(11-07-2022, 03:49 AM)F Gump Wrote: [ -> ]Without mentioning anyone's name, Dinwiddie mentioned that ONLY Powell (among the centers) has been willing to do the things that are needed to space the floor for the creators and get open looks for the shooters from the arc. He mentioned specifically the willingness to roll to the basket after the pick. While he didn't say Wood by name, he's one of the players whose DP's minutes are coming from.
Of course DP WILL roll EVERYTIME, because he has no other move on offense.
What is he supposed to do? Shoot?
(11-07-2022, 01:14 AM)F Gump Wrote: [ -> ]I am assuming this isn't the first time Wood has been called out, where this was out of the blue, but rather we saw a case of taking it up a notch (public) when getting deaf ears on previous tries to get different behavior (private). The fact that you and I didn't hear it before doesn't mean this issue and Kidd/coaches pointing it out didn't happen before.
Alright, so to be clear, we're both working on assumptions. Got it.
Still, Kidd threw Wood under the bus.
No assumptions there.
Powell and McGee are sub-starters.
No one is saying that Wood is perfect or has to be a starter forever.
All the "Pro-Start Wood" crowd is suggesting is to let him starts a few games. Regardless of the "minutes played" excuse. Just try him as a starter and lets see how he does with the Starters for extended minutes. You can put your sub-standard starters in Powell and McGee back in after a couple of games.
But instead...its just a bunch of dancing around why he shouldnt start. Kidd can experiment with every single rotation and lineup and no one cares...but everyone seems to have a hot opinion on why Kidd shouldnt experiment with starting Wood. Its extremely extremely childish.
"Hey...lets play some immatrue head game called Earn It. Wood...youre first up"
There are two possibilities serving as a very good reason that THJ is not getting called out:
He is no longer in the long-term plans and the coaches have basically determined to spend energy on key core pieces rather than others.
OR
They are hoping to rehab his trade value while they are getting his feet under him coming off of the surgery. Constantly critiquing a player does little to make them an attractive commodity.
I don't think Kidd is perfect in how this is being handled, but there is hope that he is getting through to Wood. I wonder how long before Kidd starts pronouncing that he is gonna get Wood paid?
There is no rehabbing THJ. I cant believe this is actually a dance being used!
Its just filler speak. Its a tool to avoid talking about the real issues.
Kidd doesnt want to play Green or Wood just because. Its a fake meritocracy with lots and lots of holes that can be pointed out in that excuse.
There are a lot of guys that could have been singled out at some point in the first eight games but for some reason the staff (Kidd) decided to focus on Wood. Not THJ for his chucking. Not Bullock for turning into a traffic cone on defense. Not SD for blowing defensive rotations left and right.
Not going to argue that Wood didn´t make similar mistakes. Question is why he is the one that has to earn everything? Even more when a career backup big walks into the locker room and gets the starting spot without having to prove anything. When young players have to prove that they deserve minutes over and over again whereas vets can make mistake after mistake without any consequences.
Personally I think Kidd is more into the old school veteran hierarchy stuff than other coaches. That´s what worked for him as a player. Also was a big part of the Lakers success when he worked as an assistant. Same for Dudley. Served as a highly regarded vet for what feels like the last 5-10 years of his career. In the last few years more or less as a player/coach (Haslem) role.
Makes sense for them to go for something similar in Dallas. And that requires trusted vets. Not a wildcard like Wood.
Some posters think "Whiplash" is a movie that makes sense.
I think its horse-manure.
(11-07-2022, 03:49 AM)F Gump Wrote: [ -> ]Actually I think there is.
It's impossible to say for certain, without knowing objectively what Wood is being tasked to do. But it looks to me like Wood has been kinda doing his own thing on both ends of the floor.
On defense, that would show up on whether or not he participates in defensive rotations, and engages the offensive player where he is supposed to engage. Even if he isn't naturally good on defense, being in the right place, and using his size and length, can be very useful. Giving up and not bothering would be very concerning for a coach. And for other players too, when the team mindset is "accountability."
On offense, it would show up not only in whether he forces shots and ball hogs, but also in his positioning (is he where is supposed to be, to space the floor for others), and does he do things like move, set picks, and roll to the basket (as a big after setting a pick). Failing to do such things in a PNR-heavy offense will clog up the ball movement, the spacing, and make it harder for others to get easier shots while he's on the floor.
Without mentioning anyone's name, Dinwiddie mentioned that ONLY Powell (among the centers) has been willing to do the things that are needed to space the floor for the creators and get open looks for the shooters from the arc. He mentioned specifically the willingness to roll to the basket after the pick. While he didn't say Wood by name, he's one of the players whose DP's minutes are coming from.
It was shortly after this that Kidd called out Wood in public. I think he was probably just carrying the water for Luka and SD, frankly. A bigger call for accountability.
And if you think about it, how is Wood going to get more minutes and shots, if he's making the game harder for Luka and SD where they don't want him on the floor with them? He won't run PNR with a hard roll? He won't play D either? This team revolves around what Luka needs, not what Wood feels like doing (and that won't change, nor should it -- this is Luka's team).
