GAME 10: DAL (6-4) @ ORL (3-9) | 87-94 Loss

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

THJ is done. It's possible that the "best" version of him that we saw in the 2021 playoffs was his peak moment as an NBA player and good enough to get his final big contract of his career. He will be 31 this season and coming off a major injury. It's hard to see him being anything more than a 10-12 point chucker at this point.

He doesn't have the legs to go to the rim.
And he slowed down a bit.
He isn't shifty, so when he tries to attack, its almost like he is just tossing it up and hoping for a foul.
His skill in that aspect isn't very good to begin with, now it's just hilarious.

What's left for him is to shoot from 3.
But it just escapes me when he can't even make an open one.

[dirkfansince1998]

I get that we are down on THJ. But dear god. Do you guys realize that Bullock is even worse...
11 points total in the last five games. Less points than fouls (14). With 0´s in the last two games.

Time to give some of the deep bench guys a chance. Even if Frank is just as much of a no show on offense he brings elite on ball defense. Hardy might have some of THJ´s chucker tendencies but it´s not like the results can get any worse. Same for Dorsey or even Pinson.
I hate that vets always get the benefit of the doubt. No matter how bad they play. Maybe THJ and Bullock can turn things around later in the season. But on the other hand. Maybe someone like Hardy would benefit from early season reps and take a step forwards.

[Kammrath]

I hate that vets always get the benefit of the doubt. No matter how bad they play.

PREACH. RC and Kidd both have had the tendency to rely on "proven" and "known commodity" vets. That CAN be a good thing, but even "good strategies" have to be bailed on when the evidence points to it.

[Chicagojk]

Mavs really need Hardaway to play better.   He is being counted on (and paid) to be the 2nd-4th offensive option.    If he does not play to that level, Dallas is really limited on who can fill those shoes.    

I was against moving him just to get off his contract at the trading deadline last year.  I didn't want to lose that asset moving forward.  Looking back though, I wonder if that would have been the best outcome.  Maybe then we are forced to overpay Jalen.   Or it would have clearly made minutes available for a player like Goran.  Or maybe FA would have been focused on a perimeter player.   It just feels like that Hardaway Contract is like a noose to this team.   They know, I think, he is not a great fit with this team, but they need to play him because of his $ and with the hopes that he eventually returns to a positive or net-negative asset.

[Chicagojk]

Not great.  I think in most cases this happens all the time.  But after the Luka look to the bench in the prior game and this, it may be something.    Mcgee better get his butt in gear...otherwise he will need to be here for three years making good money

Also Mcgee why don't we don't try running down the court after shooting.   You are probably not making those shots

https://twitter.com/627zach/status/1590483477111054336

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What is everyone's thoughts on Bamba.   I just don't think he gets it...especially on defense.   But he does show some glimpses.   Is he a guy who eventually figures it out?   

I am not sure what to think of him.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

4 bad Ls so far.  Plenty of time to figure it out but these have been quite annoying.

[dirkfansince1998]

4 bad Ls so far.  Plenty of time to figure it out but these have been quite annoying.

That´s the best part so far. 6-4. And the Mavs aren´t the only "good" team that is struggling. Warriors, Clippers, Heat, Nets...not to even mention the Lakers.
Not even close to the kind of basketball I hoped for after the last season but they at least they aren´t dropping in the standings.

[MrGoat]

Was nervous about this one going in, we tend to play lackluster against Orlando and have always been prone to bad losses early in the season. 

Need Wood back, the bench needed more offensive punch

[dynamicalVoid]

Few things I think could help this team that doesnt involve trades:

1) Luka stupid step back 3s.   Another 2-11 game from the chosen one.   At least 3 or 4 were bad shots with a 6-10 guy in his face.  He has a gambling problem on those 3's...like a cold slot machine...he thinks the next one is going to hit the jackpot.   Clean this up...bench him if you have to stop him from doing this.  He doesnt do it in the playoffs...so he knows what he is doing.  Is he a stat padder?

2) Luka and Spencer are usually pretty good at takes to the rim...but they need to kick out to the open guy in the corner more instead of taking highly contested shots near the rim that lead to wild shots and a turnover.

