The Luka vs Trae Battle Was… Disappointing
Today was supposed to be a great day of NBA basketball. While we had just three games on the docket tonight, they were all disappointing. A 2018 draft night battle turned sour and the Bucks-Heat game was completely one-sided. At least Steph Curry saved the night in that Warriors-Clippers battle.
But even though things were disappointing, there were still some takeaways from this game. So let’s get into these very anti-climactic games.
Dallas Mavericks vs Atlanta Hawks
This game was supposed to be good. Luka Doncic and Trae Young are the headliners from the 2018 NBA Draft and the two were traded for each other in one of the best win-win trades ever. But instead of being a great game, this game was awful.
Not only did Doncic and Young struggle to score the ball, but it was also clear that the Hawks were the superior team. Without Doncic dominating, Dallas continued their trend of struggling to score without him, now featuring Jason Kidd. This game was a blowout, but I think it’s important to go over some things.
Dallas Mavericks
This team still relies on Luka so much. Luka has to do so much and when he doesn’t, well you see what happens. The Mavericks failed to get him a 2nd star this offseason, something that would greatly help Doncic take some nights off and still be able to win games.
The offense was horrendous, mainly because the Mavs put Luka off-ball more. I get the sentiment, but that only works if you have other good options, which the Mavericks don’t. The defense looked decent in the first half but couldn’t stop a Hawks avalanche in the 3rd quarter.
All in all, an incredibly disappointing start to the season for the Mavericks.
What Is Jason Kidd Doing?
Look, I also think that Luka Doncic needs to be used off-ball more, in an attempt to get the defense off of him. But that only works if somebody else is competent enough to handle the ball. The Mavericks don’t have anybody like that.
So Jason Kidd setting up Dorian Finney-Smith post-ups doesn’t make sense when you have one of the greatest offensive threats the game has ever seen just watching the play unfold. While the Mavericks haven’t had the best roster construction the past two seasons, the offense remained incredibly good.
Do you want to know why that is? It’s certainly not because DFS was posting up 5 times a game. It’s because Luka Doncic had the ball in his hands. I don’t know why’d you want to go away from that when you don’t have competent guys to run the offense when Doncic doesn’t have the ball.
The moral of the story? Give the ball to your generational talent. Pretty short story.
The Defense Is…OK?
You know what? I will give credit where credit is due. The Dallas defense looked ok in bursts during that first half. They were more active, getting some steals and deflections. The defensive side of the ball has been a weakness for the past two seasons and unlike my Blazers, there does seem to be an effort being put forth to try and make it better.
If the Mavericks can be 10-20th defensively, I think they give themselves a lot better of a chance to succeed, even with their poorly constructed roster. Defense is going to be a key for the Mavericks if they want to win games in the Western Conference and hey, who knows, maybe Jason Kidd is good at something.
Get Luka Some Help Please
Dorian Finney-Smith: 2/12 FG
Kristaps Porzingis: 4/13 FG
Dwight Powell: 1/5 FG
Tim Hardaway Jr: 4/9 FG
Sterling Brown: 1/5 FG
Reggie Bullock: 1/4 FG
Maxi Kleber: 1/4 FG
Dallas FG% without Doncic and Jalen Brunson: 29%
Other than Luka, Jalen Brunson, and Tim Hardaway Jr when he decides to shoot well, this team doesn’t have an offense. The Mavericks are messing up Luka Doncic. Didn’t know that was possible.
I just don’t think the Mavericks can contend in the West without a true 2nd star. Luka alone has proved that he can win a playoff series, but if they had somebody like Bradley Beal or Damian Lillard, I would easily have them making the Western Conference Finals.
I thought that the defense looked ok at times, which is good, but they need more consistent help for Luka. Luka has to play better, not all the blame goes on the role players, but I just wish that Dallas could get Luka a long overdue 2nd star and start to do damage in the playoffs.
