The GENIUS Defensive Adjustment From LUKA And The Mavs... by @Heat Check - Post Details
The GENIUS Defensive Adjustment From LUKA And The Mavs...
Join me on RateGame: https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6477869711?pt=126905374&ct=Heat%20Check%201&mt=8 The Mavs had a do or die game plan on defense. A radical approach that ended up working geniously for them. But before even getting to that, it all started with their hounding one on one defense. Look, this is the first minute of the game, and Derick Jones Jr is picking up PG way past half court. The Clippers could not even look at the basket for this entire possession, for the full 24 seconds as we see Kyrie poking it out of Harden’s hands and forcing a shot clock violation. Just look at these contests here both on Paul George and James Harden, the guys that went off for 66 points in the previous games, were only allowed 6 for 25 in this one. A phenomenal job of honing in on Harden and PG, and great on ball defense. But this was actually the trick for Dallas. The Mavs went all out on stopping these 2, clogging the paint and completely sagged off of the other Clippers players. And there is probably no better example of that than this. Almost every Dallas defender is in the paint, and they’re not even looking at Westbrook as he’s all alone in the corner, he gets it, fires away and misses. Check out where Doncic is on this dance by Harden. He’s clearly ready to help on the drive and not worrying about Terrance Mann being open here. So as the ball goes to him, Luka makes an effort to get back, Mann shoots and another miss. Again, at this point it’s comical how Dallas is begging Russ to shoot, and he actually does it, allowing for some easy defensive possessions for the Mavs. Even on the occasional make by the Clippers, there was no change of plan. You can see that Kyrie is not even looking at Coffee, the focus is to help on the Harden penetration. As we stop it right here both Coffee and Mann are completely wide open as the paint is packed. Now, as we let it roll, the ball goes out, and he knocks down this 3 pointer, but Dallas did not panic whatsoever and stuck to their strategy. So what happened? Well, at one point LA missed 16 3 pointers in a row. 16 straight. Watching all of this James Harden may have had an ugly flashback to the infamous game 7 against Golden State where his team missed 27 straight. Some of it may be good fortune for the Mavs here, but a lot of these are definitely based on the good game plan, knowing who to focus on and who to leave open and invite him to shoot. Then, there were also a lot of live turnovers leading to this. Maaan, Kyrie doing ridiculous Kyrie things here in transition, toying with his opponents. And as it turned out, Luka was doing Luka things as well because… Doncic had 35 in this game but it was the 10 assists for me, creating easy points for his teammates. And it sure feels good when it’s one of those days and a role player steps up and helps the team by shooting absolutely lights out, which was Maxey Kleber in this one. Kleber went 5 of 7 from downtown, that’s 15 bonus points on the road to secure a crucial game 5 win, now going back home with a chance to seal the deal in this tough first round matchup. If the Mavs can get even close to what they did here defensively, they will be in a great position for a game 6 win. This is peak playoffs, and we are getting peak playoff drama, with Lebron shocking everyone, hinting that this may have been his last game as a Laker. You gotta check out this video right here. Talk to you in the next one. Peace out.
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THIS Has NEVER Happened In The Playoffs...
