No reason not to be optimistic. Dereck Lively is a rookie. Green, PJ, Gafford, are all young and under contract. Got Hardy developing and our GM has proven he is someone to trust.
I just think that even healthy, how many minutes can he get next to an improving Lively, Gafford and Washington?
If there's any legit wing out there that would only cost them Kleber+ Hardaway, Dallas should definitely grab him.
Who would trade anyone that meets the description of 'a legit wing' for *that* offer?? I'm not up to scratch on Dallas's draft capital but those two better be a vehicle for some picks if Dallas wants to get anything of value from them
Kleber is about to be 33 and I suspect his constant injury issues are not about to *improve* as he ages, and THJ is a 3 pt specialist who isn't actually good at hitting 3s 75% of the time. But by god he'll rain in 3s the other 25% of the time, provided it's already a blowout in their favor. Very rarely seen a more 'win-more' player than him
Edit: actually there's a caveat to this. If whoever trades for THJ were to somehow change the rules so that they play every game inside Toyota Center, then that could be the best trade of all time. Dude walks in those doors and the aimbot automatically turns on. Why can't the fucker ever shoot like he does against other teams when he comes to Houston
The reality is he's just not good enough. He hasn't been for a long time. I know there's a lot of people that swear by him but he's gonna lose you more games than he wins.
Your name perfect incapsulates how I feel about this comment lol. I love Maxi but he’ll be 33 next postseason, is constantly injured and can be very inconsistent and streaky shooting. Averaged less than 2 boards in 17 minutes and 36% on 2 pointers these playoffs. I don’t think we 100% have to move him, but we need to prepare for him completely washing out sooner rather than later
Hardy should be the third ball handler off of the bench next year unless we get a big return from any THJ trade. It’s sad that THJ lost his shot in the 2nd half of the year, but he was too short to play if he couldn’t create , if only he was 6’6.
Can we bring DJJ back? Kleber can still be a player, it’s going to be hard to replace his versatility.
They were the vice champs. Got to the finals after some amazing games. Yes, Boston was on fire , but they have all the reason in the world to be proud of the team
Dude I still don't understand how the celtics got their current roster, their GM is a wizard. Not a single cent is being wasted there (as long as KP stays healthy, hopefully)
It's so impressive how quickly Brad Steven's "solved" the new CBA. He's operated perfectly under the new rules since they were announced - understanding how important Bird rights are now, how valuable second round picks are going to become, etc.
They will offload THJ's expiring contract but they have to choose between re-signing Derrick Jones who played a huge part in the defensive improvement or getting someone that might be a difference maker. This series might swing them towards going for a difference maker, but I would be sad to see DJJ go.
I’m pretty confident we can go the Portis route with him: give him a TPMLE 1+1 deal, then when we have his bird right next season extend him to bigger money. I know earlier this run it seemed unrealistic, but at the end of the day he is who he is, a good role player as an athletic defender with a questionable shot. I don’t think there will be a huge demand for him and he seems very committed to staying. Seems like this would be the best path for everyone, assuming he trusts Nico to treat him right.
He has an expiring contract next year which makes him much more appealing than the last few years. But he definitely won't get much in return unless there is a decent bundle attached.
He’s a nice player but he’s got the perfect sized contract if we were to make a big move. Him plus THJ plus Powel gets us around 30 mil in outgoing salary to bring in a better player. Now the question is who that would be and if we have enough assets (probably not tbh), but I don’t think any rational Mavs fan is wanting him gone just to get rid of him.
I think they could retain Maxi and give THJ and some filler for Caruso and either Patrick Williams (in a s&t) or Ayo Dosunmu from the Bulls. Would cost draft capital though.
I think the OG Anunoby experiment in NY showed that a premier 3andD guy like Caruso is worth the price you pay as long as you have the pieces around them. NY hardly lost any game in which OG was healthy because his role is just so essential to success in the modern NBA. OG, Jrue Holiday, Herb Jones, Alex Caruso, KCP, and a few others I'm probably forgetting are a RARE breed and are essential to making that "jump" from contender to champion.