Atlanta Hawks
I am going to enjoy watching the Hawks play this season. The Hawks are one of the deepest teams in the NBA. They have such a great assortment of young players. They are versatile, they can defend, they can shoot, they can do it all.
The difference between them and the Mavericks is that even when Trae Young plays poorly, they can still win games. I think that last season wasn’t a fluke and if they can stay healthy, the Eastern Conference better lookout.
Hunter and Reddish NEED To Stay Healthy
De’Andre Hunter played just 18 games in the regular season before a series of knee injuries took away his career season. Cam Reddish played just 26 games last season before dealing with an achilles injury that took away most of his season.
Both Hunter and Reddish are incredibly talented players and they were both excellent in this game. Let’s start with Hunter.
De’Andre Hunter
Hunter was off to a blazing start in 2021 before knee injuries all but took away his season. But when healthy, the talent is there. We saw that talent again with this game. He played excellent defense on Luka Doncic and had a solid offensive night.
Hunter hit a lot of shots off the dribble, constantly attacking Luka Doncic downhill. He fit some mid-range shots and looked comfortable. He also did a very good job at guarding Luka Doncic, which is of course no easy task.
Doncic was just 1/9 from the field when he was guarded by Hunter. After the game, Doncic said he played “great defense.” The Mavericks as a team were just 1/13 from the field when Hunter was guarding them, as he had a superb defensive game.
If Hunter can stay healthy, he’s one of the better young two-way wings in the NBA. He is such a key piece for the Hawk and I’m hoping that he can stay healthy and continue to contribute at a high level for them this season.
Cam Reddish
Reddish hasn’t done much at the NBA level that jumps out as you. His 2021 campaign was cut short with injuries and he hardly played. Until the Conference Finals against the Bucks. While it was just 4 games, Reddish looked really good offensively.
He shot the ball well and looked incredibly aggressive. I guess all it took was 4 games for Reddish because he had that same mindset in this game.
Reddish came off the bench and started taking shots immediately. And hey, it worked. Reddish played just 21 minutes off the bench but he did a lot of damage. The Hawks might have just found their microwave scorer off the bench in Reddish, as his scoring abilities look very, very polished right now.
20 points – 47% FG – 21 min
Reddish took 15 shots in 21 minutes, doubling down on that hyper-aggressive mindset. There is a fine line that Reddish will have to find between jacking up bad shots and good shots, but he’s certainly talented enough to be that 6th man off the bench.
With an injury to Onyeka Okungwu and Danillo Gallinari likely getting traded, this makes way for Cam Reddish to score the ball. If he’s able to stay healthy, then the Hawks are in a great place.
Maybe John Collins Can Play With Clint Capela After All
When John Collins got that 5-year/$125 million dollar contract this offseason, I think we all rolled our eyes. Collins had shown flashes of being a great player, but ever since Clint Capela started playing center, Collins wasn’t the same player offensively.
Collins thrived being the rim-running center in pick-and-rolls with Trae Young. But Capela assumed that role and Collins’ offensive numbers plummeted in the 2021 playoffs, as he was forced to stand around on the perimeter, something that didn’t utilize his skills.
So when the Hawks gave him that big contract, it seemed like a situation where they kind of had no, whether or not Collins was worth the money. But if Collins can play like this offensively, then we say that that contract was very well deserved.
I love how the Hawks used Collins in this game. They posted him up a few times against Kristaps Porzingis and it worked. He took Porzingis off the dribble and made a few tough pull-up mid-range jumpers. But what I loved most was how they used him in the pick-and-roll.
Young and Collins had many high screen and rolls and Collins was great in them. He knocked down two 3’s by simply just popping off the screen and getting a timely pass from Trae Young. It seems like Nate McMillan and the Hawks are making sure Collins is used better than he was in the playoffs.
All of those adjustments gave Collins this game, which the Hawks will gladly take any day of the week;
16 points – 9 rebounds – 64% FG
If the Hawks continue to use Collins like this, then he will be worth that contract. I think that Collins has a much higher chance of succeeding when he’s utilized the right way and now I think the fit with him and Capela can be much less awkward.
