2024 NBA Finals Game 2 Notes

Game 2 of the NBA Finals is in the books, and the Celtics won 105-98.  This was a tough game to watch at points, as both teams struggled from 3, Dallas struggled from the line and was sloppy with the ball, and a lot of open shots were allowed that didn’t fall.  It did get better as the game went on and was a fun one in the second half.

 

 

1^st Quarter

• I’m curious if Dallas will adjust to Jayson Tatum being on their bigs by having whoever Al Horford is guarding (probably Derrick Jones Jr., possibly P.J. Washington) would set an additional screen.  I think that would be an interesting adjustment.
• There are times I think it would be funny if big men could get kicked out of a tipoff, similar to how the NHL works.
• Already the Mavericks are 3-3, but none of the looks were that easy.  The easiest look was Washington taking an above the break 3, but he’s not a good shooter.
• Dallas’s first miss was Doncic taking a difficult shot.  I think this will revert to the mean a bit.
• That was a really nice block by Derrick White.  In a lot of situations, it would have been an easy basket; I don’t know how he got into good position.
• I don’t love the timeout call now.  I never understood calling the timeout when a team is playing well, but the other team made some difficult shots.  Sure, the Kyrie 3 was a breakdown on a screen, but I thought Boston’s defense has been good otherwise.
• Wow, Al Horford just airballed a 3.  That was bad one.
• Roger, my dog, really wanted to play fetch, so I’m also playing with him during this game.  We could get some fun notes.
• I’m surprised Dallas challenged the call already on Derrick White’s shot.  I never know the rules about what’s considered the body, but not the wisest.
• How is that not a shooting foul for Tatum?
• Geez, I think that’s like 3 fouls for Dallas on one possession.  That is bad.  Bosotn is already in the bonus with around 6 minutes left.
• Neither team appears to be shooting that well ever since Dallas’s early run.  There have been some good looks too.
• As Doncic missed both free throws (which was a surprise), Roger caught a ball midair.  He doesn’t do that often.
• That was a clever play by Luka to try to bounce it off of Tatum.  It didn’t work since he slid, but I liked it.
• Doncic appears to be the only player on either team who can hit shots.  Boston will have stretches where the can’t hit 3’s, but the issue is that they live and die on that shot since coach Joe Mazzulla doesn’t appear to have ever learned the word ‘adjustment’.
• Now Roger wants to play tug of war. It’s really tough to focus on the game in that case.
• Boston getting into the bonus really early into the game has been a nice addition for them.  There have been some silly fouls that has resulted in Boston getting bonus free throws as a result, which is necessary when they can’t hit 3’s.
• I’m surprised by the travel on Kyrie Irving at first, but then they showed the replay and I realized just how wrong I was.  That was a blatant one; I’m shocked I missed that.
• While the foul on Jaylen Brown against Gafford wasn’t much, I wouldn’t challenge that.  It’s possible that the call wouldn’t be overturned.
• That was a horrible foul to end the quarter.  While you obviously need to defend shots at the end of the quarter, you still need to play it normally and treat pump fakes normally.  Nice play by Josh Green.
• At the end of the quarter, the broadcast said that Dallas was on a mission.  Honestly, I felt like both teams were equal this game.  Boston’s defense has been really good, but they haven’t had any success from 3 (they have also had some good looks that haven’t fallen, which you can’t be mad about).  Dallas hasn’t had success from the free throw line, but they’ve also struggled with getting easy looks.

 

