Brian and Mark discuss both the game and Bob’s podcast.
HAWKS GAME
Roster couldn’t cope. This game was an illustration of why the Mavs still need to address their need for a secondary playmaker. When Luka was neutralized and couldn’t get into the paint, no one else could make anything happen, and the whole offense stalled. Luka just started hurling up shots from behind the three-point line, and didn’t make many. Of course, not every team can defend Luka that well, but they need to be able to respond when that occurs. The non-Luka lineups had a similar problem, especially without THJ on the floor.
Bench production. Hawks bench was better, hands down. Mavs went to an all-bench unit for a few minutes in the first half. Not to rousing success, unfortunately.
Should KP post up more? The gents at Inside the NBA say yes. Brian and Mark beg to disagree. A few post-ups per game by KP are okay, but making this a formula for success is a fool’s errand. KP doesn’t have the frame to back guys down — he is very awkward at it, and often just loses the ball. KP was already among the league leaders in shots off post-ups, since so few players use that move any more. KP is not a Joel Embiid or Karl Malone, and posting up is not the key to unlocking him. Think KP should play a diversified game, rather than emphasizing one particular type of play.
Was this just a bad shooting night? Well, the shooting was inarguably terrible. 30% shooting, excluding garbage time. 33% including the last few minutes. Lowest percentage in Mavs history for a season opener. Bottom 1% of field goal percentages in all Mavs games ever. Third worst post-title. 2-14 from the non-restricted area paint. Historically bad.
Two bigs. Kidd likes this type of lineup, but they didn't execute well. If Luka is not penetrating, Powell is not rolling, and then Powell’s purpose for being on the floor is far from clear. The effort to involve KP more resulted in a lot of KP clogging up the offense, and interfering with the ability of Luka and Powell to conduct their pick-and-rolls.
Kidd additions. Kidd is trying several new things. Some, like featuring DFS in the offense, will take some time to iron out. Others, like trying to increase deflections, looked like they were working until the team fell apart in the second half. Kidd is also focused on getting Luka to be calm in dealing with the refs. That worked well last night. Kidd advised Luka that if he wants to say something to the refs, to just pull his jersey up over his mouth, lol.
HARALABOB’S PODCAST
Bob felt that his reputation had been damaged by Cato’s article, and he is trying to get his side of the story out. But some of his story rang true.
Areas of agreement (between the podcasters and Bob). The dysfunction in the organization was real. The most compelling tidbit was that no one in this front office has been hired by another team. Cuban likes a random, chaotic, informal, fast-paced, unstructured organization, and hiring Bob was an aspect of that. Bob made up his own title, was contractually supposed to report to Donnie but didn’t, and he wasn’t a personality fit. Bob is difficult to get along with, by his own admission, and really didn’t make much of an effort in that direction (although he was always pleasant to Follow). By the end of the season, the situation had become untenable.
Areas of Disagreement
Donnie was not a self-serving guy who only cared about saving his own job. Brian personally worked with Donnie, and never saw him make a decision that was self-serving, as opposed to doing what was good for the team. MF concurred. Donnie was very good at the relationships aspect of the job.
Gerson Rosas did not leave because Donnie felt threatened. Gerson Rosas came in believing that he was in charge, and his style clashed badly with the organization. That was felt up and down the organization. He was the wrong fit. Mark’s idea in hiring Rosas was that, in such a flat organization, Donnie was overwhelmed with information overload, and ended up spreading himself too thin. So the thought was that various people would report to Rosas, who would then filter the info that needed to reach Donnie. That gatekeeper type position is common in organizations and probably could have worked here, but not for Rosas, who wanted to be in control.
Bob did not leave because he had tired of the dysfunction. Bob probably really did already want out by the time Cato’s article was published, but that was a direct result of Luka turning on him. Once that happened, his position was untenable, and he knew it.
Summing up. This interview was the truth according to Bob. Cato's article was the truth according to his sources. If Cubes or Rick or whoever did a podcast, they would have a different slant on the story. All we can do is compare notes.
OUTLOOK
Mark and Brian agree that changes were needed at the front office and coaching levels, even though the replaced people weren’t necessarily doing a bad job.
Front Office. The roster still needs some work. It’s not possible to evaluate a GM on a game-to-game basis, or probably even on the basis of one season . But they think Nico is headed in the right direction. Mainly, the players seem happy. Of course, they will also have to produce wins, but the outlook is favorable. Response to hard times should prove instructive.
Coaching. The podcasters have a level of concern about how KP is going to be utilized in a way that makes him happy and does not also ruin the offense. KP doesn’t have to just stand around the three-point line, but he can’t spend his time clogging up the paint, either. Kidd will have to find a balance, and they think he is working on it.