Join me on RateGame: https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6477869711?pt=126905374&ct=Heat%20Check%201&mt=8 We have witnessed history in these 2 iconic game 7 battles. The largest comeback in a game 7, and the absolute best shooting performance ever in the playoffs. Last night was one for the ages. But let’s start from the beginning, as Denver started this game exactly how they wanted. Nikola Jokic dominated the glass, reaching a double double of 13 points and 15 rebounds by halftime, 5 of which were on the offensive end. This led to a 12 to 2 second chance points discrepancy. And it felt like it’s going to be another one of those nights, where he was toying with the defensive player of the year. Jamal Murray unlike the previous games in this series was cooking right from the start, getting to his spots, and playing with ease on his way to 24 1st half points on 53.3% shooting from the field and 60% from 3PT range. The Nuggets pulled all the right strings and had control over the game, as they headed into the locker rooms up by 15 at the half. On the other side, KAT and McDaniels were the only ones ready to put up a fight, scoring 13 and 10 points respectively on decent shooting efficiency. KAT took advantage of the mismatch every time he saw one, patiently working the smaller defenders for some quality shots. But their main weapon, Anthony Edwards was a shadow of his game 6 performance, as he couldn’t hit anything in this game, contested or wide open. ANT shot 1 of 7 for only 4 points in the first half. And Minnesota struggled as a team overall, as they shot just 31.6% from the field. Things looked a bit worse for the Timberwolves early in the 3rd when… Down by 20 on the road, with all the momentum on Denver’s side, the Timberwolves had all the odds stacked against them, but nobody could imagine that what started to unfold was history in the making. Minnesota went on a 28-9 run to close out the 3rd quarter which was totally opposite of the previous one, as this whole game was a microcosm of the entire series. The Nuggets were unrecognizable in this one, as they shot a miserable 26.3% from the field, it’s like they fell asleep after going up by 20. And after this 3 by Edwards, it was on. They knew they had them against the ropes. And the entire arena was in disbelief when the Timberwolves took over the lead in the 4th. In an unexpected turn of events, it was the role players of Naz Reid, Rudy Gobert and Jaden Mcdaniels that carried the offensive load during these crucial times. Rudy stuns everyone with this wild turnaround and with this going in, Minnesota believes that maybe this is their day, and they can complete the upset. But most importantly, their hounding defense stepped when it mattered the most, absolutely putting a lid on the basket. Wow, Naz Reid delivers big time on both ends of the court. And after another turnover by Jamal, Edwards hits the dagger to put the Wolves up by 10 with 3 minutes to go, and everyone started to realize that it was over. Jokic and Murray had one last push to try and get back, making it a 5 point game, but then… It’s all over, the champs have fallen and Minnesota completes the biggest game 7 comeback in NBA history. History repeats itself as this came on the same exact day 20 years after KG and company advanced to the western conference finals in a game 7 showdown against the Kings. On rategame, the app that I’m a part of, we score each game by how interesting they were, and this one was a solid 8.6 for me. Download the app from the link in the description and join us in rating and reviewing these games. Moving on to New York, as I was hoping that the Garden crowd would lift my Knicks to a hot start in game 7. But I was staggered when the exact opposite started to happen, as Indiana opened the game on an unbelievable 76% shooting from the field. It seemed like everything they threw at the basket went in, and despite the fact that the Knicks themselves were solid in this 1st quarter, it seemed like the Pacers unlocked god mode. And it didn’t help that OG Anunoby did a Willis Reed move. For the ones that don’t know, this means that OG got back from injury to start this game, only to get the crowd fired up, as he knew he couldn’t go, and quickly sat down. Hart is playing injured as well, on top of all the other injuries that the Knicks had. So, as crazy as it sounds, I was thankful that New York was only down by 8 at the end, and thought to myself, Indiana can’t keep up this pace. Right?! In a mind blowing shooting display, the Pacers went 76 and a half percent in the second quarter. In 20 years of watching the NBA, I hadn’t seen anything similar to this. Tyrese Haliburton chucking up wild threes, Pascal Siakam was automatic from midrange, and then Indiana could also get to the rim and finish inside, it was an all around spectacle. Just not for me and the MSG crowd.
THIS Is When It BECAME PERSONAL For Luka Doncic...
