11-30-2021, 05:55 PM
Mark and Brian review the Mavs’ progress.
Followill. Mark has thankfully recovered from his trip to the ER on Friday.
Porzingis. They figure that KP probably won’t play on Wednesday, due to his sprained ankle.
LAST THREE GAMES
Clippers — Mavs gave up a 10-point lead in the last four minutes, but dominated in overtime. Takeaway — started their running-the-clock-down offense a little too early, but was an exercise in resilience.
Wizards — The defense couldn’t make a stop at the end, and they allowed Gafford two critical offensive rebounds. According to Carlisle, the worst shot to give up in the NBA is the kick-out three after an offensive rebound, and we did. Wiz are 10-1 in clutch games, best in the league, so the clutch opponent was formidable. Mavs 6-3 in those situations. They might have learned from the experience.
Cavs
Moses Brown. He finally got to start, which some fans had been clamoring for. It is understandable that fans want to see Brown — he put up good numbers last year on a tanking team, and he is a 7’2” 22-year-old. But we’re not likely to see a lot of him, for a couple of reasons. 1. He is a project, rather than a guy who can be helpful in the here and now. 2. He might be here primarily as a potential trade asset, anyway. Likely to be the odd man out if Dragic or another player is acquired.
Interior defense. There was none. Allen, Markkanen and Mobley all got to the rim at will with demoralizing highlight-reel plays.
SHOOTING WOES
At this point, it’s getting harder to put this up to a statistical anomaly. It’s a systemic problem now. They are shooting wide open looks well, but have become terrible at anything else. Most of the Mavs’ shooters have regressed way below their last-season and career averages. And when you combine that with poor free-throw shooting, it’s very difficult to explain.
What is the solution? Not altogether buying the “we just have to try harder” panacea. That’s usually just coach-speak for, “I don’t know what the problem is.” The offense is working in the sense of getting open looks. Are they practicing shooting the right way? Are they working with the guys on their mechanics (for example, Reggie, whose shot has visibly flattened and who doesn’t seem to have his legs in the shot)? Why was Reggie taking the technical free throw, when he had only shot 5 FTA all season? Etc.
The situation borders on alarming at this point in the season. When you look at team-wide slumps, it’s sometimes a case of the players feeling the pressure mounting as the situation worsens, guys getting the yips, and performance spiraling downward.
DEFENSE
Shotmaking comes and goes, but they are making a mistake letting their poor shooting affect their focus and attention to detail on defense. Transition D has particularly taken a hit, as the players slump their shoulders.
Kidd is trying to stay positive and encourage them to stick together.
STARTING LINEUP
Powell was replaced with Willie, who became ill and was replaced for the night with Moses. Kidd has indicated that Maxi could try that place, once he is 100%. Don't necessarily expect to see Kidd dispense with Willie/Powell to start the games.
Kidd knows that KP-Maxi is the best big man lineup, but has his reasons for not starting that way. Both KP and Maxi have injury concerns. Neither KP nor Maxi can sustain consistent games of playing 35+ minutes — they have to be load-managed. Kidd has to have help from Powell and/or Willie. Kidd thinks that starting one of those guys forces teams to prepare for a different look than KP-Maxi or just KP. He is also protecting his best bigs from foul trouble and wearing down by starting the weaker players.
A more intriguing question might be the closing lineup — which three out of Maxi-Brunson-DFS-Tim will be part of it, or will it be matchup dependent?
POSSIBLE NEW PLAYERS
Center. Can they fortify the big man rotation to get a guy who plays “bigger” in the paint? Maxi plays more like a PF. Could they maybe get a McGee type guy to play next to KP? It's a little puzzling that they didn’t sign a guy like that in the summer if they knew they were going to play this style.
Dragic. We still expect that Dragic will eventually be here to stabilize the playmaking. Goran has likely played his last game as a Raptor. The Raps will probably wait until the TDL, and then work a buyout if they can’t make a deal. Nothing appears to be imminent.
Walker. Kemba’s name is circulating. He has an injury history, but he is a former Mavs target. If the Mavs are desperate and the price is right, they might take a flyer.
