GAME 5: OKC (3-3) @ DAL (2-3) | 111-117 OT loss

[SleepingHero]

I hate to sound like a broken record, but don't sleep on Brunson's role in the toughness of last season's team. He was clearly one of the team's leaders and that's a significant void to fill. It's not just about replacing him on court.

He's gone man. 

[Kammrath]

No, it aged SUPER well. It was right after the swing that put them up by like 12! 

I stand by it soooooo confidently. Things fell apart when Luka, DFS and Bullock re-entered, as has been stated by everyone along the way and had nothing to do with Wood being unable to play defensive center. Maybe that's even true about him, but that certainly isn't what went wrong in the stretch you're talking about. 

I don't want to jump to conclusions like some, but I can understand why they are wondering whether Kidd has preconceived biases against Wood at this point. He's definitely not being integrated to full potential. Hopefully, it's a matter of time and patience.

Preach. You and I are aligned here on this. It has been awhile.

[KillerLeft]

He's gone man. 

[cow]

Shed no tears for someone who didn't want to be here.

[hakeemfaan]

Blame Kidd. Blame Nico. Nothing will change even if both of them go. 

Cuban hired Kidd and Nico based on ability to lure free agents. At least Kidd had prior hc stints and his bballIQ has never been questioned.  

Then he lets a major asset get away for nothing. 

This has been par for the course with Cuban this past decade. Try to take short cuts and try for stuff that depends upon hitting a HR.  Luka has his faults but with all that he is still a top 5 player and maybe top 2 behind Giannis if any team is looking for a young stud. It should not be too difficult to build around him but the apple is rotten at the core.  With Cuban there nothing will change. 

For those saying we were at the cusp of a Finals appearance, note that we lost one of our top players. Plus other teams have got some of their players back, and added more talent.  GS still has a big talent advantage even if nothing else had changed. The Mavs will have their work cut out making the playoffs.

[DanSchwartzgan]

No, it aged SUPER well. It was right after the swing that put them up by like 12! 

I stand by it soooooo confidently. Things fell apart when Luka, DFS and Bullock re-entered, as has been stated by everyone along the way and had nothing to do with Wood being unable to play defensive center. Maybe that's even true about him, but that certainly isn't what went wrong in the stretch you're talking about. 

I don't want to jump to conclusions like some, but I can understand why they are wondering whether Kidd has preconceived biases against Wood at this point. He's definitely not being integrated to full potential. Hopefully, it's a matter of time and patience.

We’ve got a bit of a logical fallacy going on here.  You don’t get to assign credit to Wood in the good run and exempt his misdeeds during the poor stretch.  To be clear, we are talking about the time from 9:10 to 4:52 as the good run (recall this started as a post about Wood as a single big…Maxi went out at 9:10).  We are also talking about the period from 4:52 on…the one in one thousand change of losing a 16 point lead in under five minutes.

Wood did do some nice things in the +9 section without Maxi.  He hit a two and blocked two shots.  He picked up his 4th foul.  I would rank him fourth in terms of importance to the run.  Much more credit should go to Dinwiddie, Hardaway and Green.

Yes, things did fall apart when Luka, DFS and Bullock entered (and Green left).  But, it wasn’t necessarily BECAUSE they entered.  Wood is as much to blame as anyone for the collapse.  Yes, he hit a bucket early, but his D was terrible.  He was a traffic cone and provided no rim protection (part of the problem with Wood as the solo-big).  Everything OKC got was at the basket.  Joe scored a two on him.  Wood wasn’t even looking offering no help when SGA blew by Bullock (because Wood spent too much time posing on his missed 3).  SGA blew by Wood getting all the way to the basket and hitting Joe in the corner for a three.  Then SGA got a loose ball that went right by Wood and shot a two right in his face.

I’d challenge you to go back and watch that final 4:52 (without the rose-colored glasses) and tell me that Wood wasn’t part of the problem.  I’m not saying he was the entire problem.  No one could buy a bucket.  But, he was a significant contributor to our defensive woes.  Remember, you are the one creating the logical fallacy that credits Wood for good team play and pushes blame for bad team play elsewhere.  So, the standard is that Wood’s play was fine and it really was the others who caused the collapse.  I think you will be disappointed if you watch that stretch again.  His D was really bad.

---

BTW, I’m not anti-Wood.  All summer I said he’d be the key to a prolific bench.  I also pointed out his history defensively as a solo-big is much worse than his history playing alongside another big.

Clearly, the coaching staff feels the same way (of felt the same way until Kidd childishly let the media pick the closing lineup just to show them how little they know).

[KillerLeft]

Shed no tears for someone who didn't want to be here.

I can't help it. This set the team back maybe five years, worst case scenario, and I'm sorry...whether he wanted to be here or not, it's just sad!

[KillerLeft]

I also pointed out his history defensively as a solo-big is much worse than his history playing alongside another big.

Don't care. Two bigs (as a default) won't work. Hasn't for quite a while, won't in the future. Dead end. Pointless. 

Don't want to build around the need to play two bigs. It's cool if it's an option, but if two of your top 5-6 are bigs, it's not really an option, it's a roster flaw. A very, very stupid one. 

I'm out on that. No room for conversation.

If Wood can't be a solo 5 for 20 minutes per night, he needs to play for some other team, period. 

But, unlike you, I hope they at least TRY to get him doing it. He's still young enough to learn, and to my thinking he has all of the physical tools.  

[burekemde]

There are some crucial changes on the roster, and we are adapting to all of this. Especially on the defensive side. The team is a lot better than last season, this is quiet clear to me, and with quiet more experience.

Once Powell came instead of McGee, we have seen too much lane clogging, for whatever reason, and it has disturbed the nice offensive flow we had in recent games. This game the lanes were clogged inside in the paint. Defensively however, we looked better with quiet better movement with Powell in the lineup.

There will be quiet some adjustments to make. But is is totally clear Wood will fit very well in as we go along, and he is not only a fit on offense, but I believe also on defense, he has the mobility to do some of the things Kidd wants on defensive side, but he is more raw there.

This team philosophy is all about setting up a team with high movement, that will be able to play high tempo on defense, and contest all or majority of shots. We have more players now that fit that philosophy, and it really shows.

[KillerLeft]

The team is a lot better than last season, this is quiet clear to me, and with quiet more experience.

This from the "Brunson is the perfect, ideal sidekick for Luka" guy??? 

Color me surprised.

[burekemde]

This from the "Brunson is the perfect, ideal sidekick for Luka" guy??? 

Color me surprised.

Brunson was a big loss to the team, definitely. Brunson is just amazing player. I agree with that in mind, maybe we havent improved as much, but I do think we look stronger overall. I guess it is also the improved experience of the team that shows.

Wood has me surprised. Didnt know much about him. He fits Lukas style of play really really well. Like Sabonis, like Brunson, Wood can drive to the basket in one on one situations or being open, with space in the paint without help, that naturally will occur in ton of instances with Luka in the game. Wood can drive and finish, and has some passing ability to divert in case of doubling. 3 pointers are fine, but I was always of the opinion that players that can drive to the basket in addition to shoot, are providing Lukas offense another dimension and fit. Because Luka leaves a ton of space for others. Wood has been extraordinary in taking advantage of that space - yes, even more that Brunson I would say.