GAME 5 Playoffs 2024: Dallas Mavericks (3-1) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-3)

[EGrant23]

I hope my light hearted trash talk isn't too much. Your players shit talked the Mavs the whole series. Your coach shit talked the Mavs. They gave them zero respect all series long. Either way, fun series. Ant is an electric freaking player man. Y'all are lucky to have him. McDaniels too. Those two are going to be a big 1-2 duo. As soon as Minny finds a Conley replacement and a way to get out of the 2nd apron, they may be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Not at all. As a lifelong Wolves fans who held season tickets for many years, these are the moments I've been looking forward to. I watch literally every broadcasted game and I have for 20+ years. It's been a long time coming. They may indeed be a force, but we all know what can happen from year to year and nothing is ever a given in the west. I'll be the first one to admit that I shit talked the Mavs after game 7 against the Nuggets. I thought this series would be a walk in the park compared to that series. I didn't anticipate the extremely poor play put out of KAT and I certainly didn't expect Luka/Kyrie to play that well that consistently.

[surfpuckmd]

I was wondering a while about this THJ thing. Kidd is not even giving him those 5 minutes "lets see if he is hot tonight" runs anymore. Despite a constant poor play by Exum, for example. It seems very improbable that Mavs and THJ would quit on eachother during such a playoff run. Also very obvious THJ will not be a Maverick next season. I don't think they will wait till deadline.

It's weird.  Kidd stuck by THJ through good times and bad but now he is shunned.

He must have found out that THJ was texting Christian Wood.  That can't be forgiven.

[WillE]

I was wondering a while about this THJ thing. Kidd is not even giving him those 5 minutes "lets see if he is hot tonight" runs anymore. Despite a constant poor play by Exum, for example. It seems very improbable that Mavs and THJ would quit on eachother during such a playoff run. Also very obvious THJ will not be a Maverick next season. I don't think they will wait till deadline.

Well, Kidd just moved to Hardy. He even took Exums minutes, as he could provide the obviously desired scoring and playmaking alone.

But he might reconsider against the Celtics. Will depend on the need, but it's at least a good sign for Hardy that he was able to reward the trust.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

It's weird.  Kidd stuck by THJ through good times and bad but now he is shunned.

He must have found out that THJ was texting Christian Wood.  That can't be forgiven.

It's quite obvious THJ's days in Dallas are numbered. He's totally out the rotation. But it wouldn't surprise me if he made a cameo appearance vs Boston.

[fifteenth]

I mean what do you expect him to say after that beatdown? That he hopes Dallas wins the title? He's just 22, and he wasn't the reason they lost the series. He didn't get any help whatsoever.

He was only good for a couple of games. And plenty of great players give props to the other guys when they lose. And saying that he had nothing to learn? He's got some maturing to do.

[Mavs2021]

I don´t read too much into what Edwards said. He´s young and he liked the media reaction to him being a quote machine. Let´s also not forget that coming into the league there was a serious discussion about his emotional stability and background. There were serious enough concerns. IF there had been better options than Wiseman, Ball, Williams or Okoro that might have been enough to drop him from the #1 spot. I think ultimately Minny was/is a good place for him, and now he´ll have to learn to handle this new attention.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

He was only good for a couple of games. And plenty of great players give props to the other guys when they lose. And saying that he had nothing to learn? He's got some maturing to do.

Ok, again he's 22. Luka is 3 years older and he needs to mature too, like stop bitching and complaining about fouls.

[SleepingHero]

It's weird.  Kidd stuck by THJ through good times and bad but now he is shunned.

He must have found out that THJ was texting Christian Wood.  That can't be forgiven.

At the end of the day, production is what matters. 

THJ didn't produce despite opportunities and in the playoffs every possession matters.  Can't have 3 airballs in a row and go down by 8. 

If he played defense then he'd have a shot but he doesn't. 

Maybe THJ has a good series next week!

[MarkAguirreWrathofGod]

I don´t read too much into what Edwards said. He´s young and he liked the media reaction to him being a quote machine. Let´s also not forget that coming into the league there was a serious discussion about his emotional stability and background. There were serious enough concerns. IF there had been better options than Wiseman, Ball, Williams or Okoro that might have been enough to drop him from the #1 spot. I think ultimately Minny was/is a good place for him, and now he´ll have to learn to handle this new attention.

He also walked off the court when the rest of his team didn’t. Cornball brother.

