GAME 52: OKC (16-34) @ DAL (29-23): 120-114 loss

[SwisherPrice]

OKC's small ball gave the Mavs problems all night...especially since their guards were making threes like the Splash Brothers. When a team goes very small like that, this Mavs roster doesn't have the players to counter. It made Luka a liability on defense because obviously he can't defend small guards/PGs. And then you add a dynamic player like Giddey at the 3 and it was easy for OKC to get the Mavs defenders out of position for an easy shot attempt. 

Kleber isn't an ideal small ball center but because he's the only one with a shooting threat on offense, they have no choice but to play him. He was no match for the smaller Bazley though. 

When a team goes super small like OKC, the Mavs don't have the guards (PGs) or the small ball center to counter.

[sefant]

OKC's small ball gave the Mavs problems all night...especially since their guards were making threes like the Splash Brothers. When a team goes very small like that, this Mavs roster doesn't have the players to counter. It made Luka a liability on defense because obviously he can't defend small guards/PGs. And then you add a dynamic player like Giddey at the 3 and it was easy for OKC to get the Mavs defenders out of position for an easy shot attempt. 

Kleber isn't an ideal small ball center but because he's the only one with a shooting threat on offense, they have no choice but to play him. He was no match for the smaller Bazley though. 

When a team goes super small like OKC, the Mavs don't have the guards (PGs) or the small ball center to counter.

Your counter is lots more of Green and Frank im combination with Bullock / DFS / Kleber. 19 minutes for Green is too low.

Play Luka at PF or C. Kleber is the only big you play. No Powell nor Chriss. Heavy minutes for Green and heavy minutes for Frank.

[Chicagojk]

Is it also possible the Mavs have just been thoroughly scouted? I mean this is pretty much the same team as it was 3 years ago. Which means 29 teams have 3 years worth of data on the same 9 players (Luka, KP, DFS, Maxi, Powell, THJ, Burke, Brunson, and Boban) running basically the same offensive scheme.

I started to notice since last year that teams seem 1 step ahead of Luka at times and sit on the exact passes to the corner or out on the key. Which in turn started to make Luka do these dumb mid air passes out of shots because then teams don't expect it.

Well if the team had different players, able to do different things, there's no way the opponent could just magically know where to sit on passes like that. 

I'm still shocked at how little this team has changed since 2018-2019, Luka's rookie season.

I don't think there are many surprises with teams.   I just think the Mavs are not very difficult to scheme for.   Obviously Luka can answer almost any defense.  But teams don't need to worry about a big guy abusing you down low.   DFS or Maxi may drive to the basket at times, but that is certainly nothing you need to scheme against.  For the most part, I think it is a win for a defense if they get any player besides Luka or Jalen driving to the basket.  

The one thing I keep on coming back to, is do we play this way because we have to or because it is how Luka wants to play?  Jalen isn't elite.  He is a nice, tough guard who brings a lot of solid things to the table.   KP is paid to be elite, but his offensive game is not as elite as we all hoped at this stage.  But, I feel like there are stretches where both Jalen and KP are not involved in the offense and are pretty much watching.  Does this change if we pair Luka with a real elite offensive player?  Or does he play a similar role as what KP and Jalen are currently in.  To me that is a big question.

[hakeemfaan]

There are only two automatics on this team as far as scoring. Luka and then Boban. 

I know the problems with having Boban for extended minutes but 10-12 mins every game is on the coaching staff to figure out.

[burekemde]

I don't think there are many surprises with teams.   I just think the Mavs are not very difficult to scheme for.   Obviously Luka can answer almost any defense.  But teams don't need to worry about a big guy abusing you down low.   DFS or Maxi may drive to the basket at times, but that is certainly nothing you need to scheme against.  For the most part, I think it is a win for a defense if they get any player besides Luka or Jalen driving to the basket.  

The one thing I keep on coming back to, is do we play this way because we have to or because it is how Luka wants to play?  Jalen isn't elite.  He is a nice, tough guard who brings a lot of solid things to the table.   KP is paid to be elite, but his offensive game is not as elite as we all hoped at this stage.  But, I feel like there are stretches where both Jalen and KP are not involved in the offense and are pretty much watching.  Does this change if we pair Luka with a real elite offensive player?  Or does he play a similar role as what KP and Jalen are currently in.  To me that is a big question.

That's valid and great considerations. To me that is exactly why I really want Sabonis next to Luka. Because Sabponis won't stand around being number, 3, 4, 5 at times (as KP does). Sabonis will always be number 2 and produces every night, and his production will increase a lot next to Luka. Because he will set screens to Luka, which are far better than Powell's, then Luka will score (score more with better screens), or Sabonis receive the ball from Luka and be number 2. And Sabonis is a real threath inside, especially given how Luka passes. Sabonis will then either score, and if not he is that unique big in the league along Jokic, that has the ability to pass out to number 3 guy and keep ball moving (Powell cant do that and KP also not at least regularly). That is what real number 2 does in Lukas offense - plays together with Luka, but still makes the link to rest of the team with passing. Sabonis would most often than not be the second guy touching the ball after Luka. That means a terrific fit and that the offense will flourish, he would be employed a lot in the offensive scheme. Problem with KP is that he is number 2 to touch the ball sometimes, but not often. Most of the time he is number 3, 4, or 5. He can't set screens well enough and he doesn't have an inside and mid range game not even close to Sabonis.
This all results in that Luka and KP dont play together. The plays develop either as "Luka plays" or "KP Plays". With Sabonis, all plays would be "Luka-Sabonis" plays and given how well Sabonis passes I would say "Luka-Sabonis-rest of team plays". I really believe Sabonis or Jokic skills are the only missing to make a Luka offense completely explode to unseen levels.