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Dog gone. These last couple of days are making want to put down my patience and pick up my pitchfork!!!!




I need a good game from the Mavs to get help me get my patience back!!!

(11-12-2021, 01:32 PM)fifteenth Wrote: [ -> ]I need a good game from the Mavs to get help me get my patience back!!!

Well, that's all the bad, so here's the good:

The defense IS improved. Too early to tell how much, I think, or whether it's the type of improvement that will help against the good, disciplined offenses at the end of the season (so far, no) but there IS improvement. 

There IS a noticeable uptick in general effort, especially on defense. I think Kidd and staff have achieved some measure of buy-in, at least to a point that's acceptable early season.

(11-12-2021, 01:48 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]Well, that's all the bad, so here's the good:

The defense IS improved. Too early to tell how much, I think, or whether it's the type of improvement that will help against the good, disciplined offenses at the end of the season (so far, no) but there IS improvement. 

There IS a noticeable uptick in general effort, especially on defense. I think Kidd and staff have achieved some measure of buy-in, at least to a point that's acceptable early season.

Has the defense improved? In the losses we gave up 115  PPG and lost by an average of 20.

(11-12-2021, 12:52 PM)ClutchDirk Wrote: [ -> ]https://nba.nbcsports.com/2021/11/12/j-j...and-trade/

No surprise there. Redick was the obvious potential salary ballast for Lowry, and even for Dragic if Toronto wanted to play ball.

(11-12-2021, 09:52 AM)Chicagojk Wrote: [ -> ]the Mavs aren't playing with force. They are last in shots at the rim, and the folks at Basketball-Reference say the Mavs' portion of attempts from the restricted area is the lowest ever in its database. Only 14% of Doncic's shots have come at the basket, by far the lowest mark of his career.

THIS, THIS, THIS. This completely affirms my eye test. Luka has REALLY struggled to get to the rim this year. Some is spacing and I believe some is that he is slower this year. 

The offense won't really turn around till this changes.

(11-12-2021, 02:31 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]THIS, THIS, THIS. This completely affirms my eye test. Luka has REALLY struggled to get to the rim this year. Some is spacing and I believe some is that he is slower this year. 

The offense won't really turn around till this changes.

I don't think you're nuts about his conditioning/speed, don't get me wrong. 

But, I really think you're underselling the angle that in the past, the entire POINT of the offense was to remove defenders from the path between Luka and the paint, while this season's version either hasn't prioritized that goal or has often failed to accomplish it. I think the offensive breakdowns (hopefully not philosophy changes) are at least 50% to blame for this situation with Luka.

Are we temporarily ruining the offense in an attempt to make KP more tradeable? 

Sorry....I'm in a throw stuff at the wall and see if it sticks kind of mood

(11-12-2021, 03:02 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]But, I really think you're underselling the angle that in the past, the entire POINT of the offense was to remove defenders from the path between Luka and the paint, while this season's version either hasn't prioritized that goal or has often failed to accomplish it. I think the offensive breakdowns (hopefully not philosophy changes) are at least 50% to blame for this situation with Luka.

I said this in another post, but to briefly repeat:

Why is the offense scoring 112.3 pts/100 poss. when JB plays and only 101.9 pts/100 poss. when Luka plays? How would you go about highlighting the discrepancy? Do guys only suck at spacing when Luka plays? I am super curious on your thoughts.

According to BBallReference....

JB is shooting 20% of his shots at the rim this year. Luka is shooting 9% of his shots at the rim this year. 

Why is JB able to get to the rim in this new system and Luka can't?

(11-12-2021, 03:02 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]But, I really think you're underselling the angle that in the past, the entire POINT of the offense was to remove defenders from the path between Luka and the paint, while this season's version either hasn't prioritized that goal or has often failed to accomplish it. I think the offensive breakdowns (hopefully not philosophy changes) are at least 50% to blame for this situation with Luka.

This. 


In the past, Luka had to get past whatever opponents were standing in his way. Now, he also has to fight his way through two or three Mavs, as well.

(11-12-2021, 03:11 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]According to BBallReference....

JB is shooting 20% of his shots at the rim this year. Luka is shooting 9% of his shots at the rim this year. 

Why is JB able to get to the rim in this new system and Luka can't?

I would venture that a factor might be that opponents aren't targeting JB, and they're draped all over Luka. When the opponents do focus on JB, he usually can't stay on the floor. 

But maybe I'm wrong. It's prolly cuz JB is Superman in disguise and Luka is NBA pond scum.

(11-12-2021, 03:08 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]Why is the offense scoring 112.3 pts/100 poss. when JB plays and only 101.9 pts/100 poss. when Luka plays? How would you go about highlighting the discrepancy? Do guys only suck at spacing when Luka plays? I am super curious on your thoughts.

