Game 16 Dirkie Thread: Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington tie!

[ballsrchr]

Well guys, the game ended around midnight...well past my bedtime. I managed to watch all of the game, but anything that required thought after that was out of the question. So...here is a belated Dirkie Thread. And a great thread it is. Of course it's a win. I've often considered a stinker of the game thread, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

OK! 7 players in double figures. I like that! I don't like that they couldn't sustain the championship play for a full game. I was really anxious when Jokic got the extended rest near the end of the game. A fully rested Jokic is something to behold. I'm glad they don't have two of them. One thing...Jokic is so big and strong he gets away with a lot of over the back and hooking. That's the game I guess. He usually doesn't loose his cool, but he did tonight. Should have gotten a technical...

I like P.J. Washington when he's very active on defense yet still attacks the basket. The more he does that the better he can get.

Gafford was in there, playing hard, softening up Jokic. That's almost a joke but it is true. Without his hard play on Jokic...

Lively wouldn't have been able to do some of the things he does. No...I'm not talking about the fouls. The scoring, rebounds, blocks, etc. Lively simply doesn't have the weight and strength to take on Jokic by himself. Maybe one day...

I'm sorry if this sounds like a Jokic cheering section, but he is pretty damn good. I recognize that.

Quentin Grimes started out like a house on fire. Defense and offense! The offense cooled off, but the defense stayed strong.

Naji Marshall plays pretty big and strong. He is a candidate for the Dirkie. I would say Marshall and Grimes were good additions to the team.

I haven't forgotten Kyrie. He's the little engine who could. He settles the team down...and is a great team leader. I used to bad mouth him so much..., but it was because I didn't know anything about him. Now I bow down to him...

I gotta go with P.J. Washington for my Dirkie. He did so much else besides score. And I think he can still improve some. That's a great thought!

[Mavs2021]

Washington, Marshall, Grimes, Gafford and Lively for Co-MVP. All five were incredible.

[ThisIStheYear]

If I could I’d vote for PJ and Naji to share it. But since there can be only one, PJ grabbed the boards and closed the game with a clutch performance.

[DallasMaverick]

Nico just keeps nailing his decisions.

Lively, Gafford, Klay, Marshall, Grimes, Kyrie. Wow.

[Reunion Mav]

Nani Marshall is a revelation to me recently. He has serious skills. He brings the ball up successfully, plays defense if the offensive player isn’t to big, and finds his way to all sorts of shots inside. He made ridiculous 3’s last night. He wins for me.

[BigDirk41]

Naji for me. Pickup of the off-season!

[Scott41theMavs]

Nico just keeps nailing his decisions.

Lively, Gafford, Klay, Marshall, Grimes, Kyrie. Wow.

One of these is not like the others. But hell yeah on the other five.

[Scott41theMavs]

Washington, Marshall, Grimes, Gafford and Lively for Co-MVP. All five were incredible.

True, but in spite of Kai's poor shooting game, those magnificent five don't do what they do (at least on the offensive end) without Kai orchestrating and drawing attention.

[Chicagojk]

I give it to PJ, I mean Marshall. Tough choice. Not sure who I would give it to. Both deserve it.

As good as Jokic is...and he is amazing. Love seeing our centers get a combined 24 and 12 on 9/11 shooting. We are tough beat when we get that production from our tandem. Even when playing against the best player in the universe. I think there is more meat on the bones with our center combo too.

[SleepingHero]

There are too many contenders tonight.

I initially thought it’d be Grimes given his 1st quarter scoring paired with his suffocating defense the entire game.


But then Marshall stepped up and kept hitting huge 3 after huge 3. Add in his also incredible defense and he made me think he was a shoe-in for the Dirkie.


But then PJ comes up big in the 4th with stopping Jokic and then bullying his way to the rim to make sure the Mavs retake the lead.

BUT!!! I must say Lively deserves this dirkie the whole way. Those 2 big blocks were momentum changers. His impact was felt the whole night but those 2 possessions imo won the Mavs the game.

Incredible stuff. What a win

[SleepingHero]

Also now just thinking about it, but 2 unsung heroes of last game for me have to be Dinwiddie and Klay.


Klay did get benched in the 2nd half when Kidd went to the hot hand in Naji, but before that he was making an impact felt the entire 1st half. He was boxing out, defending well, and passing the ball for easy buckets. If he just hit 2 or 3 of his shots we’d be looking at his stat line and thinking he had a great game.
Klay his entire career goes through cold spells and the type of shots he’s getting here aren’t the ones he got in GSW, so I’m not surprised he has some duds. But he still brings defense, passing, and rebounding. Making an impact beyond shooting. That was never a guarantee and I want to praise him for that.


