Game 34: Dallas Mavericks (12-21) vs. Portland Trailblazers (13-19) | 9:30pm CST

[RBB]

Gonna be another shitty loss.

[GATA]

Awful game. Too many guys that think they need to take every shot

[Chicagojk]

Much better effort in second half. Portland feeling the back to back late?

Still plenty not to like. Good stat games by Williams, max, Gafford and Marshall. Played well. Cooper didn’t shoot well but was aggressive. Not upset with the loss

[Reunion Mav]

F We are good enough to win but we just don’t. We make plenty of winning plays and we always give ourselves a chance but there’s always way too many losing plays throughout the game. This was another team that we let play better than they are.

Gafford was good tonight and BW has taken back the guard minutes with good play.
Overall I’m very unhappy right now.

[SwisherPrice]

Mavs are the best show in the NBA. You’ll always get a close game with lots of buckets and very little defense

[FireNicoHarrison]

Defense wins championship.

Anyway street clothes is the best tank commander ever, i can't believe we trade Doncic for that soft budino.

[Reunion Mav]

I realize this isn't fun, but the formula for a stealth tank is:

1. Lose on the road (3 and 12 so far this season...3 and 13 after tonight)

Lose to bad teams anywhere (recent loses to Utah, NO, SAC and tonight qualify)

Win occasionally at home against good teams to give fans some hope, (Nice wins against Detroit, Denver, Houston and Miami)

The plan is working

Good point but this one we played pretty well in the 3rd and the 4th but had some unfortunate stuff take the win away. Again, I’m upset more about this one.

[Knutsen]

Good point but this one we played pretty well in the 3rd and the 4th but had some unfortunate stuff take the win away. Again, I’m upset more about this one.

It’s important that we lose every game possible in the next few weeks, so that we don’t get any illusions about making the playoffs with Davis and Irving returning.

[DanSchwartzgan]

It’s important that we lose every game possible in the next few weeks, so that we don’t get any illusions about making the playoffs with Davis and Irving returning.

5th most losses in the league right now.  LAC and Brooklyn are worse by percentage, but ultimately you aren't there until you pile up the actual loss.  Also, LAC on a four game win streak with no incentive to tank.

[Dahlsim]

It’s important that we lose every game possible in the next few weeks, so that we don’t get any illusions about making the playoffs with Davis and Irving returning.

Its hard to see a very effective tank being maintained if Kyrie returns anywhere near to being Kyrie and AD keeps putting in streaks of healthy games all in the 2nd half of the season. 

Low level lottery pick I guess remains doable given the quality of the West but this team's veteran players will be thinking playoff run. The illusion is strong.

[ballsrchr]

Wow! What a game.

Nembhard was picking up his dribble too early, and nobody was breaking out to bail him out.

No defense. Looked like the old "statue" defense that is designed to confuse opposing teams...

The Mavs play too slow! They need to pick up the pace...on offense. I don't know what they can do on defense.

I say all the above as if I want them to win. I do/don't! It's unheard of for me to want "my" team to tank. But here we are.

We need a GM. And when/if we make trades/drafts they need to be done with some foresight and intelligence.

[Dirknows]

Its hard to see a very effective tank being maintained if Kyrie returns anywhere near to being Kyrie and AD keeps putting in streaks of healthy games all in the 2nd half of the season. 

Low level lottery pick I guess remains doable given the quality of the West but this team's veteran players will be thinking playoff run. The illusion is strong.

No one knows when Kyrie will even be ready. Mavs better take it slow with him, he can play after AD is traded.

[Knutsen]

Its hard to see a very effective tank being maintained if Kyrie returns anywhere near to being Kyrie and AD keeps putting in streaks of healthy games all in the 2nd half of the season. 

Low level lottery pick I guess remains doable given the quality of the West but this team's veteran players will be thinking playoff run. The illusion is strong.

Yes, that’s my point why the playoffs must be completely out of reach nearing the trade deadline. Then you can think about trading AD for a good, future oriented package and just ease Kyrie back in this year without playing him heavy minutes. 

I mean to compete with the Spurs and OKC in the next decade we will probably need two more great talents around Flagg with allstar potential, don’t we?

[DanSchwartzgan]

Its hard to see a very effective tank being maintained if Kyrie returns anywhere near to being Kyrie and AD keeps putting in streaks of healthy games all in the 2nd half of the season. 