If that is your criteria, then Wood is not remotely the biggest culprit of this. There are a bunch of guys on the team that fail these criteria at least as much as Wood. THJ is 100% worse than Wood in pretty much every aspect of fundamentals for his role, and unlike THJ, Wood is actually producing. Also you said Powell was pointed out by SD as the only one willing to do the required things from a C to space the floor. Where's McGee getting called out by Kidd? People give Luka a free pass to be lazy on defense which he STILL is, despite his improvement on that end, because of how good he is on offense. Wood is putting up 17 ppg on a ridiculous 68% TS. If you don't give him any leeway for his insane offensive efficiency, you are not being consistent in your application of these requirements across your whole squad. You are picking on someone without applying the same microscopic focus on everyone else.
Completely disagree that he won't run PnR with a hard roll, or that he won't play D. Does he do it perfectly? No. But EVERY player on this team has a bunch of innate weaknesses. Watching DFS, Bullock or THJ attempt to put the ball on the floor make me wanna puke. Dallas KNEW Wood's weaknesses when they traded for him, as well as his strengths. It's their fault if they made the decision to bring him in, then expect those weaknesses to disappear, while completely ignoring that what he does really well, he is literally doing at an ELITE level right now. You don't enter into an intimate relationship with a partner for example, knowing they have Asperger's, then get pissed at them when they don't handle social situations well, while just overlooking they might be super intelligent and super loyal as their positive traits. That's your fault.
Yeah it’s wild that Wood gets called out despite obviously playing better than everyone on the roster besides Luka and Spencer so far.
(11-07-2022, 09:33 PM)IamDougieFresh Wrote: [ -> ]Yeah it’s wild that Wood gets called out despite obviously playing better than everyone on the roster besides Luka and Spencer so far.
He’s playing better than everyone but Luka. Spencer makes Wood look like prime Ben Wallace defensively.
(11-07-2022, 09:47 PM)Smitty Wrote: [ -> ]He’s playing better than everyone but Luka. Spencer makes Wood look like prime Ben Wallace defensively.
I was just trying to say he is for sure top 3. He's my number 2 for sure.
(11-07-2022, 09:55 PM)IamDougieFresh Wrote: [ -> ]I was just trying to say he is for sure top 3. He's my number 2 for sure.
He´s nowhere near good enough to be a #2 and neither is Dinwiddie. He´s a #4/#5 most likely, if you play to his strength. He´s a spot up shooter/finisher and can drive in open space. In a half-court setting his dribble penetration into traffic is a turnover waiting to happen. Currently for every assist, he commits three turnovers. Of course that is once again a result of a player with tunnel vision being asked to do too much. Ideally we get him extend for $10M year and have him play of three better players/creators that just get him the ball in his spots. If they give him something crazy like $20M, we´ll start to hate all his bad tendencies very quickly.
(11-08-2022, 09:04 PM)Mavs2021 Wrote: [ -> ]He´s nowhere near good enough to be a #2 and neither is Dinwiddie. He´s a #4/#5 most likely, if you play to his strength. He´s a spot up shooter/finisher and can drive in open space. In a half-court setting his dribble penetration into traffic is a turnover waiting to happen. Currently for every assist, he commits three turnovers. Of course that is once again a result of a player with tunnel vision being asked to do too much. Ideally we get him extend for $10M year and have him play of three better players/creators that just get him the ball in his spots. If they give him something crazy like $20M, we´ll start to hate all his bad tendencies very quickly.
You will be a believer come playoff time.
(11-08-2022, 09:04 PM)avs2021 Wrote: [ -> ]He´s nowhere near good enough to be a #2 and neither is Dinwiddie. He´s a #4/#5 most likely, if you play to his strength. He´s a spot up shooter/finisher and can drive in open space. In a half-court setting his dribble penetration into traffic is a turnover waiting to happen. Currently for every assist, he commits three turnovers. Of course that is once again a result of a player with tunnel vision being asked to do too much. Ideally we get him extend for $10M year and have him play of three better players/creators that just get him the ball in his spots. If they give him something crazy like $20M, we´ll start to hate all his bad tendencies very quickly.
Show me a current team with a number 4/5 option that has shown he can put up 20ppg on 60% TS. I'll wait. Also he was absolutely asked to do more for Houston than he is in Dallas and put up 19.1 PPG on 59.3% TS with 2.1 assists to 1.9 turnovers. Doing less in Dallas, he's at 15.6 PPG at a ridiculous 65.3% TS. The higher turnover rate he has is not remotely uncommon for players moving to a new team learning a new system. So saying he's being forced to do too much when he's already doing what he's doing at an uber elite efficiency, while having done much more previously at a still elite efficiency is just factually wrong. Also he's a big. Even the leagues elite offensive bigs aren't very good at dribble penetration into traffic in a half court setting. That's what dedicated ball handlers are for. By that metric only ball handling guards/wings can be number 1 or 2 options. Wood actually has way above average handles for his position.
