After Dark: Previewing Mavericks vs Thunder in Round 2

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You need indeed. I'm going to be the same. Hello there. Welcome to Pod Maverick WORK_OF_ART.

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I've decided to call this one a Mavs party because the Dallas Mavericks are in the second round. But really, this is Josh Bo and Kirk Henderson here talking to you about Thunder versus Mavericks in the second round of the NBA ORG playoffs. We're coming to you live. It's a little after 9 o'clock. There's like 15 seconds left on this Knicks Pacers ORG game, which is truly bizarre. And we were going to wait a few more minutes, but we just sort of decided to go with it. If anybody wants to join us later, they certainly can.For those of you who happened to join me earlier today, I did sort of a flash podcast with Jason Gallagher and Tyler Parker PERSON. That's already on the YouTube page, but I'm posting it in the audio stream on Tuesday at about noon. It's only like 25 minutes. We didn't have a lot of time, but it was pretty funny.Just it's two old friends who are rival basketball fans, and I wanted to give them a chance to sort of sound off about like how the basketball over the years of their friendship. It was a pretty entertaining show. Josh PERSON, how are you? I talked for two straight minutes.

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No, you're fine. It's good because I never know what to say in the intro stuff. That's like supposed to be the part where you're like doing your small talk, chit chat. And sometimes, you know, we are two, we are two dads. We are too tired dads.And sometimes we just don't have any small chat left in our brains when we get to

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nine o'clock at night, you know? Like that part of our brains don't work anymore.

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It's really something too, because you don't want to be like a jerk about this, but I just, I always want to remind people, like, I love talking basketball. I love talking basketball with you. I love talking basketball with Mavs ORG fans. But I do want to remind everybody that Josh and I actually have day jobs and none of our staff is actually compensated relevant to the time that we put in on this stuff.

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It's like absolutely a labor of love.

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And that includes these podcasts, because usually, and this really tickled me to pieces, usually it's me, like sassing Josh PERSON about doing a show. And I get a message today.He was like, do we want to do the preview podcast? And I was like, sure.

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I wrote a ride down.

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It was incredible.

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Josh sent me like a two-page Google ORG document with thoughts because you could tell he wanted

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to write but not write that badly. He'd much rather talk about it. So we're here. Well, Josh PERSON, why don't you sort of kick us off here? Because you clearly have some thoughts in the series. I love it.

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Yeah, well, we need to set the table a little bit. So, yeah, the Mavericks are going to play the Thunder ORG. So if you're, it depends when you're listening to this. But game one is Tuesday, May 7th. We're recording this on a Monday night, May 6th. So we are recording this the day before. Second round starts. The Mavericks ORG have now made it out of the first round in two out of the last three years under coach Jason Kidd PERSON, which is kind of crazy when you think about where they were before that.Did you do?

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Did you hear the Rick Carlisle stat?

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Did you see that one today?

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That Jason Kidd and Rick Carlisle have now taken the Mavericks out of the first round

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the same amount of times.

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Pretty pretty good.

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And by the way, if the Mavericks win the championship, Jason Kidd PERSON will have the most playoff series one for any Mavericks ORG coach in the history of the organization. Wow. Because the most is Rick with five. And Jason Kidd is at three. There are three more playoff series left.Do the math.

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God.

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It says a lot about the Mavericks ORG. It says a lot about the Mavericks.

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It says a lot about the Mavericks ORG. It says a lot about the format of the playoffs.

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It says a lot about how difficult the NBA ORG playoffs actually is. We're also sort of just, this is not relevant to the specifics of the show. But Jason Kidd was offered and accepted a contract extension today. The Dallas Mavericks let that one out in a press release. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. It was very an interesting read that we'll probably have to discuss and read too much into in the summer.But Mark Cuban's PERSON name does not appear in that press release, nor does Mark Cuban's name appear in anything that Jason Kidd had to say, at least that I saw today. So it was a very heavy emphasis on new ownership, but, you know, when you look

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at the details of how they've been able to get to the playoffs like this, I very much, I actually understand it. Contracts don't really mean much for coaches, so, you know, things could go sideways at some point, but, you know, you make it like this where the Mavericks ORG have done in the playoffs. He's earned it. Might not be my favorite coach, but, you know, at some point you got to seed, seed some ground and say, hey, it's worked.Oh, yeah.

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And, yeah, like, I don't, even if you're a big Jason kid hater, like, I don't even know, I mean, you're going to get mad because I'm sure everything makes you mad. But even, like you said, coaches, contracts don't matter. Like, even if you hate Jason kid with every fiber of your being, that's not going to stop the Mavericks from firing him in 12 months if they feel like something catastrophic has happened. Yes. So, like, guys, we literally saw what the Milwaukee Bucks coach didn't even make it sixmonths or whatever. Like the, the Lakers have fired like two coaches now in one of them in the last four years and one of them won a title. That's right.

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Coaches will come and go. So like, I mean, just the course of things.

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So yeah, but yeah, so that kind of sets the stage and coaching will definitely be a big thing because I believe the Mavericks ORG are going against the coach of the year, Mark Dagnot and the Oklahoma City Thunder ORG. So yeah, the Thunder ORG are theone seed in the west. They, you know, just to kind of set the stage a little bit for what the Mavericks ORG are heading into, they swept the Pelicans 4-0. Wasn't a particularly competitive series. I think there was maybe like one or two games that the Pelicans ORG gave them a decent fight.But for the most part, they kind of rolled them. And the Thunder were the one scene in the West LOC for a reason. In the regular season, they were second in net rating behind the Boston Celtics ORG. And they were comfortably second. They were plus eight. Minnesota was plus 7.1.They had the third best offense, fourth best defense. One of the few teams, in fact, I think they were, them in the Boston Celtics ORG are the only teams that had top five offense and top five defense in the regular season,which is as you, you know, if you've been following basketball and that kind of stat, you know how important that is to being a title favorite. And basically everything in their, in their resume indicates them being a very strong title contender, despite the fact they're one of the youngest teams in the playoffs, they're one of the youngest teams in the league, regardless of playoffs. And I think everyone just kind of keeps waiting for that to manifest and then in the first round they kind of just smack the pelicans NORP like they were nothing soyou know i understand that the mavericks NORP have some reasons to feel confident and feel like they can be more than competitive in this series and we'll talk about those advantages but you know if you're if you're hoping that the youth comes out and that's something you know i don't know if that's something you can rely on if you're a Mavericks ORG fan, just hoping that the youthful mistakes come up. Because so far, that hasn't been a factor. Maybe it will in this series, I don't know, but I think just to kind of put a button on it.Like Oklahoma City, one seat in the West LOC, great offense, great defense. Shea Gillesius Alexander is absolutely a worthy top three MVP candidate, regardless of how Mavericks ORG fans feel, which I know some of them have been getting a little touchy with that one. And, you know, understandably so. Luke PERSON is awesome.You want your guy to win MVP WORK_OF_ART. So not a big deal. But they're good. Like, they're a good team. I think a lot of, there's been some narrative that they might be paper tigers. I think they're legit.I think this series is going to be a bloodbath. Like, it's going to be a knockdown, dragout fight.

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Whew. Yes.

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The main element, which I think is really confusing for a lot of people who

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haven't watched them specifically is understanding just how much this team has actually played together this season. They have not dealt with any significant entry. When you go look at the number of games played along with the number of minutes thattheir various starters and backup players have played, this is a team that has been through the 82 game war together and mostly played together. I mean, Chet Holmgren PERSON played everysingle game this year. That is crazy for a rookie.

