(05-29-2021, 06:11 PM)TXBamanut Wrote: Yeah, KP is "weak-minded" because he can't just sit there in the corner doing nothing --- which is a hard place to come from, as a big man, to get offensive rebounds by the way -- and then just turn it on and score 12 in the 4th...which is what it would have taken for him to get to solid production. He went 2 quarters with 2 shots and KP isn't a guy that turns down shots very often...in fact, he's been accused of being a black hole, so if he's only getting 2 shots in 2 quarters of play, then I would suspect that it's not because he's just turning down shots.Agree that KP didn't get very many good shots in this game, and, although the Mavs tried to force it into him a few times, they weren't in his best positions.
If he's not getting shots, that's coach and PG
In this particular game, I don't think that was limited to KP. What happened to the beautiful ball movement in the first two games? Seventeen assists on 38 made baskets -- SMH. Apart from the first few minutes, the offense appeared to be "Look around to see where Luka is, dump it to him, and then stand there while he works." Or, when Luka wasn't on, it seemed to be an every man for himself situation.
I like your comparison to football, but the analogy isn't perfect. A max player in basketball really ought to be able to create his own shot, at least to an extent, and we have seen that KP is capable of doing that.
I think the much more frightening aspect of KP's performance, in both this game and the big picture, is how much his defense has declined. I don't think this is necessarily an attitude problem. It seems to me that he just can't move as well as he used to -- at least, not for more than a few minutes at a stretch.
Someone in the Mavs media orbit quoted a stat recently to the effect that ultra-tall players (over 7'1") are rarely able to play a majority of their games past 5-6 seasons. Their bodies just don't hold up under that kind of physical stress. I suspect that may be where we have landed with KP.
I don't fault the Mavs for trading for him. But as it happens, I am afraid he has a shorter shelf life than they were expecting. I hope I am wrong. Also hope that he can still find a way to be effective in this series.