MAVERICKS 104, SUNS 112

[BackToSquareOne]

PORZINGIS (30). ... He also drew a team-high 8 free throws, but made only 4. 

KP was 4 out of 4 from the line, not 4 from 8. (He's 87% for the season so far so 4-8 really would have been a fall off.)

[mavsluvr]

Unfortunately, I'm not an idiot and I watched the game.  Watched him open and watched him call for the ball numerous times, while JB or others clanked shots, so Twitter can suck rocks.  lol

hahaha, 

I take it that everyone realizes that the tweet was a joke

---

KP was 4 out of 4 from the line, not 4 from 8. (He's 87% for the season so far so 4-8 really would have been a fall off.)

Oops. Looks like I was looking at the OR-DR line. Many apologies to you and KP. Will report for lashes at the appointed time.

[mavsluvr]

I dont know...maybe Brunson was being tested to see what he can do against a capable defense on his own late in a game.

I would almost like to believe that there was a such a plan, and it just didn't work. It looked much more to me like there wasn't much rhyme or reason to what was happening under the onslaught. 

It just seemed like there was a lengthy period where he was getting no help whatsoever in the 4th...while in the previous quarters he had some form of help.

Anyway...I dont have the ability to rewatch the game...so maybe my recollection of what happened in the 4th is not exactly accurate

Not disagreeing with your recollection. Agree that it looked a lot like an "every man for himself" response to a coordinated attack.

[KillerLeft]

Will report for lashes at the appointed time.

[mavsluvr]

lol

[mavsluvr]

First, we have to acknowledge that Dallas needs to play a near perfect game to win against top teams without Luka.  His absence forces everyone to move up a notch and we just don't have the skill sets to do that in most cases.

I thought the fourth was a case of bad D leading to bad O.  I noted the attack on KP's manhood in the game thread (Phoenix did the same thing Wednesday in the 4th).  We really don't have a good answer for this right now.  The easy buckets forced Dallas to tighten up and speed up (Luka doesn't typically let that happen).  But, JB isn't Luka and THJ isn't JB (or the role JB typically plays) and Bullock isn't THJ (or the role THJ usually plays).  Everyone was out of their depth and the pressure got to us.  JB missed five shots in a row in the fourth.  THJ missed four shots in a row in the fourth.  KP was playing efficiently this night and didn't get a shot in the fourth until the 6:00 mark (his only shot of the period).  By then, Phoenix had already gone on a 14-1 run.  Game Over!

Good observations. 

Kidd thought it was the other way around (bad O leading to bad D). Chicken and egg, chicken and egg. 

Whichever it was, they looked putrid on both ends in that stretch.

[TXBamanut]

hahaha, 

I take it that everyone realizes that the tweet was a joke

---

Oops. Looks like I was looking at the OR-DR line. Many apologies to you and KP. Will report for lashes at the appointed time.

About the tweet being a joke, I actually listened to a local podcast Greenroom that pretty much blamed a lot of the loss on KP, so these days, you never know.  lol

In my opinion, he was one of the few reasons they actually stayed in the game that long, and when they stopped going to him, that's when the game was lost....

Thanks for the recaps every game, man.  Love them.

[Chicagojk]

n).  But, JB isn't Luka and THJ isn't JB (or the role JB typically plays) and Bullock isn't THJ (or the role THJ usually plays).  Everyone was out of their depth and the pressure got to us.  

That is a good way of looking at it.   Luka hasn't been Peak Luka much this year, but we hope he gets there as the year progresses.  When he is, he is the most valuable asset to have in the league (with 3-4 other guys in his tier).

[Chicagojk]

I think Jerami Grant is the best answer. Wood also possibility. Perhaps Siakam. It is possible all of them become available for a bunch of picks. Ideally it is Powell, Bullock and picks going out as salary match. 

Luka-THJ-KP-Grant-Maxi or DFS based on the opponent. You can't do much better than that with KP. Speaking about games when things get serious, KP must be the one guarding opposing center as he can't guard perimeter. Mavs should finally admit that Powell and his 10 mil per are dragging this team down. Guys like that can be had for vet min or rMLE max. See Hartenstein, McGee, Howard, Drummond,...

I just don't think Dallas has enough for those guys above right now.   Missing a draft pick and that pick having some restrictions on when it goes to the Knicks limits us.    Does a GM really want to trade for picks 3-5 years in the future when he may not be there any longer?

So I would look at some on the edge moves.    Maybe you can get some of the guys Dan mentions with the TPE an a second round pick?   I think those moves are more realistic right now.   I think we will have a chance to make a bigger move as you list, but think that is probably a year or a year and a half from now.

[Chicagojk]

The Mavs obviously sucked in the fourth quarter, but I think we also need to credit PHX for some of that.  The Mavs were tired but the Suns really played the JB and KP pick and roll well.    First they switched and put Bridges on KP on the switch.    JB is pretty good getting his shot, but he is not Luka.   Peak Luka is taking advantage of the Suns big guys on switches....but both played well last night on defense.  Jalen tried to beat the big man but didn't and I think he did the right thing by keeping his dribble.   Bridges is a tough matchup for KP in that situation.   When Jalen came back out with his dribble, PHX defenders were on our perimeter players and there was not much going on.   Maybe there should have been some off ball motion when Jalen was driving?   Maybe they should have tried to get KP the ball in a different set.    

Mavs failed, PHX did well though and I thought they really executed late on offense and defense.

[omahen]

I just don't think Dallas has enough for those guys above right now.   Missing a draft pick and that pick having some restrictions on when it goes to the Knicks limits us.    Does a GM really want to trade for picks 3-5 years in the future when he may not be there any longer?

So I would look at some on the edge moves.    Maybe you can get some of the guys Dan mentions with the TPE an a second round pick?   I think those moves are more realistic right now.   I think we will have a chance to make a bigger move as you list, but think that is probably a year or a year and a half from now.

As many other teams before them, sooner or later Dallas will have to go all in if they want to keep Luka. I don't think there is any point wasting assets on marginal improvements. Save what we have and use when opportunity arises for that one big move. Improve around the edges afterwards. But task number one is convincing one (or more) of those guys to actually want to come to Dallas. Grant and Wood will be expiring next year. So if their agents hint to their respective teams that they want to go somewhere where they can contend, they can't do much else but trade them. Both Detroit and Houston are far far away from contending, so cashing in on those two guys while they can makes most sense for them. I think 2025 and 2027 FRP is a decent price for those guys, doubt they can get more. Look Vucevic as an example - young player and 2 FRP and Vuc was an all star. KP price was similar and he was considered a max player. Tobias Harris cost was also 2 FRP and Shamet. I think we can reasonably think Mavs can get one of those. If they want to come. I would certainly aim to get one of them at TDL. Certainly not waste assets for some marginal move like Theiss or Boucher. I think Mavs are much further away from contending than that kind of player. I think a guy like that comes after the trade for that "3rd star".  We will have 2022 draft pick to trade and rMLE to improve around the edges. Moves like that can make Dallas contender, imho. 

Siakam is a bit more difficult. Max player not nearly performing at max level. Basically 10 mil higher salary than Grant for similar production. So it would take more salary to get him. 

And I think it has to be a big wing we go after if THJ and JB are in long term plans.

[cow]

Someone change my title to Jalen "Trade Me" Brunson

[TXBamanut]

Someone change my title to Jalen "Trade Me" Brunson

Dislike this title. 

[ClutchDirk]

Someone change my title to Jalen "Trade Me" Brunson

https://media.giphy.com/media/6OPbJtEDdy824/giphy.gif