GAME 2: UTA (1-1) vs. DAL (1-1)| 104-110 WIN!!!!!

[DanSchwartzgan]

EXCELLENT post.

I 100% get why the Mavs want to spread UTA out and go 5-out to end the game. It is why I liked the suggestion of giving DB more minutes at the 5. 

But in 38 mins, the Mavs are offensively 123.9 and defensively 97.1 when DP plays. That is +26.7 and why I have been screaming for more minutes from him in the series. The D has been by FAR the best with him in. Everyone is hitting their rotations best when he has played. As I put it in the gamethread "he organizes the D the best of the big men." And the O is not suffering with DP out there. He is so SMART in how he moves around the court even when he isn't being guarded as a three point threat. His GREAT screening forces a player to be attached to him and the spacing that results is great. He is the anti-KP in that regard (whose bad screening killed the spacing). 

In Maxi's 56 mins, the Mavs are offensively 109.4 and defensively 120.6. That is -11.1, including his FANTASTIC 2nd half last night. 

I hope Maxi is confident moving forward in the series, but I still think DP is the best big man option in this series and should be getting more burn. His screening is so key to that. DP+JB is 123.1 offensively and DP+SD is 129.1 offensively in the series. Those guys are getting really GOOD looks with DP setting screens in the offense.

Preaching to the choir!

‘But Kamm, clearly you don’t understand how basketball works.  Powell doesn’t score and doesn’t rebound.  How can he possibly be any good’. It gets really old.

Did you see that they tried three bigs for a moment or two.  Got off of that pretty quick.  Zone in the fourth also seemed to slow down Utah.  Kidd tends to have a wrinkle that he uses at winning time more than trying to use it all game long.  He doesn’t let the other team be comfortable with what has happened the rest of the game down the stretch.

THJ would probably help right about now.  I always feel like we need one more guy.  Right now we have two more guys.  They just happen to be in street clothes.  I still think we’re going to need some kind of production from Green to win in Utah.  He needs one of those moments just like Maxi did.  Maxi got his.  I hope Green does too.