The Night of November 14th

[fifteenth]

On November 14th the Mavs lost to the Knicks to cap off a rough stretch of 4 games where they looked discombobulated and lost 3 of 4, two of which were to the tanking Knicks. 

Since that night the Mavs have won 5 in a row, two against contending teams. The average score in the 5 wins is 130-104 and the Mavs have looked outstanding. They have not looked like a team that's 16 games in to a season that features a largely reshaped roster made up of Luke, a second star who is coming back from having not played in forever, and (reportedly) no other starters. Instead they've looked like a team that's had time gel, has a deep and talented roster, and is ready to make a run at home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The rotation appears stable and It it seems like Rick's information gathering, lineup experimentation has lessened, or ended. And amazingly, fan favorite (not!) Tim Hardaway Jr. is playing a 3rd star! 

An hour or so after the second loss to the Knicks, the Mavs' last loss, Brad Townsend tweeted "Mavs locker room still closed and no Carlisle yet. Much longer wait than usual."

So here's the deal...

What changed? Did something happen in the locker room that night? Did an embarrassing couple of losses to the Knicks cause something to click? Is the improvement just based on the natural progression of a talented team that needed time to figure things out, or did some event catalyze the Mavs? 

[Kammrath]

[mavsman]

I think people cleared the air. Every team issue, weather its defense, shot selection, coaching(rotations and subbing etc ) were discussed and addressed.

Everyone since than has played with a clear purpose it seems.

Here are some on the things I have seen since that day

1) Tighter rotations
2) Better Defense (Feels like everyone on the team is trying much harder).
3) No more slow starts at start of first and third quarter.
4) KP is not isolating anymore and is working harder on rebounding and rim protection.
5) THJ is not chucking and much more within the flow.

This looks like a completely new team and all of these changes can be attributed to being accountable.
Button line is "accountability" is what team found that night.

[Mavsfan12]

[LukTheShadow]

Good question @fifteenth, was thinking about the same as well. We'll probably newer know the real story. But we are free to speculate  .

Beside @fifteenth and @mavsman observations which I 100% agree with I have noticed some changes in all players rhetoric in after games interviews which was not so obvious ever before. All non Luka players are explicitly exposing that they are playing better because of Luka. The same meaning in different forms from different players. KP included. Since that locker room meeting.

It's huge headroom to speculate further based on this rhetoric change If noticed correct. But if yes, did coach finally established hierarchy in the team, which caused such chemistry improvement on the court, based on trust and confidence, resulted in so fluid plays? I don't know.

But What I know is, that I like those changes  ...  a loooooooooot!

[omahen]

Why would we make a big deal out of it? People in healthy environments communicate with each other. If anything, this shows they are a normal environment. I don't care what they discussed, it is between them. That's the purpose of locked doors and we should respect that. Speculations here are such wild guesses that it is getting ridiculus. We have no idea what they discussed, perhaps nothing. Perhaps coach yelled at them for an hour. Perhaps Cuban did. Who cares... Normal people communicate.

People and media are giving way too much thoughts into totaly normal communication, even when it is a couple of loud words in the heat of the game. It happens all the time and is a totally normal part of coexisting together. Outsiders making a big deal out of normal communication is not helping in any way whatsoever. On the contrary, it can make things worse.

[Kammrath]

But if yes, did coach finally established hierarchy in the team, which caused such chemistry improvement on the court, based on trust and confidence, resulted in so fluid plays?

Wouldn't surprise me. THAT is what was utterly missing last year with HB, Wes, DAJ, DSJ, etc....

[fifteenth]

People in healthy environments communicate with each other.

True!!! 

Why would we make a big deal out of it?

Because we're Mavs fans and our hobby here is to talk about the Mavs! We see evidence of a possible catalyzing moment and we talk about it! 

That's the purpose of locked doors

They should lock their doors! If I were a coach I wouldn't tell anyone what we talked about. But locked doors don't mean sports talk shouldn't happen!

Outsiders making a big deal out of normal communication is not helping in any way whatsoever.

Nothing we specifically talk about helps the Mavs. They don't listen to us. But the fact that we talk about them helps them. Their business is fueled by our interest. We talk about them because we're fans. It's just the fact that we're interested, watch the games, go to the games, buy jersey's, etc. that helps them. They're a business. We're their patrons. They're glad we're talking about them.

