DAL's runs will be limited because unless Kidd knows something about his personnel that no one else on earth does - or he can coax multiple superhuman games out of Kyrie and/or Luka , DAL is going to have problems on offense. When you can't score regularly, you're not going on runs. DAL's 2Q/3Q run was fueled by Luka getting hot but he doesn't seem to have enough energy to sustain it for an entire game. Hopefully that's true because I really don't want to see Luka go for 60.
In the post game interviews.. DW, JH and JB (as I recall) all mentioned that Luka scored 30 and they thought that was too many.. I get the sense that they want to defend him even more forcefully in game 2.
Or it’s that you’re expected to say at least one positive thing about the other team and they couldn’t come up with anythng else.
It’s not difficult to find ways for Dallas to win.
You can "Make or Miss" your way to wins after every loss. Just watch a Doc Rivers post-game presser.
Dallas' problem is that they need all of their bad numbers to improve, but not let any of the Celtics bad numbers improve.
It was one game. Shooting variance can easily swing the other way the next game. The only bad shooting variance for Boston was Tatum (6-16) and Pritchard (0-7). But do we expect Brown and Porzingis and Hauser to go a combined 18-29 (62.1%) and 6-12 from three?
I think the variance point is a good one.But it's also pretty unlikely that Brown, Porzingis and Hauser will regress AND that neither Pritchard nor Tatum will shoot better. (Though not impossible, of course).
The Celts offensive rating was 117.4 in the game. It was 123.2 in the regular season. It is 119.9 in the playoffs. Pace matters. As you note, their shooting was more or less average. They had a few sloppy turnovers.
I agree that the Celtics are better and should/will win the series. I am just trying to say that Dallas can win a couple of games simply by shooting a little better.
Not all shots are created equal is the basis of Mazzulla-ball.
Maybe see what Kidd's adjustments are before declaring it's a make or miss series
Jones Jr. is a notoriously poor shooter. That's why he was available for the vet minimum. He's thrived in the playoffs because he's hit 38+% from the left corner 3P and over 50% from the right corner 3P (I could have those spots switched; I'm going from memory) - but he ain't getting any of those shots against the Cs. He's also something like 4-15 on ATB 3Ps. The Cs will give him that all day long.
No one is making this argument.
I mean it’s happened twice in 13 games and none of the last 8, so maybe it will happen once or even twice. But it damn well better happen in game B for the Mavs or else it is 123Cancun
I suspect a lot of the mainstream NBA Media will run with Make or Miss, so BJ won't be alone. And shooting variance always plays a part in every game BUT it has been beaten to death all season when the Celtics win, along with they shoot too many 3s
So much ‘analysis’ after the game was ‘as we know Boston lives and dies with the three’..I suspect a lot of the mainstream NBA Media will run with Make or Miss, so BJ won't be alone. And shooting variance always plays a part in every game BUT it has been beaten to death all season when the Celtics win, along with they shoot too many 3s
Speaking of which what is Gary Washburn complaining about these days?
Did they do this with Miami last year? cuz I don't think they even made the same critique even after a series where they were unconscious from 3.
I never claimed it was a “make or miss series”. I have simply said it’s not hard to see how the Mavs could shoot better and win some games.
I mean that’s true of literally any NBA game. I don’t see how that furthers the discussion here.
As I’ve said repeatedly now, the Celtics are better and should (and I think WILL) win the series. But the reaction after game one here is like, omg I cannot fathom any way the Mavs can even win a game here. Well, I can. Pretty easily.
Then I guess this series isn’t worth discussing. It’s a foregone conclusion, right? There’s nothing the Mavericks can do.
No one has said they can’t fathom the Mavs winning a game. Many have said they can’t fathom the Mavs winning the series.
Name one person here who has said they can't fathom the Mavs winning a game.
100%. That's why they play 7 games. If the things you mentioned happen, Dallas might win game 2, and everyone will be overreacting back the other way.
There’s plenty of things to discuss. Shooting variance just isn’t really one of them. Especially until we see game B.
And I agreed with lovegtm and commented that I thought it wasn’t very difficult to conceive of how Dallas could be in this thing.
Probably worth pointing out that Boston didn’t even shoot all that well in Game 1. It was pretty average shooting on some above average looks. Not to say Dallas can’t win, but it’s gonna be extremely tough.
You would think based off this discussion that the Celts hit 20+ on close to 50%. It was 16 on 38%. There was zero shooting variance impact on the Celts 107.
I'm not sure who's coming at you. Seems like normal differences of opinion. Fwiw.
I would wager they had a high volume of good looks on those, too. One possession they legit missed 5 wide open 3s, most of them very badly lol. Early game jitters.
Really? He is trying to win the NBA finals. Sports is not some porcelain doll collection held in secret by a supposed gangster rapper. This is legacy stuff and nobody will remember the '23-24 Dallas as anything other than the team the Celtics beat en route to banner 18 if the Mavs lose.
Sorry, I would just disagree. It's one thing to be cagey and not give up information about who's injured, what your strategy is, stuff like that. I think trying to cause drama within the other team is kind of juvenile, but Kidd is generally a POS - so, whatever.