[SleepingHero]

Ok, again he's 22. Luka is 3 years older and he needs to mature too, like stop bitching and complaining about fouls.

Bro you can't compare shit talking the refs and not respecting your opponent. C'mon now.

[EGrant23]

He was only good for a couple of games. And plenty of great players give props to the other guys when they lose. And saying that he had nothing to learn? He's got some maturing to do.

I think the ultra competitor in certain players get the best of them at times. If the Wolves  won this series, I certainly wouldn't expect any Mavs player to come out right after the game and give kudos. I'd be just fine with them talking about what they need to do to get better and improve, which is what Edwards did. I am not a huge fan of him walking into the locker room after the game, but I get it. I also need to keep telling myself that he is just 22 and does have some growing up to do. I do think his head & heart are in the right place though. Playing with USA and being around some of those vets will help I hope.

[Mavs2021]

TNT crew stays. The 4th best young player in the NBA has spoken.

[fifteenth]

Ok, again he's 22. Luka is 3 years older and he needs to mature too, like stop bitching and complaining about fouls.

ANT needs a mentor. I hope it's not KAT.

[MarkAguirreWrathofGod]

TNT crew stays. The 4th best young player in the NBA has spoken.

Ant was #2. Shai was #3.

[fifteenth]

Playing with USA and being around some of those vets will help I hope.

That's a great point. It'll be interesting to see what he does with the disappointment. You and I both know that the NBA generally requires young stars to mature through adversity in order to climb the mountain.

[Arioch]

I don't think KAT is a dirty player--he's just reckless and weirdly uncoordinated for a guy who is also as good a basketball player as he is.

Gobert, on the other hand, is dirty as hell.

[KillerLeft]

Wolves are a young team like the Thunder and Houston. More tweaks will be needed. They all will be back along with Memphis. But you can't put on a performance like that at home. It's almost like they were just happy not to get swept. No rest for the weary in the tough Western Conference. Congratulations to the Mavs however, they move on to the Finals vs Boston.

I haven't cross checked the ages, but I feel like Dallas is actually YOUNGER than Minnesota, and by a considerable margin. 

Kyrie is oldish, but Conley is older. 

I feel like KAT, Anderson and Reid are all older than anyone else in the Dallas rotation, but I might be wrong about that. I mean, I know KAT is, but maybe I just feel like Anderson and Reid are because they look older to me, don't know. 

Regardless of the direct comparison, it's interesting to me that people (national media, other fan bases, etc) are acting like this is just the fruition of the momentum since Luka was drafted, when in reality they have almost completely remade the team since the WCF run two years ago. Outside of Kyrie and Kleber, I'm not sure they have a rotation player over the age of 26. THE MAVS are a young team.

[KillerLeft]

Numbers need context. Dirk's shots took place with more responsibility on his back than KAT has ever shown he can handle.

Not to mention that Dirk pioneered the entire play style. Without Dirk, KAT would'nt have even been allowed to play that way. 

This conversation offends me greatly. There is no comparison of the two that has any business appearing in the world.

[dirkfansince1998]

I haven't cross checked the ages, but I feel like Dallas is actually YOUNGER than Minnesota, and by a considerable margin. 

Kyrie is oldish, but Conley is older. 

I feel like KAT, Anderson and Reid are all older than anyone else in the Dallas rotation, but I might be wrong about that. I mean, I know KAT is, but maybe I just feel like Anderson and Reid are because they look older to me, don't know. 

Regardless of the direct comparison, it's interesting to me that people (national media, other fan bases, etc) are acting like this is just the fruition of the momentum since Luka was drafted, when in reality they have almost completely remade the team since the WCF run two years ago. Outside of Kyrie and Kleber, I'm not sure they have a rotation player over the age of 26. THE MAVS are a young team.

Not sure what I would do. They can build around a young core of Edwards, McDaniels and Reid. But I think any potential improvement from younger guys is going to be offset by the decline of Conley and Gobert.
Do you trade Gobert? KAT? When their value is probably close to rock bottom. Try to retool like the Mavs and look for cheap guys that can earn rotation minutes (like DJJ or Exum). Or run it back with the same crew.

[KillerLeft]

Gobert, on the other hand, is dirty as hell.

Man, did you see that move when he was walking away with his hands up and still found a way to overtly slap Lively in the face without looking? He's a master at making that stuff seem incidental, but when you watch it a few times, back-to-back, and actually process what you're seeing, IT WAS INTENTIONAL. Very dirty player. No wonder the players don't like him.