GAME 61 DIRKIE: Winner TB (42%) | Runner-ups Luka (30%) & WCS (15%)

[Kammrath]

Who was the player of the game who upped his game to help the team win?

[Kammrath]

BUBBLE BURKE bringing the intensity and energy that set the course for the whole game!

[omahen]

It really was a team effort. Luka was phenomenal offensively. Burke set the tone early with great defense - although he was getting a lot of help on Curry. Mavs team defense was great and non Curry Dubs played along missing everythijng.

[Hypermav]

KP and JRich, sorry...

I will vote for Luka with Boban "swat of death" as runner up.

[Tyler]

Trey with the Burkie.

BTW, Burke and WCS combined for only 14 points but finished with team highs +32 and +41. I can't remember ever seeing something like that, and it really speaks to the total impact they had on the game.

[BolsDamols]

Clutchmaxi set the tone on the offense with the first 5 points  
Willie Cauley Stein with game high +41
Luka "He is just laughing at people" Doncic was phenomenal. Some turnovers that he had were bad though (nitpicking).
Burke missed a lot of shots, but he went after Steph and played great defense on him - he earns the Dirkie for me

[ItsGoTime]

Had Luka scored 41, that would have been the only thing that trumps WCS +41!

[omahen]

Had Luka scored 41, that would have been the only thing that trumps WCS +41!

Fire Carlisle for benching him!

[Kammrath]

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/dallasmavs/status/13...8062936069

[jesusshuttlesworth82]

ok glad to see everyone else saw the same thing with Burke

didn't know he had that in him

[omahen]

We really have to give credit to Burke. He was thrown out of rotation but stayed ready and was one of few guys that showed up last two games with guys missing because of injuries. Perhaps his contract is not that bad afterall. It is just a bit over vet min and it is nice to have a capable vet guy on deep bench.

[ThisIStheYear]

I had to vote for Luka.  He had 39, 8, & 6 in three quarters. That’s ridiculous. But starting TB was inspired, and he definitely deserved the belt tonight. I wonder what an all star caliber version of Burke in the starting lineup could mean for this team?  Seems like the missing piece.

[KillerLeft]

Trey Burke, when playing well, can do things nobody else on this team can. I wish there was a way to get him playing at this level more consistently. I sure hope Carlisle hasn’t given up on that yet.

[SleepingHero]

Trey Burke and it's not even close imo. His defensive effort against Curry in the first singlehandedly destroyed the Warriors and sparked the blowout to commence.

Sure he could've hit more easy layups, but he more than made up for it in slowing down Curry enough to the point where the Mavs could build a lead big enough not even Curry could come back from.

And that's not for a lack of trying from Curry+Warriors. My 2nd choice for Dirkie had to be Luka for coming out and sizzling any hope for the Warriors to mount a comeback in the 3rd, matching Curry shot for shot. 

Luka could've had 50+ points easily tonight and Burke is still the dirkie. Thats how good of a defensive performance he had.

[embellisher]

Burke couldn't make a shot but he brought it on D. He deserves the belt and the Dirkie!

[ballsrchr]

Trey Burke's offense was a little off...but his defense was great!  This game was a good team effort--the way they should play all the time--but I'm not going to give out a team Dirkie.  Burke gets my Dirkie.

[vfromlmf]

The entire team should learn from Burke's performance. The kid made two shots but dominated the game with a defensive performance I didn't know he was capable of. Best on-ball defense of the year.

[Chicagojk]

I vote Burke.   I was doing other stuff while watching the game and was not aware he was 1 for 11 at one point from the floor.  That is rough.   But his defense really made Curry work for his shots and gave him very little opportunity to get going.   Steph still scored, but Burke's defense was great.   He good play also allowed us to get back into our normal guard rotation of having Brunson and Hardaway come off the bench.  

I never thought of Burke as a good defender, but he really answered the bell last night.   I wonder if he gets more chances down the stretch against the better lead guards in the league?   For instance, does he get good minutes when we play Cleveland twice or Morant one more time?

[KillerLeft]

I never thought of Burke as a good defender, but he really answered the bell last night.

He has all the tools to be a great waterbug defender, imo. He's really the only fast guy on the team...137 year old Redick might be the second quickest guy on the team, at least amongst those who are ready to play. Hopefully, Green and Terry will be ready to up the quickness quotient next season, because I think Luka will need more and more "athletes" around him as he ages.