Mavs Complete Homestand Sweep with Obliteration of Cavaliers
Two blowouts in a row! Woo-hoo!
The opposition. The Cavs came into the game with a record of 4-10, having lost their last five matches. I guess Kevin Love passes for their name-brand player now, with Tristan Thompson serving as starting center, and Larry Nance, Jr., Brandon Knight, and Matthew Dellavedova coming off the bench. Other than that, a bunch of guys I didn't know. A far cry from the LeBron days.
Game Story. Seth Curry was still ailing. He was well enough to sit on the bench in street clothes, so he is, hopefully, on the mend. With Seth out, RC went with the same starting lineup he used against GSW -- Luka, THJ, DFS, KP, and Powell. The score was close in the initial frame, and the first quarter ended 29-26 in the Mavs' favor. The home team scored 37 points in the second period, limiting the Cavs to 16! At halftime, the scoreboard read 66-42. The Mavericks pounded the Cavs with 45 points in the third, and Luka and KP made their exits with about a minute remaining in the frame. We got an extended view of the bench in the fourth, and the game ended with the Mavs up 42, 143-101.
Analytics. Why did the Mavs win? Because they played better than the struggling Cavs. Specifically, the Mavericks hit 20 of their 37 three-point attempts (54%), got 14 more shots up than Cleveland, and limited their turnovers to an unbelievable five. Various guys in blue and silver sliced and diced their way to the basket through the Cavs' nonexistent defense, and the Mavs accumulated 70 points in the paint, compared to 44 for the Cavs. As far as point differential goes, the Mavs were +26 on twos, +24 on threes, and -8 on free throws. Finally, the Mavs out rebounded the Cavs 49-34.
Players. Since this was the second game featuring extensive time for second units, it might be an opportune time to focus on the bench. But first, a quick peek at the starters.
Starters.
Luka (28 min). Luka was excellent, as always. Cedric Ceballos said at halftime that he hoped the Cavs would make a game of it, so that Luka could stay in long enough to get his triple double. Luka exited near the end of the third quarter, just a few rebounds short. Still, who's complaining, at 30-7-14? He was the first Mav to have three consecutive 30+ point games since Dirk did it in 2010. Bravo!
KP (28 min). Porzingis had a game of two halves, offensively. He was 1-8 in the first half, and 6-6 in the second, including three triples. He had a great steal, nicking the ball off the opposing dribbler, leading to a tip-in by Maxi. He also contributed 4 blocks, one of which led to a dramatic transition throw down by Maxi.
Rick commented that Porzingis is fitting in better offensively each game, and gushed about his defense. Zinger is a great PNR defender, is a presence at the rim, and is a great rebounder and outlet passer. All per Rick Carlisle. Ceballos noted that very few players can guard a 7'3" jump shooter like KP, and that Kristaps is a good mover, and runs the floor well. I saw a tweet from Josh Bowe observing that all of KP's shots in the third quarter were assisted, and suggesting that the team temporarily abandon attempts for him to create his own shot (such as isos and post-ups), and just feed him in the pick and roll and in transition. Hmm. Food for thought.
Powell (24 min). Powell was a good rim-runner, with 6 points, and also had 3 assists. Only one rebound, but we won't nitpick in a 42-point win.
DFS (23 min). Dodo was his dependable self, and put 10 points and 6 rebounds on the board.
THJ (18 min). Tim had another excellent performance, scoring 15 points, including 4-5 threes. He had to leave the game early to undergo concussion protocol, after being chinned in the back of the head by KP. He is reportedly okay.
Carlisle said he had another great game. Rick thinks that Hardaway is an underrated passer, a good defender, and binds everyone together as a glue guy. Will Tim break into the starting unit when Seth returns? Rick doesn't think that a player should lose his starting spot over a short-term illness or injury, but admitted that THJ fits well with the first unit, and is making a strong case to be a starter. Do we take from this that RC has more or less settled on a starting lineup? It sounded that way.
