Who was the "player of the game" who elevated his game to help the team get the win?

Awesome segment on Luka by WFAA with his mom.

https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/1-on...df9516f454

Best part?

What has been the toughest adjustment?


"Maybe, for me, because I didn't have friends," Mirjam admitted. "When I came there, I was alone. I was living alone because I didn't live with Luka."

In time, she did make friends and she believes Dallas could be her and Luka's first, last and only stop in the NBA.

"I'm honestly pretty sure it's going to be long-term," Mirjam said.

Does he just want to spend his career with one team?


"Yeah," Mirjam affirmed. "Yeah, he feels great there, so he wants to stay for sure." 

So much hype about 2021 FA, but I dare to say it is better for us to go after 2020 FA crop consisting of a couple of proven players like Van Vleet, Fournier (probably opts out), Gallo, Bogdanovic, Montrezl and Harris. Mavs don't have a difficult task to create cap space this year. Assuming free agency is our plan - not discussing possible trades here.

1. Does anyone think CP3, LBJ and Blake Griffin decline their PO in 2021? Even if they do, should we really take a trip to whatever nursing home they will be residing in their advanced age at that time?
2. Things will have to go terribly wrong in LAC for George and Kawhi to decline their options. This season might already give an indication about possibility for that to happen
3. Hayward, Conley, DeRozan, Aldridge and Lowry will all be playing cards with the number 1 group somewhere in Florida.
4. I assume 100 % reliability Davis resigns and is off the market by 2021
5. Schroeder, Oubre, Winslow, Richardson and Dinwiddie are all basically same quality as 2020 crop. However, there is only so much competition in 2020 - will be much higher in 2021. Miami and Toronto are the the only serious teams in 2020 with possible cap space. If you enjoy playing for loosers like Charlotte or Detroit, good luck to you.
6. This leaves The Freak, Oladipo and Gobert as the only possible prize signings in 2021. With Gobert not really a good fit for us.

Unless Mavs know something they shouldn't know, I would definitely go for 2020 options. How about you?

The myriad of instant tweets and reactions were expressions of true denial.

The 8 second/24 second gesture was genuine grief

The Lakers tribute was closure.

The playing of video tributes across the league was a way for everyone to feel a part of the grieving process.

The retiring of his jersey by opposing teams was about showing respect.

Lebron's "Mamba" tattoo was heartfelt, but to tweet about it was egocentric.

Naming the All Star MVP Trophy after Kobe was a nice touch.

Having all the players in the All Star Game wearing either 2 or 24 is unnecessarily confusing.

Using Kobe's number as a prop in the Slam Dunk Contest was...wait, WTF!!!

A Kobe tribute before the All Star Game...um, we're still doing these??

A Kobe tribute at halftime...OH COME THE F#%@ ON!!!!!!

Kobe was one of the greatest players ever and died too soon, but this has just gone from genuine grieving to the same shticky crap that has turned the Dunk Contest into a gimmick. The only thing left to do is to launch Kobe's corpse over a Kia.

https://twitter.com/MavsPR/status/1229091999384506368

https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/...8122457088

https://twitter.com/1033fmESPN/status/12...9603555330

Now, That's More Like It
Mavs Head into ASB on a High Note

Luka made a triumphant return, and he and Porzingis finally clicked! An outstanding all-around team performance, and a home win!


Game Story

The Mavs had their full complement of available players. The starting lineup was originally listed as Luka/THJ/DFS/KP/Lee. The Kings made a last-minute adjustment to go small, and the Mavs adjusted by putting Brunson in for Lee on the starting unit. The Mavericks mostly went with a one-big lineup throughout the game. 

Dallas got out to a 12-point lead in the first, but didn't close the quarter well, and ended the frame with a 32-28 advantage. The Kings had a 1-point lead at the 7:49 point in the second. In the remainder of the second quarter and throughout the third, it was all Mavs all the time, and they held on to their margin in  the fourth. Point differentials by quarter were +4, +7, +8, 0.


Analytics

Surprisingly, the Mavs lost the possession battle by 14 attempts, primarily due to a 3-10 deficit in offensive rebounds, and to giving up 15 points on 12 turnovers and 23 Kings fast-break points. However, they shot well inside and outside the arc and from the foul line (56%/42%/81%). The boys were +15 in points from threes, even-steven on made free throws, and +4 on points from twos. 

The ball moved well, and 34 of Dallas' 48 made baskets were assisted. All of the starters were in double-digit positive territory except Brunson. 


Players

Seth (34 min) led the team in minutes, and had another stellar performance, with 18 points off the bench on 70% shooting, along with 6 assists. Coach replaced Brunson with Curry to start the second half, and was rewarded for the decision, and the shooting guard had 13 of his points and all of his assists in the second half. The sharpshooter has been averaging over 50% from deep for several games running, and was a perfect 3-3 on the night. Exciting trend!

THJ (33 min) had another strong night, putting up 19 points, including 5 threes, on 7-14 shooting. The Mavs continue to use him in a playmaking role, and he had 6 assists and no turnovers. He also had the team's only steal of the night. Tim's defense is not great, but offensively, he continues his role as one of the squad's most important players. He had a highlight-reel play with an amazing full-court pass to Seth for a floater. 

Porzingis (33 min) was really clicking with LD, recording 27 points on 11-16 shooting, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, and a game-high 3 blocks. An All-Star caliber performance from both of the Mavs' stars! All aspects of his game were excellent, and my favorite assist was a dramatic kick-out to Hardaway for a three. Carlisle gushed over his performance and general progress after the game. Fantastic to see KP come into his own with Luka on the court. If they can play like this on a consistent basis, they will be a tough matchup in the league. 

Luka (31 min) did not have an ounce of rust to shake off, returning after seven games off with a 33-12-8 line, on 10-18 shooting. His energy was infectious, and he frankly looked better off for the enforced rest. In addition to  a number of crowd-pleasing circus shots, he hit three triples and was finding teammates all over the court. The Mavs continued their pre-injury adjustment of frequently having other guards dribble the ball up, thus conserving Luka's energy. The LD-KP connection flourished, and was probably the most encouraging development of the game. Welcome back, young superstar!

WCS and Boban got 4 minutes each of garbage time, and combined for 7 points in a big lineup featuring both players. Boban's ball-rescue game continued apace, with the Serb coming over from the bench to dislodge another stuck ball with a Swiffer. He was also observed after the match leading the Serbian fans in song. What a hoot! New Mav Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was not activated, and is looking ahead to a mini-training camp during the break. 

Kings. Buddy Hield led Sac with 22 points off the bench. The Mavs welcomed a couple of old friends back, with Harrison Barnes putting up 6 points and 7 rebounds, and Yogi Ferrell recording 2 points, an assist, and a steal in 8 minutes. 


Remarks

Carlisle loved the way his team played from start to finish. He especially liked the ball movement, noting the 34 assists. He appeared overjoyed to have Luka back, and thought KP had an outstanding game. 

This was a very good team win for the Mavs. In recent games, I have occasionally thought the squad displayed a certain lack of intensity, even listlessness. We saw none of that here, and the Mavericks looked focused and in sync, which has not been a given in home games. This was a showing of the team at their best. We'll see after the break whether it was one magical night, or whether the guys have really turned a corner. With both Luka and KP hitting on all cylinders, and the other players pulling their weight, we have reason to be optimistic. 


Next. The All-Star break, when we will have a chance to see ya boy Luka in two games. He is very excited about the opportunity, and I think he will impress. 

OK, MFFLs, this is a great way to head into the break! See you on the other side!