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Yeah, I know. Rookie big. But it's like he played 25 more games than Derek Lively PERSON, I think. I think

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Lively played 57. So it's just, it's a, this team is, is nothing to be scoffed at. And I think, like, some of the, some of the, the criticisms, and this is just my opinion, but some of the criticisms of this team have to come from a slightly envious place because they have,

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they're such a high caliber,

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high pedigree team. So just be honest, they tanked the shit out of things for years. SGA ORG doesn't have a lot of playoff experience because they were holding him down for like two, two and a half seasons. This guy is an MVP candidate, and it's only shocking to people that didn't pay attention to them how good he was.You know, I, I, maybe that's a little bit much. I was very high on him heading into the regular season. He's just a, he's a stats monster. He plays great defense. He's the quiet kind of leader. He does a lot of things which are really admirable for a guy that is as relatively inexperienced as he is. He's six months older than Luca PERSON, that same draft class, but just he's an outstanding basketball player supported by a cast of guys that I am, you know, keep in mind I like this Mavericks ORG team, I really like this Mavericks ORG team. But it's a, it's a cast of guys that I'm just frankly

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envious of because they, they have so many guys. They have so many guys and they have 40 million

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draft picks between now and 2030.

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So that's, envy is the thing. You nailed, hit the nail on the head because they went from last season, they were a plucky 10th seed playing team, which in normal, you know, before the plan,

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they wouldn't even go playoff. They shouldn't have been in the plan. The only reason they were in the plan is Chet Honger and missed the whole year with the foot injury. Yeah.

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But they went, usually there's an order to things. You maybe start out as like an eighth seed or seventh seed. And then you work up to five and then you maybe challenge for home court and then you become a contender. They went from lottery tanking to one seat in the West almost overnight. And I think a lot of people are like, wait, they skip some steps.So not only are they awesome right now, everyone's young, their entire team is very young, but they also can trade. They can make any trade.

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They literally have the most assets of any NBA ORG team. And not only they have the most, they have the most by a mile.

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So like any star that comes on the trade market, any good player, they are at the front of it. It's their decision. If they want to trade for most, they have the most by a mile. So like any star that comes on the trademark, any good player, they are at the front of, like it's their decision. If they want to trade for them, they can because they can literally beat any trade offer. So it's, it's rare to see. I can't ever remember a team in their position being this good, this young, and alsojust having so many picks. Like even the process Sixers ORG who tanked forever did not have a stockpile like this, where they were this good with a bunch of future picks and a bunch of young players that everyone wanted because they kind of whiffed some picks before they got Joel and Bid PERSON. They haven't whiffed that many picks. Like, no, I don't think any.

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I really don't. I really don't. They're just, it's, it's a shocking rebuild. It's just, you just don't see teams, teams like this. You just don't. Well, so on the rundown here, the first thing you talked about, or that you wrote down that you wanted to talk about was the Maverge defense versus the Oklahoma City Thunder ORG offense. Can you walk us through what you're thinking?

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So I think the big thing, if you're coming from the Clippers ORG series, the big thing you have to know is that the Clippers ORG were an elite offense, but they were so star-driven. It was James Harden who was Paul George was Quiet Leonard. And they didn't have Quiet Leonard. And then they did, he did not look like himself.So they really relied on basically two guys to score all their points in that series. They got a third from Zubots PERSON. But after that, their scoring was like, they got nothing. The Thunder ORG, it's not like that. The way the Mavericks ORG had abilitiesto turn the pressure up on the clippers is because they kind of force their role players and they may be doing stuff they didn't want to do. That's a different story against Sokees C. ORG Because, yeah, you got Shagiel Saigonjanger, the MVP candidate. Jalen Williams O'KC. Because, yeah, you got Shaggyz-Igand PERSON with the MVP candidate.Jalen Williams PERSON, they've got two Jalen Williams, wing Jalen Williams, is awesome. Another 20-point score. Chet Holgram, 15 point per game score, shooting well from three. The whole team shoots well from three. They're shooting, they shot 39% from three in the regular season. They shot 38.7% against the Pelicans ORG.They had one, two, three, four. They had five guys average double figure points in that four games.

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Did you hear the lovely stat that Josh Giddy, the guy, the Mavericks ORG, who are most likely to sort of lay off.

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At one point, and after the first four games, he led the NBA ORG in plus minus in the playoffs. Oh, yeah, he was terrific. He made 50% of layoff. At one point, and after the first four games, he led the NBA in plus minus in the playoffs. Oh, yeah, he was terrific. He made 50% of his threes.

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Oh, he had 66% of his threes, I think. Oh,

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I thought he hit 12 of 18. Even better, I'm looking, this says 50. Oh,

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but I'm looking at it.

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Either way, he shot really well from three. And that's a big thing.

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And because he's like the one spot you hide off of, or maybe Lou Dort, but guess what? He also shot above 50% from three. And that's a big thing. And because he's like the one spot you hide off of, or maybe Lou Dort, but guess what? He also shot above 50% from three in the first round. And he shot well

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in the regular season. So they bring a guy like Isaiah Joe PERSON off the bench, who is a flame thrower.

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If one of their two defensive wings are struggling, they've got a rookie in case in Walls,

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who looks nothing like a rookie.

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That's the player that the Thunder picked when the Mavericks ORG and Thunder did their trade where the Mavericks got lively. The Thunder got Case and Wallace PERSON.

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He's an athletic guard to bring off the bench.

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Dallas people should know him if you pay it all to the local high school scene.

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He went to Richards PERSON in high school and is just, I'm really glad that that our guy has worked out Derek PERSON lively because this casein Wallace is it. He is

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awesome. So the big thing that I think that, you know, if you're a Mavericks ORG fan watching this after you watch the Clippers ORG series, it's just guarding this team is not going to be as easy as it was guarding the Clippers ORG. Because the Clippers just gaveyou something like Terrence Mann PERSON, Amir coffee, Russell Westbrook, Mason Plumley. They just had a multitude of guys that they're playing big minutes that you just frankly did not have to worry about. And yeah, Terrence man made some shots, but he averaged about nine points per game in that playoff series,even giving getting, even with the Maverick ORG giving him some open shots. You give, you know, Lou Dort, you give Chet Holmgram PERSON, you give Isaiah Joe PERSON, you give those guys open shots. They're, you know, Lou Dort, you give Chet Holmgram, you give Isaiah Joe, you give those guys open shots. They're going to score. They're going to score.

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Isaiah Joe, that one hurts me because he was one of the guys, Lucas. Well, he was one of the guys

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Lucas rookie year who I was hoping the Mavericks ORG could find a way to draft somehow because his

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college stats were a riot. He just shot like 10 or 11 threes a game. And with the way Mavericks

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used to play,

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you know, you wanted volume three point shooters. And the fact that he's like, I don't know, probably the 11th man in the thunder rotation is just disgusting. Yeah. It's, it's crazy. So,

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you know, you looked at the clippers and it's like, all right, just cut, you know, can, if we can shut down one of Hardin or Paul PERSON or both, which they ended up doing because they had one of Derek Jones Jr. PERSON PJ Washington, which they ended up doing because they had one of Derek Jones Jr., PJ PERSON, their two best perimeter defenders were on them. Then you've got your big guys,you're funneling them too. You just kind of put the clippers in a chokehold. Well, even if you do that with Shay and Jalen Williams PERSON, you got Chet shooting threes as your center. Zubot PERSON. They did not play a stretch five.The clippers didn't. And we've seen historically the Mavericks have not played a stretch five very well. But we probably have to start with SGA ORG. He's MVP candidate. Let's not feed around the bush. How the Mavericks ORG guard him is going to be really crucial.We saw what they did with James Harden PERSON, what they put DJ, Derek Jones Jr. PERSON on him, and he had a tremendous series. He was a monster defensively. The Mavericks ORG, like you tweeted about earlier, they beat people up. They're physical.They've probably benefited the most from the post-all-Star break rule changes where teams just do not call, refs just do not call fouls anymore because the Mavericks ORG just, they just love beating people up. They went from one of the most fouling teams in the league last season and pre-all-Star break to now they're like the bottom third.And that helps a lot. They're able to get away with a lotster break to now they're like the bottom third and that helps a lot they're able to get away with a lot not saying like they're you know they're playing the way

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they should be playing like you know yeah it's just so odd for us like we don't know how to talk

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about it in context because we've we're usually on the other side of this and have been for 20 years where it's like that's a foul and it never gets called right um our our guy matthew or mad's moneyball contributor is often like the guy in our our slack complaining about fouls not going against the mavericks and since the the change of rules he's been much more quiet because it's like the mavericks NORP just mug in the lane you get within 10 feet of the basket and you're getting hit yeah yeah it's it'sit's amazing because we've never watched. I mean, maybe the 2011 team. Like, you can count on one hand how many Mavericks ORG teams we've said

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that are very physically dominant on the defensive side of the ball.

