(11-27-2019, 01:46 PM)Fuerza1 Wrote: "A Few Thoughts. . ." 2300+ words later lol. 

I guess I got a little carried away with this one, lol. 

As for the game, I saw 99 problems (and yes Luka was one) but I'm gonna hold my breath until it becomes more of a pattern. 

But I will say this: throwing in Barea was a forlorn move and there was no point in it. The game was practically over. Why not give that opportunity to someone who is actually part of the regular rotation? JJax, Seth, Brunson, Delon, whoever. These are the guys we need to build up and rely on. 

I just don't like the idea when things are going bad, Carlisle relapses to Puerto Rican rum. I think long term it sends a bad message to his team.

Carlisle has only brought Barea in twice this season. I thought it was a good move in both cases. I hear what you're saying about giving the younger players the opportunity, and I think that's generally a good thing. But, in this case, the young players were just faffing about, lost in space, not knowing what in the heck to do. In a situation like that, I think bringing in a veteran who can show them how to get out of a jam is a good idea, as they weren't looking like figuring it out themselves. Doing that twice in 17 games seems reasonable. 

I might agree with you if the game had really been practically over. But it was the middle of the third quarter. 

(11-27-2019, 04:00 PM)mavsluvr Wrote:

(11-27-2019, 01:46 PM)Fuerza1 Wrote: "A Few Thoughts. . ." 2300+ words later lol. 

I guess I got a little carried away with this one, lol. 

As for the game, I saw 99 problems (and yes Luka was one) but I'm gonna hold my breath until it becomes more of a pattern. 

But I will say this: throwing in Barea was a forlorn move and there was no point in it. The game was practically over. Why not give that opportunity to someone who is actually part of the regular rotation? JJax, Seth, Brunson, Delon, whoever. These are the guys we need to build up and rely on. 

I just don't like the idea when things are going bad, Carlisle relapses to Puerto Rican rum. I think long term it sends a bad message to his team.

Carlisle has only brought Barea in twice this season. I thought it was a good move in both cases. I hear what you're saying about giving the younger players the opportunity, and I think that's generally a good thing. But, in this case, the young players were just faffing about, lost in space, not knowing what in the heck to do. In a situation like that, I think bringing in a veteran who can show them how to get out of a jam is a good idea, as they weren't looking like figuring it out themselves. Doing that twice in 17 games seems reasonable. 

(11-27-2019, 04:32 PM)fifteenth Wrote: I think if we weren't playing the long game and trying to develop younger players and instead just trying to win each game as a one-off game then JJB would be in the rotation. He's probably our 2nd best player at the moment.

(11-27-2019, 04:56 PM)mavsluvr Wrote: Agreed. I wonder if we will see more of him later in the season, if they are in need of a few Ws.

(11-27-2019, 07:50 AM)DanSchwartzman Wrote:

(11-27-2019, 06:22 AM)mavsluvr Wrote:  
They do make it clear that these are weaknesses if the Mavs want to be considered an elite team. While they are already pretty good, issues like these need to be addressed to take it to the next level. 

 

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First things first, How about them Lumberjacks!

Take that, Duke!  Woo-hoo!

There are tiers at the top of each conference.  We are currently tied for fourth, but it doesn't mean we are top tier.  We've beaten fellow top of the west contenders Houston and Denver and almost took down the Lakers, but it doesn't mean we are top tier.  We can say "it was just a bad night", but this definitely showed gaps that have to be filled in order to take the next step.  Still, if someone had said on 10/1 that we'd be playing .650 ball and would be 3 1/2 games ahead of the 9th place team on 11/27, we'd have all been happy to take it.

I don't think the Mavericks expected Luka to be this good this soon, and now they find themselves in somewhat of an awkward position. Luka is arguably ready to go to the next level, and the rest of the roster isn't. Wonder if they would have made any different decisions in the offseason if they had realized.  

These are all different ways of saying the same things you just said, but here are my thoughts in terms of filling the gaps:

1.  We don't have a creator for when teams knock Luka off his game.  The design of this team was to have a second creator in the starting lineup.  But, Luka is so ball dominant that it is hard to take advantage of the skill of another creator (or is it that we don't have another creator and therefore Luka has to be more ball dominant).  Either way, Wright, Curry and Brunson have either not been up to the job or have preferred coming off the bench.  We still haven't lost a game where Hardaway has gotten two or more assists and last night he got one.  He's been a willing passer during our recent win streak.  But, he's not a natural creator.

Yup. 

2.  We have to be able to play with force at the wing.  DFS is having a great season, but try as he might, he's too skinny to guard the studs of the league.  Jackson and THJ are no help here either.  I love me some DFS, but in an ideal world, we'd have someone better here forcing Finney to be the hustle play glue guy who dominates bench players.

From what I know about DFS, I really like him as a person and as a Maverick teammate. But he's a borderline starter, at best, and maybe a 7th or 8th man on a contender. I don't mind having him here, at all. Like some of the others, he's just playing a notch above his level. Not his fault. Or Carlisle's. They have who they have. 

