(11-13-2023, 03:01 AM)dirkfansince1998 Wrote: [ -> ]Ausar Thompson has a long way to go as a scorer (especially shooter) but as far as motor and effort plays go he is a special talent.
Once or if he develops a shot, look out. He's athletic as hell, and has everything else in his bag.
(11-13-2023, 10:54 AM)omahen Wrote: [ -> ]I think they still lack that alpha guy. A lot of people say Cunningham is modeling his game to Luka, but he has a long way to go to reach that. Very inefficient, lots of turnovers. Also, the team is very young. At some point they will have to make similar moves Houston did this summer. Overpay a couple of culture setting solid starter material vets. Bogdanovic is their only solid starter vet and he hasn't played yet this season.
To be fair, those injuries at the start of the year, are killers. They have five key players out. Once they're roster becomes whole, they'll be evaluated differently I'm sure.
(11-13-2023, 09:43 AM)MFFL Wrote: [ -> ]Why didn't we have this Porzingis?
Celtics’ success won’t always translate to points for Kristaps Porziņģis and that’s OK
https://archive.is/gABtO#selection-311.0-311.86
Because Dallas told him to stand in a corner and wait for the ball. They didn't use him right. Even his rim protection improved as soon as he got to Washington along with his health. Washington had him posting up as well as on the perimeter. He makes the C's scary if he stays healthy.
(11-13-2023, 06:20 PM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: [ -> ]Because Dallas told him to stand in a corner and wait for the ball. They didn't use him right. Even his rim protection improved as soon as he got to Washington along with his health. Washington had him posting up as well as on the perimeter. He makes the C's scary if he stays healthy.
I think he is referring to KP attitude. He got frustrated when he didn't get enough plays run for him, and there some comments related to selfish play after he was traded. A lot of folks think part of the reason the team did so well after that trade was due to better locker room.
(11-13-2023, 06:20 PM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: [ -> ]Because Dallas told him to stand in a corner and wait for the ball. They didn't use him right. Even his rim protection improved as soon as he got to Washington along with his health. Washington had him posting up as well as on the perimeter. He makes the C's scary if he stays healthy.
I would say it is the opposite. KP finally accepted that he isn't a first/second option and is playing within the offense instead of trying to create for himself. Career low in FGA, usage, post ups, unassisted FGs. More Brook Lopez. Less Joel Embiid.
(11-13-2023, 04:50 PM)Nowitzki Way Wrote: [ -> ]The lack of size mostly. Which accounts for all the points in the paint given up. The lack of rebounding.
Our best big is a 19 year old rookie who the refs hate at the moment. The rest of the "bigs" are Powell (soft), Kleber (washed), Holmes (washed).
We've already seen this being a huge problem in our two losses (Denver / Toronto).
I'm not sold on the perimeter D being much better than the past either. But we seem to be improving in that area.
Then the injury factor. Luka and Kyrie have not been the healthiest duo in their careers. I think we can pretty much chalk up 15-20 games each season that these two will lose out on injury. Having one of them out really stretches the rotation. Having both out at the same time for a long stretch would be a killer.
Lastly, i'm not a huge fan of the roster construction. We just don't fit the typical championship model. We seem to have ill-fitting parts. The lack of size is just the beginning.
Of course, i hope i'm terribly wrong and we win 50+ games and get a top 4 seed. I just see us more in the 40-42 win group, which is about par for a play-in game.
And honestly there isnt much of a difference between a 50 win team and a 40 win team. Most of the difference is luck (avoiding injuries) and execution (coaching). And now that i mention coaching, i'm not the biggest fan of Jason Kidd's in game coaching. I think he's great behind the scenes. I mean for the guys in the NBA now he's a legend. An NBA champion and Hall of Famer. But he's not an X's and O's type coach.
Wasn't this team in an even worse spot size wise when they went to the WCF? The only bigs on that roster after the trade were Powell and Maxi.
I'm also curious what the roster construction issues are and the ill fitting parts? I can see the argument for more big depth if Holmes is truly washed, but I just haven't seen a lot of ill fitting. Our 2 losses are against the world champs and a game without Lively (big depth). Otherwise, team has looked pretty good to me.
