01-14-2021, 01:48 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-14-2021, 11:52 AM by KillerLeft.)
(01-14-2021, 01:38 AM)Jason Terry Wrote: Luka being a positive defensively instead of a negative(last season) when expectations were he could be neutral at best.......it’s huge. To have him buy in speaks to his maturity and gives us an actual chance at being the best defensive team in the league. Maybe not Lakers level yet but promising signs for the near future
I think this is such a huge, huge development. It could potentially mean everything.
I'm not intending this as a retroactive bashing of Dirk (wouldn't expect to get out of here alive if I did) but the Nash/Dirk Mavs were SO difficult to build around, imo, specifically because they were both mediocre defenders at best. This made the synergy fit target ridiculously hard to hit when acquiring talent, and while it got a little easier on that end once Nash left, it ultimately took the PERFECT front court partners (Marion and the GREAT Tyson Chandler) to get the team across the finish line.
When your BEST players are two-way players, as it seems Luka and KP are, building the roster around them seems significantly more simple. If they're defensive studs, like Leonard/George or James/Davis, it's even easier - too easy, maybe. But, I think the Mavs are in a good position just not having to hide Luka/Porzingis on that end. I think this will open the window earlier and keep it open longer. Exciting.