PLAYOFF GAME 5 DIRKIE: Winner Luka (71%) | Runner-Up DP (20%)

[ballsrchr]

Ah man...this is a game where I wish I had at least a tri-Dirkie to give out.  Luka was phenomenal, DFS was very good, DP was exactly what I thought he was, and even THJ showed up.  Ok...that's a quadra-Dirkie...at least.  A team Dirkie!  But I only have one Dirkie.  Gotta be Luka.  This is HIS team.

[KillerLeft]

I would actually try it. I am extremely scared of Bobi experience - will Clippers really shoot that bad again? I think we cashed in this chip.

Absofreakinglutely.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Official NBA site actually has .389 vs .368. Mavs still won

Interesting.  Popcorn machine has us 14 of 35 instead of NBA.com at 14/36 (one of Luka's misses was classified differently).  They have LAC at 14 of 36 instead of 14 of 38 (they disagree on misses from George and Leonard).  

As to the Bobi experience, you can argue that it didn't work.  We were -9 with him in the game.  The only positive stint was to start the game when LAC was probably wondering "what the hell".  We started 7-0, but immediately gave back five of that.  We went +6 when Powell and Maxi came in for Bobi and KP.

I wonder though if the idea was to force the Clipper mindset to a more perimeter game.  We certainly stopped the lay up line of the previous games and forced LAC to be the team living (or dying) by the three.  The Clippers hit 45% of their three's in Q-1, but never got above 40% the rest of the game (and never really got it going on non-3's either).  So, is the Bobi experience more about on-court superiority or coaxing a certain mindset out of LAC?

[KillerLeft]

I wonder though if the idea was to force the Clipper mindset to a more perimeter game.  

I think this was EXACTLY the idea, and it was successful in that aim. Still pretty risky, imo, given all the wide open threes that came of it. Personally, I think it's risky to just hope the best 3pt shooting team in the league misses a scad of open shots, but that's exactly what happened in the first. It paid off in game 5.

[ItsGoTime]

Interesting.  Popcorn machine has us 14 of 35 instead of NBA.com at 14/36 (one of Luka's misses was classified differently).  They have LAC at 14 of 36 instead of 14 of 38 (they disagree on misses from George and Leonard).  

As to the Bobi experience, you can argue that it didn't work.  We were -9 with him in the game.  The only positive stint was to start the game when LAC was probably wondering "what the hell".  We started 7-0, but immediately gave back five of that.  We went +6 when Powell and Maxi came in for Bobi and KP.

I wonder though if the idea was to force the Clipper mindset to a more perimeter game.  We certainly stopped the lay up line of the previous games and forced LAC to be the team living (or dying) by the three.  The Clippers hit 45% of their three's in Q-1, but never got above 40% the rest of the game (and never really got it going on non-3's either).  So, is the Bobi experience more about on-court superiority or coaxing a certain mindset out of LAC?

I think it was more about the commitment to stay big all game as opposed to starting Bobi. We know what the game looks like if we try to match up small ball with small ball. They are by far the better team.

[KillerLeft]

We know what the game looks like if we try to match up small ball with small ball.

Do we? I mean, I agree the Clippers are the more talented team (don't think it matters what style is played) but have we actually seen the Mavs go small in this series yet?

[Kammrath]

Do we?

We do.

[KillerLeft]

We do.

But how? They haven't really gone smaller than the Clippers yet. 

I think there was a little time in one or both of the first two games where they played only one big, but that one big was WCS, if memory serves. I can't remember a single stretch where they played what I would consider a small ball lineup. Maybe I'm forgetting it.

[Kammrath]

But how?

So what is the small ball lineup you want the Mavs to try?

[fifteenth]

@"KillerLeft" and @"Kammrath"

Re: small and big ball

Seems like the level of at the rim domination that KL and PG were exerting in Dallas had become more of a threat than their 3 pt shooting. Seems like throwing the two towers out their for the beginning stretch at least set a tone, and didn't allow the Clips to get in to paint domination mode. 

But then later in the game the swings in the Mavs favor came from energy provided by Powell and that seemed to ignite DFS and THJ. Those later game runs weren't really sparked by big ball, and somehow the Clips weren't kiling us in the paint during that time.

So the answer probably isn't either small or big. They'll probably have to do a combo. This series has been such a chess match. I'm excited to see if Rick has kept some cards back to play for this last win.

