MAVERICKS SURVIVE LATE SPURS RALLY
Whew! The Mavs controlled the game for much of the match, but gave up a 14-2 run down the stretch, before sealing the victory in the last minute.
GAME STORY
The four guys with the virus remained out. Rick used the same starting lineup that he employed against Indiana — Luka, Brunson, THJ, Green, and KP.
Both teams busted out their offensive chops in the first quarter, with the teams combining to complete 12 of a total 20 3PTAs. Luka had a better line in the quarter than many guys have in a game — 19/5/6. After one, the Mavs led 37-34.
Dallas dominated much of the second period, achieving a game-high lead of 18 at 4:29. The Spurs came back with a run toward the end, and the Mavs went into the locker room with a 68-58 advantage.
The Dallas shooting cooled down in the third, but the Spurs couldn’t capitalize, and the quarter featured a battle that ended 27-27. The scoreline was 95-85 going into the fourth.
Our guys hung in for the early part of the fourth, and led by 13 at the 6:18 mark. Then, the team suffered one of their late-game collapses, committing numerous miscues, and not getting stops. They clung to a 1-point lead with 1:03 to go. Luka danced around in the midrange area, and put up a neat bank shot from 11 feet, to get the lead back to three. DeRozan missed a pull-up. Luka was swarmed at the basket, and found Brunson in the corner for an open three. Mavs +6. Two seconds later, Rudy Gay hit a three, leaving the Mavs clutching on to a three-point edge with 16 seconds. The Spurs played the intentional foul game, and KP and Iwundu came through with their free throws.
STATS
The Mavs and Spurs took roughly the same number of shots, but Dallas attempted 11 more threes. Although the Spurs shot a higher percentage from range, the Mavs were able to get a couple more makes, due to their shot selection. The Spurs had 10 more FTAs than the Mavs, and the Mavs got a little lucky that the Spurs missed seven of theirs. Point differentials for Dallas were +4 on shots from twos, +6 on points from threes, and -5 on made free throws. The Mavericks high scorers were led by Luka with 36 points, KP and THJ with 21 apiece, Brunson 16, and Burke 13.
Both teams took excellent care of the ball, for the most part, and both teams combined for only 13 turnovers. The Mavs balanced their scoring from different parts of the court, and won the PIP contest 50-40.
PLAYERS
HARDAWAY. Tim was just flat in a groove in this one, scoring 21 points with an impressive 8-12 shooting record. He made only a couple of threes, but he was aggressive about getting to the basket, and in fact took half of his shots at close range. He put on a high-flying display from one end of the court to the other. I think his highlight reel play would be a chase down block, followed by running the floor for a flush at the other end. Woo-hoo! Very efficient and balanced performance.
DONCIC. Luka put on yet another ridiculous performance, stat-wise. What more is left to say? He boasted 36 points, 9 rebounds, 11 assists, and only 2 turnovers. He was 9-16 on twos, had four threes, and completed all six of his free-throw attempts. I thought he did a good job of controlling the game, and not panicking when the lead was disappearing. Rick praised his leadership in the huddles.
PORZINGIS. KP contributed 21 points and 8 rebounds, and provided great spacing when the team really needed it. Porzee posted up several times during the game, and Rick was asked about it. He said that Luka called those plays on the floor, as Luka thought KP needed a touch here and there with a smaller guy on him. Rick does not generally favor posting up, but said that he is okay with it if Luka thinks it is necessary, and thinks in this situation, the team was able to use the tactic to advantage.
BRUNSON. Jalen had an excellent game in his starting role, putting up 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists, with 6-11 shooting, three treys, and only one turnover. I really liked the way he and Luka worked together, looking almost as smooth as the Dirk-Jet tandem at times. He also controlled the game well when called upon to do so, and remained calm through the clutch minutes, hitting his dagger three with aplomb. The clutch unit was Luka, KP, Brunson, THJ, and Burke/Iwundu, and presumably reflects a level of Carlisle trust in all of these guys.
IWUNDU. Wes was on the floor for 24 minutes off the bench, was the defensive alternate with Burke in the clutch, and had 2 points, 4 boards and an assist. He received the Defensive Player of the Game Award, with Rick calling his performance “very deserving.” Coach added that he appreciated Wes holding his ground on DeRozan, chasing Patty Mills around, and recovering some 50-50 balls. With all respect and admiration for Wes, I wonder if this award is really for the best defense, or more of an indication of who could use a pat on the head.
