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

[Kammrath]

Let's talk through the third ball handler thing for a moment.

The hue and cry for a third ball handler started in the summer of 21.  Brunson was a bench player and failed playoff participant at that point.  There is a narrative that this team started really playing when we added Dinwiddie (third ball handler), but the turn-around actually came the last game of December (Dinwiddie didn't get traded here until February 12th).  Dallas was 17-5 between 12/31 and the last game before the trade on 2/10.  That is a 77% winning percentage over a quarter of the season BEFORE we got our third ball handler.

So, what happened around 12/31?  Well, THJ, Bullock and Maxi all returned from six game absences.  KP went out and missed 13 of those 22 games.  Brunson's minutes picked up.  Green had his mini break-out getting 15 or more minutes in 15 of those 22 games.  With KP out, Dorian started playing a lot more at the four.  None of that involved a third ball handler.  We think that guy is the key because we kept winning 76% of our regular season games from mid-February on.

The narrative continued among fans this summer.  But, one of the inferences that can be made from the reports regarding Dragic (small role offered about once every 4-5 games) is the team doesn't think it needs that third guy.  If there was a role to be had, Dragic would be here.  The team apparently thinks it needs more rebounding and rim protection than was provided by Powell and another scorer in the front court.   It quickly filled those slots and made no effort to acquire a third ball handler that we know of.  In fact, the only thing we know is they told a good ball handler they don't have a role for him.  

I'd probably prefer that our injury protection at the position was better than it is.  But, if we were to have the level of guy most here want, Green and Hardy would never see the light of day.  As I've said before, the team's O-Rating when Josh got 20 minutes or more was 125.6 and the D-Rating was 109.1.  Josh hit 42% of his 3's in those 20 games.  Josh seems to be one of those guys who plays better as his minutes increase.  I suspect I'm not the only one who knows this which is why I think he's getting 18-20 minutes a game this season (and is probably starting if Dinwiddie comes off the bench).  I'm not worried about teams doubling Luka because we don't have another point guard on the floor.  He's got the best vision in the business.  I suspect Green, Bullock, DFS and McGee can competently score on the three remaining defenders.