A Few Thoughts on Mavs 107, Raptors 110

[Dahlsim]

After sitting with this for a few hours, I would have given the young guys some help in the form of a little Puerto Rican. 

Maybe I l let them figure it out until the lead gets down to 15. 

You can teach by making them do it. You can also teach by saying "sit here and watch this". 

But, you know, also, everything that Dan said up above somewhere.

I think this is where I have come out, especially after rewatching it and being reminded what a mess it was. Barea, the big men, a change in strategy, something to give them some help. 


I don't fault Rick for trying something that didn't work. However, in retrospect, I think he let it go on too long, and I think he would probably agree with that. 
….. 

So if we agree with Rick that it really was an 'L' on him because he let it go on too long, then is it just too difficult to say in this case the fault IS on Rick?  

No one is starting #FireCarlisle here as the Mavs are on great trajectory overall.  I don't put most the blame for this 'L' on a 2nd year player like Jalen Brunson going up against a FIVE TIME NBA All star Kyle Lowry while experienced NBA Championship PG JJ Berea is nailed to the bench.  

Sure, sometimes Coach says the loss is "on me" but they don't mean it.  In this case I think Rick does mean it and he should mean it, his loyal defenders just don't want to accept it, even when it comes directly from his own mouth.   

I will say he's earned the right to take on an extra 'L' here and there in the name of development, even if its completely unnecessary to take the learning experience that far.
Coach Carlisle's championship status with the Mavericks means he can take an NBA decade long largest blow lead that is so downright pathetic it puts the franchise into the NBA team disgrace history books.  His reputation is so strong that he can experiment his way into a loss that ties Dallas’ biggest blown lead in franchise history. 

Cuban has pretty much made the Mavs Carlisle's team since the Championship team and no player can really challenge the coach on the Mavericks.  He is the man so he can do this sort of boneheaded thing, and rightfully so.  Personally even though I think Rick should be called out on something like this, I'd still rather root for a team with the head coach as the strong man, more like a college team than a modern NBA team where the star player runs the show.
 
It will be interesting to see how it affects decisions the rest of the season. Maybe it pays off at playoff time when some of these players have to step up against NBA All Stars to try and win games that count much more.