should we begin tanking right now?

[LukaMVP]

28 wins ain't too big a hole and it's not yet too late to start up the tank. with the trio of Kyrie-davis-Flagg (hopefully) and a bunch of solid role players we'd be the favorite to win it all next season.

[SleepingHero]

We're already behind the 8 ball in terms of top lotto odds.

But facing down this roster with Lively, AD, Powell, PJ, Martin, and now Gafford injured. PLUS we have Exum floating on the IR and Kyrie with an aching back. I'd just flush the season. We could claw for a play in spot but its useless without AD and Kyrie healthy.

[LukaMVP]

we have already won too many games to compete for the no.1 pick but a top ten pick would still help us alot. hopefully it will convert into a rookie at least as good as lively considering the talent level of the 25' class. the point of tanking is the more games we lose the higher our rank will be.

[LukaMVP]

only 12 teams have better records than us league wide, which means we're behind 17 teams in the tanking race currently. that said, there are only 10 teams with less than 25 wins. if we take the tanking business seriously from now on we will at least harvest a top 12 pick tbh.

[Scott41theMavs]

The organic tank has begun, with injuries making the clear decision for them.

I know there's a concern of running Kyrie into the ground. That's not a concern if you're organically tanking. Plus, he's "due" for another injury.

If recent games are an indication, playing Klay a lot is a great way to deliberately (as opposed to organically) tank.

As for the concerns of not having a high pick, I think Silver will solve that issue for them in return for gifting Luka to the NBA's marquee franchise.

Edit: Oh, and something else, starting Kylor or OMax at the center position - which because of injuries they have no choice but to do - is very effective if the goal is to lose games. I think 2-8 at best over the next 10 games is a pretty safe bet.

[fifteenth]

I feel bad for the players. They have played really hard, and even held things together without Luka for a while. They went from being Western Conference Champions, to feeling good about holding things together with Luka gone, then the losses started piling up because of other injuries and Luka being gone so long...

and now they lost their super star and have to hear the fans boo.

I'm actually all for booing Nico and the Mavs org. But the players are caught in a tough, sad spot.

[F Gump]

Tanking would be fairly useless at this point. The best they could do, lottery-wise, would be 11, and more likely in the 13-14 range. While in theory you have a shot at getting drawn in the top 4, it's incredibly rare. Since they went to the current system and odds in 2014, only once has a team moved up from slot 11, and never from 12, 13, or 14. The odds are really tiny.

Missing the play-in in the West does not get you a top 10 lottery slot, even though you are in the bottom 5 in the West, because the records in the East are so much worse.

If they try to make the playoffs and don't, they get 13 or 14 seed anyhow.

They might as well do whatever they can to get a fully healthy team in April (if possible), and hope they can win enough between now and then to get into the playoffs.

[Smitty]

Tanking would be fairly useless at this point. The best they could do, lottery-wise, would be 11, and more likely in the 13-14 range. While in theory you have a shot at getting drawn in the top 4, it's incredibly rare. Since they went to the current system and odds in 2014, only once has a team moved up from slot 11, and never from 12, 13, or 14. The odds are really tiny.

Missing the play-in in the West does not get you a top 10 lottery slot, even though you are in the bottom 5 in the West, because the records in the East are so much worse.

If they try to make the playoffs and don't, they get 13 or 14 seed anyhow.

They might as well do whatever they can to get a fully healthy team in April (if possible), and hope they can win enough between now and then to get into the playoffs.

I went through this same process today also. Even if they lost 80% of their remaining games, they're in that range you listed. Tough spot to be in. Everything hinges on the Davis news. I personally think we'll hear the same thing we did with Lively. "He'll be reevaluated in 4 weeks." At that point he and the Mavs training staff can assess the risk of further injury and only if the Mavs hold a reasonable chance for a play-in spot, will he possibly give it a go.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

I've been in the forums since the time of 1Techsan, TMOGE, Pepperfletch, Balkis, etc, and now it just feels weird rooting for the Mavs. It's NOT just the Luka trade that puts me off -- but that Dumont guy gives me Bad-guy-in-high-places vibe. I'm not at 100% of my Maverick Fandom, not even 50%, but a VERY GOOD draft pick could bring me back, not because of pure talent but -- there's nothing like a dude the team picked and groomed into stardom. Dirk and Luka (although not real Mavs picks in a sense), were that to me.

So, yes.. I want the Mavs to tank -- its a chance for Cooper Flagg or someone just as talented.

