2024 NBA Playoffs: West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #5 Dallas Mavericks (DAL leads 3-2)

[VicG]

This one is an easy call.

Adios Mavs. I predict at least one Luka ejection out of frustration.

[MoneyTalks41890]

I wonder what our coach is gonna do against Mavs size of Lively/Gafford/PJ Washington. My concern is that Jwill is too slow so he might go crazy and try some small ball with Kenrich playing more minutes.

Most OKC fans wanted to add a good back up big or PF at the deadline...this series might show why we badly wanted one.

Definitely a reason not to be so gleefully facilitating other contender trades. Gafford may well be the difference in the series.

[Mavrelous]

Key for the Mavs, dominate the paint, the rim runners, and Lukai are elite rim pressure options, OKC have no clear strategy to contain.
Key for OKC, shooting, Mavs give up 3s at the expense of locking the paint, with 5 out, there will be plenty of open 3s, Mavs continually struggled with shooting bigs and 5 out lineups.

[ChipotleWest]

West


East (aka Boston)

So far the top 3 in the west have dropped one game between them lol

I'm referring to what's coming up, it's not that hard to figure out.

[Dadouv47]

I wonder what our coach is gonna do against Mavs size of Lively/Gafford/PJ Washington. My concern is that Jwill is too slow so he might go crazy and try some small ball with Kenrich playing more minutes.

Most OKC fans wanted to add a good back up big or PF at the deadline...this series might show why we badly wanted one.

Definitely a reason not to be so gleefully facilitating other contender trades. Gafford may well be the difference in the series.

yeah I thought about that weeks ago but ultimately Dallas was going to find a trade partner even if it was a bit more expensive. Presti would be incompetent to make that move if he had any doubt that Dallas could not find another trade partner.

[Yuri36]

It mostly depends on Luka's knee.
If he is still injured, I would say Mavs or OKC in 7, if he is not and if we get the normal PO Luka, it's Mavs in 5 or 6.

[Mamba Mentality]

This is the type of series where experience wins out. Give me Luka and Kyrie. OKC will have their time, but I’m a firm believer every young team must go through some trials and tribulations before reaching or nearing the mountain top.

[mcmurphy]

I see the attempt defended in Playoff by the nba.com/stats
https://www.nba.com/stats/players/defense-dash-overall?CF=D_FGA*G*50&PerMode=Totals&SeasonType=Playoffs


I haven't seen any games... did the Dallas players really play such great defense or were the Clippers just rotten on offense?

[shi-woo]

Mavs have the vet advantage, and the 2 est players in the series (yeah that's right, I said it), so it's hard to pick against them. I'm going Mavs in 6 but wouldn't be surprised if the inhuries caught up with them and iit was Thunder in 6.

I think it's impossible to guard Kyrie and Luka, and think Dallas role players will play better against a team with less size. Zubac got a lot of gimme points in that series, and we didn;t see much from their bigs in that series. I think the role players are more effective against OKC, and Chet is going to play a smart game. Luka and Kyrie can bait him into some easy fouls.

If the game goes half court, you obviously have to favor the team with Dal and Kyrie. IF the tempo increases, you favor OKC, but not by much. Should be interesting to see how this one plays out

[MoneyTalks41890]

Mavs have the vet advantage, and the 2 est players in the series (yeah that's right, I said it), so it's hard to pick against them. I'm going Mavs in 6 but wouldn't be surprised if the inhuries caught up with them and iit was Thunder in 6.

I think it's impossible to guard Kyrie and Luka, and think Dallas role players will play better against a team with less size. Zubac got a lot of gimme points in that series, and we didn;t see much from their bigs in that series. I think the role players are more effective against OKC, and Chet is going to play a smart game. Luka and Kyrie can bait him into some easy fouls.

If the game goes half court, you obviously have to favor the team with Dal and Kyrie. IF the tempo increases, you favor OKC, but not by much. Should be interesting to see how this one plays out

OKC the much better half court team. https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/league/context?season=2023&seasontype=regseason&start=10/1/2023&end=10/15/2024#tab-offense_halfcourt_putbacks

But your tenuous connection to reality already came up in your first sentence.

[Optms]

Pulling for Luka and Kyrie.

But will be fine if OKC advances.

[_NoMas]

West


East (aka Boston)

So far the top 3 in the west have dropped one game between them lol

I'm referring to what's coming up, it's not that hard to figure out.

Feisty

[JShuttlesworth]

I hope Luka has some time to rest his knee between games here

I have no issues with either of these teams, just looking forward to watching some high level basketball. I'm fine with whatever the outcome is, but I'd really be impressed with the young Thunder team if they take care of business here

[Mr. Perfect]

SGA is a nice player, the best Canadian we got. But Luka is a potential top-15 all time player. There's levels to this.

Mavs in 6, maybe 5. OKC had a nice year but they're not ready yet. Chet will get bullied by the physicality. Luka too smart for Dort, he ain't slowing him down and Kyrie will wreck whoever they put on him. If THJ comes back and is on a burner we will see some blowouts.

Let's go Mavs.

[scrabbarista]

Mavs have to shoot better to make this a series. They bricked so many wide open 3s against the Clippers all series.

I don't do predictions because I was wrong once so I figured out I can't tell the future.

I don't see both teams winning, but I also have a hard time seeing both teams losing... so I'm going to predict one team will win while the other, non-winning team will lose.

