02-27-2020, 07:05 AM
Mavs Seal Season Series in San Antonio
Spurs Late Rally Falls Short
The Mavericks squandered another lead down by the River Walk. But this time, they went on to put their stamp on the series, largely courtesy of an in-sync Luka-KP clutch performance.
Game Story
The Spurs ain't what they used to be, and may miss the playoffs this season for the first time since the nineties. In recent news, DeMarre Carroll has decamped for the Rockets, and LaMarcus Aldridge was out with an injury. Still, Pop and the Big Fundamental occupied the coaching bench, and they're still the Spurs. Meanwhile, Jalen Brunson continued his recovery for the Mavs, and WCS was out for his third game for personal reasons and is expected to miss the next couple of games as well. Don't know what's going on there, but hope he's okay. An update is expected on Monday. Seth Curry was again the fifth man in the starting lineup.
The Mavs got off to a fine start, featuring a 16-point first quarter by KP. They were up 36-20 after one. However, MFFLs had some anxious moments, as Luka suffered a thumb injury and retreated to the locker room for taping. Word soon reached the arena that the young star was available to return, and Mavs fandom breathed a collective sigh of relief. Doncic re-entered the fray in the second period, but his hand looked to continue to bother him throughout the contest. A Hardaway buzzer-beater sent Dallas into halftime with a 59-49 advantage, but both Luka and KP had three fouls.
Porzingis was called for his fourth foul with 4:11 left in the third. Nevertheless, the Mavs had a 16-point lead a couple of times in the frame, and maintained an 11-point edge after three.
The visitors decided to make things interesting in the fourth. Yes, you've heard it before. The squad's performance rapidly disintegrated into a horror show of putrid execution from all quarters -- the usual drill of turnovers, failure to box out, missed free throws, the works. Our boys put one -- yes, one -- point on the board in the first six minutes of the period. By mid-quarter, the Spurs had their first lead of the second half.
The game was tied at 96-all with 4:01 to go. The Mavs then righted the ship, and proceeded to a 12-0 run, thanks to a KP layup and-one from Luka, a Luka steal and assist to KP for a three, a Curry three from Luka, and a step-back three by Luka. What a performance from the Slovenian point guard and his 7'3" wingman! With 1:52 remaining, the Mavericks scored only one more point, but the Spurs were not able to recover. This one had a happy ending!
Analytics
The Spurs had six more field goal attempts than the Mavs, thanks in part to Dallas surrendering 13 offensive rebounds, committing 16 turnovers, and giving up 19 fast-break points. However, the Spurs had their own problems in the turnover department, and the Mavericks managed to take advantage to the tune of 23 points. The visiting team also had a 12-shot advantage in 3PTAs, and a 30-19 margin in FTAs. Dallas shot a respectable 38% from deep, but missed 10 free throws. If they hadn't pulled out the game in the clutch, those missed freebies would loom large in the discussion. At any rate, they ended up +18 in points from threes, +6 in made free throws, and -18 in points from twos.
Interior defense was a problem again, with the Spurs earning 46 points in the paint, some on quite easy baskets. However, 17 made threes by Dallas covered a multitude of sins. Ball movement was excellent for the most part, and 25 of their 36 made baskets were assisted. The bench was uncharacteristically terrible, contributing only 17 points and everyone being in negative territory. In the last analysis, the Mavericks' superior star quality pulled the team through, and we got to see some lovely basketball in the recovery.
Players
Luka (37 min) had an impressive 26-10-14 line, tying Jason Kidd for most triple-doubles in franchise history. In the fourth quarter, after a second hit to his injured thumb, his hand seemed to start to seriously bother him. He was having trouble shooting, and lost the ball out of bounds on what looked like a loss of control. He declined to use the injury as an excuse, but admitted it was giving him problems. He reacted by feeding his teammates, and they did not disappoint him. Carlisle thought his late-game performance was brilliant on the offensive end, and he also complimented his star for "guarding his butt off, taking away threes and layups." Courageous performance from a youngster with ankle and hand issues, and let's hope he can return to full health before long. After the game, he said he didn't think the thumb injury was serious.