(11-13-2023, 08:42 PM)dirkfansince1998 Wrote: [ -> ]I would say it is the opposite. KP finally accepted that he isn't a first/second option and is playing within the offense instead of trying to create for himself. Career low in FGA, usage, post ups, unassisted FGs. More Brook Lopez. Less Joel Embiid.
Yep. He seemed to have the right attitude the first year he played here. Who knows what happens if he doesn't get injured in that Clipper playoff series. After that it was injuries and attitude issues.
NBA is weird. Toronto pretty much had their way with Dallas on a Dallas off night. Since then they got blown out by Boston (nothing to worry about) and are now losing by over 20 to the Wizards at Toronto. Not over yet as teh Wizards have blown leads this year, but not a great look.
Math guy whom no longer works in NBA has repeatedly stood up for KP as not being a problem with the Mavs.
Something isnt adding up here.
Believe players that seemed happy in post game interviews when Luka was not playing and sitting multiple games for injury reasons...or believe an ex-NBA employee run out of town?
I want to believe KP and Vegas Bob, though. Most likely seems murmurings were true. Maybe it had nothing to do with KP and Luka but KP's team and management. Something isnt adding up, though, amongst insiders who speak on the subject.
(11-13-2023, 06:20 PM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: [ -> ]Because Dallas told him to stand in a corner and wait for the ball. They didn't use him right. Even his rim protection improved as soon as he got to Washington along with his health. Washington had him posting up as well as on the perimeter. He makes the C's scary if he stays healthy.
I was mostly talking about the attitude change. Maybe the stint in Washington made him think about his career and now he's happy to be back on a team with a chance to win.
Idk - all I know is that the Porzingis we had would never have been happy with the role he has in Boston.
(11-13-2023, 09:06 PM)Chicagojk Wrote: [ -> ]NBA is weird. Toronto pretty much had their way with Dallas on a Dallas off night. Since then they got blown out by Boston (nothing to worry about) and are now losing by over 20 to the Wizards at Toronto. Not over yet as teh Wizards have blown leads this year, but not a great look.
And the Wizards blow another one
@wojespn
ESPN Sources: The Denver Nuggets’ Michael Malone — who led the franchise to the 2023 NBA championship — has agreed on a contract extension that’ll make him one of the league’s highest paid coaches.
(11-13-2023, 10:51 PM)RoyTarpleysGhost Wrote: [ -> ]And the Wizards blow another one
21-1 for the Raptors over last 7.30. I think we know who finishes with the top lottery odds. That´s some true professionalism.
So young men´s league. How many of the Warriors, Suns, Lakers and Clippers do we expect to miss the direct play-off qualification? I honestly think that outside of the Rockets the rest of the teams could stay in the top 6, which means there is only one direct spot available for one of these teams (plus Grizzlies). That means at least two won´t even make the play-offs through the play-in.
Quote:twitter.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1724261004052205925?s=20
The Wizards ended up playing 4v5 on this play because of Kyle Kuzma ?
NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral)
Kuzma is one of the sorriest players in the league today. Him and Poole are totally unserious and fine just collecting checks.
(11-13-2023, 06:20 PM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: [ -> ]Because Dallas told him to stand in a corner and wait for the ball. They didn't use him right. Even his rim protection improved as soon as he got to Washington along with his health. Washington had him posting up as well as on the perimeter. He makes the C's scary if he stays healthy.
KP literally admitted to being at fault for it not working out in Dallas.
(11-13-2023, 04:50 PM)Nowitzki Way Wrote: [ -> ]The lack of size mostly. Which accounts for all the points in the paint given up. The lack of rebounding.
Our best big is a 19 year old rookie who the refs hate at the moment. The rest of the "bigs" are Powell (soft), Kleber (washed), Holmes (washed).
We've already seen this being a huge problem in our two losses (Denver / Toronto).
I'm not sold on the perimeter D being much better than the past either. But we seem to be improving in that area.
Then the injury factor. Luka and Kyrie have not been the healthiest duo in their careers. I think we can pretty much chalk up 15-20 games each season that these two will lose out on injury. Having one of them out really stretches the rotation. Having both out at the same time for a long stretch would be a killer.
Lastly, i'm not a huge fan of the roster construction. We just don't fit the typical championship model. We seem to have ill-fitting parts. The lack of size is just the beginning.
