GAME 1 Playoffs 2024: Dallas Mavericks (0-0) vs. Boston Celtics (0-0)

[LukaMVP]

I think our D was fine. the first quarter was due more to our unreadiness and our underestimating of KP's fitness than our D itself, and conceding just 109pts against the league's best offensive team isn't too bad a result tbh. it was our stagnant offense that held us back. our first possession was a good one though. gafford attacked the low post and he was too powerful for al's old legs so they had to double him up which created open looks for our guys outside and resulted in a 3. their low post D is such a clear weakness even gafford could have some fun going one on one there.

transition offense is another key and we need to seek such transitional chances whenever possible to speed up the game. when there isn't such a chance and we settle for half court offense, try to find mismatches at the low post and break down their D from there.

[JamesConway912]

Our offense was a bit worrisome. Boston did a great job with timely double teams, keeping Gafford/Lively away from lobs and they did an exceptional job denying offensive boards.

I think we’ll be able to counter some of that stuff - especially wirh better shot making from Kyrie - but Horford and his boxing out might make or break the series. Neither Lively nor Gafford were close to doing their usual - significant - damage on the offensive glass against him. I really hope they’ll find a way to get around / over him. Dude’s just always in the right place. Still an exceptional player even at 38.

KP always had the ability to be a very good post scorer. His biggest issue was to do it consistently. Boston found a way to maximize favorable matchups throughout the entire year. We’ll have to play him more effectively especially the small guards. Crowd him without fouling & every single time he tries to bounce the ball somebody needs to go / pick for the ball without fouling as well. The Clippers completely took his rhythm in the second series against us by doing that a few years ago. Every dribble he took was a TO / almost TO back then. It killed his rhythm. We need to do that too. His dribble is too high to do it in traffic. Luka did a great job stealing / knocking the ball away from him before he even could get the shot up one time. We need more of that.

But overall it’s just a huge task to play Boston. They have so many weapons all over the court. Just an exceptionally well put together team.

[JamesConway912]

Can anyone tell me why Josh tried to dunk on KP with his right hand, if he uses his left he probably dunks on KP's head.

Also took off a bit too far away from the rim. At the end of the day I at least appreciate the effort to go straight for it. Wasn’t scared. 

But yeah not the outcome we needed on that play.

[ballsrchr]

Disappointing first game. Lot of great posts with ideas and changes. I don't need to add anything these posts haven't covered. This gives the Mavs something to work with. The next game will be the tale of the saga...

[fifteenth]

I don't think I have the heart to go back and read all the posts. Maybe I'll scan and cherry pick.

Here are my thoughts:

Boston looked like what smart basketball people have been telling us they are, but on steroids. Their defense was all that and they can all hit threes, drive and pass. It's possible that our young, in process team just reached the big boss that they're not ready for.

However, they have surprised us with resiliency and an uncanny ability to adjust to each team they've faced so far. If they can do it again, I'm here for it. But this is a taller order than they've faced so far.

let's see what happens.

[fifteenth]

Oh, one more thing...

Holiday, Brown and White looked like the best Celtics.

Was Tatum trying to stat pad during garbage time? Is that what a team's "best player" does?

[BigDirk41]

I'm just hoping that they see something on film that we can expose. They clearly stagnated our offense and our defense was trash. I do think winning game 2 is critical to have a chance at the title. It's not critical to make it a long series and have a chance in a game 7, but I like our chances a lot better if we split on the road and then win our 3 home games. Game 7 in the Garden would be absolutely insane. Their crowd was so hyped last night.

[Jym]

Oh, one more thing...

Holiday, Brown and White looked like the best Celtics.

Was Tatum trying to stat pad during garbage time? Is that what a team's "best player" does?

to be fair he's the one that makes their interior defense work 
was hoping we could expose him more in there

[Chicagojk]

Mavs may very well lose this series. Maybe even probable. I just want to get back to Mavs ball. Tough, physical, bully, great in the clutch, Smart, tough contests, hustle, etc. I want to go down fighting.

Last night was not that. In fact, I felt some similarities to the WCF game 1 against Golden State. Mavs felt like they were on their heels all night and the other team just moving at a different speed.

Just get it to 2-2. That is my goal. After that, we will see what happens.

[fifteenth]

to be fair he's the one that makes their interior defense work 
was hoping we could expose him more in there

For sure. But it still looked like he was stat padding in garbage time.

[Chicagojk]

Was it game 2 against OKC, were we started the game posting up PJ. I wonder if we start the game the same way against Boston. Especially if Horford is in there instead of KP.

[fifteenth]

Mavs may very well lose this series.  Maybe even probable.  I just want to get back to Mavs ball.  Tough, physical, bully, great in the clutch, Smart, tough contests, hustle, etc.  I want to go down fighting.

Last night was not that.  In fact, I felt some similarities to the WCF game 1 against Golden State.  Mavs felt like they were on their heels all night and the other team just moving at a different speed.   

Just get it to 2-2.  That is my goal.  After that, we will see what happens.

