Luka Doncic ('24 NBA Scoring Leader) & Kyrie Irving - 23-24 NBA Thread

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[Cavsfansince84]

Not really sure if this series is showing Dallas to be a real contender or Okc just being too young and it finally showing. I don't think they're going to keep getting this version of PJ Washington in the conf finals or finals(if they get there).

[Dr Positivity]

I like the Mavs model of two ballhandlers + size. It's like a combo of 18 Rockets and 20 Lakers.

A part of me wanted to believe in OKC as a real title contender since I really like their style of play and I still think they might win the series, but it's clear now after that game how going against teams with size is going to be their downfall. WCF would be a really rough matchup for them.

[mademan]

Not really sure if this series is showing Dallas to be a real contender or Okc just being too young and it finally showing. I don't think they're going to keep getting this version of PJ Washington in the conf finals or finals(if they get there).

They won a game with Luka being their 3rd best player. They won a series with Luka being their 2nd best player. Says a lot about the team build that they can challenge for the CF's with an injured Luka giving relatively modest production (relative to his healthy self)

[Cavsfansince84]

They won a game with Luka being their 3rd best player. They won a series with Luka being their 2nd best player. Says a lot about the team build that they can challenge for the CF's with an injured Luka giving relatively modest production (relative to his healthy self)

Not really imo. Kyrie being better than him in games here and there is expected to happen. What no one really saw coming is PJ Washington putting up 20ppg on great efficiency and I don't think that's sustainable. He's like a basic starter guy in his late 20's suddenly playing like an all star.

[Texas Chuck]

Not really sure if this series is showing Dallas to be a real contender or Okc just being too young and it finally showing. I don't think they're going to keep getting this version of PJ Washington in the conf finals or finals(if they get there).

I think its mostly the latter. What's good as a Mavs fan is that they have winning in the playoffs with zero Luka heroics and poor shooting, they have been winning with defense and rebounding and general toughness(and some absurd Kyrie 4th quarter shot making).

It's the right formula and maybe next year with a healthy Luka Dallas is a real threat. But I think against a more veteran team Dallas would be losing this series and maybe in danger of being swept.

Still 2 wins from being back in the final four after a year in between being out of the playoffs is encouraging for Dallas and they have another year with everyone important coming back save possibly Jones and THJ's contract to use as matching salary in a deal to replace Jones if necessary.

Problem is OKC can go get any available player in the league and may run the conference completely next year. And unlike with his last young core, Presti isn't going to sit on his assets. I expect them to be very aggressive this summer.

[Cavsfansince84]

I think its mostly the latter. What's good as a Mavs fan is that they have winning in the playoffs with zero Luka heroics and poor shooting, they have been winning with defense and rebounding and general toughness(and some absurd Kyrie 4th quarter shot making).

It's the right formula and maybe next year with a healthy Luka Dallas is a real threat. But I think against a more veteran team Dallas would be losing this series and maybe in danger of being swept.

Still 2 wins from being back in the final four after a year in between being out of the playoffs is encouraging for Dallas and they have another year with everyone important coming back save possibly Jones and THJ's contract to use as matching salary in a deal to replace Jones if necessary.

Problem is OKC can go get any available player in the league and may run the conference completely next year. And unlike with his last young core, Presti isn't going to sit on his assets. I expect them to be very aggressive this summer.

Ya.. I think the idea of having Luka putting up 34/9/9 in the rs under the guise of he has to or w/e is just asking for him to be injured or worn down by the time the playoffs come around also. Same as with Embiid who is even more injury prone. I can't really take Dallas seriously personally until Luka is back down to the 29-31 range in the rs(with a less ball centric style) and they get a wing who can do what Washington is doing now more consistently. Kyrie isn't a young chicken either though so the window with him as a legit #2 on a contender may only be 2 more years.

[Pelly24]

Not really sure if this series is showing Dallas to be a real contender or Okc just being too young and it finally showing. I don't think they're going to keep getting this version of PJ Washington in the conf finals or finals(if they get there).

As is, I think they can beat the thunder. BUT the key here is that Luka is *far* from 100%. if he were 100%, or even 95%, this series would be over in 5 games, and the clippers series would've been over in 5 games too. The fact that they're able to be this good with Luka being so compromised is a testament to the Mavs' front office. A 100% Luka and this roster with Kyrie is definitely a legit contender most years if not this one.

[dygaction]

Not really sure if this series is showing Dallas to be a real contender or Okc just being too young and it finally showing. I don't think they're going to keep getting this version of PJ Washington in the conf finals or finals(if they get there).

I think its mostly the latter. What's good as a Mavs fan is that they have winning in the playoffs with zero Luka heroics and poor shooting, they have been winning with defense and rebounding and general toughness(and some absurd Kyrie 4th quarter shot making).

It's the right formula and maybe next year with a healthy Luka Dallas is a real threat. But I think against a more veteran team Dallas would be losing this series and maybe in danger of being swept.

Still 2 wins from being back in the final four after a year in between being out of the playoffs is encouraging for Dallas and they have another year with everyone important coming back save possibly Jones and THJ's contract to use as matching salary in a deal to replace Jones if necessary.

Problem is OKC can go get any available player in the league and may run the conference completely next year. And unlike with his last young core, Presti isn't going to sit on his assets. I expect them to be very aggressive this summer.

Very promising but nothing is garanteed. Even younger OKC in 2012 had Kevin Durant (23), Westbrook (23), Harden (22), Ibaka (22) making the finals, but nobody expected that was the only finals they made 12 years since then.

[Cavsfansince84]

As is, I think they can beat the thunder. BUT the key here is that Luka is *far* from 100%. if he were 100%, or even 95%, this series would be over in 5 games, and the clippers series would've been over in 5 games too. The fact that they're able to be this good with Luka being so compromised is a testament to the Mavs' front office. A 100% Luka and this roster with Kyrie is definitely a legit contender most years if not this one.

At the same time even 95% isn't realistic for star players at this point in the season imo. They all play a lot of minutes and carry a large load in the rs. This is part of why I said Dal won't win anything with Luka putting up these kinds of numbers in the rs. He needs to scale it back and lower his usage. Not hard to see a correlation in a 240lb pg breaking down over 100 games when he carries the off load in a way few players in nba history have.

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[Ian Scuffling]

I'd just like to take a minute to thank TroubleS0me for all his twitter, ahem X, links. TYFYS. Go Mavericks.

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