Game 28: Dallas Mavericks (16-11) @ Houston Rockets (13-12)

[DanSchwartzgan]

 
Maxi was a bright spot.  He just isn’t ready yet.  Will it happen this year?  My guess is no.  But a lot of positive things. If he gets playing time, pair him with Kyrie and youth.  He looks much better playing with speed and when things are hectic.  Having him play in a slow pace and go to the corner on offense really highlights his weaknesses. 

I assume you meant OMax.  I think you are correct here.  He's kind of the anti-Hardy.  When you try to force Hardy to do things he can't, he tends to disappoint.  Dallas has probably ruined his trade value trying to turn him into a 5 tool guy when he's much more limited than that.  They need to find his niche skill and build on that because right now he does nothing particularly well...master of none.

OMax on the other hand needs to be forced to do things other than standing in the corner.  He's shown an ability to get to the hole going back to the summer.  I'm not saying we should try to make him a ball handler.  But there are ways to design plays to take greater advantage of what he does best.

Right now we have three imperfect solutions at the four.  Until we can rely on his outside shot, OMax would be better served in a 5-out lineup (which we don't have available to us without Maxi at center or some center with an outside shot who isn't on the team yet).  DJJ is probably better as the third biggest guy on the court rather than the second.  He can guard up or down, but doesn't have the heft or rebounding to be our primary solution at the four.  And GWill...as I've said for a very long time...he's a bench player.