[KillerLeft]

So what is the small ball lineup you want the Mavs to try?

What I would have done (knowing Carlisle doesn’t have this option in reality) is start WCS in place ok KP and bring Powell off the bench. That’s not small ball to start, but I expected a healthy dose of Powell at center during the days leading up to that game.

I felt that way because I didn’t feel the Boban minutes in game 4 were all that promising, and because Powell is the best big on the roster at rotating from the paint to the perimeter.

[fifteenth]

but I expected a healthy dose of Powell at center during the days leading up to that game

At some point during the first four games I started wondering if Powell was being held as one of the cards to play later in the series. He came up big last night. Surely he'll play a roll in game 6 as well.

[SkenfromLMF]

The small lineup I wanted to see was Luka - J Rich - THJ - DFS - Maxi

This lineup would have Maxi on Kawhi and J Rich on PG13. Luka would cover MM. I think that Maxi not being 100% scared us off this strategy because KL can get past Maxi on the dribble and the players that would be exposed as help defenders would be Luka/DFS. So we have not seen any of this as they are too important to what we do to have them exposed to fouls - at least early. Gut check win and we need one more.

One more thing to add... IF KP stayed away from fouls he was having a decent game rebounding it was when he had to leave that LAC started to get comfortable - he was a presence on both the wing and corner shooters when they skipped the ball to the right side of (their) the offensive set. IMO opinion the Bobi Experience was exposed because KP left the floor and there were not a lot of KP/DP combo minutes available. When Bobi fatigued the Clipps athleticism not just diminished his effectiveness but turned him into a negative.

So my take is that the plan was probably to set a tone with Bobi/KP then bring DP in for Bobi and run with KP/DP for a more athletic front-court that kept a size advantage, and limited the exposure of Maxi.  KP getting a couple of unfortunate fouls forced the wholesale front-court line changes as plan B. Not sure when or vs which Clippers front court, but a WCS, KP line would theoretically give Dallas the athletic front court advantage at the 4/5. IMO WCS could do some of what they apparently like vs Kawhi when they match Maxi on him.

[IamDougieFresh]

Look at this fookin spaz

https://twitter.com/MChrzuszcz/status/14...84001?s=19

[Hypermav]

We should not make fun of facial ticks

[mavsluvr]

Surely he'll play a roll in game 6 as well.

I see what you did there.

[fifteenth]

I see what you did there.

LOL!!! That was an accident. Accidental genius is what I do.

[IamDougieFresh]

We should not make fun of facial ticks

What about a full loss of motor skills?

[Dahlsim]

I think it was more about the commitment to stay big all game as opposed to starting Bobi. We know what the game looks like if we try to match up small ball with small ball. They are by far the better team.

Bingo.  As informative and helpful as any stats may be they are always limited by their context and assumptions. 
The coaches have to play the chess game with their eyeballs as well as their stats. 

The commitment to stay big all game long created an exhaustion factor that I don't think we've seen at all against the Clippers. 
Kawhi Leonard literally shot a couple of way off air balls by the end of game.  He just doesn't do that normally.  
 
Watch closely how much energy and effort the Clippers exert to guard against both KP and Boban. Even if they are successful it is a load that takes a toll. 
I watched guys like Morris, Batum get down in stance and fight to keep Boban off the boards.  

Maybe fatigue contributes to all those Clipper turnovers and even key misses? 

Add to that how when Powell, Kleber and WCS roll in they have a full stock of energy and all their fouls available to them! 
Coach already pointed out how he uses KP to force spacing even when he's not the primary target shooting the ball.   
KP even though he's not putting up Unicorn numbers provides gravity to the perimeter. 

Similarly Boban pulls incredible gravity spacing energy INTO the paint.  He absolutely cannot be ignored heading toward the rim. His man is completely attached, at least one man. 
He provides Luka more driving room without question against what really is an elite defense. 

On the other end its the 14-7 Zone.  Nice work Dan.    
We could look at the rotations like handing off the baton in relay races.  The choice of who runs what leg against whom is critical. 

The question would have to be how much more effective are the 2nd rotation of BIG men coming in behind KP and Boban  versus when they have to carry the load from start to finish against the Clipper starters?  
Games 3 and 4 suggested that they don't carry the load all that well for 40 minutes chasing an elite small ball squad. 
Asked to run the 2nd and 4th leg only however ...   

[Kammrath]