10-26-2022, 07:21 AM
(10-25-2022, 01:15 PM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: Some things I’m looking for tonight.
Dallas is ‘protecting’ Wood in terms of his minutes as a solo big and in terms of who he covers when he’s on with Maxi.
The way NO uses Valanciunis, there is a chance he may be in during some of the stints where Wood is typically the solo big. Does Dallas try to adjust or do they see what Wood looks like covering a larger big who has some offensive ability.
It would be nice for Josh to actually get to touch a basketball tonight.
One of the more fascinating decisions in terms of rotation occurred in the third quarter. Wood typically comes in at the 6:00 mark and Maxi joins a couple minutes later. Instead, Maxi was the first big off the bench and Wood didn't join until 4 minutes later. Why? I think it was to avoid Valanciunas. Dallas seems determined to keep Wood away from the Monsters of the NBA as the solo big. Larry Nance...sure. But not the Ayton's and JV's of the world. For those calling for Wood to start (and wanting the other starters to be DFS, Bullock and the two PG's), I think you will be disappointed. Wood may eventually start...may...but I don't think he will be starting as the solo big.
There was a little overlap between Wood and JV with Wood as the only big to start the fourth. Dallas quickly brought Maxi back and NO went small with Marshall, McCollum, Murphy, Graham and Nance. We spent most of the fourth trying to hunt matchups against Nance and amazingly, NO was hunting Maxi. I'm sure it has happened before, but I don't recall seeing it as much as I did last night.
Alas, no extra touches for Green. The two shots he took were literally (almost) the only times he actually touched the ball.
Dallas still has the 2nd best Net Rating in the league (and therefore 2nd best expected record). Beware of small sample sizes.
Anyone else missing Powell yet?