GAME 25: MIL (19-6) @ DAL (13-12) | 105-106 loss

[ItsGoTime]

Curious to what you think the score would've been tonight had Luka not suited up.

Point is, he did suit up and shot 4-10 FTs and had lots of questionable plays down the stretch.

[donzingis38]

Brutal loss. Worst ft shooting Ive ever seen down the stretch. Still can't believe it. Maybe we need Josh Richardson back

[JasonKidding]

All of them.  And we will quickly be reminded of Cuban and companies drafting acumen.

You would never know how good the picks would be if they never play except in garbage time like Hardy.

[KillerLeft]

Tough plane ride to Chicago. Hope this team sticks together and responds to this. There was a lot of good defense and tough offense tonight. Keep that up and get the rest fixed. 

Don’t fall apart. Respond!

Yeah, that's the worst part. It was actually a really well played game against a good opponent. Just some poor free throw shooting and a few really unfortunate, bone-head things down the stretch.

[cow]

Curious to what you think the score would've been tonight had Luka not suited up.

It was an L either way.  Luka's not perfect and shouldn't be exempt from well deserved criticism.

[MaxiThreeba]

Curious to what you think the score would've been tonight had Luka not suited up.

Keep putting this kind of roster around him and we will find out soon enough.  If/when Luka forces his way out, Cuban deserves the disaster that follows.

[SwisherPrice]

DFS should not even be on the floor in those FT situations (71% career FT shooter). Kemba needs to start getting minutes in the rotation so he can be one of the main options. I don't even want Luka at the line...he should be the one inbounding the ball

[ThisIStheYear]

Leaving aside the missed free throws, WTF is Jason Kidd doing wasting 5 crucial seconds before taking a time out on that last possession?  Call the time out man!  The NBA let’s you take it all the way to half court, in case you forgot.  It’s just automatic.  You have a timeout left at the end of the game, and the other team scores to go up 1 with 7 seconds left, you take the time out, no exceptions, even single effing time. Every time. And, you run a half court play, which as we know as Maverick’s fans is highly likely to produce an open shot, at least it does against us.  And how the hell is that end of game play by the opposing team wide open for like the second time in a week?  This is a clueless coaching staff.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

DFS should not even be on the floor in those FT situations (71% career FT shooter). Kemba needs to start getting minutes in the rotation so he can be one of the main options. I don't even want Luka at the line...he should be the one inbounding the ball

What's his deal anyway? Is he hurt?  Kidd hasn't called his number once since he's been here.

[SwisherPrice]

What's his deal anyway? Is he hurt?  Kidd hasn't called his number once since he's been here.

He is healthy enough for them to give him a spot on the gameday roster. It's almost been two weeks now since they signed him...he's always been a good FT shooter, you would think he'd be perfect for situations like tonight

[ItsGoTime]

Leaving aside the missed free throws

Why? It's literally the biggest reason!

[ThisIStheYear]

Why? It's literally the biggest reason!

Maybe so, but still a physical mistake.  I just can’t take the idiotic coaching and mental breakdowns. I’m starting to think that the folks saying the Mavs wouldn’t miss Brunson may be right after all and the real reason for this horrible, underachieving season is because the one coach with a clue also left.  You just can’t waste five seconds at the end of a game like that and then, only when the clock is nearly out, finally take the time out. It’s just ridiculous the stupidity I’m seeing this year.

[ItsGoTime]

Maybe so, but still a physical mistake.  I just can’t take the idiotic coaching and mental breakdowns. I’m starting to think that the folks saying the Mavs wouldn’t miss Brunson may be right after all and the real reason for this horrible, underachieving season is because the one coach with a clue also left.  You just can’t waste five seconds at the end of a game like that and then, only when the clock is nearly out, finally take the time out. It’s just ridiculous the stupidity I’m seeing this year.

don’t get me wrong, I agree the coaching decisions have been bad too, but when THJ missed 3 FREE THROWS and DFS misses 2 FREE THROWS at the end of the game, that is solely on those players. If each of them made JUST 1 each and the game went the way it did, we’re talking about who the Dirkie goes to.

[ItsGoTime]

Don’t leave the gym until you’ve hit 100 FTs in a row after practice.

