ESPN: Dal 9th

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2815...uka-doncic

He deserves his own thread as well. He is so invisible, he spends so much time in his own dimension, skipping in and out of it like Nightcrawler. His time warping ability is amazing.

Just slipped out of my consciousness. 

Amazing ability to controll the flow of the game, he reminds me of Kuroko from Kuroko no Basuke Anime .

On November 14th the Mavs lost to the Knicks to cap off a rough stretch of 4 games where they looked discombobulated and lost 3 of 4, two of which were to the tanking Knicks. 

Since that night the Mavs have won 5 in a row, two against contending teams. The average score in the 5 wins is 130-104 and the Mavs have looked outstanding. They have not looked like a team that's 16 games in to a season that features a largely reshaped roster made up of Luke, a second star who is coming back from having not played in forever, and (reportedly) no other starters. Instead they've looked like a team that's had time gel, has a deep and talented roster, and is ready to make a run at home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The rotation appears stable and It it seems like Rick's information gathering, lineup experimentation has lessened, or ended. And amazingly, fan favorite (not!) Tim Hardaway Jr. is playing a 3rd star! 

An hour or so after the second loss to the Knicks, the Mavs' last loss, Brad Townsend tweeted "Mavs locker room still closed and no Carlisle yet. Much longer wait than usual."

So here's the deal...

What changed? Did something happen in the locker room that night? Did an embarrassing couple of losses to the Knicks cause something to click? Is the improvement just based on the natural progression of a talented team that needed time to figure things out, or did some event catalyze the Mavs? 

Mavs Blast Rockets Out of Orbit

Wow!  Mavs blow out a contending rival on the road! They're for real!


Game Story

The Mavericks got off to a hot start with their starting lineup of Luka-THJ-DFS-KP-DP, taking advantage of the Rockets' turning the ball over on the first three possessions of the game. They quickly climbed to a 12-point lead, but the home team battled back to within two. The blue and silver responded with a 16-2 run to end the quarter 45-29. (!) The Rox went on a little run to get within 10 at the start of the second quarter, but Luka returned to lead another Mavs charge. By halftime, Dallas had amassed a stunning 78 points, and a 17-point lead. The battle of the benches stood at 20-2 Mavs. 

James Harden was called for his fourth foul to begin the third, but a coach's challenge resulted in the foul being charged to Danuel House instead. The Rockets made a push in this period, began waltzing to the basket, and drew within ten to close the quarter 95-105. The game got interesting in the final frame, with Houston closing to within five several times. Carlisle brought Luka and KP back early at 9:27, and the Mavs eventually sealed the deal, allowing the starters to exit at 1:48. 


Analytics. The game was very close in most metrics, with the exception of three-point shooting. Both teams took 44 shots from long range. The Mavs hit on 17 of those (39%), while the Rox saw only 10 tries go down, for a putrid 23%. Harden was a horrid 2-of-15 from beyond the arc. Luka and Tim each registered 5 triples. Porzingis, Finney-Smith, and Maxi each put 2 threes on the board, with Jackson adding a seventeenth. Dallas ended up -6 on twos, +21 on threes, and -1 on made free throws. 


Individual Performances

Luka was his amazing self, recording 41 points. He also dished 10 dimes, and was a few rebounds short of a triple double, with 6. The box score, while robust, didn't do justice to Luka's skill, vision, and leadership on the court. I'm not saying he will win the MVP, but he was definitely playing at that level. He was lethal as a jump shooter, Euro-stepping to the basket, and finding the right guy when that was called for. He had a few instances of arguably going a step too far, such as being called for a third foul in the second quarter when he was trying to draw a fourth foul on Harden instead of playing straight up, but he was humble enough to show a chagrined smile and bring his game back to the fundamentals in those instances. On the subject of that third foul, committed at 2:40 in the second quarter, Rick uncharacteristically left him in the game for the rest of the period, and Luka justified the coach's trust. Some days, I can hardly wrap my mind around the fact that this youngster is a Mav, and that, great as he is, his best is yet to come. 

Kristaps outdid himself again, with his new best game as a Mav. He put 23 points and 13 rebounds on the scoresheet, and was phenomenal on the defensive end. Rick waxed enthusiastic about the big man's rim protection, rebounding, outlet passing, cutting, hitting open shots, crashing the offensive boards (3 ORB), and very good passing. The Luka-KP connection is coming along nicely, with the two linking up often. Porzingis did not automatically put the ball up when he got the ball, electing to pass or tip to teammates on a number of occasions and recording 3 assists. This promises to be one of the deadliest duos in the game. 

