MAVS NEWS:

[Chicagojk]

Well...I just rewatched the game and there is legit reason for optimism.

First, Flagg was really really bad. Badly missed shots including several that were either blocked or had no chance, catastrophic turnovers, fouled a 3pts shooter. Seems like all of those plays resulted in Spurs runouts. Turned his back to a wide open Klay in the corner, drives to nowhere, bad reads. He was way worse than his first preseason game. The good news is he might not play this poorly again in his life.

Lively changed Wemby's game when he was on the floor. This thing will look a lot better if he just plays smarter. Gafford's size and strength were missed. You can't judge the defense when fouls forced them to play AD or Powell at 5 with Naji at 4.

AD missed shots he normally makes.

PJW's 3pt shot looks much improved---and one of those early fouls was pretty questionable.

Spurs built their lead at the end of the first half against a lineup that featured only two starters. Klay and Flagg. Klay got some heat in the post game analysis but if we're being honest, Flagg sold hard.

The offense was HISTORICALLY bad. Terrible shots and turnovers. They won't have a strong pick & roll handler until Kyrie returns, so we can expect see plenty of center DHOs in the interim, but they'll be better than they were against SA.

Kyrie could return around Thanksgiving?!

Yeah, the Mavs weren't winning that game.  The Spurs were the much better team.   Although, just like most games there are a few key moment.  The first was the last five or so minutes of the first half.    Wemby did some freakazoid stuff and turned a back and forth game to a 9 point deficit at the half.    Mavs also struggled getting baskets during this part.   The second was early in the second half.   Dallas got a stop and Cooper went hard to the rim but Wemby stopped the layup and Lively could not catch the put back.   Spurs got a dunk on the other end of the court.  That made it a 9 point game instead of 5.   Then Wemby went into Freak mode again and just buried any Mav hope.    

If those two runs didn't happen, they probably happen somewhere else but they stuck out to me.    Spurtibility is something I always look for with offenes.   It is something that concerns me with this team.   I think they will have some great defensive moments.  But if they stop scoring to 2 points in 4 minutes, they may just score 6.   They need those 12 point in 3 minute runs that most good teams pull off.

[Smitty]

2. This starting lineup was designed to stop or at least slow down someone like Wemby. He ran through them like Swiss cheese. Combination of him becoming a top 3 player in the league and this defense being terrible.

The starting 5 played a whopping 6 minutes together in that game. ORTG 107.1 DRTG 107.1 NETRTG 0.0

Kidd only ever plays the staring five 10-12 minutes per game during the regular season. It's something I've highlighted several times. It's why I don't care as much as some do with who starts and who doesn't. Only 6 minutes in Game 1 is an outlier because of foul trouble, but either way, we put too much emphasis on starting lineups around here.

I said in the offseason that I think the best lineup and the closing 5 should be DLO-Max-Flagg-PJ-AD. 
That combination was never used but the lineup with the highest NETRTG was DLO-Max-Naji-PJ-AD.

Obviously, this is all small sample size stuff but wanted to respond to the above.

[mvossman]

The starting 5 played a whopping 6 minutes together in that game. ORTG 107.1 DRTG 107.1 NETRTG 0.0

Kidd only ever plays the staring five 10-12 minutes per game during the regular season. It's something I've highlighted several times. It's why I don't care as much as some do with who starts and who doesn't. Only 6 minutes in Game 1 is an outlier because of foul trouble, but either way, we put too much emphasis on starting lineups around here.

I said in the offseason that I think the best lineup and the closing 5 should be DLO-Max-Flagg-PJ-AD. 
That combination was never used but the lineup with the highest NETRTG was DLO-Max-Naji-PJ-AD.

Obviously, this is all small sample size stuff but wanted to respond to the above.

The issue is less about the starting lineup and more about playing without a true point guard.  Sticking with the small sample analysis, the two players with the highest net rating are Dlo and Nembhard.  As flawed as our PGs are, I don't think playing without a PG is going to work, and I don't think its doing anything positive for Flagg right now either.

[Smitty]

The issue is less about the starting lineup and more about playing without a true point guard. 

