Judgement-Free (Over)Reaction Thread

[DrMav]

Guys, I’m tired of this version of Mavs basketball. Life with COVID is old and sports are supposed to be fun, and I can’t say it’s been much of that watching the Mavs recently. I still love the Mavs and am an eternal optimist when it comes to them, so I will continue to punish myself until this thing turns around, but I need a spot to vent after another tough loss. 

So consider this a safe space where what you post won’t be held against you (by me at least) and go ahead and speak your truth, I’ll start.

- I’m worried there’s nothing else RC can do for us. I’m tired of him sitting Luka for 1/3 to 1/2 of the 4th quarter of tight games just because that is the rotation. It was infuriating to see Luka still on the bench after the timeout in the 4th, then come to the scorers table immediately after the next basket. And it’s not RCs fault the players can’t make shots, but it is his fault this thing is so predictable.

- Porzingis is killing me. He had some nice 3s tonight and some nice blocks, but he has to be a better rebounder and stop taking such dumb shots just trying to get into rhythm. I swear I roll my eyes at 3/4 shots he takes. I know he can be better cause we saw it in the bubble, but the Mavs needed him to be there awhile ago.

- Trade anyone but Luka for a reliable #2, I don’t even care

- Rebrand this thing already. I like the Hardwood classic green jerseys but dislike pretty much all the rest aside from the white though it needs to be freshened up. 

I feel better typing already.

[Kammrath]

1) The coaching is not helping right now. It looks like RC gives away a lot of responsibility to his assistants, which on one level is great, but whatever is going on with the overall coaching picture is not good.

2) KP is really hurting this team. Eating $30M of the payroll and is the biggest negative of the season so far. 

3) I fear the Mavs will stay the course, and things will only get worse before they get better. 6 game losing streak and counting....I don't care how much they love each other, the fingers are going to be pointing. 

4) The Mavs need a complete rebranding, totally agree.

[Scott41theMavs]

2) KP is really hurting this team. Eating $30M of the payroll and is the biggest negative of the season so far.

3) I fear the Mavs will stay the course, and things will only get worse before they get better. 6 game losing streak and counting....I don't care how much they love each other, the fingers are going to be pointing.

You can't trade KP when his value is at its lowest. End of story.

[Kammrath]

You can't trade KP when his value is at its lowest. End of story.

Did I suggest as such?

I have repeatedly stated that trading KP is only an option this summer at soonest.

[ThisIStheYear]

I noticed that stupidity of not bringing Luka back after the timeout in the 4th too. RC is coaching like it’s the preseason. I’m starting to think that Silas was the mastermind behind last years offense. Houston is looking like the Mavs of last year. High efficiency looks. Open shots all over the floor. The Mavs offense looks like it regressed 10 years in terms of scheme.

[Fuerza1]

Mods, please lock and delete thread. Looks like we are starting to get an influx of salty rockets fans corrupting our board.

[Scott41theMavs]

You can't trade KP when his value is at its lowest. End of story.

Did I suggest as such?

I have repeatedly stated that trading KP is only an option this summer at soonest.

Yes, but they can't make a move on the coaching front either until the season ends. That leaves 1) the team playing way better the rest of the way, or 2) making a major splash with their non-KP assets in-season.

I find it strange for any of us to be sky-is-falling after this game, when this was the first time we had our full complement of players (with Maxi obviously a lot more rusty than he will be) and we lost to a team with a clearly superior roster (three all-star level talents with great role players) by one point when our best player had a bad game. If we lose to the cupcakes coming up, then it's time to panic.

[Kammrath]

I find it strange for any of us to be sky-is-falling after this game

The not having the whole complement of players excuse does not ring true to me. The Mavs have had their most important players (Luka + KP) for 12 straight games now and are 3-9. If the Mavs cannot win 50+% of their games without Maxi or DFS or ____ there is a MASSIVE issue with either coaching or roster composition. 

I am not suggesting the Mavs replace RC right now either. 

By "stay the course" I am suggesting that RC will not make the big coaching adjustments I think he should OR the MBT will not make the non-KP changes at the TDL that are needed.

[SwisherPrice]

Last year was a fluke. The Mavs are not as great as the shooting team that they showed last season. I remember the last 3-4 years, we complained at how they kept taking so many threes (always near the top of the league) despite not being a good shooting team. Better-than-normal shooting for this team + MVP-level play by Luka made a limited roster look much better than it actually was.

This year, the roster wasn't really upgraded in a major way so it shouldn't be a surprise to see this team struggle as the shooting came back down to earth. And even before the Covid hit, it's not like they were lighting it up.

[robillionaire]

Last year was a fluke. The Mavs are not as great as the shooting team that they showed last season. I remember the last 3-4 years, we complained at how they kept taking so many threes (always near the top of the league) despite not being a good shooting team. Better-than-normal shooting for this team + MVP-level play by Luka made a limited roster look much better than it actually was.

This year, the roster wasn't really upgraded in a major way so it shouldn't be a surprise to see this team struggle as the shooting came back down to earth. And even before the Covid hit, it's not like they were lighting it up.

seth curry is still a 50% 3pt shooter, he helped last year

[Scott41theMavs]

Last year was a fluke. The Mavs are not as great as the shooting team that they showed last season. I remember the last 3-4 years, we complained at how they kept taking so many threes (always near the top of the league) despite not being a good shooting team. Better-than-normal shooting for this team + MVP-level play by Luka made a limited roster look much better than it actually was.

