GAME 1: DAL (0-1) @ PHX (1-0) | 102-106 loss

[Mavs2019]

You cannot make this shit up. We go on a 14-7 run with WCS, so the SUNS HEADCOACH calls a timeout, and the MAVS HEADCOACH subs out the game-changing player.

[mtrot]

Maxi with a -18 and WCS with a +14, yet RC pulls WCS down the stretch.  We're screwed.

[Kammrath]

Should have left Willie in.

AMEN. Horrible coaching decision IMO.

[SleepingHero]

His  0-6 or 0-7 from three, what makes him think at the last minute he has a chance.

Like don't get me wrong. I'm ok with Luka taking a 3. But not with a single action and 14 seconds left on the shot clock with only 4 possessions at most remaining. Is that really the best shot they could have gotten? The Mavs were down 1. Didn't need a 3 in either possessions.

The most egregious one was Maxi's. Literally just hoisted a prayer. If he made it we'd all be singing his praises, but it's a make or miss league and the fact Maxi did that after just ONE pass in the entire possession is unforgivable. 

Mavs end of game situations need serious improvement.

[FunkBoreland]

Should have left Willie in.

Should have left Brunson in too. I don't understand the line ups, you had preseason and 5-5 on practices to see what gives the next surge, but instead, went with the cold and low percentage of the starters. 

Brunson & Burke with WCS to start the 2nd and 4th quarters. Especially Brunson, he cut the deficit and made great passes late in the 4th. 

My only question is, how many loses will it take for Rick to say I need to mix the lineups more efficiently.

[Hypermav]

This is my only Powell comment of the game thread, he only played 18 minutes.

[SwisherPrice]

Good loss. We will go 0-3 but it's all about finding some potential and figuring things out. WCS and Brunson should start over Powell and THJ.

[dirkfansince1998]

Really difficult to win a game when the center rotation combines for 14pts and 7rebs. Only 4 points in the paint. Even worse when the Mavs cannot make a shot from 3. I guess we could get into the "to Bobi or not to Bobi" debate once again. Suns bigman were in foul trouble all game long. Would have been easy for Boban to score over smaller defenders like Smith or Crowder.

Thankfully RC ended the Powell experiment before it could hurt the Mavs even more than it did in the first half. Sadly he also benched WCS and ended a big Mavs run.

[Fuerza1]

What's the point of keeping the hot hand (Brunson) in the game then icing him for 3 mins straight after the WCS full court dime? Literally never touched the ball again, not even for a swing pass. 

Luka ball down the stretch with step back 3's or kick out to contested 3's for others, this is the same old Carlisle **** from last season, wannabe Moreyball.

PHX made back-to-back, clutch mid-range jumpers from CP3 and Booker that sealed the win. But ANALYTICS!!! 

Oh yeah, and Powell shouldn't get more than 8-10 mins/night, preferably zero.

[cow]

The most egregious one was Maxi's. Literally just hoisted a prayer. If he made it we'd all be singing his praises, but it's a make or miss league and the fact Maxi did that after just ONE pass in the entire possession is unforgivable. 

Maxi and JRich were a little too trigger happy the whole game on not-so-wide-open shots.  Combine that with Luka's normal, highly questionable shot selection and THJ playing hero ball and we shouldn't have even been in this game.  RC killing the momentum with the lineup change is dumb too.

[SleepingHero]

This is my only Powell comment of the game thread, he only played 18 minutes.

Minute restriction most likely. Powell was largely AFK most of the time he was on the court which isn't that bad. He did injure Luka though. So #TradePowell

[Branduil]

I would feel a lot better about giving THJ another contract if he ever showed a sign of impacting the game when he's not shooting hot.

[FunkBoreland]

The most egregious one was Maxi's. Literally just hoisted a prayer. If he made it we'd all be singing his praises, but it's a make or miss league and the fact Maxi did that after just ONE pass in the entire possession is unforgivable. 

Mavs end of game situations need serious improvement.

I had more confidence in Maxi taking the 3 when his already had success, than in Luka taking it himself late in the game when he had better execution near the basket. But yes, I agree they should have hold the possession until they got the best look at the basket.

I noticed Suns, with Paul, really likes to slow the last possessions to see what's the best high percentage shot. Unlike Mavs, we tend to hurry the ball and go for the low-percentage, uncharacteristic shots.

[SleepingHero]

Maxi and JRich were a little too trigger happy the whole game on not-so-wide-open shots.  Combine that with Luka's normal, highly questionable shot selection and THJ playing hero ball and we shouldn't have even been in this game.  RC killing the momentum with the lineup change is dumb too.

That's a pretty good summary. 

I will say despite Luka's abnormal playmaking decisions, he put up the quietest 32/8/5 I think in league history. Felt like he barely cracked 20, let alone 30.

[cow]

Really difficult to win a game when the center rotation combines for 14pts and 7rebs. Only 4 points in the paint. Even worse when the Mavs cannot make a shot from 3. I guess we could get into the "to Bobi or not to Bobi" debate once again. Suns bigman were in foul trouble all game long. Would have been easy for Boban to score over smaller defenders like Smith or Crowder.

Thankfully RC ended the Powell experiment before it could hurt the Mavs even more than it did in the first half. Sadly he also benched WCS and ended a big Mavs run.

Kept thinking about Boban too with the Suns big men in foul trouble and the Mavs unable to generate consistent offense.

[SleepingHero]

I noticed Suns, with Paul, really likes to slow the last possessions to see what's the best high percentage shot. Unlike Mavs, we tend to hurry the ball and go for the low-percentage, uncharacteristic shots.

We're sorely missing that kind of vet leadership to close out games. 


I mean we were missing our 2nd best player and Unicorn this game, and that could've been all the difference, but I think the Mavs need a consistent steady presence.

[Mavs2019]

AMEN. Horrible coaching decision IMO.

Clearly Carlisle is smoking all of Willie´s pot. Now we have a clean-minded Willie, but a head coach that can´t think straight. 

Also we are still a legit 3rd (offensive) star away. THJ/Powell/Johnson need to be replaced and not with more sideways dross like OPJ.

[JamesConway]

This is my only Powell comment of the game thread, he only played 18 minutes.

That’s a good number to get him back into his rhythm, but he should exclusively come off the bench for at least a while. The lack of vertical spacing made it difficult for the starters to get some interior offense when the outside shots weren’t falling.

This tonight felt like the Bogut-time. Just a clearly dysfunctional starting unit that would be better off being split up.

[FunkBoreland]

What's the point of keeping the hot hand (Brunson) in the game then icing him for 3 mins straight after the WCS full court dime? Literally never touched the ball again, not even for a swing pass. 

I won't blame Brunson leaving Dallas if this happens all season. The guy has great decision making on the court, enough for a team needing him to start.

---

Powell had some alley oops that went alley whoops. If he can't covert those throughout the season, his going to need to go back to bench....or end of bench.

[SwisherPrice]

As long as Luka loves to take those fadeaway threes off the dribble, he will never be a good 3-pt shooter. Those are only shots that the ELITE 3-pt shooters can make at a decent percentage (ex: Steph Curry, Lillard, Booker, etc.) and Luka will never be in that class of shooters because that's not the type of player he is.

You don't really develop that shot to where it becomes a good weapon. Harden has tried and it doesn't work consistently.

Since he's still only 21 and taking those bad shots, you just have to hope he will eventually learn and hope that the coaching staff actually coaches him up. In 5 years, if he's in his prime and still chucking those up, then that will be a huge problem!