GAME 4 Playoffs 2024: Los Angeles Clippers (1-2) vs Dallas Mavericks (2-1)

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Game over.

[Luka77]

This game was controlled and decided by the refs. Putting Luka in foul trouble with touch fouls while allowing PG and Harden to get into rhythm by allowing them to push off to create space at will.

This game was decided by inconsistent calls by the refs

[speedkilz88]

The slow starts are killer.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way

[HoosierDaddyKid]

This game was controlled and decided by the refs.  Putting Luka in foul trouble with touch fouls while allowing PG and Harden to get into rhythm by allowing them to push off to create space at will. 

This game was decided by inconsistent calls by the refs

I disagree. The refs blew calls on both sides. Clippers didn't lose their composer after the Mavs came back. You can't dig yourself a 31 pt hole and really expect to win. Has only happened once in playoff history.

[BigDirk41]

This game was controlled and decided by the refs.  Putting Luka in foul trouble with touch fouls while allowing PG and Harden to get into rhythm by allowing them to push off to create space at will. 

This game was decided by inconsistent calls by the refs

I don't think we watched the same game.

[myconsumerclub]

dam it so close but nobody could stop Harden at the end

[Scott41theMavs]

Hes been HORRENDOUS all series. Game 1 was suspension-worthy and it’s equally bad tonight. Just completely harmful to his team. 

Hopefully he’s out for the rest of the series after tonight.

I get you're being sarcastic, but he never came anywhere close to being playoff Luka even before the Game 3 knee issue. While he has by a crushing margin the best team around him he's ever had, it's still as Luka goes so do the Mavs. He had to play today for us to have hope of winning the series, and now if he's really hurt there is no hope.

[Chicagojk]

I disagree. The refs blew calls on both sides. Clippers didn't lose their compose after the Mavs came back.

Yeah those fouls early on Luka were correct.  He just can’t move.  His knee must be really bad.  I think he looks noticeably chunkier now too

[Knutsen]

The slow starts are killer.

That’s what I don’t understand - they can’t shoot straight in the first minutes when they can‘t be tired from playing defense. Clippers missed everything at the beginning, we have to be up by double digits early and then go from there. Frustrating game and frustrating series.

[Mavs2021]

We will win this series, if Luka doesn´t take a three until he has 15 points. Literally the only thing stopping us is his lazy shooting to start the games. If anybody should be jacking up these stupid shots it ´s Kyrie, not the guy that must be shooting 35/15/70 or something for the series. We basically came back, because Luka stopped shooting lazy shots.

[Branduil]

Obvious statement but you cant win in the playoffs spotting 30 point leads to the other team repeatedly. That's 2 games out of 4 Kidd has not had the team ready to play. He needs to be fired if they actually lose this series; a better coach and I firmly believe the Mavs sweep this Clippers team.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Obvious statement but you cant win in the playoffs spotting 30 point leads to the other team repeatedly. That's 2 games out of 4 Kidd has not had the team ready to play. He needs to be fired if they actually lose this series; a better coach and I firmly believe the Mavs sweep this Clippers team.

Dude, they won twice without their best player. This is not going to be a easy series.

[Luka77]

Kidd not putting Lively in the 4th to have a rim deterrent when Harden was driving is baffling.

[ThisIStheYear]

Damn. This was the Mavs chance to win the series. They blew it as usual against the Clippers. The Mavs have a slight chance to win the series now but unlikely. Luka just doesn’t have it in him. Partly it’s his slowness and injury and partly he spends too much effort officiating. The team has played well enough, Luka hasn’t. He’s merely been solid. Kyrie, George, and Harden have played like stars, especially today.

[DallasMaverick]

Clips shot 62% from three. Ain’t gonna happen again.

Mavs shot 33% on threes and almost won anyway.

Luka shot 9-15 on two-point shots, but 1-9 on threes. And he couldn’t keep Harden in front of him. Of course, neither could PJ. 

I almost wish they’d given Harden more looks at threes, but kept him out of the paint. But when a team is hitting 62% on threes, I can understand the decision.

[Chicagojk]

Slow starts hurt. I not sure I blame coaching though. We have no movement early and Luka is in a shooting slump. Playing right into their hands with him taking contested shots. That is how we play though

[Branduil]

Dude, they won twice without their best player. This is not going to be a easy series.

Well yeah, because Kidd is an awful coach. When the other team's best player is out it's easy to relax, the job of the coach is to make sure that doesn't happen. Basic stuff but Kidd is just here to watch I guess.

[Scott41theMavs]

Clips shot 62% from three. Ain’t gonna happen again.

Mavs shot 33% on threes and almost won anyway.

Luka shot 9-15 on two-point shots, but 1-9 on threes. And he couldn’t keep Harden in front of him. Of course, neither could PJ. 

I almost wish they’d given Harden more looks at threes, but kept him out of the paint. But when a team is hitting 62% on threes, I can understand the decision.

I refuse to give that damned Harden any credit whatsoever. If Luka is hurt and can't play defense, fine, but PJ loses some shine for me by letting that garbage has-been get the best of him.

[Luka77]

Mavs still need another ball handler and scorer. They depended on Luka and Kyrie way too much.

And Kidd needs to be replaced, he is not it. His rotations and feel for who needs minutes in the crucial moments is questionable at best.

Lively was hustling playing great and he takes him out of the game bc he had predetermined to go to the small ball lineup late when down.

Also not having the team ready to play is also glaring.

[myconsumerclub]

Luka was hurt and with 3 days rest I sure hope we see a better game out of him on Wednesday.

If Green Exum Washington would all show signs of becoming more capable scores that can take control for short spots to try and get us some points so the 2 stars can rest a bit that would help.

DJJ played a great game.

Green and Exum 0 for 5 hurt they need to realize they are low minute guys and they need to be hot when they come in and so they need to shoot more pregame shots so they are on their A game faster and super confident as they enter a game. They may play 10 to 15 minutes if that so they do not need to save their energy and they should be working out and playing when off the court against each other and holding each other accountable for being ready to enter that game ready to play and score as well as defend so they need to get their juices flowing somehow someway so they are not so cold when they walk out on that floor in a game.

If Gafford cannot contribute exept on the defensive end might as well see Kleber get more 3 point attempts and play more minutes he is not afraid to shoot when called on and he hits that 3 a lot more often than other guys who shoot it so maybe we start Lively but bring Kleber off that bench before Gaff. I trust Kleber gets us points with his stretching the defense on offene he is great for spacing. Gafford

Lively was a stud, 8 points 6 boards in only 17 mins so needs to play more minutes with 30 minutes he might get a 20 -10
given how hurt he was Luka was 29 points we needed.
Kyrie starred and carried us with 40

Harden was unstoppable in the late last minutes of the game and nobody could keep him out of the paint for easy layups and floaters. Maybe a hard foul like they tried on Luka would have been smart to try. We got a Morris brother on the team don't we.