11-13-2025, 12:03 PM
There were moments in this game where the Mavs looked like an actual NBA team, even on offense. I can't quite tell if it's the weight of the toxic war between the crowd and GM being lifted or just a continuation of the trend of improvement we've been seeing recently.
In the end, though, it was pretty clear who the better team was.
I still don't think they're tanking...yet, though maybe they should. Then again, maybe they won't even have to. You could make the case that some of the lineups down the stretch were "hope we lose" lineups, but honestly, I usually feel that way about Kidd's lineups when he's trying to win, and it's not like he has a lot of choices at the moment. What will probably tip us off, either way, is how injuries are handled throughout the season.
I disagree with almost every roster building point FGump made this summer (though I respect his opinion and how he makes his points, obviously), but he was right on the money about Brandon Williams. That dude has something. His body type and first step remind me of SGA, and his ability to finish inside is much better than I realized. A killer first step, lightning straight line speed with the ball and a decent finishing touch are a pretty usable combination. If that dude ever learns to score AT THE OTHER TWO LEVELS, he's going to earn himself a role and some job security, if not with the Mavs, then somewhere. He's quickly becoming one of the reasons I'm still watching.
Cisse has something, too. You guys all know how much I love that type of long, athletic, QUICK center, and that dude isn't scared of these moments at all. He's prone to dumb fouls, but that should improve with playing time. I think the Mavs really might've found one with him, and I'm so glad he's here and not Kai Jones.
To be honest, one of the SUCCESSFUL elements of the Harrison era is that the scouting department seems to have improved by leaps and bounds over the Cuban/Donnie days. They seem to find overlooked guys who are athletic enough to move the needle pretty easily, lately. I hope that part of the team's identity over these past few seasons is kept and folded into the new front office. I don't know if we credit Harrison with that, or Finley, or whomever, but I hope it continues.
Christie is a keeper. I don't know if he's a starting off guard or a bench guard yet (probably depends on the rest of the lineup, and how the plan to create offense unfolds), but he's definitely a ROTATION level player in the NBA. I hope he continues to use this opportunity to improve and flourish.
Predictably, ever since they've started playing more guards (whether they wanted to or were forced to by injury) Flagg has started looking better and better. His shooting is pretty hit and miss (that will improve), but he's able to impact the game in so many different ways, and I personally have not felt the position/role change has left him any less involved in the offense. In fact, I'd say the opposite is true. He's making better passes now, because he's encountering situations he understands. I think the Mavs got a great one in Flagg, and once he/they/we figure out what he is and exactly how he fits into the puzzle, I think he's going to be universally adored here. I was fascinated by one long stretch of the game when he was the 5 on defense. It wasn't a particularly great stretch for the Mavs, but my recollection is that this was due more to Thompson bricking shots on the other end for about 3 minutes straight.
I don't hate Caleb Martin as much as everyone else. Not yet, at least. He's fast and pretty athletic, and while I haven't seen a stretch of truly dominant defense from him yet, he's obviously defensive-minded. If he can just gain a little confidence with his catch-and-shoot game, he could be a very useful player, imho. Good enough to be a 9th-10th guy for sure, and good enough for me to feel like we could think in terms of moving one of the good forwards, not just one or two of the good bigs. I'm glad he's getting some time right now, so that we (and the team, obvs) can evaluate the validity of him possibly being a rotation player when the dust settles. He's not worth much, but PJW and Marshall are both worth quite a bit, I'd think. If Martin can be depended on as the 3rd or 4th forward (big if) that could open some interesting doors moving forward. I also think he's the RIGHT type of forward, given the team's current makeup, in that he's clearly a 3 and clearly not a 4. I know this distinction isn't the end all be all, but after ball-handling guards, I think the next biggest deficiency this roster has is that old school 2/3 swing type of guard/forward. Thompson is the closest thing they have to that, but he's about done, defensively, and it seems like a forgone conclusion that he's going to be gone by the deadline (though maybe not). Marshall is more of at 3/4 type, I think, and both Flagg and PJW are kind of 4/5/3 types (possibly even in that order, though I'm sure some will disagree).