[SportPsychMav]

People in healthy environments communicate with each other.

True!!! 

Why would we make a big deal out of it?

Because we're Mavs fans and our hobby here is to talk about the Mavs! We see evidence of a possible catalyzing moment and we talk about it! 

That's the purpose of locked doors

They should lock their doors! If I were a coach I wouldn't tell anyone what we talked about. But locked doors don't mean sports talk shouldn't happen!

Outsiders making a big deal out of normal communication is not helping in any way whatsoever.

Nothing we specifically talk about helps the Mavs. They don't listen to us. But the fact that we talk about them helps them. Their business is fueled by our interest. We talk about them because we're fans. It's just the fact that we're interested, watch the games, go to the games, buy jersey's, etc. that helps them. They're a business. We're their patrons. They're glad we're talking about them.

Great post.

[omahen]

We see evidence of a possible catalyzing moment

Yeah. Or it was just someones birthday and they had a couple of beers. They locked the doors because Luka is not 21 yet :-)

They don't listen to us.

I don't really agree. While perhaps not following this forum they are certainly checking social media where every little thing is blown out of proportions. Every hand or face gesture, every raised voice or a bit more heated discussion. My comment was more in this light. Overanalysing certain events we have no clue whatsoever. That is totally different than posting opinions about lineups or trades.

Of course you are free to do it. I was just bored and posted a comment how pointless it seems to me, because we really have no idea what it was about.

[fifteenth]

Yeah. Or it was just someones birthday and they had a couple of beers. They locked the doors because Luka is not 21 yet :-)

LOL! I love it. +77 to you pal

hile perhaps not following this forum they are certainly checking social media where every little thing is blown out of proportions.

Man, I sure hope someone is giving them good advice about staying off of social media!! I know many of them won't listen to that advice, but if I was a pro athlete I hope I'd have the wisdom to stay away from it.

[omahen]

Man, I sure hope someone is giving them good advice about staying off of social media!!

Most of them use twitter and instagram, so that hope is gone :-) As mentally tough as someone might be, that stuff can get under your skin

[SportPsychMav]

Man, I sure hope someone is giving them good advice about staying off of social media!!

Most of them use twitter and instagram, so that hope is gone :-) As mentally tough as someone might be, that stuff can get under your skin

They play online games. Nothing more toxic out there.

[BigDirk41]

I personally think that was Luka's breaking point and he probably had choice words for RC after the game. Luka is the ONLY player that can even think of doing so because he's bigger than the coach. What was said? Who knows, but I really think Luka put his foot down after that game and everything has changed since. I don't buy into RC changing on his own after that game. That's never been his style. This is just my opinion but Luka looked extremely pissed off at the end of that game. More than usual imo.

I have zero proof and just a guess. It's fun to guess.

[fifteenth]

I personally think that was Luka's breaking point and he probably had choice words for RC after the game. Luka is the ONLY player that can even think of doing so because he's bigger than the coach. What was said? Who knows, but I really think Luka put his foot down after that game and everything has changed since. I don't buy into RC changing on his own after that game. That's never been his style. This is just my opinion but Luka looked extremely pissed off at the end of that game. More than usual imo.

I have zero proof and just a guess. It's fun to guess.

There is a zero percent chance that Luka came into the locker room, closed the door, gathered the team and coaching staff together, and told Rick what's what. It's not plausible. 

And Rick doesn't have to change in order to settle on a rotation. You don't think he's ever settled on a rotation?  

I wouldn't be surprised at all if there was a "clear the air" meeting and the players voiced their frustrations, even frustrations with some of what Rick was doing...but that's different than what you present. 

I also wouldn't be surprised if Rick leveraged the embarrassment of two losses to the Knicks as a teaching moment, or a "deliver a message" moment to reinforce things he's trying to get ingrained. 

But you're right, we don't know, and it's fun to guess.

[Tyler]

I always find it fascinating how fans can construct such detailed fake conversations in their heads based on whatever narrative they want to believe.  IMO, it says more about the fans than about the team.