Bench. Now to the more unsung heroes of the night. The Mavs bench outscored the Cavs bench 64-28. Ceballos said that this bench has a lot of pride, makes it a mission every night to outdo the opponent's bench, and frequently accomplishes that goal. I was impressed with their team play during the fourth quarter. So often in the past, when garbage time came around, the players would take to summer-leaguing it up for their few minutes on the court. To the contrary, this bench was playing Rick Carlisle-style basketball from first to last. Very unselfish, and paying attention to defense.
Jackson (23 min). Justin had a marvelous game. He was the second leading Maverick scorer with 19 points, including 4-6 from long range. He had at least a couple of perfectly executed catch-and-shoots from downtown. His offense was also very fluid and very intelligent -- beautiful to watch.
Wright (20 minutes). Delon drove to the basket at will, and also executed jump shots. He represented part of the defensive balance in the unit, patrolling the perimeter. He crashed the boards aggressively, and earned 3 offensive rebounds. Appears to have earned a place in the rotation.
Kleber (19 minutes). Maxi had only 4 points, but they were high on the entertainment scale, with a lob dunk, and a throw down. Although he isn't quite the rim roller that Powell is, he appears sounder on the defensive end. A very likable player who also seems to have secured a spot, at least on the bench. In more competitive games, has been seen in the finishing units.
Boban (18 minutes). Boban was 4-8 from the floor, with 6 rebounds, an assist and a steal. He cracks me up, in a good way. I admit this is not logical, but somehow I tend to expect big, goofy-looking guys to be Javale McGee type knuckleheads whose main advantage is being huge. Boban is a very skilled big guy, especially offensively, competently passing, making shots at the rim, and hitting from beyond the arc. With around three minutes left in the game, and the victory long decided, watching him fight like mad for a put back was heartwarming. An enjoyable guy to watch.
Barea (12 minutes). A JJB sighting!! Yay! The fan favorite played for the fourth quarter, and put on a show like he had never missed a beat. He put up 12 points, and was driving to the basket, hitting threes, and lobbing to big men like it was 2011. He was smiling and laughing on the court, bringing a lot of joy to the game, and was a tremendously fun watch. Doubt if we see a lot of him, at least during the regular season, but it's a treat when we do. Dana and Cedric noted that Barea is a player who can come in and make an impact right away, which he did against the Cavs.
Brunson (11 min). Jalen was very efficient, putting up 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 dimes in short minutes. In fact, the two assists both occurred in the one minute he played in the first quarter! Carlisle likes his playmaking, and in fact has considered him for a secondary playmaking role with Luka, although Seth appears to have assumed that position for the moment. With Carlisle, anything could change on a moment's notice, though.
Lee and Broekhoff (8 min each). Doubt if these two will get much PT this season, but it was cool to see them get a brief runout in the fourth quarter. They looked energetic.
Observations.
Carlisle. Rick loved the start, and thought the defense sharpened up in the second quarter. He thinks the team as a whole is moving the ball better. They are working on getting a little better, game by game.
Delon Wright. Delon thought that everybody got involved, and the team approached the game with a focus on the defensive end.
My impressions. It seemed to me that there has been visible improvement in chemistry and team play. It is hard to tell how much one can read into a game like this. I haven't followed Cleveland enough this season to know whether they actually want to lose, but it seemed at times that they didn't much care if they did. The Mavs' 143 points were the 4th highest in regulation in their history, and that won't happen against teams that make a defensive effort. Still, it's a win, and the team's offense was at an All-Star level.
Random observations. Dirk showed up for his first game of the season, and sat with Cuban. He received a standing O when he was observed on the Jumbotron, and according to Barea, trash-talked both teams during the game, lol. Before the contest, he tweeted that the traffic on Nowitzki Way was insane. I guess that might be the only Mavs game that Dirk has ever been to where he would have been caught in fan traffic. He left early, presumably to avoid a repeat hassle on the way home. He "very graciously" declined an invitation to be on the broadcast. Shawn Marion was also in attendance.
Next. The Mavs leave their cushy schedule behind them for a while now, with Houston, the Clippers, Phoenix, and the Lakers looming. Should be a much better test of their progress than teams of the GSW and Cavs ilk. Rockets at Houston on Sunday.
