2024 NBA Playoffs - West 1st Round: #4 Los Angeles Clippers vs #5 Dallas Mavericks (DAL WINS 4-2)

[clippertown]

You make some good points, but Bones is not a good defender- one of the worst in the NBA actually. He has more lateral quickness than Harden, but he is too light

Bones is an underrated defender in my opinion. He is working really hard to secure a new contract (thus motivated) and his quickness is great for staying in front of his opponent. Its not that Bones is an elite defender, but he is much faster than Harden and will match up with Kyrie nicely off the bench. He will get abused by Luka, but who doesn't these days?

If it wasn't for Harden joining the team, Bones could very well be the starter. Last night, he played 43 mins, took 29 shots and scored 37 points while hitting 6 three point shots. He also got 9 assists, 4 boards and 3 steals. Not bad for a third stringer.

[dirkdiggler4177]

A few points (from the Clippers perspective):

1. The Clippers are super-deep and I doubt Lue will go with the standard 7 man rotation.
2. Dallas has nobody to match with Russ. His energy will be too much for Kyrie and Luka will need protection from fouls.
3. Harden is crafty and capable but not quick. Quite possible that Russ plays more than Harden in this series.
4. Bones is an X Factor. If Russ and Harden are struggling, Bones is better defensively and has enormous energy.
5. Mann is the best defender on the team (along with Coffey) and they will tag-team Luka all game. Luka struggles against Mann.
6. There is nobody on Dallas to stop either George or Kawhi. Dallas is weaker at the SF / PF position.
7. The Dallas big men are very suspect. In the playoffs, where more contact is allowed, the Clips will rely on their three centers and go small ball less than I think many predict. Dallas has no KP who gave Clippers problems in the past due to his height.
8. Powell is playing crazy good right now and has become an elite scorer. Dallas has a very limited bench.

Overall, if Kawhi is healthy, the Clips would appear to have some advantages. They won't have the best player as Luka is better than Kawhi, but Kyrie hates physical contact and nobody else on the roster is a proven playoff scorer, so Luka will have to do it all.

Gonna be a great series (like the prior ones) with the Clippers winning in seven games.

1: Westbrook and Norm are great players, above the regular bench, and could be starters, but the rest of the bench is nothing out of the ordinary IMO.
2: Westbrook's performance is unpredictable, yet his ball-dominant style is an advantage I appreciate as a Maverick fan.
3: The team lacks a clear offensive identity if Westbrook gets more playtime than Harden.
4: Each series has a potential X-factor role player; it might be the case here as well.
5: Isn't Kawhi the best defender?
6: Kawhi and PG's reliance on isolation plays and fadeaways in the high post is hard to counter, but it hampers the team's momentum when shots miss. The Mavericks have a similar issue with too much isolation.
7: The Clippers can't play small as it allows hiding Luka and Kyrie on offense. The Clippers' frequent switching is problematic, with Luka likely to excel against Zubac and company. Dallas's bigs work better with Luka than Porzingis did, showing energy and they play hard. They are not afraid of contact!
8: Powell appears to be a significant threat and could be the X-factor. However, it's not fair to consider Derrick Lively, Dante Exum, Josh Green, Maxi Kleber, and Tim Hardaway as a limited bench for the playoffs.

[ejftw]

With the posts in here, Clippers should just not even bother showing up as they are about to get swept

[ArksNetsSince99]

Mavs in 5

[ArksNetsSince99]

With the posts in here, Clippers should just not even bother showing up as they are about to get swept

Nobody said that , Clippers win one game , maybe even two

[Dubnation]

Hmm. Do I cheer for Harden or Kyrie. Tough one

Well Kyrie already has his hardware. Harden does not.

I do like Kyrie's game better, however.

[Texas Chuck]

With the posts in here, Clippers should just not even bother showing up as they are about to get swept

IDK clippertown is writing a pretty fun fan fiction story that makes me think Dallas has no shot. I mean he has Bones Hyland as more impactful than Kyrie this series. Dallas has no chance. And the notion that the Clipper have a major edge at center is just amazing. I think he thinks its still Boban/Powell Since adding Gafford to Lively while still having Kleber as a center option, Dallas has the best defense in the league and Gafford/Lively are destroying rims. And of course we know what Luka does to Clipper centers...

