PRESEASON GAME 2: LAC (1-2) @ DAL (2-0) | 122-114 win

[TXBamanut]

Kicking myself for not noticing this before (so shout out to Mav’s Moneyball).

Dallas had 35 assists last night.  Luka, KP and THJ had 17 IN THE FIRST HALF with THJ and KP having 4 each.

In the last two seasons Dallas was 6-0 and 5-2 in games when KP had 4 assists or more.

In 19/20 (when THJ was starting), Dallas was 10-4 in games when THJ had 4 assists or more.

Something else that seems different about Kidd-ball.  If you can’t score a secondary creator, you create them from secondary scorers.

I'm going to point this out also.  Last year, when it was pointed out that the ball was not moving on the offense and other countered with by pointing to Luka having 18 assists or something outstanding...the ball was not moving and people kept poo-pooing it all season when I said that.

If you look at the Mavs, with Luka having ungodly assist numbers, the Mavs were 26th in the NBA in assists.  Basically, Luka WOULD pass, but it was only to a shot or he would take a shot.  That's not a shot at him, but when the TEAM is moving the ball, you see more hockey assists from him and more assists from others.

Look at Dallas last year....the second leading assist guy has 3 assists.  And the 4th leading assist guy has 1.x assists per game.

Now look at Indiana...to get to someone averaging less than 2 assists you have to go to the 6th-7th man.  THAT'S what it looks like when a TEAM is moving the ball.

The other night -- yeah, it was preseason and they played a lot of players, BUT, how many players had 2 or more assists?  7 -- THAT'S what it looks like when the TEAM moves the ball.