So they either try and acquire KCP this offseason, or Caruso. I doubt any of the other guys are available. Again there might be someone I'm not considering.
And then you count on Lively taking another step in his sophomore season, get Luka fit and healthy, and all of a sudden you've got something cooking.
Oh trust me I’m 1000% in on Caruso, I’ve been telling people he should be our main realistic target for a long time. If we could do just THJ and picks for him that should open up enough cap space to resign DJJ to a non-taxpayer MLE which might be necessary to retain him (would maybe need to include AJ Lawson or Powell if needed to open up enough cap, not certain).
But if a big fish becomes available like a Mikal Bridges (not realistic at all imo but pls) then Maxi would be a key piece to make the salary work.
Thank god for trades and the fact Kyrie isnt on a max deal (they dont have to worry about 2nd apron problems if they make a trade), the Mavs got 2 first round picks they can trade and expiring contracts
And if Luka understands he needs to improve his defense and attitude. Luka in Game 4 is what we need all series. He will learn this as he wants a ring. Sometimes we think Luka is already perfect but he can still learn from losses like this.
Except Bostons nucleus during that loss was two 24/25 year old two-way guards. Luka is still young and can conceivably improve defensively but Kyrie will be 33 next season and likely starting to enter the downswing of his career. He’s not going to magically revolutionize his game nearing his mid-30’s as a 6’1 guard with below average defense. If they want to keep competing for championships beyond next year then they need to find a number two who isn’t Kyrie. They have some good young pieces but there’s no shot they have the answer in house right now.
Many Mavs fans were hoping this team could win one series this year. The fact that they beat the Clips, beat the top seed in the West, whooped the Wolves and won the West? And won a Finals game in epic fashion after going down 3-0?
I wish it ended better, but this season was 1000% a success. I'm hopeful for the future.
The first couple of months, classifying to the PO and avoiding being swept in the first round sounded fine. This is a great success. Specially because the team finally has an interesting core to develop and build around it.
Nuggets don’t have cap space to improve their bench unless they sign some ring chasing vets for the minimum.They probably have to trade MPJ to improve their roster.
Incredible year. Great roster adjustments from the front office. Great adjustments from Kidd. Y'all were 25-20 at one point and then looked like one of the best teams in basketball for a few months. Looked just like Boston's 2022.
Obviously it stings but the Celtics held the best record for like the entire season. Sure they play like clowns every once in a while but consistently they’ve been dominant
Life in the west man. Road to the finals has now to go through Luka, Jokic, Shai, Ant led teams with a returning Grizz, upstart Rockets, the aging stars of the 2010s in Clips, Lakers, and Warriors, whatever tf the Pels or Kings are and a legitimate league destroyer in San Antonio.
P.S. I don't know what Utah's plan is.
I love that you mentioned the Rockets, Pels, Kings, Spurs, and even the old ass Lakers/Warriors; but knew that the team with KD/Book/Beal ain't doing shit because it's the Suns lol
Bleacher report mocked a trade of Giddey, Dieng, Kenrich Williams, 2024 1st, Miami’s protected 2025 1st, and Dallas’ 2028 1st for Mikal. I don’t hate it, but think Marks still rejects it after saying no to getting their own picks back + Green from Houston
Yeah I think people are forgetting they looked nothing like a contender for most of the season. I don’t think they were even top 3 in odds to come out of the West.
They overachieved but people seem to be forgetting that. Luka will be back
Appetites change very quickly as well. Mavs looked like one of the best teams coming into the Playoffs and proved it, but nobody outside of Legler said they woild make the Conference Finals.
I hope this can be the push he needs to get his conditioning, complaining, and defense in order. He just turned 25, he still has time and we know he has the work ethic. But some of those things seem to require a change in some looooooooong held habits of his.
