MAVS NEWS:

[michaeltex]

Lively is a lot taller than Aldama who is, in turn, a lot taller than Gafford. (I'm doing my best to allow for hairstyle differences)

Says a lot about how much is given up when Gaff subs in for Lively.

[windjc]

The ground is not even guys. Come on

[michaeltex]

I'm trying to learn faces and took a stab and IDing the group. This is what I came up with, (corrections welcome)
(?) by the ones I'm least sure about.

Front Row (L to R)
Sasser(?), Martin, Christie, Washington, Flagg, Irving, Risacher, Marshall, De Larrea, Poulakidas

Back Row (L to R)
Johnson Jr., Biberovic, Powell, Lively, Aldama, Gafford, Lawal(?), Cisse, Howard(?), Lundy(?)

[Scott41theMavs]

I'm trying to learn faces and took a stab and IDing the group. This is what I came up with, (corrections welcome)
(?) by the ones I'm least sure about.

Front Row (L to R)
Sasser(?), Martin, Christie, Washington, Flagg, Irving, Risacher, Marshall, De Larrea, Poulakidas

Back Row (L to R)
Johnson Jr., Biberovic, Powell, Lively, Aldama, Gafford, Lawal(?), Cisse, Howard(?), Lundy(?)

I believe, in the back row, that that’s Lawal on the far left, Morez to the right of Gafford, then Cisse, then Howard and Lundy.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Man I wish they'd play Cooper at the 4 and Risacher at the 3.

[KillerLeft]

Man I wish they'd play Cooper at the 4 and Risacher at the 3.

I don't think that's going to be the case this season, at least not right away, but I'll continue to hope they see the light at some point in the near future.

[Knutsen]

I don't think that's going to be the case this season, at least not right away, but I'll continue to hope they see the light at some point in the near future.

I can imagine that Cooper is the offensive 2 and defensive 3 and Risacher the opposite. 

Simply because there’s no better starting caliber ballhandler than Cooper, as long as Naji hasn’t become a sharpshooter.

[ballsrchr]

Propofol needs constant respiration monitoring. I cannot imagine a tattoo parlor having the necessary equipment to make sure Washington doesn't stop breathing in case of an emergency.

Neither can I.

[Scott41theMavs]

It strikes me that in that pic, Sergio, Gafford, PJ, Dwight, Santi, and Max look happy, almost all the rest look some range between insipid and despondent, Kyrie looks confident and assured (why’re his fingers crossed), and Naji looks like he just smoked the world’s biggest doob.

[Knutsen]

Yeah, I am pretty surprised Morez looks visably shorter than Gafford.  Aldama is taller and Powell looks like he has grown .   

I agree about Larry.    I am not sure if he gets a lot of minutes early, but it will be interesting to see his development.   I don't think he is a #1 ball handler, but a guy who can fit a role and play with other creators and make smart decisions.    If he could eventually fill that role, it opens a lot of opportunities in the future.   

Why does Marshall look fat?   Ha.

You’re onto something here - Marshall broke the rim in Macao!

[DallasMaverick]

ESPN has the Mavs winning 33 games this season.

I'm trying to wrap my head around that.

They won 26 last year while actively tanking for at least half the season, playing without Kyrie, and Flagg in his rookie season. I'd argue that the players they acquired in the off-season are net positives, too.

So only a 7-game improvement?

Seems like things will have to go spectacularly bad for that outcome.

[Knutsen]

ESPN has the Mavs winning 33 games this season.

I'm trying to wrap my head around that.

They won 26 last year while actively tanking for at least half the season, playing without Kyrie, and Flagg in his rookie season.  I'd argue that the players they acquired in the off-season are net positives, too.

So only a 7-game improvement?

Seems like things will have to go spectacularly bad for that outcome.

Especially since we’re in free to win all season mode, with not having our first round pick next year - even if we’re out of the playoffs we would beat a lot of tanking teams in the last 20-30 games. 

