I usually am semi- "proud" of "my team" in a way that sports fans will recognize. Sure I'm a fan, but it's not really a personal matter so I work hard to make it one. You sort of have to do this mental jiujitsu to really pretend that the Dubs are "my" team. But in reality, they don't know me, I don't know them, and so it's not exactly accurate to say that I'm super proud of their character as human beings whom I know. Mostly it's more being pleased that they outscore the opponent or show hard work and grit in a sporting event, flashy play, or maybe determination in the face of injury, and so on, and let it add up to pride in my team. So I *say* I'm proud of my team -- but it's not like the pride I have in my children or something.
But Kerr's speech is different. Makes me truly proud to be a Warrior fan. It's not just that he's right, it's not just that he is using his platform when he could choose not to, it's that, like all of us, he gets emotional and vulnerable. I'm sure a part of him said, "I don't want to share that vulnerability with the world." But then he did it anyway. It's an inspirational reminder to all of us that speaking up for the things we believe in is the right thing to do. As Maggie Kuhn said, "Speak your mind -- even if your voice shakes."
I don't think there's any danger. The unexpected comeback of fourth quarter seems to point out that the lead of Mavs upon Dubs until then, was due to lack of punch and concentration from our 8 men lineup, not to the inherent quality of Mavs lineup. I think our team is very homey, and has some problems maintaining motivation abroad (see game5 vs. MEM). Once back at Chase, it will be 'tutta un'altra musica'.
I’m a Kuminga fan and get excited every time he enters a game. He’s exceeded what anyone could’ve reasonably expected on draft day. However, I think some of us are slipping into an irrational booster/apologist role where any time he doesn’t do well it’s the coaches or his teammates’ fault. If he’s so critical that that Kerr’s an fool for not playing him, he shouldn’t need a custom-built lineup around him.
The staff know more about his abilities and faults as both player and person player than we do. After watching his lack of effort in garbage time and G-League games, I suspect there might be some maturity/coachability issues going on as well. You hear everyone on the team gush about the effort, maturity and work ethic of Moody, but I haven’t seen much of that talk about JFK coming from the team.
Of course he does those bad things. But all players do good and bad things. No one says " Steph can't seem to protect the rim on defense, take him out. Draymond can't hit an open floater, take him out." My only issue is not that the coaches don't know what they have, but that Kuminga seems to be held to a standard of "if he does anything poorly, he's out." It's not wise because if you left him in, he might do something really good the next play. As he showed in late game action, he has a lot to offer. The coaching staff's job is to maximize strengths and plan around weaknesses. Just as they have a plan for Steph not getting isolated onto Ja or Luka, they are supposed to and no doubt try to plan for Kuminga's weaknesses. They just seem too impatient to let him work on those.
I want to see JK play 48 minutes a game because he is incredibly entertaining and he's really good for a 19 year old. But...
Planning for Steph not getting isolated onto Ja is a game plan. Planning for JK reacting slow or mixing up a rotation cannot be game planned. Having to play him alongside Beli to address his weaknesses makes him as situational as playing Beli...
----
Now, the breakdown in this defensive possession wasn't JK's fault and he's more or less in the right spot... but he's got to learn to at least put his hands up or something.
JK selling out to the corner doesn't look like the right play to me. Beli was there zoning both players. (See MB pointing as the defensive breakdown happens)
Its standard issue rookie treatment for a contending team. Nothing more. Kerr trusts OPJ more than JFK. Indeed, JFK's gotten more run than one might expect given the Dubs' 2022 aspirations.
That said, pretty clear that JFK needs to be a pretty regular rotation piece off the bench next year. Almost certain that he's a starter by '25. Moody could be as well, if Wiggs leaves after '23 or Klay leaves after '24 -- and one of those departures is bound to happen.
Don't burst my bubble. I keep hoping for Steph and Klay off the bench in the days when Poole, Kuminga, Moody, and Wiseman(!) are lighting up the NBA. Can you imagine? Poole and Kuminga are punishing the opposition, then they sub out and the Splash Brothers sub in...