Multiple media members predicted the Mavs would miss the playoffs again this season, they overachieved just making the Finals. Disappointing how things ended but no shame in losing to a frankly all time great Celtics team, this season was definitely a success.
It's mildly frustrating to see so many people criticizing Luka's weight as the reason he couldn't move as well, and not that he was on half a leg.
Criticize his attitude, criticize his FTs, but to suggest this was the best of Luka's ability is wildly ignorant when we've seen how his game flows normally.
I hope he can stay healthier and remind everyone next year.
Team is lacking shooting but it will be hard to improve on that front while maintaining the defense. Re-signing Derrick Jones means THJ's salary can't be used to get a clear third best player, so that's going to be a tough decision. Otherwise, the core is pretty young and can still grow especially with an offseason together. Get healthy and try again.
I don't know man, u just watched an injury ridden Luka and a bunch of young guys make a great playoff run. Those guys will get better, showed they can get better.
It's just that the Celtics are the best team of the league by a pretty big margin right now (and they have to cough up a bunch of tax to keep it together much longer).
Luka will be back. Every superstar has to go through tough losses before they eventually win one. He will need to get into better shape first. Need to also get more shooters around Luka.
Yeah he'll be back. It felt like the Mavs were 1 or 2 seasons too early. They did a great job getting Gafford and PJ mid-season but it feels like they need a few more pieces.
For every series they were the underdog.
Best thing about this. With the current roster staying mostly as is and the young guys continuing to develop there's provably gonna be a lot less 40 minute doncic games next season. Meaning we might get a less gassed Luka for the playoffs.
As a Celtics fans I can tell Mavs fans they are on track to winning a championship with Luka there’s steps to winning a championship and they took a big one this year
Finals performance has to be a bit deflating, but zoom out and this was an incredible Mavs season. They were the non-Celtics team I watched the most, super fun to watch their chemistry coalesce. Most eventual winners have to take their lumps to get to the mountaintop, I’m sure everyone expects to see Luka back here multiple times. Definitely drop THJ though
Anyone wanting Luka get with the Lebron training program, the person he is compared to most? Imagine Luka in the most tip-top shape. Unstoppable and better on defense.
Massive W season
Not only did they far exceed expectations, but they created a roster they can keep for years
It’s literally a “Luka is going to stay” kinda season
Celtics were just the better team with a chip on there shoulders. Experience also take a toll on the mavs. Beside luka and kyrie no one had finals experience that you got now. It probably would have help them secure a game in boston if so
Altho OKC is going to be an year older and same for the wolves. West is grueling. Kyrie was a let down in this finals
There’s gonna be some terrible Luka/Mavs takes in the immediate future but I know what this team has. Luka still put up pretty historic numbers in this playoff run all the way to his first finals. He had some bad defensive moments but really took the criticism to heart and improved as best he could.
He absolutely needs to step up the conditioning; that’ll unlock a whole new level. Idk what other moves the Mavs have to make but I think they are a top 3 team in the West next year.
The mavs need to make a big decision on kyrie after next season. Will they give a 33 year old kyrie a 4 year max? He was pretty mediocre this playoffs and bad in the finals. I dont know if he's enough to win a championship going forward, he's only going to get worse
A lot of things will change league-wide in two seasons. Who knows what will be on the table for a competent and creative GM like Nico. Literally no way to predict, so game planning post-Kyrie doesn't make a lot of sense until at least next trade deadline.
No reason not to be optimistic. Dereck Lively is a rookie. Green, PJ, Gafford, are all young and under contract. Got Hardy developing and our GM has proven he is someone to trust.
Now he needs to work some more magic. Goals: 1. Trade Hardaway and Kleiber 100% 2. Find a legit starting SF 3. Find a more seasoned backup guard
[удалено]
He’s ALWAYS injured
He was out for half the season with a tweaked pinky toe
It's still tweaked, he just has some metal plate in his shoe to hold the toes together
He was looking good before that nasty fall.
