PRESEASON GAME 3: DAL @ UTA | 115-101 win

[cow]

I’m about to say some crazy shit but if Dwight re-signed here for the minimum and became Pinson’s garbage time partner I would love him.

[F Gump]

I’m about to say some crazy shit but if Dwight re-signed here for the minimum and became Pinson’s garbage time partner I would love him.

Oh no. Poor Dougie, he passed at such a young age. Sad to see.

[cow]

Kelly O and Gay were the bright spots for Utah.

Mavs:

+No Powell in the rotation.
+Spencer struggled but it looks like he's trying to get others involved and be less of a gunner.
+McGee's energy and he gave more than he took.
+THJ looks like he's rounding back into form.  
+It looks like Wood can fill the offensive void that JB left.
+Frank played well beyond blowing that fast break finish.  
=Most of the starters didn't look into it.
=Josh was similar to McGee but picked up way too many fouls.
=Dorsey was pressing but did hit two threes at the end.
-Hardy didn't make the most of his limited minutes.  One nice finish but he jacked up a quick three, turned it over trying to pass to no one in the lane and got stripped on that fast break.

[MrGoat]

Not much to say about this one, I'd take any takeaways from this one with a grain of salt. They looked kind of disinterested because it was still preseason. We'll see if that changes in the opener against Phoenix. That might be an L though with the target they'll have on our backs

[Chicagojk]

No bad for our big free agent signing, huh?   Psst...it is Hardaway.

Still too much Luka dependent for me.   I mean he is great and can certainly do it, but he is going to need strong shoulders.  Seems like when he is in the game, EVERY play goes through him.   

Frank with a nice showing last night.   Frank and Josh's defense was excellent in the fourth.   Those minutes are going to be interesting to monitor between Frank, Josh & Hardy (he isn't ready yet, but could get some run at times).   Seems like they are all fighting for 20-25 minutes total.  

I thought Conley looked good, not sure if his stats showed the same.   Lauri also looked good.

[ThisIStheYear]

The team looks longer, more rugged, and more oriented to jump shooting. They’ll be fine, though they’ll miss having a second player who can efficiently break a team down off the dribble.

[ItsGoTime]

The team looks longer, more rugged, and more oriented to jump shooting. They’ll be fine, though they’ll miss having a second player who can efficiently break a team down off the dribble.

So SD can’t break a defense down?

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

So SD can’t break a defense down?

I have my fingers crossed he doesn’t return to 40% from the field and 30% from three SD. We think we miss Brunson now but that could be a disaster.

[ItsGoTime]

I have my fingers crossed he doesn’t return to 40% from the field and 30% from three SD. We think we miss Brunson now but that could be a disaster.

He’s still able to break a defense down with dribble penetration and is s better passer than JB was here.

[mvossman]

I have my fingers crossed he doesn’t return to 40% from the field and 30% from three SD. We think we miss Brunson now but that could be a disaster.

We are going to miss Brunson efficiently creating his own shot.  I would argue Din is at least as good running the point.  His shooting will probably regress some, but that will impact his ability to play with Luka more than it will running the offense.

[Kammrath]

We are going to miss Brunson efficiently creating his own shot.

Yep, IMO this is the ONLY thing that JB did that will be missed in spots. JB is only an average point guard and creator for others and a below average defender.

[Jym]

Yep, IMO this is the ONLY thing that JB did that will be missed in spots. JB is only an average point guard and creator for others and a below average defender.

But it's a very big thing to miss
Hopefully CWood can fill that void. No one else on the roster can do that effectively when the defense is paying attention to them

[Kammrath]

But it's a very big thing to miss
Hopefully CWood can fill that void.

In moments it is a very big thing, but most of the time it won't be missed. 

Like you said, CW is the hope of being that guy. I personally think he will be able to, but only time will tell, and especially in the playoffs, that will be the question. And in fairness to the Mavs, we didn't know JB could do it in the playoffs until things were already too far gone.

[Jym]

And in fairness to the Mavs, we didn't know JB could do it in the playoffs until things were already too far gone.

Still curious how high we were willing to go
Did we ever seriously offer a 5 year/$125 mil deal? Kinda ridiculous if we never did. I wouldn't have met with the Mavs again either if my agent got word the offer wasn't going to substantially change.

Best solution probably was to use that first rounder to dump salary and go for a full 5/$150+ if we needed to but hopefully the $125 would have been enough

[ThisIStheYear]

So SD can’t break a defense down?

He did a good job getting and finishing in the paint during his brief regular season run here last season, so there’s hope. But, he wasn’t good in the playoffs and has been just okay for his career. As a basket attacker, he’s more dependent on a friendly whistle than most good finishers. Some nights he’ll get the calls, but Luka will be the designated friendly whistle player for the Mavs, so I suspect SD will need to finish through contact to be effective, and I don’t see him doing that.  I’m not complaining about him as a player. He’s good overall. But he’s really not a go get a bucket guy like Brunson was. Other than Luka, I don’t see one on the roster. The Mavs will have to compensate with Luka creating open looks for THJ and Luka getting Wood shots through the pick and roll and pop. The Mavs will be more dependent on Luka than ever.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

He’s good overall. But he’s really not a go get a bucket guy like Brunson was. Other than Luka, I don’t see one on the roster. The Mavs will have to compensate with Luka creating open looks for THJ and Luka getting Wood shots through the pick and roll and pop. The Mavs will be more dependent on Luka than ever.

I see Wood as more of the Go-get-a-bucket player than Dinwiddie.

I actually can see Wood getting his without the assistance from Luka. Sure, a pick and roll, pick and pop play would be better and would create easy baskets for Wood. But even without it, he can score. A ball handler doesn't need to feed Wood where he just needs to lay it in, you can just dump the ball to him, and then Wood can work his way to a position where he can score. His post game is good, he can face the basket and drive or do a pull-up. Wood just needs someone who can make an entry pass or at least, someone who would pass to him in the appropriate time. Yes he's not going to be efficient that way and that's just not team basketball, but all I am saying is -- Wood is the least Luka-dependent player on the roster. Dump the ball and he can make something happen.

[Jommybone]

Yep, IMO this is the ONLY thing that JB did that will be missed in spots. JB is only an average point guard and creator for others and a below average defender.

These are the sourest grapes I’ve seen in awhile. I’m expecting the kid to make the all star team this year. But I know, short arms.

[mvossman]

These are the sourest grapes I’ve seen in awhile. I’m expecting the kid to make the all star team this year. But I know, short arms.

Both can be true.  He can be an average playmaker and a poor defender and still be a high level creator that scores enough to make an all star team.

[Jommybone]

Both can be true.  He can be an average playmaker and a poor defender and still be a high level creator that scores enough to make an all star team.

Of course. But I’d bet against. As a bunch of bball execs already did.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Still curious how high we were willing to go
Did we ever seriously offer a 5 year/$125 mil deal? Kinda ridiculous if we never did. I wouldn't have met with the Mavs again either if my agent got word the offer wasn't going to substantially change.

Best solution probably was to use that first rounder to dump salary and go for a full 5/$150+ if we needed to but hopefully the $125 would have been enough

They offered just enough that insured he wouldn’t sign here. Cuban wasn’t going to pay $100milkion in luxury tax for Jalen Brunson. The whole thing was a charade acting like we were interested in keeping him.