Further, Dinwiddie made a big impact in little minutes. 10 points and 4 assists in 16 minutes, with some timely buckets in the 2nd half. It’s a luxury to have him be our “break in case of emergency” slot for guard. I think he’s also still figuring the season out and getting into a rhythm. Once he does, I think we’ll see more of the Spencer we witnessed in 2022 more and more often.

[ballsrchr]

Also now just thinking about it, but 2 unsung heroes of last game for me have to be Dinwiddie and Klay.


Klay did get benched in the 2nd half when Kidd went to the hot hand in Naji, but before that he was making an impact felt the entire 1st half. He was boxing out, defending well, and passing the ball for easy buckets. If he just hit 2 or 3 of his shots we’d be looking at his stat line and thinking he had a great game.
Klay his entire career goes through cold spells and the type of shots he’s getting here aren’t the ones he got in GSW, so I’m not surprised he has some duds. But he still brings defense, passing, and rebounding. Making an impact beyond shooting. That was never a guarantee and I want to praise him for that.


Further, Dinwiddie made a big impact in little minutes. 10 points and 4 assists in 16 minutes, with some timely buckets in the 2nd half. It’s a luxury to have him be our “break in case of emergency” slot for guard. I think he’s also still figuring the season out and getting into a rhythm. Once he does, I think we’ll see more of the Spencer we witnessed in 2022 more and more often.

I was going to say something about Klay, but as usual I get busy and forget things.  Klay has indeed made an impact without scoring.  We need the scoring, but still...   Maybe he should try some spot up shots.  The catch and shoot clankers are reminding me of THJ--and I don't want to be reminded of those clankers.  I called them kangaroo shots. These are shot that exceed a player's current ability.

Dinwiddie has done better than I expected...about as well as I hoped.  He is a good third string back up...I think.

[KillerLeft]

I was going to say something about Klay, but as usual I get busy and forget things.  Klay has indeed made an impact without scoring.  We need the scoring, but still...   Maybe he should try some spot up shots.  The catch and shoot clankers are reminding me of THJ--and I don't want to be reminded of those clankers.  I called them kangaroo shots.  These are shot that exceed a player's current ability.

Dinwiddie has done better than I expected...about as well as I hoped.  He is a good third string back up...I think.

Agree on both counts. 

Thompson has made a semi-significant impact here, just by being big enough to play his position and understanding how to move the basketball. Last night wasn't great for him, but I was surprised to see he was a plus in the game (+7, if memory serves). Now, I bet his +/- went down a lot during that Denver run in the 3rd, but still. He just knows how to play basketball, shooting or no (though he needs to start shooting soon). 

Last night is a prime example of the kind of game Dinwiddie should be here to play. No Luka - Dinwiddie is up. I just hope he's not in the final, shortened rotation. If he is, they will be in some trouble.

[DallasMaverick]

Agree on both counts. 

Thompson has made a semi-significant impact here, just by being big enough to play his position and understanding how to move the basketball. Last night wasn't great for him, but I was surprised to see he was a plus in the game (+7, if memory serves). Now, I bet his +/- went down a lot during that Denver run in the 3rd, but still. He just knows how to play basketball, shooting or no (though he needs to start shooting soon). 

Last night is a prime example of the kind of game Dinwiddie should be here to play. No Luka - Dinwiddie is up. I just hope he's not in the final, shortened rotation. If he is, they will be in some trouble.

Quite a contrast between THJ and Klay.

If Timmy had been 0-for-8 last night, he would have been a significant net negative. Klay contributed a lot without shooting well.

[KillerLeft]

Quite a contrast between THJ and Klay.

If Timmy had been 0-for-8 last night, he would have been a significant net negative. Klay contributed a lot without shooting well.

I can agree, reluctantly. Thompson is an objectively better basketball player than Tim Hardaway Jr. 

However, I am relishing in the board's common realization that ALL shooters have 0-8 nights. Literally, all of them.

[Mavs2021]

I can agree, reluctantly. Thompson is an objectively better basketball player than Tim Hardaway Jr. 

However, I am relishing in the board's common realization that ALL shooters have 0-8 nights. Literally, all of them.

Well let´s not act like this is some common occurence. THJ has literally shot 0-8 or worse twice in an 11 year career. He´s shot 1-11 or worse four times. Klay did both in the span of a week. He´s down to 38/36/100 (FT on career low attempts) shooting. The worst part: 36% still makes him the 3rd best 3pt shooter on the team currently.

[KillerLeft]

Well let´s not act like this is some common occurence. THJ has literally shot 0-8 or worse twice in an 11 year career. He´s shot 1-11 or worse four times. Klay did both in the span of a week. He´s down to 38/36/100 (FT on career low attempts) shooting. The worst part: 36% still makes him the 3rd best 3pt shooter on the team currently.

Three point shooting has been a problem, so far. I agree. 

For whatever reason, Kidd's Mavs teams always start seasons shooting poorly. Not sure why.