My reply was directly related to the OP about the starting lineup.

Sticking with the small sample analysis, the two players with the highest net rating are Dlo and Nembhard.  As flawed as our PGs are, I don't think playing without a PG is going to work,

I agree that they'll look better with a PG on the floor, that's why I said their best lineup is likely to include DLO.

and I don't think its doing anything positive for Flagg right now either.

It's one game. Way too early for me to have a firm opinion on if having him run the offense for 10-12 minutes a game, or more, will help or hurt his development. I think it helped Giannis become the player he is. I also think many basketball people think a good comp for Flagg is Tatum. Time will tell...

[Chicagojk]

One of the things I admire about Kidd is he is not a person who will be pressured to do certain things.  Even if I think it is the wrong move.  He is going to explore and test things out.  Mostly, he will give it time. He will not dump something right away or show a player up.   He is the style of coach who likes his players to figure things out themselves when they are on the court.  While at times I think this is the wrong move or it can get sloppy, he treats these types of failures as learning opportunities.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4671...der-dallas

Mavs drop to 0-2 as 'Fire Nico!' chants grow louder in Dallas
Tim McMahon

[Mavs2021]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4671...der-dallas

Mavs drop to 0-2 as 'Fire Nico!' chants grow louder in Dallas
Tim McMahon

He´s not surviving this. He should not be surviving this. Looking at the upcoming schedule 2-5 start is probably the best case scenario, 1-6 realistic, 0-7 possible.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

If the question becomes "we have too many good guards" then is that a problem? 

On whether Flagg can do the job of PG - it's not going to look like the way Luka plays it, but this is stuff Flagg has been doing since he was 15. 

The main question for the offense imo will be shot selection and whether they can hit the good shots when they get them (because I think they will get great shots all the time, if they work at it).

This has a chance to be the funniest post of all time.

[vfromlmf]

I just listened to Kidd’s postgame. Sounds like he thinks the answer might be to play Hardy more. You know, the guy they tried to trade but couldn’t.

So … I say let’s do it! It makes no sense to wait until January. Bring on the tank commanders. And Fire Nico!

[Mavs2021]

I just listened to Kidd’s postgame. Sounds like he thinks the answer might be to play Hardy more. You know, the guy they tried to trade but couldn’t.

So … I say let’s do it! It makes no sense to wait until January. Bring on the tank commanders. And Fire Nico!

Hardy is one of five players with a positive on/off in the first two games. Based on those early numbers the line-ups should be

Russell/Williams
Hardy/Christie
Washington/Marshall
Davis/Flagg
Lively/Gafford

To be honest this would give the Mavs the best chance of winning. How high that chance is....yeah well. But that is the most logical line-up they can put out there at the moment. 

They should have gotten Westbrook, not only for his PG play, but his energy and leadership role. He could have taken some post game heat off AD, until Kyrie returns. Instead they signed injury-prone Exum. So much institutional failure.

[vfromlmf]

I don’t know how you watch the playoffs last year a surmise a winning formula is to play without a lead ball handler. I realize I’m just beating a dead horse—but good teams play at least TWO creators.

The other story is the Mavs supposed answer is emulating Sacramento—a team that didn’t even MAKE the playoffs.

Teams will never come out and say they’re tanking but it feels like the tank is already on.

[KillerLeft]

I don’t know how you watch the playoffs last year a surmise a winning formula is to play without a lead ball handler. I realize I’m just beating a dead horse—but good teams play at least TWO creators.

The other story is the Mavs supposed answer is emulating Sacramento—a team that didn’t even MAKE the playoffs.

Teams will never come out and say they’re tanking but it feels like the tank is already on.

I don’t think they’re tanking, sadly. I think they’re wanting to play a style that won’t work, and they stubbornly believe it will.

[mvossman]

I don’t think they’re tanking, sadly. I think they’re wanting to play a style that won’t work, and they stubbornly believe it will.

I'm not sure what they are doing.  There is a part of me that thinks Kidd is playing some kind of power game.  He is not above things like that.  I don't know if he is making a point, displaying frustration with the roster or actively trying to get Nico fired, but its hard to believe he thinks it makes sense to play this many minutes without a PG on the floor.