HONORABLE MENTIONS. Burke contributed 13 points on efficient shooting, also had some nice passes, and was the offensive alternate in the clutch. Hope to see him put up performances like this with some consistency. Johnson led the bench with 25 minutes, and was somewhat of a mixed bag on the floor. Green had 2 points and 6 boards in 17 minutes. His steal and dunk was the What-a-burger Play of the Game. Willie had 7 points and 4 rebounds in 15 minutes.
SPURS. The Spurs were Spurs-like — a mix of skilled veterans, promising youth, and excellent coaching. They generally elected not to double-team Luka outside the paint, as other teams have been doing, and Luka did a good job of making them pay. Brunson attributed their late run to the facts that “they have great veteran players who really know how to play,” and are well-coached. Kudos to our Dallas boys for overcoming those advantages in San Antonio, where winning is always a tough proposition.
OBSERVATIONS
Rick was very pleased with his team’s disposition during their slide at the end. He revealed that the team had spent a great deal of time working on clutch issues before the season, and thought his guys did a good job at staying ‘cool.” In fact, he liked their “cool” demeanor throughout the game, not letting various bumps in the road like bad calls, missed shots, physical play, and turnovers distract them. Coach said that he had chosen his clutch lineup with the idea that he wanted five shooters on the floor on every offensive possession. He complimented both Luka and KP for their decision-making.
I thought this game was much more like what we hoped to see from the Mavs this season, and it was entertaining to watch. The pace was very fast, and there were all sorts of highlight plays, with pyrotechnical scoring displays from the guards. KP also looked good out there, particularly on the offensive end. I was also cheered by their effectiveness in the paint, as I hoped that the Pacers match would not be a one-off in that respect. And, although the second half of the fourth had me very nervous, I was proud and relieved that they did manage to pull it out. Even if it was baby steps, they’re at least moving in the right direction.
We have another rivalry game tomorrow, facing Victor Oladipo and the new-look Rockets at the AAC. Our four virus players will still be out. Rick said that 1 or 2 of them might “trickle in” next week, but the situation is fluid, and nothing is guaranteed. Apparently, a couple of them have been quite sick. Our best hopes for their speedy recovery.
Until then, MFFLs! Hope everyone is wearing a smile after this one!
Whew! The Mavs controlled the game for much of the match, but gave up a 14-2 run down the stretch, before sealing the victory in the last minute.
GAME STORY
The four guys with the virus remained out. Rick used the same starting lineup that he employed against Indiana — Luka, Brunson, THJ, Green, and KP.
Both teams busted out their offensive chops in the first quarter, with the teams combining to complete 12 of a total 20 3PTAs. Luka had a better line in the quarter than many guys have in a game — 19/5/6. After one, the Mavs led 37-34.
Dallas dominated much of the second period, achieving a game-high lead of 18 at 4:29. The Spurs came back with a run toward the end, and the Mavs went into the locker room with a 68-58 advantage.
The Dallas shooting cooled down in the third, but the Spurs couldn’t capitalize, and the quarter featured a battle that ended 27-27. The scoreline was 95-85 going into the fourth.
Our guys hung in for the early part of the fourth, and led by 13 at the 6:18 mark. Then, the team suffered one of their late-game collapses, committing numerous miscues, and not getting stops. They clung to a 1-point lead with 1:03 to go. Luka danced around in the midrange area, and put up a neat bank shot from 11 feet, to get the lead back to three. DeRozan missed a pull-up. Luka was swarmed at the basket, and found Brunson in the corner for an open three. Mavs +6. Two seconds later, Rudy Gay hit a three, leaving the Mavs clutching on to a three-point edge with 16 seconds. The Spurs played the intentional foul game, and KP and Iwundu came through with their free throws.
STATS
The Mavs and Spurs took roughly the same number of shots, but Dallas attempted 11 more threes. Although the Spurs shot a higher percentage from range, the Mavs were able to get a couple more makes, due to their shot selection. The Spurs had 10 more FTAs than the Mavs, and the Mavs got a little lucky that the Spurs missed seven of theirs. Point differentials for Dallas were +4 on shots from twos, +6 on points from threes, and -5 on made free throws. The Mavericks high scorers were led by Luka with 36 points, KP and THJ with 21 apiece, Brunson 16, and Burke 13.
Both teams took excellent care of the ball, for the most part, and both teams combined for only 13 turnovers. The Mavs balanced their scoring from different parts of the court, and won the PIP contest 50-40.
