2021-2022 ROSTER TALK: [ARCHIVED]

[DanSchwartzgan]

Ok, but right now they're playing Powell instead, not a wing. I'd think Kleber would be a step up from there against smaller defenders, no? And, if the other team is really beating you by going small, there's always sliding DFS to the 4. That would probably be the best case scenario for the Mavs' roster, imo. 

I'm not arguing what/who KP is or what he's comfortable with. I tend to agree with you about that. I'm just talking about what the team is trying to do. I'm sick of seeing Luka/Powell pick and roll with KP (and his defender) between them and the basket, and I'm sick of seeing KP in the high post with Powell (and his defender) between KP and the basket. It's just asking for ugly, ineffective basketball, imo.

Funny thing…here lately (as in the month of December), Powell lineups have been doing pretty good.  He’s got a +/- of 6 in about 20 minutes per game for the month.  The net rating for KP/Powell lineups in December is 15.9 (lest someone think the good numbers are only occurring when Powell is in w/o KP).  13 of the top 14 most used three-man lineups with Powell are positive in December.  It isn’t that his individual numbers are all that different for the month…they aren’t.  The time spent on the court is, however, more positive than in the two months prior.

Something to keep an eye on as we make sure fire pronouncements about what is/isn’t working.  BTW, the five man lineup used to start the season (Powell/KP/DFS/THJ and Luka) hasn’t been used a single minute in the month of December.  One related comment on the +/- discussion yesterday.  We don’t really have enough information yet to make any judgements on anything.  Luka and KP have played 330 total minutes together this season with a -5.3 net rating.  Eliminate October and they move to -0.3.  Eliminate October and half of November and they’ve played 186 minutes together at a 5.5 net rating since November 15th.  What is real, the first 144 minutes together or the 186 more recent minutes?

Maybe Kidd will figure some stuff out if we just give him a few games in a row of a fully healthy team.