MavsBoard

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Preseason Awards

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS AWARD: Tim Hardaway JR

LOTTERY PICK IN THE RE-DRAFT AWARD: Jalen Brunson

MAKE THE KNICKS LOOK STUPID AWARD: Kristaps Porzingis 

BEST DEFENSE ON GUYS A FOOT SHORTER THAN HIM AWARD: Maxi Kleber

GOOD BUT TIMID TEAMMATE AWARD: Delon Wright

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I'll start us off. 

The EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS AWARD goes to:

Tim Hardaway Jr!!!!

THJ is playing really well. He's playing nothing like what we all (or mostly) expected. He's shooting and driving in rhythm, playing within the offense and not shot hunting. He looks relaxed, quick and springy. His decisiveness is helping and not hurting. 

So far, so great. Well done, THJ. 

Based on all we've said about him before the last couple of games, just thought he should get some recognition for playing so well.

Alrighty then pal, let's see all this in the regular season!

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2786...ce-officer

What a nice gesture even though he was dumped by us.

https://twitter.com/bobbykaralla/status/...2532856832

To make the playoffs, we would really benefit from a quick start. The West will be too tough to fall say 4 games under 500 early and try to get to 48 wins from there. Many say it will take us time to get everything together. That may well be true. But... a slow start will do grave damage to our fairly unrealistic chance of making the playoffs.

However, if you measure our chances by how big an opportunity so many of our players have to really dramatically improve their status in the league, I believe there is hope for enough of our guys to surprise early, which could result is say a 12-8 start for the first 20 games. 

It does not matter who we play because every 10 game stretch this year will include plenty of difficult teams. We will have to consistently hold our own  against the majority of teams to get to 48 wins. I and others think 48 is what it will take to qualify. That is plus 14 so getting to plus 4 in the first 20 is essential. Another way to track this is that our last 10 game record will need to be about 6-4 all season long with no big losing streaks. Any losing streaks will require somewhat bigger winning streaks to compensate. 

As I watch eagerly for so many things about this team, always looking for progress, I will be hoping that this team can rise up and surprise. The pace toward 48 will be my measuring stick.

I'm watching the Jump today, and here's King Tut ripping Dallas...

"They aren't going to the playoffs."
"Luka snuck up on people last year, but this year, he'll be on the scouting report and can you do it then?"
"Rick Carlisle --- I've  got lots of friends that played for him and I've never heard anything good about him."
"I had that Porzingas knee injury, he's not going to be ready this year." 

About KP's injury to show you how literally stupid he is.  He said it takes 2 years to get right...

Rachel Nichols: "How long were you out?"  
Kendrick Perkins:  "6 months"
Rachel: "KP has been out 20 months."
King Tut:  "Yeah, he won't be ready."

I'm just like...do you even know how to do basic math?  Really?

I'm so done with this guy...

I am trying to watch JJB very closely and I do think he looks a little off. Not quite as much lift or explosion. We will see how he does but if it takes him a year to get closer to what he was then he will be even older. I hope his minutes go to Brunson at this point. He should still be in the rotation (I think?) but Brunson to me is going to be the better option and will only improve over time.

If you liked the God and Evolution Debate Thread last summer you're going to love this! Or, wait, maybe if you hated that thread you're going to love this.     Either way...

I am going to host a forum Bible study!

Every Monday morning I'll start a Bible study thread in the Troll Cave. Come check it out and offer your comments, thoughts, responses, etc. 

Kam and I are tired of arguing with each other about how many bigs the Mavs will play at any one time (maybe), so instead he and I are going to talk about the Bible. Come join us!! This is for anyone interested in the discussion. Religious affiliation of any kind, or lack there of, is irrelevant to participation. 

I'll present a passage from the Bible and some questions, and we'll see where it goes. Kam and I will share our thoughts. If lots of folks share, then who knows, maybe the thread will stay active all week until I start the next Bible study thread with a new passage and new questions. 

Next Monday we'll start. The first passage that we'll cover is Genesis 1! 

I want to make sure everyone understands one of the best features that Magickian added to this forum as it helps clean up the clutter of quoting another person.

So instead of clicking the "quote" button, highlight ONLY the part of the message you want to quote and then a little box will pop up on the highlight that says "Reply." Click that reply pop up and you will only quote the relevant portion. 

This helps keep our quoting from turning into 3, 4, and 5 nested comments. 

Test it out here in this thread. Only highlight part of my post and then reply to that.

P.S. And yes, you guys in the Preseason Knee Jerk thread are the EXACT reason I am posting this.

https://twitter.com/ESefko/status/1183937879841611777

Alrighty folks, with the season less than 10 days away, I figured we could get a prediction thread for the first 16 games.

I'd love to post a poll, but since it only allows 10 options I can't really do it.

Here's the schedule and what I think the Mavs will be by November 24th. 

WAS--W
PEL---W
POR---L
DEN---L
LAL---W
CLE---W
ORL---W
NYK---W
MEM--W
BOS---L
NYK---W
TOR---W
SAS---W
GSW---L
CLE---W
HOU---L

Mavs have to me 7 easy must wins in the first 16 games, versing teams like NYK twice, the Cavs twice, and Memphis. If the Mavs want to make the playoffs, these have to be easy wins. There is a good mix of strong teams as well, and I think how good we'll be this year will depend on how we look against teams in the upper echelon of the standings like Denver and Houston. Another team I think that will be the litmus test for the Mavs will be the Spurs, as many mocks has them fighting for a similar position as us in the standings. 

I have us at 11-5 in the first month, which is a .68 win percentage which is much higher than a 50 win pace, but given how many easy teams we're facing I think that's about right.