11-15-2024, 10:18 AM
(11-15-2024, 08:30 AM)Mavs2021 Wrote: Gafford plays like sh*t, when coming off the bench. Q.e.d. yesterday with a team worst -19 in just 19 minutes.
Our real problem is that we are very slow and lethargic at guard and forward. That problem was only increased by the additions of Marshall, Dinwiddie and Thompson in place of DJJ and Green. Just pay attention to the pace with which other guards and forwards move on and off the ball. Outside of Kyrie we are SLOW. For that reason alone Gortman should see some action. He can at least do some Josh Green things.
Hardy and Grimes have some speed, but Hardy especially needs to be drilled into 2-3 quick release actions that limit is bad decisions. I honestly don´t think Kidd is good enough to fix this.
They´ll need another mid-season trade and I seriously doubt they have the stones to trade Klay/Kleber for somebody like Simons, so I guess the best we can hope for is something like Schroeder for Kleber.
Also they need to sit Luka till he is healthy. He was -8 yesterday and it would have been a lot worse, if he hadn´t been on the floor as a passenger, when Hardy, Marshall, Grimes and Lively brought the team back from the huge 3rd quarter deficit. I think this team currently has a better chance to win without Luka. The other teams aren´t prepared for it. We become less predictable Kyrie is red-hot and we can finally play faster. That will work for 1-2 weeks.
Agreed that:
1) Gafford sucks off the bench
But that’s a Gafford-problem. He’s playing worse than Lively and the solution can not be to continue to gift him the starting spot despite poor results. It’s on him to make a positive impact off the bench. If he doesn’t you throw in DP / Kleber here and there to create some competition.
2) footspeed has gotten worse but I think adding Lively already helps a lot on that front. So starting him is step 1 before I open up the Klay-thing.
3) Yes, Gortman needs to get a shot. Even if it’s simply to put some pressure on Dinwiddie and Hardy. Neither has been close to a positive impact player so far.
So I’d go to these changes first before I open up the can of worms of benching Klay