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And the thing with Shea PERSON is he gets to the free throw line a ton. And he's still getting the free throw line a ton post all-star break with all these rule changes.

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So you've got a Mavericks ORG team

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that predicates themselves on being physical without fouling, without fouling. And you've got a superstar on the other side that lives at the free throw line regardless of how the refs are calling the game, who's going to win that battle?And that's going to be huge. And SGA ORG is herky jerky. He's very crafty, but he's also very athletic. He's very long. You know, Harden PERSON, there's a little similarities to their game in terms of their craftiness and the pick and roll and using their body and kind of controlling the pace and the tempo and moving at their own speed. But SGA ORG is just so much wildly more explosive than Hardinright now that it's going to be, it's going to be a challenge. They might be able to use some of that blueprint. But Hardin PERSONg is just so much wildly more explosive than Hardin right now, that it's going to be, it's going to be a challenge. They might be able to use some of that blueprint, but Hardin PERSON, you know, Hardin PERSON doesn't.It's a very different.

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Hardin PERSON, he's not a leaper. Yeah, Hardin is more Kendaluka PERSON in that he's incredibly strong, and he used that strength. And SGA ORG is so technically sound with all of his moves and so balanced.It's really wild because he operates in that 10 to 12 foot range. And when his little jumper is

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going, it feels unstoppable. And that 10 to 12 foot range, that's pretty much what the Mavericks want to give up defensively because they're taking, you know, they'll give you some threes, but they try to run teams off the line and force you to their two big rim protectors and Daniel Gaffer and Derek lively. They've been the best rim defense team since post-all-star break. I'm pretty sure they, I don't have this looking up, but I'm going to bet that they've been the best rim protection team playoffs. don't have this looking up, but I'm going to bet that they've been the best rim protection team playoffs. And you look at SGA, he shot 52% in the regular season in the paint away from the restricted area.

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Big average loves that floater range.

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And the fabrics want to give up the water range. Like those are the shots that they are daring you to make. That's the series to me. Like, can MAA continue to make those shots in the paint against the Mavericks' length of lively and Gafford PERSON? And are the Mavericks ORG going to have to change things up? Because if he's killing them in that area, it's like, wait a minute, that's what we've been doing.Like, that's our identities. Like, we don't give you layups but we'll give you the floaters as jay is like i'll take those shots i'll take one time those are my favorite shots

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um so that's going to be this the push pull between this series is going to be how the mavericks

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react to how sGA scores in and around the paint and how well that they can contest those shots without giving up the back line because if if f sGA ORG is killing them in that paint away from the restricted area and the mavericks NORP like all right let's creep up a little more let's creep up more let's contest their shots more that means you're pulling your rim protector away from the restricted area does that leave them open to back door cuts to cutting to driving lanes that give up that restricted area which they've been walling off so well so that's going going to be the chess match, I think, of this series.

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Makes me really nervous when I think about it, because then the other options that you talk about is you force the ball. Let's say the Mavericks ORG do a good job in that, you know, paying the restricted area and they start forcing the ball out of SGA ORG's hands.

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He has options that are really, really good.

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I believe they drove it more than any other team in the league this year.

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Mm-hmm. Thunder. So, yeah, that's the one thing. So you think, you know, okay, so what are you going to do? How are you going to protect the paint, guard the rim against this team? And it's probably going to be they're going to put a center on Josh Giddy because they're going to dare him to shoot.

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I don't think they will.

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I don't think they're going to do that.

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I really don't think they will because I think think Chet, if the Mavericks ORG are without

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Maxy, who do you, like, where do you put PJ PERSON?

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Do you put, do you let PJ PERSON?

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You put PJ PERSON, you put PJ on Chet PERSON and you switch those pick and pop

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so you don't let check it open. See, that scares the shit out of me because Chet PERSON is really good. I know, but

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we've seen this Mavericks ORG team against Stretch 5s with Gafford PERSON and lively. It doesn't look good.

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They don't like switching Gafford PERSON and lively

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on those stretch fives in the pick and pop. So you put PJ on Chet PERSON, you switch those screens so Chet PERSON doesn't get open pick and pop threes. And then you put Gaffer Lively PERSON on Giddy and you dare him to shoot.I think that they might do that. But the problem with Giddy is one, he's making his threes in the playoffs. We'll see if he does that. They'll probably can dare him again.

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18 shots total in four games,

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which is not nothing. It's almost five attempts a game. But the other thing is like, I know Giddy PERSON gets made fun of a lot, but this isn't like, he's got some skills.He is incredibly skilled.

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If he had a shot, he'd be unguardable. Right.

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He's good at everything else. If you give him a runway, he's crafty enough to manipulate that space in the paint and use it as a driving lane and second defenses make passes or at the rim. So that's the thing. It's like he's not like a Russell, you know, Russell Westbrook PERSON or a mere coffee or like he's not one of these guys that you're just going to leave in the corner. He's not going to do anything. He's going to move around. He's going to move around a lot.So do you want your big man guarding him when he's driving? Do you want your big man having to contest those shots and be away from the paint? Again, that's going to be the chess match. I think the series is how they decide to attack that. Because do you dare Chet to attack a smaller PJ Washington? I mean,we saw what PJ did against Victor Wimbidama PERSON matched up one-on-one in isolation. I feel like the Mavericks are going to trust him to guard Chet PERSON if Chet wants to try to take him down on the block. Maybe. I just think Chet sticks to the three.

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I mean, Chet is a hell of a three-point shooter. He is a hell of a three-point shooter. And the Mavericks ORG are so, it is by design. But the Mavericks ORG are so, it is by design. But the Mavericks ORG are sometimes slow to close on threesbecause they'd rather give up the three. Right. And I just worry about that. I just do. Yeah.

Speaker 11534.7s - 1590.22s

Big thing is going to be, do Dorton Giddy PERSON make threes? That's like the big thing for the thunder. And if they do, that's going to force, they're going to have to move guys around. Because we've seen Lively and Gafford on Miles Turner earlier this season did not look good.And you've got to bet that the Thunder are watching tape with those Pacers ORG games because the Pacers are probably like offensively, aesthetically, the closest thing, you know, stylistically. Like there's not a lot of teams that play five out. Like there really isn't. Nope. Most teams have a big, you know, a defensive anchor paint big in some form of fashion. So they're going to look at that tape and see how the pacers carved up the Mavericks ORG andbe like, I think we can do that with Chet. And then the Mavericks ORG are going to have to adjust because realistically, they haven't guarded a stretch five team well all season. And honestly, what's funny enough is the best they ever did it was that regular season game, that game post trade deadline where the mavericks NORP just whoop the thunder but that's one

Speaker 31590.22s - 1597.04s

game like how much of a sample size do you take them right now well then the next item that you have

Speaker 11597.04s - 1603.84s

is is the how did the mavericks address maxi PERSON's injury and and we know guys and shout out to bill

Speaker 31603.84s - 1605.72s

simmons for not knowing Maxi Cleba was

Speaker 11605.72s - 1610.64s

basically out the whole series. That was fun. He's like, they found something with Maxi Cleba at the

Speaker 31610.64s - 1618.62s

five. And it's like they found that in 2019. What are we doing here? Anyway, Cleaver PERSON's out and that

Speaker 21618.62s - 1627.32s

changes things. Now, if there was one team that you would think that the lack of size wouldn't absolutely

Speaker 31627.32s - 1664.32s

crush them, in theory, it's the thunder because the thunder don't play huge. In practice, I'm a let, I don't know where they turn other, because my options is I'm just kind of going through them, you know, Tim Hardaway is apparently healthy. That's no thank you. You got Dante Axum, who can play bigger than his 6-5 every now and again. And you got Josh Green PERSON, who is Josh Green PERSON, and I don't like regular minutes for Josh Green. I like him more as a chaotic force for good. Who else could they possibly play? I mean, that's the thing about Maxie

Speaker 11664.32s - 1671.08s

that we've been talking about for years and how he's kind of been so valuable and we've been wanting to see the team wean themselves off of him.