I think that the Hawks are going to have an excellent 2022. They have all the ingredients you need to win, they’re young, they’re very well-coached, etc. They’re one of the few teams that doesn’t have a weakness. They’re going to be a top seed in the East and they are a dark-horse contender.
The Miami Heat Did What?
Look away Bucks fans, look away. The Heat opened up their 2022 season with a complete domination of the defending champion Bucks, a team that embarrassed them in the first round of the playoffs last year. Right from the jump, the Heat’s intensity was on another level as it’s clear they wanted this game.
The Heat built an early lead and never looked bad. Their defense was excellent all night long, shutting down a very potent Bucks offense. The Heat dominated this game and they look like a team to look out for in 2022 with their new and improved defense.
Defense
Oh man, this defense is elite. I mean just look at the names that they’re rolling out;
Kyle Lowry
Jimmy Butler – 5x All-Defensive Team Member – 2021 Steals Leader
PJ Tucker
Bam Adebayo – 2x All-Defensive
It’s amazing to me that Lowry and Tucker have never been selected to an All-NBA team, but that’s another talk for another day. But just marvel at all that defense. That might be the best defensive starting 5 in the NBA? I know Duncan Robinson isn’t a good defender, but those 4 guys are all you need.
Similar to what they did in the Bubble to the Bucks, they just shut them down. The Bucks had 15 turnovers and shot just 38% from the field. The Heat’s defense on Giannis + Khris Middleton was even more impressive.
Middleton shot just 4/14 from the field and didn’t get many open looks. The Heat did a really good job at closing his airspace off on jump shots as he struggled to make shots in this game.
It was the same story with Giannis, who was a meager 4/11 from the field after dominating the Nets a few days ago. Of Giannis’ 11 shots, 6 of them were outside the paint. The Bucks made Giannis settle for shots and he didn’t get involved in this game.
Also having PJ Tucker, Giannis’ former teammate, could help the Heat on that end of the floor.
I was already salivating over this defense when they first became assembled but this game, against an Eastern Conference foe, just reinforces the idea that the Heat’s defense will be elite this season.
Tyler Herro
Turns out Herro’s hot shooting is carrying over to the regular season. Herro is exactly what the Heat need; a scoring punch off the bench. Herro struggled last season and you saw the effects on the Heat’s offense. But if he continues to play like this?
Herro is being very aggressive and is carrying that same swagger, similar to what he did in the bubble. Herro looked really good in this game as well. He hit his 3-pointers, looked really good in the pick and roll, and just looks a lot more comfortable than he did last season.
27 points – 6 rebounds – 5 assists – 56% FG
Herro did a little bit of everything, even some playmaking. Herro is going to have to continue to be aggressive and just do what he does best, score. The Heat need this version of Herro to play on a nightly basis. If Herro continues to play like this, Heat are a very hard team to beat.
This was a really good start for the Heat. Not only were they allowed to let out pent-up emotions against the team that emasculated them last season, they looked really good on both ends. Bam and Jimmy looked good and Kyle Lowry didn’t even do that much in this game, but it didn’t matter.
Defense will be the strong suit of this team and if it starts on that end, the Heat don’t have to do a whole lot offensively. The Heat are going to be scary on this revenge tour of sorts in 2022.
LA Clippers vs Golden State Warriors
Even with no Kawhi Leonard, this was a great game. The first quarter was the Steph Curry as he literally didn’t miss a shot and the Warriors jumped out to a huge lead. But the Clippers went on a huge run to end the half and got back into the game.
The 2nd half was the two teams jockeying for position, but when things mattered the most, Chef Curry hit some big shots and the Warriors were able to clinch the win thanks to their veterans once again. Kawhi would have made this game better, but it’s certainly not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination.
LA Clippers
The Clippers had their chances in this game. Even while I don’t think the Clippers are going to be great this season, they will definitely be a pesky team. They are going to be scrappy and gritty, similar to how they were last season.
