MAVS NEWS:

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Kyrie has been averaging 25/5/4 a night on 50/40/100 since the ASB. 

JB in that span 24/2/7 on 43/33/90

Brunson is great dont get me wrong. He is a 1st option. But Kyrie has been out of this world the the last 3 weeks. 

If we want to go back since February, Mavs are 13-5 in their last 18 and Kyrie is at 26/5/5/ on 52/43/94.

JB since February the Knicks are 7-7 in the games JB played and he's at 29/3/6 on 46/33/87.

Just as dirkfan says, Brunson has had to carry the load in NY due to OG and Randle's injuries. Dallas hasn't had the injury bug hit them as hard with key players missing significant amounts of time. Not a fair comparison. Kyrie has been good, but Brunson has been better regardless of stats.

[SleepingHero]

Remember the Mavs-Knicks game. Knicks had seven active players. Brunson has been carrying a roster without Robinson, Anunoby and Randle. Even the backup center Hartenstein missed a lot of games. Not exactly a fair comparisation.

Yes I do remember that game. That same game Kyrie had 44points and 10 assists and out dueled Brunson to get the W. 

I'm not saying Brunson is a bad player. Quite the opposite. Brunson is great. He's had a career year and has reached a place I truly never thought he could've reached. At the same time, I'm trying to highlight how good Irving also is and has been right now. Can Kyrie be the 1st option on the Knicks and lead them to their record? Probably not just due to health issues and Thibs running him into the ground. But I wouldn't be shocked if in that reality the Knicks are in a similar place today with Kyrie at the helm.

[SleepingHero]

Incredible trip down memory lane. Dirk was in fact HIM.

[KillerLeft]

Incredible trip down memory lane. Dirk was in fact HIM.

I enjoyed that sooooo much. Thanks for posting!

[Smitty]

Josh Green out a couple of weeks, per Kidd.

[Chicagojk]

Josh Green out a couple of weeks, per Kidd.

With Green being out for a few weeks and Exum doubtful due to Plantar fasciitis means you really need to be careful with his minutes....even when he is available.   

I wonder how they fill in for minutes.   I would guess Hardaway gets more minutes but that puts such a big drain on any defensive plans.   I wonder if they try anything else besides giving Hardaway close to 30 minutes?

[dirkfansince1998]

Yes I do remember that game. That same game Kyrie had 44points and 10 assists and out dueled Brunson to get the W. 

I'm not saying Brunson is a bad player. Quite the opposite. Brunson is great. He's had a career year and has reached a place I truly never thought he could've reached. At the same time, I'm trying to highlight how good Irving also is and has been right now. Can Kyrie be the 1st option on the Knicks and lead them to their record? Probably not just due to health issues and Thibs running him into the ground. But I wouldn't be shocked if in that reality the Knicks are in a similar place today with Kyrie at the helm.

Must have been a duel for the ages. Brunson with 0/0/0 in 0 minutes.

[Smitty]

With Green being out for a few weeks and Exum doubtful due to Plantar fasciitis means you really need to be careful with his minutes....even when he is available.   

I wonder how they fill in for minutes.   I would guess Hardaway gets more minutes but that puts such a big drain on any defensive plans.   I wonder if they try anything else besides giving Hardaway close to 30 minutes?

DJJ probably goes back to his pre-trade minutes. ~26 MPG. He was getting squeezed to about 14 mpg with everyone healthy. But yes, Tim will go back up to around 25+ minutes or so, which is up from his 17 mpg he’s been getting recently.

[ThisIStheYear]

Brunson scored 42 and did the Mavs a solid tonight beating the Kings. He also showed that he’s probably a little better than Kyrie now

I take it back! Sorry Kyrie.

[rocky164]

With this rough part of the schedule behind us we now have 14 games left 8 of which are against teams with losing records. Win all 8 of those then split the 6 games against teams with winning records gets us to 11-3 for the closing stretch and 50 wins for the season. The key will be winning the games against losing teams AND splitting the 2 games with the Kings. If we do that, I think we’re solidly in the 6 spot probably playing the T-Wolves in the opening round.

