GAME 18: DAL (8-10) @ UTA (14-4) | 104-116 loss

[cow]

Something is seriously wrong with the whole franchise. The MBT needs to take a long and hard look in the mirror.

Of our roster:

-Iwundu:  I've seen enough and he's too much of a liability on offense.
-WCS:  He's a 3rd string big.
-James Johnson:  See WCS.
-Hinton:  He's been okay in limited minutes but you can probably find a player like him every year.
-Powell:  He's just not the same.
-Boban:  Defensive liability and his offensive game seems to be in decline.  You also only play him every other 3rd game.
-Terry:  Has shown nothing.  
-Green:  Like his defense, has a long way to go on the other side of the ball.
-Bey:  Looked okay in very limited minutes but needs a weight room badly.

Of those 9 players only 3-4 should be getting minutes sparingly and the majority of them you'd probably not want or wouldn't mind not having on your active roster next year.

edit: You could probably toss Burke on that list as well.

[ThisIStheYear]

29 and 20 shooting a high percentage versus 18 and 5 shooting a low percentage pretty much accounts for the entirety of the margin of defeat. The Mavs supposed all star center got worked by a superior player and the Mavs lost. That’s all there is to it.

[cow]

29 and 20 shooting a high percentage versus 18 and 5 shooting a low percentage pretty much accounts for the entirety of the margin of defeat.  The Mavs supposed all star center got worked by a superior player and the Mavs lost.  That’s all there is to it.

Jordan Clarkson went toe to toe with our MVP.  

[cow]

REMINDER: 

RICK CARLISLE HAS A BELOW .500 RECORD SINCE 2011-12 SEASON!!!

BELOW .500 RECORD!!!

It's the perfect storm of a coach who has his issues with player development and who happens to clash with some acquired players and a front office who just doesn't draft well and can't lure a free agent to save their lives.

[ThisIStheYear]

Of our roster:

-Iwundu:  I've seen enough and he's too much of a liability on offense.
-WCS:  He's a 3rd string big.
-James Johnson:  See WCS.
-Hinton:  He's been okay in limited minutes but you can probably find a player like him every year.
-Powell:  He's just not the same.
-Boban:  Defensive liability and his offensive game seems to be in decline.  You also only play him every other 3rd game.
-Terry:  Has shown nothing.  
-Green:  Like his defense, has a long way to go on the other side of the ball.
-Bey:  Looked okay in very limited minutes but needs a weight room badly.

Of those 9 players only 3-4 should be getting minutes sparingly and the majority of them you'd probably not want or wouldn't mind not having on your active roster next year.

That’s a lot of bad players for one NBA roster.  That’s nine non rotation level players.  Maybe someday Green can evolve into a bottom of the rotation player, but he needs to cut down on a lot of extraneous body movements, calm the heck down, and develop a shot.  It’s going to be awhile. Mavs at least have a lot of filler to match salaries.

[RDB]

Whoa, whoa. 

I have consistently said that they are nowhere close to a championship team, including during the playoffs last year. And before. And all off-season.

And I don’t agree that all of these role players are this bad. I don’t agree that they just “got hot” last year. 

I actually think the things you just said were not the problems are all very plausible contributors. But, since you brought up rose colored glasses, I think that comment does apply to Luka and KP. they are both talented, and the team is lucky to have both of them, but I think we are seeing right now that they are not ready to lead a team to a championship. There is something broken right now, and it has to involve them, more than a little. Nothing we can do but hope it gets fixed.

Sorry if you thought my post was focused on you, it wasn’t.  As a matter of fact, I think you and I have both agreed on the desire for upgrades (i.e. Collins).  I also don’t believe that our players are as bad as they are playing right now.  

What I find crazy is all of the excuses.  First it was we don’t have KP.  Now we want to trade him.  Then it was FAT Luka, the only guy in the league that came in out of shape.  Then Dallas became the only team hit by COVID.  Then we just need our marginal starters back.  Then there was dissension in the locker room.  Then we needed Maxi.  Then we didn’t have leadership.  Then it was Carlisle forgot how to coach.

This has nothing to do with you.  Frankly I think you are one of the most level headed and thoughtful posters on this forum.  I’m just not a big excuses guy, especially when I believe that we are several players away from being legitimate contenders, yet 80% of the talk centers around “wait till tomorrow”.

Just me venting about what I feel are unrealistic expectations.  Hope the Mavs prove me wrong.

[cow]

Then we needed Maxi.  

Cuban era Mavs haven't seen a lot of success without a player from Würzburg suiting up and playing meaningful minutes.  

[RDB]

Cuban era Mavs haven't seen a lot of success without a player from Würzburg suiting up and playing meaningful minutes.  

Touche

[cow]

Touche

Just trying to lighten the mood, Debbie.

[Kammrath]

I’m just not a big excuses guy

This is not me coming after you, but it seems like saying the team doesn't have the talent is ALSO an "excuse."

The Mavs clearly are not playing well and everyone is trying to figure out WHY. You have your guesses, others have their guesses.

