IS IT TIME TO SOUND THE ALARM ON THE MAVS?
Brian and Mark duke it out on this question.
LAST THREE GAMES
All played without Luka. In the two Suns games, Chris Paul was brilliant in stretches, whereas the Mavs faltered down the stretch.
BD. Kidd says that these games have value despite the losses, because the team is learning how to win without Luka. Well, maybe they’re learning experiences, but they surely have not learned to win without Luka. At most, they might claim a moral victory for the first game. It doesn’t appear that they learned much from the experience, since they lost in similar ways in the following two matches.
ROSTER
BD
After 16 games, we’re back in the same place we always are — three or four good players, and no one else who can step up. The role players just don’t have another gear to go to.
This is on the front office. The Mavs simply can’t survive for the next 5-10 years swinging and missing in every offseason. The Bullock-Sterling bets are not working thus far; of course, it’s too early to write those guys off, but there is little to be encouraged about at this point. The Mavs are playing with essentially the same roster for the third season. The marginal changes they made before this offseason have mostly been busts, and it looks like the 2021 offseason is going the same way.
It is frustrating that the Mavs just can’t seem to make progress in this area. It is possible to improve rosters without breaking the bank. Look what an impact guys like Reggie Jackson and Ivica Zubac have had. The Clippers, Bulls, Suns, Knicks, Lakers have all done it in the last couple of years. But what do the Mavs have to show for three offseasons? Reggie Bullock and Sterling Brown.
For fans who are waiting for Dragic to fly out of the sky like Superman and save the day, Dragic is not that kind of answer to this team’s problems. He could help a little for a season or two, for sure, but he doesn’t solve this team’s lack of playmaking, short-term or long-term. In Toronto, he is virtually out of the rotation altogether. At any rate, still don’t expect any movement regarding him until the deadline.
Most teams have four or five guys who can make plays. The Mavs have two — Luka and Brunson, and two guys who can occasionally get themselves a shot in KP and THJ.
Kidd is dragging for help in unlikely places. For example, FN is getting meaningful minutes, and that could work out, but now he’s hurt. Burke has played in the last couple of games, but normally doesn’t see the floor. WCS can occasionally surprise by stepping up for a few plays, but you can hardly depend on that. There’s only so much blood you can squeeze out of a turnip.
PLAYERS
Hardaway
BD. THJ is too talented to be playing this badly. He has always been inconsistent, and it looks like he always will be. The question is why. Brian thinks it can only mean that he is not putting the work in to be able to do the things that would help him contribute when his shot isn’t falling. He’s not driving to the basket much, he evidently isn’t practicing enough to be a more consistent shooter, and he’s not amping up his defense.
MF. Mark doesn’t agree with any of that. Thinks that THJ is important to the team in many positive ways, including leadership. Tim works very hard, and is always trying to step up his game. Inconsistent shooting is just a part of being a volume shooter — it’s not only Tim who experiences that. A 40% shooter will shoot 6-10 one night and 2-10 another night. Some of his shots are difficult, such as late-clock situations where he is under duress. Tim would be the first person to admit that his shooting isn’t up to par yet. Mark thinks he will revert to the mean as the season progresses.
Brunson. Has made a step forward this season. The question is whether the Mavs can/should keep him. He may not want to continue as the second banana, but a lot depends on what kinds of opportunities he can get from other teams. HIghly doubt that he will get traded this season, even if the team thinks the tea leaves point toward his leaving.
DFS and Maxi. Dorian’s shooting has been better in the last eight games. He’ll probably return to being the guy we expect him to be as the season progresses. Maxi feels good, but admits that he is not yet up to speed with his conditioning or rhythm. It will take a little time for him to get back to being himself.
Porzingis
He has shown very exciting progress, but . . . . We understand that he wants to be an offensive focus and play in the post. The question is whether that is the best strategy for the team. They have been trying to feed him every time down the court, and he likes that.
BD. KP is not a post player in the style of an Olajuwon or a Tim Duncan, where you can just dump the ball off to him and let him work. The Mavs are going too far in trying to cater to KP by pretending that he is that sort of player. KP might get by with posting up Reggie Jackson, but him making a living out of posting up the likes of Paul George doesn’t cut it.
MF. It’s not clear that this force-feeding of KP will continue once Luka comes back. It’s just part of stuff they’re trying out, and it's not time to worry about it yet.
MAVS TEAM ASSESSMENT
The Mavs are still in the “figuring it out” phase. They don’t have an identity yet, and it’s been hard to develop one when their two best players have had absences.
MF. It's too early to be this pessimistic. Kidd says they’re looking to make an assessment around Christmas.
BD. Yeah, right. First it’s 15 games, then 20, now it’s Christmas, maybe it’ll be the ASB next time.
[Well, looks like there’s plenty of reaction here for both homers and naysayers. We shall see.]
https://www.patreon.com/mavspod/posts
Brian and Mark duke it out on this question.