Speaker 21671.34s - 1675.7s

Not because we don't like Maxi PRODUCT necessarily. Yeah, I know, I know.

Speaker 11676.22s - 1677.06s

Just trying to be nice.

Speaker 21677.98s - 1682.74s

But just because it's like he's hurt, he's getting older, you got to be able to find ways

Speaker 11682.74s - 1741.72s

to do stuff when he's not on the floor, which they did a little, you know, PJ PERSON is a good example of that, but PJ PERSON's already been playing. It's like it's not like PJs not playing a ton of minutes. He's playing a ton of minutes in the playoffs. They don't have anyone else off the bench that really fits the max. Like all the guys you listed are guards.Josh Green, Dante X and Timmer, Virginia ORG, those are guards. I know X PERSON can play bigger, but he's a guard. He's not a forward. He can't play big. He can't play four. He can't play five.I don't know. Maybe you just lean more into PJ. I don't know how much more you can lean into PJ, but they just might have to live with playing with one big on the floor at the same time because it's not like you can play Gafford and lively together. It's not like you're going to play Pall and Lively or Pau on Gafford PERSON.And that's it. There's no, you know, they're not going to play OMAX ORG, who would be the theoretical. Like he's the only other player on the roster that could athletically do that. But you're not going to play a Rick and Cold PERSON in the playoffs. You're not probably going to play Marquif Moore PERSON.So that would be wild.

Speaker 31741.94s - 1742.92s

I think they will.

Speaker 11743.22s - 1746.46s

I am just dying because Keith PERSON keeps tweeting about it.

Speaker 31746.98s - 1770.28s

And Jason Kidd PERSON has certain things about him that just feel so obvious from far away. And one of those things is playing the guy who did this five years ago. That's all. I know. I hope I'm wrong. But I mean, I do sort of get it for the size purpose.Also for just the foul the fuck out of view purpose.

Speaker 11770.7s - 1779.38s

I think if the Mavericks were playing like Denver or Minnesota ORG, I think that makes more sense to dust off Marquif ORG.

Speaker 01779.38s - 1783.7s

Like I can buy that more. But since the Thunder only play one big, I mean,

Speaker 11783.9s - 1789.96s

they're kind of like the clippers in the sense that they don't play a true power forward ever. They play four perimeter players

Speaker 21789.96s - 1795s

in a center. And then they play, this is going to get so confusing for us talking about this.

Speaker 11795.06s - 1800.52s

They play the other Jalen Williams, big Jalen Williams. And he's another stretch five, but he's also like,

Speaker 01800.56s - 1805.9s

you know, six, ten, six, nine, six ten big. And they play him, I don't think they play him in

Speaker 11805.9s - 1843s

chat together almost much at all. So they play him with four perimeter players as well. So kid might not be forced to go double big or feel like he needs to replace maxi with that maxi plus center lineup because the thunder will, he can get away with it against the thunder team as opposed to Minnesota or Denver who play two big guys. You know, they have huge front courts all the time. So maybe they get away with it that way.They just don't have to worry about it. But the one, you know, that would have been an advantage for the map because their size is an advantage. And we saw against the Clippers that game five and game, the game five and game six,

Speaker 41843.1s - 1865.28s

how nice it was having Maxi and another center on the floor because if you then you can play more aggressive your center if you want to contest she goes to alexander near the free throw line in the paint you want lively or gafford up contesting if he passes behind that maxi is a weak side shot blocker is almost like cheating like that's such an advantage So they're going to have to hope PJ PERSON can replicate that,

Speaker 11865.34s - 1878.48s

which I think he has a little bit. Like he's been a good steals blocks guy since he's been in Dallas and really his whole career. So I think what they're going to hope is that that PJ PERSON can replicate some of that because he's shown the defensive chop since he's been in Dallas. Yeah.

Speaker 31878.68s - 1883.72s

And then the next thing was, you know, you've written down that you'd like to chat a little about lively and Gafford

Speaker 11883.72s - 1887.88s

and what they can do in the pain. I think you have covered that some, but do you have anything else

Speaker 31887.88s - 1893.2s

you want to note? I'm just curious if they guard chat. Like, are they going to let those two

Speaker 11893.2s - 1903.3s

guard chat after what we saw the five out offense, like the Pacers and what Miles Turner PERSON has done to them in the past? Because they don't really switch with those guys. We saw a little bit

Speaker 21903.3s - 1906.2s

in the Clipper PERSON series. They were playing the level of the screen.

Speaker 11906.7s - 1932.76s

But that's so much different when the screener is like a Zubotter or a Plumley who you don't worry about popping to the three point line. Yeah. I'm just curious how much they're going to do it because I imagine it's going to happen, right? And then the other side of it is they have to exert their,you know, we'll talk about it on offense. But if they get beat up on that side of the ball where they get burned on the pick and pop three, you got to at least feel them on the, you know, offensive rebounds, scoring at the rim stuff. Yeah.

Speaker 21935.18s - 1937.26s

Well, we're about at the halfway point in the show.

Speaker 11937.8s - 1940.8s

Those of you who are watching live, doesn't seem like that many people tonight,

Speaker 31940.86s - 1988.18s

and that's okay. This was kind of a last second plan show. And frankly, it's not game coverage, and that's what folks like reacting to the most during real time uh if you could please consider uh liking the stream while you're in here i'd appreciate that those of you uh who are watching on the video either live or a little bit later if you'd consider subscribing to our show we go live after every single game, talking about the game that was,and then I do a secondary live show after every playoff game, in particular where you can come, you know, fire off your Dallas Mavericks ORG takes or otherwise. Those of you listening on an audio stream, thanks so much for doing so. We're going to insert some ads right here. If you could listen to those, Josh PERSON and I would appreciate it, and we'll be right back. We're driven by the search for better.

Speaker 01988.18s - 2057.72s

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Speaker 32057.9s - 2062.96s

So now it's on to the other side of the ball, the Mavericks offense versus the Oklahoma City Thunder ORG defense. Where do you want to start?

Speaker 12064.18s - 2074.94s

Can Luca make threes? No. No. I think so. This is an interesting conversation in the sense that

Speaker 32074.94s - 2083.36s

Luca Donchich is not on the injury report. That means he does not have an injury that the Mavericks

Speaker 12083.36s - 2090.12s

are disclosing. If they are not disclosing an injury, they can be fined into oblivion.

Speaker 32090.78s - 2094.88s

Not disclosing injuries is not okay by this NBA ORG standard.

Speaker 12094.88s - 2102.82s

So what we're dealing with with Luca PERSON is a knee condition that doesn't meet the level of specific named injury.

