GAME 4: DAL (2-2) @ BRK (1-4) | 129-125 win

[KillerLeft]

McGee was not brought in here to handle a 5 out playoff offense.  He was brought in to give 15 minutes a game during the regular season to reduce the wear and tear on the center rotation.  I was not a fan of the signing, but its not easy to find a significant playoff contributor for the tax MLE.

I know, but don't care. It was a dumb decision, imo. Forrest for the trees, basically. 

Situations like the one the other night, wherein Valanciunas punked him, should go a long way towards proving that there really isn't a need for players like McGee anymore. The wear and tear thing is valid, but not "three years, guaranteed, with a handshake deal to start him" valid. 

I'm sorry, it doesn't matter how many times people try to mansplain these basic, obvious things to me. That won't change my opinion.

[SleepingHero]

I think McGee´s problem is that he´s simply old and shit. Somehow Mavs fans talked themselves into him being more than a Mark Madsen towel waiver on a few championship teams with the late career drive of a VAJ. Veteran leadership, championship pedigree and all that BS we heard.  

I can't lie I was pretty enthusiastic about the McGee signing given that he always seemed to make impactful plays on the Warriors, Suns, and Lakers. I also thought he gave us more rim protection and rebounding which was sorely needed.

BUT so far he's looking like DAJ 2.0. I'm pretty shocked at how bad he's looked the last 2 games. Hopefully it's just a McGee quirk and he snaps out of it.

[Chicagojk]

For McGee the start of the second half sequence was really rough.  He deserved to be taken out of the game and I hope that is a wakeup call.   On the first possession he got the ball coming around a screen on the perimeter and put the ball on the ground which got stolen.   Why in the heck are we having him running off screens outside the lane?   Then, I believe a play or so later, another turnover happened and he was jogging down the floor and the trailer beat him down the floor for an easy dunk.   Right after this was the throw in violation.   Just a mess.   

If he is going to play 15-18 minutes a night, he needs to make them count.   Hopefully these are growing pains, but tough sell right now promising a starting spot to maybe our 10th best player.

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Maybe Din is best when he is the second ball handler on the court?    Maybe things look much better if we moved THJ and picks for this ball handler.   Hopefully not a small guard.....a creating wing would be ideal.

[Chicagojk]

For McGee the start of the second half sequence was really rough.  He deserved to be taken out of the game and I hope that is a wakeup call.   On the first possession he got the ball coming around a screen on the perimeter and put the ball on the ground which got stolen.   Why in the heck are we having him running off screens outside the lane?   Then, I believe a play or so later, another turnover happened and he was jogging down the floor and the trailer beat him down the floor for an easy dunk.   Right after this was the throw in violation.   Just a mess.   

If he is going to play 15-18 minutes a night, he needs to make them count.   Hopefully these are growing pains, but tough sell right now promising a starting spot to maybe our 10th best player.

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Maybe Din is best when he is the second ball handler on the court?    Maybe things look much better if we moved THJ and picks for this ball handler.   Hopefully not a small guard.....a creating wing would be ideal.

Here was the play I was taking about to start the half.  WTF?   I believe this was the play he was beat down the floor too.

https://twitter.com/iztok_franko/status/...76514?s=46&t=L-3aXs8348I6i1x2K77gWA

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Here was the play I was taking about to start the half.  WTF?   I believe this was the play he was beat down the floor too.

https://twitter.com/iztok_franko/status/...76514?s=46&t=L-3aXs8348I6i1x2K77gWA

comedy ensues.   I just noticed three Mavs almost run into each other at the free throw lane.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Didn't get to react to this game yesterday.  Several things stood out as interesting.

Kidd:  'we are going to stick with this lineup for the first 10 games and see where we are' (or something like that).  UNLESS we go 1-2 and don't want to go 1-3.  Then, we will change things up and play DFS and Bullock 40 minutes each.  You could tell something was up the way they brought Bullock back in the first when DFS went out.  They hadn't done that the first three games.  The oddity for the first half was leaving Green in to finish the half alongside Luka, Maxi, DFS and Bullock.  Now, that is some D.  Dallas went on an 18-8 run the final 4:32 of the half.

Pulling McGee so quickly in the third threw the normal second half rotation into a shambles.  Maxi had to play a ton, but he can't go 22 straight.  So, we saw six straight minutes of Wood as solo center.  We survived at +3 largely because Nic Claxton went 0-4 during that time.  But, toward the end of that time Brooklyn started a 17-7 run until Luka returned.  

I was shocked when Wood subbed out for THJ for the final 2:16 of regulation.  I thought this was going to be the game where they let Wood finish.  And why THJ?  Turned out he scored 7 points in seven minutes, so maybe coach was right.  I'm just not sure I'd prioritize THJ finishing over Dinwiddie or Wood (or even Green if he continues to look like he looked Thursday).  Of course, when I looked at the game flow, you could see that Wood had played all but 1:45 of the previous 15 1/2 minutes.  So, he was due for a break.

Speaking of Green, man he looked good.  I loved how pure his shot looked and I loved the drive right into the chest of the defender that was waived off because of a foul.  But defense and rebounding travels and he had both.  It is kind of fun to watch Green on D.  He's so active.  He got credit for one steal, but his off ball help caused two others.  I don't see how people can watch that flying rebound and assist to Luka and not think there is a player just waiting to be let out of this 21 year old's body.

Probably the biggest disappointment (besides McGee in the third) was the start of the second quarter.  This is where we are supposed to shine with Dinwiddie, THJ and Wood supplying a ton of O.  Bullock and Maxi are supposed to provide enough D and we should blow out bench units during these minutes.  The team was -11 to start the second before THJ, SD and Wood all subbed out at the same time.  This can't happen.