You're not wrong but I think that the Warriors pride themselves on not being standard issue. They rotate deep bench guys in, they play the game in cutting edge ways. Seems to me they would do well to examine conventional wisdom on Kuminga because the pros outweigh the cons. Not by a whole lot, I will readily grant. But by enough.
Watched a Moody interview: he's 19, he looks 29, he sounds like 39 years old. When he goes bald and with grey hair on the beard, will it be like having a HOF in the lineup? Shall we change biblical, Moses with Mathusalem?
That 4tj quarter made it one of my fav losses. So great Mavs had to bring out their starters in an elimination game in the WCF after having a 29 point lead. Ha!
About Kerr's speech on the facts of Uvalde (which was already quite impressive). Imagine his reaction if he knew that, following the barbarian invasion of Ukraine by Russia, those same 50 senators, and NATO governments Italy included, are supporting the evenly barbarian revenge of Ukrainian Army, with NATO weapons and foreign fighters, in a very lucrative scenario, where the bitterest price is paid by thousands, and thousands, and thousands children, women, elderly people from Ukraine first, and now from Donetsk, Luhansk and Transnistria. I know I ask a lot of your notorious weakness in geography, but these last three are Nations, yes they are, and under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, they have right to the political independence and recognition they asked and confirmed by referendums. Those nations are the key to a peaceful solution that no one seems to pursuit. Those are the real victims.
And those 50 senators, and NATO governors, and Russian government, are the real butchers.
More or less the same sense that makes the press conference of Kerr. If we decide to close our eyes on what is happening around us, it makes no sense at all.
transnistria, luhanks and donetsk people's republics are faux states created by the russians to block the Eastern European countries from joining EU and NATO. Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine just wanted to be left alone and grow their countries just like the Baltic States. What's the price of a fake peace if you aren't going to rid of the source? Another larger war.
Faux states, faux bombs, faux graveyards... I don't buy it, it all smells like propaganda.
Before welcoming Ukraine in the NATO and arming it with tactical nukes, it is 'convenient' to ascertain how many and how concentrated in the Army, are the neonazis down there (e.g. Projipenko, head of Azov battalion)
Stefan, if we got involved directly in the war it would create WW3.
What would you have us do? Let Putin take over Ukraine and then the rest of the Eastern bloc?
I dislike absurd military spending and funding as much as anyone but if we don’t do commit resources and aid Ukraine, who else will? As messed up as our world is, I would hate to see a world taking orders from the Kremlin and that’s what’s at stake here.
I don't believe Putin wants to take over Ukraine. It would be bloody and expensive, and he got subtler ways, like the provision of natural gas; Ukraine is as cold as Dante's Caìna in winter, and depends 100% from Russia
E2148, and all the people that wish to contribute to this interesting discussion: Freddie is right, it is off topic and we should go on elsewhere. If there's any blog or social that you know, available, it's fine to me, else feel free to write me at stefano.gelati@fastwebnet.it
May 25, 2022·edited May 25, 2022Liked by Eric Apricot
Ha! I knew from the eye test that they had adjusted. Didn't know that Warriors tried to adjust to that at start of third but that would explain eye test of warriors lost on D worse than first half since they tried to adjust on the fly.
From Slater's article on The Athletic ($):
"....3-2 zone that has given Dallas trouble...., Jason Kidd attacked it differently."
"...The point of the strategy is pretty simple: put an extra player on one side of the court and the zone, in its base form, won’t have an extra defender to cover up that shooter...."
Man… was so excited to see what would happen when they brought Steph in down only 8 at the end. Then Kuminga (with an assist from Bjelica) screwed up a rotation real bad, and Kuminga tried to make up for it on the other end and got called for a charge, and Bullock made a 3, and the game was over.
I read Steph told them what was coming out of the time out and they still botched it. Also thought if they weren't putting the ball in Steph's hands when he came back, why bring him or any of the starters back?
