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

[dirkfansince1998]

Luka entered the game with 5:41 left in the 4th. Mavs +15.
Bullock entered the game with 3:41 left in the 4th. Mavs +13. From this point on OKC scores on every single possession for the rest of the quarter.

But somehow this is about Wood???

[SleepingHero]

Luka entered the game with 5:41 left in the 4th. Mavs +15.
Bullock entered the game with 3:41 left in the 4th. Mavs +13. From this point on OKC scores on every single possession for the rest of the quarter.

But somehow this is about Wood???

The perimeter defense by everyone tonight was abhorrent. 

Wood wasn't great either, but SGA got everywhere he wanted to.

[sefant]

The perimeter defense by everyone tonight was abhorrent.

you weren't happy with the 46.9 DefRtg in Green's minutes?  


Game was otherwise a copy of the Suns game. Bench is dominating with Wood. Starters back, and giving up the lead. But a even bigger lead than vs. the Suns in a shorter period of time.

The sad part is that you could have dribbled out the shot clock on every poss, and you still win the game with Green's defense because OKC doesn't score 16 pts total. If Green + Kleber finishes with Wood and Luka/DFS, there is no way in hell OKC scores 16 pts.
Luka/Wood is enough offense imo. SD is kinda the odd man out, despite him playing well today, if you are hellbent on bringing Luka back to that game.
Any lineup with 3 rather weak or poor defenders is not going to work great i would bet. Otherwise the focus has to be on outscoring the opponent. If you are cold, the lineup won't do well by default, because its not good enough on D.

If you consider Luka and Wood in that weaker D category, you are done. Depends how you see SD/THJ on defense. I am not seeing both as good enough to help Luka/Wood on defense. Recipe is prolly Luka/Wood and 3 S tier defenders. And thats 3 out of 4: Green/Bullock/DFS/Kleber.
If they don't like Wood as the sole big: Kleber is already in. You are down to 2 out of 3. And Green >>>>>>>> Bullock so far. DFS last spot.


Green's net was +121.4
Without Green: -160.0
4th quarter on/off Green: 281.4

Maxi's net was +123.3
Without Maxi: -38.9
4th quarter on/off Maxi: 162.2


4th quarter on/off through 5 games:

Josh Green +112.1
THJ +64.9
Wood +31.4
Kleber -11.7
SD -20.9
DFS -73.1
Bullock -94.1
Luka -104.4


@mcuban If you read on the forums, and need someone new in your data analytics department, message me. Think Mavs could use another german to carry the franchise to rings

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

you weren't happy with the 46.9 DefRtg in Green's minutes?  

Green's net was +121.4
Without Green: -160.0

I guess Kidd wasn't.

This loss was Wood's fault.
Probably Josh Green too if Kidd had more time to elaborate.

[HAguiar95]

So far 5 games in (1-10):

Luka: 7,2
Wood: 6,8
Dinwiddie: 6,0
Green: 5,6
Kleber: 4,8
Hardaway: 4,8
Bullock: 4,6
McGee: 4,3
Finney-Smith: 4,2

Kidd: 4,8

[ItsGoTime]

Kidd wants to blame Wood for this loss? I don't agree with it, but fine. Who is the excuse for the other 2 horrible losses? He didn't put Wood in to be the scapegoat there. The worst player and common denominator in all 3 losses was Bullock.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Best stretch of the game, and it’s happening while Wood plays solo big, @"DanSchwartzgan"

Ouch.  That didn't age well.

I'm guessing that was written right before the Wood solo-big lineup went on a -16 tear in the final 4:52?

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

One man's opinion, but I've seen this from Kidd far too often.
This game was no different.

When Golden State rattled off a 13-0 run in the first quarter without a Mavericks’ timeout, it was apparent that something bad could happen. Rick Carlisle would have stopped the game so fast. Kidd did not. That was the story of the evening. Golden State rode Kidd’s laissez-faire attitude toward timeouts and built momentum, eventually engulfing Dallas in the third quarter.


https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2022/5/21/...yoffs-2022

[Kammrath]

Disagree on the second point.  Both of those contracts are so small that they'll never fall below neutral value.  If you wanted to blow this team up today, you could get some draft assets back pretty easily by shipping out DFS and Maxi.

I am thinking more of the angle of signing a young guy who is entering his prime so that there is still ceiling and upside to him, making him more interesting in a future trade.

[Chicagojk]

There was several opportunties to win that game last night even with the poor defense and poor execution late (I will try not to again state how often I dislike our stand around offense either).  Two missed free throws by Luka, several missed open threes, a careless turnover that led to an easy dunk by Dort, Din had a ball go through his hands that allowed second chance points, etc.  This has been constant in their losses (and their one close win).   You need to make winning plays.   I won't mention the guy we are missing but he was one of the better ones to make winning plays.

It is early, but it is concerning.

[cow]

I am thinking more of the angle of signing a young guy who is entering his prime so that there is still ceiling and upside to him, making him more interesting in a future trade.

