(03-12-2020, 01:39 PM)fifteenth Wrote: I don't get the "why doesn't Boban...stuff". All the same Boban items that we've already talked about for months apply.
Boban is situationally awesome, but...
I'm a Boban fan, was giddy watching him dominate a top 10 player in the league, hope he gets more chances (maybe even in a playoff series against Denver).
- His body isn't made for big minutes
- This season has been about the younger players with JJB and Bobi as the vets doing mentoring and playing when needed
- It's possible that our vets might play more if there are playoffs and that the regular season was meant to be minutes for the younger folks
- Bobi is better against certain competition. He's not great on defense against smaller lineups. He can be game planned for by making him do certain things on defense.
- Big Denver is kind of a perfect team for him to play against. (I'm not saying he can't be awesome against other teams, but I don't think he can be a full time starter with full time starter minutes)
I agree that his size and build should be taken into consideration with his minute usage and wear and tear.
That doesn't mean he can't play a lot more minutes and get much more consistent usage than he's been getting to this point in this season and in his career for that matter.
Giants like Yao Ming and even the great Shaquille O'Neal usually wear out those bodies, knees, feet etc. anyway due to the sheer need to push that massive frame up and down the floor fast and move around, jump around in basketball.
In this game Boban logged 31 minutes and was able to give you 31 points, along with 17 rebounds in a win over a top NBA team going against a young Allstar center. The point is he didn't have to log 40+ minutes but he can clearly do more than the tiny dip your toe in the water brief appearances he's been getting.
He doesn't have to do full time starter minutes to have a huge impact on helping Dallas stop runs and close out games with W's.
I think the argument about Bobi's usage on previous teams is an interesting one, worth a longer discussion.
Since we're on a long basketball hiatus it appears
I guess I'll offer a longer commentary. 
Boban's NBA career is what 5 years and 5 teams? He's an extremely unusual player case, really a Unicorn in his own right. I've followed him with some interest and more so the last couple of years.
Pop was developing him well as basically an older NBA rookie but it was so well that he was able to demand a salary too big to keep him, especially on a team with Tim Duncan.
Boban showed an ability to give elite performances in short minutes under Pop right out the gate in the NBA.
Quote:Marjanović provided a spark off the bench with Tim Duncan out injured and LaMarcus Aldridge limited to six points. Marjanović scored 17 points on 7-of-7 shooting in just 14 minutes to help the Spurs defeat the Timberwolves 101–95 and extend their franchise-record home winning streak to 27 games (dating to 2014–15 season).[32] Two days later, in a win over the Phoenix Suns, he became the first player in Spurs franchise history to record 12 rebounds in 15 minutes or less
...
Marjanović recorded a career-high 22 points and 12 rebounds in a 96–91 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Pop himself told Boban to go take the bigger money payday in Detroit, Spurs loved him but couldn't match with their roster.
In Detroit he again ends up behind another of the top centers in the league so his minutes were again limited although coach Stan loved him. When he did get to play though …
Quote:with Andre Drummond in foul trouble and Aron Baynes out injured, coach Stan Van Gundy had to give Marjanović extended minutes.[42] On April 7, 2017, he led the Pistons with a career-high 27 points and 12 rebounds off the bench in a 114–109 win over the Houston Rockets.
That's been the story of his few years in the NBA. He came in to the league at a time when the NBA style of play changed drastically.
The position of center especially has been majorly altered and NBA coaches are still figuring out how to use the rare inside force at the 5 position. Even Shaq's usage would have to be 'figured out' if he played in todays NBA.
Boban imo should have played more in Philadelphia last season, especially in the playoffs. He had some very good showings helping them behind Allstar Joel Embiid and was big factor in helping them win their series against the Nets.
Against Toronto, Brett Brown was risk-averse to use Mavsluvr's term in the series against Toronto and was gun shy to use him, after their Brilliant coach scared Brown by putting Bobi into a lot of PnR's one game. Brown gave up on him quickly in that series even though big slow but smart Marc Gasol gave Joel Embiid major problems.
Long story shorter now, in Dallas the situation is different again. Mavs don't have a Duncan/Aldridge/Drummond/Embiid type big. They have a Porzingis. Not a big beefy guy that excels inside at the rim, but a different type of Unicorn. Mavs can really use that role filled.
Then the Mavs also have the brilliant Luka and other really good passing guards to play off of Boban.
Doncic rolling to rim with Boban off the roll is an amazing play to watch. Luka is Brilliant and puts the defense in major bind the way he forces he defense to give up something good almost every time when he has Bobi as an option.
Dallas situation could be an ideal fit for Bobi to shine in significant stretches.
Now its just up to Carlisle (and the coronavirus
) how the story continues.