Speaker 32102.8s - 2180.86s

meet the level of specific named injury. Likely, it's just bruised to absolute shit with how hard he slammed it into the ground. It's probably stiff, probably doesn't feel great. That on its face, then think about what you just talked about with the three point shot. Him getting particular leverage for that step back three is increasingly important for him. It's very obviously important to what he needs to do. I think he can still get the shot, but I think at a certain point, he's aiming the shot.He's arming the shot. He was short a lot those last three games, and that just brings me a little bit of worry now. Could four days off doing a lot of good or however many days off? Absolutely. Would love to be wrong here. But if we're going off of what Luca PERSON has said,he does not expect the injury to necessarily improve between now and when he can get any significant time off. Could he be robo-odoping a little bit? Absolutely. I don't know how to feel about it, but I did say,I will tell you, the man kept shooting threes. They kept not going in, so I don't really know why anyone would expect that to change in a matter of three days.What do you think? I don't know.

Speaker 12181.28s - 2205.28s

It feels like the key to the series because even though, and I wrote about this after game six, the Mavericks have a team that is built to survive and not require Luca to put on his superman cape every single night. And that's the goal. Like you don't want your star to have to score 45 points for you to win every single high leverage game against a good team. And they've built that team because they did it against the Clippers ORG.

Speaker 32205.74s - 2227.16s

I do got to revise myself. So he is currently on the injury report as probable with the right knee sprain. But I look at the injury report. He was not on the game five and game six injury report against the Clippers ORG. So I'm very like I'm confused as all get out as to the reporting issue here. That's not to say I don't think he's injured.It's just if he's not gonna,

Speaker 12228.28s - 2230.32s

if he's injured enough to where he can't play,

Speaker 32230.78s - 2232.12s

that's a different story.

Speaker 12232.24s - 2232.84s

He's playing.

Speaker 32233.06s - 2233.66s

He's playing.

Speaker 12234.3s - 2235.1s

So we have to talk about it.

Speaker 32235.1s - 2235.94s

Yeah.

Speaker 12236.06s - 2242.88s

Yeah. So I don't know. He shot 24% against the clippers from three.

Speaker 32243.04s - 2255.26s

He shot 40%. 14% off his season average that's statistically impossible sounding it's like he got an arm cut off i know and you know it's huge because while

Speaker 12255.26s - 2284.78s

like the mavericks NORP have built a team that that can win without him needing to be superman like if you're going to beat the one seat in the West LOC that also has an MVP candidate that also has athletes that can also shoot and get up and down the floor just as fast as you can. Like they're going to need him to have a couple moments. You know, he doesn't need to maybe average 40 points per game for the series, but they're going to need him to have like one of those two,one or two big games. And he really only had like one of the 35.

Speaker 32284.78s - 2286.32s

Can I offer you a 35 to the threes though

Speaker 12286.32s - 2293.52s

yeah yeah luka donchitch PERSON downhill going to the rim forced the thunder cannot fucking deal with

Speaker 32293.52s - 2299.28s

the clippers couldn't deal with it and they had bigger defenders lute board PERSON is very strong jalen

Speaker 12299.28s - 2308.58s

williams is very long i think lou i honestly think that the Clippers defenders were more confounding to Luca PERSON than what the

Speaker 32308.58s - 2340.1s

thunder can throw at him. And I think if Luca just forces the issue and takes the two point floatery shots we were just talking about that the Mavericks ORG were going to, you know, have to maybe seed to SGA, I think the Mavericks ORG can run the thunder off the floor offensively. Luca, he was running in games five, and particularly in game six. He was running the floor and getting in the paint. Like we haven't seen since 2019, 2020.He's got to do that. Yeah.

Speaker 12340.22s - 2399.88s

And that's what I'm going to say, because I know we were talking about a three point shot. Like he did everything else. Yeah. He was passing well. His turnovers weren't too bad. His defense was pretty, like, I would say he played great defense for games two, three, five, and six.Which is four games out of a seven-game series. That's beautiful. That's all you need from your superstar, really. I mean, you prefer every single game, but what are he going to do with a guy with huge usage? Like, he's done everything else. The three-point shot is just the only thing that's really missing her key is 13 of 14 at the rim in the playoffs he's 93% like everything going to the basket is still good for him despite the fact that he can't hit threes also he is shooting59% in the mid range. So whatever, that's what makes it so weird because you would think, okay, if his knees bothering him, he can't make threes on his jumper, then maybe it's like his jumper, but he's making long twos, which I don't know, maybe the distance or something to it. I don't know.

Speaker 32399.88s - 2424.32s

I think he gets a little more, like, I think he, and this is me not under, so please tell me, guys, feel free to tell me if I'm wrong. But I think he gets the load up a little better on his turnaround fadeaways where he gets a little deeper into his, into his push off, whereas the step back is such a, it's a diagonal backwards motion. He usually gets a lot of leverage, but I don't think he's, he's able to get that right now. Yeah.

Speaker 12424.5s - 2489.24s

So, like, really, if the threes are all that's missing, if he makes threes, then, you know, he's, he's been, he did everything else he needed to do in the playoffs besides, besides making, making threes. It's just making threes has been such an important part of his game this season, because he's taking more than ever, he's made more than ever. And in the regular season, he got to the rim less than he's ever gotten in his entire career,which is okay if you're making 38% of your threes, which is what he did in the regular season. So that's going to be huge. And really, you know, that's not something, you know, scheme-wise, they can do a better job getting him more catch-and-shoots. I don't think they got him good catching shoots and against the Clippers ORG. They did in game six, but a lot of the cool stuff they did, and we're going toI think that that might be the next bullet point here. But they need to do a better job getting them catching shoots, and that can be because they need to do a better job running some of that cool offense that they runin like the last month of the regular season that pretty much vanished against the clippers in terms of off ball movement and stuff other than give Luke PERSON of the ball and get out of the way, which I think they did a little bit too much against the clippers in terms of off ball movement and stuff other than give luke of the ball and get out of the way which i think they did a little bit too much against the clippers

Speaker 32489.24s - 2532.82s

in round one we're going to be very interested to see on that one thing you don't actually have on this rundown is i've seen a lot of guessing that jalen will actually guard kairi because if there's one thing that kairi PERSON isn't it's he's not tall and so if you're going to do something with Kyrie PERSON length and and paired with some some moderate strength might be your best option and Williams PERSON is um I think he would appreciate being labeled a dog he is a just a grindy guy, and I'm very,I'm looking forward to seeing how the Mavericks ORG work, work things to get Kyrie PERSON shots.

Speaker 12534.06s - 2539.68s

Because historically, he struggled the most against, when, like, when he has struggled, it's, yeah,

Speaker 32540.12s - 2577.78s

and, you know, I think what we'll see, and this will probably drive everybody crazy, well, not everybody, but a significant And, you know, I think what we'll see, and this will probably drive everybody crazy, well, not everybody, but a significant number of fans crazy where we're going to see the traditional Luca PERSON early load in terms of shot attempts. And then we're going to see Kyrie PERSON work his way into the game like always. It's not going to be like Clippers game five, Clippers game six, where Kyrie PERSON sort of asserted himself.I don't know. I mean, I'd like to be wrong. But I think Luca feeling his way out and letting Kyrie PERSON also do the same in his own way, it's worked for most of the season. Why not continue to work it now? Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 12577.78s - 2608.98s

And Kyrie PERSON's going to, you know, it's going to be interesting how they kind of split Dort and Jalen Williams against Luca and Kyrie PERSON. Because like you said, Williams has got the length to bother Kyrie. But also, Luca against Dort hasn't been that, like the Mavericks ORG, I think, have won that matchup because Dort's like six four. So Luca PERSON would probably love, like, Luca kind of, I think, I don't know what Joy is just the right word. You can just shoot over Dort.Like even if Dort muscles him up Towards the basket a little bit Luca PERSON can just flip it

Speaker 32608.98s - 2642.62s

Luke PERSON is also floaters Luca PERSON has said that he feels That Dort is one of the best At guarding him. I think McDaniels on the Wolves ORG is probably the actual best. Yeah. But I thinkLuca feels that Dort guards him the best because Luca PERSON or Dort gets into Luca PERSON the hardest. He is probably the most physical guy outside of Marcus Smart in the NBA ORG. And who's the guy for the Rockets that played with Memphis ORG? What's wrong with me?Super troll. I can't even think of him right now.

