01-24-2025, 12:48 AM
I might be the only one, but Dinwiddie played practically a perfect game. He stepped up in the 4th when OKC got some momentum. He made such a smart play by holding the ball with 3 minutes left and finding Maxi wide open for a kill shot 3. It's crazy because if Dinwiddie played like this every game, we'd already have 40 wins. Dude played incredible. I have to give him the Dirkie just for that. That level of Dinwiddie play at his best literally turns this team into a super team when healthy.
PJ also played a practically perfect game. 22 points and what should be 20 rebounds, is an insane game by any measure. His effort on the boards was game changing. Herculean effort. Deserving of a dirkie.
OMax had his best game of his career tonight. His ability to get to the rim has surprised me over and over. He plays with pure effort and that alone saved the Mavs at least 10 points this game. I don't get why he doesn't get more minutes, especially from Maxi. If he can play like this every night he deserves it.
Kessler Edwards surprised me tonight. He has zero offensive game. He passed up so many wide open looks (which may have been smart given that OKC was begging him to shoot) that made it like the Mavs played 4 on 5 down on offense. But defensively? Sheesh. That dude covered Shai almost perfectly tonight. So many good contests and rotations. I can see why Nico and the Mavs made him a priority as a developmental spot.
Honorable mention to JKidd for that ingenious matchup 2-3 zone. OKC was flummoxed. They shaded 2 to the ball and had the big man tag the corner instead of the dude flashing middle. Honestly an incredible idea and it was so unique. Either corner had to cover the middle and it basically forced OKC's centers and wings into shots they aren't comfortable with. It's super risky, because if the corner man can't get in front of the rim fast enough, it's a wide open dunk. But we saw the benefits. Again, I have no clue how a coach that can conjure up that level of defensive mastery also the very next night look totally checked out and allow his team to play with no juice.
Anyways, what a game. What a fight.
PJ also played a practically perfect game. 22 points and what should be 20 rebounds, is an insane game by any measure. His effort on the boards was game changing. Herculean effort. Deserving of a dirkie.
OMax had his best game of his career tonight. His ability to get to the rim has surprised me over and over. He plays with pure effort and that alone saved the Mavs at least 10 points this game. I don't get why he doesn't get more minutes, especially from Maxi. If he can play like this every night he deserves it.
Kessler Edwards surprised me tonight. He has zero offensive game. He passed up so many wide open looks (which may have been smart given that OKC was begging him to shoot) that made it like the Mavs played 4 on 5 down on offense. But defensively? Sheesh. That dude covered Shai almost perfectly tonight. So many good contests and rotations. I can see why Nico and the Mavs made him a priority as a developmental spot.
Honorable mention to JKidd for that ingenious matchup 2-3 zone. OKC was flummoxed. They shaded 2 to the ball and had the big man tag the corner instead of the dude flashing middle. Honestly an incredible idea and it was so unique. Either corner had to cover the middle and it basically forced OKC's centers and wings into shots they aren't comfortable with. It's super risky, because if the corner man can't get in front of the rim fast enough, it's a wide open dunk. But we saw the benefits. Again, I have no clue how a coach that can conjure up that level of defensive mastery also the very next night look totally checked out and allow his team to play with no juice.
Anyways, what a game. What a fight.
14x All-Star, 12x all-NBA, 1x MVP, 1x Finals MVP, 1 NBA Championship: Dirk Nowitzki, the man, the myth, the legend.
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