GAME 6: ORL (1-6) @ DAL (3-3) | 114-105 win

[Chicagojk]

Another thing to add, if Wood is our second best player (scorer) I would like to see Luka treat him as such.   As Luka controls the ball so much, I would have a check mark as a failure if Wood doesn't get at least 12 shots a game.   It is the one are of Luka's game that I would like to see added.   Feeding the hot hand or getting easy looks when a player is struggling a little.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

I would be shocked if Green started a game this year with everyone healthy. THJ would be my guess.

I think if Green plays well for an extended period then we see Nico shop Hardaway pretty hard again at this deadline.  That's the only way I see Green sneaking in but I do expect his role to continue to expand throughout the year, starter or not.

[cow]

I think if Green plays well for an extended period then we see Nico shop Hardaway pretty hard again at this deadline.  That's the only way I see Green sneaking in but I do expect his role to continue to expand throughout the year, starter or not.

That's why I wouldn't mess with THJ until after the deadline.  If you do manage to trade him and depending on what you get back, you could always sign Kemba to approximate what Tim does in a lessened role.

[Smitty]

I think if Green plays well for an extended period then we see Nico shop Hardaway pretty hard again at this deadline.  That's the only way I see Green sneaking in but I do expect his role to continue to expand throughout the year, starter or not.

I agree. I hope Green's role expands as early as Wed night. No need to wait 10 games. Play him more!

[Kammrath]

If @Kammrath's stat, 45 minutes of solo-big Wood over 6 games, is correct, then I believe that puts him averaging 7.5 minutes per already. I don't think getting that to 8, then 10, with an eye on making it a viable option come playoff time is too much to ask. If all goes well, maybe he extends and then you're up to 18-20 minutes of that next season.

If? IF? IF?!

So those 45 minutes include 1 minute with DP and less than 1 minute with McGee. So 43 minutes are "Wood-as-only-big."

[Kammrath]

I would have a check mark as a failure if Wood doesn't get at least 12 shots a game.

AT LEAST. Criminal with his efficiency scoring not to get him 12. 15 should be the goal. 

So far he is averaging 9.7 FGA. A complete failure in coaching IMO.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

I agree. I hope Green's role expands as early as Wed night. No need to wait 10 games. Play him more!

I am definitely with the consensus that there are both glaring problems and glaring solutions with the rotations that are currently being played to those problems but I'm also just trying to remind myself of how Kidd handled rotations early last year.  With the "two big lineups" and Bullock not playing much early and "this isn't a defensive roster" comments to the media, it just kind of feels like Kidd likes to mess with people's heads.  There is no way that Kidd doesn't see the potential that Luka/Wood have together when sharing the floor and I'm sure he sees all the +/- numbers that everyone is sharing here.  I want to believe that he's just messing around with his roster the first part of this season like he did last year (a strategy that I think is kind of dumb personally) before he inevitably leans into what works best around the trade deadline.  

I think a wrinkle to this season though that makes things a little messier is all this "McGee is starting" nonsense being announced in July.  It's wild to recognize one area that can be clearly upgraded and then addressing it with a three year contract to a guy who doesn't seem to have an ounce of urgency when he's on the court.

[Smitty]

I am definitely with the consensus that there are both glaring problems and glaring solutions with the rotations that are currently being played to those problems but I'm also just trying to remind myself of how Kidd handled rotations early last year.  With the "two big lineups" and Bullock not playing much early and "this isn't a defensive roster" comments to the media, it just kind of feels like Kidd likes to mess with people's heads.  There is no way that Kidd doesn't see the potential that Luka/Wood have together when sharing the floor and I'm sure he sees all the +/- numbers that everyone is sharing here.  I want to believe that he's just messing around with his roster the first part of this season like he did last year (a strategy that I think is kind of dumb personally) before he inevitably leans into what works best around the trade deadline.  

I think a wrinkle to this season though that makes things a little messier is all this "McGee is starting" nonsense being announced in July.  It's wild to recognize one area that can be clearly upgraded and then addressing it with a three year contract to a guy who doesn't seem to have an ounce of urgency when he's on the court.

Great post. I think I'm more frustrated about the same Kidd moves this year than last because of the failures and frustrations from the off-season. With success comes higher expectations. A terrible off-season and now early on-court failure. Just get over yourself (Kidd) and start winning now. Tinker as it allows.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

Great post. I think I'm more frustrated about the same Kidd moves this year than last because of the failures and frustrations from the off-season. With success comes higher expectations. A terrible off-season and now early on-court failure. Just get over yourself (Kidd) and start winning now. Tinker as it allows.

Ya it's really frustrating to watch us play very dominant stretches of basketball just to see us do something completely different in crunchtime to seemingly just see if it works.  You can't just sacrifice early season games in the west, you can't really do it in this league anymore with the play in format.

Having said that, I think our record is not reflective of the basketball we've played.  We were insanely dominant in that Suns game in the first half and got lazy and Kidd got weird, same with the Thunder third quarter/early 4th and the Pels game we just came out flat.  It's really just a small tweaks from the staff and some more urgency from the guys on the floor based on what I've watched.  This team clearly has enough talent to compete and make noise, it's just very annoying that the small changes that need to be made kind of jump off the screen when you watch a full game and Kidd isn't doing it and in some cases even doubling down on his weird rotations.

[Scott41theMavs]

AT LEAST. Criminal with his efficiency scoring not to get him 12. 15 should be the goal. 

So far he is averaging 9.7 FGA. A complete failure in coaching IMO.

Last night, at least, it was a failure in your favorite windmill, Luka. It was like he was playing keep-away from Wood, reminiscent of KP, tbh. Is he jealous? Doesn't want to share the offensive limelight? I'd like to think Luka isn't that dumb. Now, if you're right and Kidd told him to do that horseshit, then I wish Luka would have barked back, because it's fridiculous.