2^nd Quarter

• I liked Derrick White’s jumper to start the quarter.  If you can’t hit 3’s, take closer looks; it’s that simple of an adjustment that Boston doesn’t seem to understand.
• I was wondering how Luka kept getting opened, but it looks like the way that they have struggled with multiple screens.  The issue is that he also is hitting contested fade aways, which aren’t the best looks in most situations.
• I don’t want to be repetitive across blog posts, but I hate when the broadcast discusses the rebounding as an indicator of winning or losing.  Obviously the team that misses more shots will likely end up losing the rebounding battle since defensive rebounds are more prevalent than offensive rebounds; it’s simple in both math and as a concept.
• It shouldn’t have taken Kristaps Porzingis falling over for that foul to be called on Derrick Lively.  It was a clear moving screen.
• I liked Mazzulla calling a timeout.  A lot of coaches won’t call a timeout unless the other team specifically misses a shot, but I think that Boston was playing out of control on both ends; while their defense was good enough, it was a mess on offense.
• As much as I love stats, I’m so confused by some of the stats they pull up.  Is there that big of a sample size for Luka’s losses in the playoffs?  He has played a few seasons now, so there might be.
• Josh Green attempting an open 3 is massive for Dallas.  Even though he missed it, he can sometimes be hesitant to shoot, like he was in Game 1.
• Irving setting a screen for Doncic is an interesting idea, especially when Pritchard is on Irving.  I wonder if we’ll see more of that.  I’m surprised there haven’t been more screens from Washington when a guard is on him.
• I’m surprised that there haven’t been more fouls from Dallas this quarter after the first one.  There have been a few that had illegal contact, but they didn’t end up getting called.  I don’t mind it too much, so long as the calls are consistent throughout the game (I’m not sure if they have been, but I don’t know how many calls weren’t called in the first quarter).
• Even though he has shot well at points in the playoffs, Derrick Jones Jr. is not a guy who you’re opposed with leaving open from 3.  In general, he just doesn’t take a ton since he is more comfortable at the rim.
• Geez, Luka is unreal.  I know I’m not breaking any news, but he has nights where he can’t miss anything; tonight seems like one of those nights.  Of course he’ll hit the open looks.
• I hated the fact that Holiday left Irving to go over to Jones.  That feels like an overcompensation, especially since he’s not the most confident shooter.
• I’m surprised there was a foul that resulted in Brown taking free throws.  It looked to me like he slipped more than anything.
• I don’t really understand the networks getting an active player to come help out the halftime show.  To me, they might as well just say “we’re looking for a loser to come on; welcome!”
• Boston finally misses a free throw, and there’s a lane violation against Dallas.  Wow, that’s pretty bad.
• It continues to drive me insane that almost all of Boston’s effective offense is just doing drive and kicks.  Zone defense is a good counter to this; don’t be surprised if Dallas throws that out in the second half.
• Boston is up be 3, but they’ve been awful from deep; in particular, they’ve missed a bunch of open shots.  There’s going to be a lot of talk about how much better Dallas is playing, but it would be a trainwreck of a game if Boston was hitting an average amount of shots.

 

3^rd Quarter

• Tatum missing a 3 that was a good look is just the epitome of Boston’s game.  If Dallas loses this one, they will be kicking themselves.
• Jrue Holiday has had a few plays this game where he has closed out on a bad 3 point shooter in a way that wasn’t wise in my opinion.  I get that they don’t want to allow their role players to score at all, but you don’t need to close out on Derrick Jones Jr. or P.J. Washington; if anything, that gives them more of a lane to drive in.
• The steal or block from behind is honestly one of the most demoralizing feeling.  When I was younger, I had one where I had a transition opportunity, but lost the dribble slightly, so the defender caught up to me.  I thought I could still get the basket, but I got blocked at the rim.  I was trying to plead my case that my hand got slapped, but the refs knew I was just trying to shift the shame away from me.  It’s a tough feeling.
• It’s funny that Dallas has also been bad from 3.  I feel like Luka has been the only reliable shooter on either team, which is just weird to see.  As a result, we could end up with a situation where the free throws are what makes or breaks this game.
• Porzingis is so valuable with how his midrange game is.  He really can score from anywhere, which is difficult to defend when they’re 7’3.
• Why is Derrick White taking that transition 3?  He’s been poor from distance, so that probably is not the best look today.  He’s a good shooter, but you have to optimize your shot based on how the game is going also.
• I said the same thing last game, but I like how Boston has defended the double team on Doncic.  Tatum doubled at an angle where it was difficult to see him coming and then quickly cut to an angle that was difficult to get the pass off.  It’s easier said than done, but they’ve done a good job with it.
• I don’t think enough people realize how difficult it is to stop on a drive.  Brown just had one where he made it look so easy, but I think most people would fall on their butts if they tried it.
• Okay, these graphics are getting unhinged.  They are as chaotic as the ones that pop up on Facebook that are insane.
• I like the fact that Boston has been more aggressive with driving this quarter.  They need to do that if they can’t hit 3’s.
• Dallas has continued to have rotten luck from 3.  I don’t know how this keeps happening for them this series; it’s so weird.
• That was a great cut by Holiday when Tatum got doubled.  Once doubled, the open player needs to get into a position where they can get the pass.  Dallas was playing zone at that moment, but Holiday recognized a lane that was open only from his angle, and cut right in; Tatum deserves a lot of credit for making the pass, since it wasn’t an easy pass.
• Sam Hauser has been atrocious during the playoffs compared to the regular season.  He is one of the best catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter in the league, but he has suddenly become an average (sometimes below average) shooter out of nowhere.
• If Boston wins this, I half expect there will be idols of Jrue Holiday made after this game.  He’s been unreal in this entire run.
• Payton Pritchard seems to be so good at these heaves.  I have no idea how he got that shot.
• Look, Dallas’s supporting cast can’t hit 3’s, which is why Dallas has struggled.  I was afraid of this during the entire playoff run; they did great against OKC, and it didn’t matter against Minnesota.  They can’t have this against Boston, and I didn’t get why so many people ignored this.

