MAVS NEWS:

[ThisIStheYear]

Man, I just don't see this either.  He beat what I consider an elite team in OKC in a 7 game series.  We started a vet min guy, a rookie and a guy we just traded for at the TDL.  There was a lot of room to improve on a team that just won the West.  I think if we make quality incremental moves this team would eventually have won it all.

The Phoenix team he beat was probably the title favorite or a top 2 favorite at the time as well. That’s 2 elite teams he’s beaten in the playoffs. Thats far more than 0. Luka just played a lot of minutes in 2023-24 (the most of any player in the NBA - they rode him like a horse), felt compelled to give it a go in Slovenia’s Olympic bid, and couldn’t really get healthy until the end of last season. He’ll be ready to go this season.

[DL2RimRocker]

Speaking of Alphas, or greats, I think we clearly have 3 players it is really great to have on our team. We have 8 more players who can be good to strong contributors to an overall very deep and strong supporting cast. I don’t think we can rule out Kyrie and AD playing at an Alpha or great level in next year’s playoffs. We can’t rule out that young Cooper Flagg is able to play a very strong third as a rising soon to be great player. 

I think all 3 of our stars are more likely to reach heights we may not expect precisely because of our potential top level supporting cast. These guys showed last year that they can compete hard and pretty well no matter what the situation. 

AD is an Alpha on defense, a solid rebounder, and can be an Alpha scorer at times. We would love getting him for just about any one but Luka. 

Kyrie has been wonderful here. He has been a great story. I’m not ruling out a great, Alpha performance from him in the playoffs. 

Cooper Flagg is certainly top 3 in the last 10 years as far as expectations for a draft pick. If he meets those expectations early even a little like Luka did, he can be a strong 3rd best player in all aspects of the game. 

This board is so great at knowing legitimate concerns as well as recognizing strengths of players and teams. I just think we have two guys who could rise to Alpha or great level in one or more playoff series, more than one good candidate for 3rd best player and more depth than most teams. We are plenty good enough to win a playoff series at our best. No this team is not a championship favorite nor even a certain contender. To me they will be fun to watch without worrying about high expectations. Even if too much does go wrong, we have a lot of guys who will be fun to watch and root for. Finally, they are way too good to rule anything out. I guarantee our guys aren’t.

I might be able to agree on Kyrie depending on how soon and well he recovers, but not AD and Cooper.
AD is a great player, but I don't see him as an alpha and he never has been.
Cooper might eventually be, but that is a lot to ask of him during the Kyrie/AD era.

If we do have an alpha, we would have the weakest of any of the serious contenders in the west.

I think we'll beat the hell out of a lot of teams this season and have a decent record IF everyone is healthy and Kyrie comes back soon and at full strength. However, my point all along has been that we will miss that guy who can be given the ball and go make a bucket/play in a tight meaningful game. That is what we are missing most without Luka imo.  Other than that, I can't say I'm too upset he is gone.

[Chicagojk]

Speaking of Alphas, or greats, I think we clearly have 3 players it is really great to have on our team. We have 8 more players who can be good to strong contributors to an overall very deep and strong supporting cast. I don’t think we can rule out Kyrie and AD playing at an Alpha or great level in next year’s playoffs. We can’t rule out that young Cooper Flagg is able to play a very strong third as a rising soon to be great player. 

I think all 3 of our stars are more likely to reach heights we may not expect precisely because of our potential top level supporting cast. These guys showed last year that they can compete hard and pretty well no matter what the situation. 

AD is an Alpha on defense, a solid rebounder, and can be an Alpha scorer at times. We would love getting him for just about any one but Luka. 

Kyrie has been wonderful here. He has been a great story. I’m not ruling out a great, Alpha performance from him in the playoffs. 

Cooper Flagg is certainly top 3 in the last 10 years as far as expectations for a draft pick. If he meets those expectations early even a little like Luka did, he can be a strong 3rd best player in all aspects of the game. 