[SleepingHero]

MFFL NATION (@NationMffl)
Last time the Mavs hit a buzzer beater was last season against the Lakers. Kyrie Irving hit Maxi Kleber for a three-point shot on the wing.

Today, Maxi Kleber had an inbound pass to Kyrie Irving for a left hand floater at the free-throw line to beat the Nuggets.

[SleepingHero]

Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon)
Kyrie Irving’s jaw-dropping, southpaw buzzer-beater was the second-longest hook shot in the NBA this season.

The longest, per the NBA’s play-by-play data: An Irving alley-oop pass that accidentally banked in the bucket.

[Smitty]

The battle for 6 and to stay out of the play-in.

Mavs Schedule. #29 SOS .453
@ SAS
vs UTAH
@ UTAH
@ SAC (b2b)
@ SAC
@ HOU
@ GSW
vs ATL
vs GSW (b2b)
vs HOU
@ CHA
@ MIA (b2b)
vs DET
@ OKC

Kings Schedule. #9 SOS .519
@ TOR
@ WAS (b2b)
@ ORL
vs PHI
vs DAL (b2b)
vs DAL
vs UTAH
vs LAC
@ NYK
@ BOS (b2b)
@ BKN
@ OKC
vs NOP
vs PHX (b2b)
vs POR

Suns Schedule. #2 SOS .564
vs PHI
vs ATL (b2b)
@ SAS
@ SAS
@ DEN
@ OKC
@ NOP
vs CLE
vs MIN
vs NOP
vs LAC
@ LAC (b2b)
@ SAC
@ MIN

[omahen]

Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon)
Kyrie Irving’s jaw-dropping, southpaw buzzer-beater was the second-longest hook shot in the NBA this season.

The longest, per the NBA’s play-by-play data: An Irving alley-oop pass that accidentally banked in the bucket.

Wondering why Lukas hook shot from three is not on this list

[Chicagojk]

Not your old Mavericks any longer.

https://twitter.com/MFollowill/status/17...2758093210

[michaeltex]

Not your old Mavericks any longer.

https://twitter.com/MFollowill/status/17...2758093210

I like to see both Lively and Gafford as willing, hard working participants who are filling the donut hole that has been in the Mav's defense for years. And Luka/Kyrie/Exum/etc. are rewarding them with lobs and inside passes to allow the big guys to score and fill out their own stat sheet.

One thing I noticed was that Jokic was pretty successful playing bully ball. Pushed either C deep in the paint then either take the shot or pass to a cutting dunker (e.g., Gordon). Worried at one point that DEN would ride that play into a win. Hope our bigs can bulk up some over the off season. But they definitely looked quicker than Jokic, more energy, more bounce, so I'm hopeful going forward that DAL is starting to find the confidence they will need for the playoffs.

[DallasMaverick]

I like to see both Lively and Gafford as willing, hard working participants who are filling the donut hole that has been in the Mav's defense for years. And Luka/Kyrie/Exum/etc. are rewarding them with lobs and inside passes to allow the big guys to score and fill out their own stat sheet.

One thing I noticed was that Jokic was pretty successful playing bully ball. Pushed either C deep in the paint then either take the shot or pass to a cutting dunker (e.g., Gordon). Worried at one point that DEN would ride that play into a win. Hope our bigs can bulk up some over the off season. But they definitely looked quicker than Jokic, more energy, more bounce, so I'm hopeful going forward that DAL is starting to find the confidence they will need for the playoffs.

Seems like the Mavs were switching on bigs.  So we’d often see Gafford or Lively switching with Maxi, PJ, or Luka. From that standpoint, the extra-big lineup they used at the end makes sense. 

And Jokic shot poorly. Cause-and-effect? Possibly.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Seems like the Mavs were switching on bigs.  So we’d often see Gafford or Lively switching with Maxi, PJ, or Luka. From that standpoint, the extra-big lineup they used at the end makes sense. 

And Jokic shot poorly. Cause-and-effect? Possibly.

Lively guarded Jokic better than I've ever seen.

[SleepingHero]

Omax highlights

[myconsumerclub]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NnPsE_bV_M