GAME 8: DAL (5-3) @ SAS (2-6) | 109-108 win

[Kammrath]

Maybe a more consistent version of Frank could help a little bit to compensate for the lack of playmaking in the bigger lineups.

If Frank can truly turn the corner and give some reliable O, then he changes this roster outlook BIG time. He is the best point of attack defender on this team IMO and really changes the defensive dynamics with his efforts there.

[Kammrath]

Herniated disc was my assumption after the past few missed games.

[cow]

It's KP.  Snake bitten is par for the course.  I'm no doctor, but I play one on TV.  I'd shut him down and have that corrected.  My buddy waited too long on his and has chronic leg pains now.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

Teams have figured Luka out on this offense. Just make him work hard, don't allow him to get into his rhythm areas of the floor. He will get frustrated and start forcing bad shots or turn the ball over. And then it helps if he continues to look so slow and out of shape...the guy's daily diet must be horrible

They haven't figured out Luka.
Mavs are just getting the Fat Luka version at the start of the season.

Would be a shame if he doesn't shape up. He can be the MVP if he really works for it (his body/conditioning/shot).

[dynamicalVoid]

They haven't figured out Luka.
Mavs are just getting the Fat Luka version at the start of the season.

Would be a shame if he doesn't shape up. He can be the MVP if he really works for it (his body/conditioning/shot).

If Luka one of Luka's major skills is going to the paint...keep him beefed up to absorb the contact.

His game doesnt rely on athleticism.

Yall think Luka is going to be Ja Morant if he gets skinny...he isnt.   You can lean on some excuse like his knees wouldnt be under as much pressure yada yada.

Luka is brilliant in the paint...let him have a body that can absorb some contact in the paint.

Hes been a basketball player his whole life...his system is in tune with playing heavy minutes.   Losing 15 pounds isnt going to make him better in the 4th quarter.

If we assemble a roster where Luka doesnt have to score in the paint...then yeah...maybe ask him to lose some weight.   Right now he can bang with 4's...defensively and rebounding.

[Kammrath]

Losing 15 pounds isnt going to make him better in the 4th quarter.

I don't want him down 15 pounds....I want him down 15 pounds of fat and up 15 pounds of muscle.

[Tyler]

A little birdie told me that Kristaps has a herniated disc in his back. It will be about pain tolerance for him, on whether or not he can’t play again this season.

The BV gambling buddy free agency shtick (where every bit of “news” was completely wrong) was at least mildly entertaining for a while. But IMO dropping highly inflammatory fake insider medical rumors with absolutely no substantiation is really pushing it. Please find a more constructive way to contribute than to simply stoke emotions.

[fifteenth]

More VP please!! :-D

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

If Luka one of Luka's major skills is going to the paint...keep him beefed up to absorb the contact.

His game doesnt rely on athleticism.

Yall think Luka is going to be Ja Morant if he gets skinny...he isnt.   You can lean on some excuse like his knees wouldnt be under as much pressure yada yada.

Luka is brilliant in the paint...let him have a body that can absorb some contact in the paint.

Hes been a basketball player his whole life...his system is in tune with playing heavy minutes.   Losing 15 pounds isnt going to make him better in the 4th quarter.

If we assemble a roster where Luka doesnt have to score in the paint...then yeah...maybe ask him to lose some weight.   Right now he can bang with 4's...defensively and rebounding.

A big body would serve well in the post, but Luka's paint scoring isn't just posting up. A big body (a fat one), will limit your quickness and you need a bit of speed and quickness to penetrate to the rim. It's not just about footwork and dribbling ability. What good is absorbing contact when you can't shake your man? I'm not saying he slims down totally, but his current play is obviously slow, a balance must be struck between speed and strength.

[dynamicalVoid]

A big body would serve well in the post, but Luka's paint scoring isn't just posting up. A big body (a fat one), will limit your quickness and you need a bit of speed and quickness to penetrate to the rim. It's not just about footwork and dribbling ability. What good is absorbing contact when you can't shake your man? I'm not saying he slims down totally, but his current play is obviously slow, a balance must be struck between speed and strength.

again...he aint gonna be ja morant.  sorry to break it to ya.

luka aint explosive...never will be

yall uping his injury risk wanting him to play more explosive.

he is cerebral...he doesnt need an athletic edge

[Kammrath]

he is cerebral...he doesnt need an athletic edge

He doesn't need an athletic deficit either. He needs to be his "best self" physically (for a million reasons, one of which is health and longevity like Lebron and Dirk) and then play his style on top of that.

[SleepingHero]

Luka is again team worst -17 after the team wipes out almost all of SAS's lead immediately when he goes to the bench. When he isn't playing ALL five Mavs players are playing with a collective energy, effort, and scramble that is just not there when he is playing.

Why??

Luka is forced to play with guys like WCS, Powell, Sterling Brown, and DFS. All of them are non-factors on offense and all but 1 were pretty much non-existent on defense tonight. 

I feel like you're missing the forest for the trees with +/- in this case and it's leading you astray.

---

I am being tough on Luka but that is because he wears the crown.  You can't give up a three up four at the end of the game.   

Lonnie Walker was clearly out of bounds and the refs missed it.

[dynamicalVoid]

He doesn't need an athletic deficit either. He needs to be his "best self" physically (for a million reasons, one of which is health and longevity like Lebron and Dirk) and then play his style on top of that.

Yall over blowing it.   He looks fine at the end of the season.

Yeah...get him on some good stuff...hell look a little better and play a little better....but its not his game.

Of course you want the most optimally peaked physical condition Luka...but I dont think its worth all the fuss over.   Hes fine.

I agree that he could watch his diet A LITTLE...but he needs to be able to be a force down low when need be right now...until we get better players.