3.  We have to be able to play with force in the paint.  KP is a super-skinny offensively gifted big who is a great help defender.  Powell and Maxi have proven to be helpful, but they've traditionally done most of their damage against bench bigs.  The Clippers paint dominance (scoring and especially offensive rebounds) just killed us.  Same thing happened late against the Lakers.  Powell was no match one on one in the post against AD.  I get that Dallas has a vision of playing KP as a 5 and having either floor spreading Maxi or PNR savant Powell in the game with him.  But, neither is the way to go against the best in the league.  We need more beef, but that beef either needs to be able to hit an outside shot or replicate some of Powell's superior screen game.  Donnie has said "you almost can't draft a big anymore if he can't hit a 3".  But, you also can't play a big with KP who can't hold his own defensively and on the boards...even if they can hit a 3.  

I actually don't think they are trying to play KP as a 5, other than situationally, as he has been very clear that he has no interest in that. But the difference between power forwards and centers isn't all that substantial in a five-out system. And your point that we are missing a beefy big man with skills and mobility is a good one. 

All of this is to say what has been said many times before.  We have two stars and 8 guys who are essentially good 5-7 types.  It makes us deep and often that is good enough.  But against the best, we are really missing guys who can be our third and fourth best player on a consistent basis.

I think it's good to get a reality check now and again. Otherwise, it's too easy to start believing your own press releases and kidding yourself that you've solved your problems. Not that I think the Mavs were doing that. 

(11-27-2019, 07:55 AM)Hypermav Wrote:

(11-27-2019, 06:22 AM)mavsluvr Wrote: As long as KP is unable to take advantage of mismatches, he can't be that player.

For this team to take that next step, KP has to punish teams.  The last couple of games, KP would take off and it looked like he was going to do something spectacular at the rim but then seems unsure at the last moment.  I hope that comes with time.  I know he has the talent.  I think he should be shooting better right now.  

That would be consistent with still being in a learning mode. It's going to take a while, I think. 


Clipper have 3 offensive studs and 3-4 all world defenders at the end of the game.  Dallas has one offensive stud.

Yeah. 

Clippers are better than the Lakers and would have given a healthy KD lead GSW all they wanted.

One other thing is how old tiny JJB can get what he wants and seems unaffected by the Clippers D.

Good point. I love it!

(11-27-2019, 05:04 PM)SportPsychMav Wrote: Justin Jackson is held back, some conspiracy theorists would probably suggest he is protected from being requested as a trade piece.

(11-27-2019, 07:06 PM)mavsluvr Wrote: And then there's Occam's razor, lol.

(11-27-2019, 07:34 PM)Scott41theMavs Wrote: Occam's razor for a guy not getting minutes is that he hasn't earned them. Given what we've seen from Justin on the court last year and the beginning of this year, he would have to be one lazy dog in practice for that to come anywhere close to the truth. He is obviously and objectively a better and more talented ballplayer than DFS and THJ.

(11-27-2019, 07:34 PM)Scott41theMavs Wrote:

(11-27-2019, 07:06 PM)mavsluvr Wrote: And then there's Occam's razor, lol.

Occam's razor for a guy not getting minutes is that he hasn't earned them. Given what we've seen from Justin on the court last year and the beginning of this year, he would have to be one lazy dog in practice for that to come anywhere close to the truth. He is obviously and objectively a better and more talented ballplayer than DFS and THJ.

(11-27-2019, 07:34 PM)Scott41theMavs Wrote:

(11-27-2019, 07:06 PM)mavsluvr Wrote: And then there's Occam's razor, lol.

 He is obviously and objectively a better and more talented ballplayer than DFS 

(11-27-2019, 10:27 AM)omahen Wrote:

(11-27-2019, 09:48 AM)mavsluvr Wrote: Powell is a bench guy who has been Peter Principled. He seems like a fine person and a good locker room guy, but on a contending team, he belongs on the second unit, unless a starter is unavailable. 

I am not that harsh on Powell. I think he could be a good number 5 guy, if we would have good number 3 and number 4. But we don't and so he is exposed more and looks bad. Like Zubac - he is absolutely nothing special on either side of the floor, but looks good because defense needs to focus full time on the other four starters.

(11-27-2019, 03:33 PM)omahen Wrote: Why would someone give us a good player like Grant for free? Denver actually paid a first round pick for him. You can only hope to use TE to absorb a bad contract in exchange for picks. So look at Felicio or Exum type of contracts. I think first rounder is unlikely to take this kind of contract.

(11-27-2019, 10:39 AM)Kkswoosh Wrote: Powell and KP killed us against the Clippers. No rebounding and no heart. Need someone that takes easy baskets personally and actually puts in the effort to clean up the glass

(11-27-2019, 07:34 PM)Scott41theMavs Wrote:

(11-27-2019, 07:06 PM)mavsluvr Wrote: And then there's Occam's razor, lol.

Occam's razor for a guy not getting minutes is that he hasn't earned them. Given what we've seen from Justin on the court last year and the beginning of this year, he would have to be one lazy dog in practice for that to come anywhere close to the truth. He is obviously and objectively a better and more talented ballplayer than DFS and THJ.

(12-01-2019, 12:47 PM)ThisIStheYear Wrote: A good loss.