01-22-2021, 04:46 PM
(01-22-2021, 01:13 PM)StepBackJay Wrote: Mavs have plenty of offense when they get their full squad back. The reality of this season is that they might have to deal with a skeleton crew all year long because of Covid.
The main moves the Mavs made were:
- Rich for Curry
- JJ for Wright, Jackson
- Rookies that don't play much
- Iwundu who doesn't play much
Curry has started the year super hot but Rich for Curry is not some massive downgrade in offense. I think Rich is a better fit because he can be your lockdown perimeter defender but he can still score.
JJ for Wright and Jackson to me is an upgrade all the way around. They were inconsistent players all the way around. JJ fits into what the Mavs do better and gives you both offense and defense.
The other guys don't matter that much. So this notion that Mavs went super heavy into defense, at least from a personnel standpoint is way over-stated. The fact of the matter is Luka and KP are both talented scorers and Mavs have the ability to play 3 good two-way players around those guys: Rich, DFS and Maxi. These are all guys that add spacing on offense and actually MAKE shots when Luka gets them the ball. On defense they make this a top 10 defensive team.
The bench with THJ, Brunson, Burke and others is still a very good bench. The problem is not the Mavs offseason moves, the problem is this stupid virus that has made half our starters unavailable for multiple weeks + KP's injury to start the year.
I don't know if this is a contender yet even with a full compliment of players but I think the roster as constructed has top 4 in the West upside. I still believe this team can be a top 10 defense and offense with this roster.
Totally agree with you SBJ.
The only criticism that could be made, although its still waaaay to early, is the rookies that Mavs drafted. Would have been nice to have some of the others that play at much much higher level and shooting well. Haliburton, Bane, S.Bey, Maxey etc.
Our rookies have been particularly bad, and with so many main players out, due to Covid, it has been relatively easy for teams to double Luka, because the rest of the team has not had the level to play 4 vs. 3 and score. There is no way that Mavs can perform well like this. Being 7-7 is a miracle at this stage, due to Lukas brilliance, KP returning to better form last game, and emergence of WCS.
Once JRich, DFS, Maxi are back. The opponents will quickly move away from doubling Luka. It simply wont work as it does with rookies around. The offense should be equally explosive this season as the last.
Johnson is really playing well and brings leadership and experience. I really love this trade. He is so much better than what we traded away. I agree Jrich is also better than Curry for us.
We have this season many two way players. I will just count them: Luka, KP, JRich, Maxi, DFS, WCS, Johnson.
This is a team that I think has kept the continuity, we talk about only two new additions with trades compared to last season. So I believe they have made it priority to create continuity. These two new additions, jRich and Johnson, they bring us two new two way players, and improved the defense.
Once this team is full strength, I think they will dominate, and I predict they will peak at the proper time before playoffs.
With half the teams main players out, in fact 3 of them starters (JRich, Maxi, DFS), it's hard to evaluate the Mavs at this very moment.