GAME 61: DAL (36-25) vs. GSW (44-17) | 107-101 WIN!!

[dirkfansince1998]

Not sure if this works in other matchups but winning the small ball minutes with Bertans playing center is really encouraging. First against Kuminga with both teams playing small. When Kerr adjusted against Looney.

[Omega_Supreme]

Loving the trade even more now guys.

[SwisherPrice]

Dinwiddie helps take pressure off of Brunson for sure...that's why you make that trade. Two bad matchups for Brunson where he didn't have a great scoring game but Dinwiddie was able to produce. And it's different from THJ's chucking

[KillerLeft]

Not sure if this works in other matchups but winning the small ball minutes with Bertans playing center is really encouraging. First against Kuminga with both teams playing small. When Kerr adjusted against Looney.

The noise I read about how Bertans was going to show us a new low in terms of defensive playability was drastically exaggerated.

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Dinwiddie helps take pressure off of Brunson for sure...that's why you make that trade. Two bad matchups for Brunson where he didn't have a great scoring game but Dinwiddie was able to produce. And it's different from THJ's chucking

I'm loving what Dinwiddie brings to the table. Didn't think I would. 

I think he should avoid 3's, but every time he floors the ball I feel like something good is about to happen.

[dirkfansince1998]

The noise I read about how Bertans was going to show us a new low in terms of defensive playability was drastically exaggerated.

Agree. More often than not he is in the right place at the right time. Doesn´t mean that players won´t shoot over him or drive by him but he isn´t single handedly destroying the defensive scheme.

[Kammrath]

The noise I read about how Bertans was going to show us a new low in terms of defensive playability was drastically exaggerated.

More playable than KP in a lot of ways.

[KillerLeft]

More playable than KP in a lot of ways.

Totally! WAY more!

[Kammrath]

I'm loving what Dinwiddie brings to the table. Didn't think I would. 

I think he should avoid 3's, but every time he floors the ball I feel like something good is about to happen.

Yeah DB is not surprising me, but SD sure is. I was NOT high on him, but loving the fit so far.

[OBX Maverick]

More playable than KP in a lot of ways.

…and no way KP leads a comeback like that with Luka on the bench.

[dirkfansince1998]

On a side note. Looking at the Warriors. I don´t think they collapse like that with a healthy Draymond Green. Curry is an all time great player but not a leader. Warriors have multiple long and athletic perimeter defenders. Looked like the best defense in basketball just a couple of weeks ago. Without Draymond all of them are barely average on defense.
Media likes to use terms like "basketball savant" to describe smart players that can read the game but they tend to focus on the offensive end. Talking about defense there is no one in the league that is even close to Draymond.

[SleepingHero]

…and no way KP leads a comeback like that with Luka on the bench.

Was just about to write, there is no way the Mavs would've been able to come back with KP out there. 

Now a natural response to that is maybe the Mavs wouldn't have been down 21 in the first place with KP, and there might be a grain of truth to that given the Warriors had 13 2nd chance points at then half. (The lead was exactly 12 at half), and KP definitely would have affected that.

But there is no way the Mavs would've been able to defend as effectively down the stretch as they did with KP out there.

[Tyler]

But there is no way the Mavs would've been able to defend as effectively down the stretch as they did with KP out there.

True. Dallas basically won by going full switchable small and playing Luka as your big. Credit to Kidd for that, BTW.

[Jason Terry]

Full small everyone switches is what brought us back. Kidd said after the game he considers DFS the 5, but it’s Luka protecting the paint in this lineup. Really liking the Warriors ball we have installed

[SleepingHero]

True. Dallas basically won by going full switchable small and playing Luka as your big. Credit to Kidd for that, BTW.

Absolutely.

Kidd decided to forego all Maxi and Powell minutes in the 4th. They were having some of the most unproductive nights of the season and despite previous success he ran with the hot hands.

I mean heck he kept defensive sieve Bertans out in the 4th for major minutes!

[DanSchwartzgan]

It is nice to have a bench again.

SD       (+17)
Green   (+12)
Bertans (+15)

100 minutes of PG's on the floor.  

13 minutes without a true center

240 minutes of heart.

Won the Rebound war by one.  Lost the TO war pretty badly.  FTA's were even, but we only missed four and they missed 8.  Holding them to 28% on Three's was huge.

[luka_skywalker_77]

Absolutely.

Kidd decided to forego all Maxi and Powell minutes in the 4th. They were having some of the most unproductive nights of the season and despite previous success he ran with the hot hands.

I mean heck he kept defensive sieve Bertans out in the 4th for major minutes!

THIS is what he should have done against Utah but at least the change happened the very next game.

[audiosway]

The noise I read about how Bertans was going to show us a new low in terms of defensive playability was drastically exaggerated.

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I'm loving what Dinwiddie brings to the table. Didn't think I would. 

I think he should avoid 3's, but every time he floors the ball I feel like something good is about to happen.

I had a good feeling about that trade. Like I told you then, I didn't want KP to begin with. I tried to like it and be excited about it. But, I always had serious doubts. I had a good feeling that those guys just weren't being used correctly. They both can play and know their role. I think Luka is best suited on a team just filled with guys that know their role. Very much like the MJ Bulls Title teams. He's got that killer instinct that LeBron has never had.

[sterlingmallory]

I had a good feeling about that trade. Like I told you then, I didn't want KP to begin with. I tried to like it and be excited about it. But, I always had serious doubts. I had a good feeling that those guys just weren't being used correctly. They both can play and know their role. I think Luka is best suited on a team just filled with guys that know their role. Very much like the MJ Bulls Title teams. He's got that killer instinct that LeBron has never had.

The Slovenian national team is another great blueprint for this type of team. Luka going supernova and being surrounded by a bunch of guys who know their role and play it well is a recipe for success.

[HAguiar95]

Not to be a downer, but this game got me the same feeling as the PHI and MIA games. We are not prepared for the playoffs. We might win a a game or two, but this team is far from contending and will need some aggressive moves in the summer to improve that.

[Halfnir]

I really love the switchablity of our player core:
6'6 Dinwiddie
6'6 Bullock
6'7 Doncic
6'7 DSF
and adding in either mobile bigs 6'10 Kleber/Bertans/Powell or athletic 6'5 Green

Perfect for Kidd's defensive system. Only compromise is 6'1 Brunson, who also does a decent job defending bigger players.
Outside of Burke and Boban, the deeper bench follows the same pattern. I think you can see a clear plan in roster composition.