Game 35: Portland Trailblazers (9-24) vs. Dallas Mavericks (20-15) 97-126 WIN!

[DanSchwartzgan]

Since we had to put up with the Wood starting W/L numbers last season, I'll offer up a similarly meaningless stat.

Dallas is 5-1 in Green starts.

[SleepingHero]

I am actually depressed about Lively. Reckless play by Scoot. He was beat and took the legs out from Lively for no reason.

I hope he isn't out multiple weeks and just looked worse than it is.

Grant also got an unlucky injury. Grant's scares me more cause his ankle didn't turn at an extreme angle and he clutched it rather fast. He put weight down on it so maybe he'll be ok.

[SleepingHero]

Since we had to put up with the Wood starting W/L numbers last season, I'll offer up a similarly meaningless stat.

Dallas is 5-1 in Green starts.

I know you're being tongue in cheek and acknowledged the lack of validity with just quoting the record for starts for bench guys, but I did want to put the actual wins out there.

The 5 wins in Green starts:

10-31-23 Memphis w/no Ja
11-01-23 Chicago in their tailspin
11-15-23 Washington Wizards
11-28-23 Houston Rockets
1/4/24 Portland Trailblazers 

Lone loss came to the Grizzlies again without Ja, but the Mavs had no Luka and laid an egg.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

This Portland team is really bad. Mavs get them again on Friday..

[Chicagojk]

Mavs took care of business last night against an overmatched team. Last year about this time, the Mavs had a home back to back against the same team (Denver?). They won big the first game and then laid a massive egg the second game as the other team rested almost all their rotation players. Lets see if this years mavs team is different and takes care of business. I would guess the next game is much closer.

I liked Green starting. I wonder if that will be a thing. He will need to live up to his end of it though. Because our offense is so Luka dependent, I wonder if it is better bringing Exum off the bench. It feels like you are mostly in the corner to start games. Exum deserves to start and has been one of our best players this year, but I wonder if we come to conclusion that he is best as a 6th man.

I really liked Green's energy on defense last night. I also thought Grant was good on defense. This is the key for both. Scoring is a bonus and mostly off open threes. If they can be impactful on defense and with hustle plays, they can both be valuable pieces...even when their shots are not falling.

I sort of like Raep. Not sure if he is more than a fringe NBA player, but I thought he has looked good a few times when we have played Portland.

[HAguiar95]

I know we blew them out, but I really hate the rotation with THJ/Curry (or Hardy) playing together with Luka or Ky. They are bad defenders that can't create for others. We can only have one of them playing, with both in, our defense suffers a LOT, considering our lead guards are not good defenders (Ky and Luka).