(06-05-2021, 05:54 AM)Dahlsim Wrote: The fact that the Mavericks only found a way to get Kristaps Porzingis 7 meh shot attempts is almost criminal misuse of talent in my book.Rick commented on KP after the game.
No wonder his post game comment was something like "It is what it is".
This guy is your other super star salary slot. He's being used more as a DECOY than a star talented offensive force.
I get it to some degree but with your team struggling to manufacture points, on track all game for low scoring output and all you can use your 2nd most talented scorer for is as a DECOY?
"I love the way he's playing."
Really? Rick went on to say how professional Kris has been about adjusting to the team strategy. It sounded more like Carlisle loves the fact that KP is no longer squawking all the time about accepting a greatly reduced role.
Rick continued, saying that with Porzingis, it always comes down to the question of "getting him going," and whether that is the right thing for the team, considering the opponent lineup and the fact that they assign a difficult defender to him. Clearly, the implicit answer was no.
Maybe the best thing in this series is for KP to stand in the corner and not be involved in the offense. Maybe it isn't. Whatever. The team is limited in their options for Game Seven to the choices that exist today.
But in the larger picture, when KP signed his extension, I cannot imagine that either the team or KP envisioned that his offensive role in playoff games would be to take seven shots and score seven points and get 5 rebounds, even if he does draw off a defender. That might have actually made a little sense in the situation when the defender he was drawing off was Kawhi, but now it's just a guy.
Even if this is really the best option on the court for now, it seems like the Mavs are waving the white flag and pasting a massive "Epic Fail" label on the KP situation. The roster isn't built to withstand KP being an offensive zero. Many on the board have noted as the season went along that the Kristaps fit didn't seem to be heading in the right direction, but I didn't foresee it coming to this.
I hope I am just over-reacting.