On the development side, Doncic was 10-25 from the field, for which I think the hand was partially responsible. But there comes a time to change tactics from volume shooting, and he ultimately did a fine job of that, attacking the basket and facilitating instead of trying to do it all. Spurs writer Noah Magaro-George lamented that Luka "made just about everyone guarding him look like a fool." Shades of Dirk. Fascinating to watch this unique athlete maturing and polishing his decision-making before our eyes.
Hardaway (36 min) did not have an especially efficient night (5-14), but contributed a dependable 17 points. He had some lovely shots, and he appears to be getting more solid on the defensive end. Mavs media reported Mark Cuban as saying the team would like to keep Tim long-term, and that THJ is interested in staying. He has been a great surprise of the season, transforming from a tax to acquire KP to possibly a foundational piece.
DFS (35 min) was steady on the night, with 14 points, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. In addition to being a stalwart defensively, he was lethal from the field (5-7), and had a three in the fourth that helped to turn the Mavs' fortunes around. Just a quiet engine every night.
Seth (35 min) had a rare 7-point night, but the team was a game-high +22 when he was on the floor.
Porzingis (29 min) was a marvel, with 28 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals and 3 blocks in minutes abbreviated by foul trouble. Spurs blog Pounding the Rock commented: San Antonio simply had no answer for his combination of size and skills, and he reminded everyone why Kevin Durant dubbed him a “unicorn." When Pop was asked what he thought of KP, he replied, "He's a wonderful player. What else can you say?"
Zinger observed after the game that he has enjoyed becoming more involved in the PNR with Luka, and likes having the option to roll or pop, rather than standing around for spot-up shooting. He and Luka both thought he is doing very well now that he is playing more at center. Unlocking the big man's potential is HUGE for the Mavs, and a most exciting development.
Spurs. DeRozan burned the Mavs for 27-8-9, but didn't get a lot of consistent help. Lonnie Walker had 12 points, and seeing the Spurs always affords an opportunity to enjoy his towering updo. KP remarked that the Mavericks were able to use their zone defense to advantage, since the Spurs had only one great three-point shooter (Belinelli), and as long as they kept an eye on him, they could limit the opposition. Marco had 14 points, including 4 threes, and the Spurs reserves won the battle of the benches 40-17.
I liked playing San Antonio when every Mavs-Spurs game was a clash of titans. Once one of the league's great rivalries, a Dallas-SA match still has some extra spice, and we'll take this win over a valiant but overmatched group from South Texas.
Remarks
Carlisle was proud as punch of the win. He acknowledged that his squad had let things get away from them at times, but reminded us that they are a young team, still growing and learning, and he thought they had responded very well. Rick professed that the Mavs' goal for the remainder of the season is to sharpen up for the playoffs, and he regarded this game as excellent preparation and a valuable experience.
Pop thought his own game plan going in was poor, and admitted that the Mavs took advantage. He admired his guys for a determined effort against "a hell of a team," but said that Dallas had certainly played well enough to win.
On the playoff prep theme, Rick usually plays ten guys, but appears to be narrowing down to essentially an 8- or 9-man rotation in any given match, with the last couple of guys playing short minutes. Seven guys look to be locks for a playoff rotation, assuming they're healthy, with the coach seemingly experimenting with players 8-10. Should be interesting to see how it shakes out.
Hopefully, the Mavs will continue to work on their fourth-quarter execution problems, popping up when the opponent tightens up defensively. It is encouraging that they played themselves out of it in this game, leaving themselves enough cushion not to be subject to losing the game due to a controversial late call. Speaking of officiating, I agree with Rick that, though there were some "wacky" events, it's not worth going into now. Strange stuff.
This was a good win, and a positive start to the road trip. Luka is a little beat up, and we'll wish him our best for a speedy recovery. The Luka-KP magic is beyond words!
Next. The Mavs face the Heat in Miami on Friday. Rick thinks this will be another important exercise in preparation for the postseason. Isn't it cool to be back in the mix?
Go Mavs!
