AROUND the NBA:

[Smitty]

Crazy times…OKC is losing and the clippers have won 3 straight.

Bulls have now won 5 straight, while Atlanta has lost 5 in a row. Don’t know if either of those things influence their front office to make trades. Even still, those teams are 2 and 3 games back of the 4 seed in the East. It’s truly as wide open as ever.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Bulls have now won 5 straight, while Atlanta has lost 5 in a row. Don’t know if either of those things influence their front office to make trades. Even still, those teams are 2 and 3 games back of the 4 seed in the East. It’s truly as wide open as ever.

That's the ebbs and flow of a long season for all teams.

[KillerLeft]

This show has been growing on me. I’ve always liked Mannix, and Rachel Nichols has impressed me more than I thought she could recently.

This entire clip is them discussing the recent Lakers woes. A rather lengthy and interesting Luka Dončić discussion starts around 5.25, and lasts for a long, long time. Almost the entire rest of the video. They are basically catching up to the stuff we already know, but I found some of the info Rachel says she got directly from Redick and Jason Kidd pretty interesting. As a Mavs fan, I thought it was a worthwhile watch.

https://youtu.be/MRbq-t2bIUg?si=tJjroGrnvY8Qp7b2

[windjc]

This show has been growing on me. I’ve always liked Mannix, and Rachel Nichols has impressed me more than I thought she could recently.

This entire clip is them discussing the recent Lakers woes. A rather lengthy and interesting Luka Dončić discussion starts around 5.25, and lasts for a long, long time. Almost the entire rest of the video. They are basically catching up to the stuff we already know, but I found some of the info Rachel says she got directly from Redick and Jason Kidd pretty interesting. As a Mavs fan, I thought it was a worthwhile watch.

https://youtu.be/MRbq-t2bIUg?si=tJjroGrnvY8Qp7b2

She’s right. Therapy might help though.

[cow]

This show has been growing on me. I’ve always liked Mannix, and Rachel Nichols has impressed me more than I thought she could recently.

This entire clip is them discussing the recent Lakers woes. A rather lengthy and interesting Luka Dončić discussion starts around 5.25, and lasts for a long, long time. Almost the entire rest of the video. They are basically catching up to the stuff we already know, but I found some of the info Rachel says she got directly from Redick and Jason Kidd pretty interesting. As a Mavs fan, I thought it was a worthwhile watch.

https://youtu.be/MRbq-t2bIUg?si=tJjroGrnvY8Qp7b2

While Luka can be a problem with his constant bitching to the refs and while I don't think he'll ever be more than a below average defender, I don't believe that he can't be reasoned with.  I just don't think he's had the right coach.  Carlisle was probably as close to that as he's had, but Carlisle also had difficulty letting go of the reigns and it was probably too early in Luka's career even if Rick did see the genious.  Maybe I'm overly negative on Kidd's/Reddick's coaching acumen.  I think you need a coach that Luka respects and can balance the tightrope of being his friend and demanding respect that would allow for those difficult conversations about accountability.  I think we may have had that guy here in Mosley and I doubt he would have had Luka write an essay on why he deserves Christmas presents.

[omahen]

This show has been growing on me. I’ve always liked Mannix, and Rachel Nichols has impressed me more than I thought she could recently.

This entire clip is them discussing the recent Lakers woes. A rather lengthy and interesting Luka Dončić discussion starts around 5.25, and lasts for a long, long time. Almost the entire rest of the video. They are basically catching up to the stuff we already know, but I found some of the info Rachel says she got directly from Redick and Jason Kidd pretty interesting. As a Mavs fan, I thought it was a worthwhile watch.

https://youtu.be/MRbq-t2bIUg?si=tJjroGrnvY8Qp7b2

I don't think they are catching up, they know exactly what they are talking about. I think Rachel has a very mature look on the situation. Luka is who he is and you can't expect him to change (a lot). You live with it and build around him, because he has proved he can take a team very far, perhaps all the way. Also, while Luka is of course not a great defender, Lakers problems are much bigger than him. Defense doesn't get any better with him out and it was just as bad against Phoenix where he didn't play. I think you can actually find many more videos of LeBron complaining to refs and not getting back on defense this year, since this was highlighted so much.

I think Rachel very correctly pointed out that the piece that doesn't fit for Lakers is LeBron. As I said many times already, this is basically a gap season waiting for LeBron to either retire or leave in the summer. He is like AD on Mavs when he wants to play the PF - he put "half" of roster out of position. LeBron has same effect on Lakers. Luka-LeBron and Rui are all PF on defense and they are a terrible combination on defense (add Reaves to the mix). Starting unit is beyond bad with their net-rating below - 20 now. No defense, no one goes for offensive rebounds in this unit, not enough shooting. Yet the coaches probably have their hands tight. Ayton and Luka are a lock. You can't bench LeBron because he is king. Rui and Reaves are both in their contract years and you probably want to keep them for years after LeBron, so you also need to play them. Hachimura barely sees the ball after LeBron came back from injury (vast majority of shots is taken by the "big three"). LeBron is still a good player, but he is not a max player anymore and he just doesn't fit on a roster with Luka and Reaves. 