Is Hardaway going to emerge as this team's third star? If so, that would be huge. The guard was the team's second leading scorer, with 31 points on 10-18 shooting, along with 6-7 free throws. At times, he operated as a second point guard, with 5 assists and only 1 turnover in a team-high 38 minutes. Carlisle praised THJ for a great floor game, great scoring punch and defense, and serving as a "connector." Hardaway had drawn a lot of fan ire for his poor shooting early on, and the coaches have been working with him on some glitches they saw in his footwork. It looks like a case of good teachers and a good learner!

The Luka-Tim pairing is also bearing fruit, with the two guards combining for 82 points, ten threes, 15 FTAs, 10 boards, 15 assists, and 4 steals. It's been a long time since the back court put up that kind of numbers. 

Bench. The second unit out-dueled the Rockets' bench 28-11, with Maxi and Wright doing the heavy lifting in a combined 47 minutes. Rick admired Maxi's shot-making, including two key threes, and his effectiveness on the defensive end in 25 minutes. 


Coaching. The Mavs' coaching staff deserve credit for designing a crushing game plan. The Mavericks were unusually aggressive on the defensive end of the court, forcing turnovers early, and double-teaming Harden as a standard matter. The other Rockets were unable to make the Mavs pay, and Dallas' daring approach was successful. A good indication that this team has the ability to adapt, both as a strategic matter, and tactically during the game (bringing Luka and KP back early in the fourth, for example).


Rockets. This match had the added intrigue of a rivalry game. Harden and Westbrook combined for 59 points, 20 free throw attempts, 14 rebounds, 17 assists, and 2 steals. However, they also had 10 turnovers and ten personal fouls between them, and Russ, despite his gaudy stats, still looks to be finding his place in the offense. Center Clint Capela burned Dallas with 21 points and 22 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards that gave his team crucial second chances and kept them in the game. The Rox looked a little gassed by the end of the contest, having played in California on Friday night. Former Mav Tyson Chandler played for only 3 minutes, and his only recorded stat was 1 personal foul. 


Observations

Ceballos thought the defense led to the outstanding offense, and credited the defense for winning the game. He also complimented the team for being focused from the jump, going about their business in professional fashion, and never flagging. 

Carlisle insisted that, although this was a big win, it is only one step in a day-to-day process. He thought fatigue was a factor for Houston, and noted that the Mavs were able to take advantage of that. He was proud of his team's effort, and especially appreciated the great start, opining that playing in front is the biggest key to winning in the NBA. While acknowledging the squad's mistakes, he was encouraged that the guys played through them.

Podcasts. Listened to Mavs Moneyball's Mavs After Dark, and the Locked on Mavericks pod, and they had a couple of interesting observations/reporting. 

Mavs After Dark pondered the question of why Hardaway performs so much better in the starting unit. One theory is that the game is much easier for him playing with Luka, as he doesn't have to worry unduly about creating. A second hypothesis was that with Luka on the court, Tim doesn't feel so much pressure to score, and doesn't feel compelled to throw up bad shots. I would buy both of these reasons, and don't think they're mutually exclusive. 

Locked on Mavs reported that Porzingis told Brad Townsend after the game that KP thinks that the Mavs are beginning to develop that killer instinct, saying that the team was determined that there was no way they were losing that game, in response to Houston's late run. Not to bring politics into this, but Nick (of the podcast) compared James Harden's notorious foul-drawing to Trump, on the theory that they both just throw a lot of stuff at the wall, not caring how it looks or if it's wrong, just playing the odds that it will mostly work for them. I think I will join Isaac (also of the pod) in leaving that one alone, lol.  

My impressions. I thought this was the Mavs' biggest win of the season. As a group, they are visibly gelling, which is exciting. I had been a little worried that some of the previous blowouts had been supported by unsustainable three-point shooting, but the Mavs were able to put this one away with a good, but not outlandish, 39% from deep. I was probably most impressed with how well the defense is coming together, in addition to the coaches' playoff-like adjustments. The Mavericks approached the game in a very professional manner, and led for the whole 48 minutes. Truly a statement win, announcing that Dallas is a factor to be reckoned with in the West. Good job, guys!


Next. The Mavs face another tough test on Tuesday, when the Clippers come to town. Looking forward to it!

Who was the "player of the game" who elevated their game above normal to help the team secure the win?

