GAME 26: DAL (18-8) @ MIL (24-4) | 120-116 win

[Scott41theMavs]

Rick tried to piss the game away down the stretch with this strategy of letting Giannis go full court in 4 seconds for uncontested dunks, but the Mavs eked out the win anyway.

When you crap out diarrhea like this, you lose all right to request crow-eating and apologies from me, thank you very much. I'll eat crow in general, but not for you, buck-o.

I knew you'd say that. But what about my point? Can you explain to me the strategy of not fouling Giannis out on the floor and force him to make free throws rather than a four second full court dunk? Serious question. I don't get it. I would have fouled him every time down the stretch, as he's a 57% free throw shooter. If you let him run the court, it's a 100% chance he get two points.

True, true, true. But your comment - not to mention several from other posters which were a lot more incendiary - ring pretty whacky after what happened the rest of the game.

It strikes me that when your generational player can't play, your other past All-Star is recovering from a long-term injury, and the entire rest of your roster consists of players who would not start for any other contender or pretender in the NBA, and you come close to (a and of course ultimately pull off) ending the 18-game winning streak of one of the league's 2 best teams, that might have a little bit to do with your coach. As in, in literal terms, nearly everything to do with your coach.

I feel like you don't give our guys enough credit, and possibly give Luka too much credit. I think Seth, Wright, THJ, and Maxi could start for another team. Also, I love Luka, but I also think the Mavs often become too Luka-centric, and that he sometimes scores a lot, but at the same time makes it easier to beat us. Case in point, Giannis scores 48 tonight, but still loses. This is a team sport.

Seth, Wright, THJ, and Maxi. Let's break that down. Seth - yes, Seth could start reasonably for contending/pretending team, but, even though I love Seth, it would only be effective if he were the fifth-best starter. And he doesn't start for this team. Wright - he absolutely has the talent to start for a contender/pretender, but not the experience and confidence. I expect him to grow into that guy. But it has been decided that he plays best for this team, now, off the bench. Maxi - I absolutely believe Maxi should start over Powell, and I very much appreciate him as a Mav, but I also think he isn't a long-term answer in the starting lineup for any contender/pretender, including the Mavs. THJ - ah, finally, here we are at a player who starts. He's paid like the third-best player on a contender/pretender, but 1) didn't work at all as a sixth man for us, and 2) is a lotta-sometimes-3/little-D guy who would be the fifth-best starter ideally for the Mavs, except we play two scrubs (hard-working, lovable scrubs, but scrubs, guys who should be COMING OFF THE BENCH AND YES I'M YELLING) in the starting lineup. Edit: I firmly believe that THJ is a problem in the starting lineup for nearly any other contender/pretender.

Once again, only one of the four guys you listed starts for us. Think about that. I like DFS the best of our three undesirable starters - by far, really - but while I want to see THJ and Powell and their contracts gone, I would want to retain DFS, but coming off the bench. I stick with what I said. I love many of our boys in blue - Luka, KP, Wright, Curry, DFS, Maxi, Bobi, JJB, and Reaves as a prospect are dear to my heart (Brunson has a lot to like about him, but I see a bone-headed selfishness in the clutch that doesn't fit with the rest of his character and doesn't sit well with me at all, while Justin is just plain in my doghouse lately - find your game, young man). But I wasn't selling this team short. Perhaps KP, who had a great game. Already liked Wright and Curry, but they aren't starting for us now.