GAME 11: DAL (6-5) @ MIL (9-4) | 109-112 loss

[pompelmo]

 I still maintain Mavs need another creator. Luka had 13 assists. Next best had 3 (Johnson), followed by Terry (2 assists). Too much is expected from Luka and rather sooner than later will start wearing him down.

When Luka hogs the ball for the entire possession and only passes to a shooter, nobody else can make an assist. It is the buckets scored of off assists as a team that matters, not who is sucking the boxscore.

This team had 30-24-23-23-27 assists during the 5 game stretch that Luka missed against the East contenders. That is 25.4 assists per game. Our season average was 24.65 assists per game. Yes the Miami one was an overtime loss but you get the point. 

[donzingis38]

Ideally it is Powell and Brunson (plus whatever picks). That package should get us Hill. If not, than I would still go with Johnson (and Brunson and picks). His minutes will be likely much reduced after Kleber and DFS return anyway. Of course only if we are speaking about a true scorer/facilitator. 

I said it many times. I love Brunson, but I think he deserves more than leftover minutes behind Luka. I just don't see Mavs commiting to Luka/Brunson playing together a lot.

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??? That is silly. KP fired 19 shots with 31 % accuracy. How many more shots should he take? And Luka did pass him plenty.

I don't care about the amount of shots he's taken. If he's WIDE OPEN, you still give it to him. Why pass up an open good shot for a contested one?

[Mavs03]

I'm proud of Dallas.  Missing 5 key rotation players, KP clearly was off today, missing 7 free throw attempts and we lose by 3 against supposedly one of the best teams in the NBA?  We've played 8 road games.  I believe once we get healthy we can go on a very nice run.

[pompelmo]

??? That is silly. KP fired 19 shots with 31 % accuracy. How many more shots should he take? And Luka did pass him plenty.

Still better than Luka's step back three ratio which he opted instead to take the lead.

After his miss and the following collapse of collective focus, ballooned the lead back to eight.

[omahen]

When Luka hogs the ball for the entire possession and only passes to a shooter, nobody else can make an assist.

Non Luka actions were mostly one on one drives or shots. No one else can run pick and roll. There were plenty of possesions when Luka started off ball. KP, Burke and THJ are only looking to shoot it, basically zero creation for others from them. Once they get the ball they either shoot it or pass it to Luka.

[pompelmo]

Non Luka actions were mostly one on one drives or shots. No one else can run pick and roll. There were plenty of possesions when Luka started off ball. KP, Burke and THJ are only looking to shoot it, basically zero creation for others from them. Once they get the ball they either shoot it or pass it to Luka.

We had 23 assists today. We had 23 assists against Chicago when Luka and KP didn't play and Hardaway shot 4/15. We are fine.

[donzingis38]

Still better than Luka's step back three ratio which he opted instead to take the lead.

After his miss and the following collapse of collective focus, ballooned the lead back to eight.

Thank you. That's exactly what I mean. 

We all love Luka here, he's our man but that was some hero-ball BS he pulled there.

[omahen]

Why pass up an open good shot for a contested one?

You call this a contested shot?

https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=387&GameID=0022000182&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=MISS%20Doncic%2026%27%203PT%20Step%20Back%20Jump%20Shot&sct=plot

[omahen]

We had 23 assists against Chicago when Luka and KP didn't play and Hardaway shot 4/15. We are fine.

Yeah, we also lost against Chicago, one of the worst teams in the league, which is not really proving your point. Hardaway shot 4/15 becuase he didn't get so many catch and shoot attempts but rather shooting from the dribble. Something he doesn't need to do a lot next to Luka.

[SwisherPrice]

Good loss. We were not going to keep beating the Bucks forever. If we had to drop one then this was a good one to lose short-handed.

[omahen]

Luka "not passing" to KP and ball hogging. This is first quarter only. Everything in first seconds of the offense. KP only looks how to shoot after he gets the ball.

https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=30&GameID=0022000182&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=MISS%20Porzingis%2028%27%203PT%20Jump%20Shot&sct=plot

https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=36&GameID=0022000182&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=Porzingis%20Traveling%20Turnover%20(P2.T2)&sct=plot

https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=40&GameID=0022000182&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=Porzingis%2017%27%20Turnaround%20Fadeaway%20(2%20PTS)%20(Doncic%203%20AST)&sct=plot

https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=50&GameID=0022000182&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=MISS%20Porzingis%2016%27%20Pullup%20Jump%20Shot&sct=plot

https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=94&GameID=0022000182&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=MISS%20Porzingis%2018%27%20Pullup%20Jump%20Shot&sct=plot

[LukTheShadow]

Well, that was not so good game from both teams. Low energy, slow pace, bad off ball game, nonconsistent D...
Rebounding was strong plus for bucks, mavs took advantage on Giannis bad ft's. Luka was fat and slow and bad again (28/9/13..), KP is rusty, it was just not mavs day.
At the end of the day win was possible but going for the win with 3 on bad shooting night .... bad managed, TO and going for 2 to tie would be smarter, when we have and1 wizard on the team even win would be more likely ...
Shorthanded or not, mavs keep learning, RC included!
And .... Luka has to keep shooting 3, falling or not!

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Well, that was not so good game from both teams. Low energy, slow pace, bad off ball game, nonconsistent D...
Rebounding was strong plus for bucks, mavs took advantage on Giannis bad ft's. Luka was fat and slow and bad again (28/9/13..), KP is rusty, it was just not mavs day.
At the end of the day win was possible but going for the win with 3 on bad shooting night ....  bad managed, TO and going for 2 to tie would be smarter, when we have and1 wizard on the team even win would be more likely ...
Shorthanded or not, mavs keep learning, RC included!
And .... Luka has to keep shooting 3, falling or not!

Luka was fat, slow and bad? Dude damn near had another trip-doub. His shot was off a bit especially the 3,  but he wasn't bad. Also, he's the best rebounder on the team, which is crazy to me with KP, Powell, WCS and Kleber as the primary bigs who should be better board men.

[omahen]

Luka was fat, slow and bad?

I am pretty sure he was sarcastic

[KillerLeft]

Luka was fat, slow and bad? Dude damn near had another trip-doub. His shot was off a bit especially the 3,  but he wasn't bad. Also, he's the best rebounder on the team, which is crazy to me with KP, Powell, WCS and Kleber as the primary bigs who should be better board men.

He was being sarcastic, thinking that pointing to the results Luka is getting now that he's (almost) in shape will somehow make people feel silly for expecting the team's best player - around whom the team is being built - to show up in shape at the BEGINNING of the season. 

Clearly, he was out of shape though. He's definitely progressing with that, but I sincerely hope someone has gotten through to him that it can't ever happen again if he hopes to be as good as we all want him to be.