2024 Playoffs - 1st Round: Los Angeles Clippers - Dallas Mavericks

[Knutsen]

So if Kawhi were to miss the first or second game we absolutely have to win all of these. Otherwise I fear it could end up like our series against Utah a couple of years ago did, in which we were in front or tied without Luka - and when he came back the Jazz were done.

[michaeltex]

Interesting comment about Zubac and his importance to the Clip's defense. The new look Mavs will put even more pressure on him, even in drop coverage, with the presence of Gaff and Dlive. Does he step up to stop penetration or sag to prevent the alley oop? Either way it's a danger zone.

I'm cautiously optomistic that this series will go better than we think. I think Luka will feast on what they give him and Kyrie will show why he should be in the All NBA conversation.

[michaeltex]

Also, just to confirm, the only Morris in this series is on the Mavs, correct?

[DallasMaverick]

Odds to win the Finals (via ESPN BET; as of April 19):
Celtics +145
Nuggets +275
Clippers +1400
Thunder +1400
Mavericks +1500
Bucks +1600
76ers +1600
Lakers +1800
Timberwolves +1800
Suns +2000
Knicks +3000
Cavaliers +5000
Heat +6000
Pacers +7500
Pelicans +10000
Kings +10000
Magic +20000
Bulls +30000

[Winter]

I'm watching Kyrie interviews about the playoffs. Twitter (X) is full of them if you're a Mavs fan.

Listening to him, I keep wondering how I missed the boat. These comments are eye-opening. It's hard to imagine a more seasoned leader for this Mavs team. I suppose it's possible that my negative reaction to him initially was partly shaped by the media, but it equally bad how much I assumed I knew about the guy... and how much more to him there is as a basketball player.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Kyrie has been on his best behavior with the Mavs. It was one thing after another with the off court stuff with the Nets. Same with Boston who had a better roster than the Mavs at the time. What I can't understand is how he gets along with Luka, and he didn't try to make it work with another all-time great in KD? It's baffling to me. It couldn't have been just about money.

[youzigizag]

I'm watching Kyrie interviews about the playoffs. Twitter (X) is full of them if you're a Mavs fan.

Listening to him, I keep wondering how I missed the boat.  These comments are eye-opening. It's hard to imagine a more seasoned leader for this Mavs team. I suppose it's possible that my negative reaction to him initially was partly shaped by the media, but it equally bad how much I assumed I knew about the guy... and how much more to him there is as a basketball player.

I mean...he like one of if not the most liked guys in the league. You would think if he is as bad as the media wants you to believe...players wouldnt like him. The guy has Luka-ish wizardry and makes no bones about being second fiddle.

Have you seen him helping up off the floor and patting the butts of all the young kids around the league that we face?

He isnt some gangster that thinks being unreasonable is cool...like Rasheed Wallace or someone.  He seems to genuinely want others and the youngins to feel inspired to keep playing.  By all accounts he seems like a good dude that doesnt think he is above anyone else.

Now..I guess there are a few things the anti-Ky crowd are clutching to suggest he isnt some great person.  I dont know what happened in Brooklyn or Boston.   I think its mostly Brooklyn they say he broke up the team.   All I know is that KD and him were getting along like besties even at the very end of Brooklyn breakup.  Maybe Ky made a business decision for himself here or there...but so do A LOT of NBA players.

The hate towards the guy is so clownish.

[SleepingHero]

Now..I guess there are a few things the anti-Ky crowd are clutching to suggest he isnt some great person.  I dont know what happened in Brooklyn or Boston.   I think its mostly Brooklyn they say he broke up the team.   All I know is that KD and him were getting along like besties even at the very end of Brooklyn breakup.  Maybe Ky made a business decision for himself here or there...but so do A LOT of NBA players.

The hate towards the guy is so clownish.

The Brooklyn thing was multi-layered. First he was injured his entire first year there. Same with KD. No one cared because KD was rehabbing his achilles and the team wasn't great anyways. But obviously if you're being paid a max contract and aren't playing, fans aren't going to be kind.

2nd year COVID happened. And Kyrie refused the vaccine. Without getting into personal opinions, the BRK front office forced every player to get it or else they wouldn't play for the team. Kyrie indignantly refused. Then New York City said unvaxxed players on traveling teams could play, but not players from their home team...??? Made zero sense. Kyrie felt that the New York media painted him as a devil and that the BRK front office threw him under the bus. Fans of the team made him out to be a pariah because of his personal beliefs and just the dialogue around COVID was toxic at best. 

3rd year started off with Kyrie tweeting a link to a movie on Amazon about how the Holocaust never happened, and that Jews of today aren't the real Jews. That was all the media needed to attack Kyrie and blow it up as much as they could. Don't get me wrong. He was 100% wrong to be promoting such a film, but the way the media pounced was vicious. Mind you this was at the exact same time Kanye went off on his own tirade about the Jews and Kyrie somehow got caught up into the same conversation (that he kind of put himself in). BRK then banned him and said he needs to apologize with an essay AND donate money to Jewish organizations before he could be considered to be allowed to come back and play. A punishment that resembles what high schoolers have to do when they cheat on an exam. I still remember players around the league saying what BRK was making Kyrie do was outlandish and ridiculous.

