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

[NBA4Lyfe]

Deflecting cause you’re dead wrong, said something embarrassing, and showed us all you know nothing?

luka will never be better than harden until he improves his shooting lol

Luka shot 38.2% from 3 on 10.6 attempts per game this year. That's better than any Harden season.

harden has peaked higher than any luka season and it will stay that way until luka becomes a better shooter haha

[ChipotleWest]

Is that what I said? Or is that what you want to argue? You can argue that strawman but you don't need me to do it, though.

If Luka as the face of the Mavs franchise says to the FO 'hey, keep this guy around, I need him' when Brunson wanted to sign a 4yr/$55mil contract two different times, the Mavs wouldn't have said 'nah'.

Does that sound more plausible? Or are you going to argue against that other scenario you want to place on me?

You don't know the inner working of the Mavs organization to decide "Luka should have told them this or that" it's just nonsensical criticism.

Again...did I say Luka 'should have' done anything? No, again, this is another strawman

You didn't? What is this?

"If Luka as the face of the Mavs franchise says to the FO 'hey, keep this guy around, I need him' when Brunson wanted to sign a 4yr/$55mil contract two different times, the Mavs wouldn't have said 'nah'. "

You literally did right there, that's Luka doing something. Just save yourself time and stop.

[Speadge]

Is that what I said? Or is that what you want to argue? You can argue that strawman but you don't need me to do it, though.

If Luka as the face of the Mavs franchise says to the FO 'hey, keep this guy around, I need him' when Brunson wanted to sign a 4yr/$55mil contract two different times, the Mavs wouldn't have said 'nah'.

Does that sound more plausible? Or are you going to argue against that other scenario you want to place on me?

You don't know the inner working of the Mavs organization to decide "Luka should have told them this or that" it's just nonsensical criticism.

Again...did I say Luka 'should have' done anything? No, again, this is another strawman your fandom is creating to argue out an obvious mistake your team made.

I said 'if' he did then the org would have extended him for 4yr/$55mil one of the two times Brunson told them he'd sign for. Obviously he didn't, he DID NOT push the Mavs to keep him or as the face of the franchise is seems very likely they would have signed the deal.

I don't need to know the 'inner workings' of any specific organization to know the inner workings of human nature and social dynamics.

Oh, boy... you have a really short memory.

At the time Brunson wanted a 4y/$55 million contract, he wasn't worth that money. Let me help you again. That was his game when he wanted that money: https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/brunsja01/gamelog/2021#all_pgl_basic_playoffs
He didn't excel in anything except driving to the basket. He was a one-dimensional player who completely disappeared in the 2020/2021 playoffs.
And when he actually became worth that money (by the end of 2022), they weren't able to keep him. Not even for more money. Let me ask you again, how is that Luka's fault? What should a 23-year-old kid do regarding other players contract negotiations?

[BeiBeau]

luka will never be better than harden until he improves his shooting lol

Luka shot 38.2% from 3 on 10.6 attempts per game this year. That's better than any Harden season.

harden has peaked higher than any luka season and it will stay that way until luka becomes a better shooter haha

Luka is better then notorious overrated playoff choker James harden has even been right now.

Maybe James harden should try winning in the playoffs before we bend over to jerk him off.

[G R E Y]

Mavs were fined for their hard tank

Can't believe over a year later this narrative still exists. They tanked for a grand total of 3 quarters and worth pointing out had they won out they still would have kept their pick.

If I didn't recall that correctly, my bad. I thought it was like a 10+ game stretch. Was it even last season they were fined?

[stuporman]

If Luka as the face of the Mavs franchise says to the FO 'hey, keep this guy around, I need him' when Brunson wanted to sign a 4yr/$55mil contract two different times, the Mavs wouldn't have said 'nah'.

Does that sound more plausible? Or are you going to argue against that other scenario you want to place on me?

Nah, the problem here is that people have short memories when looking back. At the time Brunson wanted a 4-y4/$55 million contract, he wasn't worth that money. He didn't excel in anything except driving to the basket. He was a one-dimensional player who completely disappeared in the 2020/2021 playoffs.
And when he actually became worth that money (by the end of 2022), they weren't able to keep him. Not even for more money. Let me ask you again, how is that Luka's fault?

I didn't say that was Luka's fault...if you are going to make crap up that I haven't said then you don't really need me for that, so why even quote me?

