Mavs-Celtics Game 1 observations👇

Rough game for Dallas, bad execution. And good Celtics (KP outlier?) shooting game.

We've seen first coverages, schemes on both sides.

Dallas struggling to score and adapt to Celtics 5-Out, fast-paced, fast-3pt trigger game in the 1st half. 1-Boston plan on D

Celtics started the series with plan similar to OKC.

Put big on a wing, drop with KP, switch with everyone else, let Luka & Kyrie play 1-on-1 BUT shrink aggressively and help off Mavs wings.

Watch White, Jrue, Brown here sagging off DJJ, Green, PJ, Maxi👇

Mavs-Celtics Finals Preview👇

If you got this far...you know this is gonna be a loooong thread.

I'll do it in 5 parts: 1-Intro, 2-About the juggernaut Celtics, 3-Dallas on Offense, 4-Dallas on Defense and 5-Closing thoughts

So, Mavs & basketball sickos hop on board. 1-Intro

64-win Celtics the ultimate challenge (remember Mavs beat 64-win Suns in 2022), esp for Mavs defense.

Boston a 5-OUT spread offense that looks for weak links. Two teams that love ISO basketball (Mavs faced a similar ISO heavy offense vs LAC) and attacking mismatches.

Mavs-Timberwolves WCF Preview👇

Advance warning this is gonna be long, so for basketball sickos :)

This is gonna be another war, another bloodbath series imo. Two physical defensive teams that pack the paint.

But also incredible opportunity for Mavs to make the NBA Finals. DALLAS ON OFFENSE

Before we get into details, MIN is unbelievable defensive team. Best regular season defense by wide margin, allowing only 108.9 per 100.

The 2.6 point gap between 1st MIN and 2nd ORL, was same as between 2nd ORL and 11th PHI.

So scoring will be very hard.

Mavs-OKC Game 5 notes👇

Mavs responded great in G5 in LA vs Clippers in round 1. I remember writing after that game it was one of the most mature games in Luka's career, this will be needed tonight as well.

Mavs will need to play with much more poise in G5 than they did in G4. Luka needs to be aggressive & poised in the paint. He was 5/10 in G3 vs OKC,8/10 in that G5 vs LAC. 1/5 in G4 vs OKC.

Dort started going under his screens in G5 (10 times in G4, once in each of G1-G3), so making a pull-up 3 would be a godsend.

Dallas-OKC Preview👇

Advance warning this is gonna be long, for bball sickos like me :)

After playing the oldest team, Mavs play the youngest. Not gonna be younger, faster, more athletic team anymore. But still bigger.

Luka vs SGA, Kyrie vs J Dub, Kidd vs CoT Daigneault. MAVS ON OFFENSE

OKC a great, agile, fast defense. 4th overall in regular season and had 4 elite defensive games vs Pelicans (allowed 92 or less in each of the 4).

OKC aggressive style = tons of turnovers (1st in regular season, 1st in playoffs) so ball control will be crucial.

5⃣ Mavs - Grizzlies observations (a lot to digest so I hope you wont mind 5 instead of 3)

1. When Luka's 3-ball is falling he is the best scorer in the game

He's at 49% from 3 at absurd 12 3PA per game. We've seen it last December: if you switch and dont double it's 40 or 50. If you contain, trap, double like Grizzlies did after 2nd qtr explosion it's a 30-point triple double.

I've seen people comment Luka had only 22 FGA with Kyrie out. It's because Memphis doubled aggressively in 2H which led to tons of slot and 3pt looks.

Per Synergy Mavs had 48 spot up situations in this game compared to 13 vs Brookly when he was allowed to play 1-on-1 vs switches. It's choose your poison.