06-10-2021, 09:47 PM
(06-10-2021, 09:37 PM)Kammrath Wrote: Maxi was really poor most of the year. I don't know if he never recovered from COVID or if he just suddenly went "over the hill" in basketball years. He was REALLY disappointing as a defender this year and his O impact really slipped as well. I fear the Mavs might have missed their chance to "sell high" on him and that he will never really be a positive key rotation piece again. But maybe an offseason will get him back in stride.
I think pre COVID Maxi was a lot better on defense. Mavs had the 2nd ranked defense after the first nine games. With Maxi and WCS/Powell playing in the front court. Really thought that they finally found the right scheme and players. Even Richardson´s defense was good. Switch heavy defense. Preventing penetration and easy kick out 3s.
What followed was obviously the worst case scenario. KP returns and is a defensive liability. Mavs lose multiple rotation players because of COVID. Mavs adjusted the scheme because KP cannot play in a switch heavy defense. Return of the drop coverage (I hate it...).
We saw a few games without KP in the 2nd part of the season and the switch everything defense returned. I remember a win against the Jazz with Maxi and Melli as the starting bigs.
For me there are two options Go back to the switch heavy scheme and get rid of KP or invest a lot of assets into better individual defenders on the perimeter.