Replace LeBron with Smart and this unit has a +20 net rating, even though they still lack a lot of athleticism. With Reaves out, Lakers will have a lot of troubles. LeBron can't lead offense anymore. He rarely creates any separation against anyone and his offense is usually a fadeaway tough shot. He does hit a decent percentage of them, but offense is completely static with these kind of plays.

[KillerLeft]

I don't think they are catching up, they know exactly what they are talking about.

Agreed, it was just my way of pointing out that the national talking points about Luka are becoming eerily similar to the old Mavs fan talking points, now that he is more on the national stage.

As for the rest, I’m not really interested in getting into a debate about it. I don’t think the kid, talented as he is, will ever win a championship, if I’m honest, but I don’t care enough about it anymore to argue. I’m a Mavericks fan, and I posted mostly because of the section where she confirms that she’s had conversations with Kidd and Mavs officials (as well as Redick and Lakers officials) that confirm they were/are concerned with these topics just like some of us. It’s just a level of transparency we don’t always get as sports fans, and I thought it was interesting.

If you didn’t, fair enough.

[omahen]

 I’m a Mavericks fan, and I posted mostly because of the section where she confirms that she’s had conversations with Kidd and Mavs officials (as well as Redick and Lakers officials) that confirm they were/are concerned with these topics just like some of us. It’s just a level of transparency we don’t always get as sports fans, and I thought it was interesting.

If you didn’t, fair enough.

I am really surprised you are surprised by this part. Arguing with refs has been a topic throughout Luka career and of course everyone was trying to work on it. Did you honestly thought that no one was trying to talk to Luka about these things? Or in general about things where he could be better at?

Where I think is a difference is in a focus of discussion. Some are focusing on the negatives and making it the sole point of discussion. Others are looking at the big picture where there is huge amount of good and some things that could be better.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

The Luka narrative is interesting. He's a great player no doubt, but he also has obvious flaws he has been unwilling or unable to correct. You really need a perfect team built to his strengths.

I was one of those people that was pretty mad when Luka was being anointed the greatest Mav in franchise history over Dirk. We'll see how many MVPs and NBA titles he racks up during his career. To me, Luka might be slightly better than James Harden. Might be. TBD

Just my opinion but triple double "culture" really overrates some guys. When you have the highest usage rate in NBA history, you dribble down the clock and then pass to the corner or lob on every possession, and camp out under the rim for rebounds that your center(s) would otherwise get, I think in general all these triple double accumulators other than Jokic are vastly overrated.

[KillerLeft]

Did you honestly thought that no one was trying to talk to Luka about these things? 

Yeah, honestly, during his time with the Mavericks I actually kind of did feel that way at times. Whatever they did/tried, it wasn't enough, that's for sure.

[Winter]

I think the Mavs used a much gentler approach. I remember when Cuban was the owner, he posted pics of Doncic in the off-season running up outdoor steps with his shirt off (and no commentary). There wasn't so much in the media about conditioning except in podcasts, message boards, and tweets. The Front Office didn't make it a thing in my opinion. There was probably a lot of nudging and suggesting, but nothing like we are seeing now in L.A.

I don't think either method is right or wrong. The Mavs tried the soft approach, and the Lakers knew that wasn't working. Redick though is almost abrasive in his tone. I'm not sure that works either.

[omahen]

Yeah, honestly, during his time with the Mavericks I actually kind of did feel that way at times. Whatever they did/tried, it wasn't enough, that's for sure.

I am really surprised by that. But here is the point, perhaps some things are simply not solvable, no matter how hard you are trying. But that doesn't mean you just throw away a player because he doesn't become something that he is not. That is why I am saying all the time, that some focus just on the negative things and some on the big picture. Is Luka perfect? Of course not. Is Luka, with all of his flaws, one of the best players in the league? Yes. Team building is about utilizing what he is good at and helping with what he is not good at. 

This doesn't mean you are not trying to improve the not so good things. But it also means you are not focusing just on the worse parts. You are still focusing on what is good.

[DallasMaverick]

I am really surprised by that. But here is the point, perhaps some things are simply not solvable, no matter how hard you are trying. But that doesn't mean you just throw away a player because he doesn't become something that he is not. That is why I am saying all the time, that some focus just on the negative things and some on the big picture. Is Luka perfect? Of course not. Is Luka, with all of his flaws, one of the best players in the league? Yes. Team building is about utilizing what he is good at and helping with what he is not good at. 