This board is so great at knowing legitimate concerns as well as recognizing strengths of players and teams. I just think we have two guys who could rise to Alpha or great level in one or more playoff series, more than one good candidate for 3rd best player and more depth than most teams. We are plenty good enough to win a playoff series at our best. No this team is not a championship favorite nor even a certain contender. To me they will be fun to watch without worrying about high expectations. Even if too much does go wrong, we have a lot of guys who will be fun to watch and root for. Finally, they are way too good to rule anything out. I guarantee our guys aren’t.

I don't think AD is an alpha.  Or at least not the level of the top players who I view at this level.  I am really interested to watch AD this year.  I envision him as a really good/maybe great player on a really deep and talented team.   He had this a year or so in LAL but for the most part he wasn't a part of deep and talented teams.   I don't know if he still has that UK style of play where he was the best player on a deep team but didn't put up huge numbers.   

I am uncertain about this year.  With the injuries, some of the unknown questions. Lack of creation.  Maybe most important is having that guy in the last 5 minutes who just is able to get or create baskets.  Most of the contenders have this guy.   I am not sure either AD or Kyrie is best as this guy.   

What gives me most excitement about moving forward is the hope is if AD can be the type of player who elevates others, with Lively and Flagg along with AD being able to outproduce their counting stats.  The best players doing a lot of the small winning stuff makes a huge impact.  Dallas has other players who can do this in smaller ammounts.  They are a deep team that is big and physical and could potentially play a smart style of basketball.   I am not sure how it fits and what types of moves will need to be made in the future, but this is exciting to me.   This may offset not having a top 5-8 player in the league that most of the great teams have.   Maybe Flagg eventually gets there but you typically need to go through the tribulations to get there.

[mvossman]

Locked on Mavs had an interesting podcast talking about the biggest Mavs Villian. The top three were Wade, Nico and Rondo. All good choices.

[JBB]

Locked on Mavs had an interesting podcast talking about the biggest Mavs Villian.  The top three were Wade, Nico and Rondo.  All good choices.

Joey Crawford was the only other name that immediately came to mind.

[DL2RimRocker]

I don't think AD is an alpha.  Or at least not the level of the top players who I view at this level.  I am really interested to watch AD this year.  I envision him as a really good/maybe great player on a really deep and talented team.   He had this a year or so in LAL but for the most part he wasn't a part of deep and talented teams.   I don't know if he still has that UK style of play where he was the best player on a deep team but didn't put up huge numbers.   

I am uncertain about this year.  With the injuries, some of the unknown questions. Lack of creation.  Maybe most important is having that guy in the last 5 minutes who just is able to get or create baskets.  Most of the contenders have this guy.   I am not sure either AD or Kyrie is best as this guy.   

What gives me most excitement about moving forward is the hope is if AD can be the type of player who elevates others, with Lively and Flagg along with AD being able to outproduce their counting stats.  The best players doing a lot of the small winning stuff makes a huge impact.  Dallas has other players who can do this in smaller ammounts.  They are a deep team that is big and physical and could potentially play a smart style of basketball.   I am not sure how it fits and what types of moves will need to be made in the future, but this is exciting to me.   This may offset not having a top 5-8 player in the league that most of the great teams have.   Maybe Flagg eventually gets there but you typically need to go through the tribulations to get there.

Yeah, ours is far down the list.

WC players in order I'd want to put the ball in the hands of in clutch situations:

1. SGA
2. Luka
3. Edward's
4. Jokic
5. Curry
6. Durant
7. Lebron 
8. Leonard
9. Kyrie
10. Butler, Harden, AD, Booker, Zion, Ja, Murray (could all be in this spot as far as I'm concerned)

I'm sure there is some type of stat that will say otherwise, but this would be my preference.

[DallasMaverick]

Yeah, ours is far down the list.

WC players in order I'd want to put the ball in the hands of in clutch situations:

1. SGA
2. Luka
3. Edward's
4. Jokic
5. Curry
6. Durant
7. Lebron 
8. Leonard
9. Kyrie
10. Butler, Harden, AD, Booker, Zion, Ja, Murray (could all be in this spot as far as I'm concerned)

I'm sure there is some type of stat that will say otherwise, but this would be my preference.