Speaker 12643.38s - 2643.7s

No.

Speaker 32644.82s - 2645.36s

Tony Allen PERSON?

Speaker 12645.68s - 2645.86s

Yeah,

Speaker 32645.98s - 2647.98s

no. Who played for who?

Speaker 12648.12s - 2649.56s

Who plays for the Rockets ORG?

Speaker 32649.72s - 2650.72s

And he played for Memphis ORG.

Speaker 12651.64s - 2652.3s

Jeff Green PERSON?

Speaker 32652.62s - 2655.66s

No, you're killing me with this. You're going to make, this is how bad we are at this.

Speaker 12655.66s - 2656.94s

He plays for the Rockets ORG right now?

Speaker 32656.94s - 2659.6s

Right now. And he used to play for Memphis ORG.

Speaker 12659.64s - 2660.62s

Oh, Dylan Brooks PERSON.

Speaker 32660.76s - 2694.94s

Yes. Sorry, my brain is fried. Wow. I was sitting there, I could see his ugly face. And like Brooks PERSON, you know, Brooks, I don't even think Brooks. Yes. Sorry. My brain is fried. Wow. I was just in there. I could see his ugly face. And like Brooks PERSON, you know, Brooks PERSON,I don't even think Brooks guards Luca PERSON that well. I think Brooks PERSON just trolls him, uh, and, and hits him and hurts him. Dort gets underneath him and,and, um, powers, powers through. Captain, uh,he's worried that Dore is going to hurt Luca PERSON worse than he is. Dord PERSON is out there playing football. I don't know. I still think Dylan Brooks is like the cheapest player in the league to guard Luca PERSON. But that's just me. What else do we have here?

Speaker 12695.94s - 2703.1s

I think we probably need to get into because the Thunder ORG are well coach. They got the coach. So we got to talk, you know, I just highlighted it.

Speaker 02703.1s - 2717.02s

We got to talk about, and I assume this is going to happen, but NBA coaches keep surprising me because I think me and you have universally agreed that the best way to guard the Mavericks is let Luca, let Kyrie PERSON work one-on-one, stay home on the role players.

Speaker 12717.32s - 2721.98s

If you're running a high-screen role with Luca PERSON and lively, don't leave lively. Don't give them a lot.

Speaker 02722.12s - 2727.98s

Like, Luca PERSON loves throwing. Like, the Mavericks are dangerous when Luca is beating you with the past.

Speaker 12728.06s - 2743.36s

That's when they're the most dangerous, I think. Which is always so funny when everyone brings up the point about Luca PERSON needs to get his team more involved and all this stuff. Like, Luca PERSON, I think, would rather beat you with the past than with a shot, for the most part. And I think the Mavericks are at their best when Luca PERSON is beating you with his pastand the shot.

Speaker 42744.18s - 2748.64s

So I don't understand why teams put two on the ball and the Luca PERSON pick and roll.

Speaker 12749.28s - 2876.66s

I don't understand why they put two on the ball and Luca PERSON ever. I would assume just let him score one-on-one and then put your other defenders. Just stay home because that's a weakness of this Maverick ORG's offenses. Outside of Luke and Kyrie PERSON, they don't have a lot of creation. You know, PJ Washington has done a little bit better. Dante Exum, Josh Green PERSON, the come and goes. Exum has been a no show in the playoffs.PJ has been good as a spot-up guy, but in terms of like a driver, you know, you probably would rather have that than Luca PERSON doing something. But you take your chances one-on-one against those guys. And then you just see if Luca and Kyrie PERSON cannot score you and maybe you tire out Luca PERSON a little bit, which is what we've seen. We've seen these games where the Mavericks ORG of losswhere Luca scores like 40 and no one else does really anything. And then Luca can't do it all because it's impossible for one guy to beat a team consistent, another team consistent. So if the Thunder ORG employ that strategy and they stay home on the role players, they don't give up the lobs,they rather let Luca PERSON score, then give up open spot-up threes or open lob dunks, all that stuff. How do you counter that? Because you can't just have Luca PERSON try to outscore over and over,he gets tired or just not going to work. So we've seen them do this in the regular season. Gafford PERSON at the High Post with guys setting back screens. Luca and Kyrie PERSON specifically setting back screens for those role players to free them up. Gafford PERSON had a bunch of assistant marchand he did none of that in the Clipper PERSON series. More off ball movement for Kyrie PERSON off screens. Like I haven't seen Kyrie PERSON run off a bunch of screens since the playoffs have started. Where did that stuff go?And more Luca Kyrie PERSON pick and roles. Did Luca or Kyrie PERSON? I think I saw Kyrie set like two picks for Luca in that entire first round series. I don't have the data in front of me, so maybe it's more. But I can only remember twice. And both were the clear like, let's force the switch so Luca PERSON can work in isolation,not like a legit pick and roll which we've seen we've seen Kyrie set screens for Luca PERSON and pop and they run this pick and pop and it's beautiful um they need to do more that's how you do that's how you you mix

Speaker 32876.66s - 2953.34s

things up and you get these guys now it's not the time like I didn't understand this against the clippers it's not the time to hold shit back no what are we doing i mean i think they believed in their own game plan enough against the clippers to be able to think that they would outlast them and again kid deserves credit for that so they didn't have to dip too deep into the bag thunder PERSON one i got some weird pushback from my from anybody that was thunder adjacent for me today when i was talking about how good the mavericks defense is now relative to a regular season a lot of people thought thatI was taking a shot at the thunder defense not at all it's more that the mavericks NORP are just weirdly effective now where they haven't been up in you know the entire lugadontitch PERSON era simply because and we've talked about this play out basketball is extremely fucking physical. I mean, this Wolves Nuggets game is one of those things right now. Like the wolves are hammering the nuggets. And I sort of expect that with the Mavericks ORG and the Thunder in the sense of, I get that the Thunder ORG are a physical team.I'm telling y'all, the Mavericks ORG are more physical. They just are. Like, Dort is very physical. SGA ORG is not a super physical guy. Chet PERSON is not a super physical guy. Jalen Williams PERSON, both Jailen Williams is the Williams.

Speaker 42953.34s - 2956.5s

Oh, they're tough mofos.

Speaker 32957.2s - 2960.46s

So it's, I just think it's going to come as a surprise.

Speaker 42960.86s - 2961.54s

That's all.

Speaker 32962.16s - 2970.48s

But how the Mavericks ORG deal with the thunder's on like really really spectacular defense is going to be fascinating to me because they've had nine days to mess around

Speaker 12970.48s - 2998.72s

with this yeah they're going to come ready yeah and i wonder if you know when we talked about luka and kerry not run a lot of pick and rolls does lucas knee are they like aware of that and they're like hey let's not let this guy set picks if his knee hurts. He needs, we need to save him for other things, to do other things. Like, I almost, like, do you, I'm just going to ask you, do you think if he was healthier and the knee wasn't an issue?Do you think that leads into it? Or do you think they're just falling into bad habits?

Speaker 32998.94s - 3002.64s

Oh, I think. I don't have a good answer.