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1197941896120819714

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/th...0457579337

A little after the 23 minute mark

In a nutshell it sounds like Vlade Divac didn't like Luka's dad and that may have played a factor in his decision to pass up on drafting Luka. Wow Kings

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are reportedly in discussions about dramatic changes to the league's schedule, including a 78-game regular season, an in-season tournament, play-in games to determine playoff berths and reseeding teams during the postseason.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe reported Saturday that the talks, which also include the NBA's broadcasting partners, are "progressing" and could lead to a vote at the board of governors meeting in April ahead of potential implementation for the 2021-22 season.

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1198275117920530434

Mavs Complete Homestand Sweep with Obliteration of Cavaliers


Two blowouts in a row! Woo-hoo!


The opposition.  The Cavs came into the game with a record of 4-10, having lost their last five matches. I guess Kevin Love passes for their name-brand player now, with Tristan Thompson serving as starting center, and Larry Nance, Jr., Brandon Knight, and Matthew Dellavedova coming off the bench. Other than that, a bunch of guys I didn't know. A far cry from the LeBron days. 


Game Story.  Seth Curry was still ailing. He was well enough to sit on the bench in street clothes, so he is, hopefully, on the mend. With Seth out, RC went with the same starting lineup he used against GSW -- Luka, THJ, DFS, KP, and Powell. The score was close in the initial frame, and the first quarter ended 29-26 in the Mavs' favor. The home team scored 37 points in the second period, limiting the Cavs to 16! At halftime, the scoreboard read 66-42. The Mavericks pounded the Cavs with 45 points in the third, and Luka and KP made their exits with about a minute remaining in the frame. We got an extended view of the bench in the fourth, and the game ended with the Mavs up 42, 143-101. 


Analytics. Why did the Mavs win? Because they played better than the struggling Cavs. Specifically, the Mavericks hit 20 of their 37 three-point attempts (54%), got 14 more shots up than Cleveland, and limited their turnovers to an unbelievable five. Various guys in blue and silver sliced and diced their way to the basket through the Cavs' nonexistent defense, and the Mavs accumulated 70 points in the paint, compared to 44 for the Cavs.  As far as point differential goes, the Mavs were +26 on twos, +24 on threes, and -8 on free throws. Finally, the Mavs out rebounded the Cavs 49-34. 


Players.  Since this was the second game featuring extensive time for second units, it might be an opportune time to focus on the bench. But first, a quick peek at the starters. 

Starters.

 Luka (28 min). Luka was excellent, as always. Cedric Ceballos said at halftime that he hoped the Cavs would make a game of it, so that Luka could stay in long enough to get his triple double. Luka exited near the end of the third quarter, just a few rebounds short. Still, who's complaining, at 30-7-14? He was the first Mav to have three consecutive 30+ point games since Dirk did it in 2010. Bravo!

KP  (28 min).  Porzingis had a game of two halves, offensively. He was 1-8 in the first half, and 6-6 in the second, including three triples. He had a great steal, nicking the ball off the opposing dribbler, leading to a tip-in by Maxi. He also contributed 4 blocks, one of which led to a dramatic transition throw down by Maxi. 

Rick commented that Porzingis is fitting in better offensively each game, and gushed about his defense. Zinger is a great PNR defender, is a presence at the rim, and is a great rebounder and outlet passer. All per Rick Carlisle. Ceballos noted that very few players can guard a 7'3" jump shooter like KP, and that Kristaps is a good mover, and runs the floor well. I saw a tweet from Josh Bowe observing that all of KP's shots in the third quarter were assisted, and suggesting that the team temporarily abandon attempts for him to create his own shot (such as isos and post-ups), and just feed him in the pick and roll and in transition. Hmm. Food for thought. 

Powell (24 min).  Powell was a good rim-runner, with 6 points, and also had 3 assists. Only one rebound, but we won't nitpick in a 42-point win. 

DFS (23 min).  Dodo was his dependable self, and put 10 points and 6 rebounds on the board. 

THJ  (18 min). Tim had another excellent performance, scoring 15 points, including 4-5 threes. He had to leave the game early to undergo concussion protocol, after being chinned in the back of the head by KP. He is reportedly okay.

Carlisle said he had another great game. Rick thinks that Hardaway is an underrated passer, a good defender, and binds everyone together as a glue guy. Will Tim break into the starting unit when Seth returns? Rick doesn't think that a player should lose his starting spot over a short-term illness or injury, but admitted that THJ fits well with the first unit, and is making a strong case to be a starter. Do we take from this that RC has more or less settled on a starting lineup? It sounded that way. 