He's good enough to be a number 2 option if given the opportunity with a phenom like Luka and good enough role players around. He's easily the most offensively gifted scorer this team has had in Luka's time.
If you are gonna hate on a players bad tendencies who can score with the efficiency he does, you're not gonna be happy unless the team gets an unobtainable superstar to fill that number 2 role.
(11-08-2022, 09:04 PM)Mavs2021 Wrote: [ -> ]He´s nowhere near good enough to be a #2 and neither is Dinwiddie. He´s a #4/#5 most likely, if you play to his strength. He´s a spot up shooter/finisher and can drive in open space. In a half-court setting his dribble penetration into traffic is a turnover waiting to happen. Currently for every assist, he commits three turnovers. Of course that is once again a result of a player with tunnel vision being asked to do too much. Ideally we get him extend for $10M year and have him play of three better players/creators that just get him the ball in his spots. If they give him something crazy like $20M, we´ll start to hate all his bad tendencies very quickly.
It's really weird that you did not even mention his P&R and P&P abilities, which is what makes him so desirable as an offensive player. It's like you think he is just a tall perimeter player.
(11-09-2022, 03:53 AM)Dundalis Wrote: [ -> ]Show me a current team with a number 4/5 option that has shown he can put up 20ppg on 60% TS. I'll wait. Also he was absolutely asked to do more for Houston than he is in Dallas and put up 19.1 PPG on 59.3% TS with 2.1 assists to 1.9 turnovers. Doing less in Dallas, he's at 15.6 PPG at a ridiculous 65.3% TS. The higher turnover rate he has is not remotely uncommon for players moving to a new team learning a new system. So saying he's being forced to do too much when he's already doing what he's doing at an uber elite efficiency, while having done much more previously at a still elite efficiency is just factually wrong. Also he's a big. Even the leagues elite offensive bigs aren't very good at dribble penetration into traffic in a half court setting. That's what dedicated ball handlers are for. By that metric only ball handling guards/wings can be number 1 or 2 options. Wood actually has way above average handles for his position.
He's good enough to be a number 2 option if given the opportunity with a phenom like Luka and good enough role players around. He's easily the most offensively gifted scorer this team has had in Luka's time.
If you are gonna hate on a players bad tendencies who can score with the efficiency he does, you're not gonna be happy unless the team gets an unobtainable superstar to fill that number 2 role.
Well of course we are talking about ridiculously small sample sizes here, but over the last five games, he averages
11 PPG / 8 RPG / 0.2 APG / 2.8 TOPG
He had a real hot start, so let´s see who the real Christian Wood is.
Media/national analyst comments on Wood are not as complimentary on his ability and his potential for the Mavs. IOW if this is a struggle between Kidd and Wood, they are solidly on the side of Kidd. And they certainly don't think Wood is worth (or potentially getting) those giant contract offers being predicted here.
Their issues are
1 defense
2 he has a post-up game, in a league that is trending away from that and where the post-ups clog the spacing for the guys who penetrate and attack the basket - iow, dinosaur basketball
3 while he can get shots for himself, it's not an answer since he's not a guy who is going to create for the team
I'm hearing him compared to guys like Drummond, another dinosaur guy with nice stats but who isn't that desirable. The problem is the clunky fit for today's game that favors ballhandlers who attack and break down the defense and create offense for a team, spacing, and 3-and-D guys. Unfortunately Wood doesn't have the skills (at least, not yet) to be any of those guys.
We gave 18M per over 4 years to a guy that doesnt create, doesnt play defense, is streaky shooting and refuses to pass. Fine...he spaces the floor...but does absolutely nothing else on the court. 18M per.
At least Wood is a willing and sneaky good passer that can get guys involved with a nice pass.
He's not modern NBA material? It was cheap...but why bring him in? Oh, because Mavs are going to use some carrot trick to get him to play better defense? Hang the carrot of "Play defense and you can start" or your coming off the bench? Lol. We going to start these other scrubs over you though, Christian. Its comical.
This whole thing is getting corny.
Wood walks for nothing and this Mavs-Magic game would be the norm.
No other thread but SD.
And if the Mavs put in THJ. the Mavs play 4 vs. 6.
THJ works for the other team.
Kidd logic probably:
Wood played a season low in minutes against the Nets = Mavs hold them to a season-low 94 points
Wood DNP against the Magic = Mavs hold them to 94 points (ignore the fact that they only scored 87)
Defense!
(11-09-2022, 11:58 AM)Mavs2021 Wrote: [ -> ]Well of course we are talking about ridiculously small sample sizes here, but over the last five games, he averages
11 PPG / 8 RPG / 0.2 APG / 2.8 TOPG
He had a real hot start, so let´s see who the real Christian Wood is.
Wtf, what are you using small sample sizes for, or even just his hot start? Are you under the assumption he's a rookie or something? 118 games is basically a season and a half, to where he's had starter minutes, and put up 18.8 ppg on 51% FG, 38.7% 3P, 59.3% TS.
And that efficiency has been consistent across 231 career games played.