Basketball Intelligence For 3/31/24
Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis
TEAM-SPECIFIC
ATL: Hawks’ second-half rally falls short against Bucks
Lauren Williams, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ATL: Bogdanovic, Hawks battle Bucks but size disadvantage too great to overcome
Wes Morton, Peachtree Hoops
BKN: Nets finding defensive prowess may be something to build on
Jared Schwartz, NY Post
BOS: Celtics stave off potential three-game skid, race past Pelicans after a sloppy start
Gary Washburn, Boston Globe
CHI: Bulls guard Coby White goes deep on breakout fifth season
K.C. Johnson, NBC Sports
CLE: Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley is embracing the three-pointer
Jackson Flickinger, Fear The Sword
CLE: Everything coming together for Cavs' Evan Mobley at just the right time
Evan Dammarell, ClutchPoints
DAL: Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving Cementing Their Status as NBA's Premier Duo
Landon Thomas, Mavs Fans For Life
DAL: STREAKING MAVS, ROCKETS HAVE MAJOR BATTLE IN SPACE CITY
Dwain Price, Mavs.com
(Kings’ Coach Mike) Brown walked away from his team’s two meetings with Dallas last week extremely impressed with the Mavs.
“Dallas is such a veteran team,” he said. “Their guys are very, very, very smart. They’ve got a good feel for the game.”
Brown said he was hellbent on not letting Kyrie Irving and Dončić beat his team on Friday, then Dante Exum rose up and drained a pivotal three-pointer down the stretch that broke the Kings’ back.
“They allow the double team to happen, or they allow the switch to happen, and they attack right away,” Brown said, referring to the Mavs. “So, now you’ve got to come help, but they get off the ball so well, as soon as a double team comes, boom, they’re getting off the ball. That guy either snap drives it, shoots it, or he swings it to the next open guy.
“You’ve got two Hall of Famers shooting over 50% from the field, and you’ve got to get the ball out their hands, and at the end of the day you hope that somebody misses. And they move the ball like two, three, four passes after we got it out of their hands.”
In essence, that blueprint that bode well for the Mavs in two games against the Kings last week may be rolled out again against the Rockets. Especially if the Rockets decide to use the same defensive strategy the Kings utilized.
DAL: Mavericks’ sweep of Kings was a full-circle moment for Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving
Brad Townsend, Morning News
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