[sterlingmallory]

The Bucks knew exactly what we were going to do because we've run the same damn play multiple times already this season. Talk about amateur hour coaching. Yes, yes, yes the players need to get their shit together and make some damn free throws, but this terrible coaching has bit us in the ass many times this season already too. As far as I'm concerned the whole team and coaching staff need to take a look in the mirror after this. I can't decide if this, the OKC game, or the Detroit game are the worst losses of the season.

https://twitter.com/HalfCourtHoops/status/1601459434227568640?s=20&t=7vfhGsENSH2rjixn2hGbpg

[omahen]

Too bad. A really well played game and Mavs could won even on a night when they were not so hot from three. But, missed FT and extremely bad execution in the last three posetions did it for them. First out of bounds with a lucky foul on DFS and two missed FT, followed by screw up on Milwaukee play and just extremely bad last play. But on a positive note, Mavs are playing well lately.

[Chicagojk]

Really fun night until the end and then finding out about a death in the soccer world

I think at times our non Luka minutes have been good in the fourth, but it still feels like a slog.  Am I right that it has been good or bad.  I feel like it has been more bad.  Did they purposely put Giannis in this time because that lead evaporated pretty fast.   At this time I am not crazy about SD, Wood, Green, Maxi and Bullock lineups.   Maybe I am wrong.  Regardless, we really need to firm up the non Luka Minutes and get a pairing that can play well together.   

I think the Non Luka minutes, the poor free throw shooting and the offense execution late is a perfect storm for this team.   They have cause loses or made wins much more in question.   Fix one or two of those and this team is much better positioned.   

Unfortunately, It is a tough ask to get a win tonight on a back to back.  So all their good play recently and we may be right back at .500.  Might be that season where it is one step forward, then one step back if they cannot solve those issues.

[Chicagojk]

Oh, and the Bucks are good.   I was out on Grayson Allen in the playoffs series against the Celtics last year.  It looked too big for him, but he has bounced back and really taken a step.   Nice complimentary piece.  Jrue is really good and the more Middleton gets back they will be right there with the Celtics.   May need on more piece though.  Ingles?

Lopez did almost nothing on offense but was a big factor on defense.   Sort of awesome how they originally signed Lopez for a little over 3 million and then a few years ago signed Portis for a little over 3 million as well.   Both are making more now, but those are the type of building around the edges the Mavs need to conquer.

[Dahlsim]

The Bucks knew exactly what we were going to do because we've run the same damn play multiple times already this season. Talk about amateur hour coaching. ... 

https://twitter.com/HalfCourtHoops/status/1601459434227568640?s=20&t=7vfhGsENSH2rjixn2hGbpg

Very astute bbiq observation here. Particularly it explains why Luka was so angry and frustrated after the play and game.  
I would think that Luka might have some ability to alter the play call in that situation?    
The team is sitting on top of your play, an alteration could easily result in a wide open look for someone. 

This is not to ignore that Coach Kidd and staff have done some good things but here the resulting shot was a direct result of being outcoached in that particular set and down the stretch, demonstrating the game within the game that coaches and play callers have. 
Two very talented teams playing hard and close so the coaching moves really can be the difference in an 'L' or a 'W'.

[DanSchwartzgan]

 
I think at times our non Luka minutes have been good in the fourth, but it still feels like a slog.  Am I right that it has been good or bad.  I feel like it has been more bad.  Did they purposely put Giannis in this time because that lead evaporated pretty fast.   At this time I am not crazy about SD, Wood, Green, Maxi and Bullock lineups.   Maybe I am wrong.  Regardless, we really need to firm up the non Luka Minutes and get a pairing that can play well together.   

SD/Green/Bullock/Wood/Maxi in the non-Luka minutes is a fairly new phenomenon with THJ moving to the starting lineup.  I mentioned this in another thread, but Giannis just went off to start the fourth and the Bucks were +11 in the first 5:08 on the strength of 13 points from GA and five fouls between Maxi and Wood.  The same group was +4 to start the second quarter.

Looking back, the grouping was slightly negative against Denver, slightly positive against Phoenix and very positive against NY (though it wasn't platooned quite the same way it has been since).  So, my read right now is mixed bag.  I guess we should be happy if we simply hold serve during the non-Luka minutes.  But, there is enough talent in that group that it should be winning its on-court time.