MAVERICKS 104, SUNS 112

[mavsluvr]

THAT'S your ballgame right there.  I saw TWO drives, right after Kidd reinserted KP into the game to stem the Phoenix run in the fourth.  It was still in single digits and the possession before KP hit his one 3, he was wide open for 3 and Brunson went to Bullock who was 0-3 at the time.  The possession after he hit his three, JB drove the lane, he had both Bullock and KP WIDE OPEN in the corners, he chose to go to Bullock who was 0-4 at this point instead of KP who was shooting 50% and 100% for the half...and Bullock ended 0-5 from 3.

That's the offensive problem RIGHT THERE.  During this stretch, JB went 3-12, including 0-4 in the paint in the fourth.

One more reminder...KP 3 shots in the first 2 shots and 2 FTs in the first 3 minutes of the 3rd and the Mavs take their first lead since 5 minutes left in the 2nd...then INEXPLICABLY it becomes the JB show...and down we go.

JB went JB of 2020-21 and that was the problem.  He said it was on him and he had a big part of that.

Thanks for your analysis. Two main lines of thought here -- on KP and JB.


Porzingis

KP had three made shots (3-3) and 4 made free throws in the second half. One of those shots was in the fourth quarter. Not sure it is fair to criticize the third quarter, since they won the quarter 33-24, and their team strategy seemed to be working okay. 

It all fell apart in the fourth. I agree that Brunson failed to find him on numerous occasions. I guess, for completeness, we should also add that KP was getting a fair amount of defensive attention. We don't know what would have happened if the offense had been forced through KP, as it often is these days, but that strategy sometimes results in something better, but can also lead to live-ball turnovers and missed shots. Your point is taken, but we really just don't know how the alternative reality would have looked. 

In any event, Kidd knows how to tell the guys to find KP, and I don't know if he told them and they didn't do it, or if that was not his priority at that point in the game. If KP wasn't used well in that period, that's on Kidd and/or Brunson. What was on KP was what I thought the most important aspect of his play was in the fourth of both games. He is a serious defensive liability against PNR offenses. The Suns recognize that, and relentlessly target him with their pick-and-rolls. That's getting to be a blueprint on how to attack the Mavs.

Brunson

I have seen a number of fans (mostly on Twitter, not speaking of anyone in particular) looking at a few early stats and saying things like JB is better than Luka, the team plays better without Luka, the team doesn't need Luka any more now that JB has come on, etc. I think this is the game that most exposed JB. He is good, but is no Luka Doncic. 

Brunson has looked much improved this season, and I like that. He can penetrate well, and score at the rim or dish to an open teammate. Those are valuable aspects of his game. But he is doing that within the specific context of the role the Mavs have carved out, in order to place him in a position to succeed. He is nowhere near the floor general and game manager that Luka is. The Mavs don't especially need that from him when he is playing next to Luka, or when he is facing bench units. But when it's up to him to figure out a way to win against a good opponent who is clamping down, he just doesn't have the skills or court vision to accomplish that. 

I would say that Brunson did not play well in the fourth, but that sounds like I am putting that failure solely on him. For necessary reasons, he is being asked to do more than he is capable of doing. I also thought he was just flat knackered by that point in the game. Don't think there is a short-term fix for Luka being absent, other than getting him back.