Two blowouts in a row! Woo-hoo!
The opposition. The Cavs came into the game with a record of 4-10, having lost their last five matches. I guess Kevin Love passes for their name-brand player now, with Tristan Thompson serving as starting center, and Larry Nance, Jr., Brandon Knight, and Matthew Dellavedova coming off the bench. Other than that, a bunch of guys I didn't know. A far cry from the LeBron days.
Game Story. Seth Curry was still ailing. He was well enough to sit on the bench in street clothes, so he is, hopefully, on the mend. With Seth out, RC went with the same starting lineup he used against GSW -- Luka, THJ, DFS, KP, and Powell. The score was close in the initial frame, and the first quarter ended 29-26 in the Mavs' favor. The home team scored 37 points in the second period, limiting the Cavs to 16! At halftime, the scoreboard read 66-42. The Mavericks pounded the Cavs with 45 points in the third, and Luka and KP made their exits with about a minute remaining in the frame. We got an extended view of the bench in the fourth, and the game ended with the Mavs up 42, 143-101.
Analytics. Why did the Mavs win? Because they played better than the struggling Cavs. Specifically, the Mavericks hit 20 of their 37 three-point attempts (54%), got 14 more shots up than Cleveland, and limited their turnovers to an unbelievable five. Various guys in blue and silver sliced and diced their way to the basket through the Cavs' nonexistent defense, and the Mavs accumulated 70 points in the paint, compared to 44 for the Cavs. As far as point differential goes, the Mavs were +26 on twos, +24 on threes, and -8 on free throws. Finally, the Mavs out rebounded the Cavs 49-34.
Players. Since this was the second game featuring extensive time for second units, it might be an opportune time to focus on the bench. But first, a quick peek at the starters.
Starters.
Luka (28 min). Luka was excellent, as always. Cedric Ceballos said at halftime that he hoped the Cavs would make a game of it, so that Luka could stay in long enough to get his triple double. Luka exited near the end of the third quarter, just a few rebounds short. Still, who's complaining, at 30-7-14? He was the first Mav to have three consecutive 30+ point games since Dirk did it in 2010. Bravo!
KP (28 min). Porzingis had a game of two halves, offensively. He was 1-8 in the first half, and 6-6 in the second, including three triples. He had a great steal, nicking the ball off the opposing dribbler, leading to a tip-in by Maxi. He also contributed 4 blocks, one of which led to a dramatic transition throw down by Maxi.
Rick commented that Porzingis is fitting in better offensively each game, and gushed about his defense. Zinger is a great PNR defender, is a presence at the rim, and is a great rebounder and outlet passer. All per Rick Carlisle. Ceballos noted that very few players can guard a 7'3" jump shooter like KP, and that Kristaps is a good mover, and runs the floor well. I saw a tweet from Josh Bowe observing that all of KP's shots in the third quarter were assisted, and suggesting that the team temporarily abandon attempts for him to create his own shot (such as isos and post-ups), and just feed him in the pick and roll and in transition. Hmm. Food for thought.
Powell (24 min). Powell was a good rim-runner, with 6 points, and also had 3 assists. Only one rebound, but we won't nitpick in a 42-point win.
DFS (23 min). Dodo was his dependable self, and put 10 points and 6 rebounds on the board.
THJ (18 min). Tim had another excellent performance, scoring 15 points, including 4-5 threes. He had to leave the game early to undergo concussion protocol, after being chinned in the back of the head by KP. He is reportedly okay.
Carlisle said he had another great game. Rick thinks that Hardaway is an underrated passer, a good defender, and binds everyone together as a glue guy. Will Tim break into the starting unit when Seth returns? Rick doesn't think that a player should lose his starting spot over a short-term illness or injury, but admitted that THJ fits well with the first unit, and is making a strong case to be a starter. Do we take from this that RC has more or less settled on a starting lineup? It sounded that way.