[sefant]

Yall over blowing it.   He looks fine at the end of the season.

Yeah...get him on some good stuff...hell look a little better and play a little better....but its not his game.

Of course you want the most optimally peaked physical condition Luka...but I dont think its worth all the fuss over.   Hes fine.

I agree that he could watch his diet A LITTLE...but he needs to be able to be a force down low when need be right now...until we get better players.

He will be, but that doesn't change the "right now":  I would be more worried if Luka was playing really well, and this was the result. Luka has been plain average at best so far. He has similar problems as last season at the start. KP out as well, kinda like last season (when he was out the first 10 games).

I think he is in slight better shape in comparison to last seasons start, but flat out more tired because of the lack of rest during the summer. B2B and out of shape isn't the best combo to start the season. Luka after 20 games will hopefully look vastly different.

Combined with rule changes, and a new system (lack of hitting shots) + ball, you have the current Luka. At the end of the day the team is still 5-3 right now. If you hear 5 wins and KP is out, you would think Luka has done 3-4 total carry jobs. This wasn't really the case. Mavs grinded out 5 wins with a medicore Luka + an injured KP (Kleber) + a general brickfest from open shots from more or less everyone on the roster.


SOS so far:

- Memphis 1st (hardest schedule in the NBA)
- Denver 8th
- Utah 11th
- Mavs 16th
- Portland 20th
- Suns 23th
- Warriors 25th
- Lakers 29th
- Wolves 30th

Based on SOS the schedule wasn't even that cake in comparison with the rest of West.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

again...he aint gonna be ja morant.  sorry to break it to ya.

luka aint explosive...never will be

yall uping his injury risk wanting him to play more explosive.

he is cerebral...he doesnt need an athletic edge

Did I say Luka will be more like Morant when he slims down or even achieves his peak form? - No
Does any sane basketball fan expect Luka to be Morant-like in terms of athleticism? - No
Has Luka been associated with the word "explosive"? - Scoring wise maybe
Does anyone expect Luka to be athletically explosive? - No
Is Luka cerebral? - Everybody knows that
Does he need an athletic edge?  - Not really

Was there a point in the last few years where Luka was heavy and slow? - Yes
Did the heavier and slower Luka perform at an MVP level? - No

Luka already has the strength, of course adding more strength is always a good thing, but it's proven in the last few seasons that a lighter Luka, with the slightest boost in quickness is the better Luka.

[Kammrath]

Luka is forced to play with guys like WCS, Powell, Sterling Brown, and DFS. All of them are non-factors on offense and all but 1 were pretty much non-existent on defense tonight. 

I feel like you're missing the forest for the trees with +/- in this case and it's leading you astray.

It's the exact opposite....I am looking at the forest right now.

Every single other Mav plays with those same guys....and has so far performed better than Luka has with those guys. That's the forest we are facing right now. 

And if you just refuse to look at +/- then just watch Luka really carefully. Watch him hang his head, labor to get up the court, and not get back on D. Watch him turn and argue with an official and miss his defensive rotation. Watch him position himself for a defensive rebound and give up a layup. Watch him be a step too slow to get around an NBA defender. Watch him airball three 3s in a single game. Etc. If you think this is "good Luka" then I am terrified for the future of this team.

[dynamicalVoid]

Did I say Luka will be more like Morant when he slims down or even achieves his peak form? - No
Does any sane basketball fan expect Luka to be Morant-like in terms of athleticism? - No
Has Luka been associated with the word "explosive"? - Scoring wise maybe
Does anyone expect Luka to be athletically explosive? - No
Is Luka cerebral? - Everybody knows that
Does he need an athletic edge?  - Not really

Was there a point in the last few years where Luka was heavy and slow? - Yes
Did the heavier and slower Luka perform at an MVP level? - No

Luka already has the strength, of course adding more strength is always a good thing, but it's proven in the last few seasons that a lighter Luka, with the slightest boost in quickness is the better Luka.

Yeah...and Im saying that Lukas weight probably helps him absorb paint contact while scoring or rebounding in 2021.

Luka wins us games by grinding towards the paint and scoring or kicking or rebounding.

I bet if we had pieces around him he comes into camp looking how you want.  

Dude looks fine at the end of the year.

[SleepingHero]

Watch him airball three 3s in a single game.

On a 2nd night of a back to back, after playing 5 games in 7 nights, the man was understandably exhausted. Despite that he still put up 23/12/7 while carrying the offense for 3 1/2 quarters. 

If you think this is "good Luka" then I am terrified for the future of this team.

Obviously Luka isn't at his peak. He's said so himself. He's played basketball non-stop for nearly 2 years. He's exhausted. What I just don't get is that Luka started slow last year. He wasn't himself until a month into the season. You're chopping the guy's head off, claiming he's not a top 5 all time player material or there's a limit to how much Luka can win (despite the years of evidence proving that wrong), after 8 games where he's averaged 24/8/7 with his supposed co-star out for 6 of them and leading the Mavs to a 5-3 record. 

So I can't agree with you here. I truly feel like you're missing the entire forest.

[ItsGoTime]

What I just don't get is that Luka started slow last year. He wasn't himself until a month into the season.

Yep, and then he also has his seasonal dip at the end of the season. He's not doing himself any favors by coming into the season as "Fat Luka".

[Chicagojk]

On the SA side, I wasn't really impressed how Thad Young looked.  I will be surprised if he is there for the full year.   But even playing small ball 5, he wasn't able to stop Dallas from playing Boban.   I don't think the price is going to be very high to get him.   

McDermott also was invisible..except on defense.  It must be a helpless feeling when teams hunt you on defense each time down the court.   I thought the McDermott signing by SA was weird.   Real solid player but I would want Vassell and Walker getting all those minutes.