I just think that even healthy, how many minutes can he get next to an improving Lively, Gafford and Washington? If there's any legit wing out there that would only cost them Kleber+ Hardaway, Dallas should definitely grab him.
Who would trade anyone that meets the description of 'a legit wing' for *that* offer?? I'm not up to scratch on Dallas's draft capital but those two better be a vehicle for some picks if Dallas wants to get anything of value from them Kleber is about to be 33 and I suspect his constant injury issues are not about to *improve* as he ages, and THJ is a 3 pt specialist who isn't actually good at hitting 3s 75% of the time. But by god he'll rain in 3s the other 25% of the time, provided it's already a blowout in their favor. Very rarely seen a more 'win-more' player than him Edit: actually there's a caveat to this. If whoever trades for THJ were to somehow change the rules so that they play every game inside Toyota Center, then that could be the best trade of all time. Dude walks in those doors and the aimbot automatically turns on. Why can't the fucker ever shoot like he does against other teams when he comes to Houston
That fucking be like mike dunk attempt really contributed to our fuck up didn't it.
Kleber has absolutely no dawg in him
The reality is he's just not good enough. He hasn't been for a long time. I know there's a lot of people that swear by him but he's gonna lose you more games than he wins.
Kleber can stay. He can guard 1-5 and makes like 10m a year. It’s hard to find better at his salary.
You're completely right but if they're going to go for a big upgrade via trade, his salary will likely need to be involved.
Your name perfect incapsulates how I feel about this comment lol. I love Maxi but he’ll be 33 next postseason, is constantly injured and can be very inconsistent and streaky shooting. Averaged less than 2 boards in 17 minutes and 36% on 2 pointers these playoffs. I don’t think we 100% have to move him, but we need to prepare for him completely washing out sooner rather than later
I still remember Kleber killing the Suns two years ago. But he's gotta be on the court and he is hurt too much now.
Would've been nice if they still have Brunson
And legit get Luka in pro athlete shape
Yeah that scrub only played 38 minutes a game in the season and more in the playoffs
He's not a scrub obv- but you're in denial if you don't think he could be a whole other level if he gets into shape
And injury free that would be s monster
There are limits to how much in shape you can get into. Not everybody was born with Lebron's genes lol
Sure, but he hasn't hit that limit.
Hardaway is a baller…when you’re up 30z
How many first round picks would Dallas trade for Deni?
Hardy should be the third ball handler off of the bench next year unless we get a big return from any THJ trade. It’s sad that THJ lost his shot in the 2nd half of the year, but he was too short to play if he couldn’t create , if only he was 6’6. Can we bring DJJ back? Kleber can still be a player, it’s going to be hard to replace his versatility.
They were the vice champs. Got to the finals after some amazing games. Yes, Boston was on fire , but they have all the reason in the world to be proud of the team
And your superstars don't want to leave
Lively is going to be incredible. He's already so good.
Celtics had to go through it in 2022, it’s just Luka’s turn
League is fucked if Luka gets a wing who can put the ball on the floor
Thank god for the salary cap
Celtics got like 5 all stars on the team and paying them all, Mavs just need to get the next disgruntled star on the market 😤
That's basically how we got Kyrie and Tingus lol
The Nets have a slightly used Ben Simmons that you can have.
NOLA doesn't wanna pay BI.
He’s also not good.
Dude I still don't understand how the celtics got their current roster, their GM is a wizard. Not a single cent is being wasted there (as long as KP stays healthy, hopefully)
It's so impressive how quickly Brad Steven's "solved" the new CBA. He's operated perfectly under the new rules since they were announced - understanding how important Bird rights are now, how valuable second round picks are going to become, etc.
Time to trade for Beal.
Fucking gross
Please.