Of course, i hope i'm terribly wrong and we win 50+ games and get a top 4 seed. I just see us more in the 40-42 win group, which is about par for a play-in game.
And honestly there isnt much of a difference between a 50 win team and a 40 win team. Most of the difference is luck (avoiding injuries) and execution (coaching). And now that i mention coaching, i'm not the biggest fan of Jason Kidd's in game coaching. I think he's great behind the scenes. I mean for the guys in the NBA now he's a legend. An NBA champion and Hall of Famer. But he's not an X's and O's type coach.
You don't need to look at DJJ and Grant and think they are amazing defensively, but looking at them and saying they are a huge upgrade on wing defense from what we had last season should be obvious even in a small sample size. We 100% need a true backup big, and one of those 6'8/6'9 defensive wings (basically the finished version of what we hope Omax can be), but I would bet on perimeter D being much better than last season being very real. Have to also factor in that DJJ and Grant are completely new and can potentially improve cohesion even more with the rest of the team as the season goes on. The length is an issue (but only against a specific small number of teams), but that can 100% be at least partially mitigated with some smart trades at the deadline (or Omax potentially coming along quicker than we anticipate).
Our competition arguably have just as many if not more injury concerns on their rosters than we do. Many of them are older with stars and role players with far worse injury histories. Not a real reason for us to be held back as the logic can be used for those other teams too.
As for roster construction I agree to an extent, but if the length issues can be mitigated by the trades I mentioned above, IMO the one other issue of a third reliable ball handler could genuinely be solved by Exum. Certainly not convinced yet, but he legit could see a huge expanded role as the season goes on and be exactly what we need as a third ball handler, who can also really defend at 6'6. Love his quickness and fearlessness driving into the paint. The only parts to keep an eye on are 3 point shooting and whether he can finish well.
Kidds in game coaching is IMO not as big of a deal as long as he has the defensive pieces. He's a defensive coach, and that's the area of the game I expect he will provide the difference in. What he did with our defense his first season with a roster that had zero business being that good defensively should not be overlooked as much as it is. You don't have to be an X and O's coach as long as you can provide something else to offset that deficiency, and if he can get the defense to play above itself like he did that first season, it would make up for it.
Overall the defensive numbers are just as good/bad as last season. 116.1 D-Rating last season (25th). 115.6 D-Rating this season (24th).
Perimeter defense still being one of the main issues. Mavs rank in the 27.6 percentille in isolation defense. 48.3 in pick and roll defense. 17.2 in transition defense.
Same for rebounding. 27th in DRR. 25th in ORR. The main difference compared to last season is that a good offense turned into an all time great (small sample size) offense. Current 122 O-Rating would be the best in league history (Pacers are even better right now 122.1).
As Kidd stated. The Mavs are comfortable playing games in the 120s. Not sure how that translates to a tougher schedule or playoff success but it seems like a D'Antoni plan. Half the defense. Double the offense.
(11-14-2023, 03:05 AM)dirkfansince1998 Wrote: [ -> ]Overall the defensive numbers are just as good/bad as last season. 116.1 D-Rating last season (25th). 115.6 D-Rating this season (24th).
Perimeter defense still being one of the main issues. Mavs rank in the 27.6 percentille in isolation defense. 48.3 in pick and roll defense. 17.2 in transition defense.
Same for rebounding. 27th in DRR. 25th in ORR. The main difference compared to last season is that a good offense turned into an all time great (small sample size) offense. Current 122 O-Rating would be the best in league history (Pacers are even better right now 122.1).
As Kidd stated. The Mavs are comfortable playing games in the 120s. Not sure how that translates to a tougher schedule or playoff success but it seems like a D'Antoni plan. Half the defense. Double the offense.
The defense has not been great (except in clutch time, which is huge if it can be sustained) but there is reason to believe it will improve as the season goes. Lots of new parts. I could see this being an average defense by the end of the season while still being top 3 offense. That is a good team that can make a little noise in playoffs depending on matchup. The goal next offseason should be to do what it takes to inch this defense closer to top 10 while maintaining that offense.
(11-14-2023, 02:20 AM)Dundalis Wrote: [ -> ]KP literally admitted to being at fault for it not working out in Dallas.
Partially at fault. Some of it was on Kidd.