What's your barometer?

[ItsGoTime]

It's still early for this talk, and I really don't want to jinx us, but the following is what I use to mostly judge how good a playoff team a team will be. Before the losses start coming in is the reason I wanted to get this out there. I also wanted to see what others think or how they differ in thought.

1. To me the biggest thing I look at is losing streaks. Especially in the middle and end of the regular season. Has the team gone on more than a 3 game losing streak? This, to me, tells me how they bounce back from losses, again, especially towards the middle and end of the regular season. If they have, is there a major reason for it (injuries, really tough stretch with back-to-backs and high end competition, etc.)? I think it is significant cause in the playoffs, if you can't bounce back from a loss(es), it could mean disaster.
   
2. How did they do against playoff caliber teams? Did they only beat up on the East and West lesser teams to get there or did they show up against the big teams? 
   

Again, early, but wanted to get this out there before we get into the more important part of the season. With the start we're having and the thought that it's probably only gonna get better, as well as we have 2 more probable wins upcoming and then a good amount of good teams mixed in following that, I'm hoping to see some other thoughts on this. What barometer do you use to judge how good a playoff team is?

[SportPsychMav]

Arghs my good post got lost...

I look mainly how we play.

Mainly I look for behavioral cues and body language of Dallas' players and their opponents.

I look at signs of fatigue, I look at cues for team cohesion such as facial expressions and bench behavior and effort put in.

I look at how the opponent is playing us and how we respond. Rather physical or more soft?

I look at shot selection, offball movement and passing for oncourt chemistry. I look at if players are lost in the flow of the game and how they react to it.

I look at behavioral changes from first to last quarter to determine potential ability and performance.

Then I contrast it with the game score but for what it is worth the result doesnt matter as much for me from an analytical point of view. The how tells the better story.

My fandom obviously cares mainly about wins.


I watch the game more from a sportpsychological perspective.


Performance prediction and Nonverbal Communication are fun things and with training they are relatively strong predictors for short term performance plus giving an indication about the general performance potential of the team.

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Dallas isn't a hot team at all. It's no fluke.

[fifteenth]

Dallas isn't a hot team at all. It's no fluke.

[SportPsychMav]

Dallas isn't a hot team at all. It's no fluke.

Haha, yes! Cite me and nail me down if I'm wrong.

[fifteenth]

Haha, yes! Cite me and nail me down if I'm wrong.

I cited you because I agree with you! If you've been here a while you know that blank quoting someone can be considered the very highest form of praise.

[SportPsychMav]

Haha, yes! Cite me and nail me down if I'm wrong.

I cited you because I agree with you! If you've been here a while you know that blank quoting someone can be considered the very highest form of praise.

I've been a lurker for 10+ years but have never been an active poster before. Thanks for informing me .

[vfromlmf]

What barometer do you use to judge how good a playoff team is?

Does the team employ an MVP caliber superstar who some say will go down as one of the greats of all-time? 

Is that player putting up better numbers than Lebron at the same age? 

Are Hall of Fame coaches comparing his impact to players like Magic Johnson?

[fifteenth]

Does the team employ an MVP caliber superstar who some say will go down as one of the greats of all-time? 

Is that player putting up better numbers than Lebron at the same age? 

Are Hall of Fame coaches comparing his impact to players like Magic Johnson?

[Lucky Luciano]

I agree with a lot of the comments so far such as chemistry and body language during wining/being up during a game and losing/being down in a game moments.

How consistent can we play our game weather its against top tier teams or some of the leagues weaker teams.

How will we evolve as an offense and defense and meld together our identity.

I most certainly feel after just these few 8 games or so that we actually have what it takes to not only get a decent playoff spot but if we remain healthy and have the nice bump in learning and growing together a full season can bring with a team who enjoys each other can bring, that we can be a completely different beast come playoffs. I also believe we have just enough fire power to upset some of those playoff teams.

[Kammrath]

A couple random things I look at statistically:

1) Road wins minus home losses.

2) Win differential (points scored versus points given up).

Mavs are +1 on the first and +4.0 on the second. The three road wins are HUGE, but two home losses is hard. The differential is solid, but not eye popping. For comparison the Lakers are +3 on the first and +9.9 on the second. Without taking strength of schedule into account they have clearly performed better than the Mavs. 

This is all very early, but I will watch these things as the season progress.

[SportPsychMav]

A couple random things I look at statistically:

1) Road wins minus home losses.

2) Win differential (points scored versus points given up).

Mavs are +1 on the first and +4.0 on the second. The three road wins are HUGE, but two home losses is hard. The differential is solid, but not eye popping. For comparison the Lakers are +3 on the first and +9.9 on the second. Without taking strength of schedule into account they have clearly performed better than the Mavs. 

This is all very early, but I will watch these things as the season progress.

Lakers have been the best team we have played so far. They played with a lot of intensity. 2nd best was Portland but way worse than the Lakers.

Cleveland was clearly the worst opponent we had, even if the game was close all through 3 quarters, game was never in danger.

[ItsGoTime]

What barometer do you use to judge how good a playoff team is?

Does the team employ an MVP caliber superstar who some say will go down as one of the greats of all-time? 

Is that player putting up better numbers than Lebron at the same age? 

Are Hall of Fame coaches comparing his impact to players like Magic Johnson?

So only 1 team is going to be a good playoff team?

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How consistent can we play our game weather its against top tier teams or some of the leagues weaker teams.

This made me think of another thing, keeping or extending leads at the end of games.