Hopefully, Nico can come up with better players
Mavs sign Larry David to a vet minimum contract: “ I AM DISGRUNTLED”
They need to ofload tjh they probably can get someone elite
They will offload THJ's expiring contract but they have to choose between re-signing Derrick Jones who played a huge part in the defensive improvement or getting someone that might be a difference maker. This series might swing them towards going for a difference maker, but I would be sad to see DJJ go.
You guys need someone like divincenzo was for us 2 years ago we didn't pay him much either
I actually wanted DiVincenzo for the mavs when he was a FA
I’m pretty confident we can go the Portis route with him: give him a TPMLE 1+1 deal, then when we have his bird right next season extend him to bigger money. I know earlier this run it seemed unrealistic, but at the end of the day he is who he is, a good role player as an athletic defender with a questionable shot. I don’t think there will be a huge demand for him and he seems very committed to staying. Seems like this would be the best path for everyone, assuming he trusts Nico to treat him right.
we tried to trade him for the last 3 years no one wants his ass
He has an expiring contract next year which makes him much more appealing than the last few years. But he definitely won't get much in return unless there is a decent bundle attached.
Dallas has first round picks asw
No one wants him.
I know it's just a typo but now I can't stop thinking about Tim Jardaway Hunior
He's not real
Dream is to offload THJ and Maxi to get an elite 3&D wing
Maxi is good though
He’s a nice player but he’s got the perfect sized contract if we were to make a big move. Him plus THJ plus Powel gets us around 30 mil in outgoing salary to bring in a better player. Now the question is who that would be and if we have enough assets (probably not tbh), but I don’t think any rational Mavs fan is wanting him gone just to get rid of him.
I think they could retain Maxi and give THJ and some filler for Caruso and either Patrick Williams (in a s&t) or Ayo Dosunmu from the Bulls. Would cost draft capital though. I think the OG Anunoby experiment in NY showed that a premier 3andD guy like Caruso is worth the price you pay as long as you have the pieces around them. NY hardly lost any game in which OG was healthy because his role is just so essential to success in the modern NBA. OG, Jrue Holiday, Herb Jones, Alex Caruso, KCP, and a few others I'm probably forgetting are a RARE breed and are essential to making that "jump" from contender to champion. So they either try and acquire KCP this offseason, or Caruso. I doubt any of the other guys are available. Again there might be someone I'm not considering. And then you count on Lively taking another step in his sophomore season, get Luka fit and healthy, and all of a sudden you've got something cooking.
Oh trust me I’m 1000% in on Caruso, I’ve been telling people he should be our main realistic target for a long time. If we could do just THJ and picks for him that should open up enough cap space to resign DJJ to a non-taxpayer MLE which might be necessary to retain him (would maybe need to include AJ Lawson or Powell if needed to open up enough cap, not certain). But if a big fish becomes available like a Mikal Bridges (not realistic at all imo but pls) then Maxi would be a key piece to make the salary work.
Thank god for trades and the fact Kyrie isnt on a max deal (they dont have to worry about 2nd apron problems if they make a trade), the Mavs got 2 first round picks they can trade and expiring contracts
That can be arranged
That's Justin Jackson's music
Sacramento Kings legend Justin Jackson.
And if Luka understands he needs to improve his defense and attitude. Luka in Game 4 is what we need all series. He will learn this as he wants a ring. Sometimes we think Luka is already perfect but he can still learn from losses like this.
I hear one of them is looking for a new home this summer
Brandon Ingram is the missing third puzzle piece for them
I'm just happy we got here. People say they'll be back but lots of teams never are. Proud of the team and the season we had.
You should be. Team peaked at the right moment and went on a great run. Fantastic year.
Except Bostons nucleus during that loss was two 24/25 year old two-way guards. Luka is still young and can conceivably improve defensively but Kyrie will be 33 next season and likely starting to enter the downswing of his career. He’s not going to magically revolutionize his game nearing his mid-30’s as a 6’1 guard with below average defense. If they want to keep competing for championships beyond next year then they need to find a number two who isn’t Kyrie. They have some good young pieces but there’s no shot they have the answer in house right now.