3) Make THJ play within the offense.  He is not Steph Curry.  He should not have the green light to launch whenever he wants.  We could really really use this guys offense(assuming hes on that night) without all the early shot clock chucks, launching when there was a better basketball play to be made....or just simply passing the ball more.   He kills the offense with his non-Curry game.   He needs to be told how to play on offense or be benched permanently.

4) Powell cannot move laterally or has bad feel for the game.  He was a legit traffic cone last night.   I say give Maxi and Wood burn to see if Wood can get up to speed...because Powell and McGee aint it yall.

The excuses that run rampant on this board about not being able to find decent players when every other team seems to have guys that arent as flawed as our heavy minutes guys needs to stop.   Every other team has players that can dribble or catch passes or score at a reasonable NBA rate but us.   No more excuses.

[dirkfansince1998]

Luka and Spencer are usually pretty good at takes to the rim...but they need to kick out to the open guy in the corner more instead of taking highly contested shots near the rim that lead to wild shots and a turnover.

Would be an option if the shooters would at least try to get a shot off. Or at least shoot anything close to league average percentages. The guys that are supposed to provide spacing (THJ, Bullock, DFS and Maxi) are all shooting below 35% in catch and shoot situations. Two of them (THJ, Bullock) less than 30% on wide open 3s. These guys combine for 110+ minutes. Meaning that the Mavs have at least two (more likely three of them) of them on the floor at all times. 2-3 guys on the floor that have negative impact on floor spacing.

Magic build a wall in the paint. Two 7f guys. Knowing that the Mavs would miss or more likely not even attempt a 3.

Luka and SD aren´t perfect but it´s super difficult for them to get anything in the paint if opposing teams can just collapse without being punished from 3.

To highlight how bad Bullock has been. Because people like to single out THJ (who has been terrible as well).

Among qualified players Bullock ranks last in PER. Among players that attempt more than 5 FGA per game Bullock ranks 6th last in TS. Based on the boxscore numbers it´s possible to make the case that Bullock is the worst player in the league.
And sadly it´s not like his +/- numbers are telling a different story.

[dynamicalVoid]

Im so tired of the Luka-ball apologists and the offensive scheme in the regular season...its so boring and our guys arent hitting 3s.   Seems like you would change up the scheme or change players.

But we dont.

And...its been the same thing the last 3 years...we look to have major problems in the first 2/3rds of the season and then we get more organized the last 3rd of season.  Then...we look like a totally different team in the playoffs.  I guess youre not allowed to use some of your playoff moves in the regular season?  Seems childish if you are losing games.

We need better offensive players that can attack.   But the math guys drop in defending the current scheme and claiming best offense stats.   WE NEED BETTER ATTACKERS!

[dirkfansince1998]

Is it really rocket science that you aren´t going to win a game against a team that parks two 7ft guys in the paint if you cannot hit open 3s? That´s not a question of Luka ball.
If the guys that are supposed to shoot 40% from 3 are shooting 30% for the season you aren´t going to win a lot of games.

I don´t think anyone is arguing that the Mavs wouldn´t be better with more versatile offensive players or another ballhandler (Brunson!!!). But they don´t have them (I spent the last few month complaining about it) and with limited assets the margin of error in attempts to get a player that fits is narrow.

On top of that defense is still half of the game. Cannot be ignored. Makes it even more difficult to find an upgrade.

[dynamicalVoid]

Switch players via trade then.  But here come all the opposing few posters going to claim stats or claim that no one is available that makes sense.  Seems like to me the Mavs dont want to trade...because every other team is trading.  All I know is...THJ hasnt worked in a while.   DFS, Bullock and Maxi are not capable of attacking and you have to rely on them hitting shots.  The stats say they are decent recently and should fit the Mavs scheme...but what if you need to attack in the playoffs or what if their shot isnt falling?  Youre stuck.  We are relying on hoping Green somehow learns to be an offensive threat which is not a good gamble.

Change the scheme or change the players.  Or just use your playoff scheme a few times to win games.

I still hate the scheme.  Dont care how modern it is...we dont have the talent for it and should have some sort of GSW attack as a backup if your main scheme aint producing.