I personally see an even record of 41-41 as a realistic scenario.

[Chicagojk]

ESPN has the Mavs winning 33 games this season.

I'm trying to wrap my head around that.

They won 26 last year while actively tanking for at least half the season, playing without Kyrie, and Flagg in his rookie season.  I'd argue that the players they acquired in the off-season are net positives, too.

So only a 7-game improvement?

Seems like things will have to go spectacularly bad for that outcome.

I think they will win more than 33, but the new lottery rules and what looks like to be a non superstar draft will mean you won't have 10 teams trying to lose.  That is going to impact teams wins imo.    Not sure who, but it appears you will need to earn most of your wins this year.   At least for most of the year.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

ESPN has the Mavs winning 33 games this season.

I'm trying to wrap my head around that.

They won 26 last year while actively tanking for at least half the season, playing without Kyrie, and Flagg in his rookie season.  I'd argue that the players they acquired in the off-season are net positives, too.

So only a 7-game improvement?

Seems like things will have to go spectacularly bad for that outcome.

If Kyrie is healthy all year, I would guess high 30s wins.  But if you take Kyrie out of this roster, I would take the under on 33.  So it really depends on how many games he plays.

Not sure which players they acquired this offseason you expect to be net positives.  Aldama is the only one I can think of.

[Smitty]

If Kyrie is healthy all year, I would guess high 30s wins.  But if you take Kyrie out of this roster, I would take the under on 33.  So it really depends on how many games he plays.

Not sure which players they acquired this offseason you expect to be net positives.  Aldama is the only one I can think of.

I made a long post over the summer saying pretty much this exact thing. Spot on IMO!

[michaeltex]

I think they will win more than 33, but the new lottery rules and what looks like to be a non superstar draft will mean you won't have 10 teams trying to lose.  That is going to impact teams wins imo.    Not sure who, but it appears you will need to earn most of your wins this year.   At least for most of the year.

If everybody gets/stays healthy, I don't know why 42 wins aren't achievable. I think there is a lot of potential in this lineup. FWIW, there weren't a lot of absolute blow outs last season with that crippled squad. No Kyrie, almost no AD, no Lively, in-and-out Gafford, midget undrafted PGs and Kidd playing Flagg out of position for a lot of games. Just improving the competitiveness, which I think Masai has done, to get better at finishing games will make a massive change in the W-L record.

Hey, it's pre-season, everybody is still tied for first place and I've watched 2 years of dark wasted games waiting on sunshine to come back. I'm ready for some optimism...

[Scott41theMavs]

If Kyrie is healthy all year, I would guess high 30s wins.  But if you take Kyrie out of this roster, I would take the under on 33.  So it really depends on how many games he plays.

Not sure which players they acquired this offseason you expect to be net positives.  Aldama is the only one I can think of.

I’m sorry, maybe I’m the world’s biggest homer, but to me that latter assertion is uproarious haterism. I can’t relate to thinking that way on any level.

Cooper’s level-up alone should mean 5 more wins.

[Chicagojk]

Interesting single highlight.   It is just one play.

Marshal bringing the ball up and gets the ball to Kyrie who runs a pick an role with Gafford.   Offense is Marshall, Kyrie, Gafford, Tariq, and ?

Flagg is guarding Kyrie.  Rest of the lineup is Risacher, Max, PJ and Morez.  Short on creation but a lot length and athleticism.

It does seem interesting that it looks like Risacher is paired with Cooper in a lot of the highlights.   Could mean something or it could mean nothing.  

https://x.com/dallasmavs/status/2107682612668256384

[Winter]

Interesting single highlight.   It is just one play.

 Offense is Marshall, Kyrie, Gafford, Tariq, and ?

That ? looks a little Garret Temple who may just be orchestrating the play. I've seen him active in other videos.

[Smitty]

Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2)
Kyrie Irving reveals in Macao that he had a Grade 2 calf strain in December that set him back 8 weeks during his recovery from ACL surgery.