JK does have his moments of doing too much. You saw the good and the bad in this game. Solid all in all, especially being the second leading scorer for the Dubs. Interested to see the lineups next game. Fingers crossed OPJ is back.
Ok doomsayers. I thought that was a pretty good game from the Dubs. Obviously a better game from the Mavs but hittting 20 3s like they did, especially so many early, is going to put the game away. So many positives from the youngins playing their hearts out and getting us back in it. Forcing the Mavs to bring back the starters. That’s a victory.
Drink more friends, it will still those unruly hearts. Dubs have this.
Not only hitting twice as many but attempting almost twice as many. I saw Steph mentioned post game that he will look at the film to see how he was only able to get up five 3 point attempts. Thought he should've at least tried launching a few when Steve subbed him back in at the end, but I only remember him having the ball like twice.
Somebody will be the first to blow a 3-0 lead. Let’s not let it be us. Not to mention the real risk of injury from additional games. We got to lock in on Thursday and take care of business.
I was pretty frustrated after the first half. Shut it off in the middle of the third. Turned it back on for the fourth. Bench mob looked great. Kuminga and Moody are one summer away from being legit rotation pieces I think. I doubt we see Bjelica next year, but he was playing nice, like a Euro league MVP or something. Let’s get ‘em Thursday.
They should try to re-sign Bjelica imo, he'll be cheap and I'm not sure what other "stretch big" they'd be able to get. If they have someone in mind though, fair enough.
It was clear that Kerr felt the objective was completed in Game 3 with the road split and wasn't going to expend a huge effort chasing this one as soon as we saw the Poole/Kuminga/Moody lineup to start the second and also after a stoppage 3 minutes in when they were losing contact.
The Warriors have access to all types of biometric markers or whatever so if they felt like this was the right call, fair enough. Win in Game 5 and it doesn't matter. Hopefully OPJ can come back.
Good job by the kids coming back to the point where Bullock/DFS/Doncic all had to play reasonably big minutes, hopefully that pays dividends in Game 5. That said, personally I do not want to see Kuminga playing in Game 5.
I usually am semi- "proud" of "my team" in a way that sports fans will recognize. Sure I'm a fan, but it's not really a personal matter so I work hard to make it one. You sort of have to do this mental jiujitsu to really pretend that the Dubs are "my" team. But in reality, they don't know me, I don't know them, and so it's not exactly accurate to say that I'm super proud of their character as human beings whom I know. Mostly it's more being pleased that they outscore the opponent or show hard work and grit in a sporting event, flashy play, or maybe determination in the face of injury, and so on, and let it add up to pride in my team. So I *say* I'm proud of my team -- but it's not like the pride I have in my children or something.
But Kerr's speech is different. Makes me truly proud to be a Warrior fan. It's not just that he's right, it's not just that he is using his platform when he could choose not to, it's that, like all of us, he gets emotional and vulnerable. I'm sure a part of him said, "I don't want to share that vulnerability with the world." But then he did it anyway. It's an inspirational reminder to all of us that speaking up for the things we believe in is the right thing to do. As Maggie Kuhn said, "Speak your mind -- even if your voice shakes."
Let as all remember that the players are gentlemen!
So let's crush them on Thursday.
I don't think there's any danger. The unexpected comeback of fourth quarter seems to point out that the lead of Mavs upon Dubs until then, was due to lack of punch and concentration from our 8 men lineup, not to the inherent quality of Mavs lineup. I think our team is very homey, and has some problems maintaining motivation abroad (see game5 vs. MEM). Once back at Chase, it will be 'tutta un'altra musica'.
I’m a Kuminga fan and get excited every time he enters a game. He’s exceeded what anyone could’ve reasonably expected on draft day. However, I think some of us are slipping into an irrational booster/apologist role where any time he doesn’t do well it’s the coaches or his teammates’ fault. If he’s so critical that that Kerr’s an fool for not playing him, he shouldn’t need a custom-built lineup around him.