This year, the roster wasn't really upgraded in a major way so it shouldn't be a surprise to see this team struggle as the shooting came back down to earth. And even before the Covid hit, it's not like they were lighting it up.

seth curry is still a 50% 3pt shooter, he helped last year

...but the loss of a single non-starting player shouldn't tank the team this badly.

[ThisIStheYear]

There’s no way an entire season of performance as the greatest offense ever can be a fluke. That’s too many observations statistically to be random chance. Now, can it be it’s a fluke they were the greatest ever, but were still in fact really good? Of course, even likely. But they’ve regressed to the point of being just downright horrible, which makes no sense, even with the COVID protocols. They’ve been bad all season, before, during, and now after COVID, despite making only minor changes to a youngish roster. I’m really mystified. Basketball has like the least variation of any sport. It’s hard to believe.

[Reunion Mav Old]

There’s no way an entire season of performance as the greatest offense ever can be a fluke. That’s too many observations statistically to be random chance. Now, can it be it’s a fluke they were the greatest ever, but were still in fact really good?  Of course, even likely.  But they’ve regressed to the point of being just downright horrible, which makes no sense, even with the COVID protocols. They’ve been bad all season, before, during, and now after COVID, despite making only minor changes to a youngish roster.  I’m really mystified. Basketball has like the least variation of any sport. It’s hard to believe.

Vent away Mavs fans. Get it out and come back ready to support them next game.

[KillerLeft]

There’s no way an entire season of performance as the greatest offense ever can be a fluke. That’s too many observations statistically to be random chance. Now, can it be it’s a fluke they were the greatest ever, but were still in fact really good?  Of course, even likely.  But they’ve regressed to the point of being just downright horrible, which makes no sense, even with the COVID protocols. They’ve been bad all season, before, during, and now after COVID, despite making only minor changes to a youngish roster.  I’m really mystified. Basketball has like the least variation of any sport. It’s hard to believe.

Totally agree. 

This year (so far) is the fluke, at least with the team-wide shooting woes. They are behind the rest of the league when it comes to conditioning, rhythm, knowing their responsibilities on the court, playing off of one another, etc.  passes are happening early or late and it is as if the ball is carrying concentrated nervousness from one player to the next. The rest of the league is rounding into midseason form while the Mavericks are basically ending training camp right now.

We are all sick of hearing about how sucky it is that the whole rotation got Covid, but just because we are tired of hearing it doesn’t mean it doesn’t impact them negatively. It’s not just about having them available to play, it’s about making up for all the time they missed. Important time. There are numerous issues affected by this, both individually and as a team.

They told us themselves that the team who navigated Covid most successfully this season was going to be the most successful team. Carlisle said it. Luka said it. Others said it. So far, they have done the worst job of that in the entire NBA. I’m not saying I definitely know it could have been avoided, but I am saying that it was clearly too much for them to overcome. I saw this coming the second the bad news broke.

It is what it is. Nothing to do now but to work through this.

[ItsGoTime]

...but the loss of a single non-starting player shouldn't tank the team this badly.

It doesn't...in any way.

[Kammrath]

The rest of the league is rounding into midseason form while the Mavericks are basically ending training camp right now.

This just feels like hyperbole to me that isn't true. I don't buy this for whatever reason, doesn't ring true to me.

[KillerLeft]

This just feels like hyperbole to me that isn't true. I don't buy this for whatever reason, doesn't ring true to me.

Well, sorry we don't agree. I'm truly not meaning to express anything hyperbolic. It's how I see the situation. 

The Mavs had a rough start, if you remember. You and I discussed it quite a bit. Then, after a 2-3 game stretch that felt (to me) like they were coming together, boom - covid. 

I just believe the effects of 5/9 of their rotation getting covid, combined with 2/the other 4 either showing up to camp unprepared for the season or starting the season hurt has had a major impact on what the team has been able to learn and perfect this season - as individuals, and most especially as an organized unit. 

It was probably a bit hyperbolic to flatly say "the rest of the league." I'm sure there are other teams going through some similar things - Miami, for sure. But, I just feel Dallas has gotten it the worst. It's important to note that I blame THEM, from Carlisle all the way down to the trainers. They did this to themselves. It just seems way more plausible to me than the players suddenly being bad players or the coaches suddenly being bad coaches.

[Mavs2019]

You can't trade KP when his value is at its lowest. End of story.

I always hear people say that. How do you know this is the lowest? Maybe he´ll tear his ACL next week. What´s his value after that? 

[SleepingHero]

I always hear people say that. How do you know this is the lowest? Maybe he´ll tear his ACL next week. What´s his value after that?

Maybe he averages 30/10 next week.

You don't make franchise altering trades based off hypotheticals. Btw he's averaged 30/10 more times than tearing his ACL, so one is likelier than the other if we want to put probabilities on it.

[sefant]

seth curry is still a 50% 3pt shooter, he helped last year

He is also the prime example that players might need time getting back to shape post Covid.

31 % from 3 in 6 games since he is back.