2024 NBA Playoffs: West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #5 Dallas Mavericks (DAL WINS 4-2)

[5IVE5TAR5]

Some good games tonight. I got Thunder in 5 and Celtics in 5.

[mpoo_sin]

i m scared!

[slick_watts]

derrick jones jr. and p.j. washington are both worse career 3pt shooters from the corners than josh giddey. i think the mavs will ignore josh giddey in the corners, and i also think that the thunder will ignore either jones or washington if they are stationed there, especially when helping on pick and roll. both teams will live with those players making corner threes.

[Johnston797]

If tomorrow’s gonna go anything like tonight’s Nug game, prepare for zero calls whatsoever in the game. Basically Rugby with a basketball.

If that’s true that would seem to benefit the Mavs more considering they’re a much bigger team.

It's not clear that is the case. Allowing Dort and Jalen Williams to be physical with Luka and Kyrie may be more important than Dallas bigs on Chet.

[Bob8]

If tomorrow’s gonna go anything like tonight’s Nug game, prepare for zero calls whatsoever in the game. Basically Rugby with a basketball.

If that’s true that would seem to benefit the Mavs more considering they’re a much bigger team.

It's not clear that is the case. Allowing Dort and Jalen Williams to be physical with Luka and Kyrie may be more important than Dallas bigs on Chet.

Everyone is physical on Luka, if someone is used to be physically harassed, Luka is. Luka didn't have much problems with Dort in the past, I wonder why that would change? The biggest Luka's problem is his step backs, if he continues to shoot like against Clippers, Mavs are in deep ****, no matter who and how defends him.

[Texas Chuck]

derrick jones jr. and p.j. washington are both worse career 3pt shooters from the corners than josh giddey. i think the mavs will ignore josh giddey in the corners, and i also think that the thunder will ignore either jones or washington if they are stationed there, especially when helping on pick and roll. both teams will live with those players making corner threes.

Thunder absolutely should make those guys make shots. None of the off-ball guys are consistent shooters. This includes Exum(despite the percentages), Green(despite having good corner percentages), and THJ(takes a lot of above the break). I'd tell the bigs not to leave the roll man until Dallas shoots you into having to.

The difference is these teams have played and Dallas defended OKC specifically to create open corner shots for Giddey. Maybe they don't keep that strategy for this series, but we know it is something they have done and it worked. We haven't seen OKC do that.

[Special_Puppy]

I'd have the Thunder as 7 to 5 favorites. Modal outcome being Thunder in 7

[kacey ring]

ESPN “experts” are split on who they have winning. 7 picked OKC, 7 picked DAL.

[CobraCommander]

ESPN “experts” are split on who they have winning. 7 picked OKC, 7 picked DAL.

Let’s hope it’s 7s all around and it goes 7 games -

I don’t care who wins-

I’m praying to the basketball gods for health

[sunsbg]

Hungry Wolves are waiting whoever survives this battle.

[CobraCommander]

If that’s true that would seem to benefit the Mavs more considering they’re a much bigger team.

It's not clear that is the case. Allowing Dort and Jalen Williams to be physical with Luka and Kyrie may be more important than Dallas bigs on Chet.

Everyone is physical on Luka, if someone is used to be physically harassed, Luka is. Luka didn't have much problems with Dort in the past, I wonder why that would change? The biggest Luka's problem is his step backs, if he continues to shoot like against Clippers, Mavs are in deep ****, no matter who and how defends him.

Luka is shooting 11.5 threes a game at 23%

Most 3s and a horribly low shooting percentage-

If Kidd is a coach worthy of an extension and Luka has a basketball IQ he won’t shoot 11.5 threes a game regardless of if he gets hot- He isn’t a good 3 point shooter - It hurts the team - and he can get to better spots on the floor at will which opens it up for much better shooters

[MFT5]

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Chet gone cry

[Archx]

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Chet gone cry

Lively pushing a fatter Chandler away like it's nothing is impressive. I remember in preseason when Gobert just ate him up, he was so weak then.

[slick_watts]

The difference is these teams have played and Dallas defended OKC specifically to create open corner shots for Giddey. Maybe they don't keep that strategy for this series, but we know it is something they have done and it worked. We haven't seen OKC do that.

the thunder concede corner threes often, in general (most opponent attempts per game in the league). and i think they do contextualize it with how they defend pick and roll and sojourns into the paint. i recall the weakside defender sagging off DJJ a lot more than others during the blowout loss to dallas.

