PRESEASON GAME 1: DAL @ OKC | 98-96 win

[ItsGoTime]

Oh, I don't think they "missed" on one - they're SUPER hard to get. Speedy Claxton's status was a little up in the air, but I'm not sure he was available, exactly, and he's just maybe about to be one of those guys. 

Nic Claxton is the guy you're referring to and he weighs LESS than DFS. DFS would be better guarding bigs than him. However, at least you're naming names, and that is at least something tangible we can look at as to your thinking on this. I also might suggest, if he is the player with that potential, the Nets would be far from allowing him to go. Looking at his stats, he could be an upgrade in bpg to Powell, but that frame doesn't allow him to control the paint in any meaningful way (Powell would be better at this, and he's bad).

I disagree so wholeheartedly that how the Mavs handled "the big guys" was their problem last year that I don't know how to further the conversation. My contention is that not being able to improve on Kleber/Powell (while improving in other areas that matter) but still playing the style of game that got them so far last season would've represented improvement.

This is also something. After Losing KP, the Mavs had Powell and Kleber (well, Boban and Chriss if you want to count them) and Powell wasn't getting many minutes. Our defense (as pointed out by @"mvossman") dropped significantly and we all know Kidd wants to win starting with defense. 

Those two got dominated by Looney who isn't all that integral to what the Warriors do as evidenced by his minutes and production in all the other playoff series they played last year (meaning he isn't the guy you're describing on an every game basis). He did so well against us cause we are one of the smallest teams in the league after KP left (and one of the slowest). He's an option to spell Green when the other team has big bigs like Jokic, Adams and Horford. That's what he does for them when he's not dominating the Mavs bigs.

Last year, Utah was who Utah has been in the playoffs and I think that's because Gobert isn't the FORCE he needs to be in the paint, he's like our bigs in that they can't push players around and control what happens in THEIR lane but Gobert is required to be out there due to his contract and status. Phoenix was a shocker on the level of 2011 Mavs playoff run IMO. It did, however, put into question how good is Ayton really? He didn't seem to control the paint like I thought he would, and he is required to be out there due to his status. Those two examples are reasons to agree with what you're saying, but we still have to employ the bigs that can take on the bigger guys of the NBA, just like LAC and GSW have and what TOR is trying to get.

You have to take the good with the bad when you're a beggar. Hopefully next year we can be choosers.