The mavs are 1 and 4 when he is under ten minutes.

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1195158126904913920

This is the new leaked Mavs jersey. If true, what does everyone think?They kinda have that Fresh Prince of Bel Air vibe imo.

This post is to serve for me/us to gauge feelings on player tier levels in the offense, who should get almost "automatic no matter what" playing time, how many shot attempts, etc.

For one, our skilled shooters are in no order, Broekoff, Luka, Seth,JJ and maybe Porzingis as tier 1. As such, even when they are missing.... we should feed them/let em shoot and live with the results. 

Tier 2 would be streakier guys like Maxi, THJ, Wright, Lee. depending on who has it going should determine rotations/shots attempted....but if possible these guys have other skills besides just chucking 3s and should be tapped into.

Tier 2.5 is DFS,Brunson,JJB, Powell.... guys who occasionally make a couple 3s but really should catch and go.
And really powell belongs in a group with Boban as big man inside for alleyoops and whatnot.


All this said, in my armchair/coach/fanwatching brain, I feel like when the tier 2 players 3s aren't falling, we should give some of their shot attempts (3s or otherwise) to other players in tier 1 or mix up the offense to get them into rhythm. Maybe some P&R between Maxi and Wright or THJ, post ups of Boban with shooters around him. JJ has a nice floater game that could get tapped. It gets old fast watching the games and when the 3s fall we go up but any fan with sense holds their breath because that type of offense is unsustainable... especially when you add in how some players can be sieves on defense be it powell, THJ and Brunson. I feel like the coach needs to do something more with the defense but fixing the offense should easier.

Am I off? Does any of this make sense?

http://m.espn.com/general/play?id=28066291

https://twitter.com/NBA_Math/status/1194290003150393344

I would like to get to the bottom of this and hear opinions and consolidate them into some way forward. So answer these questions for us, please:

1) Should we have one OR two "player of the game" awards? (like one "Batman" award and one "Robin" award or just one single "player of the game" award?)

2) Should we still have a "Dirkie" OR should we come up with a new title now? If we keep the "Dirkie" how exactly should it be defined NOW (let's not try to capture the past as there is debate over that)?

The Mavericks have begun the season at 6-3, with games against Washington, New Orleans, Portland, Denver, Los Angeles (Lakers), Cleveland, Orlando, New York (Knicks) and Memphis and a huge test on the road against the Celtics tonight. Three of these teams are projected playoff teams while the rest will be positioning for the draft come February. The team sits at 7th in the West and first in the Southwest having played the 29th easiest schedule in the league--as measured by teamrankings.com. The remaining schedule is ranked as 6th. 

Now the team with get a bit of a reprieve for the nest 2 weeks, but then is gets dicey. We have games at Boston, at the Knicks and home versus Toronto, San Antonio, Golden State and Cleveland. I'm expecting a close game with Boston despite the line and with Hayward out, it gives Dallas one less issue to worry about. Toronto beat Dallas twice last year with big games from Lowery and Leonard. Without those two it will still provide a stiff test but it's at home and I have serious doubts betting against the Mavericks in this one. The remainder of the home stand could be a sweep but The spurs will always prove difficult. 

This is where things take a very drastic turn. The next 18 games will test the strength of this team; it's bench, star power and ability to compete against the best of the best. 15 of the next 18 opponents are serious playoff contenders, will include 3 back to backs, one 4 game in 6 nights stretch, games against at Houston, Los Angeles (Clippers), at Phoenix, at Los Angeles (Lakers), at New Orleans, Minnesota, New Orleans, Sacramento, Detroit, Miami, at Milwaukee, Boston, at Philadelphia, at Toronto, San Antonio, at Golden State, at Los Angeles (Lakers) then finally at Oklahoma. 

if they make it out of that stretch, we'll know a lot about how the rest of the season will go. I have them winning 12 out of that 18, with a low end estimate of 10 wins. That puts them at 16-11 and more than likely on the outskirts of the top 8. By then they will have a nice break, for a week or so but January is also as brutal. Suffice to say, first 9 games have been a revelation and to be 6-3 and a great start comparatively speaking. 8-1 would have been better all things considered but it's nice to enjoy this while it lasts.

He is discussed a lot, is a young player on a rookie contract. Might be the missing piece given more opportunity.

This is no rant, this is no anthem, this is a tale about one man. A man strict, a man in love with control. 
A general and puppeteer in profession. 

Secretly he wishes he could let lose. In his dreams his puppets move on their own, still following his command but without him commanding.

Troops of his will.

He never knows what he has, until he does. Every year, at the beginning of the crusade, he is trying to learn what he has. Each battle a troop is set up differently. 
In desperation he seemingly tries every combination.
His main focus: The unthinkable.


In search of ultimate roster knowledge, in his quest to find the ultimate spell, he knows no taboo. He is a true tinker. He is no mastermind. He isn't efficient. 

In his quest to gain an edge to win the final war, he willingly loses early battles.
Never once does he rely on common sense.

He is lonely, a lonesome maverick. Nobody understands his t(h)inking.

Every year, with each iteration, the commoners shout, cry, rage, and try to make suggestions. 

How dare you Rick, how dare you not listening to us, how dare you! The commoners shout.

It's futile he doesn't listen. He is one stubborn man.

Good old Rick tinkers. Rick will always tinker. He is a man after all. A seasoned veteran, yet still figuring it out. 

He will never stop, it's in his essence. It's his strength and his weakness. 
As a result of his process he knows his troops so well that he can make absurd mid battle adjustments in order to win when he thinks it matters most. It is his uncanny ability: He is prepared for the unthinkable. He has tried after all.

Rick wishes he was a wizard but he is a tinker.

His folk can't understand him, because they are relying on the obvious, they rely on common sense. The one thing Rick refuses to use until it truly matters.

He prepares for the final war.

It's Groundhog Day every year.

That's all folks.