Followill. Mark has thankfully recovered from his trip to the ER on Friday.
Porzingis. They figure that KP probably won’t play on Wednesday, due to his sprained ankle.
LAST THREE GAMES
Clippers — Mavs gave up a 10-point lead in the last four minutes, but dominated in overtime. Takeaway — started their running-the-clock-down offense a little too early, but was an exercise in resilience.
Wizards — The defense couldn’t make a stop at the end, and they allowed Gafford two critical offensive rebounds. According to Carlisle, the worst shot to give up in the NBA is the kick-out three after an offensive rebound, and we did. Wiz are 10-1 in clutch games, best in the league, so the clutch opponent was formidable. Mavs 6-3 in those situations. They might have learned from the experience.
Cavs
Moses Brown. He finally got to start, which some fans had been clamoring for. It is understandable that fans want to see Brown — he put up good numbers last year on a tanking team, and he is a 7’2” 22-year-old. But we’re not likely to see a lot of him, for a couple of reasons. 1. He is a project, rather than a guy who can be helpful in the here and now. 2. He might be here primarily as a potential trade asset, anyway. Likely to be the odd man out if Dragic or another player is acquired.
Interior defense. There was none. Allen, Markkanen and Mobley all got to the rim at will with demoralizing highlight-reel plays.
SHOOTING WOES
At this point, it’s getting harder to put this up to a statistical anomaly. It’s a systemic problem now. They are shooting wide open looks well, but have become terrible at anything else. Most of the Mavs’ shooters have regressed way below their last-season and career averages. And when you combine that with poor free-throw shooting, it’s very difficult to explain.
What is the solution? Not altogether buying the “we just have to try harder” panacea. That’s usually just coach-speak for, “I don’t know what the problem is.” The offense is working in the sense of getting open looks. Are they practicing shooting the right way? Are they working with the guys on their mechanics (for example, Reggie, whose shot has visibly flattened and who doesn’t seem to have his legs in the shot)? Why was Reggie taking the technical free throw, when he had only shot 5 FTA all season? Etc.
The situation borders on alarming at this point in the season. When you look at team-wide slumps, it’s sometimes a case of the players feeling the pressure mounting as the situation worsens, guys getting the yips, and performance spiraling downward.
DEFENSE
Shotmaking comes and goes, but they are making a mistake letting their poor shooting affect their focus and attention to detail on defense. Transition D has particularly taken a hit, as the players slump their shoulders.
Kidd is trying to stay positive and encourage them to stick together.
STARTING LINEUP
Powell was replaced with Willie, who became ill and was replaced for the night with Moses. Kidd has indicated that Maxi could try that place, once he is 100%. Don't necessarily expect to see Kidd dispense with Willie/Powell to start the games.
Kidd knows that KP-Maxi is the best big man lineup, but has his reasons for not starting that way. Both KP and Maxi have injury concerns. Neither KP nor Maxi can sustain consistent games of playing 35+ minutes — they have to be load-managed. Kidd has to have help from Powell and/or Willie. Kidd thinks that starting one of those guys forces teams to prepare for a different look than KP-Maxi or just KP. He is also protecting his best bigs from foul trouble and wearing down by starting the weaker players.
A more intriguing question might be the closing lineup — which three out of Maxi-Brunson-DFS-Tim will be part of it, or will it be matchup dependent?
POSSIBLE NEW PLAYERS
Center. Can they fortify the big man rotation to get a guy who plays “bigger” in the paint? Maxi plays more like a PF. Could they maybe get a McGee type guy to play next to KP? It's a little puzzling that they didn’t sign a guy like that in the summer if they knew they were going to play this style.
Dragic. We still expect that Dragic will eventually be here to stabilize the playmaking. Goran has likely played his last game as a Raptor. The Raps will probably wait until the TDL, and then work a buyout if they can’t make a deal. Nothing appears to be imminent.
Walker. Kemba’s name is circulating. He has an injury history, but he is a former Mavs target. If the Mavs are desperate and the price is right, they might take a flyer.
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