We need a bruiser!

[SportPsychMav]

From what I've seen so far, Dallas needs a bruiser. A somewhat dirty player.

Every game we lost or that ended close they played against a very physical opponent roughing us up.

Portland, Lakers, Orlando, Knicks.

I seriously dislike the gameplan if it really means taking contested early shotclock 3s. 

It's not just Hardaway Jr, even though he is the worst case. Brunson does it, Luka does it, Finney Smith does it etc.

Wasted possessions.

That said, Dallas had bad luck with shots not falling early, lots of in and out balls. Have never seen as many missed layups.

[omahen]

Have never seen as many missed layups.

This is just a consequnce of not giving 100 %. They started the game with subpar effort. They allowed almost 60 points at half. Improved in the second but the damage was done. I wonder how much Ricks "let's put Lee in the starting 5 for no particular reason moves" contribute to that underestimating effort. 

Other than that I agree with thr bruiser. I would kill for Baynes.

[jesusshuttlesworth82]

Don’t need one on most nights but I won’t disagree. They should’ve signed someone that can actually get on the floor most nights instead of Boban. Richaun Holmes is a name I had some interest in this offseason.

[SportPsychMav]

Doesn't need to be a center. Just a physical player. With a chip on his shoulder.

[donzingis38]

I've been saying it all offseason. Sign Marcus Morris. I really love his post up game.

[dirkfansince1998]

Doesn't need to be a center. Just a physical player. With a chip on his shoulder.

It seems like Donnie and RC are not interested in those kind of guys. Mavs had the chance to go after Smart in 2018, Favors in 2018 and 2019, Beverley in 2019 or Morris in 2019. Outside of Beverley I don´t know if the Mavs ever were really interested in any of them.

Looking at players that might be available for trade later in the season the best affordable options are probably Aminu or Crowder. Knowing the Mavs they probably won´t trade for any of them. Otherwise they would have never let them go in the first place.

[Mak]

Unpopular opinion but we’re already relatively tough at the front court-ish positions, at least enough to get by. 


Completely agree on the guard / wing spots tho.  
Just looking at the current roster:

— DFS and Brunson both have the tools to be these type of players but maybe not the confidence (yet). 

— Delon Wright could definitely help out in this area if he was given a defined role in the starting lineup to be a dedicated tough-nosed defender. I’m guessing RC wants to help him become more versatile on offense too tho right now and not focus on just defense so he might take some time.

— JOSH REAVES. Arguably the prototypical guy for this role. Compared to Danny Green by scouts. He could come in and start focusing on defense from day 1. 

— Ruby Roby. More of a wing / forward than a guard but has been compared to Andre Roberson by scouts. We’ve already got a lot of guys competeing for minutes at his spot but maybe someone to keep an eye on.

[Fuerza1]

Carlisle said he wanted the Mavs 3PA's to go up this season, specifically at 40+. We shot 44 three's last night so I'm sure Carlisle is thrilled with that number because that's the offense he wants to run. 

The main issue is that the 3's are too forced. We need more penetration, drive and kick's, better ball movement resulting in better looks from the 3PT line and a more balanced, efficient offense overall. 

Besides Luka, our next best rim attacker is Brunson but Carlisle can only find 5-15 minutes for him. Brunson averaged 8 drives per game as a rookie making 53% of them. 

This season Brunson's is averaging about 6 drives per game making 50% while third option, first off the bench Tim Hardaway Junior averages 2 drives per game finishing 44%; THJ has never been a good finisher in his career, he's a chuckfest artist. 

It's a big problem with the offense, too jumpshot dependent, finesse, not enough diversity, etc. It's why we are struggling against physical teams right now. 

Powell is actually supposed to be a big help in that department on the offensive end but he's ranked in the 36th percentile as the roll man thus far, which is why he looks more useless than usual out there. If he can't finish consistently, he's a huge liability on the court.