This doesn't mean you are not trying to improve the not so good things. But it also means you are not focusing just on the worse parts. You are still focusing on what is good.

Yes!

Roy Tarpley was really good at a lot of things. Kinda bad at a couple more.

[F Gump]

I generally agree with what Rachel Nichols and people here are saying about Luka. Human behavior is what it is. At some point, when someone keeps showing you who he is, over and over and over, then I think it's correct (and wise) to accept that that's who he is and what you are going to get. Change has to come from within, and if someone doesn't want to change and continues long term with the same way of doing things, change won't ever happen.

What I would disagree with is any takes that kinda give Luka a pass, in accepting this is what you get. In athletic competition, players can meet their limits of ability. But with Luka, a HUGE percentage of his defensive failings (probably the vast majority) are NOT beyond his ability at all. He simply QUITS and refuses to even play that defensive end of the floor. Of his own volition, Luka CAN choose to play defense every time, if he is willing. But he just won't. It's been his motif for years.

That makes it frustrating, the fact that he can fix the problem if just tries. But he won't. And RN is insightful in saying that it's time to accept he never will. Ugh.

[Mavs2021]

I generally agree with what Rachel Nichols and people here are saying about Luka. Human behavior is what it is. At some point, when someone keeps showing you who he is, over and over and over, then I think it's correct (and wise) to accept that that's who he is and what you are going to get. Change has to come from within, and if someone doesn't want to change and continues long term with the same way of doing things, change won't ever happen.

What I would disagree with is any takes that kinda give Luka a pass, in accepting this is what you get. In athletic competition, players can meet their limits of ability. But with Luka, a HUGE percentage of his defensive failings (probably the vast majority) are NOT beyond his ability at all. He simply QUITS and refuses to even play that defensive end of the floor. Of his own volition, Luka CAN choose to play defense every time, if he is willing. But he just won't. It's been his motif for years.

That makes it frustrating, the fact that he can fix the problem if just tries. But he won't. And RN is insightful in saying that it's time to accept he never will. Ugh.

All fair. We also should not forget that he won EuroBasket on a bum ankle as an 18 year old and won everything in sight in Europe before he was legally allowed to drink in America. He also led the Mavs to the WC and NBA finals before what is usually considered the prime of a player. I think there is a decent argument to be made that the Mavs could have won the title last year, if that moron Nico had not lost his mind. Let´s be honest the regular season is pretty meaningless. 

Through the trade Nico has sabotaged the Mavs and Luka. That Lakers team is complete trash. LeBron is finished. He plays no defense at all. It´s so obvious there is a huge struggle going on between Luka and LeBron. If I am the Mavs, I at least keep the cap flexible for 2028. I think Luka misses Dallas, despite all the crap that went down with Nico.

[Dirknows]

I generally agree with what Rachel Nichols and people here are saying about Luka. Human behavior is what it is. At some point, when someone keeps showing you who he is, over and over and over, then I think it's correct (and wise) to accept that that's who he is and what you are going to get. Change has to come from within, and if someone doesn't want to change and continues long term with the same way of doing things, change won't ever happen.

What I would disagree with is any takes that kinda give Luka a pass, in accepting this is what you get. In athletic competition, players can meet their limits of ability. But with Luka, a HUGE percentage of his defensive failings (probably the vast majority) are NOT beyond his ability at all. He simply QUITS and refuses to even play that defensive end of the floor. Of his own volition, Luka CAN choose to play defense every time, if he is willing. But he just won't. It's been his motif for years.

That makes it frustrating, the fact that he can fix the problem if just tries. But he won't. And RN is insightful in saying that it's time to accept he never will. Ugh.

Saw Luka on Christmas on TV…he did not look like the same dude who was on the cover of men’s health or whatever. Knew he wasn’t gonna keep up that physique all year but didn’t think he would lose it that quick. I guess it’s way easier to lose fitness than gain it.

[Winter]

Saw Luka on Christmas on TV…he did not look like the same dude who was on the cover of men’s health or whatever. Knew he wasn’t gonna keep up that physique all year but didn’t think he would lose it that quick. I guess it’s way easier to lose fitness than gain it.

You eat when you're depressed.

Of course, in his case, he can eat, be depressed, and still score 70 points in a game.

[Chicagojk]

Clippers win again.  Is there signs of life or just a little bump until Leonard gets hurt again.

Mavs play Portland tonight who got a nice win against Boston tonight.  

Washington has won a few games lately and beat Memphis last night.  Their pick is top 8 protected.   If it is past 8, the Knicks get it.   

Toronto beats GS in overtime.   Kuminga again gets a DNP-CD

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Jokic just went down

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1p...ry_at_the/

[cow]

Joker's avoid major damage to his knee, thankfully.