2020-2021 Dallas Mavericks Will Miss The Playoffs

[MrGoat]

1) Lebron didn't even make the playoffs for his first three years. 

2) Luka ain't a top 5 player yet.

3) LeBron spent most of his career in the East.

[markus1234]

Dirk's usage rate

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/dirk-no...ate-season

Luka's usage rate

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/luka-do...ate-season

[Kammrath]

Lebron's usage rate is 31.5 for his career with most of his seasons between 31.0 and 33.8. I could see Luka settling into such a usage rate. But honestly I don't mind Luka's usage rate being around 35. It still feels natural to me and what I think he is as a basketball player.

[KillerLeft]

Lebron's usage rate is 31.5 for his career with most of his seasons between 31.0 and 33.8. I could see Luka settling into such a usage rate. But honestly I don't mind Luka's usage rate being around 35. It still feels natural to me and what I think he is as a basketball player.

Yeah, I agree. I would just like to see: 

A) a much better solution in place for the stretches of games during which the opponent goes all out to take Luka out of the play and...

B) someone else out there who can bring the ball up, especially against pressure, and not look like a fish out of water doing so. Obviously, Luka CAN do this, but I think it's a mistake to build your best lineups in such a way that he MUST. I think Lebron is a good comparison for this issue, too. He can and does take over games at times by handling the ball from the play's beginning to end, but there's always another option for initiating the play. Much of the time in the latter scenario, Lebron is still the guy who actually creates the offense, but having someone else bring the ball up while the offensive gets setup gives him a chance to get into position without expending too much energy, especially cumulatively, over the course of games/the season. Additionally, having multiple people on the floor capable of pressuring the defense in transition is never a bad thing. 

It's possible that this could only require one additional player, but it might take two.

[SleepingHero]

Dirk's usage rate

MARKUS IS BACK!

[KillerLeft]

MARKUS IS BACK!

He must have some type of system that notifies him anytime the combination of words "better than Dirk" are typed into the internet. 

Happy to have him.

[markus1234]

Lebron's usage rate is 31.5 for his career with most of his seasons between 31.0 and 33.8. I could see Luka settling into such a usage rate. But honestly I don't mind Luka's usage rate being around 35. It still feels natural to me and what I think he is as a basketball player.

High usage rate kills the rhythm of his teammates, esp. role players. Double-edged sword.

He has to be on LBJ or MJ level to dominate the ball like this. Otherwise he will end up like AI, Harden, Westbrook and co.

To me it seems Luka is doing too much right now and his teammates are 'cold'. I do not watch the games much, so maybe I am wrong. Maybe his teammates are simply not good enough, OK.

But (some of you) guys, please do not tell me he is better than Dirk already, lol.

[khaled1987]

I could see Luka settling into such a usage rate. But honestly I don't mind Luka's usage rate being around 35. It still feels natural to me and what I think he is as a basketball player.

Luka was doing great in FIBA when he had great PGs beside him, he was playing as Dragic sidekick in Slovenia and with LLull in RM, other than last season Llull was the franchise player there. 
I don't think it is natural for him, but more of what the Mavs is turning him to be. 

I still believe Luka will be at his best when he is a point forward rather than PG tbh

[ThisIStheYear]

Six in a row. Only bad teams drop six in a row at this point in the season. What a disaster of a season. They look like a contender for the first pick. I sure hope this draft is weak otherwise it’s going to be horribly embarrassing.

[Scott41theMavs]

Six in a row. Only bad teams drop six in a row at this point in the season. What a disaster of a season. They look like a contender for the first pick. I sure hope this draft is weak otherwise it’s going to be horribly embarrassing.

Unfortunately for you, this draft is billed as a great one.

They will play better later in the season with all of their guys on deck and with the far easier schedule coming (unless the league simply chooses to screw them again in the second half). Probably not enough to make the playoffs, but I bet they'll be in the lower seed playin (and lose).

[SwisherPrice]

It's looking like this season is just not in the cards for the Mavs, Heat, and Raptors.

[KillerLeft]

It's looking like this season is just not in the cards for the Mavs, Heat, and Raptors.

I think it’s really interesting that those teams all count coaching as one of their biggest advantages. With this year‘s practice limitations, I can see how those specific groups might be more affected than others.

[ItsGoTime]

But (some of you) guys, please do not tell me he is better than Dirk already, lol.

No, there is a chance that he will be (and if that happens on another team then he still will not be better than Dirk to me!!!!!!!). You have plenty of support when fighting those envelope pushers!

[StepBackJay]

It's hard to say how this season is going to turn out but there's still time. Mavs needs some injury/Covid luck the rest of the way. If they have a bad injury or two or another 2 week Covid thing then they are toast. The margin for error will be slim the rest of the way and it might just not work out this year.