2024 NBA Playoffs: West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #5 Dallas Mavericks (DAL WINS 4-2)

[namlede]

Shai looked human last series but no disrespect to Dallas I don’t think they have a herb level defender. They got better rim protectors in Lively and Gafford but will they have to close out on Chet? and how will the rotations look like when OkC has them scrambling.

[sfernald]

Shai looked human last series but no disrespect to Dallas I don’t think they have a herb level defender. They got better rim protectors in Lively and Gafford but will they have to close out on Chet? and how will the rotations look like when OkC has them scrambling.

I also think people are underestimating JDub. I think he’s ready to make a leap to absolutely dominate in this series. As in, possibly if things broke right, he could be the best player on either Okc or Dallas. He has that potential if you’ve been watching him, absolutely unstoppable and making like 45% from three and driving and scoring at will on anyone.

Just check out his numbers on his very first playoff series.

.529 .389 .750 36.9min 21.3 7.3 5.0

Now bump that up to 42 minutes as it should be in a tough playoff series and also now he has some playoff experience in the bank. His regular season three point shooting was 42.7% actually for example.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Shai looked human last series but no disrespect to Dallas I don’t think they have a herb level defender. They got better rim protectors in Lively and Gafford but will they have to close out on Chet? and how will the rotations look like when OkC has them scrambling.

If Dallas is hand checking and fouling as much vs SGA as they did PG/Harden… they will be giving him 15+ FT per game. Unlike PG, SGA WILL get the calls. Dallas is very underrated defensively, but yes 1 on 1 wing defenders I don’t expect SGA to play at the same lower level.

[Chuck Everett]

Looks like Kleber has a full on dislocation. I'm guessing he's out for the playoffs. That's a big loss.

Edit: I didn't realize someone had already posted Shams' tweet.

[namlede]

Read on Twitter

OKC in 6.

the improvement from Shai year to year is just mind boggling. The crazy thing is I don’t think he has reached his peak. He will still get stronger which is one thing that can hold him back sometimes with stronger players and if he can reliably knock down the 3 it’s game over.

[ChipotleWest]

Maxi Kleber might be done for the playoffs.

DALLAS -- Mavericks reserve power forward/center Maxi Kleber will be sidelined indefinitely after suffering a third-degree dislocation of the AC joint of his right shoulder, sources told ESPN.

The injury could sideline Kleber for the remainder of the Mavs' playoff run, a source said.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40083202/sources-mavericks-maxi-kleber-ac-joint-indefinitely

[Texas Chuck]

Maxi being out really sucks.

[picc]

I have the Thunder in six. Would love to see the Mavs push it to 7. OKC fanbase will be bonkers. I also think Shai will have a much easier time now that he won't be seeing Herb Jones.

I honestly don't think it will be that much easier with DJJ the way he's playing defense. I have legit never seen a player straight up block Harden and PG's shots one on one before the Clippers series.

OTOH, Dort is the best single defender Luka will have faced. But even though Dort is the best single defender so far, the rest of the Thunder are less equipped to defend than the rest of the Clippers were. And you know the Mavs will be switch hunting every possession.

So yes Dort > anyone on the Clippers. But Mann/Tucker/Westbrook/PG > Giddey/J-Dub/Shai/J-Dub. I include Shai even though he's a good defender because he's not the kind of defender that gives Luka problems. Too thin and not strong enough. J-Dub is good but inexperienced for a player of Luka's caliber. Chet is a better defender than Zubac but also inexperienced.

If Luka is healthy I expect him to eat this series unless Dort has the series of his life fighting through screens.

[rapstarter]

I have the Thunder in six. Would love to see the Mavs push it to 7. OKC fanbase will be bonkers. I also think Shai will have a much easier time now that he won't be seeing Herb Jones.

I honestly don't think it will be that much easier with DJJ the way he's playing defense. I have legit never seen a player straight up block Harden and PG's shots one on one before the Clippers series.

OTOH, Dort is the best single defender Luka will have faced. But even though Dort is the best single defender so far, the rest of the Thunder are less equipped to defend than the rest of the Clippers were. And you know the Mavs will be switch hunting every possession.

So yes Dort > anyone on the Clippers. But Mann/Tucker/Westbrook/PG > Giddey/J-Dub/Shai/J-Dub. I include Shai even though he's a good defender because he's not the kind of defender that gives Luka problems. Too thin and not strong enough. J-Dub is good but inexperienced for a player of Luka's caliber. Chet is a better defender than Zubac but also inexperienced.

If Luka is healthy I expect him to eat this series unless Dort has the series of his life fighting through screens.

Dort is too small for Luka. Less of an issue against Ingram, but Luka has and knows how to use his strength.

For all the good defenders OKC has, they don't really have a great individual match up against Luka (though tbf, not many teams do). What they've got going for is they are a much better defensive TEAM and Luka can't seem to make his 3s.

[BeiBeau]

Chris Paul had the same injury in 2014 and missed 37 days. 37 days is June 10th.

Likely to miss the rest of the Mavs playoff run.

PJ is gonna need to play more and shot better.

[Dirk]

Read on Twitter

tough loss, I feel he would have been a low-key factor in this series IMO

So sad. Felt like he was looking better and better. He's had some nasty injuries the last few seasons and even this season took a while to recover some of his form as he again was coming back from injury.

The Thunder dodge Zion in rd1 and now Maxi in rd2. They really are blessed this season.

[JShuttlesworth]

Woah, I'm kind of surprised to see everyone siding with the Mavs here in the votes

[Handlez]

Kleber is a big loss.

[jkvonny]

Sorry to hear, Mavs fans. About Maxi get well!


Tuff series to call. Toss up to me. could go 6/7 games.
Probably leaning towards Thunder, HCA as well, deep team, youth. Mavs are hobbled/banged up. But, Dallas has more playoff experience, older proven vets.

[business_casual]

Woah, I'm kind of surprised to see everyone siding with the Mavs here in the votes

Most people on here don’t know much about the Thunder. When they get more games on national TV next year they will get caught up.

[Petergrifindor]

Losing Maxi is not good.

Injuries suck.

[Petergrifindor]

Most people on here don’t know much about the Thunder. When they get more games on national TV next year they will get caught up.

Or they saw the two games (third one was irrelevant) they played after the trades, and saw that OKC clearly lacks the size to oppose Gafford and Lively effectively.

And that's quite a problem. You can't win a 7 games series if you are being killed in the paint.

[Jimmy Recard]

Surprised how many people have OKC comfortably. Mavs have looked like a genuine contender since the deadline and I really like the match up for them. They’ve got multiple good defenders to throw at SGA (DJJ, PJ, Josh Green, Exum), and Gafford/Lively aren’t gonna get bullied underneath against Chet like they did with Zubac. I think Luka is gonna be much more efficient than he was against the clippers as well. Mavs is 6.

Most voted for the Mavs to win the series. Agree with everything else. Not really worried about Mavs defenders at SGA but Shai is struggling for a while now and was a bit injured too.

Hadn’t even checked the voting yet, was just going by some of the responses on the first page. But fair enough. I think it’s gonna be a fun series, I like both teams. Could be the beginning of a rivalry who knows.

[Archx]

Getting worse and worse for Mavs.... Maxi out, THJ out, Luka with sprained knee, Gafford already had some back issues during the series. Ugh.

[srhcan]

With both THJ and Maxi Kleber out, this might be a short series; OKC in 5?