[Mak]

Carlisle said he wanted the Mavs 3PA's to go up this season, specifically at 40+. We shot 44 three's last night so I'm sure Carlisle is thrilled with that number because that's the offense he wants to run. 

The main issue is that the 3's are too forced. We need more penetration, drive and kick's, better ball movement resulting in better looks from the 3PT line and a more balanced, efficient offense overall. 

Besides Luka, our next best rim attacker is Brunson but Carlisle can only find 5-15 minutes for him. Brunson averaged 8 drives per game as a rookie making 53% of them. 

This season Brunson's is averaging about 6 drives per game making 50% while third option, first off the bench Tim Hardaway Junior averages 2 drives per game finishing 44%; THJ has never been a good finisher in his career, he's a chuckfest artist. 

It's a big problem with the offense, too jumpshot dependent, finesse, not enough diversity, etc. It's why we are struggling against physical teams right now. 

Powell is actually supposed to be a big help in that department on the offensive end but he's ranked in the 36th percentile as the roll man thus far, which is why he looks more useless than usual out there. If he can't finish consistently, he's a huge liability on the court.

I expect Powell and Wright to be much better contributers to the inside-out game than they have been thus far. 

Not sure about Brunson. Doesn’t seem like something he’s particularly comfortable with imo. Barea even at his age is much better as a dribble driver and the team looked awesome for a brief stretch during his initial return. He’s on his last legs tho, anything we get from JJ at this point is gravy. 

But yeah, it’s a problem / hole on the team. No doubt imo. 

Which is why Kemba made sense as the #1 Target this past summer (along with the flirtation with Dragic). With no Kemba, Delon is a decent attempt to develop into a dribble drive guy for now. If he doesn’t develop in that area he’s versatile enough to be a solid player in other areas. 

We really do need a younger JJB-type player tho.

[Dahlsim]

Don’t need one on most nights but I won’t disagree. They should’ve signed someone that can actually get on the floor most nights instead of Boban. Richaun Holmes is a name I had some interest in this offseason.

The problem is Boban should have been on the floor in the Knicks game just as he was on the floor in the Grizzlies game the next night.   He's not a bruiser, unfortunately for basketball (but good for him as a person) Boban is basically a gentle giant.  He could and should lay some body wood on someone every now and them in the paint. The limit on his minutes means foul trouble would rarely be an issue for him personally and Mavs are deep at 5. 

Just his big body on the paint has some of the effect that you want from a bruiser.  Even though his stat line against Memphis wasn't the huge kind he sometimes gets per minute, it was solid but his impact was HUGE. 

Jonas who often kills Dallas had to constantly work and fight to keep him under control offensively and on the boards. Luka took full advantage getting easy baskets because they had pick their poison as Luka penetrated.  
I've like Holmes for a long time, he has warts too but he's a nice young energy 5. 

The Knicks game was completely winnable.  Not using Bobi was simply Coaches decision.

[mtrot]

Doesn't need to be a center. Just a physical player. With a chip on his shoulder.

It seems like Donnie and RC are not interested in those kind of guys. Mavs had the chance to go after Smart in 2018, Favors in 2018 and 2019, Beverley in 2019 or Morris in 2019. Outside of Beverley I don´t know if the Mavs ever were really interested in any of them.

Looking at players that might be available for trade later in the season the best affordable options are probably Aminu or Crowder. Knowing the Mavs they probably won´t trade for any of them. Otherwise they would have never let them go in the first place.

Yup.  Over the years, I have advocated for the Mavs trying to get several different hard nosed type players, Beverly among them.  But it seemed like every time I'd throw out a name here of that type of a player, the retort would be, "no, so and so would be a 'cancer' on the team", so we don't want that player.

[burekemde]

Doesn't need to be a center. Just a physical player. With a chip on his shoulder.

Someone like Ben Wallace, to pair with KP?

Defense wins championships. The offfense is arguably best in the league, we will make points, we need indeed some physicality and chip on the shoulder. Can't look more at Powell in there, so weak.