020-21 24 DAL NBA PG 68 12 1697 7.0 13.3 .523 1.7 4.2 .405 5.2 9.1 .578 2.5 3.2 .795 0.6 4.3 4.9 5.1 0.7 0.0 1.7 2.3 18.2

Those were his numbers in the 20-21 season...you don't think that was worth $13mil per year?

18/5/5 on 52/40/80 not worth it?

Yes, I do have to agree with you on one thing....people have short memories.


EDIT: I pulled his per36 not per game... 12/3/3 not 18/5/5 but still worth the money imo.

[baldur]

Luka shot 38.2% from 3 on 10.6 attempts per game this year. That's better than any Harden season.

harden has peaked higher than any luka season and it will stay that way until luka becomes a better shooter haha

Luka is better then notorious overrated playoff choker James harden has even been right now.

Maybe James harden should try winning in the playoffs before we bend over to jerk him off.

Why do you even argue? It's almost certain doncic will have a better careen than harden.

[BaDaBo]

clippers need to get an athletic center in free-agency. Harden does terrible with euro centers

The Clippers would rather let go of Harden first before Zubac. Assuming they are not dumb of course.

zubac is a euro stiff with no atheltcism.. gafford, jones, and lively punked him all series

lol, zubac was the one consistant player on the clippers and played way above his regular season self.

[BeiBeau]

harden has peaked higher than any luka season and it will stay that way until luka becomes a better shooter haha

Luka is better then notorious overrated playoff choker James harden has even been right now.

Maybe James harden should try winning in the playoffs before we bend over to jerk him off.

Why do you even argue? It's almost certain doncic will have a better careen than harden.

The Mavs don’t play until Tuesday. Watching him cry when his daddy gets embarrassingly bounced like a bitch from the playoffs is the most entertainment I’m gonna get until then.

[stuporman]

You don't know the inner working of the Mavs organization to decide "Luka should have told them this or that" it's just nonsensical criticism.

Again...did I say Luka 'should have' done anything? No, again, this is another strawman your fandom is creating to argue out an obvious mistake your team made.

I said 'if' he did then the org would have extended him for 4yr/$55mil one of the two times Brunson told them he'd sign for. Obviously he didn't, he DID NOT push the Mavs to keep him or as the face of the franchise is seems very likely they would have signed the deal.

I don't need to know the 'inner workings' of any specific organization to know the inner workings of human nature and social dynamics.

Oh, boy... you have a really short memory.

At the time Brunson wanted a 4y/$55 million contract, he wasn't worth that money. Let me help you again. That was his game when he wanted that money: https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/brunsja01/gamelog/2021#all_pgl_basic_playoffs
He didn't excel in anything except driving to the basket. He was a one-dimensional player who completely disappeared in the 2020/2021 playoffs.
And when he actually became worth that money (by the end of 2022), they weren't able to keep him. Not even for more money. Let me ask you again, how is that Luka's fault? What should a 23-year-old kid do regarding other players contract negotiations?

The nerve I have touched is so touchy....read my other reply to you.
18/5/5 on 52/40/80 in 20-21 wasn't worth $13milper year? Ok buddy...

Edit...my bad, I read his per 36 not his per game. He was 12/3/3 not 18/5/5....but still worth that money.

[NBA4Lyfe]

The Clippers would rather let go of Harden first before Zubac. Assuming they are not dumb of course.

zubac is a euro stiff with no atheltcism.. gafford, jones, and lively punked him all series

lol, zubac was the one consistant player on the clippers and played way above his regular season self.

too bad his consistency couldnt help him overcome his garbage athleticism to get defensive rebounds..

[NBA4Lyfe]

Luka shot 38.2% from 3 on 10.6 attempts per game this year. That's better than any Harden season.

harden has peaked higher than any luka season and it will stay that way until luka becomes a better shooter haha

Luka is better then notorious overrated playoff choker James harden has even been right now.

Maybe James harden should try winning in the playoffs before we bend over to jerk him off.

538 raptor/epm/per/win shares/bpm/average single season game score

harden blows fluka away

[stuporman]

You don't know the inner working of the Mavs organization to decide "Luka should have told them this or that" it's just nonsensical criticism.

Again...did I say Luka 'should have' done anything? No, again, this is another strawman

You didn't? What is this?

"If Luka as the face of the Mavs franchise says to the FO 'hey, keep this guy around, I need him' when Brunson wanted to sign a 4yr/$55mil contract two different times, the Mavs wouldn't have said 'nah'. "

You literally did right there, that's Luka doing something. Just save yourself time and stop.

