(06-14-2024, 10:18 PM)dirkfansince1998 Wrote: Luka is getting the easiest matchup in every series and teams try to go after him. He has done a much better job in the first three series but you don't want him as the primary defender against great perimeter scorers. Same for Kyrie. With the added bonus that he isn't as versatile and cannot guard bigger guys. Simons plays even smaller than Kyrie and is a worse on ball defender. If all three are playing together at least one of them. Most likely two will have to defend good/great perimeter scorers.
Again Holiday and White are perimeter shooters. They are not routinely beating their man off the ball. Their offense comes off of secondary action. Luka and Kyrie are going to get beat off the dribble some of the time, it's how the rest of the defense reacts as a group.
Regardless the Mavs problem hasn't been more defense. It's been more offense.
The Mavs offense gets drastically better with another ball handler/creator in the lineup.