03-12-2021, 11:20 AM
(03-12-2021, 08:09 AM)Kammrath Wrote: I am personally done blaming the players. I may be dead wrong and I may change my mind in a couple months, but I am firmly in the "RC needs to the take the blame at this point" camp. Something has to change to inject something into this team. Sure, they "turned things around" against some pretty crummy competition (to win 11 of 14), but my eyes tell me there is something very wrong with this team whether its culture, in-fighting, coaching, GMing....SOMETHING.
I'm not saying I wholeheartedly disagree with this take, and Carlisle and the other coaches deserve some blame, particularly for not being as successful in preparing their team to cope with the unique challenges of this season as some other coaches.
But...I think we're making too much of it. What I see is a YOUNG team that's struggling with identity, routine, chemistry, work ethic...all of the above. I think these issues are compounded by the craziness of this season, but at the end of the day, I think ALL young teams have to go through this type of stuff.
Think about it: In two seasons, the Mavs have swiftly swept away any and all veterans who were here when Luka was drafted and who might've had opinions about giving the team over to him. This truly is a huge amount of change, and while I believe it to be the right approach, it DID create a situation wherein the team leader is a 21-22 year old KID. A gifted kid, but a kid. The downside to putting only players around him who believe in him and look up to him (KP being the exception, which might explain some of the friction we've speculated about recently) is that they're all prone, imo, to faltering with their confidence, and with the strength of their beliefs on what it takes day-to-day in order to be a good team.
All of that to say that I very much agree with you that something is wrong. I agree that Carlisle has the responsibility of getting them through this, and it's not a predetermined that he will. I just differ slightly in that I'm NOT as surprised by it. I think we should've even seen this coming, maybe, though I did not. Still, it seems natural to me. They're struggling right now, no question. But, the goal isn't and absolutely shouldn't be this season. It never was for me. I think Luka, and by extension, the core, will have to develop a bit together. It's just how I see it.