If Gobert is a liability, it’s on offense. He’s okay, and it feels like he should be way better, but he’s not. His defense is fine.
The team was tired after the Denver series. Ant was just gassed and didn’t have much left in the tank for the whole Mavs series. He tried to put the team on his back, but just didn’t have it. Kat only averaged 19.6 pts in the series which is a major drop off in a player we desperately needed offensive output from.
We lost 2 games against the Mavs where the Mavs scored less than 110 games, both of which Towns scored less than 20 points, both games we lost by a *combined* 4 points (though I’d also blame the officiating in game 2, there was a 4-7 point swing due to officiating in the 4th quarter).
It’s reductionist, simplistic, and also incorrect to blame Rudy. There are specific media members who love to roast Rudy, and people buy it.
Rudy is past his prime, and he’s an offensive liability. He’s still a good defensive anchor.
bearbrannan
I agree, but the point of attack defenders were put in a bind by the lousy officials calling soft calls, not allowing the wolves to actually play good defense against Luka and Kyrie.
Majestic-Net-7799
Rudy was indisisive the whole series. He is the Quarterback on D. If that leader doesnt know what to do, it creates a ripple down effect.
What didnt even got mentioned:
– Rudy averaged 7 Boards and 0.8 blks.
– doncic had a 57.6 efg%, Kyrie 54.8 efg%, gafford 75 efg%, Lively 100 efg%
– the Mavs as a team shot 57.5 efg%! And had a whopping 25.1 ORB%. That is on Gobert!
If you are paid 40+ mil a year to rebound the ball, deny second chances and protect the rim and those are the results, there is no one else to blame! When 6’5 Ant is the leading rebounder, thats not acceptable!
The narrative always was, Rudy looks bad cause he has no defender around him. Now he got Ant, Jaden, NAW and he still gets abused by the same, BASIC, play!
On top he was atrocious on offense. I am sorry, there is Zero excuses for Rudy’s Dallas series! He needs to get his act together or take a giant paycut!
The 15th highest paid player in the whole league cant give you just 7 Boards and under 1 blk in the WCFs!
Nobody was good in that series, true
spud626
I love Finch, but I think this is kind of on him.
Kidd’s game plan in that moment was simple: 1) If Rudy isn’t on the floor, Luka drives the lane, takes the two, and ties the game. Or 2) If Rudy is on the floor, Luka calls for the screen and takes a kill shot three.
Personally, in that moment, I’d have rather opted to go for option 1. Worst case scenario, you live to see overtime.
Andy_Wiggins
I feel like so much of the blame should fall on the coaching staff.
The team seemed to over-index on how Dallas beat OKC, burying them in an avalanche of corner 3s. As a result, the team seemed way too nervous about giving up 3s to mediocre shooters (like Green, DJJ, Washington). Help wasn’t aggressive enough pinching in from the corners and the team felt far too focused on defending the PnR with 2 which is a death sentence if the point of attack defender gets scraped off, which happened 90% of the time (Dallas was also setting highly illegal screens which largely went uncalled).
Also, it did seem like the legs just weren’t there for the perimeter defenders (or Rudy himself). Dudes were getting blown by in a way they weren’t against more athletic players in previous rounds.
aytoozee1
We don’t
Federal-Beach-5602
There was no reason for Rudy to cut off the pick and switch, luka wasn’t charging to the rim.They could’ve easily played a 2 man zone right there on the 3 point line if they wanted to. He basically switched at half court too too soon. All coach fault, but gg.
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Don’t show this to r/nba
If Gobert is a liability, it’s on offense. He’s okay, and it feels like he should be way better, but he’s not. His defense is fine.
The team was tired after the Denver series. Ant was just gassed and didn’t have much left in the tank for the whole Mavs series. He tried to put the team on his back, but just didn’t have it. Kat only averaged 19.6 pts in the series which is a major drop off in a player we desperately needed offensive output from.
We lost 2 games against the Mavs where the Mavs scored less than 110 games, both of which Towns scored less than 20 points, both games we lost by a *combined* 4 points (though I’d also blame the officiating in game 2, there was a 4-7 point swing due to officiating in the 4th quarter).
It’s reductionist, simplistic, and also incorrect to blame Rudy. There are specific media members who love to roast Rudy, and people buy it.
Rudy is past his prime, and he’s an offensive liability. He’s still a good defensive anchor.
I agree, but the point of attack defenders were put in a bind by the lousy officials calling soft calls, not allowing the wolves to actually play good defense against Luka and Kyrie.
Rudy was indisisive the whole series. He is the Quarterback on D. If that leader doesnt know what to do, it creates a ripple down effect.
What didnt even got mentioned:
– Rudy averaged 7 Boards and 0.8 blks.
– doncic had a 57.6 efg%, Kyrie 54.8 efg%, gafford 75 efg%, Lively 100 efg%
– the Mavs as a team shot 57.5 efg%! And had a whopping 25.1 ORB%. That is on Gobert!
If you are paid 40+ mil a year to rebound the ball, deny second chances and protect the rim and those are the results, there is no one else to blame! When 6’5 Ant is the leading rebounder, thats not acceptable!
The narrative always was, Rudy looks bad cause he has no defender around him. Now he got Ant, Jaden, NAW and he still gets abused by the same, BASIC, play!
On top he was atrocious on offense. I am sorry, there is Zero excuses for Rudy’s Dallas series! He needs to get his act together or take a giant paycut!
The 15th highest paid player in the whole league cant give you just 7 Boards and under 1 blk in the WCFs!
Nobody was good in that series, true
I love Finch, but I think this is kind of on him.
Kidd’s game plan in that moment was simple: 1) If Rudy isn’t on the floor, Luka drives the lane, takes the two, and ties the game. Or 2) If Rudy is on the floor, Luka calls for the screen and takes a kill shot three.
Personally, in that moment, I’d have rather opted to go for option 1. Worst case scenario, you live to see overtime.
I feel like so much of the blame should fall on the coaching staff.
The team seemed to over-index on how Dallas beat OKC, burying them in an avalanche of corner 3s. As a result, the team seemed way too nervous about giving up 3s to mediocre shooters (like Green, DJJ, Washington). Help wasn’t aggressive enough pinching in from the corners and the team felt far too focused on defending the PnR with 2 which is a death sentence if the point of attack defender gets scraped off, which happened 90% of the time (Dallas was also setting highly illegal screens which largely went uncalled).
Also, it did seem like the legs just weren’t there for the perimeter defenders (or Rudy himself). Dudes were getting blown by in a way they weren’t against more athletic players in previous rounds.
We don’t
There was no reason for Rudy to cut off the pick and switch, luka wasn’t charging to the rim.They could’ve easily played a 2 man zone right there on the 3 point line if they wanted to. He basically switched at half court too too soon. All coach fault, but gg.