In the NBA2023-24 playoffs, the first-round rematch between the Clippers and the Mavericks played a Mars collision with the Earth-like effect. The Clippers have a psychological shadow on G2, the Clippers and Lu Gui have suffered six consecutive defeats in G2 before, and Xiaoka has not tasted a win in the last 8 G2 games, so Leonard is back in the line of fire, just to keep the home court advantage. The Mavericks naturally went all out, and no one wanted to return to their home court with a score of 0-2. The two sides went back and forth, after four quarters of fierce battles, until the final quarter of the decisive battle to fight the victory, and finally the Mavericks won the game with a 3-point advantage, rewriting the big score to 1-1.
In this game, the scores of both sides failed to break 100, and they were fighting hard to defend, and the game effect was very retro. Lu's opening strategy was clear, which was to continue the strategy of G1 and chase and block the Eastern European combination, while Zubac's defensive and interior advantages and Wei Shao's vitality on the bench gave the Clippers a faint upper hand.
But Coach Lu, the old six, somehow suddenly fell into deep self-doubt, perhaps stunned by Irving and Doncic's forced three-pointers using their personal abilities to hit one by one. actually self-destructed the Great Wall - he removed Wei Shao, the team's vitality suddenly dropped, and the score was forced to close; then replaced Zubac and played the super five small that let the small card top the fifth position, and directly dug himself an 8-point hole in just a few minutes. It was too late to remember to get Zubac and Wei Shao back after playing with it completely......
From the Mavericks' standpoint, the dilemmas and problems faced are almost identical, Doncic and Irving have been facing defensive pressure, and their play has been full, and the rest is up to who can step up and play the wingman next to the Eastern European duo and seize those open opportunities. The person who played that role in this game was none other than PJ Washington. When Mavericks management opted to send Gwee, Curry Jr. and a first-round pick to Washington before the trade deadline, many felt the Mavericks had given too much. But Washington proved with its own actions that the only drawback of expensive things is that they are expensive, and good is really good!
In this game, Doncic scored 32 points, Irving contributed 22 points, and the third highest scoring in the Mavericks was Washington, who handed over a report card of 18 points and 6 rebounds. It can be said that if it weren't for Washington stepping up and scoring 10 points in the final quarter, the Mavericks would still be facing the dilemma of the previous game, even if Lu Dao made a mistake to destroy the Great Wall, but as long as he choked the Eastern European combination, it might still be the Clippers who had the last laugh.
In addition to the Eastern European combination and Washington, the Mavericks only left Kleber who also shot three-pointers, 3 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists on the court, this 6 points and 6 rebounds, don't look at the data column is not much different, but Nowitzki's adjustment is visible to the naked eye - the team's highest +11 plus/minus can be seen. Kleber was entrusted with the task of protecting the basket in the Clippers' super five-small stage, then made a key three-pointer, and grabbed the frontcourt rebound that sealed the Mavericks' coffin when Irving missed a key free throw in the final moment!
I still remember G1, Doncic faced Zubac's defense and passed a ball to Kleber with a little advance, as long as the fellow could receive it, he could easily face the empty basket, but Kleber slipped his hand and didn't catch it, so angry that Doncic stomped his foot, and the Mavericks' momentum of chasing points in that game also came to an abrupt end. In this game, when Kleber grabbed the game-winning frontcourt rebound, Doncic was full of smiles and immediately walked over to hug his fellow countrymen. It was not easy to tense the whole game, to spread hands to the referee countless times, and finally see a smile on Doncic's face.
The series between the two sides has entered a new stage, and the home-court advantage has quietly come to the side of the Mavericks, and this time it is the turn of Coach Lu to have a headache. In your opinion, what adjustments will the two teams make next, and who will have the last laugh?