Game 41: Dallas Mavericks (15-25) vs. Denver Nuggets (27-13)

[Smitty]

   

[Mavs2021]

Houston and Denver are really good match-ups for this Mavs team. Will probably win again.

[FireNicoHarrison]

Houston and Denver are really good match-ups for this Mavs team. Will probably win again.

I don't think so... We are in tanking mode.

[Chicagojk]

Man cooper out with an ankle. Gaff just got hurt…maybe ankle too. I don’t know it it is just bad luck but this is the second year of injury after injury. New gm needs to look at this and potentially DuPont has to pay for a top guy. Seems like it is more than bad luck.

[SwisherPrice]

How did this team become so frail...multiple players always getting hurt each game. It doesn't help that they can't shoot 3s so they have to settle for more shots in the paint and that takes a toll on their bodies

[Chicagojk]

Mavs make a run at tend of the third to get within 10. Could be concerning with a team playing back to back. Coop and Gafford out for the game. Martin with some good plays. Mavs 2-24 from three and have missed like 19 straight.

[Chicagojk]

Mavs got it close to start the fourth. Klay had a wide, wide open three to get it to 3. He missed. Denver went on a quick run and it is back to 15.

Pj has been bad on both offense and defense. We need to get him playing better.

Good news..Mavs made a there. But then missed several after. 3-28 from three.

[BoredAssistant]

Maybe Denver offers something for Martin before the deadline.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Denver has 17 wins on the road. Best in the NBA.

[JamesConway912]

How did this team become so frail...multiple players always getting hurt each game. It doesn't help that they can't shoot 3s so they have to settle for more shots in the paint and that takes a toll on their bodies

It’s because they are not resting them nearly enough. Flagg should not have been on the court after his ankle sprain last game. The same goes for Gafford and PJ. They just keep throwing them back into games and it fires back every single time.

Flagg really should not play against Utah. It’s a perfect tank opportunity anyway but he has already played A TON of minutes. The last thing you want is see him get injured for a third time on the same ankle within less than a week.

[ballsrchr]

It’s because they are not resting them nearly enough. Flagg should not have been on the court after his ankle sprain last game. The same goes for Gafford and PJ. They just keep throwing them back into games and it fires back every single time.

Flagg really should not play against Utah. It’s a perfect tank opportunity anyway but he has already played A TON of minutes. The last thing you want is see him get injured for a third time on the same ankle within less than a week.

I'm glad someone else thinks this.  So do I.

[FireNicoHarrison]

Kidd is an idiot.

[Chicagojk]

Have we seen the last minutes of DLO in Dallas?   

I agree, the injuries are tiresome.  Just one after the other.  When one comes back, one goes out.    I am serious a full evaluation of the training/strength staff is needed after the season.  Maybe what they have is fine and it is just one of those runs, but Dallas needs to invest in a top staff.   

Martin with his best game with the Mavs.   Just tough to get excited about such a non-shooter with Martin.   I expect he will be here until his contract runs out, so you might as well try to find a deep bench role for him.  I just wish he would be at least a threat from three.  

Denver did what a good team should do.  Even off a back to back.  They took care of business against a bad team.  They almost left the door open early in the fourth, but Dallas didn't capitalize and two minutes later the game was over.  Gordon looks too big to me.  He just came back from injury so he may need time, but I would like to see him leaner.

[F Gump]

Have we seen the last minutes of DLO in Dallas?   

I agree, the injuries are tiresome.  Just one after the other.  When one comes back, one goes out. .

I think the injuries (or "injuries") are very welcomed by Kidd. Tanking is a tough road to navigate, because even when you're losing, the good players want to play well and get their minutes (and numbers), and there are some players you really need to showcase with extra minutes in hopes of building up their trade value (such as Martin and Hardy). You also want to develop some of your up-and-coming players which takes minutes for them. And then you are trying to do all that in a way where the players play hard, and all look good, but you lose. 

Injuries that sideline or slow some of your better players really helps the process, and the tank, thinning out the players and lowering the ability of the team.

Oh, and btw, I'd love for them to sit Flagg from time to time, but whether Flagg should play when he is dinged up, that's a call generally made by medical staff, training staff, with input by the player himself. There are a lot of layers deciding if he's hurt or if he isn't before he ever gets on the floor. I hope they are way more cautious in a year like this.