[Bob8]

It's not clear that is the case. Allowing Dort and Jalen Williams to be physical with Luka and Kyrie may be more important than Dallas bigs on Chet.

Everyone is physical on Luka, if someone is used to be physically harassed, Luka is. Luka didn't have much problems with Dort in the past, I wonder why that would change? The biggest Luka's problem is his step backs, if he continues to shoot like against Clippers, Mavs are in deep ****, no matter who and how defends him.

Luka is shooting 11.5 threes a game at 23%

Most 3s and a horribly low shooting percentage-

If Kidd is a coach worthy of an extension and Luka has a basketball IQ he won’t shoot 11.5 threes a game regardless of if he gets hot- He isn’t a good 3 point shooter - It hurts the team - and he can get to better spots on the floor at will which opens it up for much better shooters

He was shooting 38.2% in RS. 2nd most 3s made, mostly unassisted pull ups. Kinda good, if you ask me.

It doesn't work like that. Luka's 3s are making game open for everyone, because he can be guarded only by double teams or blitzs in that case. And on top of that he uses far the less energy for step backs, you can't expect from him to drive 20+ times, play good D and be on court 45 minutes.

Mavs can't win this series with Luka struggling, so he better takes and makes those 3s or it will be over pretty soon.

[Texas Chuck]

The difference is these teams have played and Dallas defended OKC specifically to create open corner shots for Giddey. Maybe they don't keep that strategy for this series, but we know it is something they have done and it worked. We haven't seen OKC do that.

the thunder concede corner threes often, in general (most opponent attempts per game in the league). and i think they do contextualize it with how they defend pick and roll and sojourns into the paint. i recall the weakside defender sagging off DJJ a lot more than others during the blowout loss to dallas.

Appreciate the context and I went back and looked specifically at Jones. And in the first meeting he took 12 3's(making 6 ) leading real credence to what you are saying. Only 2 in the 2nd meeting, but that game was just an outlier blowout. And obviously Dallas didn't try in the last meeting.

I wasn't looking for that and didn't remember it, but clearly you remembered it better than me.

[ChipotleWest]

Luka is struggling from 3 because of his knee (that rhymed). I'm not sure it'll be better this series. A minor sprain knee lasts six weeks.

[sfernald]

If that’s true that would seem to benefit the Mavs more considering they’re a much bigger team.

It's not clear that is the case. Allowing Dort and Jalen Williams to be physical with Luka and Kyrie may be more important than Dallas bigs on Chet.

Everyone is physical on Luka, if someone is used to be physically harassed, Luka is. Luka didn't have much problems with Dort in the past, I wonder why that would change? The biggest Luka's problem is his step backs, if he continues to shoot like against Clippers, Mavs are in deep ****, no matter who and how defends him.

We have to realize everything is thrown out in these playoffs. If one of these teams comes in at the Wolves level of play they will blow out the other regardless of what happened in the regular season. I would say especially this year the regular season between these teams means less than nothing.

I really think there’s a chance Okc just starts Isiah Joe and throws all Dallas plans into chaos.

Even better would be to start Wallace in place of Giddey. He’s their best one on one defender after Dort and he could be put out to hound Kyrie. So they have their two best one on one defenders out there. Then Shai and JDub can play the passing lanes as they like to do and Chet can clean up as one of the best shot blockers in the league.

[Zespetjest]

GG Thunders fans, you got this one already:

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[Bob8]

It's not clear that is the case. Allowing Dort and Jalen Williams to be physical with Luka and Kyrie may be more important than Dallas bigs on Chet.

Everyone is physical on Luka, if someone is used to be physically harassed, Luka is. Luka didn't have much problems with Dort in the past, I wonder why that would change? The biggest Luka's problem is his step backs, if he continues to shoot like against Clippers, Mavs are in deep ****, no matter who and how defends him.

We have to realize everything is thrown out in these playoffs. If one of these teams comes in at the Wolves level of play they will blow out the other regardless of what happened in the regular season. I would say especially this year the regular season between these teams means less than nothing.

I didn't talk about this year, but every game against Dort. Normal Luka with his step backs falling, no one can defend him one on one, no matter what D is allowed. He will just haunt switches like he always does. Luka from Clippers series, Mavs are doomed.