Game 16: Dallas Mavericks (8-7) vs. Denver Nuggets (8-5) | 9:30pm CST

[Chicagojk]

Pretty impressive getting a road win with no Luka, an 0- for game from Klay and a uncommon off shooting night from Kyrie.

[Reunion Mav]

Absolutely tremendous win against Denver, IN Denver, without Luka and with Westbrook somehow looking like he can shoot for a quarter. Huge win.

We have taken several tough end of game losses. This ending was perfectly executed or we might not be happy right now.

[Scott41theMavs]

One of PJ and Naji is getting absolutely robbed by virtue of not getting the Dirkie. The silver lining is I'm sure they would each say, "Don't care/beat Denver in Denver."

[Mavs2021]

Marshall and Grimes are two more examples of buying low and understanding misused players. Marshall´s floater/midrange game is absolutely crazy. He´s currently on complete autopilot. I´m shocked, when he misses. Last guy that made me feel that way way Brunson. Also PJ has improved his ball security so much on the power drives. Problem is that we really still can´t shoot.

[KillerLeft]

He was probably down on Klay shooting 0-8 and being a liability on offense in the 2nd half. As soon as he went off in the 4th quarter, the Mavs went on the closing run.

We’re saying the same thing, I’m not disagreeing with that… I just think it’s because Grimes was in guarding Murray well, not because Thompson was on the bench. That’s all I’m saying.

I wouldn’t characterize it as “Grimes getting ahead of Thomson in the rotation,” or however you put it, But I do agree that Grimes was the right choice tonight.

[KillerLeft]

Marshall and Grimes are two more examples of buying low and understanding misused players. Marshall´s floater/midrange game is absolutely crazy. He´s currently on complete autopilot. I´m shocked, when he misses. Last guy that made me feel that way way Brunson. Also PJ has improved his ball security so much on the power drives. Problem is that we really still can´t shoot.

The shooting has been bad so far this season, for sure. Grimes and Marshall gave me some Hope about that tonight though, and for whatever reason, the Mavericks always start off the year shooting poorly since Kidd took over. I don’t think it’s a guarantee that they’ll start shooting better, but I wouldn’t be surprised.

[KillerLeft]

Harper on the post game is raising the pom-poms for marshall’s willingness to pass up shots that he doesn’t think he’s going to make. I agree, to a point, and I definitely have fallen in love with his in between game, which is tremendous. I love his versatility.

But, he’s going to have to start hitting threes, and we all know it. PJ Washington, too.

[KillerLeft]

Sidenote: it’s only my opinion, but I think Harper is much better than Harris in studio, and Harris is much better than Harper on the in game color commentary.

Skin is pretty bad at both.

[BigDirk41]

I think we all agree with this. The question is, does Luka?

This team can be so great if Luka plays team ball. It would be crazy to say they are better without him, but they definitely get everyone involved when Luka sits. PJ has been a monster without Luka. I prefer this style of play with everyone scoring and playing hard. I'll be really frustrated if Luka comes back holding onto the ball a lot. I want him to get his shots, but he doesn't need to dominate the ball all the time.

[myconsumerclub]

Murray making that last free throw was funny. The game was ours at that point anyway but he knew he had to miss and get a rebound. The whole game was a testimony to this teams depth, no Luka, Kyrie off night shooting woes, Klay shooting super bad with a goose egg, add in NAJI, PJ, the 2 Headed center 24 and 12, and Grimes, we had 55 points off the bench with Hardy and Dins production and 66 from our starters. This team looked like it was sharing the ball well and playing team ball getting it to the hot hand and defense was looking good with great 2 way play. Luka needs to come back healthy and learn to fit in with a mind to helping us see more production like this mixed in with his Luka magic.

[ThisIStheYear]

I didn’t like fouling at the end of the game up two possessions, especially so quickly without allowing any time to run. But have to give Kidd credit for benching Klay and going with the superior Naji down the stretch.