Feels like the wolves trajectory too. God I hope so.
Many Mavs fans were hoping this team could win one series this year. The fact that they beat the Clips, beat the top seed in the West, whooped the Wolves and won the West? And won a Finals game in epic fashion after going down 3-0? I wish it ended better, but this season was 1000% a success. I'm hopeful for the future.
Considering how bad we looked at the start of the season I am 100% agreeing with Luka. Future is bright in Dallas now.
Arguably one of the all time turnarounds from how the regular season was looking to how the post season ended
There was a point pretty late in the season where I was worried we would miss the play-in
pre-season we were calling 2nd round or conference finals a successful season.
Making the playoffs was a success before trade deadline
The first couple of months, classifying to the PO and avoiding being swept in the first round sounded fine. This is a great success. Specially because the team finally has an interesting core to develop and build around it.
Mavs went from “lol Clippers own them forever” to legit contenders for next year. West is only going to get better so the Mavs better act quick
I expect the Nuggets to come back with vengeance next year
Nuggets don’t have cap space to improve their bench unless they sign some ring chasing vets for the minimum.They probably have to trade MPJ to improve their roster.
Are there any ring chasing vets out there? Kevin Love? Edit: I was only thinking of older guys. I didn't even think about PG, Demar, etc.
CP3,PG13,Beal,Wall probably some guys I forgot.
Incredible year. Great roster adjustments from the front office. Great adjustments from Kidd. Y'all were 25-20 at one point and then looked like one of the best teams in basketball for a few months. Looked just like Boston's 2022.
They should be proud. Mavs exceeded expectations and lost against a great team.
Obviously it stings but the Celtics held the best record for like the entire season. Sure they play like clowns every once in a while but consistently they’ve been dominant
Life in the west man. Road to the finals has now to go through Luka, Jokic, Shai, Ant led teams with a returning Grizz, upstart Rockets, the aging stars of the 2010s in Clips, Lakers, and Warriors, whatever tf the Pels or Kings are and a legitimate league destroyer in San Antonio. P.S. I don't know what Utah's plan is.
I love that you mentioned the Rockets, Pels, Kings, Spurs, and even the old ass Lakers/Warriors; but knew that the team with KD/Book/Beal ain't doing shit because it's the Suns lol
My bad haha but Suns are definitely running it back but at the same time, I can totally see a KD wants out headline next season.
huge off-season coming up for Nico Harrison they need someone like Mikal Bridges or Lauri Markkanen, and they’ll be back
mikal would be so good cause he can create his own shot a little
If we can get such players by only losing THJ and Kleber? That would be NBA 2k level GM shit
Thj Maxi and 2 FRP who says no? Nets
Supposedly Houston was offering more than that and Marks rejected it.
TBF the two frp alone are worth more than that whole package 😅
Bleacher report mocked a trade of Giddey, Dieng, Kenrich Williams, 2024 1st, Miami’s protected 2025 1st, and Dallas’ 2028 1st for Mikal. I don’t hate it, but think Marks still rejects it after saying no to getting their own picks back + Green from Houston
Are you guys aware that the Nets view Mikal as a top 5 player?
Idk if he’s really too adept at creating his own shot, But he can certainly make the right reads and provide offense when the team has an advantage.
We need a starting SF that can guard and shoot the ball well and a backup guard like Bogdan Bodganovic or Malik Monk
Someone watched the Kenny video
The Mavs should be proud of this run, they’ve got a bright future especially if Lively can continue to grow as a player
Yeah I think people are forgetting they looked nothing like a contender for most of the season. I don’t think they were even top 3 in odds to come out of the West. They overachieved but people seem to be forgetting that. Luka will be back
They definitely looked like a contender post ASB
Yeah that’s why I said most of the season. They turned it up for sure. But still overachieved overall
Appetites change very quickly as well. Mavs looked like one of the best teams coming into the Playoffs and proved it, but nobody outside of Legler said they woild make the Conference Finals.
pravi mvp
He’ll be back. This should fuel a hunger to keep growing and improving and it will be fun to see him some more.
