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

[mvossman]

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.

This feels like another argument based on small sample noisy data.  Its hard to imagine an argument for Powell being a better defender than Maxi.  Maxi is literally better at everything than Powell defensively.  I think Kidd is giving Maxi more minutes due to defense more so than offense.  I realize that not everything a player does shows up in the box score, but when your best arguments for a player (other than +/-) is screen setting and defensive organization, it seems a little like grasping for straws.

The reality is that we need both.  Personally I think both would be more effective coming off the bench and playing together, but we don't have that option right now.  With Luka out, you could make an argument for a closing lineup of Powell/Maxi/DFS/Din/Brunson if they could handle the minutes.