GAME 16: DAL (9-7) @ LAC (10-7) | 91-97 loss | 3 game losing streak

[hakeemfaan]

Mavs two free agent signings played 39 minutes tonight and scored 0 points despite Dallas missing their best player.  Woof!

Quite a few of us said we were dissatisfied with this off-season. Then again with all the turmoil and subsequent changes it is not surprising.  The silver linings have been KP and JB.  If KP can stay healthy and JB continues this, I still don’t think we are that far away once Luka is also back. A lot of these players look much better when they are the 4th or 5th options.

[Tyler]

Tough loss, but gritty performance. Losing sucks, but I really do like what I'm seeing from Brunson and KP. Now we just need to get Luka back to start cooking.

Oh, and screw the refs. Switch the name on Brunson's jersey to George, and you'll never be able to convince me that the refs overturn the bucket and call an offensive foul.

[Thukydides]

All I can say: There will be no playoff basketball for Luka Doncic in year 4 unless Kidd is being sent away before allstar break. This is unwatchable offensive basketball

[Kammrath]

All I can say: There will be no playoff basketball for Luka Doncic in year 4 unless Kidd is being sent away before allstar break. This is unwatchable offensive basketball

I'll take that bet.


What are we wagering?

[Chicagojk]

Quite a few of us said we were dissatisfied with this off-season. Then again with all the turmoil and subsequent changes it is not surprising.  The silver linings have been KP and JB.  If KP can stay healthy and JB continues this, I still don’t think we are that far away once Luka is also back. A lot of these players look much better when they are the 4th or 5th options.

I agree we are not far off.  My internal frustration is I have been saying this for two years.    A lot of missed chances.

I think these guys will play better, but it is frustrating right now.

I think a third ball creator would really help a lot now.  And I hope that eventually is added in Dragic.  I would then look to get a little better center play (20 minute per game player).  I think those moves on the edge can help raise the ceiling without giving up assets.

[TXBamanut]

All I can say: There will be no playoff basketball for Luka Doncic in year 4 unless Kidd is being sent away before allstar break. This is unwatchable offensive basketball

I completely disagree.  It's absolutely shocking, with the level of usage that Luka has had, that they are doing much at all, imho.

This is one of the reasons that we need to get the ball out of Luka's hands some.  1)  We don't need to wear him out with that usage rate.  2)  We need to find a way to score without him some. 

I think, looking at this team, the last three losses without him actually give us something to build on.  Each game, the crunch time has been where we've had problems, and that is where Luka excels.  The best strategy for our team is to be able to exist with multiple people scoring through 3 to 3.5 quarters and then go exclusively Luka driven, james Harden style at the end or KP/Luka pick and roll...if not exclusively, a heavy percentage of it.

We can't do that throughout the game because a) we wear Luka out and b) the other team gets the most looks at it in real time and usually has their optimum shot figured out against it by the end.  They may not be able to stop it, but if they make it hard enough for long enough, that may stop it in crunch time by sheer fatigue.  

You can prepare ahead of time a lot, but there's something about seeing it in real time, getting to try different things and then honing in on your best shot.  I feel that the way we've run the offense the last couple of years, that's exactly what good teams have done.  It's drastically different to be able to compete and score at a decent clip through the first 3 then bring on the closer to take them out.

The closer is EXACTLY what we've missed in these games....every one.  Both Phoenix games and tonight.  I firmly believe that if Luka had played, seeing how the other players played, we'd be 2-1 in these games.  Heck, we'd have been 2-1 if we'd simply had shooters shoot their normal percentage on open shots...really.

We literally had only TWO PLAYERS in double figures tonight...that's nuts.  We've only had 1 other game (the Denver blowout) that we've only had 2 players score in double figures.  I mean, we have had like 3 or 4 times as many times where we've had 5 people in double figures (even with Luka or KP being out) than we have had only 2 players with double figures.

[Hypermav]

Heck, we'd have been 2-1 if we'd simply had shooters shoot their normal percentage on open shots...really.

[SwisherPrice]

Clippers are still good even without Kawhi. This is just setting up for another playoff matchup with them in the spring and we can't beat them 

[cow]

Blow this team up.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Reggie Bullock is unimpressive.  His deal is looking worse every day.  How do you play 32 mins, take 2 shots, and go 0-3 on 3's, and don't score?

[Borkhan]

Can anyone tell which players "blossomed" on the other teams and then "withered or died" when traded to and playing for Mavs? For me it looks like Reggie Bullock is only the last of a long series... Hope I am wrong.