Surprisingly, they were in this game considering how good Steph Curry was, but it’s not a game that the Clippers can be that disappointed in.
2nd Quarter Adjustments
The Clippers got roasted in the first quarter. Steph Curry made all nine of his shots for 25 points. The Clippers trailed by 17 after the first quarter. They were struggling defensively with Ivica Zubac in the game (again) and they needed to make some changes.
So once again, Tyronn Lue did a great job making changes. The Clippers went smaller and started to switch everything. The Warriors pass-heavy offense struggled against this new change, as they couldn’t exploit the Clippers’ help defense.
Terance Mann did a great job sticking to both Curry and Jordan Poole, cooling off the two sharpshooters. The defense in the 2nd quarter was much better. The Warriors shot 79% from the field in the first quarter to just 45% in the 2nd quarter.
The first quarter was the Steph Curry show. The 2nd quarter was the Paul George show. Without Kawhi Leonard last season in the playoffs, George was excellent. He’s certainly capable of carrying a team and he did just that in the 2nd quarter. George started to get aggressive and got LA back in the game.
George had 16 points in the 2nd quarter on 6/7 shooting, hitting an array of tough 3-pointers. Eric Bledsoe supported him with 11 of his 22 points coming in the 2nd quarter. Bledsoe greatly benefited from the Clippers pushing the pace and getting in transition.
Thanks to 27 combined points from PG-13 and Bledsoe along with that great defense, the Clippers went on a 21-3 run to end the first half and took the lead. It was such a sudden turnaround and it left the once rocking Chase Center in a gloomy mood.
While the Clippers lost this game, having great adjustments like this will win them games more often than not. Tyronn Lue is really good at making these adjustments and if the Clippers can play like this with great execution, they can beat most teams in the NBA.
4th Quarter Drought
The Clippers held a 99-90 lead early in the 4th quarter. With the 2nd unit playing well, it was their chance to try and really give themselves some breathing room with Curry off the floor. Instead, the Clippers did the opposite.
From the 10:36 mark in the 4th until the 4:27 mark, the Clippers didn’t score. For 6:09 (not nice), the Clippers didn’t score and the Warriors went on a 13-0 run in that span to take the lead. That stretch really killed the Clippers.
While Marcus Morris hit a huge corner 3-pointer with the shot clock expiring to give the Clippers the lead with under 3 minutes left, the Clippers couldn’t stop Steph Curry. Curry hit two clutch 3-pointers, one with 58 seconds left that ended up being the dagger.
The Warriors finished the game out and the Clippers couldn’t win. That 6-minute drought, half of the 4th quarter, killed their momentum. While they put up a fight, they just can’t have stretches like that and expect to win. It’s really that simple.
But I was really impressed with the Clippers. That 2nd quarter showed that even with spare parts, they can be successful. Paul George was excellent if they get decent offense from the role players, they can definitely be a pesky team.
It certainly stings to lose a game like this, but it was evident that the Warriors playing an extra game against the Lakers really helped them. If both teams were opening up their season, who knows? Maybe the Clippers eke out a win, but that’s neither here nor there.
The point is, the Clippers could make a shot for the play-in. That’s where I predicted they would land I think that they are a team that nobody would want to face in the playoffs. Not the worst title in the world considering they won’t have Kawhi for most of this season.
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors used the same formula to win this one. Steph Curry’s incredibly hot shooting got them going early, but they stalled in that 2nd quarter thanks to great adjustments from the Clippers.
But with a close game in the 4th quarter, the Warriors turned to their defense. They shut down the Clippers and the veterans came in and helped the Warriors storm back. Steph Curry drilled a couple of dagger 3-pointers down the stretch and the Warriors got another win.
Now that they have a lot more pieces at their disposal, the Warriors are a scary team. They are looking more and more like the Warriors of old and I think they’re showing why they might truly be back.
