2021-2022 ROSTER TALK: [ARCHIVED]

[Kammrath]

We have a chicken/egg dilemma here.  We kicked butt when the role players hit their shots.  Did those shots fall because Luka was engaged and mature or was Luka engaged/mature because things were humming.

To be clear, I agree that Luka has another level left in him.  I’m just not sure that if we saw that level a year from now that the outcome would change.  Even the greatest general can’t win a war without the right army.

I think these are valid arguments. But what makes me think Luka is large part the source is the data. 

In Luka's 191 mins against GSW, the Mavs were -32.2 (!), -11.2 offensively and -21.0 defensively. Even if say all -11.2 offensively was a result of the role players just randomly missing when Luka was on court and making when he was off court, there is stil the glaring -21.0 on the defensive end. People made a big deal of Luka being embarrassed defensively against PHX, but Luka was more embarrassed defensively by GSW at an exponential level IMO. GSW knew exactly how to attack the Mavs to expose Luka on the defensive end. 

Also, I think Luka's methodical approach against GSW played right into their hands. I believe the role players had worse looks with Luka on the court because the whole GSW defense was geared to make Luka's preferred style of play unsuccessful. Sure, there was some noise and randomness involved in it, but my eyes 100% agree with the data that the Mavs were worse offensively and especially defensively in the Luka minutes. 

And it was totally opposite against PHX. Luka's minutes were +15.5. He absolutely carried the O against PHX and the D basically broke even with him.