Mavs 107, Kings 121

[TXBamanut]

Thanks, Bama, I am always happy to receive other perspectives. 

I find your views on KP very interesting, and will try to consider them in evaluating his performances. 

I actually never meant to suggest that the loss was only on KP, just that his performance was below his usual standard. And that was surely not just on him -- the offense needs to operate in such a manner as to create good looks for KP and the other scorers.

I didn't take it as you were saying it was all on him, but I do feel in general, that he takes way too much blame.  "Don't shoot midrange" then "why aren't you posting up" -- "don't shoot threes" vs "take more threes"

This isn't a you thing, but I'm going to just add, that I don't know a big man in the history of the NBA that didn't depend on the offensive set and the PG to get him the ball to be successful.  He goes in the post, he doesn't get the pass and floats to the corner.  He stays at the 3 and may get the shot or not.

Players that occupy his spot on the team, you can't go "well he's on, so we'll give him the ball" and if he has a stinker half, go "well, we're moving on."  You can do that for a role player, but not the second best player on your team. 

I've never been madder in a game that when we were in triple overtime and our super player (and he was) had like 40 and decided to take on 3 guys on a fast break to win, while I ran to the basket with no one even looking at me and he didn't pass it, missed the shot and we lost.  I can imagine how a guy who's been a scorer and franchise player in the league being relegated to "enhanced role player" status....and it's really kind of getting that way late in games.  This team won't be right until the top two players are taking things on their shoulders, not just playing hero ball and forcing shots, but trusting each other to make shots.

If he takes good shots, then take them.  If he doesn't, then bench him, but that's how you play basketball.  You can't just give love to Doe-Doe and say "keep shooting it" when he's missing and then be like "KP your off, just hang out over here and go block shots"...

You ride or die with your stars because that's just your team...you can't work around it when they are on the court, you just have to choose that is how you are going to roll.

I really believe that while KP isnt' the most important thing on the team, getting his role right in Luka's eyes is the most important improvement that we really can make.

Luka can't do all his twisting and turning in the paint with 3 guys on him and ignore KP sitting at the 3 point line wide open in a tight game and expect to win anything of consequence in this league unless he's greater than every other player that has ever lived.  The James Harden that Luka is emulating sometimes right now doesn't work for long term team success.