Join me on RateGame: https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6477869711?pt=126905374&ct=Heat%20Check%201&mt=8 Last night we saw a superstar pushing the limit of his skills but his body as well, to secure a colossal game 5 win. And even more shocking, we saw the same from a 38 year old veteran. But we gotta start in Oklahoma where Luka came in seeking revenge for the game 4 loss. And when he’s making these, it’s gonna be a long night for the opposition. Doncic started dissecting the defense time after time, making a pivotal game 5 look like an All-Star game. It’s not that OKC let him do anything, they played some really tight defense on him all night, look at all of these tough shots that he hit, these are all great contests. And then watch Dort hounding him all over the court, but it didn’t matter cuz… It sure helps when the role players are hitting their open shots, especially Derrick Jones Jr. who was huge in this one, 19 points on 7 for 9 shooting from the field including 3 of 5 from deep. The Mavs were balling and had the lead pretty much throughout the whole game, as they entered the last period up by 12. Luka continued to cook as he scored 8 straight points to give Dallas an 18 point lead. But, if we learned something from these playoffs, it’s that OKC is not your regular young squad, they are fearless, and are playing like they have years of playoff experience. The Thunder went on a 10-0 run boosted by their home crowd. And the entire arena exploded when.. But, as I said, the role players stepped up big in this game for Dallas, and PJ Washington was keeping the lead at a safe distance. On the other end, OKC must convert on this play to stay in the game, and they move the ball great here finding Chet alone for the 3 but.. Oh my goodness, look at the extension by Derrick Jones to be able to meet Holmgren’s shot at the pinnacle and then throw down the 2 handed monster jam. Amazing play to put his team up by 13 instead of possibly being an 8 point game. The young guns didn’t let go of this game yet, as they kept grinding, making some incredible plays and brought the game back to 9 with a chance to cut it to 7 on this transition, but then.. Wow, Luka playing anything you can do I can do better with Chet, as he denies SGA to secure a big win on the road. Moving on to Boston, where everything was ready for an easy win and a huge celebration. Especially after the news that Mitchell, Levert, Allen and Porter would not be playing. That’s basically half the team. Celtics by 30 I said. But I could not have been further from the truth. They fell into their old trap of complacency, settling and playing disorganized basketball, allowing Cleveland some easy points. On offense there were some players that were a complete no show. Get this: Brown played 41 minutes in this game and went 4 for 9 for 11 points total. Against this Cavs team. Unbelievable. It’s as if he and Tatum are alternating on who’s going to have a miserable game. In a wild turn of events, the responsibility of closing out Cleveland fell on Al Horford who in 2 weeks is gonna be 38 years old. 38. And he responded with an absolutely epic game as if he’s in his prime. 22 points and 15 rebounds, along with 5 assists and 3 blocks. What a statline. 6 threes on 46% from downtown. But as impressive as that is, it’s nowhere near the stunning defensive effort that he showed, completely locking down Darius Garland on multiple possessions where he switched on him. This is astonishing. Garland is one of the quickest guards in the league and AL is at the end of his career. Or is he?! I don’t even know at this point. So, in one of the worst Celtics games of the season, at least in my opinion- he was the bright spot here doing everything he could to win this game. Even this. And in the closing seconds when he delivered the final blow, the celebration could finally begin, and Mazzula took him out so that the crowd could give him a thunderous standing ovation. A phenomenal game for Horford, but again, a horrific performance by Boston overall in a closeout game at home against a depleted Cavs roster. On rategame, the app that I’m a part of, we score the quality of each game, and I could only give it a 5.4. I absolutely agree with CJ, the Celtics have to play with more urgency in the conference finals, and not rely on their aging big man to carry them. Download the app from the link in the description and join me in rating and reviewing these games. Android version coming soon. This is what it takes to win a crucial game in the playoffs, and yesterday we saw some superstars going god mode and doing everything to win at all costs. You gotta check out exactly what happened right here. Talk to you in the next one. Peace out.
When Luka Doncic Gets Mad...THIS HAPPENS
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The Moment When LEBRON Finally ADMITTED DEFEAT...
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The Playoffs Started To Get AGGRESSIVE...
