11-29-2024, 03:48 AM
Absolutely beautiful game, and it was nice to hear Followill on the ESPN stage with actually competent female colleagues (no sexism here, because YES, women CAN be great in sports, like Doris Burke—just pointing out that they usually are not). I’d prefer them over Devin and especially Harp, but I’m beating a dead horse here...
Anyway, and I say this through clenched teeth: our team looked better without Luka the last couple of games. Just beautiful team basketball all around. Kyrie is just amazing and has easily become my favorite player, and he seems genuinely nice. If he weren’t such a whack job (flat-earther and whatnot), I’d have nothing but praise for him. Basketball- and culture-wise, he’s been an absolute blessing for the Mavericks. If this guy were a little taller, we’d be talking Top-10-All-Time material. Just poetry in motion watching him play.
PJ, Naji, and Grimes have been great for us—not surprised by Lively; he’s just THAT good. He’s even been making his FTs recently (finally, because I was so sick of his constant miss-make-miss-make cycle... dude, you’re better than this). Naji might have one of the best floating games in the league, period. It looks so awkward, but he makes them so frequently it can’t just be luck anymore. Without a doubt, he has the best floating game of a role player in this league, and that’s HUGE. Grimes looks like the prototype next to Luka: tough defender, good motor, athletic, and strong enough. If he keeps making his threes and layups, he’s perfect for us. The numbers back it up as well, I’d say (+/-).
If PJ can get to around 35% on threes, we virtually have NO weakness offensively.
I’ve been positively surprised by Klay. I think he needs to settle more into an elite role-player type and focus on 3-and-D (yes, his D has been better than expected). He’s doing all the right things: good passes, good movement. He doesn’t have to score 20 a night—15 on good efficiency would be enough.
I don’t know how sustainable Dinwiddie’s play is, but I surely love to see it—at least until Exum comes back. Any word on him, anyone?
Lastly, about Hardy: Please don’t play this kid anymore. He’s so streaky and inconsistent, and even when his shot falls—like in the Utah or Atlanta game (can’t remember)—he commits so many mistakes. I’m sorry, but I’ve all but given up on him. If we need a competent spark plug off the bench, use Spencer. He can also be a black hole at times, but at least he can competently run an offense. Hardy is just a poor man’s THJ.
Overall, I’m not impressed with our start to the season. Luka is clearly out of shape or dealing with something else, but even with him playing like crap (by his otherworldly standards) and now being injured, we’re sitting at 11-8. I was never worried, and after seeing how good Naji and Marshall are for us, what Klay brings, and how Ky has not just maintained but elevated his level, I’m more confident than ever: If we get healthy, gel some more, and the dominoes fall into the right places, we’ll be a force to be reckoned with. The Conference Finals should be the floor for this team.
Anyway, and I say this through clenched teeth: our team looked better without Luka the last couple of games. Just beautiful team basketball all around. Kyrie is just amazing and has easily become my favorite player, and he seems genuinely nice. If he weren’t such a whack job (flat-earther and whatnot), I’d have nothing but praise for him. Basketball- and culture-wise, he’s been an absolute blessing for the Mavericks. If this guy were a little taller, we’d be talking Top-10-All-Time material. Just poetry in motion watching him play.
PJ, Naji, and Grimes have been great for us—not surprised by Lively; he’s just THAT good. He’s even been making his FTs recently (finally, because I was so sick of his constant miss-make-miss-make cycle... dude, you’re better than this). Naji might have one of the best floating games in the league, period. It looks so awkward, but he makes them so frequently it can’t just be luck anymore. Without a doubt, he has the best floating game of a role player in this league, and that’s HUGE. Grimes looks like the prototype next to Luka: tough defender, good motor, athletic, and strong enough. If he keeps making his threes and layups, he’s perfect for us. The numbers back it up as well, I’d say (+/-).
If PJ can get to around 35% on threes, we virtually have NO weakness offensively.
I’ve been positively surprised by Klay. I think he needs to settle more into an elite role-player type and focus on 3-and-D (yes, his D has been better than expected). He’s doing all the right things: good passes, good movement. He doesn’t have to score 20 a night—15 on good efficiency would be enough.
I don’t know how sustainable Dinwiddie’s play is, but I surely love to see it—at least until Exum comes back. Any word on him, anyone?
Lastly, about Hardy: Please don’t play this kid anymore. He’s so streaky and inconsistent, and even when his shot falls—like in the Utah or Atlanta game (can’t remember)—he commits so many mistakes. I’m sorry, but I’ve all but given up on him. If we need a competent spark plug off the bench, use Spencer. He can also be a black hole at times, but at least he can competently run an offense. Hardy is just a poor man’s THJ.
Overall, I’m not impressed with our start to the season. Luka is clearly out of shape or dealing with something else, but even with him playing like crap (by his otherworldly standards) and now being injured, we’re sitting at 11-8. I was never worried, and after seeing how good Naji and Marshall are for us, what Klay brings, and how Ky has not just maintained but elevated his level, I’m more confident than ever: If we get healthy, gel some more, and the dominoes fall into the right places, we’ll be a force to be reckoned with. The Conference Finals should be the floor for this team.
![[-]](https://www.mavsboard.com/images/collapse.png)