Kyrie isn't a saint in all of this. He added fuel to the fire with that movie link he tweeted out. He has some really whacky views. I really dislike his apparent denial of the holocaust. But the New York media AND the Brooklyn front office did everything in their power to destroy the guys image because he didn't align with their views.

Now this is a gross oversimplification of the timeline and there are a lot of nuances here.  

I for one am glad Kyrie feels like he can be himself in Dallas and that there hasn't been any PR nightmare of an issue.

[Winter]

The Brooklyn thing was multi-layered. First he was injured his entire first year there. Same with KD. No one cared because KD was rehabbing his achilles and the team wasn't great anyways. But obviously if you're being paid a max contract and aren't playing, fans aren't going to be kind.

2nd year COVID happened. And Kyrie refused the vaccine. Without getting into personal opinions, the BRK front office forced every player to get it or else they wouldn't play for the team. Kyrie indignantly refused. Then New York City said unvaxxed players on traveling teams could play, but not players from their home team...??? Made zero sense. Kyrie felt that the New York media painted him as a devil and that the BRK front office threw him under the bus. Fans of the team made him out to be a pariah because of his personal beliefs and just the dialogue around COVID was toxic at best. 

3rd year started off with Kyrie tweeting a link to a movie on Amazon about how the Holocaust never happened, and that Jews of today aren't the real Jews. That was all the media needed to attack Kyrie and blow it up as much as they could. Don't get me wrong. He was 100% wrong to be promoting such a film, but the way the media pounced was vicious. Mind you this was at the exact same time Kanye went off on his own tirade about the Jews and Kyrie somehow got caught up into the same conversation (that he kind of put himself in). BRK then banned him and said he needs to apologize with an essay AND donate money to Jewish organizations before he could be considered to be allowed to come back and play. A punishment that resembles what high schoolers have to do when they cheat on an exam. I still remember players around the league saying what BRK was making Kyrie do was outlandish and ridiculous.

Kyrie isn't a saint in all of this. He added fuel to the fire with that movie link he tweeted out. He has some really whacky views. I really dislike his apparent denial of the holocaust. But the New York media AND the Brooklyn front office did everything in their power to destroy the guys image because he didn't align with their views.

Now this is a gross oversimplification of the timeline and there are a lot of nuances here.  

I for one am glad Kyrie feels like he can be himself in Dallas and that there hasn't been any PR nightmare of an issue.

SH, I think that's perfect representation of the events. But I begin to wonder how much I actually assumed. For instance you stated that you "really dislike his apparent denial of the Holocaust." You correctly added the word "apparent". I don't think he's actually ever said he denies the Holocaust... but we assume it. How much did we assume that's in error? Most of what we assume is, sadly, from Twitter.

I don't want to take this thread into a rabbit hole. What's really important is how much of a leader he projects in these interviews.

[fifteenth]

I'm watching Kyrie interviews about the playoffs. Twitter (X) is full of them if you're a Mavs fan.

Listening to him, I keep wondering how I missed the boat.  These comments are eye-opening. It's hard to imagine a more seasoned leader for this Mavs team. I suppose it's possible that my negative reaction to him initially was partly shaped by the media, but it equally bad how much I assumed I knew about the guy... and how much more to him there is as a basketball player.

I'm so impressed with Ky these days! He has completely changed my opinion. 

My dislike in the past was based on him being a toxic jerk in Boston, his flat earth nonsense and his refusal to play in NJ. It made me think he was rolling with another conspiracy theory and I didn't want a conspiracy theorist with bad leadership tendencies messing up my Mavs. 

*Disclaimer, I'm not trying to start a vaccine discussion, just sharing why I was out on Kyrie. If I trigger you on this, go call me out in the cave if you want. Maybe I'll respond down there. 

Anyway, I'm so, so thrilled that I was wrong. We don't have a pandemic to worry about, and it appears that Kyrie learned a ton about leadership from his Boston missteps. 

I'm a Kyrie fan now!!! Which is a big deal coming from DFS's biggest fan.

[Mavs2021]

Odds to win the Finals (via ESPN BET; as of April 19):
Celtics +145
Nuggets +275
Clippers +1400
Thunder +1400
Mavericks +1500
Bucks +1600
76ers +1600
Lakers +1800
Timberwolves +1800
Suns +2000
Knicks +3000
Cavaliers +5000
Heat +6000
Pacers +7500
Pelicans +10000
Kings +10000
Magic +20000
Bulls +30000

The biggest official bookie in the world already has the Mavs as 3rd favs and the odds for the Clippers series keep swinging in the Mavs favour, which to me suggests Leonard won´t play in game 1. Lots of extra days until game 2. I can´t wait for game 1. Only once in his career have we seen Luka be on a legitimiate top team. When he won literally everything there is to win with Real Madrid by age 18. I feel this is the 2nd best team he´s ever played on.

