(01-05-2020, 07:59 AM)mavsluvr Wrote: Shortstaffed Mavs Fall to Hornets After 32-Point Comeback
Oof! To paraphrase Charles Dickens, it was the worst of times, it was the best of times. Then the worst of times again. Heartbreaking loss for our boys.
Game Story
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Whatever happened at halftime, Kleber replaced Jackson in the starting lineup in the third, and the Mavericks came out strong, in fact erasing the deficit, putting together a 40-point quarter, and gaining an 84-80 edge at the end of the frame. They started the fourth in similar fashion, and the lead was up to 12 with 9 minutes left in regulation. The advantage was frittered away in a flurry of missed long threes, turnovers, and giving up offensive rebounds. Luka's step-back three for the win rimmed out at the buzzer. To overtime.
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Barea (33 min) had 11 points, and assisted the Mavs with playmaking, with 9 dimes and only 1 turnover. I don't love the Luka-Barea lineup, as it tends to take Luka out of the play, and is a turnstile defensively. However, there arguably wasn't much in the way of options, as Dallas badly needed a player other than Luka who could create off the dribble. His role should diminish once THJ returns.
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Boban had a disastrous 3 minutes, during which the Mavs went down 8 points. Not really Bobi's fault, he just isn't able to guard the pick and roll very well, due to his lack of mobility. His only stat was 1 foul.
Remarks
Carlisle said the game was lost in the first quarter. (Luka disagreed, opining that the match was lost in overtime). .....
Get well, injured Mavs!
The run in the first was bad but that happens in the NBA routinely enough. What isn't so routine is squandering significant leads so quickly so late in games.
A good team should be able to hold a certain lead when the clock is down to the point of being very much on their side.
The Mavericks had enough of a cushion with so little time left in the game that Charlotte had to both
A) Score a furious run on offense AND
B) Force Dallas to have mostly all empty possessions.
It took till all the time for Charlotte to just tie the game send it into overtime, meaning just one or two more baskets, all things being similar, and the Hornets comeback has to come up short.
High % offensive attempts is what is required here. The Hornet's cannot come back in time trading 3's for 2's, they'll come up short. The clock is Dallas's friend. To Luka's credit he generated a few good shots at the rim and missed bunnies, but he also made a few terrible decisions as he himself said.
The 4th quarter squandering the lead in the last few minutes was
Quote:[b]Barea [/b](33 min) had 11 points, and assisted the Mavs with playmaking, with 9 dimes and only 1 turnover.
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Boban had a disastrous 3 minutes, during which the Mavs went down 8 points. Not really Bobi's fault, he just isn't able to guard the pick and roll very well, due to his lack of mobility. His only stat was 1 foul.
The problem with JJB/Boban both is purely the way Rick Carlisle uses them or fails to use them.
As you see Barea still had good offense, low turnovers, good passing and decision making. Defense is a problem but again, look at the game. The Mavs had the lead and clock in their favor. That's when you need to keep scoring, you don't have to out defend the Hornets at that point. The monkey is on their back.
Don't come up with empty possessions.
The Boban line is absurd when you look at how he's used. Marjonovic is one of the most efficient players on offense and rebounding in NBA history over his limited minutes. On offense! His defense is a problem although in this case I'd like to have seen his big slow long body at least standing around the rim on a couple of possessions.
The point is Boban's line was 3 minutes, ZERO shot attempts. 0's across the board. If you are going to bring the Giant into the game just to have him stand out at the free throw line extended and set screens, then what a complete waste of both his offense and his rebounding ability!
If that's the way you're going to use him while other team has their stretch 5 Zeller pull him out on the defensive end from under the boards to try and challenge 3 pointers then of course he can only be a negative in that sort of matchup. Boban has to be allowed to punish his man on the other end, or just don't play him at all. This is why I also don't see the Mavs using a big bruising enforcer inside either unless the guy is a defensive savant. They won't fit the Carlisle system where post play is considered dead on arrival.
After the Mavs had the solid lead with just a few minutes left, they just needed to keep scoring at a decent rate even if the defense wasn't going to be great with JJB or Bobi. As it turns out without using them, the offense didn't get that boost but the defense was horrible anyway.
