Podcast: Numbers on the Board

[fifteenth]

Good episode. Not atypically, they discussed things that we talk about.

A few notables:

The defense is built around KP and should improve quite a bit with the Unicorn coming back. He'll erase a portion of the layups we've been seeing. 

The Mavs lineups haven't logged many minutes compared to other teams.

• Dallas most used lineup has played only 199 minutes together. 
  
• Denver's has played 577 min
  
• Houston's has played 347 min. 
  
• Clippers are the only playoff team like us. 
  
• Our second and third most used lineups were the starting lineups when Luka was out and then when KP was out. 
  

Skin and Bobby think Maxi, DFS and Tim have been the key role players. 

• Maxi is playing like a 3&D wing. He shuts down guys like Siakam. Guards' eyes light up when Maxi switches on to them, and then he swallows them up. 
  
• There are only 16 players who shoot 37% from 3 and have a positive defensive box plus/minus. The Mavs have two of them (Maxi and DFS). 
  
• The Mavs always liked THJ. Last season they were telling Bobby, "wait til Tim is healthy". He had the tools just needed a different situation.
  
• Only 3 players have an eFG% of 59%, score 16 points, and shoot 3 - 3's. Towns, Giannis and THJ. 
  

Trade stuff

• Sounds like a Mavs staffer told Skin that the Mavs had their eyes on a player but that the other team asked for too much and never came off their asking price. He doesn't think that particular want is going to happen at this point. Didn't hint at the player, except to say
  
• The biggest need would be a vet presence others can learn from, good defender who can make plays late in games, keeps his head under pressure (because he's a vet) and only needs 15 minutes per night. My thought: Seems obvious to me who he's talking about.
  
• At one time he thought a 3&D wing was the biggest need, and he'd still take one, but DFS and Maxi have made this need not as urgent. 
  
• Other need is for big body who can defend and is able to play in more game situations than Boban
  

Biggest area of improvement needed from within is obvious: must learn to close out games. 


https://art19.com/shows/numbers-on-the-boards