HAWKS GAME
Roster couldn’t cope. This game was an illustration of why the Mavs still need to address their need for a secondary playmaker. When Luka was neutralized and couldn’t get into the paint, no one else could make anything happen, and the whole offense stalled. Luka just started hurling up shots from behind the three-point line, and didn’t make many. Of course, not every team can defend Luka that well, but they need to be able to respond when that occurs. The non-Luka lineups had a similar problem, especially without THJ on the floor.
Bench production. Hawks bench was better, hands down. Mavs went to an all-bench unit for a few minutes in the first half. Not to rousing success, unfortunately.
Should KP post up more? The gents at Inside the NBA say yes. Brian and Mark beg to disagree. A few post-ups per game by KP are okay, but making this a formula for success is a fool’s errand. KP doesn’t have the frame to back guys down — he is very awkward at it, and often just loses the ball. KP was already among the league leaders in shots off post-ups, since so few players use that move any more. KP is not a Joel Embiid or Karl Malone, and posting up is not the key to unlocking him. Think KP should play a diversified game, rather than emphasizing one particular type of play.
Was this just a bad shooting night? Well, the shooting was inarguably terrible. 30% shooting, excluding garbage time. 33% including the last few minutes. Lowest percentage in Mavs history for a season opener. Bottom 1% of field goal percentages in all Mavs games ever. Third worst post-title. 2-14 from the non-restricted area paint. Historically bad.
Two bigs. Kidd likes this type of lineup, but they didn't execute well. If Luka is not penetrating, Powell is not rolling, and then Powell’s purpose for being on the floor is far from clear. The effort to involve KP more resulted in a lot of KP clogging up the offense, and interfering with the ability of Luka and Powell to conduct their pick-and-rolls.
Kidd additions. Kidd is trying several new things. Some, like featuring DFS in the offense, will take some time to iron out. Others, like trying to increase deflections, looked like they were working until the team fell apart in the second half. Kidd is also focused on getting Luka to be calm in dealing with the refs. That worked well last night. Kidd advised Luka that if he wants to say something to the refs, to just pull his jersey up over his mouth, lol.
HARALABOB’S PODCAST
Bob felt that his reputation had been damaged by Cato’s article, and he is trying to get his side of the story out. But some of his story rang true.
Areas of agreement (between the podcasters and Bob). The dysfunction in the organization was real. The most compelling tidbit was that no one in this front office has been hired by another team. Cuban likes a random, chaotic, informal, fast-paced, unstructured organization, and hiring Bob was an aspect of that. Bob made up his own title, was contractually supposed to report to Donnie but didn’t, and he wasn’t a personality fit. Bob is difficult to get along with, by his own admission, and really didn’t make much of an effort in that direction (although he was always pleasant to Follow). By the end of the season, the situation had become untenable.
Areas of Disagreement
Donnie was not a self-serving guy who only cared about saving his own job. Brian personally worked with Donnie, and never saw him make a decision that was self-serving, as opposed to doing what was good for the team. MF concurred. Donnie was very good at the relationships aspect of the job.
Gerson Rosas did not leave because Donnie felt threatened. Gerson Rosas came in believing that he was in charge, and his style clashed badly with the organization. That was felt up and down the organization. He was the wrong fit. Mark’s idea in hiring Rosas was that, in such a flat organization, Donnie was overwhelmed with information overload, and ended up spreading himself too thin. So the thought was that various people would report to Rosas, who would then filter the info that needed to reach Donnie. That gatekeeper type position is common in organizations and probably could have worked here, but not for Rosas, who wanted to be in control.
Bob did not leave because he had tired of the dysfunction. Bob probably really did already want out by the time Cato’s article was published, but that was a direct result of Luka turning on him. Once that happened, his position was untenable, and he knew it.
Summing up. This interview was the truth according to Bob. Cato's article was the truth according to his sources. If Cubes or Rick or whoever did a podcast, they would have a different slant on the story. All we can do is compare notes.
OUTLOOK
Mark and Brian agree that changes were needed at the front office and coaching levels, even though the replaced people weren’t necessarily doing a bad job.
Front Office. The roster still needs some work. It’s not possible to evaluate a GM on a game-to-game basis, or probably even on the basis of one season . But they think Nico is headed in the right direction. Mainly, the players seem happy. Of course, they will also have to produce wins, but the outlook is favorable. Response to hard times should prove instructive.
Coaching. The podcasters have a level of concern about how KP is going to be utilized in a way that makes him happy and does not also ruin the offense. KP doesn’t have to just stand around the three-point line, but he can’t spend his time clogging up the paint, either. Kidd will have to find a balance, and they think he is working on it.
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