Praise to Luka... But Save Some for The Other Guards, Too

In the glare of Luka’s epic performance, there was little light shone on some remarkable performances by the other fellows wearing blue. Luka tried in the post-game interview, but reality is that nobody else really paid that much attention… and that’s a shame.

Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Seth Curry played exceptionally well against perhaps the best perimeter defense in the league. In a game where they had to carry more than their usual share, they stepped up big in the most critical game of the year to date.

The offense is usually there, and was again: combined, the trio chipped in a brisk 61 points on 24 for 41 shooting (59%) including 7 for 14 from the arc, along with 11 boards and 3 steals. What can’t be missed is the hustle and defense that they played against the favored squad, particularly the hounding of Paul George both outside and in the paint. Without PG shut down (9 points on 3 for 14 shooting, 1 for 7 from the 3) Luka’s heroics never matter, and we’re talking about the Clippers road to the finals instead of raising a toast to the Mavs.

Quietly, and at times loudly, the second best player on the winning team was Trey Burke, who had an absolutely brilliant game. Going for 25 points on 10 for 14 shooting (4 for 5 from deep) he grabbed 5 boards and sniffed out a pair of key steals. Very generously listed at 6 feet tall, Burke stuck his nose in the chests of the taller Clipper guards (Paul George a head taller at 6’8” in particular) and worked his tail off. He was everything that the Mavericks had to have, and in any game decided by a bucket, there’s nothing to spare.

There’s something to note here… the farce that followed Rondo’s arrival cast aspersions on Rick Carlisle’s coaching of guards, particularly ones with some attitude. It’s past time to put that into the dumpster. Let’s look at the trio who gave Luka his platform yesterday: Burke, a journeyman who showed flashes but has emerged now; Hardaway, cast out of NY as a throw in during the Porzingis trade; Curry, who has found his value in Dallas. Those three, playing 101 minutes in the playoffs against LA, and more than holding their own.

Sometimes, a player and a coach don’t mesh, and that looks bad on both of them… but that doesn’t mean that either are useless, or even wrong. It’s a reflection on the value of matching a system with a player, and by the time an NBA veteran player or coach has had some success, there usually isn’t wriggle room. If you want proof, look at the Clipper’s Kawhi Leonard mismatching with Pops in San Antonio, for my money the hands down best coach in NBA history. If you can’t wait to get away from the Spur organization, but become a champion elsewhere, that’s all you need to know.

Carlisle has proven himself to be one of the top five coaches in basketball, and the list of players that he’s gotten too much out of is far greater than the list of those that he’s gotten not enough from. Bottom line: there isn’t a coach in the NBA — at this point, not even Pops — that I’d rather see guiding Luka for the next few years, and the surrounding cast seems to fit him well. Let’s keep Carlisle appreciated and happy, and just enjoy the ride.