Game 23: Miami Heat (14-7) @ Dallas Mavericks (7-15) | 7:30pm

[mvossman]

Should have never started. Way too premature. There’s plenty of time to revisit in a month or two, but this team has never been on team tank despite the opinions of some here.

I would argue there has been a significant change to how they are handling injuries and minutes management.  Before Nico was fired they were rushing guys back and playing them big minutes.  Since then they have been much more cautious.  I think that is all the soft tank crowd are asking for (and for some trades eventually when the return is reasonable).

[Smitty]

I would argue there has been a significant change to how they are handling injuries and minutes management.  Before Nico was fired they were rushing guys back and playing them big minutes.  Since then they have been much more cautious.  I think that is all the soft tank crowd are asking for (and for some trades eventually when the return is reasonable).

You’re free to believe what you want to. I’ll just disagree. I don’t think front office, coaching staff, training staff, or players have been trying to purposely lose games (tank).

[Smitty]

Ryan Nembhard is the only rookie ever to average at least 20 points and 10 assists while committing only 1 turnover in a two-game span, per @ESPNInsights.

The only other Maverick, regardless of experience, to do it: Derek Harper, whose No. 12 hangs in the AAC rafters.

[mvossman]

You’re free to believe what you want to. I’ll just disagree. I don’t think front office, coaching staff, training staff, or players have been trying to purposely lose games (tank).

I think you are making it too black and white.  There is a spectrum of organizational priorities across things like winning games, development, health management, etc.  Folks have talked for years about Kidd not prioritizing winning early in the season in favor of experimenting with lineups.  I think there has been a noticeable shift in how they handle player health.  Nico was fired the day after he tried to put AD back on the court, and we did not see AD for weeks after that.  We no longer see older injury prone players playing 40+ minutes in games desperately trying to win.  That does not mean they are trying to purposely lose games.  It simply means priorities have shifted.

[ThisIStheYear]

I have to admit that AD is growing on me. Not because he’s really good. We already knew that even if he’s not Luka. But because of how he incorporates Flagg into the offense. The other vets seem to have a mine first attitude, you’re a rookie. AD is basically treating Flagg like a costar, forcing him to step up to be even the first scoring option. When it comes to Flagg’s development, AD understands the mission. That’s a real reason to keep him around, the best reason in fact.

[windjc]

I am willing to soften my stance. If those people that said Flagg was a long term average roster player come on here and apologize and show remorse, then they shouldn't be banned.

[KillerLeft]

I have to admit that AD is growing on me. Not because he’s really good. We already knew that even if he’s not Luka. But because of how he incorporates Flagg into the offense.  The other vets seem to have a mine first attitude, you’re a rookie. AD is basically treating Flagg like a costar, forcing him to step up to be even the first scoring option. When it comes to Flagg’s development, AD understands the mission. That’s a real reason to keep him around, the best reason in fact.

Yes, AD at the 5 and Flagg at the 4 works really, really well on both ends. Ideally, almost. 

If only they had a PG who could produce consistently like Nembhard has these past two games (maybe he can, idk) without giving up so much size on the defensive end, I'd say this would all work if given enough time together. As much as I want to believe Nembhard could be the guy, I'm struggling to get there, but it sure is fun to watch this stretch of competent PG play. 

Kidd played all three PG's in this one, actually, and I loved it. If only that could be their default style, even when all three centers were healthy (assuming that will ever happen), I'd be a bigger believer in this team.

[Reunion Mav]

Wow coop.  Three clutch plays late.

That was really good to watch.

[Reunion Mav]

Coop and AD both made clutch plays late. We were in danger of giving up another lead. Miami missed some shots other teams have made against us. Give our improved defense some credit but mostly AD and Coop already have chemistry. That is my favorite part.
Love what Nemhard is doing but they are already starting to figure him out late in the game. Coop and AD, give them the ball late.

This is definitely getting more interesting.

[FireNicoHarrison]

Put a PG on the court and street clothes at the 5 = W after W after W.

Was it so difficult?

[Winter]

I noticed the Heat all were aware of Coop's spin move. They picked him once when he tried that.

Also, Coop's 3-point shot is basically an inside the paint bucket with an AND-ONE. I mean how many of those does he have? He may lead the league in and-ones.

[Smitty]

I think you are making it too black and white.  There is a spectrum of organizational priorities across things like winning games, development, health management, etc.  Folks have talked for years about Kidd not prioritizing winning early in the season in favor of experimenting with lineups.  I think there has been a noticeable shift in how they handle player health.  Nico was fired the day after he tried to put AD back on the court, and we did not see AD for weeks after that.  We no longer see older injury prone players playing 40+ minutes in games desperately trying to win.  That does not mean they are trying to purposely lose games.  It simply means priorities have shifted.