LAST THREE GAMES
All played without Luka. In the two Suns games, Chris Paul was brilliant in stretches, whereas the Mavs faltered down the stretch.
BD. Kidd says that these games have value despite the losses, because the team is learning how to win without Luka. Well, maybe they’re learning experiences, but they surely have not learned to win without Luka. At most, they might claim a moral victory for the first game. It doesn’t appear that they learned much from the experience, since they lost in similar ways in the following two matches.
ROSTER
BD
After 16 games, we’re back in the same place we always are — three or four good players, and no one else who can step up. The role players just don’t have another gear to go to.
This is on the front office. The Mavs simply can’t survive for the next 5-10 years swinging and missing in every offseason. The Bullock-Sterling bets are not working thus far; of course, it’s too early to write those guys off, but there is little to be encouraged about at this point. The Mavs are playing with essentially the same roster for the third season. The marginal changes they made before this offseason have mostly been busts, and it looks like the 2021 offseason is going the same way.
It is frustrating that the Mavs just can’t seem to make progress in this area. It is possible to improve rosters without breaking the bank. Look what an impact guys like Reggie Jackson and Ivica Zubac have had. The Clippers, Bulls, Suns, Knicks, Lakers have all done it in the last couple of years. But what do the Mavs have to show for three offseasons? Reggie Bullock and Sterling Brown.
For fans who are waiting for Dragic to fly out of the sky like Superman and save the day, Dragic is not that kind of answer to this team’s problems. He could help a little for a season or two, for sure, but he doesn’t solve this team’s lack of playmaking, short-term or long-term. In Toronto, he is virtually out of the rotation altogether. At any rate, still don’t expect any movement regarding him until the deadline.
Most teams have four or five guys who can make plays. The Mavs have two — Luka and Brunson, and two guys who can occasionally get themselves a shot in KP and THJ.
Kidd is dragging for help in unlikely places. For example, FN is getting meaningful minutes, and that could work out, but now he’s hurt. Burke has played in the last couple of games, but normally doesn’t see the floor. WCS can occasionally surprise by stepping up for a few plays, but you can hardly depend on that. There’s only so much blood you can squeeze out of a turnip.
PLAYERS
Hardaway
BD. THJ is too talented to be playing this badly. He has always been inconsistent, and it looks like he always will be. The question is why. Brian thinks it can only mean that he is not putting the work in to be able to do the things that would help him contribute when his shot isn’t falling. He’s not driving to the basket much, he evidently isn’t practicing enough to be a more consistent shooter, and he’s not amping up his defense.
MF. Mark doesn’t agree with any of that. Thinks that THJ is important to the team in many positive ways, including leadership. Tim works very hard, and is always trying to step up his game. Inconsistent shooting is just a part of being a volume shooter — it’s not only Tim who experiences that. A 40% shooter will shoot 6-10 one night and 2-10 another night. Some of his shots are difficult, such as late-clock situations where he is under duress. Tim would be the first person to admit that his shooting isn’t up to par yet. Mark thinks he will revert to the mean as the season progresses.
Brunson. Has made a step forward this season. The question is whether the Mavs can/should keep him. He may not want to continue as the second banana, but a lot depends on what kinds of opportunities he can get from other teams. HIghly doubt that he will get traded this season, even if the team thinks the tea leaves point toward his leaving.
DFS and Maxi. Dorian’s shooting has been better in the last eight games. He’ll probably return to being the guy we expect him to be as the season progresses. Maxi feels good, but admits that he is not yet up to speed with his conditioning or rhythm. It will take a little time for him to get back to being himself.
Porzingis
He has shown very exciting progress, but . . . . We understand that he wants to be an offensive focus and play in the post. The question is whether that is the best strategy for the team. They have been trying to feed him every time down the court, and he likes that.
BD. KP is not a post player in the style of an Olajuwon or a Tim Duncan, where you can just dump the ball off to him and let him work. The Mavs are going too far in trying to cater to KP by pretending that he is that sort of player. KP might get by with posting up Reggie Jackson, but him making a living out of posting up the likes of Paul George doesn’t cut it.
MF. It’s not clear that this force-feeding of KP will continue once Luka comes back. It’s just part of stuff they’re trying out, and it's not time to worry about it yet.
MAVS TEAM ASSESSMENT
The Mavs are still in the “figuring it out” phase. They don’t have an identity yet, and it’s been hard to develop one when their two best players have had absences.
MF. It's too early to be this pessimistic. Kidd says they’re looking to make an assessment around Christmas.
BD. Yeah, right. First it’s 15 games, then 20, now it’s Christmas, maybe it’ll be the ASB next time.
[Well, looks like there’s plenty of reaction here for both homers and naysayers. We shall see.]
https://www.patreon.com/mavspod/posts
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