The staff know more about his abilities and faults as both player and person player than we do. After watching his lack of effort in garbage time and G-League games, I suspect there might be some maturity/coachability issues going on as well. You hear everyone on the team gush about the effort, maturity and work ethic of Moody, but I haven’t seen much of that talk about JFK coming from the team.
You play kuminga next to looney you take away his only offensive strength right now, which is scoring in the paint.
Dude put up .60 TS on high usage it’s not like he’s an Anthony Randolph project, he was dominating matchups down low all year
And you don’t see him getting lost on defense or not seeing open looks for his teammates?
Draymond green had 4 turnovers in the first 6 minutes of game 3 man, everybody messes up, he had 17 points on 11 shots and was a plus 9
Of course he does those bad things. But all players do good and bad things. No one says " Steph can't seem to protect the rim on defense, take him out. Draymond can't hit an open floater, take him out." My only issue is not that the coaches don't know what they have, but that Kuminga seems to be held to a standard of "if he does anything poorly, he's out." It's not wise because if you left him in, he might do something really good the next play. As he showed in late game action, he has a lot to offer. The coaching staff's job is to maximize strengths and plan around weaknesses. Just as they have a plan for Steph not getting isolated onto Ja or Luka, they are supposed to and no doubt try to plan for Kuminga's weaknesses. They just seem too impatient to let him work on those.
I want to see JK play 48 minutes a game because he is incredibly entertaining and he's really good for a 19 year old. But...
Planning for Steph not getting isolated onto Ja is a game plan. Planning for JK reacting slow or mixing up a rotation cannot be game planned. Having to play him alongside Beli to address his weaknesses makes him as situational as playing Beli...
----
Now, the breakdown in this defensive possession wasn't JK's fault and he's more or less in the right spot... but he's got to learn to at least put his hands up or something.
(first clip)
https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=FGM&EndPeriod=4&EndRange=28800&GameID=0042100314&PlayerID=1627827&RangeType=1&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Playoffs&StartPeriod=4&StartRange=21600&TeamID=1610612742&flag=3&sct=plot§ion=game
In this one, JK watches Luka back JP down to the rim. And helps wait too late. You can see at the end Mike Brown says something to JK.
(first clip)
https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=FGM&EndPeriod=4&EndRange=28800&GameID=0042100314&PlayerID=1629029&RangeType=1&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Playoffs&StartPeriod=4&StartRange=21600&TeamID=1610612742&flag=3&sct=plot§ion=game
(third clip from link above)
JK selling out to the corner doesn't look like the right play to me. Beli was there zoning both players. (See MB pointing as the defensive breakdown happens)
Kinda all the same stuff we saw Kerr do with JP last year.
Which might have cost us the playoffs
Its standard issue rookie treatment for a contending team. Nothing more. Kerr trusts OPJ more than JFK. Indeed, JFK's gotten more run than one might expect given the Dubs' 2022 aspirations.
That said, pretty clear that JFK needs to be a pretty regular rotation piece off the bench next year. Almost certain that he's a starter by '25. Moody could be as well, if Wiggs leaves after '23 or Klay leaves after '24 -- and one of those departures is bound to happen.
Trusting opj over kuminga is fine but playing d Lee who had an 102- 116 offensive and defensive rating so far in the playoffs is an issue
Don't burst my bubble. I keep hoping for Steph and Klay off the bench in the days when Poole, Kuminga, Moody, and Wiseman(!) are lighting up the NBA. Can you imagine? Poole and Kuminga are punishing the opposition, then they sub out and the Splash Brothers sub in...
You're not wrong but I think that the Warriors pride themselves on not being standard issue. They rotate deep bench guys in, they play the game in cutting edge ways. Seems to me they would do well to examine conventional wisdom on Kuminga because the pros outweigh the cons. Not by a whole lot, I will readily grant. But by enough.
Watched a Moody interview: he's 19, he looks 29, he sounds like 39 years old. When he goes bald and with grey hair on the beard, will it be like having a HOF in the lineup? Shall we change biblical, Moses with Mathusalem?
