Team Tank 2022-23

[SleepingHero]

It's a tough call.

Tanking is getting more and more risky. Unless they get far enough down, all the tanking might accomplish is to give a better pick to NY. If they tank, there are some likely scenarios where they don't even make the play-in, or make the play-in and then are one-and-done, and still get no pick at all this summer.

No way will the Mavs overtake HOU, SA, or POR in a race to the bottom of the West. And the East is on track to end up with at least 5 of the top-10 picks in the draft (and Mavs have to land top 10 to get a pick).

The really frustrating thing is that the West is mostly ripe for the taking this year for a team that's any good. But with the loss of all defense and all rebounding, and the loss of Brunson too, this year's edition of Cuban's Craftsmanship is incredibly mediocre. Even against the crap competition, they still aren't reliable to win games they can and should win.

Think about how many games the team just gave away this year. Lakers 27 point blown lead. First game of the season blowing a 20+ point lead against the Suns. Blowing a 14 point lead with 1 minute left against the Thunder.  Blowing a 13 point lead against the Grizz. No inbound plays ran that lead to losses against the Bucks, Wolves, Wizards, and a couple others I'm too depressed to look up. Remember when we shot 31/102 against the Rockets and lost to them as well?

It's sad. The Mavs could be sitting firmly in 2nd or 3rd place had they played to expectations. I will say though this team has been injury bitten since the beginning. DFS was out a lot of time. Then Maxi and Green. Luka was hobbled in January and again now. Kyrie is hurt. THJ has been in and out. Wood had a broken finger that cost him time.

Hard to win games with everyone getting injured. Especially when the injuries are staggered throughout the season.