Well, drafting and evaluation are the MBT's biggest weaknesses and that's saying a lot.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

Right now, the team's biggest weakness isn't the lineup.

It's Jason Kidd.

And he isn't owning up to anything -- Someone’s Got to Step Up,’ Says Coach Kidd

[HoosierDaddyKid]

This Joe guy…

Isiah Joe. He was good with Philly last year when given the minutes. Suprised they let him go.

[ThisIStheYear]

Apparently, teams leading by 16 with four minutes left he won about 9,999 of the last 10,000 times that situation has happened. What an epic collapse.  The Mavs need to get another player in the room fast.

[Chicagojk]

Apparently, teams leading by 16 with four minutes left he won about 9,999 of the last 10,000 times that situation has happened. What an epic collapse.  The Mavs need to get another player in the room fast.

The team last year was tough.  They may have lacked a enforcer, but they were tough....mentally tough too.   I thought Kidd had a lot to do with this.  But right now, we don't have the toughness.    Trying to figure out if something was lost, or is it the new(ish) guys or if it is something that eventually grows as the year goes on.

The toughness of last years team was probably my favorite thing about that group.

[KillerLeft]

Ouch.  That didn't age well.

I'm guessing that was written right before the Wood solo-big lineup went on a -16 tear in the final 4:52?

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.

[dynamicalVoid]

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.

Can we all just agree that sometimes Luka's offense isnt good against some teams in certain situations and that you need to read your teams energy and whats working?

I get tired of the "he gets guys open looks" excuse.  Yeah...he does...hes godly at offense and All-World...we get it.  

But in some games it seems like other teams play better against Lukas slow paced offense where he lets the other teams defense get set up as opposed to Spencers more fast paced, heavier ball movement offense.  I think last night late game might have been one of those instances.

Or the second quarter of the Memphis game...our second unit was just killing it with fast pace and heavy ball movement.

You can argue all day about "open looks are most important"...but if its not working as well as heavy ball movement some games...which is better?

[KillerLeft]

The team last year was tough.  They may have lacked a enforcer, but they were tough....mentally tough too.   I thought Kidd had a lot to do with this.  But right now, we don't have the toughness.    Trying to figure out if something was lost, or is it the new(ish) guys or if it is something that eventually grows as the year goes on.

The toughness of last years team was probably my favorite thing about that group.

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.

[mvossman]

you weren't happy with the 46.9 DefRtg in Green's minutes?  


Game was otherwise a copy of the Suns game. Bench is dominating with Wood. Starters back, and giving up the lead. But a even bigger lead than vs. the Suns in a shorter period of time.

The sad part is that you could have dribbled out the shot clock on every poss, and you still win the game with Green's defense because OKC doesn't score 16 pts total. If Green + Kleber finishes with Wood and Luka/DFS, there is no way in hell OKC scores 16 pts.
Luka/Wood is enough offense imo. SD is kinda the odd man out, despite him playing well today, if you are hellbent on bringing Luka back to that game.
Any lineup with 3 rather weak or poor defenders is not going to work great i would bet. Otherwise the focus has to be on outscoring the opponent. If you are cold, the lineup won't do well by default, because its not good enough on D.

If you consider Luka and Wood in that weaker D category, you are done. Depends how you see SD/THJ on defense. I am not seeing both as good enough to help Luka/Wood on defense. Recipe is prolly Luka/Wood and 3 S tier defenders. And thats 3 out of 4: Green/Bullock/DFS/Kleber.
If they don't like Wood as the sole big: Kleber is already in. You are down to 2 out of 3. And Green >>>>>>>> Bullock so far. DFS last spot.


Green's net was +121.4
Without Green: -160.0
4th quarter on/off Green: 281.4

Maxi's net was +123.3
Without Maxi: -38.9
4th quarter on/off Maxi: 162.2


4th quarter on/off through 5 games:

Josh Green +112.1
THJ +64.9
Wood +31.4
Kleber -11.7
SD -20.9
DFS -73.1
Bullock -94.1
Luka -104.4


@mcuban If you read on the forums, and need someone new in your data analytics department, message me. Think Mavs could use another german to carry the franchise to rings

I could not agree more with this.  It's the same problem we used to have with Luka/Brunson/THJ.  You could survive with two of them on the court, but all three meant terrible defense.  Luka, Wood and Dinwiddie may be our three best players, but it is probably going to be too much of a defensive limitation to have all three on the court at the same time.  

Their best balanced lineup is probably Maxi/Wood/DFS/Bullock/Luka and what they should generally be finishing with.  You could make a strong argument that on a night like last night when defense was at a premium, it would make sense to replace Bullock with Green.

[mvossman]

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.

There is probably some truth to this, and its going to be tough for Wood to fill those shoes anytime soon as a new player to the team who's NBA experience has been on tanking teams.

On the other hand, part of the problem is our best players are all sub par defenders, and Brunson would not really help with that.