I mean look at this player for player

Luka = Luka
Irving = Brunson
DJJ = Bullock
Washington = DFS
Gafford = Powell

Exum = Dinwiddie
THJ = Burke
Green = Ntilikina
Kleber = Kleber
Lively = Bertans

The only thing that scares me is the reliable 3rd scorer. If we had one, I´d back us to go all the f`n way. 

My ears pricked, when I heard  Simons say he´s tired of losing. I have no idea how highly the Blazers rate him, especially in combination with Sharpe and Scoot, but I´d throw THJ + unprotected 1st round pick + Hardy at them and see if they blink. Perfect fit. Flamethrower. 24 years old.

[fifteenth]

3rd year started off with Kyrie tweeting a link to a movie on Amazon about how the Holocaust never happened, and that Jews of today aren't the real Jews. 

Wow, that's too bad. I didn't even know about that one. Sounds like he listens to the wrong people. He could have looked up the genetic studies that show that European Jews came from populations who lived in ancient Israel/Palestine.

[SleepingHero]

SH, I think that's perfect representation of the events. But I begin to wonder how much I actually assumed. For instance you stated that you "really dislike his apparent denial of the Holocaust." You correctly added the word "apparent". I don't think he's actually ever said he denies the Holocaust... but we assume it. How much did we assume that's in error? Most of what we assume is, sadly, from Twitter.

I don't want to take this thread into a rabbit hole. What's really important is how much of a leader he projects in these interviews.

Well the *apparent* portion is because he supported a movie that denies the holocaust and really the entire existence of Jews.

Now did Kyrie say he agreed with that? No. Never. In fact he said himself that he only agreed with certain aspects of the film, mainly regarding black heritage. But one has to question the veracity of a film that makes those claims and whether or not there is actually anything of value that can be taken from it regarding your heritage. That's besides the point. Kyrie made a mistake for sure there. He made another mistake by letting the NY media twist his words. 

I've also seen many times personally Kyrie go out of his way to take a picture, sign a ball, and speak with kids that wore kippah's. So do I really think Kyrie hates Jews? No. I don't think he hates any faction at all. But like Kyrie says, he is human. We're all complicated. He did something that I found abhorrent. But no one sin can't be forgiven.

Back to basketball. I really believe Kyrie's complications is what makes him a true leader. He is real, honest, and cares about every single one of his teammates. Add in his complete wizardry of basketball skills and it's not hard to see why he garners so much respect in a locker room.

[youzigizag]

I dont care about him posting a movie link or if he thinks the past is real or if its fictional, set up to manipulate you...

I think the only thing that he has done that makes you say "what a weirdo" is walking around the court pre-game with the burning sage incent.

I dont think its weirdo...but I can see some who would. Most players dont sprinkle a circle of baking soda around the perimeter of the court to keep the demons at bay.

[SleepingHero]

Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth)
Jason Kidd said that regarding Dereck Lively II’s status for Game 1, “everything is trending in the right direction” and “he’s ready to roll.”

Kidd mentioned Lively has looked good working with the second unit this week.

[SleepingHero]

Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth)
Tim Hardaway Jr. (illness) did not practice today and he will join the Dallas Mavericks in Los Angeles for Game 1 against the Clippers.

[Knutsen]

I dont care about him posting a movie link or if he thinks the past is real or if its fictional, set up to manipulate you...

I think the only thing that he has done that makes you say "what a weirdo" is walking around the court pre-game with the burning sage incent. 

I dont think its weirdo...but I can see some who would.  Most players dont sprinkle a circle of baking soda around the perimeter of the court to keep the demons at bay.

The sum of all these habits and beliefs definitely make him a weirdo in my opinion. Like believing the earth is flat… But being a weirdo doesn’t automatically make you a bad teammate or leader.

[SleepingHero]

Since we're waiting for Mavs playoff ball, how about some of the best finishes for the Mavs the last 13 years?

[DallasMaverick]

The sum of all these habits and beliefs definitely make him a weirdo in my opinion. Like believing the earth is flat… But being a weirdo doesn’t automatically make you a bad teammate or leader.

Wow. So what you’re saying is that people are nuanced, a combination of good traits and bad, a mixture of good actions and bad.

Not just the two categories of “good person” and “bad person”.

Wow. Mind blown.

[fifteenth]

Wow. So what you’re saying is that people are nuanced, a combination of good traits and bad, a mixture of good actions and bad.

Not just the two categories of “good person” and “bad person”.

Wow. Mind blown.

You know I'm bad, I'm bad, you know it (bad, bad, really, really bad)
You know I'm bad, you know, woo (bad, bad, really, really bad)
You know I'm bad, I'm bad (bad, bad)
You know it, you know (really, really bad)
And the whole world has to answer right now
Just to tell you once again
Who's bad?