Anyway...just some thoughts I had while watching last night.
In the end, though, it was pretty clear who the better team was.
I still don't think they're tanking...yet, though maybe they should. Then again, maybe they won't even have to. You could make the case that some of the lineups down the stretch were "hope we lose" lineups, but honestly, I usually feel that way about Kidd's lineups when he's trying to win, and it's not like he has a lot of choices at the moment. What will probably tip us off, either way, is how injuries are handled throughout the season.
I disagree with almost every roster building point FGump made this summer (though I respect his opinion and how he makes his points, obviously), but he was right on the money about Brandon Williams. That dude has something. His body type and first step remind me of SGA, and his ability to finish inside is much better than I realized. A killer first step, lightning straight line speed with the ball and a decent finishing touch are a pretty usable combination. If that dude ever learns to score AT THE OTHER TWO LEVELS, he's going to earn himself a role and some job security, if not with the Mavs, then somewhere. He's quickly becoming one of the reasons I'm still watching.
Cisse has something, too. You guys all know how much I love that type of long, athletic, QUICK center, and that dude isn't scared of these moments at all. He's prone to dumb fouls, but that should improve with playing time. I think the Mavs really might've found one with him, and I'm so glad he's here and not Kai Jones.
To be honest, one of the SUCCESSFUL elements of the Harrison era is that the scouting department seems to have improved by leaps and bounds over the Cuban/Donnie days. They seem to find overlooked guys who are athletic enough to move the needle pretty easily, lately. I hope that part of the team's identity over these past few seasons is kept and folded into the new front office. I don't know if we credit Harrison with that, or Finley, or whomever, but I hope it continues.
Christie is a keeper. I don't know if he's a starting off guard or a bench guard yet (probably depends on the rest of the lineup, and how the plan to create offense unfolds), but he's definitely a ROTATION level player in the NBA. I hope he continues to use this opportunity to improve and flourish.
Predictably, ever since they've started playing more guards (whether they wanted to or were forced to by injury) Flagg has started looking better and better. His shooting is pretty hit and miss (that will improve), but he's able to impact the game in so many different ways, and I personally have not felt the position/role change has left him any less involved in the offense. In fact, I'd say the opposite is true. He's making better passes now, because he's encountering situations he understands. I think the Mavs got a great one in Flagg, and once he/they/we figure out what he is and exactly how he fits into the puzzle, I think he's going to be universally adored here. I was fascinated by one long stretch of the game when he was the 5 on defense. It wasn't a particularly great stretch for the Mavs, but my recollection is that this was due more to Thompson bricking shots on the other end for about 3 minutes straight.
I don't hate Caleb Martin as much as everyone else. Not yet, at least. He's fast and pretty athletic, and while I haven't seen a stretch of truly dominant defense from him yet, he's obviously defensive-minded. If he can just gain a little confidence with his catch-and-shoot game, he could be a very useful player, imho. Good enough to be a 9th-10th guy for sure, and good enough for me to feel like we could think in terms of moving one of the good forwards, not just one or two of the good bigs. I'm glad he's getting some time right now, so that we (and the team, obvs) can evaluate the validity of him possibly being a rotation player when the dust settles. He's not worth much, but PJW and Marshall are both worth quite a bit, I'd think. If Martin can be depended on as the 3rd or 4th forward (big if) that could open some interesting doors moving forward. I also think he's the RIGHT type of forward, given the team's current makeup, in that he's clearly a 3 and clearly not a 4. I know this distinction isn't the end all be all, but after ball-handling guards, I think the next biggest deficiency this roster has is that old school 2/3 swing type of guard/forward. Thompson is the closest thing they have to that, but he's about done, defensively, and it seems like a forgone conclusion that he's going to be gone by the deadline (though maybe not). Marshall is more of at 3/4 type, I think, and both Flagg and PJW are kind of 4/5/3 types (possibly even in that order, though I'm sure some will disagree).
Anyway...just some thoughts I had while watching last night.
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