I'm out on the 2023-24 season ....

[surfpuckmd]

For me it's not one game. It's one MORE game, that has occurred with regularity, of a team that plays small, and lacking energy, and overmatched, with mediocre defense, rather than being competitive.

Too many times they don't even have any juice at all, from the outset.

The best teams come to the game, at least keep it close for 3 quarters, and then pick up the intensity, go to a better level, and take the win in the 4th. The Mavs tend to be the team on the bottom end of that equation.

It's also an observation that as we go round and round in circles over various trade ideas, it's getting very obvious there's no trade possible that moves the needle in a good way. None of the supposed candidates are any more valuable than death warmed over - just one overpaid meh guy after another, and all requiring a strip of assets to get that mostly-junk player. We're now debating PJW vs Kuzma vs Wiggins vs Grant,and all at a high price? Yikes. Gag. A desperate overpriced deal is always possible, but none of these players can make much difference now, and they are yet another piece whose price and baggage will set the team back in the long run.

That's what has made me jump ship, not one game. It's a a team that's repeatedly just blah, and a lack of any potential route that feasibly upgrades the future.

One year ago, we were a boring team to watch.  We had Luka and a bunch of role players.  Dinwiddie dribbled too much and we actually started Reggie Bullock.  It was a dark time. 

We now have a second superstar with Kyrie Irving.  He's not just a great talent but he's one of the most amazing players to watch.  The man is a performance artist.  

We also have the 2nd-best rookie from the 2023 class-  Dereck Lively.  Our center problems are thus solved.   

We have a couple of fun and effective players we picked up off the scrap heap with Dante Exum and DJJ.  

This is a much more fun team than last season.

As to how we can improve, we can obtain a new coach this coming off-season.  We'll be more organized on the court and we'll see less hopeless lineups.

The young guys like Josh Green and Lively should improve with experience.  OMax will also finally be unleashed.  There is plenty of reason for optimism.  We're not a contender this season but we're improving.