In any case, if you're looking for insight into what's going on behind the scenes, KP's post-game interviews are what you should be paying attention to as he's unusually thoughtful, open, and honest by professional athlete standards.  Recently he made a passing comment about how it's important for teams to get on the same page internally, as there are always things going on behind the scenes that fans never hear about.  He mentioned that he's been in a situation before that didn't do that well at all (NY), and implied that Dallas is doing it right.  

So my interpretation (based on player comments off the court and changes on the court) is that some guys are naturally a little frustrated as they figure out how to best fit into the team concept, they're working it out internally, and the team is starting to play better as a result.  That's how good communication works!  Of course I'm no more tied in than any of you, so I could also be wrong.  But at least it's based on the best info we have available and not on pure personal speculation.

[BigDirk41]

I personally think that was Luka's breaking point and he probably had choice words for RC after the game. Luka is the ONLY player that can even think of doing so because he's bigger than the coach. What was said? Who knows, but I really think Luka put his foot down after that game and everything has changed since. I don't buy into RC changing on his own after that game. That's never been his style. This is just my opinion but Luka looked extremely pissed off at the end of that game. More than usual imo.

I have zero proof and just a guess. It's fun to guess.

There is a zero percent chance that Luka came into the locker room, closed the door, gathered the team and coaching staff together, and told Rick what's what. It's not plausible. 

And Rick doesn't have to change in order to settle on a rotation. You don't think he's ever settled on a rotation?  

I wouldn't be surprised at all if there was a "clear the air" meeting and the players voiced their frustrations, even frustrations with some of what Rick was doing...but that's different than what you present. 

I also wouldn't be surprised if Rick leveraged the embarrassment of two losses to the Knicks as a teaching moment, or a "deliver a message" moment to reinforce things he's trying to get ingrained. 

But you're right, we don't know, and it's fun to guess.

I didn't say Luka did anything in front of the team. I also didn't say he gathered the team and coaches. I said I think Luka had some choice words for RC. That can be between them two. I didn't say anything about Luka lighting up the coach in front of the team. 

I would agree it's more plausible that it was a team talk with coach, but at the same time if Luka spoke up during a "team talk" his words mean much more than others. He is the franchise at this point. 

I would say almost no chance that Rick settled on rotations on his own that quickly. Instantly the rotations became more stable and Luka's rest situations changed. You yourself have stated many times RC takes 20-30 games to settle on a rotation. 

Before you start saying I'm hating on RC, I gave him a lot of crap all the way up to the Knicks game. At the same time I've given him credit every since. In the end, as long as he's the coach he still controls all the player decisions as far as playing time. 

If RC did drastically change his rotations on his own, GREAT for him and I'm just as happy. In the end it doesn't matter how or what happened because whatever happened clearly brought this team together. 

Whether is was Luka, Rick or the team I'm estatic because something changed for the better that night. We'll never know how it changed.

---

As far as the fans answering based on speculation, OP asked what we thought happened so I thought that's what was going on here. Anything we say is pure speculation. None of us know anything about the Mavs locker room. It's just for fun anyway, right?

[ItsGoTime]

It was Broekhoff getting drunk cause he thought we lost the championship game and got into a trenchcoat and started flashing everyone. Nobody wanted to see that, so the team had to lock the door and deal with it. The incident showed the team that they could work surprisingly well together and they built a campfire and sang a song holding hands. The fire marshall not getting word about the fire in a building is why they are so hush hush about it.

[Scott41theMavs]

Just wanted to say that this is a great thread and a great discussion. Kudos to all participants.

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It was Broekhoff getting drunk cause he thought we lost the championship game and got into a trenchcoat and started flashing everyone. Nobody wanted to see that, so the team had to lock the door and deal with it. The incident showed the team that they could work surprisingly well together and they built a campfire and sang a song holding hands. The fire marshall not getting word about the fire in a building is why they are so hush hush about it.

Well, at least until this post. 

[BigDirk41]

It was Broekhoff getting drunk cause he thought we lost the championship game and got into a trenchcoat and started flashing everyone. Nobody wanted to see that, so the team had to lock the door and deal with it. The incident showed the team that they could work surprisingly well together and they built a campfire and sang a song holding hands. The fire marshall not getting word about the fire in a building is why they are so hush hush about it.

This is the most plausible thing I've heard so far. Well done. I enjoyed reading that. Fun stuff