PLAYERS
HARDAWAY. Tim was just flat in a groove in this one, scoring 21 points with an impressive 8-12 shooting record. He made only a couple of threes, but he was aggressive about getting to the basket, and in fact took half of his shots at close range. He put on a high-flying display from one end of the court to the other. I think his highlight reel play would be a chase down block, followed by running the floor for a flush at the other end. Woo-hoo! Very efficient and balanced performance.
DONCIC. Luka put on yet another ridiculous performance, stat-wise. What more is left to say? He boasted 36 points, 9 rebounds, 11 assists, and only 2 turnovers. He was 9-16 on twos, had four threes, and completed all six of his free-throw attempts. I thought he did a good job of controlling the game, and not panicking when the lead was disappearing. Rick praised his leadership in the huddles.
PORZINGIS. KP contributed 21 points and 8 rebounds, and provided great spacing when the team really needed it. Porzee posted up several times during the game, and Rick was asked about it. He said that Luka called those plays on the floor, as Luka thought KP needed a touch here and there with a smaller guy on him. Rick does not generally favor posting up, but said that he is okay with it if Luka thinks it is necessary, and thinks in this situation, the team was able to use the tactic to advantage.
BRUNSON. Jalen had an excellent game in his starting role, putting up 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists, with 6-11 shooting, three treys, and only one turnover. I really liked the way he and Luka worked together, looking almost as smooth as the Dirk-Jet tandem at times. He also controlled the game well when called upon to do so, and remained calm through the clutch minutes, hitting his dagger three with aplomb. The clutch unit was Luka, KP, Brunson, THJ, and Burke/Iwundu, and presumably reflects a level of Carlisle trust in all of these guys.
IWUNDU. Wes was on the floor for 24 minutes off the bench, was the defensive alternate with Burke in the clutch, and had 2 points, 4 boards and an assist. He received the Defensive Player of the Game Award, with Rick calling his performance “very deserving.” Coach added that he appreciated Wes holding his ground on DeRozan, chasing Patty Mills around, and recovering some 50-50 balls. With all respect and admiration for Wes, I wonder if this award is really for the best defense, or more of an indication of who could use a pat on the head.
HONORABLE MENTIONS. Burke contributed 13 points on efficient shooting, also had some nice passes, and was the offensive alternate in the clutch. Hope to see him put up performances like this with some consistency. Johnson led the bench with 25 minutes, and was somewhat of a mixed bag on the floor. Green had 2 points and 6 boards in 17 minutes. His steal and dunk was the What-a-burger Play of the Game. Willie had 7 points and 4 rebounds in 15 minutes.
SPURS. The Spurs were Spurs-like — a mix of skilled veterans, promising youth, and excellent coaching. They generally elected not to double-team Luka outside the paint, as other teams have been doing, and Luka did a good job of making them pay. Brunson attributed their late run to the facts that “they have great veteran players who really know how to play,” and are well-coached. Kudos to our Dallas boys for overcoming those advantages in San Antonio, where winning is always a tough proposition.
OBSERVATIONS
Rick was very pleased with his team’s disposition during their slide at the end. He revealed that the team had spent a great deal of time working on clutch issues before the season, and thought his guys did a good job at staying ‘cool.” In fact, he liked their “cool” demeanor throughout the game, not letting various bumps in the road like bad calls, missed shots, physical play, and turnovers distract them. Coach said that he had chosen his clutch lineup with the idea that he wanted five shooters on the floor on every offensive possession. He complimented both Luka and KP for their decision-making.
I thought this game was much more like what we hoped to see from the Mavs this season, and it was entertaining to watch. The pace was very fast, and there were all sorts of highlight plays, with pyrotechnical scoring displays from the guards. KP also looked good out there, particularly on the offensive end. I was also cheered by their effectiveness in the paint, as I hoped that the Pacers match would not be a one-off in that respect. And, although the second half of the fourth had me very nervous, I was proud and relieved that they did manage to pull it out. Even if it was baby steps, they’re at least moving in the right direction.
We have another rivalry game tomorrow, facing Victor Oladipo and the new-look Rockets at the AAC. Our four virus players will still be out. Rick said that 1 or 2 of them might “trickle in” next week, but the situation is fluid, and nothing is guaranteed. Apparently, a couple of them have been quite sick. Our best hopes for their speedy recovery.
Until then, MFFLs! Hope everyone is wearing a smile after this one!