Speaker 13004.2s - 3186.06s

I don't know. Yeah, we'll have to see, though, because if they don't do it in this. I don't know, yeah. We'll have to see, though, because if they don't do it in this series, it's going to be really hard. Because I think the kind of low-key,well, not low-key, I mean, it was pretty evident. I ever won that Clipper PERSON series with defense, their offense was different. And when their offense was great, it was great in transition. I got the stats up right now.Where is it in one of my tabs? Okay. So I've got, I'm not counting playing, cleaning the glass when you do playoffs. They throw in the playing teams. I'm like, oh. So since the normal playoffs have started, the 16 playoff teams since round one started, the Mavericks are 10 out of the 16 teams and half court offense, which is very low for a Mavericks are 10 out of the 16 teams in half-court offense, which is very low for a Maverick, for a team with Luka Dantches PERSON.Like the Mavericks ORG historically, even this season post-trade deadline, they kill it in the half-court. They absolutely kill in the half-court because Luca PERSON is an incredible half-court player because he is, he is a half-court offense. He's a half-court offense unto himself. They're 10th in half-court offense he's a half court offense on to himself they're 10th um and half court offense Oklahoma City is fifth um but the Mavericks ORG in transition hold on let me now let me switch itMavericks in transition are sixth out of the 16 playoff teams and when you look at points per uh how many team how many points did this team score per 100 transition plays, the Mavericks are second in the playoffs out of the 16 playoff teams. They have been scoring because their defense has been so great in creating turnovers and making splash plays. We talked about it during the Clippers series. The Mavericks are one of the top steals blocks teams in the playoffs.I think they're averaging about 13 and a half combined steals and blocks per game playoffs, which is either like first or second among the 16 teams. They killed the clippers because they're getting steals. They're generating turnovers and they're getting out in the break. Or they were blocking shots off the backboard and then turning that into instant offense the other way.When they had to score in the half court, it didn't look great. So against the Thunder ORG team that is not as disadvantaged athletically, like the Mavericks ORG bully the clippers. Like they made them look old and slow. I'm going to take a shot in the dark here. I don't think the Mavericks are going to make the Thunder ORG look old and slow.So if they don't have that superior athletic advantage that's allowing them to get out and transition and score, they got to tune things up in the half court. They got to be better in the half court. So they got to do these things we're talking about. They got to see if they can get Gafford PERSON at the high post running backdoor screeners against them.They got to see if they can run some more Kyrie, Luca PERSON, direct action, screening, and rolling. And they got to run Kyrie PERSON off more screens and get him involved as a chaos engine off the ball, which I don't think they got to do a lot because Luca PERSON was so limited offensively against the clippers. They kind of had Kyrie with the ball in his hands along, especially in the second half.So they're going to have to figure out their half court for sure. If they play half court offense like they did against the clippers, this will be a short series. That's, you know, no mincing words there.

Speaker 33186.62s - 3265.26s

So I'm looking for the stats, and I don't think I'm going to be able to find them quickly enough in the sense of the Mavericks ORG. I don't want to, people don't like this sort of stuff, just because it really plays into like worst elements of what happens within this team. But the Mavericks, and they're game ones during Jason Kidd PERSON. They're game ones during Jason Kidd PERSON.The Mavericks ORG have played fucking terrible. Okay. They are 0 and 4 in game ones. And yet they've won these series, right? Here's the thing. I'm trying to find the biggest, like, the biggest, like, leads that they've given up.So against the clippers, they were down by as many as 29, 30-something points against the Golden State Warriors ORG. They got just destroyed from the get-go. They lost that. They were down by as many as 25. And that game, they lost by 25. Against the Phoenix Suns ORG, that might have been the only game that was relatively close, but the Mavericks ORG still fell behind by double digits for significant portions of that game. Against the Utah Jazz ORG, the Jazz ORG game. No Luca. This was the, the No Luca, Utah Jazz game against the Utah Jazz. The Jazz game.

Speaker 13265.26s - 3273.98s

No Luca. This was the, the No Luca Utah Jazz ORG game was the only one that was actually close. And the Mavericks ORG, you know, just barely kind of lost that one.

Speaker 33274.92s - 3326.38s

I say all this to say that, like, if the Mavericks ORG have a, they do not have time. They do not have talent to fuck around, to feel out. The coaching staff, I saw somebody in the comments say that this is where Jason Kid gets. Yeah, here it is. He says, I feel like this is the series where kids inability to make adjustments and poorsituational awareness is going to stand out. OKC GPE has the better coach. I mean, I think Mark Dagonal PERSON is a pretty good coach, pretty amazing coach, actually. But having all your players healthy, the whole year is also helpful i just i just need to say that out loud like kid didn't have that um i i it's not that i want the mavericks NORP to pull out all the stops and act like this is 2016 when the ray felt ray felton game happened when the mavericks won by one point like it was likei think it was 85 84 it's like one of the obvious playoff games in history.

Speaker 43327.38s - 3332.5s

But I need the Mavericks ORG to come out and show, like, and play their good cards

Speaker 33332.5s - 3338.28s

early and get ahead. Do you feel like I'm over emphasizing that?

Speaker 13338.52s - 3357.12s

Like you have, like, I don't think so because this is going to sound crazy because they lost in 2020 because they lost. In 2020, they lost to the defending champion. They lost the team that won the NBA ORG title. I think this Thunder team might be the best playoff team they've played in the playoffs in the Luka PERSON era.

Speaker 33357.94s - 3358.3s

Is that crazy?

Speaker 13360.18s - 3361.1s

The Warriors in 2040s were amazing.

Speaker 33362.04s - 3362.72s

They were pretty amazing.

Speaker 13363.36s - 3365.98s

I don't know.'ve it's it's right

Speaker 33365.98s - 3367.36s

it's it's neck and neck but

Speaker 13367.36s - 3375.74s

I mean it's there's certainly a better team than that 2022 Clippers ORG team that 22 jazz team I would even say they're better than some of those clippers teams they

Speaker 33375.74s - 3377.72s

definitely the Phoenix ORG teams yeah no I

Speaker 13377.72s - 3414.06s

agree with you it's just they could get away with losing game one because that Phoenix ORG team when they punched them back in the mouth they folded like crazy and then that Phoenix ORG team, when they punched them back in the mouth, they folded, like crazy. And then that jazz team also,like they beat them up and they went away. Like, I don't think you're going to punch the stundered team and they're going to roll over and show their belly. I agree. So, like,giving up that game, it's not going to be, I mean, they don't have home court advantage. If they split, that's all you care about.But it's just going to be, it just, they don't have room, like you said, they don't have room to mess around If they split, that's all you care about. But it's just going to be, it just they don't have room. Like you said, they don't have room to mess around. I know Jason Kidd definitely likes to feel things out. He seeds the game. I mean, that's just, that's happened.

Speaker 33414.76s - 3419.6s

It's got to be competitive. And without Maxi PRODUCT, there's not a lot of room to feel things out because

Speaker 13419.6s - 3423.06s

they got to start doing new things, right? Like, because you know on Maxi PRODUCT. So what are you going to do?

Speaker 33423.06s - 3429.24s

You got to, you got to try something different. But that said, if they leave Oklahoma City after game two with a

Speaker 13429.24s - 3434.18s

one-one split, I don't know how mad people are if they lose game one again. And maybe that just

Speaker 23434.18s - 3440.48s

becomes a weird, quirky statistical oddity under JC Kid PERSON. But yeah, you would love to see them that

Speaker 13440.48s - 3451.56s

they use this time off to prepare. And even if they lose, I think you're not even saying the need to win. You're just like, hey, can we just not get drilled by 20, which is kind of what they've been due in most of the game ones?

Speaker 33452.28s - 3485.28s

Yeah. That's what's mostly happened, and I can't handle it. I just, I physically cannot handle it. Because it, if Jason Kiddis the coach that the Mavericks ORG believe him to be, they have got to stop fucking around with the time that is given to them. I mean that in the sense of the regular season, which the Mavericks just don't really take all that seriously up until March, apparently.

Speaker 13485.28s - 3488.28s

I was to say up until, and then it turns into,

Speaker 33488.48s - 3531.26s

and then they turn in, you know, it's like the NCAA or NC State ORG team that won and Jim Valvano way back in the day. And then with the playoffs, starting off every series down 01, it's just going to bite you. Now, it hasn't, obviously, by the stats that we put out earlier in the game. But for my own sanity, for the way that we cover this team,for everybody's health in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with the stars also playing in the playoffs at the same time, can you just put your best foot forward? If they lose, they lose. I don't want to see them get rocked. That's the thing that I hate. Three of these four losses, they have been embarrassed. And I hate that.