Spurs Late Rally Falls Short
The Mavericks squandered another lead down by the River Walk. But this time, they went on to put their stamp on the series, largely courtesy of an in-sync Luka-KP clutch performance.
Game Story
The Spurs ain't what they used to be, and may miss the playoffs this season for the first time since the nineties. In recent news, DeMarre Carroll has decamped for the Rockets, and LaMarcus Aldridge was out with an injury. Still, Pop and the Big Fundamental occupied the coaching bench, and they're still the Spurs. Meanwhile, Jalen Brunson continued his recovery for the Mavs, and WCS was out for his third game for personal reasons and is expected to miss the next couple of games as well. Don't know what's going on there, but hope he's okay. An update is expected on Monday. Seth Curry was again the fifth man in the starting lineup.
The Mavs got off to a fine start, featuring a 16-point first quarter by KP. They were up 36-20 after one. However, MFFLs had some anxious moments, as Luka suffered a thumb injury and retreated to the locker room for taping. Word soon reached the arena that the young star was available to return, and Mavs fandom breathed a collective sigh of relief. Doncic re-entered the fray in the second period, but his hand looked to continue to bother him throughout the contest. A Hardaway buzzer-beater sent Dallas into halftime with a 59-49 advantage, but both Luka and KP had three fouls.
Porzingis was called for his fourth foul with 4:11 left in the third. Nevertheless, the Mavs had a 16-point lead a couple of times in the frame, and maintained an 11-point edge after three.
The visitors decided to make things interesting in the fourth. Yes, you've heard it before. The squad's performance rapidly disintegrated into a horror show of putrid execution from all quarters -- the usual drill of turnovers, failure to box out, missed free throws, the works. Our boys put one -- yes, one -- point on the board in the first six minutes of the period. By mid-quarter, the Spurs had their first lead of the second half.
The game was tied at 96-all with 4:01 to go. The Mavs then righted the ship, and proceeded to a 12-0 run, thanks to a KP layup and-one from Luka, a Luka steal and assist to KP for a three, a Curry three from Luka, and a step-back three by Luka. What a performance from the Slovenian point guard and his 7'3" wingman! With 1:52 remaining, the Mavericks scored only one more point, but the Spurs were not able to recover. This one had a happy ending!
Analytics
The Spurs had six more field goal attempts than the Mavs, thanks in part to Dallas surrendering 13 offensive rebounds, committing 16 turnovers, and giving up 19 fast-break points. However, the Spurs had their own problems in the turnover department, and the Mavericks managed to take advantage to the tune of 23 points. The visiting team also had a 12-shot advantage in 3PTAs, and a 30-19 margin in FTAs. Dallas shot a respectable 38% from deep, but missed 10 free throws. If they hadn't pulled out the game in the clutch, those missed freebies would loom large in the discussion. At any rate, they ended up +18 in points from threes, +6 in made free throws, and -18 in points from twos.
Interior defense was a problem again, with the Spurs earning 46 points in the paint, some on quite easy baskets. However, 17 made threes by Dallas covered a multitude of sins. Ball movement was excellent for the most part, and 25 of their 36 made baskets were assisted. The bench was uncharacteristically terrible, contributing only 17 points and everyone being in negative territory. In the last analysis, the Mavericks' superior star quality pulled the team through, and we got to see some lovely basketball in the recovery.
Players
Luka (37 min) had an impressive 26-10-14 line, tying Jason Kidd for most triple-doubles in franchise history. In the fourth quarter, after a second hit to his injured thumb, his hand seemed to start to seriously bother him. He was having trouble shooting, and lost the ball out of bounds on what looked like a loss of control. He declined to use the injury as an excuse, but admitted it was giving him problems. He reacted by feeding his teammates, and they did not disappoint him. Carlisle thought his late-game performance was brilliant on the offensive end, and he also complimented his star for "guarding his butt off, taking away threes and layups." Courageous performance from a youngster with ankle and hand issues, and let's hope he can return to full health before long. After the game, he said he didn't think the thumb injury was serious.