Bench.  Now to the more unsung heroes of the night. The Mavs bench outscored the Cavs bench 64-28. Ceballos said that this bench has a lot of pride, makes it a mission every night to outdo the opponent's bench, and frequently accomplishes that goal. I was impressed with their team play during the fourth quarter. So often in the past, when garbage time came around, the players would take to summer-leaguing it up for their few minutes on the court. To the contrary, this bench was playing Rick Carlisle-style basketball from first to last. Very unselfish, and paying attention to defense. 

Jackson  (23 min).  Justin had a marvelous game. He was the second leading Maverick scorer with 19 points, including 4-6 from long range. He had at least a couple of perfectly executed catch-and-shoots from downtown. His offense was also very fluid and very intelligent -- beautiful to watch. 

Wright (20 minutes).  Delon drove to the basket at will, and also executed jump shots. He represented part of the defensive balance in the unit, patrolling the perimeter. He crashed the boards aggressively, and earned 3 offensive rebounds. Appears to have earned a place in the rotation. 

Kleber (19 minutes).  Maxi had only 4 points, but they were high on the entertainment scale, with a lob dunk, and a throw down. Although he isn't quite the rim roller that Powell is, he appears sounder on the defensive end. A very likable player who also seems to have secured a spot, at least on the bench. In more competitive games, has been seen in the finishing units. 

Boban (18 minutes).  Boban was 4-8 from the floor, with 6 rebounds, an assist and a steal. He cracks me up, in a good way. I admit this is not logical, but somehow I tend to expect big, goofy-looking guys to be Javale McGee type knuckleheads whose main advantage is being huge. Boban is a very skilled big guy, especially offensively, competently passing, making shots at the rim, and hitting from beyond the arc. With around three minutes left in the game, and the victory long decided, watching him fight like mad for a put back was heartwarming. An enjoyable guy to watch. 

Barea (12 minutes).  A JJB sighting!! Yay! The fan favorite played for the fourth quarter, and put on a show like he had never missed a beat. He put up 12 points, and was driving to the basket, hitting threes, and lobbing to big men like it was 2011. He was smiling and laughing on the court, bringing a lot of joy to the game, and was a tremendously fun watch. Doubt if we see a lot of him, at least during the regular season, but it's a treat when we do. Dana and Cedric noted that Barea is a player who can come in and make an impact right away, which he did against the Cavs. 

Brunson (11 min).  Jalen was very efficient, putting up 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 dimes in short minutes. In fact, the two assists both occurred in the one minute he played in the first quarter! Carlisle likes his playmaking, and in fact has considered him for a secondary playmaking role with Luka, although Seth appears to have assumed that position for the moment. With Carlisle, anything could change on a moment's notice, though. 

Lee and Broekhoff (8 min each).  Doubt if these two will get much PT this season, but it was cool to see them get a brief runout in the fourth quarter. They looked energetic. 


Observations.

Carlisle.  Rick loved the start, and thought the defense sharpened up in the second quarter. He thinks the team as a whole is moving the ball better. They are working on getting a little better, game by game. 

Delon Wright. Delon thought that everybody got involved, and the team approached the game with a focus on the defensive end. 

My impressions. It seemed to me that there has been visible improvement in chemistry and team play. It is hard to tell how much one can read into a game like this. I haven't followed Cleveland enough this season to know whether they actually want to lose, but it seemed at times that they didn't much care if they did. The Mavs' 143 points were the 4th highest in regulation in their history, and that won't happen against teams that make a defensive effort. Still, it's a win, and the team's offense was at an All-Star level. 


Random observations. Dirk showed up for his first game of the season, and sat with Cuban. He received a standing O when he was observed on the Jumbotron, and according to Barea, trash-talked both teams during the game, lol. Before the contest, he tweeted that the traffic on Nowitzki Way was insane. I guess that might be the only Mavs game that Dirk has ever been to where he would have been caught in fan traffic. He left early, presumably to avoid a repeat hassle on the way home. He "very graciously" declined an invitation to be on the broadcast. Shawn Marion was also in attendance. 


Next. The Mavs leave their cushy schedule behind them for a while now, with Houston, the Clippers, Phoenix, and the Lakers looming. Should be a much better test of their progress than teams of the GSW and Cavs ilk. Rockets at Houston on Sunday.