[LukaMVP]

while it seems difficult for us to compete for a top pick now with 28 wins already, does it make the season more meaningful if we continue fighting hard at the risk of even more injuries (that would possibly impact next season), just to get owned in the first round (even if we make the playoffs) with half of our rotation being just back from injuries and clearly not 100% fit? tanking, organic or deliberate, seems to be the only legit choice for them mavs in the current situation where their only big available is a d-leaguer. our backcourt is fine, temporarily, but I'm not sure if the likelihood of making the playoffs (or the playins) with midget lineups will be any bigger than us winning the lottery. a top10 pick can still bring us a good rookie if the team's GM is smart enough, it is really really a big IF for them mavs, however.

[F Gump]

"a top10 pick can still bring us a good rookie if the team's GM is smart enough"
We can't get to a top 10 pick. Even 11 would be iffy. Going down the ladder is just as hard as going up, because the teams below you are trying to lose and go lower.

[LukaMVP]

I'm counting on spurs to start a winning mode with the core of Wembanyama and fox and a solid supporting cast, and it would be no surprise at all if they finish the season above us (even if we don't deliberately tank). maybe we can even trade up our pick by 2-3 spots on the draft night, at the cost of our 31' and/or Lakers 29'. we are a win now team we don't need to care much about the distant future, according to Nico...

[jerryjohnson]

I've been in the forums since the time of 1Techsan, TMOGE, Pepperfletch, Balkis, etc, and now it just feels weird rooting for the Mavs. It's NOT just the Luka trade that puts me off -- but that Dumont guy gives me Bad-guy-in-high-places vibe. I'm not at 100% of my Maverick Fandom, not even 50%, but a VERY GOOD draft pick could bring me back, not because of pure talent but -- there's nothing like a dude the team picked and groomed into stardom. Dirk and Luka (although not real Mavs picks in a sense), were that to me.

So, yes.. I want the Mavs to tank -- its a chance for Cooper Flagg or someone just as talented.

Do you remember Flamethrower42, GermanWunderKid, ChefEd-Reunion Rowdy (actually, I think he is still here), etc too?

[Jym]

Also shoutout to the Viggen guy who'd basically spam a play-by-play each game
my crappy dail-up internet was too bad to get espn to work right so that was legitimately the best way for me to know what was happening

[burekemde]

trading Luka is tanking.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

Do you remember Flamethrower42, GermanWunderKid, ChefEd-Reunion Rowdy (actually, I think he is still here), etc too?

Yes.. there's a few more I can remember..

Raider, Kent, domedawg, Sukmydirk, there's a lot of people thru the years.

A few notes:
People soured on Fish
Vigg's love for Finley is eternal
DLord is still here 

[meistermatze]

Yes.. there's a few more I can remember..

Raider, Kent, domedawg, Sukmydirk, there's a lot of people thru the years.

A few notes:
People soured on Fish
Vigg's love for Finley is eternal
DLord is still here 

Shame that nobody mentioned legends like J0n, JeffAtDeepEllum, 1tech and Sheehan_himself with his legendary fat-Rick-avatar. Also remember my fellow germans Crazyboy, luk0r and stereolith. I think only me and sometimes Dirk-only-fan markus1234 are still around.

[ballsrchr]

Tank? Or go for the playoffs? I think we're in the same position either way. The results will be mediocre. No way to tank bad enough to get a top pick. No way to win out with all our players injured. I think our physical training department deserves a hard look. Keep playing Kyrie 40 minutes a night and he'll be injured. Trading Luka ruined our chances for a good playoff run.

All is not lost. The team has been forced to play as a team. They are pretty scrappy right now. I'm still rooting for them, but Kyrie has to have his minutes cut down...

[Smitty]

Tank?  Or go for the playoffs?  I think we're in the same position either way.  The results will be mediocre.  No way to tank bad enough to get a top pick.  No way to win out with all our players injured.  I think our physical training department deserves a hard look.  Keep playing Kyrie 40 minutes a night and he'll be injured.  Trading Luka ruined our chances for a good playoff run.

All is not lost.  The team has been forced to play as a team.  They are pretty scrappy right now.  I'm still rooting for them, but Kyrie has to have his minutes cut down...

Kyrie's minutes will be cut down in blowouts. I think there will be a few of those the next few weeks. I agree with you though, Irving having to play big minutes every night has a real possibility of ending in him getting injured or run down. Not sure he or the Mavs have an option though, both want to win.

[LukaMVP]

we can selectively tank some games imho, especially games against the top teams we have little opportunity to win. rest Kyrie and other important players in games that don't matter that much will save their energies for the crucial games we must win like the warriors game last night (assuming playoffs remain our goal). the warriors, kings and Suns are direct competitors with us for the playin spots.