Mavericks (41-26) at Celtics (41-27) Game #69 3/13/22

[gouki88]

The funny thing is, if Dinwiddie misses and we score one more point we would be having a totally different conversation about the game. This game was very very even. 

Dallas played excellent defense, and our offense needed to be better  - there was room to play a better way and also to execute better - hit the shots. The Js definitely seemed to get sped up at the end.

This should not be forgotten. They have a lot of athletic length and know how to play some good schemes.

I didn't think Dallas's defense was great; I think Boston missed a lot of open looks (which, unfortunately, happens fairly often with them).

Also, the result might've been different if Boston didn't give up a long heave by Dinwiddie at the halftime buzzer. Boston had just taken a 12-point lead, but that shot chopped it to single digits, and the Mavs came out swinging in the third with 38 points.

Dallas defended Tatum and Brown very effectively. With how good Tatum has been playing recently I think that deserves recognition

[tenn_smoothie]

Real interesting to look at the team stats page. Teams were so even in many categories - exactly even in shots made, 3-pointers attempted, free throws attempted. The one glaring Dallas advantage was 3-point % made. Celts also had a much lower number of assists (16) than normal.

Not having seen the game ......... did Boston get away from moving the ball and get into too many iso shots on offense. Did this lead directly to the poor shooting % ? Or did we just clang open 3's ? Celts make just a few 3's and would have won easily.

[RJD1974]

Real interesting to look at the team stats page. Teams were so even in many categories - exactly even in shots made, 3-pointers attempted, free throws attempted. The one glaring Dallas advantage was 3-point % made. Celts also had a much lower number of assists (16) than normal.

Not having seen the game ......... did Boston get away from moving the ball and get into too many iso shots on offense. Did this lead directly to the poor shooting % ? Or did we just clang open 3's ? Celts make just a few 3's and would have won easily.

Mostly, they missed a TON of open shots. They moved the ball pretty well, especially given how physical the game was. But in the 4th, I counted 6 (minimum) wide-open looks that clanged.

[RJD1974]

...

[Vermont Green]

There is a lot you can point to that went wrong or that could have been better in this game.  I like to check the 5 man unit results and for this game, our red hot starters played 18 min together and had a NRtg of -6.  Our ORtg was fine at 120 but this line up gave up 126.  That is uncharacteristically high offense against our defense.  The unit ended up just -2 in terms of actual +/- but still.

Dallas was very effective at continuing to do Pick and Roll until they got the match up they wanted.  Often this was when Horford ended up on Doncic.  This usually resulted in a double from us and they were good (at least in the second half) at making multiple passes out of the doubles and getting a decent look.

To me, this was a plan.  Bring multiple pickers, force multiple switches, then bring Horford's man for one more pick, get Doncic isolated on Horford and either let Doncic take on Horford or if the double came, pass it around and force us to do multiple defensive rotations.

[LilRip]

Man what a frustrating game. Dallas played great defense but C’s looked sloppy. Dallas doubled JT a lot down the stretch and C’s couldnt punish (meanwhile Dallas punished the C’s for doubling Luka).

I thought JB got a lot of single coverage (aside from when Mavs iced the pnr) and he also couldn’t punish. I get that JB had that monster dunk but he still looks like he’s in a slump to me. Maybe a nagging injury that isn’t getting him that first step burst?

Could’ve had this one had Grant or Pritchard made one more wide open 3. They took 9 terrific, open three pointers, I thought, and only made 2.

[LilRip]

Real interesting to look at the team stats page. Teams were so even in many categories - exactly even in shots made, 3-pointers attempted, free throws attempted. The one glaring Dallas advantage was 3-point % made. Celts also had a much lower number of assists (16) than normal.

Not having seen the game ......... did Boston get away from moving the ball and get into too many iso shots on offense. Did this lead directly to the poor shooting % ? Or did we just clang open 3's ? Celts make just a few 3's and would have won easily.