 

4^th Quarter

• I missed the first couple minutes since I brought Roger outside before bed, but I walked in to see Tatum drill his 3.  That was a beautiful play with great ball movement.
• I didn’t notice Tatum had so many assists this game.  I think that is the best version of their offense when Tatum is aggressive and willing to pass.
• Irving has been aggressive so far this quarter, which really is what Dallas needs if they want a shot of winning.  He’s one of the most important pieces of their offense.
• When Derrick White shot that deep 3, I was drinking a glass of milk and thought I was about to spit it out.  I can’t believe he hit it.
• Irving just missed another makeable shot.  I don’t know what’s going on with him; it really is rotten timing for a cold stretch, though that happens sometimes.
• Irving and Doncic are two of the best on-ball offensive players I have ever seen.  The fact that they figured out how to play together is awesome.
• Porzingis needs to do a good job with boxing out a shooter if he’s the one defending him.  He just let Washington run right by him.
• The last few plays, Dallas appears to be prematurely bringing extra coverage into the paint.  I kind of like it in this situation since the 3 hasn’t been as consistent all night and they’ve been more aggressive in the paint.
• It was risky defense that resulted in the steal, but I liked it.
• I often hate players taking difficult shots when they’re struggling.  I can’t hate it with Irving; eventually one will fall, right?  You’ve got to figure one will.
• I’m surprised Jones wasn’t fouled on the pump fake where the defender went over him; it looked to me like he was, though I’m at a weird angle.  (They just showed the replay; Brown appeared to just miss him, so never mind).
• I’m honestly shocked that Boston has even turned the ball over 10 times; I thought that they had like 5 tops.
• The possession that resulted in Brown taking a difficult 3 might have been the best defensive possession by Dallas of the half and the worst offensive possession by Boston at the half.  In particular, they had like 3 straight passes to a contested offensive player in the area.
• That block by White was a game changer; I thought the shot went in at first, so I was floored.  Even though it ended up not working out for them on that play, Dallas’s offense has looked better at the end of this game.
• I’m surprised by a bunch at the end of this game.  I’m surprised by Doncic’s quick attempt (it wasn’t a good look), I’m surprised they let Boston run out the clock, and I’m surprised they still appeared to defend Boston as normal while they were running out the clock.  The odds of them coming back weren’t great, but I don’t know how I feel about that in the playoffs.
• I thought Dallas’s defense was much better in this game, but they still allowed a lot of good looks from 3.  Just because Boston missed a bunch in the first half and didn’t know how to adjust in that span doesn’t mean Dallas was magically better.  Unless Dallas has a game where their supporting cast (and Irving) figure it out, there’s no way they can possibly win.  Boston left so many Dallas shooters open, and I commended them for it; that’s when you know you’re in trouble.  This is the game that Dallas needed to win, the one where Boston struggled from deep for most of the game.  The fact that they lost this is likely a sign of the struggles that will come going forward.

 

What did you think of this game?  Anything you’re looking forward to in Game 3?  Let me know in the comments!