On the development side, Doncic was 10-25 from the field, for which I think the hand was partially responsible. But there comes a time to change tactics from volume shooting, and he ultimately did a fine job of that, attacking the basket and facilitating instead of trying to do it all. Spurs writer Noah Magaro-George lamented that Luka "made just about everyone guarding him look like a fool." Shades of Dirk. Fascinating to watch this unique athlete maturing and polishing his decision-making before our eyes.
Hardaway (36 min) did not have an especially efficient night (5-14), but contributed a dependable 17 points. He had some lovely shots, and he appears to be getting more solid on the defensive end. Mavs media reported Mark Cuban as saying the team would like to keep Tim long-term, and that THJ is interested in staying. He has been a great surprise of the season, transforming from a tax to acquire KP to possibly a foundational piece.
DFS (35 min) was steady on the night, with 14 points, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. In addition to being a stalwart defensively, he was lethal from the field (5-7), and had a three in the fourth that helped to turn the Mavs' fortunes around. Just a quiet engine every night.
Seth (35 min) had a rare 7-point night, but the team was a game-high +22 when he was on the floor.
Porzingis (29 min) was a marvel, with 28 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals and 3 blocks in minutes abbreviated by foul trouble. Spurs blog Pounding the Rock commented: San Antonio simply had no answer for his combination of size and skills, and he reminded everyone why Kevin Durant dubbed him a “unicorn." When Pop was asked what he thought of KP, he replied, "He's a wonderful player. What else can you say?"
Zinger observed after the game that he has enjoyed becoming more involved in the PNR with Luka, and likes having the option to roll or pop, rather than standing around for spot-up shooting. He and Luka both thought he is doing very well now that he is playing more at center. Unlocking the big man's potential is HUGE for the Mavs, and a most exciting development.
Spurs. DeRozan burned the Mavs for 27-8-9, but didn't get a lot of consistent help. Lonnie Walker had 12 points, and seeing the Spurs always affords an opportunity to enjoy his towering updo. KP remarked that the Mavericks were able to use their zone defense to advantage, since the Spurs had only one great three-point shooter (Belinelli), and as long as they kept an eye on him, they could limit the opposition. Marco had 14 points, including 4 threes, and the Spurs reserves won the battle of the benches 40-17.
I liked playing San Antonio when every Mavs-Spurs game was a clash of titans. Once one of the league's great rivalries, a Dallas-SA match still has some extra spice, and we'll take this win over a valiant but overmatched group from South Texas.
Remarks
Carlisle was proud as punch of the win. He acknowledged that his squad had let things get away from them at times, but reminded us that they are a young team, still growing and learning, and he thought they had responded very well. Rick professed that the Mavs' goal for the remainder of the season is to sharpen up for the playoffs, and he regarded this game as excellent preparation and a valuable experience.
Pop thought his own game plan going in was poor, and admitted that the Mavs took advantage. He admired his guys for a determined effort against "a hell of a team," but said that Dallas had certainly played well enough to win.
On the playoff prep theme, Rick usually plays ten guys, but appears to be narrowing down to essentially an 8- or 9-man rotation in any given match, with the last couple of guys playing short minutes. Seven guys look to be locks for a playoff rotation, assuming they're healthy, with the coach seemingly experimenting with players 8-10. Should be interesting to see how it shakes out.
Hopefully, the Mavs will continue to work on their fourth-quarter execution problems, popping up when the opponent tightens up defensively. It is encouraging that they played themselves out of it in this game, leaving themselves enough cushion not to be subject to losing the game due to a controversial late call. Speaking of officiating, I agree with Rick that, though there were some "wacky" events, it's not worth going into now. Strange stuff.
This was a good win, and a positive start to the road trip. Luka is a little beat up, and we'll wish him our best for a speedy recovery. The Luka-KP magic is beyond words!
Next. The Mavs face the Heat in Miami on Friday. Rick thinks this will be another important exercise in preparation for the postseason. Isn't it cool to be back in the mix?
Go Mavs!
![[Image: giphy.gif]](https://media.giphy.com/media/l2JdUW4UPhvrMDj4k/giphy.gif)
