Trade & FA 2024-25:

[audiosway]

More touches does not explain why he is more efficient.  Getting more touches and being more efficient clearly means he is playing better.

Strong disagree that you can't win a title starting DJJ or DFS.  Most of the recent NBA champions had a player that was not any better than DFS (or what DJJ is doing this year).  Pope with Denver, Loony with GS, the Bucks started PJ freaking Tucker.  The Lakers started Pope, Danny Green (a DFS clone) and Javale freaking McGee.  

I think you are over focusing on one series.  The Mavs were worn down and played poorly.  Boston was at the height of their power.  They already don't look like the same team as last year.  If I had to pick a favorite for championship right now it would probably be OKC, a team we actually beat in the playoffs.

I would argue that when you make it through the very difficult West to the finals, that is the perfect time to make incremental changes.  You had a rookie center and key pieces just added at the TDL.  Improve around the edges (Timmy for Grimes, Naji, Dinwiddie) and give the starting unit more time to actually play together.  

Besides I keep hearing these "reasons" for making moves.  Let DJJ walk for Klay because we need the offense to complete with Boston.  Then a few months later send out your offensive engine because "defense wins championships".  I still feel like the provided narrative is whatever excuse Nico can come up with to get his guys.

Getting more touches is exactly why he is more efficient. The more you do something at practice the better you get at it. The more you do it in game situations the better you get at it under game pressure.

I'm not saying you can't win with one of those guys starting. I'm saying that Dallas team isn't winning with one of those guys starting. They were worn out. I don't like the idea of thinking "surely Boston can't sustain that". I'd rather build a team that can win no matter who they face.

If you go back and look at advanced stats you will see that Luka had a usage rate of 40% during that series. You can't have that from one player and expect to win unless that player is a workout beast. Harden had usage rates close to what Luka averages during the runs to the WCF they had. The only time that has ever been successful is with Michael Jordan. Because MJ had the stamina to be an offensive scoring title/All Offense and a DPOY/All Defense.

Even LeBron has never had usage rates that high. LeBron in his prime on title runs would hit usage of 30-33% after the all star break through the playoffs. Luka is averaging 33% and higher during the season and hitting 40% in the playoffs. That's not sustainable. It's also not winning basketball outside of anyone named MJ.

So, unless Dallas added more playmaking and scoring to get Luka playing off ball and lower usage that wasn't going to happen.