Speaker 13531.7s - 3579.82s

I know. Well, you're not going to like this because the Thunder are a good three-point shooting team. So if they get caught on the wrong side of the variance wheel, they might get rocked even if they come prepared, you know? Like if the Thunder just decide to make 21 three-pointers or you're like, ah, well, shit. I don't know. But I totally understand what you mean.And also, it's not fun to talk. You know, it's not fun for us. Listen, Mavericks ORG, when you're better, we do better. So we need you to be better. Like, we're not even talking fan rooting interests. Like our pockets are a little fullerwhen you guys play better because more people like to watch and listen to to win reactions than losses. So we need, you all to help us out a little bit. I'll pay for daycare. Sure. Do the right thing, Mavericks ORG. I like there are people that are arguing with us about this.

Speaker 33580.28s - 3581.98s

Wait, what? This is the chat.

Speaker 23582.36s - 3586.22s

Oh, okay. Sorry. Players need to go play. Yeah, I get it.

Speaker 33587.16s - 3593.96s

Don't disagree. Players need to play better. I can argue that point. What else do we got? What else we want to finish with?

Speaker 13594.2s - 3603.38s

I don't know. On this part, is there anything, any Dark Horse contributors, matchups? We already talked about coaching. Anything we haven't talked about? Any players on the Thunder ORG that we have?

Speaker 33603.38s - 3605.22s

I want to see Dante Axum PERSON do something.

Speaker 13606.64s - 3609.98s

This would be a good series for him to do something considering how the Clippers ORG play,

Speaker 33610.08s - 3631.26s

or how the Thunder ORG play. Yep. The Clippers ORG basically put him in a no man's land where he was having to take weird shots. He got to orchestrate the offense a little bit and did okay every now and again, but I want to see him connect on some outside jumpers. I want to see him, you know, play with some of the force that he had,attacking the rim during the regular season.

Speaker 13631.84s - 3632.68s

Play with assertiveness.

Speaker 33632.88s - 3634.5s

He looked lost in the last.

Speaker 13635.24s - 3641.22s

Which was weird because that was not what he, it was like the opposite. It's like he got Monstarred right before game one. Yeah.

Speaker 33641.82s - 3653.66s

That's right. And that's sort of my X-Factor guy. I mean, the, Tim Hardaway PERSON minutes, which are going to happen,they need to have him on a dot, dotas, Bertons PERSON, like,

Speaker 13653.72s - 3654.94s

he's healthy for game one.

Speaker 33655.2s - 3665.62s

They need to have him on Adavis Burton's PERSON, like shot diet, where it's like, all right, if you hit your first two,you're fine. Keep playing. If you miss your first two, you're out of here. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 13665.62s - 3673.54s

Oh. Um, I think on the Thunder, I'm curious how much big Jalen Williams PERSON plays because he's kind of their

Speaker 33673.54s - 3679.72s

backup center. Curious how much Kason Walsh plays as a rookie at 17 points, 17 minutes a game in the first

Speaker 13679.72s - 3723.72s

round. Aaron Wiggins is interesting. Um, just kind of like athletic, rangy wing. Like, he's kind of like their Josh Green PERSON, except I think he contributes a little bit more consistently than Green PERSON does occasionally. But everyone they put on, but the thing about the thunder,everyone they put on the floor like moves. Like they don't have any slow old guys. Like they're young and athletic. So like you're going to need Exum to come off the bench and give you something. You're going to need Josh Green PERSON to come off the bench and give you something. Because the Thunder ORG players don't like, even if they're not like incredible, like you feel their physical presence because like everyone they play as athletic.Like it's just it just makes it difficult. Yeah, it does.

Speaker 33724.6s - 3726.12s

Well, can't really think of anything else.

Speaker 13726.68s - 3727.24s

Predictions?

Speaker 33727.6s - 3729.7s

You feel confident in doing a prediction?

Speaker 13731.24s - 3732.52s

I'm going to put you on the spot.

Speaker 33733.06s - 3736.78s

I mean, I think it'd be really like, just, I mean, full disclosure.

Speaker 13737.46s - 3741.9s

My wife planned a 40th birthday party for me on May 18th.

Speaker 33742.22s - 3751.74s

She did this back in February 1st, maybe even January because we wanted to give a chance for anybody that we know out of town to decide if they wanted to come in.

Speaker 13752.06s - 3754s

I think the mavericks were like 26 and 23

Speaker 33754s - 3784.9s

when you're yeah, like this is when around the time like Nick Angstatt PERSON was calling for kids firing over there on lockdown Mavs ORG like that far back. And so we're like, okay, well if the maver's playing, that'd be nice, it'd be funny. And then like as it got closer and closer it became a real thing. And so we're like, okay, well, if the Mavre PRODUCT was playing, that'd be nice, it'd be funny.And then, like, as it got closer and closer, it became a real thing. And so, like, game six is quite literally then. And so I think it would be just perfectly hilarious to where I would have to fucking podcast on my birthday party or at my birthday party, since we have enough media people who are probably going to come. So let's just go Mavs and six because it'd be hilarious.

Speaker 13785.98s - 3790.56s

It feels like the fates say Mavs in 6 then, because doesn't that feel right that we're

Speaker 33790.56s - 3794.62s

broadcasting some Mavs ORG party from your house live? Right.

Speaker 23795.56s - 3796.6s

That feels right.

Speaker 13797.04s - 3809.9s

Just what's very stupid. What's really tough for me is I want to pick, I want to pick Mavs in 7. Sure. But road teams just don't win game sevens they don't I really look forward to

Speaker 33809.9s - 3820.14s

playing in that environment that like Oklahoma City GPE environment might be the closest thing to a consistent European NORP crowd that the NBA has. OKC GPE's crowd is great. They're really

Speaker 13820.14s - 3827s

good and I know Luca PERSON literally won in game seven on the road in 2022 against Phoenix ORG, but different O KC.

Speaker 33827s - 3830.04s

And two in two playoffs runs, kind of hard.

Speaker 13830.44s - 3843.46s

Yeah, yeah. So I want to say Mads in seven, because I think that's how, I think these two teams are, I think they're really good. So then it's like, I want to say Mads in six, but I almost feel like that's disrespectful to thethunder and how good they are.

Speaker 23844.1s - 3849s

Because, you know, to be the, to not have home court advantage and win in six,

Speaker 13849.08s - 3862.48s

like, that's really, you know, win four out of six times against the one scene in the West LOC. I'm like, I don't know. So, but I don't want to say Thunder in six because I don't think the Mavericks ORG are going to lose. So I'm hedging, but I will say Mavericks and six.

Speaker 33862.88s - 3894s

But I wouldn't be surprised if it went seven at all. Or, and, you know, Josh and I wouldn't be surprised if it went seven at all. And, you know, Josh and I are, one of the things I think we at least take some pride on is the fact that we're, I'm a fan. You're much more of an analyst. We respect the shit out of this Thunder ORG team. I did with the Clippers ORG, too.I was never, I'm too old for this yelling about particular teams. Like, I have a hard time to, like, even disliking elements of this Thunder ORG team just because they just have so many good players.

Speaker 23894.46s - 3898.38s

You know? Jealous. It's not fair. All right.

Speaker 33898.6s - 3899.48s

We've been out for an hour.

Speaker 23899.48s - 3900.54s

We did it.

Speaker 33900.86s - 3901.44s

We did it.

Speaker 23901.56s - 3901.78s

All right.

Speaker 33901.82s - 3911.62s

We'll be back tomorrow night, probably around 11.30. Get some sleep. Enjoy the game. All right. We'll be back tomorrow night. Probably around 11.30. Get some sleep. Enjoy the game. And everybody, have a good Tuesday. We will talk soon. Go Mavs ORG.