Join me on RateGame: https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6477869711?pt=126905374&ct=Heat%20Check%201&mt=8 Things got completely out of control in the playoffs. From pure chaos of a game, to a superstar altercation in Dallas, and a debacle in Phoenix. But we gotta start with the most chaotic game of the playoffs. And it was like that from the start. The crowd was absolutely rocking in Indiana, as the Pacers blitzed Milwaukee with a double digit lead early on. The Bucks only scored 6 field goals for the entire first quarter as it seemed like Indi would blow them out in game 3. After that initial avalanche, and with Lillard having a horrific half of 2 for 10, Milwaukee felt okay with being down just 12 points at the break. And they continued to chip away at the deficit, setting up a wild 4th quarter. With the Pacers clinging to a 1 point lead in the final minute, it was crucial for them to score on this possession so… What a clutch rebound for Siakam the bucket and the foul for a chance to put the Bucks away, buut he misses, leaving the door open for Milwaukee to extend the game and play the foul game. So with the weight of the world on his shoulders, Nesmith stays ice cold at the line and knocks down 2 huge free throws. So now, whatever you do, don’t allow the three… Oh my goodness what a shot by Middleton to bring back Milwaukee from the dead, and we go to overtime. The entire arena is deflated, and in OT, Indi is playing catch up, trying to hang with the Bucks. And what follows is an epic display of the fight and will to win of a young team, mixed in with the fear and inexperience with the game on the line. Unbelievable…This was a combined possession of more than a minute and a half. Amazing effort by the Pacers, but they didn’t know how to capitalize on that, so we got Middleton at the line and he calmly sinks both, so now all of a sudden the Pacers need to save themselves… And on the other end, phenomenal contest by Nesmith to force this miss, and then things escalate because…. A colossal shot by Nesmith to once again give the Pacers a 3 point lead, so now again, don’t allow the three. This is pure madness! Middleton goes hero mode again with another crazy shot to tie the game, shocking the entire arena. But this would set up the final scene of this thriller… Tyrese send the entire arena into a frenzy! Are you kidding me?! What a wild ride of a game. He makes the free throw as well, and we all know who’s gonna take this shot right?! Wooow what a game, without a doubt the wildest of the playoffs, as I gave it a 9.5 on rategame. Download it from the link in the description and start rating with me. Moving on to Dallas where Luka started to really pull the Clippers defense apart in the second quarter. Yeah that’s Kawhi Leonard who Luka is saying is too small. Doncic was rolling, the role players were benefiting off of his assists, and the Clippers couldn’t follow this pace. So the Mavs went on a run and by half time this was a 13 point lead. LA fought in the third quarter, and just when they thought they would have some kind of momentum at the end, leading into the 4th, Kyrie said not a chance. The Mavs sensed that they could put an end to this game early, so right in the first minute, Luka and Kyrie went to work. And the entire arena exploded on this fast break… Seeing that this game is slipping away, the frustration was building for the Clippers, and things got heated at the end… Westbrook with a disrespectful move towards Doncic, but Luka stays calm and of course his enforces will step in and do the dirty work here as PJ WASHINGTON takes over and handles things. As it turns out, this would be the most interesting thing in the 4th quarter with the Mavs easily won this game for a 2-1 series lead, and I rated it with a 6.2 on rategame. And in Phoenix, this was essentially a must win game for the Suns, so I was curious to see if there was going to be a big run at the start similar to how it was in Indiana. However not only did Minnesota had answer for every bucket, but they went on the break with a 6 point advantage provided by their suffocating defense once again. And then, the familiar script from every game in this series. The Timberwolves go on a huge run in the third quarter. And just like that it’s a 20 point lead on the road. Once again the Suns don’t have an answer for Minnesota in the third quarter. There would be frustration for Phoenix as well and some back and forth chirping but nothing really notable, as Anthony Edwards and the Wolves were able to go in there and completely quiet the crowd taking a commanding 3-0 lead and everything points out to an exciting second round matchup against the reigning champions the Denver Nuggets. This was only a 5.8 on rategame but we got a 4 game slate for tonight so I’ll see you guys on there.
They Reached The Point Of NO RETURN...
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This Was NEVER Supposed To Happen...
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