03-06-2024, 01:16 PM
(03-06-2024, 11:49 AM)surfpuckmd Wrote: I wasn't able to open your links but I still think your post perfectly summarizes my thoughts as well.
I think the talent on our team is pretty good and we're clearly underachieving.
I believe this is largely the result of two major issues.
The first is obviously coaching. I have some money on the Thunder winning the championship this year so I'm a big Thunder fan this season. Mark Daigneault is the antithetical coach to Jason Kidd and demonstrates what a well-coached team looks like. The Thunder have a clear offensive system where players are constantly driving at the rim as their teammates move off-ball. They generate good looks as other players cut to the rim or find space for good 3-point shots. There is a clear system that creates high-efficiency looks. Although they are one of the youngest teams in the league, their young players all execute the system really well. That's the result of good coaching. It's interesting that they picked up a few new players recently- Gordon Hayward and Biyombo. They have looked bad in the system thus far. That's because Daigneault hasn't had the opportunity to coach them in this system. I anticipate they'll begin to fit better with further coaching.
Defensively, the Thunder are small but quick and smart. Daigneault has designed a defense that plays to their strength. They attack aggressively on the perimeter and they create a lot of deflections and steals and this creates a lot of transition opportunities for them. The coordination of their system works really well. It's awesome basketball and it's really fun to watch. Daigneault has done this with an incredibly young rotation. They literally have two rookies in the rotation. It's the result of great coaching. He has turned SGA into an all-NBA defensive player as well. The Mavericks would be a top-5 team in the NBA with a great coach like Daigneault (or Rick Carlisle).
Our other biggest issue is that a lot officiating crews seem to really dislike the Mavericks. It seems like every other game there is an obvious bias against the Mavs in general and especially against Luka. It's much easier to stop Luka when you're allowed to grab his arms as he drives to the basket and shoots.
I suspect a lot of officials hate Luka because of the frequent whining. Luka does complain way too much even though much of the complaining is legitimate. A better coach would explain to Luka that the complaining is not helping. A better coach would make Luka's case to the officials. Instead, we hired a coach who is clearly on the spectrum and afraid to communicate with the officials.
Additionally, Mark Cuban has a famous history of criticizing the officials. I would hate Mark Cuban as well if I were an NBA official. Why is Mark Cuban still representing the Mavericks? Can we please get him into a suite so the NBA referees don't have to see his face? Now that he is no longer majority owner, it's time to move him away from the Mavericks. That will do a lot to reset the prejudice so many NBA referees have against the Mavericks.
We need a new coach. We already have new majority owners. It's time to get the controversial jackass, Mark Cuban, away from the team as well.
I'm feeling a bit opposite on the Thunder's championship odds.
they're striking me as an overachieving team that will be exposed in the post season
It annoys the crap out of me when people on twitter call that a superteam and that SGA doesn't deserve MVP.
I think he has to be right up there and he's my MVP at the moment.