Stephen Curry Is (Still) Not Human
Curry’s triple-double in the Warriors’ first game against the Lakers went largely unnoticed because of his poor shooting. Curry even said himself that he played “like trash.” Curry certainly responded in this game with a performance for the ages, showing everybody who the best player in the league was.
Curry started the game on absolute fire. He hit a few shots over the likes of Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard, getting a feel for the game. So even when the Clippers started to put PG-13 and Terance Mann on Curry, it didn’t matter. He was just hitting everything;
Steph Curry In The First Quarter
25 points – 9/9 FG – 5/5 3-PT
Curry helped the Warriors build a big lead but then he went quiet. The Clippers did a better job staying on him and he only managed 10 points combined in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. But when the Warriors needed him the most, Curry delivered.
Thanks to some great defense, the Warriors went on a 13-0 run in the 4th quarter to take the lead. Curry helped them put the game away. In the final 4 minutes of the game, Curry took over.
Curry caught the ball parallel to the Chase Center logo. With just 8 seconds left on the shot clock and the Warriors trailing by 2, the Warriors needed some offense and fast. So Curry just did things himself, casually raising from near mid-court to give the Warriors the lead.
Just one minute later, Curry struck again. A Clippers miss sparked a transition break. Curry passed it ahead and just darted straight back towards the ball. He gained a little bit of separation and drilled a tough right-wing 3 with 58 seconds to give the Warriors the lead again.
Curry finished the night with just your everyday numbers for a 33-year old;
45 points – 10 rebounds – 64% FG – 8/13 3-PT
Curry notched his 6th 45-point game when he was 33 years or older. The only two players to do it more than he has are Bernard King (8) and Michael Jordan (11). Curry is having a mid-thirties career renaissance as he is clearly the best player in the NBA again.
Curry does so much for this offense, creating so many open looks for other guys just by moving around all the time. He’s such a good shooter, such a smart player, and even as a Blazers fan, it is fun to watch him when he gets hot. Enjoy it while it lasts people because before you know it, it’s gone.
Veterans Helping
The Warriors got some key contributions again from some veterans. Guys like Moses Moody hardly played and even if Kuminga and James Wiseman were healthy, I doubt they’d be playing. The Warriors are playing their veterans and it’s working.
Against the Lakers, Nemanja Bjelica played an excellent 4th quarter that helped the Lakers get the upset win. Tonight, it was a mix of Damion Lee, Andre Iguodala, and Otto Porter Jr.
Porter Jr. signed a small deal with the Warriors this offseason and has played pretty well so far this season. While he only scored 4 points in this game, he was a +13 in 18 minutes of action off the bench. He’s being impactful and he provides some great backup minutes for Andrew Wiggins.
In the 4th quarter, both Lee and Iguodala were part of the closing lineup for the Warriors. Lee played all but 5 seconds in the 4th quarter and Iguodala played nearly 10 minutes, both players being trusted by Steve Kerr with the game on the line.
Lee had 8 points in the 4th quarter, including back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Warriors the lead midway through the 4th quarter.
Iguodala didn’t even score a point in the 4th quarter, but he played good defense and had a +6 plus/minus for the quarter.
Both Lee and Iguodala helped the Warriors close out this game and Steve Kerr has to be feeling good right now. All of the Warriors’ new signings have played impactful minutes over the first two games of the season. Instead of trusting unproven rookies, he can go to hard-nosed veterans.
Kerr has a lot more options this season and he is allowed to be more creative in how he employs the bench. All of those small signings by the Warriors are already working out beautifully and the Warriors now stand a much better chance in close games than they did last year.
The Warriors haven’t lost a game in 2022, with an overall record of 7-0 (5-0 in the preseason and 2-0 in the regular season). Steph Curry is still reigning 3’s down on the rest of the league, slowly closing in on Ray Allen’s 3-PTM record. The Warriors have their assortment of veterans that just make all the plays necessary to win the game.
God damn it. The Warriors are back.
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