To be clear, I'm not saying guys "suck at spacing." I'm leaning towards "the team isn't as focused on spacing as they should be." But you're right, there's some subjectivity between the two. 

To answer your question, I'd start by watching whether the offensive approach changes during those times. I think it does, but I don't know why, I admit. Is one of them playing more minutes with KP? With Powell? I think it's possible that when Brunson is in the game, the team has a specific approach where everyone knows "this is how we play with Brunson." But, while Luka is in the game, maybe there are periods where it's ambiguous. Like, the team is trying to add things to his time, knowing they don't want him running spread pnr 90% of the time, as we've seen in the past. Setting my personal feelings about whether or not that's the right move aside, I can tell you definitively that if that's the case, there's a ton of room for gaps in the players' understanding of that kind of thing. Could be ineffective teaching. Could be ineffective study/mental commitment on the part of the players (Luka included, maybe). Could be subject to the fickle buy-in of certain players as the game goes on, etc, etc, etc. 

And, again, I don't think you're nuts with the diet/conditioning thread. Or the attitude thread, when you get around to hitting that nail everyday. I think those probably are factors. But to me, it's sooooo obvious that the team just flatly hasn't played a single game during which they've seemed like everyone was ATTEMPTING to accomplish the same things on offense. To me, it's tough to pick fault with ANY individual player (accurately) until it's clear what they're being asked to do.

(11-12-2021, 03:16 PM)mavsluvr Wrote: [ -> ]I would venture that a factor might be that opponents aren't targeting JB, and they're draped all over Luka. When the opponents do focus on JB, he usually can't stay on the floor.

You would think that JB would have more space when Luka was on the court and therefore the offensive rating would be better with Luka+JB. But it isn't. Together the offensive rating is 111.8 and when JB is playing without Luka the rating is 112.8. 

So when defenses can basically focus all their attention on JB (no Luka on the court), the offense has still played better this year, and JB is still able to be effective.

(11-12-2021, 03:21 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]You would think that JB would have more space when Luka was on the court and therefore the offensive rating would be better with Luka+JB. But it isn't. Together the offensive rating is 111.8 and when JB is playing without Luka the rating is 112.8. 

So when defenses can basically focus all their attention on JB (no Luka on the court), the offense has still played better this year, and JB is still able to be effective.

JB also plays against opposing scrubs, while Luka plays against the best opposing players. And with Powell.

(11-12-2021, 03:21 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]But to me, it's sooooo obvious that the team just flatly hasn't played a single game during which they've seemed like everyone was ATTEMPTING to accomplish the same things on offense.

Thanks for the response.

I guess my point was this: With Luka playing I have felt exactly like you are describing. But when JB has played this year I have felt like the offense was quite good (a tick down from last year, but easily top level NBA quality) and the numbers definitely back that up.

So I am still just left baffling at why there is a discrepancy. Luka has elevated the Mavs offense for three straight years and now it looks lost. Yet when JB plays the offense still looks good. I just don't get it.

(11-12-2021, 03:23 PM)Mavs2021 Wrote: [ -> ]JB also plays against opposing scrubs, while Luka plays against the best opposing players. And with Powell.

There is not that much discrepancy here as you may think. And when JB is playing against scrubs, he is also playing with scrubs (i.e. bench guys down the rotation). 

Luka+DP the offensive rating has been 100.2.

JB+DP the offensive rating has been 116.1.

(11-12-2021, 03:21 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]You would think that JB would have more space when Luka was on the court and therefore the offensive rating would be better with Luka+JB. But it isn't. Together the offensive rating is 111.8 and when JB is playing without Luka the rating is 112.8. 

So when defenses can basically focus all their attention on JB (no Luka on the court), the offense has still played better this year, and JB is still able to be effective.

All right, have it your way. Pond scum, it is.

(11-12-2021, 03:28 PM)mavsluvr Wrote: [ -> ]All right, have it your way. Pond scum, it is.

I find these comments to be condescending, FYI. And they seem to suggest that I am trying to say such things while I am not.

(11-12-2021, 03:28 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]There is not that much discrepancy here as you may think. And when JB is playing against scrubs, he is also playing with scrubs (i.e. bench guys down the rotation). 

Luka+DP the offensive rating has been 100.2.

JB+DP the offensive rating has been 116.1.

This doesn't constitute a full analysis of when the chickens with their heads cut off appear. Do KP and DP play like keystone cops when on the floor? Do KP and DP even play together with Brunson?

(11-12-2021, 03:23 PM)Mavs2021 Wrote: [ -> ]JB also plays against opposing scrubs, while Luka plays against the best opposing players. And with Powell.

Were do you go to fine Luka/Powell #'s VS Luka w/out Powell?  Same for JB/Powell VS JB w/out Powell #'s?

Also, when it's only JB doesn't he play mostly w/one big?