[Patches Perry]

Dallas may very well be the better team, we'll find out, but the excuse primer is annoying. Make a god damn prediction or sit in the fence like the rest of us.

[C0bR]

If Chet finds his three point shot, it should be a comfortable win for OKC. Gafford/Lively can't defend a lick outside the paint.

[shi-woo]

Mavs have the vet advantage, and the 2 est players in the series (yeah that's right, I said it), so it's hard to pick against them. I'm going Mavs in 6 but wouldn't be surprised if the inhuries caught up with them and iit was Thunder in 6.

I think it's impossible to guard Kyrie and Luka, and think Dallas role players will play better against a team with less size. Zubac got a lot of gimme points in that series, and we didn;t see much from their bigs in that series. I think the role players are more effective against OKC, and Chet is going to play a smart game. Luka and Kyrie can bait him into some easy fouls.

If the game goes half court, you obviously have to favor the team with Dal and Kyrie. IF the tempo increases, you favor OKC, but not by much. Should be interesting to see how this one plays out

OKC the much better half court team. https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/league/context?season=2023&seasontype=regseason&start=10/1/2023&end=10/15/2024#tab-offense_halfcourt_putbacks

But your tenuous connection to reality already came up in your first sentence.

I mean I could do without the insult, and could have asked why I think that

Playoffs are a different story, i'm aware OKC is the "better team" and better half court team, in the regular season. Chet allowing them to go 5 out matters, and SGA can obviously get his own. That's what's made them a solid half court team, but I don't trust that more than the previous half decade of watching both Luka and Kyrie cut teams up.

I don'th think that matters in the playoffs as much. Over a 7 game series where teams know each other in side and out, and coaches have a game plan, you don't see regular season statistics cross over exactly as expected. Guys like Williams and Chet are going to be tested, and I have my reservations on if Giddy and the Thunder bench will be able to hit their open shots in an environment they've never been in before. That is a reasonable take, and we see young teams and young role player crumble every single year when put in this same position. It's why most people are taking the Mavs in the first place, more veterans with experience.

Luka and SGA are going to finish 2 and 3 in MVP voting, and right now, as weird as it seems, Kyrie is actually extremely under rated. He's been competing like hell and is a better and more engaging defender than SGA is at this point in his career and he's already one of the greatest offensive talents the game has ever seen. Saying he's a better player than SGA isn't exactly going out on a stretch, when Kyrie is already one of the best to ever lace them up, and this is his best form.

Kyrie is also someone who elevates his game when the spot light gets bright. He's a 2nd option that put up 26/5/5 on 50/40/90 and is a better defender. I trust him more in big games, and taking the big shot. SGA could get their, but this would be the series to prove it. We'll see how he does.

[GeorgeSears]

Luka finished the first round hobbled. Still, I like Mavs in 6.

[MoneyTalks41890]

Mavs have the vet advantage, and the 2 est players in the series (yeah that's right, I said it), so it's hard to pick against them. I'm going Mavs in 6 but wouldn't be surprised if the inhuries caught up with them and iit was Thunder in 6.

I think it's impossible to guard Kyrie and Luka, and think Dallas role players will play better against a team with less size. Zubac got a lot of gimme points in that series, and we didn;t see much from their bigs in that series. I think the role players are more effective against OKC, and Chet is going to play a smart game. Luka and Kyrie can bait him into some easy fouls.

If the game goes half court, you obviously have to favor the team with Dal and Kyrie. IF the tempo increases, you favor OKC, but not by much. Should be interesting to see how this one plays out

OKC the much better half court team. https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/league/context?season=2023&seasontype=regseason&start=10/1/2023&end=10/15/2024#tab-offense_halfcourt_putbacks

But your tenuous connection to reality already came up in your first sentence.

I mean I could do without the insult, and could have asked why I think that

Playoffs are a different story, i'm aware OKC is the "better team" and better half court team, in the regular season. Chet allowing them to go 5 out matters, and SGA can obviously get his own. That's what's made them a solid half court team, but I don't trust that more than the previous half decade of watching both Luka and Kyrie cut teams up.

I don'th think that matters in the playoffs as much. Over a 7 game series where teams know each other in side and out, and coaches have a game plan, you don't see regular season statistics cross over exactly as expected. Guys like Williams and Chet are going to be tested, and I have my reservations on if Giddy and the Thunder bench will be able to hit their open shots in an environment they've never been in before. That is a reasonable take, and we see young teams and young role player crumble every single year when put in this same position. It's why most people are taking the Mavs in the first place, more veterans with experience.

Luka and SGA are going to finish 2 and 3 in MVP voting, and right now, as weird as it seems, Kyrie is actually extremely under rated. He's been competing like hell and is a better and more engaging defender than SGA is at this point in his career and he's already one of the greatest offensive talents the game has ever seen. Saying he's a better player than SGA isn't exactly going out on a stretch, when Kyrie is already one of the best to ever lace them up, and this is his best form.

Kyrie is also someone who elevates his game when the spot light gets bright. He's a 2nd option that put up 26/5/5 on 50/40/90 and is a better defender. I trust him more in big games, and taking the big shot. SGA could get their, but this would be the series to prove it. We'll see how he does.

Kyrie is orders of magnitude worse defensively than SGA.

In DEPM SGA is 14th overall in the entire league and 97th percentile.

Kyrie is 212th and 59th percentile.

And that’s just the most solid advance stat. In stocks SGA crushes too.