…but Halliburton and Nembhard aren’t on your list. And Indiana almost won a title!

So maybe having an “alpha” isn’t all that important, after all.

[Chicagojk]

haven't listened to it yet, but if true below than I agree. I want to see fun basketball again.  Although, in reality it probably is a gap year.  See what they have and make a move or two when you understand.  The following year is when you may see a really good team. 

https://x.com/MavsFilmRoom/status/1950062268319662366

Listened to it this morning.  Good even level analysis.

[SkenfromLMF]

Locked on Mavs had an interesting podcast talking about the biggest Mavs Villian. The top three were Wade, Nico and Rondo. All good choices.

Joey Crawford was the only other name that immediately came to mind.

How quickly we forget Lamar Odom...

[DL2RimRocker]

…but Halliburton and Nembhard aren’t on your list. And Indiana almost won a title!

So maybe having an “alpha” isn’t all that important, after all.

Understand your point but Pacers are EC.

[DallasMaverick]

Understand your point but Pacers are EC.

Ah!

So only WC teams need an alpha.

[DallasMaverick]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4591...act-dallas

Pretty optimistic outlook.

[DL2RimRocker]

Ah!

So only WC teams need an alpha.

If Mavs were in the EC it wouldn't matter.

[myconsumerclub]

Mavs got the most talented roster and depth this year its just not fully healthy yet but when it is the team is going to be dominant on the front line and back. They have the potential on any night to dominate from the front court and once we get Irving and Klay to go off at the same time its going to be magic. Now Cooper has talent and he has a whole NBA season to master the craft and work on his offensive options to pass and or score because defensively he is a savant already and he stands next to other defensive savants. For his size Irving is quite capable on the defensive end but Klay is the better defender of the 2 so if they play their cards right and stay healthy we could be witnessing greatness.

Now for a look at the bench you have Gafford at the 5 PJ at the 4 Naji at the 3 max the 2 and DLo the 1 pretty solid and others backing them up have great potential as well.

bottom of the bench
Hardy can possibly show up this season and turn things around, BWill is a mini Kyrie and thats a young back court worth developing. If Kessler and Kai were to be signed that would certainly add a big and a wing that can play 3 4 and 5. Exum adds in a 40% shooter that defends and with his passing ability and size to play at 3 positions 1 through 3 makes him a versatile and a valuable insurance policy that is if he could finally stay healthy (fingers crossed ).

Just need to jetison Powell Martin and Omax to round out the roster this way.

[david75090]

Someone is beginning to see the vision. Or possibly, a vision.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4591...act-dallas


The Cooper Flagg forecast composed by various writers, analysts, and editors.

[Chicagojk]

Looking back at the draft and thinking if they Mavs stayed out 12. It would have been tough. A lot of the guys taken in that range were probably not great fits for Dallas. I didn’t study those guys a lot but I probably would have taken Kasparas. He didn’t get pick until 20th though.

My question is would you have taken that New Orleans trade package? I think you would have to, but I am not sure Nico would have considered it.

[F Gump]

Looking back at the draft and thinking if they Mavs stayed out 12.  It would have been tough.  A lot of the guys taken in that range were probably not great fits for Dallas.  I didn’t study those guys a lot but I probably would have taken Kasparas.  He didn’t get pick until 20th though.

My question is would you have taken that New Orleans trade package?  I think you would have to, but I am not sure Nico would have considered it.

Cooper Flagg. That was the only worthwhile draft plan for the Mavs. Everything else was a path to nowhere. This was the one and only pick that can make a real difference.

[KillerLeft]

Cooper Flagg. That was the only worthwhile draft plan for the Mavs. Everything else was a path to nowhere. This was the one and only pick that can make a real difference.

I still can't believe you spoke it into existence.

[F Gump]

I still can't believe you spoke it into existence.

LOL as if such things were possible. (If they were, we'd soon have a nation of star QBs, astronauts, ballerinas, and billionaires!)