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2023-24 Season | Game #31 | Cavs @ Mavericks | Dec. 27, 2023 | 8:30 p.m.

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Boobie4Three said:
It certainly is peculiar that we keep grinding out wins, but without Garlands 3 late clutch turnovers and less Mitchell iso 40 min tired legs bricks, it is proving to be the difference in some impressive team wins. Don't look now but a new big 3 has arrived with CPJ, CL, and JA to take us to the promised land.
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You need to throw Strus in there and make it the big 4.

I've played enough basketball in my life to know that I was always aware of my role on a team. There were times I was the best scorer on the floor (so I shot the most) and times when I was the worst player on the floor (so I stayed out of the way and just moved the ball around and tried to get offensive rebounds). Mitchell may think (rightly) that he is the best scorer on the team, but after watching the way the ball moves in the offense when he doesn't play and seeing how much better other guys play when they are involved in the offense, if he doesn't adjust his game accordingly, he is either 1) a stubborn ball hog or 2) stupid. He needs a coach who can explain this to him. If JBB does not, then he is either 1) afraid of offending his biggest star or 2) stupid.

I was opposed to the Mitchell trade at the time, but after seeing him on a nightly basis, I came to realize he brought us something we didn't have and that every championship team needs. However, unless he is willing (or has a coach who forces him) to curtail his isolation game and only use it at select times, this team isn't going to go any further than what the Jazz did.

The best players can play both iso offense (when needed) and team offense. And team offense doesn't mean pounding the ball for 15 seconds and then getting the assist when passing out of a triple team with 2 seconds left on the shot clock. It means passing, picking away, and moving without the ball. We need DM and DG to do that. They should learn from CPJ.
 
Dallas got 69 points in the first half and 41 in the second. The key was the coaching decision to start doubling Doncic and make him give up the ball.

“We made the decision to just try and get the ball out of his hands,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “[We wanted to] see if the other guys could make enough plays to beat [us]."

They couldn't. That coaching decision and LeVert getting hot in the 4th quarter (15 points) made the difference.
 
Prof123 said:
You need to throw Strus in there and make it the big 4.

I've played enough basketball in my life to know that I was always aware of my role on a team. There were times I was the best scorer on the floor (so I shot the most) and times when I was the worst player on the floor (so I stayed out of the way and just moved the ball around and tried to get offensive rebounds). Mitchell may think (rightly) that he is the best scorer on the team, but after watching the way the ball moves in the offense when he doesn't play and seeing how much better other guys play when they are involved in the offense, if he doesn't adjust his game accordingly, he is either 1) a stubborn ball hog or 2) stupid. He needs a coach who can explain this to him. If JBB does not, then he is either 1) afraid of offending his biggest star or 2) stupid.

I was opposed to the Mitchell trade at the time, but after seeing him on a nightly basis, I came to realize he brought us something we didn't have and that every championship team needs. However, unless he is willing (or has a coach who forces him) to curtail his isolation game and only use it at select times, this team isn't going to go any further than what the Jazz did.

The best players can play both iso offense (when needed) and team offense. And team offense doesn't mean pounding the ball for 15 seconds and then getting the assist when passing out of a triple team with 2 seconds left on the shot clock. It means passing, picking away, and moving without the ball. We need DM and DG to do that. They should learn from CPJ.
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Hopefully these games are opening the eyes of Mitchell and Garland as to what their teammates are capable of. If they can come back and just play within the flow of the offense and take the shots that naturally come to them this team could go all the way.
 
Wham with the Right Hand said:
“We just have a deep roster of guys with diverse skill sets,” Allen said. “Any night could be anybody’s night.”
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He is right but when mobley, garland and DM return how many minutes will that "deep roster" get ? Merrill will never see the floor for sure
When Jerome comes back, will we see Porter again ? Will be interesting
 
avs2000 said:
He is right but when mobley, garland and DM return how many minutes will that "deep roster" get ? Merrill will never see the floor for sure
When Jerome comes back, will we see Porter again ? Will be interesting
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This stretch of games has been great, but we all know the answer . . .
 
Three people in this photo doing their job. The other person claims to sick.
IMG_6639.jpeg
 
kidduck said:
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Good thing Strus got a piece of that ball or Curry would be shooting three free throws to tie the game. Strus got him on the hand on the follow-through. Not smart.

I'm still down on Niang. He missed a couple of uncontested 3's and of course the two free throws at the end that opened the door for the Mavs to send it to OT.

By the way, the defense on the last play was brilliant. The Mavs inbounded with 8.1 seconds to play. Luka wasn't going to put it up right away because if he made it the Cavs would call time out and have about 5 seconds to hit a game winner. So he dribbled off a few seconds so the Cavs would be out of time. LeVert was guarding him, but then Allen joined him just as Luka picked up the ball. With two guys draped all over him Luka couldn't get a shot off and had to pass to Curry. Strus was on Curry and blocked his shot. Perfectly executed defense to force a contested 3 by a smaller player.
 
Wham with the Right Hand said:
Good thing Strus got a piece of that ball or Curry would be shooting three free throws to tie the game. Strus got him on the hand on the follow-through. Not smart.

I'm still down on Niang. He missed a couple of uncontested 3's and of course the two free throws at the end that opened the door for the Mavs to send it to OT.

By the way, the defense on the last play was brilliant. The Mavs inbounded with 8.1 seconds to play. Luka wasn't going to put it up right away because if he made it the Cavs would call time out and have about 5 seconds to hit a game winner. So he dribbled off a few seconds so the Cavs would be out of time. LeVert was guarding him, but then Allen joined him just as Luka picked up the ball. With two guys draped all over him Luka couldn't get a shot off and had to pass to Curry. Strus was on Curry and blocked his shot. Perfectly executed defense to force a contested 3 by a smaller player.
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Niang is the power forward equivalent to Delly. He tries stuff that he has no business trying athletically, but makes it work anyway.. He is has a good three point shot, but drives the lane into contested a fair amount,dragging bodies along with him. I think Okoro can do more of this and better as he is a better athlete.. But his willingness to attack the basket earns him a step more shooting space.. it seems he should be more of a defensive liability. But for some reason teams seem to want to match up guards onto Wade or even Jarret instead
 
2 For The Brew said:
Ceiling guy. A very good or great player who puts a ceiling on your team success because “I am the system.”

Harden. Westbrook. Trae. Luka? Mitchell?
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It worked with LBJ because he was the GOAT. Otherwise...it's extraordinarily tough to win championships that way.
 
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