I just like to let the extremists, extreme. I think we know both teams have top end talent, quality role players, and each team has one of the all-time playoff killers. Writing either team off is just folly.

[Clav]

May we get a poll?

Mavs sweep
Mavs 4-1
Mavs 4-2
Mavs 4-3
Clippers sweep
Clippers 4-1
Clippers 4-2
Clippers 4-3

[BeiBeau]

If Kawhi’s just taking time off now to be extra healthy for the playoffs and comes in at 100% the pick has to be the Clippers. If he’s banged up and is even just 80% going in, it has to be the Mavericks. Now which one is it? That’s a tough question. I guess if I were to guess I’d lean towards Kawhi struggling to be healthy and pick Mavs in 7. This is as close to a coin flip series as it gets though.

Kawhi last game played was on 3/31 vs Hornets. He scored 23 points and played 37 minutes.

Clippers probably resting him the last 8 games of the season.

James Harden might be the ultimate x factor for the Clippers. If he can play great , then no body will beat the Clippers in a series.

Kawhi vs Luka - who is better?
PG13 vs Kyrie - who is better?
Harden vs ?
Westbrook vs ?
Norman Powell vs ?

When was the last time Harden had a great playoff series?

[dygaction]

Not sure how much the home court would mean for these two teams, still remember both of them lost their first three home courts in the 7-game series in 2021. This season, Mavs are 25-15 home and 25-15 away; Clippers are 25-14 home and 26-15 away, almost no impact to either.

[The High Cyde]

God dammit, not again

It’ll go at least 6, most likely 7. I have no idea who comes out on top, both teams are different than the last time they faced each other in the postseason. Luka is going to cook though, I expect him to average a 30pt triple double this series. Then you have Kyrie who can take over a game, it’ll be fireworks for sure.

[Deshaun Taden]

This is a dangerous series for the Mavs, too many people sleep on LAC.

Harden will outright win 2 games in a playoff series, and probably give you enough for a 3rd in the first 5 games. He is worthless in G6 and G7 and has to be carried. Kawhi with 2 shots to put away a team, if healthy, more than often will do it. LAC is a dangerous championship contender. They have as good a chance as any of the other legit contenders, of which I'd say Denver, Boston and Miami are the other 3.

[ejftw]

With the posts in here, Clippers should just not even bother showing up as they are about to get swept

IDK clippertown is writing a pretty fun fan fiction story that makes me think Dallas has no shot. I mean he has Bones Hyland as more impactful than Kyrie this series. Dallas has no chance. And the notion that the Clipper have a major edge at center is just amazing. I think he thinks its still Boban/Powell Since adding Gafford to Lively while still having Kleber as a center option, Dallas has the best defense in the league and Gafford/Lively are destroying rims. And of course we know what Luka does to Clipper centers...

I just like to let the extremists, extreme. I think we know both teams have top end talent, quality role players, and each team has one of the all-time playoff killers. Writing either team off is just folly.

Did he? I saw him say match up nicely and that the the Clips will use the trio of Cs more than small ball while Dallas bigs are questionable, which isnt really extreme (Mavs fans have been saying how bad Maxi has been, Lively and Gafford arent playoff tested) compared to Clips have no chance. He also said it'd go seven, hardly saying no chance.

Edit: I mean, a fan fiction would be saying something along the lines of Luka finally getting T'd up for his Houston Harden day level complaining, Kyrie talking about Israel commiting Genocide and helping Azerbaijan commit Genocide and getting suspended, Kawhi, Harden, Russ and PG playing like 3-6 years ago and the Clips sweeping

[FarBeyondDriven]

if I was a betting man, I'd bet the house on the Mavs. I think there's very little chance the NBA would allow Luka and this Mavs team, with its star power, to lose this series. They didn't when they met twice before. The NBA is a business after all.