Low level lottery pick I guess remains doable given the quality of the West but this team's veteran players will be thinking playoff run. The illusion is strong.

Again, we are 5th in lottery terms in losses...right now.  We owe the road so many games and it gets worse in January (while Kyrie isn't playing.  10 of the next 16 are at home.  Then 19 of the final 30 are away.  We are 3/12 away from home.

It isn't hard to imagine AD coming back for a few games and then being shipped off and the team being extremely cautious with Kyrie's return.  I don't think it will be that hard to stay in the 5-8 range.  With the flattened lottery odds, that isn't a bad place to be.

[Chicagojk]

F  We are good enough to win but we just don’t. We make plenty of winning plays and we always give ourselves a chance but there’s always way too many losing plays throughout the game. This was another team that we let play better than they are.

Gafford was good tonight and BW has taken back the guard minutes with good play.
Overall I’m very unhappy right now.

I get it.  Some of the past few games against poor teams have been telling.  We made it way too easy and looked like the slower team in a lot of the games.  The talent playing isn’t great, but they should still be better.  With that being said, I just want to see good basketball but will not be upset with losses.

I was rough on PJ’s defense in the first half.  Much better in the second but strangely quiet on offense last night.

Williams has been playing better than Nembhard recently but I am still a Nembhard fan.  He needs to play better but you can’t let him play and thrive like Williams does.  He is a different style of player.   Some of that is on Nembhard but you can’t rely on him to be the focus on offense.  Needs movement, pace and shooting.

It really pains me to see clingan, eddy, ware, Duran and other young centers really expand their offensive game while never even getting the opportunity with Lively.  Such a shame.

[Dahlsim]

Again, we are 5th in lottery terms in losses...right now.  We owe the road so many games and it gets worse in January (while Kyrie isn't playing.  10 of the next 16 are at home.  Then 19 of the final 30 are away.  We are 3/12 away from home.

It isn't hard to imagine AD coming back for a few games and then being shipped off and the team being extremely cautious with Kyrie's return.  I don't think it will be that hard to stay in the 5-8 range.  With the flattened lottery odds, that isn't a bad place to be.

Great points Dan.  Way to cheer up my outlook!   

It isn't hard to imagine AD coming back for a few games and then being shipped off and the team being extremely cautious with Kyrie's return. 

That part is what I wondered.  Will those at the controls abandon the illusion that this season should be about anything more than developing the team, esp. Cooper and getting the best lottery pick odds possible?  

If they make those moves with AD and Kyrie (rest up more young man) then they will be indeed executing real stealth tank.     Being firmly out of the playoff and playin picture might help insure that mindset.

[Dahlsim]

Yes, that’s my point why the playoffs must be completely out of reach nearing the trade deadline. Then you can think about trading AD for a good, future oriented package and just ease Kyrie back in this year without playing him heavy minutes. 

I mean to compete with the Spurs and OKC in the next decade we will probably need two more great talents around Flagg with allstar potential, don’t we?

I like the way you think! 

[DanSchwartzgan]

Great points Dan.  Way to cheer up my outlook!   
That part is what I wondered.  Will those at the controls abandon the illusion that this season should be about anything more than developing the team, esp. Cooper and getting the best lottery pick odds possible?  

If they make those moves with AD and Kyrie (rest up more young man) then they will be indeed executing real stealth tank.     Being firmly out of the playoff and playin picture might help insure that mindset.

Are we sure those at the controls ever had that illusion?  Or, did we witness an 11 game showcase where the team won 6 of those games.  After the one game warm up, AD has been 21/12 on Usage of 29.4.  There was always going to be a 'pause' in the stealth tank (if you believe that was happening) when AD returned.  You have to show he still "has it" and part of that is dragging a bad team to wins.  It is what I called the AD conundrum.  

It was kind of fun that some of those wins were at home against good teams.  It is exactly how you would design it if the plan was to showcase AD.  BTW, losses to Utah and NOP (even with AD) would have also been part of that ideal plan.

[myconsumerclub]

Long as we get at least 2 good first round picks in next years draft I will be very happy but 3 would be even better so maybe we use the worst pick and use it to drop down for an added pick

[HoosierDaddyKid]

What do you guys think about Deni Avdija? His game has really evolved since leaving the Wizards.