That 4tj quarter made it one of my fav losses. So great Mavs had to bring out their starters in an elimination game in the WCF after having a 29 point lead. Ha!
Sorry for the OT.
About Kerr's speech on the facts of Uvalde (which was already quite impressive). Imagine his reaction if he knew that, following the barbarian invasion of Ukraine by Russia, those same 50 senators, and NATO governments Italy included, are supporting the evenly barbarian revenge of Ukrainian Army, with NATO weapons and foreign fighters, in a very lucrative scenario, where the bitterest price is paid by thousands, and thousands, and thousands children, women, elderly people from Ukraine first, and now from Donetsk, Luhansk and Transnistria. I know I ask a lot of your notorious weakness in geography, but these last three are Nations, yes they are, and under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, they have right to the political independence and recognition they asked and confirmed by referendums. Those nations are the key to a peaceful solution that no one seems to pursuit. Those are the real victims.
And those 50 senators, and NATO governors, and Russian government, are the real butchers.
Tell Kerr. His anger will know no bounds.
https://www.radiocolonna.it/public/images/2022/03/laika-ucraina.jpg
OT, and respectfully given site decorum and all. That's horsesh*t.
OT, and it's real, just outside of the radius of your culture and knowledge.
Stefano ma ha senso parlare di queste cose qui dentro? Mah...
In English : Stefano you think this is the right place to talk about this?
More or less the same sense that makes the press conference of Kerr. If we decide to close our eyes on what is happening around us, it makes no sense at all.
Mah...
Oh look a wild moscovite apologist has appeared.
transnistria, luhanks and donetsk people's republics are faux states created by the russians to block the Eastern European countries from joining EU and NATO. Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine just wanted to be left alone and grow their countries just like the Baltic States. What's the price of a fake peace if you aren't going to rid of the source? Another larger war.
Faux states, faux bombs, faux graveyards... I don't buy it, it all smells like propaganda.
Before welcoming Ukraine in the NATO and arming it with tactical nukes, it is 'convenient' to ascertain how many and how concentrated in the Army, are the neonazis down there (e.g. Projipenko, head of Azov battalion)
Stefan, if we got involved directly in the war it would create WW3.
What would you have us do? Let Putin take over Ukraine and then the rest of the Eastern bloc?
I dislike absurd military spending and funding as much as anyone but if we don’t do commit resources and aid Ukraine, who else will? As messed up as our world is, I would hate to see a world taking orders from the Kremlin and that’s what’s at stake here.
I don't believe Putin wants to take over Ukraine. It would be bloody and expensive, and he got subtler ways, like the provision of natural gas; Ukraine is as cold as Dante's Caìna in winter, and depends 100% from Russia
E2148, and all the people that wish to contribute to this interesting discussion: Freddie is right, it is off topic and we should go on elsewhere. If there's any blog or social that you know, available, it's fine to me, else feel free to write me at stefano.gelati@fastwebnet.it
If you find the place, let me know, I will engage.
Ha! I knew from the eye test that they had adjusted. Didn't know that Warriors tried to adjust to that at start of third but that would explain eye test of warriors lost on D worse than first half since they tried to adjust on the fly.
From Slater's article on The Athletic ($):
"....3-2 zone that has given Dallas trouble...., Jason Kidd attacked it differently."
"...The point of the strategy is pretty simple: put an extra player on one side of the court and the zone, in its base form, won’t have an extra defender to cover up that shooter...."
https://theathletic.com/3332118/2022/05/25/warriors-mavericks-nba-playoffs?source=user-shared-article
Man… was so excited to see what would happen when they brought Steph in down only 8 at the end. Then Kuminga (with an assist from Bjelica) screwed up a rotation real bad, and Kuminga tried to make up for it on the other end and got called for a charge, and Bullock made a 3, and the game was over.
Kuminga wants it too bad right now, tbh…
They can't be more different, Kuminga is 19 of age and 19 inside, while Moody is 19 of age, 29 outside and 39 inside.