[clippertown]

With the posts in here, Clippers should just not even bother showing up as they are about to get swept

IDK clippertown is writing a pretty fun fan fiction story that makes me think Dallas has no shot. I mean he has Bones Hyland as more impactful than Kyrie this series. Dallas has no chance. And the notion that the Clipper have a major edge at center is just amazing. I think he thinks its still Boban/Powell Since adding Gafford to Lively while still having Kleber as a center option, Dallas has the best defense in the league and Gafford/Lively are destroying rims. And of course we know what Luka does to Clipper centers...

I just like to let the extremists, extreme. I think we know both teams have top end talent, quality role players, and each team has one of the all-time playoff killers. Writing either team off is just folly.

Did he? I saw him say match up nicely and that the the Clips will use the trio of Cs more than small ball while Dallas bigs are questionable, which isnt really extreme (Mavs fans have been saying how bad Maxi has been, Lively and Gafford arent playoff tested) compared to Clips have no chance. He also said it'd go seven, hardly saying no chance.

I appreciate you reading my post and not embellishing it. Nevertheless, he made some accurate observations.

1. I am not sure how Harden will handle less playing time. I would imagine that Luka & Kyrie will pick on Harden relentlessly. Russ and Bones will be better defensively than Harden, but I would not be surprised if the Clips revert to Mann and Coffey as the PG and SG in order to slow down the Mav's guard rotation. This could cause Harden to pout. It will depend if his offense overcomes his defense but no doubt he has slowed down as he ages and that will be difficult to handle.

2. He mentioned that Kawhi is the best defender, and he is during the last two minutes of the game, but Mann and Coffey are very focused on defense and well above average defenders, so I can see them getting plenty of burn.

3. He mentioned iso plays and in this game, its going to be plenty of iso-ball. Kawhi, George, Luka and Kyrie are four of the very best iso players in the league. Hopefully we see some ball movement and that could be the difference maker in this series.

4. I don't agree that the Clippers cannot play small-ball and I have not forgotten how fond Luka is of Zubac, but in the playoffs where more contact is allowed, I can see the Clippers using their three solid centers as foul makers to disrupt. Still, can Zubac even be on the court? I think we will see more of Theis and Tucker, but the Clips do not have any speedy big-men on the roster.

5. From an identity perspective, he is right that the Clips have a problem with identity. Fortunately, in the playoffs, it will be Kawhi's team and everybody needs to get in line. He is a proven playoff performer, more so than Luka and Kyrie (and yes I know Kyrie is a multiple champion but only with a peak LBJ next to him).

6. As for Bones (that Chuck mentioned), I think he will be the X factor. He is going to get time on the court and he is definately speedier than Harden. Just not sure how effective Harden will be in this series. Norm is definately going to be a factor though.

7. If you look at the best players for both teams, you have (in my own order) Luka, Kawhi, George, Kyrie, James, Russ, Powell, Mann, Hardaway Jr, Zubac, Washington, Gafford. After that, I feel like Coffey, Bones, Theis and Plumlee are better than Lively, Jones, Exum and Kieber. Dallas has the best player, but the Clips have a more rounded and superior roster overall.

Overall, I stand by my Clips in 7 prediction but it could also be Clips in 6.

[MalonesElbows]

People will quickly be reminded how good a motivated Kawhi is.

[uscClipsfan]

If Kawhi is healthy, Clips in 5

[advent11]

Clippers will be favored by Vegas.

[canada_dry]

Even if he does play, If kawhi isnt healthy enough to play defense on Luka late in games because its asking too much of that knee, then its gonna be the year the mavs finally get past the clippers. Probably in 5 games, 6 at most.

If kawhi IS healthy enough to do so...its a 50/50 series that can go either way.

Sent from my SM-G960W using RealGM mobile app

[durden_tyler]

May we get a poll?

Mavs sweep
Mavs 4-1
Mavs 4-2
Mavs 4-3
Clippers sweep
Clippers 4-1
Clippers 4-2
Clippers 4-3

Thanks for the reminder. Added poll.