Bench. Now to the more unsung heroes of the night. The Mavs bench outscored the Cavs bench 64-28. Ceballos said that this bench has a lot of pride, makes it a mission every night to outdo the opponent's bench, and frequently accomplishes that goal. I was impressed with their team play during the fourth quarter. So often in the past, when garbage time came around, the players would take to summer-leaguing it up for their few minutes on the court. To the contrary, this bench was playing Rick Carlisle-style basketball from first to last. Very unselfish, and paying attention to defense.
Jackson (23 min). Justin had a marvelous game. He was the second leading Maverick scorer with 19 points, including 4-6 from long range. He had at least a couple of perfectly executed catch-and-shoots from downtown. His offense was also very fluid and very intelligent -- beautiful to watch.
Wright (20 minutes). Delon drove to the basket at will, and also executed jump shots. He represented part of the defensive balance in the unit, patrolling the perimeter. He crashed the boards aggressively, and earned 3 offensive rebounds. Appears to have earned a place in the rotation.
Kleber (19 minutes). Maxi had only 4 points, but they were high on the entertainment scale, with a lob dunk, and a throw down. Although he isn't quite the rim roller that Powell is, he appears sounder on the defensive end. A very likable player who also seems to have secured a spot, at least on the bench. In more competitive games, has been seen in the finishing units.
Boban (18 minutes). Boban was 4-8 from the floor, with 6 rebounds, an assist and a steal. He cracks me up, in a good way. I admit this is not logical, but somehow I tend to expect big, goofy-looking guys to be Javale McGee type knuckleheads whose main advantage is being huge. Boban is a very skilled big guy, especially offensively, competently passing, making shots at the rim, and hitting from beyond the arc. With around three minutes left in the game, and the victory long decided, watching him fight like mad for a put back was heartwarming. An enjoyable guy to watch.
Barea (12 minutes). A JJB sighting!! Yay! The fan favorite played for the fourth quarter, and put on a show like he had never missed a beat. He put up 12 points, and was driving to the basket, hitting threes, and lobbing to big men like it was 2011. He was smiling and laughing on the court, bringing a lot of joy to the game, and was a tremendously fun watch. Doubt if we see a lot of him, at least during the regular season, but it's a treat when we do. Dana and Cedric noted that Barea is a player who can come in and make an impact right away, which he did against the Cavs.
Brunson (11 min). Jalen was very efficient, putting up 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 dimes in short minutes. In fact, the two assists both occurred in the one minute he played in the first quarter! Carlisle likes his playmaking, and in fact has considered him for a secondary playmaking role with Luka, although Seth appears to have assumed that position for the moment. With Carlisle, anything could change on a moment's notice, though.
Lee and Broekhoff (8 min each). Doubt if these two will get much PT this season, but it was cool to see them get a brief runout in the fourth quarter. They looked energetic.
Observations.
Carlisle. Rick loved the start, and thought the defense sharpened up in the second quarter. He thinks the team as a whole is moving the ball better. They are working on getting a little better, game by game.
Delon Wright. Delon thought that everybody got involved, and the team approached the game with a focus on the defensive end.
My impressions. It seemed to me that there has been visible improvement in chemistry and team play. It is hard to tell how much one can read into a game like this. I haven't followed Cleveland enough this season to know whether they actually want to lose, but it seemed at times that they didn't much care if they did. The Mavs' 143 points were the 4th highest in regulation in their history, and that won't happen against teams that make a defensive effort. Still, it's a win, and the team's offense was at an All-Star level.
Random observations. Dirk showed up for his first game of the season, and sat with Cuban. He received a standing O when he was observed on the Jumbotron, and according to Barea, trash-talked both teams during the game, lol. Before the contest, he tweeted that the traffic on Nowitzki Way was insane. I guess that might be the only Mavs game that Dirk has ever been to where he would have been caught in fan traffic. He left early, presumably to avoid a repeat hassle on the way home. He "very graciously" declined an invitation to be on the broadcast. Shawn Marion was also in attendance.
Next. The Mavs leave their cushy schedule behind them for a while now, with Houston, the Clippers, Phoenix, and the Lakers looming. Should be a much better test of their progress than teams of the GSW and Cavs ilk. Rockets at Houston on Sunday.
