Game 31: Cleveland Cavaliers (17-13) vs. Dallas Mavericks (18-12)

[KillerLeft]

THJ is 1/8 and gave up countless uncontested threes.

Lively with 3 rebounds. Allen with 13.

Not sure what you’re watching.

Well, I mentioned something about Lively/Allen.

I do not agree that THJ was bad on defense. I thought he was pretty good, despite missing some shots. (Had some rough moments in this 3rd quarter) 

The Mavs were up BIG at halftime, so it clearly wasn’t that bad. The third quarter has been rough, that’s for sure.

[KillerLeft]

I realize that Cleveland is SEVERELY injury-depleted right now. That’s probably an understatement, even.

But even with the Mavs playing pretty poorly, I really don’t feel like they’re in any danger of losing this game. That kind of says something to me.

[KillerLeft]

Needed that, Exum!

The offense looking rough right now.

[KillerLeft]

When opposing defenses buckle down and it becomes hard for this year‘s team to run offense, they can help themselves out by getting in transition for easy buckets.

That is such an underrated addition over the past few versions of the Mavericks. Big deal, imo.

[KillerLeft]

Great work keeping their head above water and even getting the game back under control while Luka sits.

[KillerLeft]

Well, that stretch of play wasn’t fun.

[Mavs2021]

Lively has been rattled by his older brother. Worst game he had in a while.

[Chicagojk]

Lively has been awful tonight. Butter fingers and very hesitant. I hate the Grant Williams lineups at center with no size. That is a major no go for me moving forward. He has been bad today as well.

3 pointers are the great equalizer. Kept Cleveland close. Now Mavs need to stop screwing around or they will lose.

[KillerLeft]

I hate the Grant Williams lineups at center with no size.  That is a major no go for me moving forward. He has been bad today as well.

I’m curious why you feel that way. There was really only one stretch of Williams at center, unless I missed one. I thought he played well, and they won that stretch decisively.

Just now, as I was typing this, Grant came up with a huge offensive rebound.

---

To be clear, the decision to go small after the past time out has gone pretty far towards shifting the momentum back in Dallas’s favor.

We are getting open shots again, they are just missing them. The defense looks fine to me. Better than it was last five minutes, even.

[KillerLeft]

Yikes. The mavs just cannot buy a bucket tonight.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Mavs fucked around and found out. They didn’t take the opponent seriously.

[KillerLeft]

I realize that Cleveland is SEVERELY injury-depleted right now. That’s probably an understatement, even.

But even with the Mavs playing pretty poorly, I really don’t feel like they’re in any danger of losing this game. That kind of says something to me.

I might have spoken too soon on this one.

[donzingis38]

what a stupid fn game.

just how

[KillerLeft]

The game was under control until Luka checked back in and (hate to say it) didn’t seem like he was all that interested in finishing the game. 2-3 straight turnovers.

[RGP1981]

I realize that Cleveland is SEVERELY injury-depleted right now. That’s probably an understatement, even.

But even with the Mavs playing pretty poorly, I really don’t feel like they’re in any danger of losing this game. That kind of says something to me.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Jarrett Allen has 23 pts and 24 boards Damn.

[SwisherPrice]

This one is on Kidd. The bench was rolling with 5 minutes left in the quarter but he brought back the starters and that killed the momentum

[KillerLeft]

This one is on Kidd. The bench was rolling with 5 minutes left in the quarter but he brought back the starters and that killed the momentum

I guess some of it is on the starters, themselves, for not holding up their end to finish the game, but I agree that the bench had control of the game going into that time out.

[DallasMaverick]

Sometimes the open shots just don’t go in.

[SwisherPrice]

Kidd still drawing up the same predictable play that the entire league has seen for the last 3 years