Mavs 107, Kings 121

[TXBamanut]

Tim Cato has a new Athletic article delving into the question of what is wrong with the Mavericks. 

His conclusions --

-- The team is too dependent on Luka for scoring. Luka creates good looks for his teammates, and they too often don't convert. 

-- The team relies on at least two of KP, Hardaway, and Brunson -- maybe also Richardson -- to have 20-point games from night to night. That often works, but also often doesn't, and is a hallmark of a lower seed playoff team.


https://theathletic.com/2528764/2021/04/...-improved/

Are these points justified?

1)  I think Luka generates looks and good looks, but not always the looks that they are accustomed to making with consistency.  I think KP is a prime example of this.

2)  I differ from Kamm in that KP can be consistent, but agree with Kamm's qualifier..."within the current system".  That's is the problem.  We can't treat him like Tyson Chandler who can shoot a three.... that's not going to work.  I've beat this drum to death that no big man in history has ever been able to excel in the NBA without the offense and the PG putting him in spots to achieve that.  If they just decide to run the "James Harden" offense of dribble around and everyone wait until Luka finds you...the Mavs will fail.

So I say this to #2 -- They must find more playmaking and change the offensive system to put KP in position to score or they must trade KP for some 3D guys or another 1-2-3 that you can pass the ball to and let him get his own shot, because what we have now, it's working.

The best game I've seen the Mavs have this season (feelingswise, admittedly not from a deep dive in the numbers) was the game against Milwaukee a couple of weeks ago.  
Luka and KP had 20 shots that were balanced usage throughout the game. DFS had 10 rebounds and that was a great example -- no Giannis, so that's fair, but KP getting 15 boards.  In that game, KP had a horrendous 3rd quarter going 1-5, but they didn't ignore him and stayed with him and he went 4-4 in the fourth.  I think that's important to note.

Last night against the Kings, KP turned down one 3 I thought he should have taken, so when he shows up with 4 shots in the last half, pretty much 1 shot relegated every 5-6 minutes of game time, and the last 8 minutes of the game with really nothing...it's not going to go well at this point.

Nick from Locked On Mavs today said "he just needs to take over and demand the ball" --- he's gets in the post and demands the ball and it doesn't come or it comes way too late and his lost the position (you can't pin people forever), so that mentality doesn't work for me.