[dcon]

Don’t need one on most nights but I won’t disagree. They should’ve signed someone that can actually get on the floor most nights instead of Boban. Richaun Holmes is a name I had some interest in this offseason.

Knowing the Mavs proclivity towards finesse and skill players, I was really hoping we would sign Ed Davis this summer, as a 4/5 off the bench - big enough, mobile enough, good rebounder.  That type of frame on someone would complement this team.

[burekemde]

Don’t need one on most nights but I won’t disagree. They should’ve signed someone that can actually get on the floor most nights instead of Boban. Richaun Holmes is a name I had some interest in this offseason.

The problem is Boban should have been on the floor in the Knicks game just as he was on the floor in the Grizzlies game the next night.   He's not a bruiser, unfortunately for basketball (but good for him as a person) Boban is basically a gentle giant.  He could and should lay some body wood on someone every now and them in the paint. The limit on his minutes means foul trouble would rarely be an issue for him personally and Mavs are deep at 5. 

Just his big body on the paint has some of the effect that you want from a bruiser.  Even though his stat line against Memphis wasn't the huge kind he sometimes gets per minute, it was solid but his impact was HUGE. 

Jonas who often kills Dallas had to constantly work and fight to keep him under control offensively and on the boards. Luka took full advantage getting easy baskets because they had pick their poison as Luka penetrated.  
I've like Holmes for a long time, he has warts too but he's a nice young energy 5. 

The Knicks game was completely winnable.  Not using Bobi was simply Coaches decision.

Agree we lost the game by not using Boban. Too soft with Powell. There are other ways to cover the perimeter than employing Powell. Let them get inside on design, and meet Boban and KP and Kleber. I guarantee its not nice to penetrate and meet two biggest giants of the NBA waiting to block you (the third one also a great rim protector). 


I think we dont play to our strengths defensively. We have chance to employ these 3 guys and design the defense in a way that on design allows the opponents to get into penetration where they meet KP and Boban. Allow them in the paint, chances are high they get blocked.

[Dahlsim]

Don’t need one on most nights but I won’t disagree. They should’ve signed someone that can actually get on the floor most nights instead of Boban. Richaun Holmes is a name I had some interest in this offseason.

The problem is Boban should have been on the floor in the Knicks game just as he was on the floor in the Grizzlies game the next night.   He's not a bruiser, unfortunately for basketball (but good for him as a person) Boban is basically a gentle giant.  He could and should lay some body wood on someone every now and them in the paint. The limit on his minutes means foul trouble would rarely be an issue for him personally and Mavs are deep at 5. 

Just his big body on the paint has some of the effect that you want from a bruiser.  Even though his stat line against Memphis wasn't the huge kind he sometimes gets per minute, it was solid but his impact was HUGE. 

Jonas who often kills Dallas had to constantly work and fight to keep him under control offensively and on the boards. Luka took full advantage getting easy baskets because they had pick their poison as Luka penetrated.  
I've like Holmes for a long time, he has warts too but he's a nice young energy 5. 

The Knicks game was completely winnable.  Not using Bobi was simply Coaches decision.

Agree we lost the game by not using Boban. Too soft with Powell. There are other ways to cover the perimeter than employing Powell. Let them get inside on design, and meet Boban and KP and Kleber. I guarantee its not nice to penetrate and meet two biggest giants of the NBA waiting to block you (the third one also a great rim protector). 


I think we dont play to our strengths defensively. We have chance to employ these 3 guys and design the defense in a way that on design allows the opponents to get into penetration where they meet KP and Boban. Allow them in the paint, chances are high they get blocked.

The good news is Rick Carlisle really seems to be wrestling with this idea of how and when to use Boban in his own strategies.  I've seen other centers over the years get planted on the bench and never get to see real time even when they had played well. 

