A Few Thoughts on Mavs 99, Clippers 114

[mavsluvr]

 
They do make it clear that these are weaknesses if the Mavs want to be considered an elite team. While they are already pretty good, issues like these need to be addressed to take it to the next level. 

 

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First things first, How about them Lumberjacks!

Take that, Duke!  Woo-hoo!

There are tiers at the top of each conference.  We are currently tied for fourth, but it doesn't mean we are top tier.  We've beaten fellow top of the west contenders Houston and Denver and almost took down the Lakers, but it doesn't mean we are top tier.  We can say "it was just a bad night", but this definitely showed gaps that have to be filled in order to take the next step.  Still, if someone had said on 10/1 that we'd be playing .650 ball and would be 3 1/2 games ahead of the 9th place team on 11/27, we'd have all been happy to take it.

I don't think the Mavericks expected Luka to be this good this soon, and now they find themselves in somewhat of an awkward position. Luka is arguably ready to go to the next level, and the rest of the roster isn't. Wonder if they would have made any different decisions in the offseason if they had realized.  

These are all different ways of saying the same things you just said, but here are my thoughts in terms of filling the gaps:

1.  We don't have a creator for when teams knock Luka off his game.  The design of this team was to have a second creator in the starting lineup.  But, Luka is so ball dominant that it is hard to take advantage of the skill of another creator (or is it that we don't have another creator and therefore Luka has to be more ball dominant).  Either way, Wright, Curry and Brunson have either not been up to the job or have preferred coming off the bench.  We still haven't lost a game where Hardaway has gotten two or more assists and last night he got one.  He's been a willing passer during our recent win streak.  But, he's not a natural creator.

Yup. 

2.  We have to be able to play with force at the wing.  DFS is having a great season, but try as he might, he's too skinny to guard the studs of the league.  Jackson and THJ are no help here either.  I love me some DFS, but in an ideal world, we'd have someone better here forcing Finney to be the hustle play glue guy who dominates bench players.

From what I know about DFS, I really like him as a person and as a Maverick teammate. But he's a borderline starter, at best, and maybe a 7th or 8th man on a contender. I don't mind having him here, at all. Like some of the others, he's just playing a notch above his level. Not his fault. Or Carlisle's. They have who they have. 

3.  We have to be able to play with force in the paint.  KP is a super-skinny offensively gifted big who is a great help defender.  Powell and Maxi have proven to be helpful, but they've traditionally done most of their damage against bench bigs.  The Clippers paint dominance (scoring and especially offensive rebounds) just killed us.  Same thing happened late against the Lakers.  Powell was no match one on one in the post against AD.  I get that Dallas has a vision of playing KP as a 5 and having either floor spreading Maxi or PNR savant Powell in the game with him.  But, neither is the way to go against the best in the league.  We need more beef, but that beef either needs to be able to hit an outside shot or replicate some of Powell's superior screen game.  Donnie has said "you almost can't draft a big anymore if he can't hit a 3".  But, you also can't play a big with KP who can't hold his own defensively and on the boards...even if they can hit a 3.  

I actually don't think they are trying to play KP as a 5, other than situationally, as he has been very clear that he has no interest in that. But the difference between power forwards and centers isn't all that substantial in a five-out system. And your point that we are missing a beefy big man with skills and mobility is a good one. 

All of this is to say what has been said many times before.  We have two stars and 8 guys who are essentially good 5-7 types.  It makes us deep and often that is good enough.  But against the best, we are really missing guys who can be our third and fourth best player on a consistent basis.

I think it's good to get a reality check now and again. Otherwise, it's too easy to start believing your own press releases and kidding yourself that you've solved your problems. Not that I think the Mavs were doing that. 

Good comments.