MAVS NEWS: Luka Is Hurt, But is Trudging On | DLive's Mom Passes Away| Maxi OUT

[DanSchwartzgan]

Interesting tidbits of information. 

Doubled down on Green and Frank (and later Dorsey) being ball handlers and running the offense. 

Lots of conceptual lineup talk about big vs small and saying we found a lot of success going small last year. If you’re gonna play 2 bigs, at least 1 of them has to be able to shoot. Will we see more Powell than we thought with DFS/Maxi/Wood all being able to shoot?
 

One of the assistants was on Locked On this summer and described how Frank and Green might work as ball handlers.  So, the info has been out there for months.  We (collective we on this board) didn't want to believe it and thought it was coach-speak until another move was made.  It doesn't appear another move is coming prior to the season.  When there is one of Luka or SD on the court, Frank/Green can be a ball handler in much the same way as what we saw in the practice highlight from yesterday (Luka/Green Backcourt video).  Frank/Green brings the ball up and gets into a set designed for Tim or Wood.  Or, Grank brings the ball up and gets it to Luka/SD.  This is exactly what the assistant said on the podcast all those months ago.

I think the more interesting question isn't 'whether' Grank and Dorsey will initiate offense.  It is how much time will they do it without Luka or SD on the floor with them.  If Luka and SD play together for 6 minutes at the beginning of each half and Luka gets 32 and SD gets 28, then you've covered 48 minutes at PG (Luka's 32 plus 16 of SD's minutes) with SD's remaining 12 minutes being the overlap at the beginning of each half.  Here's the issue with one of Luka/SD on the court at all times AND Luka/SD both starting...  They don't get any other time together including the end of the games unless they find some minutes that don't include either Luka or SD.  That means someone from among the rest of the "ball-handlers" or some combo will have to find some minutes somewhere running things by themselves.  I think we'll see a few minutes each game where there is a big, Tim and Wood and neither Luka nor SD are on the floor.

I think Powell will have a small but regular role.  Mav teams have tended to have positive results when he's on the court the last five years.  Apparently he's a de facto captain now also.  I think his energy in short stints against backups will be a good thing and if history is a guide, the Mav's will win those segments of time.  That probably still leaves some time where CWood is alone at center or the CWood/Maxi combo are eating up the 20 minutes left if McGee gets 16 and Powell gets 12.  CWood is a dramatically better defender as a 4.  CWood with Maxi will be a good defensive combo and Maxi doesn't hurt CWood's offensive repertoire the way McGee or Powell might.

I think "we" spend too much time thinking Dallas has to play one way or another.  The truth is:

1. We have to have the flexibility to respond to what the best teams throw at us.  There are certain bigger teams where 5-out just won't work.  There are others where the D is so quick and long that the spread PnR isn't effective.  We have to be able to do several things well with variations of personnel.

2.  Games are not 48 minutes of a monolithic style or opponent.  You have to win or be competitive in every segment.  How do you match up the first six minutes.  What about the rest of the first quarter when at least 3 of your starters sub out.  How do you match up in the non-Luka minutes to start the 2nd/4th quarters.  What will the personnel be if/when both Luka and SD are sitting.  What bigs work best with what combo of ball-handlers.  How do you keep enough D on the floor and not let your O die during these bench minutes.  

If you start to map out lineup combinations, you probably have to have some segment somewhere where there is an inferior ball handler running things.  There will probably be some segment where you don't have a rim protector if McGee gets 16 and Maxi gets 24.  You can't keep DFS and Bullock on the floor for 48, so you either need one of the young guys to take a big step up defensively or you have to run a lineup that overwhelms the opponent offensively, but gives up more points relative to your other lineups  (with CWood and Tim coming off the bench, this is fairly easy to envision).  Finally, you have to make sure you have enough shooting (and ball-handling) on the floor when McGee or Powell are in the game.  If one of those is playing center, the other four have to shoot.  This is where Grank is so important.  Not only do they have to handle, but if Powell or McGee is in with them, they have to be threats to hit the three to make those minutes work offensively.