You talk about Kidd experimenting every year at the cost of winning, yet that means they're tanking this season (losing on purpose) because "We no longer see older injury prone players playing 40+ minutes in games desperately trying to win"? And also say that doesn't mean they're trying to lose. What is tanking? What are you even trying to say here?

[DanSchwartzgan]

Something to keep an eye on...Kidd played 100% of DLo's minutes last night alongside one of the PG's (Nembhard or Williams) effectively taking the ball out of DLo's hands.  He got 10 points in 15 minutes on 4 of 7 shooting and 2 of 4 from three.  He got 3 boards and 2 assists and was +3.

This may not sound like much, but it was his best three point shooting night of the season, his 4th best overall shooting night of the season and his sixth best +/- game of the season.  If you look at his lineup data, it is absolutely awful when he's the PG with no viable alternative.  But, the lineups where he plays with Marshall are routinely good (Marshall is effectively the PG in those lineups).  Moral of the story...less is more with DLo.

[Smitty]

Something to keep an eye on...Kidd played 100% of DLo's minutes last night alongside one of the PG's (Nembhard or Williams) effectively taking the ball out of DLo's hands.  He got 10 points in 15 minutes on 4 of 7 shooting and 2 of 4 from three.  He got 3 boards and 2 assists and was +3.

This may not sound like much, but it was his best three point shooting night of the season, his 4th best overall shooting night of the season and his sixth best +/- game of the season.  If you look at his lineup data, it is absolutely awful when he's the PG with no viable alternative.  But, the lineups where he plays with Marshall are routinely good (Marshall is effectively the PG in those lineups).  Moral of the story...less is more with DLo.

Makes sense as he's more of a 6th man type, secondary ball handler, combo/scoring type guard who can also play PG from time to time. When players are in their correct role and the pecking order is set, they're going to look better. We as fans judge players game to game, play to play really, and lose context almost all of the time.

[Chicagojk]

nembhard is good but he is not a God. I mean he has not been able to get an assist for a Martin bucket. Btw, I hope he is out of the rotation soon. Tired of teams not guarding him and jumpers hitting the front of the rim. Plus he got a technical last night. He didn’t get back in after that.

I wouldn’t read too much of the good play without PJ yet. I think Pn can get some of the same benefits of the new improved ball movement. I hope PJ doesn’t try to go coast to coast now though. Give the ball up. You may get it back. His role on offense is take open threes, crash the boards and score in the paint. He gets in trouble when he tries to do too much on offense. The shoulder bully drives work at times but they also create a lot of turnovers. Especially against good defenses.

[Winter]

nembhard is good but he is not a God.  I mean he has not been able to get an assist for a Martin bucket.  Btw, I hope he is out of the rotation soon.  Tired of teams not guarding him and jumpers hitting the front of the rim.  Plus he got a technical last night.  He didn’t get back in after that.

I wouldn’t read too much of the good play without PJ yet.  I think Pn can get some of the same benefits of the new improved ball movement.  I hope PJ doesn’t try to go coast to coast now though.  Give the ball up.  You may get it back.  His role on offense is take open threes, crash the boards and score in the paint.  He gets in trouble when he tries to do too much on offense.  The shoulder bully drives work at times but they also create a lot of turnovers.  Especially against good defenses.

It will be nice to get PJ back.

I'm also wondering about the general weirdness of injuries forcing our players to play their natural positions. AD at center, Flagg at PF (and other places), Naji is hard to actually assign a position to anyway. Everybody looks so comfortable.

Maybe this where you can have a little talk with AD.

[DanSchwartzgan]

I'm also wondering about the general weirdness of injuries forcing our players to play their natural positions. AD at center, Flagg at PF (and other places) 

Maybe this where you can have a little talk with AD.

It looks like Lively is going to miss a good bit of time.  So, it won't be an issue for a while.  The issue occurs when all three of Lively, AD and Gafford are healthy (almost never).

[Dirknows]

It will be nice to get PJ back.

I'm also wondering about the general weirdness of injuries forcing our players to play their natural positions. AD at center, Flagg at PF (and other places), Naji is hard to actually assign a position to anyway. Everybody looks so comfortable.

Maybe this where you can have a little talk with AD.

PJ ruins the flow of the offense honestly with how much he shoots.

[mvossman]

You talk about Kidd experimenting every year at the cost of winning, yet that means they're tanking this season (losing on purpose) because "We no longer see older injury prone players playing 40+ minutes in games desperately trying to win"? And also say that doesn't mean they're trying to lose. What is tanking? What are you even trying to say here?

You are over fixated on the term "tank".  I used the term "soft tank" to mean that they are not actively trying to lose, but the focus has shifted from winning games to player health.  Call it something else if you like.  I just think the overall approach has shifted to a more long term outlook than a short term one.

[mvossman]

PJ ruins the flow of the offense honestly with how much he shoots.

I'm hoping after watching the team win 3 games in a row with him off the court and particularly how well AD and Flagg are playing together that he might defer more when he gets back.