I read Steph told them what was coming out of the time out and they still botched it. Also thought if they weren't putting the ball in Steph's hands when he came back, why bring him or any of the starters back?
JK does have his moments of doing too much. You saw the good and the bad in this game. Solid all in all, especially being the second leading scorer for the Dubs. Interested to see the lineups next game. Fingers crossed OPJ is back.
This was a practice game for moody and kuminga. Kuminga needs to know when to slow down and when to put into gear.
Gentleman's sweep. Already booked.
Just no. The Dubs need to go take it.
Ok doomsayers. I thought that was a pretty good game from the Dubs. Obviously a better game from the Mavs but hittting 20 3s like they did, especially so many early, is going to put the game away. So many positives from the youngins playing their hearts out and getting us back in it. Forcing the Mavs to bring back the starters. That’s a victory.
Drink more friends, it will still those unruly hearts. Dubs have this.
https://mobile.twitter.com/PointForward4/status/1528907865645121536
Andre, Evan Turner and JP doing a post game spaces, if anyone is interested.
Looney and Cooper Kupp from the LA Rams listening in.
I'm really nervous, guys, have the Mavs discovered our weakness, that all they have to do is hit twice as many 3-pt shots as us?!?!
Not only hitting twice as many but attempting almost twice as many. I saw Steph mentioned post game that he will look at the film to see how he was only able to get up five 3 point attempts. Thought he should've at least tried launching a few when Steve subbed him back in at the end, but I only remember him having the ball like twice.
Crazy things have happened in this league. I don't really want to tempt the basketball gods to grant them insanely hot shooting for multiple games.
Somebody will be the first to blow a 3-0 lead. Let’s not let it be us. Not to mention the real risk of injury from additional games. We got to lock in on Thursday and take care of business.
I was pretty frustrated after the first half. Shut it off in the middle of the third. Turned it back on for the fourth. Bench mob looked great. Kuminga and Moody are one summer away from being legit rotation pieces I think. I doubt we see Bjelica next year, but he was playing nice, like a Euro league MVP or something. Let’s get ‘em Thursday.
They should try to re-sign Bjelica imo, he'll be cheap and I'm not sure what other "stretch big" they'd be able to get. If they have someone in mind though, fair enough.
I still like Bjelica, I think if his 3 ball comes back to him he can be a menace in our system. Hard to imagine many better players for the vet min.
Any upgrade stretch big will require more than a vet min, for sure.
Yeah that's my assumption as well. It's probably like Bjelica and Meyers Leonard as available stretch bigs for a vet min lol.
It was clear that Kerr felt the objective was completed in Game 3 with the road split and wasn't going to expend a huge effort chasing this one as soon as we saw the Poole/Kuminga/Moody lineup to start the second and also after a stoppage 3 minutes in when they were losing contact.
The Warriors have access to all types of biometric markers or whatever so if they felt like this was the right call, fair enough. Win in Game 5 and it doesn't matter. Hopefully OPJ can come back.
Good job by the kids coming back to the point where Bullock/DFS/Doncic all had to play reasonably big minutes, hopefully that pays dividends in Game 5. That said, personally I do not want to see Kuminga playing in Game 5.
Is it just me, or was tonight's game reminiscent of game 4 2015 WCF against the Rockets? I think Rockets shot lights out in that game.
Same as the Cavs in the 2017 Finals. We also completed the perfect postseason run until they got historically hot from distance
Yeah, Dubs have a lot of experience crapping the bed in Game 4s - mostly because they've been up 3-0 many times :)
I've got Warriors winning the series in 5 games, BTW. However, I predicted that the Warriors will lose game 3 and win game 4.
I had WLLWWLW, so I've been wrong in just about every game so far. Hopefully that turns around in Game 5.
If they win Game 5, it goes how I called it. Win Game 3, lose Game 4 and bounce back Game 5.
Same (well, initially I had Dubs in 6, but I revised it down to 5 after how game 2 went)