Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
The FACTUAL UNDISPUTABLE Best Big Man on the Roster
#1
[Image: https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg....%2F0x0.jpg]

Dwight sucks.
"The Dallas Mavericks must do everything they can to get Olivier-Maxence Prosper."
- IamDougieFresh (05-20-2023, 04:39 AM)
[-] The following 3 users Like IamDougieFresh's post:
  • BasketballJones41, Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo, SleepingHero
Like Reply
#2
It's not even debatable.
[-] The following 3 users Like cow's post:
  • IamDougieFresh, KillerLeft, Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo
Like Reply
#3
Maxi has always been someone I'm high on.  I still think he has some room to grow.  Last year he was bothered a lot by covid and nagging injuries.  Our best big man?  Sure...you can argue for it.  But lets not wear him down when/if there is no reason to do so.  We need to see how many minutes he can shoulder when healthy.
Like Reply
#4
(10-29-2021, 07:02 AM)ballsrchr Wrote: Maxi has always been someone I'm high on.  I still think he has some room to grow.  Last year he was bothered a lot by covid and nagging injuries.  Our best big man?  Sure...you can argue for it.  But lets not wear him down when/if there is no reason to do so.  We need to see how many minutes he can shoulder when healthy.


I'm hoping pre-covid Kleber is back, it looks that way. But I'm firmly in the "limit his minutes" camp. He was never the same after covid, but I also think we asked him to play way too many minutes.
[-] The following 2 users Like embellisher's post:
  • BasketballJones41, KillerLeft
Like Reply
#5
Just a reminder that Maxi is so fucking good
"The Dallas Mavericks must do everything they can to get Olivier-Maxence Prosper."
- IamDougieFresh (05-20-2023, 04:39 AM)
[-] The following 2 users Like IamDougieFresh's post:
  • BasketballJones41, Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo
Like Reply
#6
4th best Mav. 2nd most irreplaceable. Other players in the league who can competently (1) defend post-up centers inside, (2) switch every screen, (3) protect the rim, and (4) spread the floor? Al Horford, right? And Maxi. That’s it. This is not coincidence.
[-] The following 1 user Likes Jommybone's post:
  • Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo
Like Reply
#7
Why is Dwight Powell so bad in the playoffs?  I’ve been a fan, but it’s kind of undeniable that his game doesn’t work in the playoffs when defense, rebounding, and shot creation are at a premium. But I never would have expected the fall off to be this bad.
[-] The following 1 user Likes ThisIStheYear's post:
  • mvossman
Like Reply
#8
DP's only use next year (if not traded) is to have Maxi fresh in the play-offs. DP will get his in the regular season, along with the probable big the Mavs would get.

As for Maxi. Mavs should hold on to him as much as they can, unless a very  and I mean verrrrrrrrrrrrry clear upgrade is there.

Hopefully Maxi is signed to a multi year contract when his current one is up. Of course, at a reasonable price.
Like Reply
#9
(05-19-2022, 12:22 AM)ThisIStheYear Wrote: Why is Dwight Powell so bad in the playoffs?  I’ve been a fan, but it’s kind of undeniable that his game doesn’t work in the playoffs when defense, rebounding, and shot creation are at a premium. But I never would have expected the fall off to be this bad.

Because he is a power forward who can't shoot.  His P&R game is nearly useless against playoff defenses, especially starting playoff defenses.  He has always been at his best playing with a stretch center (Maxi, KP) who can handle the rim protection on defense and give him room in the paint, and he has always been most effective against second units who are less equipped to shut down his P&R game.

Honestly Kidd has been working magic to make him a usable single big in the regular season, but its falling apart in the playoffs.  The only value he has had at all this playoffs is some minutes in the Sun's series against their backup centers.

It's brutally clear we have to upgrade the center position this offseason.
[-] The following 1 user Likes mvossman's post:
  • vfromlmf
Like Reply
#10
I think mvossman nailed it.

I expected Dallas to be the bigger more physical team this series but if Looney can stay on the floor for 30min with Draymond, that changes things a lot. 

Kidd might like to play Kleber and Powell together for stretches if he could, but with no other reliable bigs, he can't risk the fouls.
Like Reply
#11
(05-19-2022, 12:58 PM)vfromlmf Wrote: but if Looney can stay on the floor for 30min with Draymond, that changes things a lot. 


That was a surprise to me, too. But, Aayton's best game in the last series was Game 1. At this point, I have no choice but to trust Kidd and staff to find a way to make GS pay for playing that way as they move forward through the series. They've adjusted in every series, so far. I still have a lot of faith in this staff and team.
Like Reply
#12
(05-19-2022, 01:18 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: That was a surprise to me, too. But, Aayton's best game in the last series was Game 1. At this point, I have no choice but to trust Kidd and staff to find a way to make GS pay for playing that way as they move forward through the series. They've adjusted in every series, so far. I still have a lot of faith in this staff and team.

He did it in the Suns series by playing Maxi as much as he could and later in the series hiding Powell against the backup bigs.

With Maxi in it looks like they are daring us to beat them with the 3, especially Brunson.  Like the last two series we are going to have to play Maxi as many minutes as we can and hit our open 3s.  That game is very different if we hit open 3s in that first quarter.  It seemed to snowball from there.
Like Reply
#13
(05-19-2022, 02:21 PM)mvossman Wrote: He did it in the Suns series by playing Maxi as much as he could


Sure, that was part of it, but they ALSO figured out what PHX was trying to do in terms of helping Ayton after switches and rearranged sets/actions to make that plan impossible. 

