(11-26-2024, 10:57 AM)Chicagojk Wrote: Hopefully the illnesses with Grimes and Lively are the 24 hour ones.

Wed against the Knicks is a tough one.  Mavs first game back after traveling all over the place.  Typically it is a tough game first game back at home.  It was only 3 games though so I hope they come out strong.

After this, Dallas really needs to take care of business.  The next 8 we should be favorites.  Only Memphis and the clippers are against good teams.  Can’t leave this stretch with some bad losses.

(11-26-2024, 05:32 AM)ThisIStheYear Wrote: I hope Klay’s Plantar Fasciitis injury listing is just precautionary. That stuff can be so much worse than it sounds, last forever, and significantly lower your floor. If the Mavs could have pulled off keeping DJj while signing Naji and Grimes (so no Klay), that would have been a better offseason. The salary math works, but I’m not sure about the order of operations, trades involved, and generally if that was feasible.

(11-28-2024, 12:25 PM)Chicagojk Wrote: There is no doubt Nico got off to a rocky start when he was hired.  We may never know the full story.  I read some comments recently by Cuban that were a little eye rolling.

But since the Kyrie trade, Nico has been on a heater.  Kyrie on a steal, the lively pick.  PJ and Gafford trades.  The Marshall jump and the Grimes trade.  Not even getting to Klay yet.

After Jalen left I was literally questioning if we had the skill and the assets to build a team around Luka.  It was depressing.  Most of the trade targets discussed as a second option were more depressing than hopeful. Now we have a younger, taller more skilled, athletic team just two years later.

Who knows how this season plays out but man the moves Nico have made have been stellar.

(11-29-2024, 10:24 AM)SleepingHero Wrote:

What stands out?

(11-29-2024, 11:07 AM)DallasMaverick Wrote: Rockets defense.
Cleveland offense.

(11-29-2024, 10:23 AM)SleepingHero Wrote: (@GrantAfseth)
The Dallas Mavericks have a 31-12 (.721) regular season record all-time when P.J. Washington plays.

This season, the Mavericks are 10-4 (.714) when he plays compared to 1-4 (.200) without him.



I think Scott was so on point when he brought up PJ's absence as a primary reason why the Mavs looked so terrible. Makes me think if I was Nico, I'd be doing everything I can to get a proper PJ backup that can do the things he can do just in case. Is OMax that? Can Maxi still do that? Seems to be our biggest weakness there.

(11-29-2024, 02:21 PM)mvossman Wrote: I think a lot of our troubles with him out this season was because Lively and Maxi were also out.  Its tough to win games when most of your frontcourt is injured and your star player is struggling.

I think Naji is the closest we have to PJ.  They have a lot of similarities but Naji does not have the defensive interior presence that PJ does.  For that the only option I see right now is Maxi (when healthy). 

I don't see Omax playing a significant role this season.  We are almost 20 games into the season with multiple injuries at his position, and he has yet to record a 3 pointer or a block this season.  Now that everybody is healthy, I think he would be better served playing in the G league for another year.

(11-29-2024, 10:23 AM)SleepingHero Wrote: (@GrantAfseth)
The Dallas Mavericks have a 31-12 (.721) regular season record all-time when P.J. Washington plays.

This season, the Mavericks are 10-4 (.714) when he plays compared to 1-4 (.200) without him.



I think Scott was so on point when he brought up PJ's absence as a primary reason why the Mavs looked so terrible. Makes me think if I was Nico, I'd be doing everything I can to get a proper PJ backup that can do the things he can do just in case. Is OMax that? Can Maxi still do that? Seems to be our biggest weakness there.

(11-29-2024, 06:23 PM)Ghost of Podkolzin Wrote: I've been sounding this alarm since the offseason began.  Naji is more of a SF/PF than a PF.  We need a switching defensive PF/C who can also stretch the D.  Maxi simply can't be counted on.  I still don't see OMax as an NBA rotation player.  I hope I'm wrong.  OMax emerging to replace Maxi would be incredible, but I doubt it.

Possible Candidates:
Tari Eason
Naz Reid
Dean Wade
Zach Collins
Al Horford
M.Wagner

Thoughts?