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

[windjc]

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.

Dallas would walked right through Denver in 5.

[KillerLeft]

Dallas would walked right through Denver in 5.

Maybe! Maybe not! We'll never know, and it doesn't matter now!

[The Jom]

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?

Just having fun. But there are some real man crushes on the Joker round here.

[Knutsen]

Maybe! Maybe not! We'll never know, and it doesn't matter now!

We won‘t, but I think the game in march that we won in Denver was a good indicator how the series could have gone. 

We badly outrebounded them and Luka, Kyrie and our two centers where scoring. 

We kept Murray inefficient, and that was before he was hobbled and before we where really in sync defensively. 

We were even keeping Jokic ineffecient, but I wouldn‘t bet on that in a playoff series. But Kyrie and Luka where also less efficient then they usually are, so that would have evened out.

If Jokic goes absolutely ballistic for 4 games and is by far the best player on the floor over Luka and Kyrie Denver could have won, but I‘d like our chances the way we are clicking on D and Luka and Kyrie are cooking right now. 

So in total most of the games would also have been close, with a better chance of Denver winning them with Jokic and a clutch Murray than Minnesota has. And that’s really been the difference against Minnesota, that we are much, much better in the last 5 minutes of close games.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Dallas would walked right through Denver in 5.

I doubt that very seriously. Hyperbole much?

[HoosierDaddyKid]

We won‘t, but I think the game in march that we won in Denver was a good indicator how the series could have gone. 

We badly outrebounded them and Luka, Kyrie and our two centers where scoring. 

We kept Murray inefficient, and that was before he was hobbled and before we where really in sync defensively. 

We were even keeping Jokic ineffecient, but I wouldn‘t bet on that in a playoff series. But Kyrie and Luka where also less efficient then they usually are, so that would have evened out.

If Jokic goes absolutely ballistic for 4 games and is by far the best player on the floor over Luka and Kyrie Denver could have won, but I‘d like our chances the way we are clicking on D and Luka and Kyrie are cooking right now. 

So in total most of the games would also have been close, with a better chance of Denver winning them with Jokic and a clutch Murray than Minnesota has. And that’s really been the difference against Minnesota, that we are much, much better in the last 5 minutes of close games.

And it took a running left handed hook shot by Kyrie to beat them the last time they played. So what's your point?  I don't think the Mavs handle Denver the way they've handled the Wolves. The matchups are different.

[dirkfansince1998]

Just having fun. But there are some real man crushes on the Joker round here.

Meh. I know that you will try to fight against the numbers but that's where my admiration for Jokic ends. Great basketball player. We can agree/disagree where he ranks all time. Reasons not to like him belong belong in another thread. Most people probably don't care about politics and the role of athlets in Serbia.

[Knutsen]

And it took a running left handed hook shot by Kyrie to beat them the last time they played. So what's your point?  I don't think the Mavs handle Denver the way they've handled the Wolves. The matchups are different.

That‘s my whole point - I’d expect mostly tight games with a chance to go either way at the end. Neither the Nuggets would blow us out 4 times nor vice versa. Which means I‘d like our chances in that series also. 

The 3 games with Minnesota have all been close as well, with each and every one going our way at the end because of our crunch time superiority. There wasn’t a single blowout and I guess we won’t see one tonight without Lively.

[Smitty]

https://x.com/clutchpoints/status/179544...57672?s=46&t=4w35gotNXtBJnqxbaL7e9w

Maxi Kleber (shoulder separation) is expected to make his return to the Mavericks lineup tonight for Game 4 against the Timberwolves, per @TheSteinLine.

Kleber has not played since May 3


Huge getting Maxi back! Without Lively I didn’t like the Mavs chances in game 4. Having Maxi gives me a bit more confidence they can close it out tonight at home.

[Lukedoncic]

Having Maxi gives me a bit more confidence they can close it out tonight at home.

Not if Scott Foster and Ed Malloy have anything to say about it…

[dirkfansince1998]

Not if Scott Foster and Ed Malloy have anything to say about it…

Honestly feels like they only have 3-4 refs for the entire playoffs. Foster or Brothers every single game...