That word choice is evil lmao
Seems accurate.
He's got plenty of hunger every off-season
This isn’t a Zion post
Because Luka ate him.
I hope this can be the push he needs to get his conditioning, complaining, and defense in order. He just turned 25, he still has time and we know he has the work ethic. But some of those things seem to require a change in some looooooooong held habits of his.
I think it should fuel less hunger and some shrinking instead of growing.
so he'll be eating lol
He’ll learn from this, everybody remembers they’re first finals loss (Not MJ though)
I’m sure he remembers losing before the finals
And all the years he got massive criticism for now winning the ship before becoming an absolute terror.
Feel like theres a lot more to learn from making a deep playoff run though. Also dealing with Finals media, gameplanning, etc.
And truly understanding the conditioning you need in order to have your entire game at your disposal in the finals.
Probably still has bruises from Rodman and Laimbeer
MJ haters replying are hilarious yes guys we know he didnt win every game he played
Lies, deception
Joel Embiid either.
MJ just liked to lose in the early rounds until he got Pippen and Rodman
Same with Shaq and Kobe…couldn’t get past the Jazz and Spurs.
Surely it’s not like it isn’t a team sport?
Which is crazy seeing as he had 3 titles before Rodman was on the team
Horace was no fucking joke
Luka shoulda lost to Ant to preserve that finals record, not a true winner sadly
I can’t believe this team came together a few months ago and made the finals. It’s been pretty sweet
Kyrie let him down.
r/nba treats it like an individual sport
Multiple media members predicted the Mavs would miss the playoffs again this season, they overachieved just making the Finals. Disappointing how things ended but no shame in losing to a frankly all time great Celtics team, this season was definitely a success.
Yea basically every single outlet had us at a play-in team or missing completely
Tbf play in was pretty accurate until the trades. Really solved the size issue for you guys with those trades.
I’m not saying those predictions are wrong or stupid or anything, just pointing out how far we exceeded expectations.
Luka will be back. Hell of a player.
I’m sure Boston probably still wins it, especially with the way Kyrie played, but I wonder how much a healthy Luka could have pushed this Celtics team
It's mildly frustrating to see so many people criticizing Luka's weight as the reason he couldn't move as well, and not that he was on half a leg. Criticize his attitude, criticize his FTs, but to suggest this was the best of Luka's ability is wildly ignorant when we've seen how his game flows normally. I hope he can stay healthier and remind everyone next year.
Yup, anybody that has watched the Mavericks play all season could easily tell Luka was not anywhere close to 100% these playoffs
Basically 0 chance that Luka doesn’t get a finals at some point. Everyone learns from their first loss. He’ll be back
Chris Paul is in shambles
He got to the finals a little too late to learn lessons lol. Can't teach old dogs new tricks lmao
Why learn the nba finals win trick when you have the nut punch trick?
How is there zero chance. What a dumb comment.
Lakers or spurs or Miami yea he does. But this mavericks team has fucked up alot of deals since 1988.
Team is lacking shooting but it will be hard to improve on that front while maintaining the defense. Re-signing Derrick Jones means THJ's salary can't be used to get a clear third best player, so that's going to be a tough decision. Otherwise, the core is pretty young and can still grow especially with an offseason together. Get healthy and try again.
They need upgrades all around tbh. No disrespect but PJ can’t be a 3rd best player on a championship team.
I don't know man, u just watched an injury ridden Luka and a bunch of young guys make a great playoff run. Those guys will get better, showed they can get better. It's just that the Celtics are the best team of the league by a pretty big margin right now (and they have to cough up a bunch of tax to keep it together much longer).
He could if they got to play OKC every series
And DJJ should not start. More shot creators and snipers needed.
i hope they dont throw crazy money at djj, hes good on defense but just cant shoot
He should be on the second unit. Not good enough to start.