[SleepingHero]

@MavsFilmRoom
Through two games the Mavericks have the WORST offensive rating in the NBA at 95.2.

The Hawks, who are 29th, have an ORTG of 107, a whole 12 points per 100 possessions better than the Mavs.

The Mavs -20.6 net rating is the worst in the NBA.

[SleepingHero]

@mavericksdigest
Two sources close to me have confirmed, that after tonight's loss to the Washington Wizards, Jason Kidd was overhead talking to his wife, and allegedly said, "I don't know if i can deal with it anymore here." The context of the quote is unclear, but Jason Kidd WAS late to his post game interview with media, due to an alleged 'team meeting.' At this time, what was said at the meeting is unclear.

[SleepingHero]

@noahweber00
Jason Kidd confirmed that D’Angelo Russell was not injured.

He just decided not to play him.

D’Angelo Russell spent part of the third quarter and most of the fourth quarter on the elliptical bike.

He did not play in the second half tonight.

[KillerLeft]

@MavsFilmRoom
Through two games the Mavericks have the WORST offensive rating in the NBA at 95.2.

The Hawks, who are 29th, have an ORTG of 107, a whole 12 points per 100 possessions better than the Mavs.

The Mavs -20.6 net rating is the worst in the NBA.

…and all the players or Kidd wanted to point to after the game was defense. Bananas.

[Chicagojk]

I'm not sure what they are doing.  There is a part of me that thinks Kidd is playing some kind of power game.  He is not above things like that.  I don't know if he is making a point, displaying frustration with the roster or actively trying to get Nico fired, but its hard to believe he thinks it makes sense to play this many minutes without a PG on the floor.

It is something to watch.   I find it hard to believe Kidd was not privy to the trade discussions.  Luka certainly thinks he was, but maybe he wasn't or wasn't involved in the final negotiations?  Regardless, the Knicks thing this summer after winning the lottery were really weird.  Maybe it was a play for an extension, but it appears there was real interest there.  Was it just because it was NYC and a good team or something else?   

I know one thing, I am sure there was a ton of angst that Kidd had to answer all the Luka questions after the trade, while Nico went into hiding.   That would of pissed me off if I was Kidd.

Was Kidd not on board with Russell?  Kidd seems to view him as a shooting guard.  The comments last night about lack of point guard and Russell playing second half sort of feels like a message is trying to be sent.   It just feels like something is there.   More than just having the players figure things out by failing.

[Chicagojk]

Klay may be washed.  He typically starts slow.   The league is filled with former great players who still look the part, but just don't have it anymore.

I think the offense is totally wrong for him though.    He needs creation.  He needs movement.  He needs cutting.   Right now, he is an easy guard because the offense is so robotic.   I think bringing in off the bench will happen this year.  The issue is I am not sure there is a magic answer replacing him in the starting lineup.   It is a puzzle and the Mavs appear to be missing a piece or two.

[mvossman]

It is something to watch.   I find it hard to believe Kidd was not privy to the trade discussions.  Luka certainly thinks he was, but maybe he wasn't or wasn't involved in the final negotiations?  Regardless, the Knicks thing this summer after winning the lottery were really weird.  Maybe it was a play for an extension, but it appears there was real interest there.  Was it just because it was NYC and a good team or something else?   

I know one thing, I am sure there was a ton of angst that Kidd had to answer all the Luka questions after the trade, while Nico went into hiding.   That would of pissed me off if I was Kidd.

Was Kidd not on board with Russell?  Kidd seems to view him as a shooting guard.  The comments last night about lack of point guard and Russell playing second half sort of feels like a message is trying to be sent.   It just feels like something is there.   More than just having the players figure things out by failing.

It wouldn't be the first time Kidd tried to take over GM duties on a team he coached.  This would be the perfect opportunity.  A new owner who is clueless and a hated GM who's seat has to be getting hot.  Its the perfect storm for him to try this again.  As much as I hate Nico, I'm not sure having Kidd as GM would be much better.