on my team, especially at his salary (yikes) and at the cost of like 1,117 first round picks (TRIPLE yikes). 

Naz Reid isn't what this board thinks he is, but he's a good tool to have in the belt. His catch and shoot game is obviously fire and he can move a lot faster than you'd think for his size. Good handle and straight-line drive game, too. I'm just not sure he's much of a defender.

I guess I don’t know “what this board thinks he is”. I don’t read every post and certainly not a lot of Wolves discussions prior to this series. I’m not saying Reid is all-world. Just that of him and Gobert I was less worried of Gobert having an impact against the Mavs. DPOY *eye roll*

[dirkfansince1998]

I think they're BOTH pretty overrated, myself. Gobert is undeniably impactful, but I wouldn't want him on my team, especially at his salary (yikes) and at the cost of like 1,117 first round picks (TRIPLE yikes). 

Naz Reid isn't what this board thinks he is, but he's a good tool to have in the belt. His catch and shoot game is obviously fire and he can move a lot faster than you'd think for his size. Good handle and straight-line drive game, too. I'm just not sure he's much of a defender.

Reid is a terrible defender. Same for KAT. Powell is better than both of them on the defensive end. They don't have a backup that can even play league average defense.

[KillerLeft]

Reid is a terrible defender. Same for KAT. Powell is better than both of them on the defensive end. They don't have a backup that can even play league average defense.

Which adds significant weight to the idea that Gobert is impactful, given they were the league's #1 defense. 

I think two things can be true: Gobert can have an unbelievably large impact on his team's defense, AND Gobert can be a total liability in certain situations.

[KillerLeft]

The guy I've been impressed with is Kyle Anderson. He's a solid, long, versatile defender with what seems to be a high court awareness and a pretty reliable midrange game. Slowest three point shot ever, but he's the guy who should've played more in games 1-3, in my mind.

[KillerLeft]

I just continue to be overjoyed that the Mavs didn't have to play Denver. We'll never know what would've happened, and it doesn't matter a bit, but I really think they'd have been a much tougher matchup for Dallas.

[Scott41theMavs]

Which adds significant weight to the idea that Gobert is impactful, given they were the league's #1 defense. 

I think two things can be true: Gobert can have an unbelievably large impact on his team's defense, AND Gobert can be a total liability in certain situations.

There does seem to be an extent to which RG can be played off the floor such that he is overrated and overpaid. But then you look at how much better he had played this year, and then that seems to have been countered by Luka having a Mt. Everest sized grudge against him - I'm not sure I've ever seen a figure in sports show such dynamic, ongoing disdain for another player as Luka seems to have for Gobert. It's like he's deeply personally offended at the idea of RG getting a single iota of credit for being even a good player. And that Luka mustard seems to have played in role in all three of what were, after all, very close victories.

[Scott41theMavs]

I just continue to be overjoyed that the Mavs didn't have to play Denver.  We'll never know what would've happened, and it doesn't matter a bit, but I really think they'd have been a much tougher matchup for Dallas.

My hope is that Dallas finishes out the Wolves and then beats the Celtics this year, and then improves enough to knock off Jokic head-to-head next year. Win-win. Then Luka can tell his buddy, "It's like I was saying, naw, you can come play in Dallas."

[Smitty]

The guy I've been impressed with is Kyle Anderson. He's a solid, long, versatile defender with what seems to be a high court awareness and a pretty reliable midrange game. Slowest three point shot ever, but he's the guy who should've played more in games 1-3, in my mind.

I said on discord before the series that he would be playable against Dallas (he wasn’t in the previous series) because he could somewhat defend Luka off the bench. His foot speed is slow but it doesn’t have to be fantastic to defend Luka because of his length. Then I think Draymond even said before game 1, on TNT, that he was his X-factor in this series and I thought “Whoa, I said he’d be playable but I wouldn’t go that far.” He has exceeded my own expectations and I was one of one on discord that thought he’d be a factor at all.

[mvossman]

I guess I don’t know “what this board thinks he is”. I don’t read every post and certainly not a lot of Wolves discussions prior to this series. I’m not saying Reid is all-world. Just that of him and Gobert I was less worried of Gobert having an impact against the Mavs. DPOY *eye roll*

There have been a lot of comparisons of Ried to Maxi on this board like "a better shooting Maxi".  He is not in the same ballpark defensively as Maxi.  

That being said, I think Luka nullifies a lot of what Gobert brings to the table.  I also think a 5 out offense with Kat/Reid will be more effective with Lively out (crossing fingers that Maxi can play and not be rusty).  So if there was ever a time to play Ried more than Gobert, its probably tomorrow night.

[Smitty]

There have been a lot of comparisons of Ried to Maxi on this board like "a better shooting Maxi".  He is not in the same ballpark defensively as Maxi.  

That being said, I think Luka nullifies a lot of what Gobert brings to the table.  I also think a 5 out offense with Kat/Reid will be more effective with Lively out (crossing fingers that Maxi can play and not be rusty).  So if there was ever a time to play Ried more than Gobert, its probably tomorrow night.

I agree with all of this. And will emphasize I don’t think Reid is in the same ballpark defensively as Maxi. I definitely didn’t know that’s what the board thinks of him.

[The Jom]

When it’s all said and done, and Mavs are champs again, this board will be all Jokic, Jokic, Jokic. So lucky we didn’t have to play him. His ass smells like flowers. We should just give the Larry to him cause we’re not worthy.

[KillerLeft]

When it’s all said and done, and Mavs are champs again, this board will be all Jokic, Jokic, Jokic. So lucky we didn’t have to play him. His ass smells like flowers. We should just give the Larry to him cause we’re not worthy.

Oh, no! I have no idea who would've won the series, especially after seeing the Mavs dispatch the Wolves with relative ease. The Mavs might've beaten Denver, too, no doubt!

I'm just saying it would've been a more difficult matchup, and I think that's BEYOND clear, at this point. "Styles make fights!" 

You get that talking about his stuff is what we're here to do, right?

[KillerLeft]

And since we're on that subject, I'm more worried about Boston than I was about Denver, so it's not like if the Mavs win the championship I (or anyone sane) will think there's an asterisk next to it or anything, lolololol.

Winning a championship is HARD! Takes skill, chemistry, focus and YES, even a little luck! If the Mavs win, there won't be any way anyone can ever take it away from them!