GAME 7: UTA (6-3) @ DAL (4-3) | 103-100 win

[Chicagojk]

NBA.com has the Wood/Maxi net rating at 12.5.  It is the 7th most used two man lineup.

All of the Powell combos are ridiculously good on the basis of net rating (in 3 games), so it is difficult to distinguish what works best (same applies to Green BTW).  We are just starting to see some Powell/Wood and some Powell/Maxi minutes.  In extremely small samples, both combos are fantastic.  In theory, any two man combo between Wood, Maxi and Powell should work.  I suspect you are correct that there are times in the game (against subs) where Powell as the solo-big would work.  I personally wouldn't start Powell as a solo big, but don't mind him doing it against subs if he has some defensive help.  The emergence of Green would help here as you could play any combo of DFS/Green or DFS/Bullock with Powell and a PG and probably steal some positive minutes.  Again, the Green net rating numbers are just ridiculous with everyone right now, so it is hard to know what would work best.

The thing I would point out to those who say Powell can only do this in the regular season we don't know that he can't do it in the playoffs if paired with a big like Wood or Maxi.  We were so thin up front that we didn't have the luxury last year of playing Powell with Maxi in the playoffs.  The year before, both the playoff Powell/KP and Powell/Maxi minutes were nicely positive.  Putting him with Wood or Maxi is just a dramatically different dynamic than asking him to hold down the paint by himself against playoff starters.  It would be nice if McGee would come down with a mysterious yet minor injury for a few weeks so Kidd could spend the next 10 game sample trying out some Wood/Maxi, Wood/Powell, Powell/Maxi and Powell/DFS lineups at various points in the game.

It is a good point about Powell and the playoffs last year.   Maybe this year we have more options with Wood.  Last year we were so limited with Powell and Maxi.  Time will tell.  I agree with others that I like Powell off the bench.  I like him entering the game where the game is a little loose.  I think his activity works best in that environment.

It is sad to think that McGee may already be a sunk cost.  What a fail.  I keep looking for any morsel that he is redeemable.   I don't want to make a final judgement in just 7 games, but man it doesn't look good now.  

I was a little scared away on Conley's age and contract this offseason, but I think I would trade him straight up for Hardaway right now without second though.    Unfortunately, I don't see any way the Jazz would want Hardaway.   I think that change would position this team way better.    I don't want to write Hardaway off but he needs to play better.    He needs to be much more efficient if he is taking those shots.