[SleepingHero]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
Dallas’ Maxi Kleber (shoulder) has been cleared to make his return tonight vs. Timberwolves with Mavericks one win away from the NBA Finals, sources say.

[SleepingHero]

I hope Maxi is the difference in this game. There hasn't been a mention on minutes yet, but I'd imagine he's on a restriction. 15 minutes would be enough to cover the Powell minutes and the minutes Lively played. 6 mins end of 1st, 6 mins end of 4th, last minute of the 2nd and 3rd. Then let Gafford go all out for 28-30 minutes.

[surfpuckmd]

I doubt that very seriously. Hyperbole much?

I agree with the others that we probably would beat the Nuggets in a 7-game series.  I think in probabilities and I believe there's a 65 percent chance we'd beat the Nuggets in a playoff series.  I believe it would be very competitive though.  Although we're up 3-0 on Minnesota, we're obviously matched very evenly as every game has been really close.  We've just had better clutch performances. 

I think Luka and Jokic are on similar levels.  I think Kyrie is much better than Jamal Murray though and our bench is vastly superior to Denver's.  

It would be a fun series and there's a good chance we see it in the next few years.  I'm tired of playing the Clippers in the playoffs.

[fifteenth]

It's great that we'll have Maxi. I do wonder whether he can hit the ground running, or not, though. I guess if his shot is off because of his absence, he will still most likely be able to play good D.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

I agree with the others that we probably would beat the Nuggets in a 7-game series.  I think in probabilities and I believe there's a 65 percent chance we'd beat the Nuggets in a playoff series.  I believe it would be very competitive though.  Although we're up 3-0 on Minnesota, we're obviously matched very evenly as every game has been really close.  We've just had better clutch performances. 

I think Luka and Jokic are on similar levels.  I think Kyrie is much better than Jamal Murray though and our bench is vastly superior to Denver's.  

It would be a fun series and there's a good chance we see it in the next few years.  I'm tired of playing the Clippers in the playoffs.

Opinions. We all have different ones.  Things happen that can change the trajectories either way.

[SleepingHero]

Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth)
Maxi Kleber on playing Game 4: "We're gonna warm up and then see where we at."

Kleber says he's "had a few days" to shoot 3s and made "some big progress" over the last day. He says his shot "feels good."

Watch Kleber's full interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t5choGw0Vg

[SleepingHero]

Time stamp 1:42 where Woj speaks on Lively.

He is stiff and sore. The expectation is that Lively, if he does miss game 4, he's not going to miss much beyond that.

[mvossman]

Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth)
Maxi Kleber on playing Game 4: "We're gonna warm up and then see where we at."

Kleber says he's "had a few days" to shoot 3s and made "some big progress" over the last day. He says his shot "feels good."

Watch Kleber's full interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t5choGw0Vg

It would be great if Maxi can play and contribute, but its nice to have Powell if that is not the case.  I realize he is a significant downgrade from Lively, but folks seem to be forgetting that we beat this team with Powell starting earlier this season.  If Powell does play, I expect the usual from him.  Some missed rebounds and open lanes to the basket accompanied by a ton of bashing from Mavs fans while the on/off shows he didn't really hurt us while on the court.

[SleepingHero]

It would be great if Maxi can play and contribute, but its nice to have Powell if that is not the case.  I realize he is a significant downgrade from Lively, but folks seem to be forgetting that we beat this team with Powell starting earlier this season.  If Powell does play, I expect the usual from him.  Some missed rebounds and open lanes to the basket accompanied by a ton of bashing from Mavs fans while the on/off shows he didn't really hurt us while on the court.

One thing I'm looking forward to with Powell is his ability to navigate the short roll. He's probably our closest big that can match Lively in being able to make the right reads.

His rebounding and rim protection though, as always, leaves a lot to be desired. Still, he only has to play spot minutes until Gafford is ready to go.

Hopefully he can have a legacy rebounding game.