You're very focused on the 5-5 matchup, but I honestly don't think that's the chief concern. That isn't intended as a defense of Powell, I'm just saying that the goal relative to Looney is to make him pay with Luka and/or Brunson.
Like Reply
#14
(05-19-2022, 02:35 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: the goal relative to Looney is to make him pay with Luka and/or Brunson.


Excellent point. It's not about Powell versus Looney. It's not guys banging on the block like 1993. 

It's about Looney versus Luka/Brunson/Dinwiddie and where you want to deploy the center of gravity to get open looks. Powell creates gravity around the rim as an elite roll man. Kleber creates space in the lane with gravity at the three point line. I agree we need more Kleber in game 2.
Like Reply
#15
This is the 1st series where the other team really only has 1 big. Powell starting made some sense there. Shouldn't Maxi be starting this series to try and match up with Looney as much as possible? I'd think Powell should match up better against small ball. Maybe his rim protection is just that bad, but he's all about quick feet.
Like Reply
#16
(05-19-2022, 08:50 AM)mvossman Wrote: Because he is a power forward who can't shoot.  His P&R game is nearly useless against playoff defenses, especially starting playoff defenses.  He has always been at his best playing with a stretch center (Maxi, KP) who can handle the rim protection on defense and give him room in the paint, and he has always been most effective against second units who are less equipped to shut down his P&R game.

Honestly Kidd has been working magic to make him a usable single big in the regular season, but its falling apart in the playoffs.  The only value he has had at all this playoffs is some minutes in the Sun's series against their backup centers.

It's brutally clear we have to upgrade the center position this offseason.

We need to get more rim protection help for Maxi. The uncomfortable truth is our defense regressed post KP and our defense right now isn't as good as we'd like to think.

KP played his last game for us on January 29th. At the time our defense ranked 5th in the league with a team defensive rating of 106.8. 

https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced...DEF_RATING&dir=-1&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&DateFrom=10%2F1%2F2021&DateTo=1%2F29%2F2022

In the remaining 32 games the team posted a defensive rating of 112.6.

https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced...DEF_RATING&dir=-1&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&DateFrom=1%2F30%2F2022&DateTo=5%2F1%2F2022

In the playoffs so far we are posting a defensive rating of 110.9, good for 7th place out of 16, but also the worst mark of the four remaining teams.

https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced...DEF_RATING&dir=-1&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Playoffs

No argument from me that we need to upgrade the center position in the offseason
[-] The following 1 user Likes MrGoat's post:
  • mvossman
Like Reply
#17
(05-19-2022, 02:35 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Sure, that was part of it, but they ALSO figured out what PHX was trying to do in terms of helping Ayton after switches and rearranged sets/actions to make that plan impossible. 

You're very focused on the 5-5 matchup, but I honestly don't think that's the chief concern. That isn't intended as a defense of Powell, I'm just saying that the goal relative to Looney is to make him pay with Luka and/or Brunson.

To be clear, I'm not hyper focused on 5 out.  I think we could be just fine with a mobile rim runner  The problem is Powell is making it much easier for opposing centers to hang in the paint for rim protection, but he is getting dominated on the other end, especially on the boards.  I feel like we either need a Maxi like player (and make 5 out our standard offense), or a mobile rim runner who is a better rebounder and rim protector than Powell.  The list of guys who fit one or the other of these lists is actually quite long (I started a list in another thread, but it would be well over 30 players).
Like Reply
#18
I hope I am wrong, but I just felt this is the type of series that Kleber is not very effective against.    Playing small, they will try to limit Kleber's open three looks.   If that is the case, he could be muted and forced to excel at things that are not his strong points.   If that is the case and Powell continues his struggles than our big man production is really limited.

I hope I am wrong and Kleber hits 5 threes tonight, but it was my fear entering this series.
Like Reply
#19
(05-20-2022, 09:03 AM)mvossman Wrote: To be clear, I'm not hyper focused on 5 out.  I think we could be just fine with a mobile rim runner  The problem is Powell is making it much easier for opposing centers to hang in the paint for rim protection, but he is getting dominated on the other end, especially on the boards.  I feel like we either need a Maxi like player (and make 5 out our standard offense), or a mobile rim runner who is a better rebounder and rim protector than Powell.  The list of guys who fit one or the other of these lists is actually quite long (I started a list in another thread, but it would be well over 30 players).


Oh, that's all super clear. 

My point was about something else entirely, however. I do NOT agree (if it's what you're saying) that playing 5 out was the ONLY way the Mavs made Utah/PHX pay for playing Gobert/Ayton. It contributed, but I think they also did some really smart things to make sure the right guys (guys THEY wanted, not the opponent) were in the help positions once Luka got the switches (usually onto the 5, but sometimes the 1) he wanted on offense. 

I would expect Kidd and co (mainly Gurgich, I bet) to figure out similar ways of using this box and 1 against GS. At least, that's what I hope they are able to do.
Like Reply
#20
The big man situation in DAL is really, really bleak. Maxi laid an absolute egg tonight. BARF.
Like Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)