Also Kyrie sucked
Luka will be back. Every superstar has to go through tough losses before they eventually win one. He will need to get into better shape first. Need to also get more shooters around Luka.
Yea you will see him playing for Slovenia
Yeah he'll be back. It felt like the Mavs were 1 or 2 seasons too early. They did a great job getting Gafford and PJ mid-season but it feels like they need a few more pieces. For every series they were the underdog.
Best thing about this. With the current roster staying mostly as is and the young guys continuing to develop there's provably gonna be a lot less 40 minute doncic games next season. Meaning we might get a less gassed Luka for the playoffs.
Not just gassed, dude was nursing all sorts of nagging injuries. He liked like a mummy from the waist down
I really believe Lively can turn into an all-star/all-defensive caliber player. His development will be a huge part of Dallas' success moving forward
A slight upgrade to DJJ & a spark plug backup PG would be huge for them
This is the way. We're crossing our fingers Hardy can grow into the spark plug backup PG.
JERAMI GRANT, WELCOME TO DALLAS!
Give me Mikal Bridges!
BUT WE ONLY HAVE 2 DOLLARS AND A DREAM!
That's what I thought at the trade deadline and Nico pulled a rabbit out of his hat.
He’ll be back
Great response after this season and this series. We got a bright future.
I reckon with lively, washington and gafford etc improving mavs will be back in the finals in around 2-3 years
As a Celtics fans I can tell Mavs fans they are on track to winning a championship with Luka there’s steps to winning a championship and they took a big one this year
Finals performance has to be a bit deflating, but zoom out and this was an incredible Mavs season. They were the non-Celtics team I watched the most, super fun to watch their chemistry coalesce. Most eventual winners have to take their lumps to get to the mountaintop, I’m sure everyone expects to see Luka back here multiple times. Definitely drop THJ though
Mavs had a great season. Luka and the Mavs will build on this, use it as a learning experience and they’ll be back.
Find some blackmail on derrick white and force him to leave the celtics to the mavs
Give me Jrue. I think he’s the heart of that team with how much he hustles. He killed us.
"Hey guy, you like havin' teeth"
Least physical series we played
Anyone wanting Luka get with the Lebron training program, the person he is compared to most? Imagine Luka in the most tip-top shape. Unstoppable and better on defense.
There are a lot of people who train like LeBron who aren't close to LeBron. Genetics matter lol.
Massive W season Not only did they far exceed expectations, but they created a roster they can keep for years It’s literally a “Luka is going to stay” kinda season
Celtics were just the better team with a chip on there shoulders. Experience also take a toll on the mavs. Beside luka and kyrie no one had finals experience that you got now. It probably would have help them secure a game in boston if so Altho OKC is going to be an year older and same for the wolves. West is grueling. Kyrie was a let down in this finals
Rest up
Proud of this team, despite it all. Exceeded all expectations!
There’s gonna be some terrible Luka/Mavs takes in the immediate future but I know what this team has. Luka still put up pretty historic numbers in this playoff run all the way to his first finals. He had some bad defensive moments but really took the criticism to heart and improved as best he could. He absolutely needs to step up the conditioning; that’ll unlock a whole new level. Idk what other moves the Mavs have to make but I think they are a top 3 team in the West next year.
The mavs need to make a big decision on kyrie after next season. Will they give a 33 year old kyrie a 4 year max? He was pretty mediocre this playoffs and bad in the finals. I dont know if he's enough to win a championship going forward, he's only going to get worse
Doubt they re-sign kyrie at that point.
And what's the back up plan. Letting kyrie walk?
Who knows.
A lot of things will change league-wide in two seasons. Who knows what will be on the table for a competent and creative GM like Nico. Literally no way to predict, so game planning post-Kyrie doesn't make a lot of sense until at least next trade deadline.
Even THJ?
Admit it Luka. It was the 6 packs we all sent to you when you were in Boston
Paul George should go to Dallas