That is me presenting a hypothetical scenario...It's saying 'if' he did 'then' what would you think would happen. Learn the difference.

[Potential]

Kawhi only played 4 playoff games out of 20. Clippers need to move on instead of having him waste a roster spot

[BeiBeau]

harden has peaked higher than any luka season and it will stay that way until luka becomes a better shooter haha

Luka is better then notorious overrated playoff choker James harden has even been right now.

Maybe James harden should try winning in the playoffs before we bend over to jerk him off.

538 raptor/epm/per/win shares/bpm/average single season game score

harden blows fluka away

Harden can have a glorp score of 1000. He is 35 with no rings and chokes every year. He’s trash. Most overrated of all time.

[boogiezen]

I'm happy for Brunson's success BUT him playing for the Knicks opened up for Dallas to draft Lively. And I will choose Lively over him when it comes to the future. Drafting Lively makes everything easier for Dallas.

[ChipotleWest]

I'm happy for Brunson's success BUT him playing for the Knicks opened up for Dallas to draft Lively. And I will choose Lively over him when it comes to the future. Drafting Lively makes everything easier for Dallas.

[MrGoat]

Mavs were fined for their hard tank

Can't believe over a year later this narrative still exists. They tanked for a grand total of 3 quarters and worth pointing out had they won out they still would have kept their pick.

If I didn't recall that correctly, my bad. I thought it was like a 10+ game stretch. Was it even last season they were fined?

It was the last two games of last season. The Mavs, Bulls, and Thunder were all 38-42 at the time. The Thunder had the tiebreaker so the Mavs had no control over their own destiny for the 10 seed. And if the Mavs finished even tied for the best record of the 3 they would have more likely than not lost their pick. The first game was against the Bulls and that game is the reason they were fined.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202304070DAL.html

DeRozan and LaVine were out for the Bulls so Kyrie Irving, Josh Green, Maxi Kleber, Christian Wood, and Tim Hardaway Jr. all mysteriously appeared on the Mavs' injury report. But that's not what did it, that game happened to be Slovenian heritage night in Dallas and there were a fair amount of Slovenians in the stadium who had come over to see Luka play. So they played Luka in the 1st quarter only and had him put up 11 shots for the crowd. They benched him early in the second quarter never to be seen again. However, the Bulls still didn't make it easy for the Mavs to lose, the Mavs had a double digit lead early in the 4th quarter at one point. From that point on in the game the Mavericks completely abandoned all pretense and played the rest of the game with a lineup of Reggie Bullock, McKinley Wright, Theo Pinson, AJ Lawson, and Frank Ntilikina

Watch on YouTube

The 4th quarter highlights in that game will make your eyes burn even if it is missing some of the comedy gold. Knicks fans were big mad about that game

[Ssj16]

Sorry NBA4Lyfe and ASGHarden13 but Harden is not that dude.

[dygaction]

If Luka as the face of the Mavs franchise says to the FO 'hey, keep this guy around, I need him' when Brunson wanted to sign a 4yr/$55mil contract two different times, the Mavs wouldn't have said 'nah'.

Does that sound more plausible? Or are you going to argue against that other scenario you want to place on me?

Nah, the problem here is that people have short memories when looking back. At the time Brunson wanted a 4-y4/$55 million contract, he wasn't worth that money. He didn't excel in anything except driving to the basket. He was a one-dimensional player who completely disappeared in the 2020/2021 playoffs.
And when he actually became worth that money (by the end of 2022), they weren't able to keep him. Not even for more money. Let me ask you again, how is that Luka's fault?

I didn't say that was Luka's fault...if you are going to make crap up that I haven't said then you don't really need me for that, so why even quote me?

020-21 24 DAL NBA PG 68 12 1697 7.0 13.3 .523 1.7 4.2 .405 5.2 9.1 .578 2.5 3.2 .795 0.6 4.3 4.9 5.1 0.7 0.0 1.7 2.3 18.2

Those were his numbers in the 20-21 season...you don't think that was worth $13mil per year?

18/5/5 on 52/40/80 not worth it?

Yes, I do have to agree with you on one thing....people have short memories.


EDIT: I pulled his per36 not per game... 12/3/3 not 18/5/5 but still worth the money imo.

it was because of his 2021 playoff performance 8.0/2.6/1.4. In the 3w-4l 7 game series, he was -9, -7, -10 in the three +10, +6, +5 wins. Coach had to reduced his time from 25mpg in the regular season to 16mpg in the playoff. Brunson made a big improvement the next season