Remember Samuel Dalembert?  
Chris Kaman? 
JaVale McGee? 
Salah Mejri ? who according to Rick Carlise famously said "the only person who can stop Salah Mejri is Rick Carlisle!" 


I was somewhat surprised when Dallas signed Boban at all, although I was happy to see it. 
Given Carlisle's tendency toward how he uses the the 5 position, and the way he favored small ball for years I thought Marjanovic might get completely buried on the bench the way JaVale McGee and to an extent Mejri did, no matter how he played.  

Carlisle seems to be really thinking over and experimenting with how to use the BIG Mavs roster now in the small ball Golden State era, which might now be kinda phased out since a lot of teams have went back to using Bigs more prominently again.

[SportPsychMav]

Dallas definitely has a lot of size this year.

Almost every player is above 6.5. + the two biggest players in the NBA in Boban and Zinger, who both are very atypical for American basketball as both are good shooters.

I like the HUGE lineup.

I want to see more of both on the floor.

[Jannemann2]

the two biggest players in the NBA in Boban and Zinger

https://www.nba.com/players/tacko/fall/1629605

[mtrot]

Don’t need one on most nights but I won’t disagree. They should’ve signed someone that can actually get on the floor most nights instead of Boban. Richaun Holmes is a name I had some interest in this offseason.

The problem is Boban should have been on the floor in the Knicks game just as he was on the floor in the Grizzlies game the next night.   He's not a bruiser, unfortunately for basketball (but good for him as a person) Boban is basically a gentle giant.  He could and should lay some body wood on someone every now and them in the paint. The limit on his minutes means foul trouble would rarely be an issue for him personally and Mavs are deep at 5. 

Just his big body on the paint has some of the effect that you want from a bruiser.  Even though his stat line against Memphis wasn't the huge kind he sometimes gets per minute, it was solid but his impact was HUGE. 

Jonas who often kills Dallas had to constantly work and fight to keep him under control offensively and on the boards. Luka took full advantage getting easy baskets because they had pick their poison as Luka penetrated.  
I've like Holmes for a long time, he has warts too but he's a nice young energy 5. 

The Knicks game was completely winnable.  Not using Bobi was simply Coaches decision.

Agree we lost the game by not using Boban. Too soft with Powell. There are other ways to cover the perimeter than employing Powell. Let them get inside on design, and meet Boban and KP and Kleber. I guarantee its not nice to penetrate and meet two biggest giants of the NBA waiting to block you (the third one also a great rim protector). 


I think we dont play to our strengths defensively. We have chance to employ these 3 guys and design the defense in a way that on design allows the opponents to get into penetration where they meet KP and Boban. Allow them in the paint, chances are high they get blocked.

I like it.  This seems like what the Lakers are doing a bit of, even in the Mavs game vs them.  It seemed like we could get into the lane, but then Lebron and Davis would nix the effort.

The only potential fly in the ointment for the Mavs is that these NBA refs might not give the benefit of the doubt to Mavs defenders like they do for Lebron and Davis, as they play for the Lakers.  It would be worth a try, though.

[SportPsychMav]

We still have problems against physical teams.

Who do we even have beside Luka who can deal with that kind of playstyle? 

I can't name one player on the roster.

[Dahlsim]

We still have problems against physical teams.

Who do we even have beside Luka who can deal with that kind of playstyle? 

I can't name one player on the roster.

Boban.  He's not a bruiser but at his sheer size, he creates an intimidating figure to try and push around near the rim and in the paint in general. 

He occupies one or 2 of the opponents physical defenders many times to try and keep him away from the rim where his percentages are very, very high to convert. 

He also gets some of the tough rebounds around the rim that the other Mavs can struggle to get too often.  Boban simply gets to them first in the air often because he doesn't have to time a jump.   Just snatch it. 

Bobi the best Dallas has for presenting a physical inside presence and a scoring threat at the rim besides Luka who is amazingly tough but should not be out there taking so much of the inside pounding without some protection.