[Jason Terry]

This may be the first time KP has played on a winning team where he’s expected to play team ball. Last year were very few expectations. He was always “the guy” in NYC

[dirkfansince1998]

That’s a lot of bad players for one NBA roster.  That’s nine non rotation level players.  Maybe someday Green can evolve into a bottom of the rotation player, but he needs to cut down on a lot of extraneous body movements, calm the heck down, and develop a shot.  It’s going to be awhile. Mavs at least have a lot of filler to match salaries.

That´s what happens when a team splits the MLE. I would prefer an actual rotation player over WCS, Burke and Terry. Instead of going for one high level rotation player they overpaid their own guys. Sounds familiar?

[RDB]

Just trying to lighten the mood, Debbie.

Lol...I’m not trying to be a Debbie.  I’m actually not the least bit upset with the season...though ai would like to see better progress.  I was just trying to insert a little realism into a board that seemed to be becoming dangerously close to looking like a Cowboys forum ?

[Kammrath]

looking like a Cowboys forum

What does that mean? Honest question, I have no idea.

[RDB]

This is not me coming after you, but it seems like saying the team doesn't have the talent is ALSO an "excuse."

The Mavs clearly are not playing well and everyone is trying to figure out WHY. You have your guesses, others have their guesses.

I agree that we have talent and have said so consistently since I joined...just not contender talent.  I listed a partial list of excuses used and maybe some of them are valid.  But reread that list and tell me you honestly don’t find it a little silly.

[cow]

Lol...I’m not trying to be a Debbie.  I’m actually not the least bit upset with the season...though ai would like to see better progress.  I was just trying to insert a little realism into a board that seemed to be becoming dangerously close to looking like a Cowboys forum ?

Besides fantasy trades, I don't think a lot of people are unrealistic.  I don't really see it as excuses, more of pointing out the obvious issues with the team that could be disastrous over time. 

The Cowboys and the Mavericks also have a lot of the same issues in that they don't seem to grasp how to build a contending roster and have thus wasted years of all-time great players careers.  And hell, I'd take Jerry over Mark during the free agency period as Jerry knows how to pitch and has had little issues attracting talent. No idea about Cowboys forums, the sport is just too violent for my tastes these days.

[RDB]

What does that mean? Honest question, I have no idea.

The Cowboys forum to me is unreadable, I don’t even go there anymore.  Go look at a random page and I guarantee you 90% of the posts will be massively negative with no solutions, just complaints.  

That is not this board and I said when I joined that this was one of the most considerate and thoughtful boards I have ever seen.  It’s also the first board I have ever posted to.  I was being a little tongue in cheek when I mentioned the other forum but it just seemed like everything was getting so negative and I’m a pretty positive person.

[cow]

The Cowboys forum to me is unreadable, I don’t even go there anymore.  Go look at a random page and I guarantee you 90% of the posts will be massively negative with no solutions, just complaints.  

That is not this board and I said when I joined that this was one of the most considerate and thoughtful boards I have ever seen.  It’s also the first board I have ever posted to.  I was being a little tongue in cheek when I mentioned the other forum but it just seemed like everything was getting so negative and I’m a pretty positive person.

The negativity is natural.  Through a ton of circumstance this team is a mess a right now.  And I do think that everyone has a clock in their head and worry how long we'll be able to keep Luka.  A lot of that comes down to the past failings of the MBT.  

It's way too early to punt on the season but there are a lot of troubling signs.  Everyone will calm down by the morning and like was mentioned above, maybe the real concerns will set in around the halfway point of the season.

[KillerLeft]

Just me venting about what I feel are unrealistic expectations.  Hope the Mavs prove me wrong.

No worries, I didn’t mean to react as if I thought you were focused on me. 

I think SOME of the expectations around here are unrealistic, yes, but expecting a level of play similar to last season isn’t all that unrealistic, imo. I think people have a right to be disappointed and to speculate as to what the issues are. I do agree with your point about excuses, however.

[omahen]

Biggest problem Mavs have is lack of spacing and this game is perfect to see the issue. Both teams rely heavily on PnR. When Utah plays PnR with Gobert the paint is always wide open as the other three Utah players will hit a wide open three pointer with high percentage. Utah is at 43 % on wide open threes. Basically they are playing what Mavs did last season.

When Mavs try to play PnR this season, there was always Gobert waiting in the paint, because they can easily afford to leave at least one of the Mavs (DFS, Iwundu, Johnson) completely open. Mavs are below 35 % on open threes. Luka could drive and kick out ball to DFS all day long, but whats the point. This leads to non optimal decisions and exposes weaknesses of this team. KP is unable to exploit his height advantage. Luka step back threes are same low percentage as those open corner threes from guys mentioned before. This leads to obvious frustration, especially Luka, which leads to lack of effort on defense. Although I think his knee was really bothering him today.

All in all, Utah is fundamentally better team at this specific moment. Everything is clicking for them. But, if I catched it correctly, this was only the second lineup Utah started this season. Consistency means a lot.