Sometimes you run into a team that is good enough to take away everything you like to do. The Mavs did that to the top teams in the west. This time, was it the Mavs needing to be tougher and smarter? Or was it the Celtics being good enough to take away what the Mavs like to do? I guess we don't fully know yet. I hate to be a downer, but this looked different than the other game 1 duds in this playoff run. We'll see soon enough.

[MrGoat]

I think our D was fine. the first quarter was due more to our unreadiness and our underestimating of KP's fitness than our D itself, and conceding just 109pts against the league's best offensive team isn't too bad a result tbh. it was our stagnant offense that held us back. our first possession was a good one though. gafford attacked the low post and he was too powerful for al's old legs so they had to double him up which created open looks for our guys outside and resulted in a 3. their low post D is such a clear weakness even gafford could have some fun going one on one there.

transition offense is another key and we need to seek such transitional chances whenever possible to speed up the game. when there isn't such a chance and we settle for half court offense, try to find mismatches at the low post and break down their D from there.

There were definitely some bones to pick with the defense in that game, too

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

https://clutchpoints.com/mavericks-news-...-2-celtics


JJ Redick's thoughts on what the Mavs should do for game 2, FWIW...

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

https://x.com/ChrisForsberg_/status/1799049848727183860


Luka's stats when 38-year-old Al Horford was the primary defender.

[Chicagojk]

https://clutchpoints.com/mavericks-news-...-2-celtics


JJ Redick's thoughts on what the Mavs should do for game 2, FWIW...

I think that is fair.  They need to do a better job stopping penetration.  It is going to be the key for both teams imo.   I think Luka needs to have a similar moment that he had in the Suns series a few years ago.    He is not the only one.   Although, can we count on him to do everything on offense and also step up on D for the full game?   I think we are going to need to find ways to lesson his load.    

#1 is contested self created mid range twos.  #2 is contested off the dribble threes.    Stopping them from getting to the rim is going to be challenging but you are at their mercy if you can't stop their drives.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5548117...ba-finals/


KP's highly unsuspected return.

[SleepingHero]

Yet another tough game 1 from the Mavs.

Once again I found the wind taken from my sails, and it stings extra bad cause it's the Finals.

It seemed as if Kidd didn't use any of the 7 days to game plan for Boston. I don't want to say he intentionally sacked this game as a scouting opportunity, but everyone and their mother could say a good game plan would be to run the Celtics off the 3pt line, which they didn't for the 1st quarter.

The energy seemed off for the whole game. The Mavs started strong but as soon as Boston hit some threes it felt like the whole team collectively was dazed. They couldn't recover and Boston poured it on. How many 2nd chance opportunities did the Celtics get? How many times did the Mavs just half-heartedly double that led to an open 3? So many several small mistakes that added up to a huge deficit. Such is the margins of the Finals.

BUT some stuff to be optimistic about:

Mavs were outscored 37-20 in the first quarter. From then on the game was basically even. Mavs kept pace and the Celtics scored 70 to the Mavs 69. That barrage in the 1st quarter won them the game and the team collapsed.

Boston's scoring as the game went on:
Q1: 37
Q2: 26
Q3: 23
Q4: 21.

Mavs made some real defensive adjustments in the 2nd half. And even though they basically gave up the last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter, they outscored Boston by 3.

KP hit some absolutely stupid shots. The type of shots you'd be happy for him to take. It happens. Kyrie missed 5 threes (3 of which were wide open), airballed a layup, and dribbled off his foot. Variance will average out here.

Mavs can't just have lapses. They need to come out with the right energy from the get go.

I liked the little post up plays they ran for PJ on White. They need to do more of that. PJ has to shoot better from 3 (0-3 overall).

DJJ has to be smart and not just go right at KP to dunk on him.

Luka was great. Only one who showed up offensively. Defensively he had some lapses and poor closeouts. Remember what I said about the margins of a Finals game? Luka has to unfortunately do even more.

What else? Oh Lively had by the numbers a bad game, but he can definitely play. He got called for some really questionable ticky-tack fouls (especially since they let KP just elbow and knee whoever he wanted on a shot). He has to obviously be better in that regard. But he didn't look like a fish out of water.

Gafford had some moments, but truthfully looked a step slow guarding the rim the entire night.


Mavs have to shake off the rust. They have to make adjustments. And most importantly as Kidd said, go just play basketball and have fun. Tune out the noise and pressure and just go play.

"If you don't believe, you shouldn't be here"

[LukaMVP]

Wiggins shared with us his experiences defending Tatum and it also applies to other players. luka knows kp well so he could do a good job defending him and it would be interesting to see more kleber or even Powell on kp at defensive end since they also played with kp on the same team for a few seasons.

wouldn't mind seeing some THJ (he was kp's teammate longer than any mav because they played in NY before coming to Dallas together) minutes either if he weren't a loophole almost everywhere on the floor.

[GATA]

For sure. But it still looked like he was stat padding in garbage time.

Absolutely was.   They kept him in there against out two way players to get numbers

That is a weakness we can exploit.   He is not an alpha.  Make him force shots by constantly talking to him