No it wasn’t iso offense that did the C’s in. It was a really physical game and the refs let both teams get away with a lot. Normally, I would think that the C’s would be benefactors of this because they play punishing, physical defense but C’s kept taking it to the hoop and kept getting nothing. Meanwhile, the Mavs really benefitted from kind whistles late in the 3rd.

Ironically, the Mavs most effective play was letting Luka iso vs a big and he hit probably 3 stepback 3 pointers. Yknow, the kind of play we all groan when the Jays do it? Eventually, C’s had to double him and Mavs punished the defense just enough to eke out a 3-point win.

As the score implies, completely winnable. Some really good looks from our end that just werent going down. Finney-Smith had a career night with most points in a half for his career (18 I think in the second half)

[Sophomore]

The funny thing is, if Dinwiddie misses and we score one more point we would be having a totally different conversation about the game. This game was very very even. 

Dallas played excellent defense, and our offense needed to be better  - there was room to play a better way and also to execute better - hit the shots. The Js definitely seemed to get sped up at the end.

This should not be forgotten. They have a lot of athletic length and know how to play some good schemes.

I didn't think Dallas's defense was great; I think Boston missed a lot of open looks (which, unfortunately, happens fairly often with them).

Also, the result might've been different if Boston didn't give up a long heave by Dinwiddie at the halftime buzzer. Boston had just taken a 12-point lead, but that shot chopped it to single digits, and the Mavs came out swinging in the third with 38 points.

Dallas defended Tatum and Brown very effectively. With how good Tatum has been playing recently I think that deserves recognition

Agreed. I also think the Cs didn’t look comfortable on offense. Missed shots often looked rushed. I think the team was bothered by the physical play, generally, and Dallas’ commitment to closing out.

[footey]

Focus on game ending 3 point shot by Dinwiddie, but the one that really killed was the 3 point prayer shot he made at end of first half. That was the ball game. 

[Roy H.]

Focus on game ending 3 point shot by Dinwiddie, but the one that really killed was the 3 point prayer shot he made at end of first half. That was the ball game.

Well, it was the margin of victory.  Not really “ball game” when we started the second half still up by nine.

[86MaxwellSmart]

I just tell myself that if they had not overturned the Foul on Marcus-he would have tied the game and Luka would have just hit another Miracle Game winning 3 at the buzzer-like he always does against us.

[showtime]

Focus on game ending 3 point shot by Dinwiddie, but the one that really killed was the 3 point prayer shot he made at end of first half. That was the ball game.

That's when I knew we would lose!

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Focus on game ending 3 point shot by Dinwiddie, but the one that really killed was the 3 point prayer shot he made at end of first half. That was the ball game.

I wouldn't say it was "ball game," but it definitely hurt the Cs. And judging by how the Mavs came out roaring in the third and put up 38 in that quarter alone, I do wonder if Dinwiddie's first-half buzzer beater gave the Mavs a bit of a spark that ended up biting Boston.

And I'm surprised that there hasn't been more talk about that Dinwiddie shot and what effect it might've had.

[smokeablount]

Focus on game ending 3 point shot by Dinwiddie, but the one that really killed was the 3 point prayer shot he made at end of first half. That was the ball game.

I wouldn't say it was "ball game," but it definitely hurt the Cs. And judging by how the Mavs came out roaring in the third and put up 38 in that quarter alone, I do wonder if Dinwiddie's first-half buzzer beater gave the Mavs a bit of a spark that ended up biting Boston.

And I'm surprised that there hasn't been more talk about that Dinwiddie shot and what effect it might've had.

Yeah, that was my immediate thought when it went down.

[#1P4P]

Yesterday, I noticed how often the Mavs attacked Rob.

He’s not a slouch on-ball or on the perimeter, it’s just not his strength because he’s such a dominant off-ball, interior defender. It reminded me of how the Clippers attacked Gobert in the playoffs. Rob is already getting Gobert-level respect from opposing teams. We might see him getting DPOY consideration at the end of the season.

The Mavs controlled the pace of the game, which is Luka’s forte. When that happens, we need to leak players out in transition as soon as the shot goes up. Their personnel shouldn’t be good enough to hold us to 92 for 4 quarters.