Don’t see a Dirkie thread. Naji and PJ deserve to split it but if it has to be one, PJ was good on the boards and really led the team through crunch time, including by hitting clutch free throws.

[Chicagojk]

Hardy just needs to learn when to attack and attack at different ways. He has made some really nice passes at times. He has also had some strong finishes. Although he tends to over penetrate and get himself in bad spots. He is a 6’3 guard. He can’t rely on strength and power. I would like him to take some lessons from JJB and Brunson. Change speeds, jump off different leg for surprise, floaters, 10 footers, etc. just a little variance besides trying to get right to the rim with strength.

Someone also mentioned earlier but I really thought Marshall would be a guy who wouldn’t finish much. His floater is awesome right now. What a weapon. That shot is such a killer shot. I hope it is real but he just keeps making that shot at a high percentage.

I have been tough on Dinwiddie but he had 3 big threes. I just don’t know if he does enough if he isn’t making that shot. I guess what I am saying is I think the backup minutes are still an open battle.

Crazy how Maxi isn’t even looking at the rim. He doesn’t get many open looks at the 4 but I wonder if teams start making that maxi will look to score and will make the shot.

Lively had one bad foul when he came in the third quarter. The rest of his fouls were fine. I don’t think he has many cheap fouls. He just is t at a stage where he gets away with those fouls. I think most are fouls though.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Lively is over-aggresive at times on D. He's going to get fouls called on him every time, playing against established stars such as Jokic. He's young though, he'll learn hopefully.

[Moviemavguy]

Yeah, Lively hasn't quite taken that next step. He still needs to mature a lot, but he is very young. Either way, he and Gaff have solved our center position finally.

Naji is a huge surprise. I don't think anyone anticipated he would be this good. Just super confident and a really good ball handler.

Grimes also has surprised me in the ball handling dept. I feel the different between him and Green is that he doesn't need 20 minutes to make something happen.

[Scott41theMavs]

Note that so far Klay is surprisingly fine at everything... except the one reason we chose to pay him the big bucks to begin with. I call him Splash Grandpa, but last year I called him the Clank Brother while mocking his performances. Not a situation in which I'm glad to be right.

[Scott41theMavs]

Oh, and Nico needs to worry as much about paying Grimes as paying Kyrie. His average annual salary on his next contract goes up every game.

[Chicagojk]

I think Kidd made the right decision going without a closing Klay. This will happen. May happen more than we think especially if Marshall and Grimes are playing well. It just feels like Klay doesn't get many easy points. Outside of open threes, he doesn't get baskets at the rim, limited off the dribble and doesn't get to the foul lane. I would also like to see his good and poor games evened out. A poor game can't be many of 0 for games.

I think the Mavs made a smart bet that there will be rough moments but Klay was brought here for the big games/series. They are hoping he has more of the 6-7 three point games than the 0-1 three point games. Even if we may lose something on defense from Jones, they are betting that if you add 6-7 threes to this team that it may not matter too much.

[SleepingHero]

What an incredible win.

Naji hitting those timely 3s to stop the bleeding. PJ taking over at times in the final 2 minutes to put the game away. But to me Lively was the end all, be all, defender with those 2 blocks that let the Mavs get off from the back foot and retake control.

[DL2RimRocker]

This team can be so great if Luka plays team ball. It would be crazy to say they are better without him, but they definitely get everyone involved when Luka sits. PJ has been a monster without Luka. I prefer this style of play with everyone scoring and playing hard. I'll be really frustrated if Luka comes back holding onto the ball a lot. I want him to get his shots, but he doesn't need to dominate the ball all the time.

Luka is probably the best one-on-one player in the league and sometimes I think he understands that and puts too much on his shoulders. Hopefully the team will continue to respond the way they did against Denver and OKC without him to help him realize he has a legit championship caliber supporting cast. This might be the best supporting cast he will ever have during his NBA career, and it is up to him to adjust his game to take full advantage of the situation.