GAME 10: NOP (1-10) @ DAL (7-3) | 108-92 win

[KillerLeft]

And that lazy rotation by Porzingis is the first time tonight I’ve had a problem with his play. Good timeout.

[KillerLeft]

OUTSTANDING defensive possession there from KP. Resisted the urge to leave his feet on the fake and served as a deterrent to three opposing players, including the guy who eventually took the shot.

Goodness, more of that, please!

[Jommybone]

Yes. I’m starting to believe.

[KillerLeft]

Ntilikina with a man-style rebound in traffic, pushes the ball, finds Brunson who creates an early shot for KP. The shot was missed, but that’s exactly the kind of secondary creation many of us were begging for. 

For the life of me, I cannot understand why he was not seeing the floor in New York. His offensive feel for the game is far beyond where I believed it was.

[KillerLeft]

I would make my traditional angry post about Boban playing, but WCS was so bad in the first half I think I would’ve actually gone this way myself.

[BackToSquareOne]

For the life of me, I cannot understand why he was not seeing the floor in New York. His offensive feel for the game is far beyond where I believed it was.

H'Oh boy. Let me talk to you about that post game. tldr: infinite amounts of bizarrely terrible coaches and a FO that had no clue and didn't weigh in to force the coaches hands.

[KillerLeft]

If I’m coaching this team, Ntilikina has officially stolen Sterling Brown’s job. He is a difference maker out there.

[dirkfansince1998]

@"KillerLeft" favorite lineup. Boban and KP twin towers.

[KillerLeft]

@"KillerLeft" favorit lineup. Boban and KP twin towers.

And all of a sudden, there’s a parade of easy, early offense from the opponent. Coincidence, or something a 5-year-old could’ve seen coming? 

I’m not even mad though. WCS was trash out there in the first half.

[Kammrath]

Luka now team worst -6.......

[SwisherPrice]

Should have just left the starters on the bench...this was on its way to being a 20+ blowout. The starters came back in, started clowning around and it turned into a closer game than needed to be

[KillerLeft]

I have to say, I like this Valanciunas fellow more every single time I see him.

[ClutchDirk]

https://twitter.com/IsaacLHarris/status/...8568561667

[BackToSquareOne]

I have to say, I like this Valanciunas fellow more every single time I see him.

Yeah. Val's legit. Albeit he seems to have invested a sizeable portion of his salary in beard grooming products.

[Chicagojk]

That was a really bad Pelican team they put out there tonight.   Mavs looked like they took care of business but they have lapses where they allow teams to put quick runs together.   I just think Luka is not playing with any urgency out there.   And with him being our best player and the rest of the starters depend on him, things really bog down when he is not all world.   With our starting lineup, Luka really needs to be all world.  When he isn't, the offense really is tough to watch.    

If Frank keeps on having nice performances, Mavs may pick up the phone when Dragic is released eventually and contacts the Mavs with "who Dis"?  Jalen was great again.    My MVP for the first 10 games.   The teams looks very good every time he is in the game.   

I have liked things I have seen from Sterling Brown, but he can't make anything.  If he doesn't make shots, he won't keep that spot.  But I like some of the toughness things I have seen from him.  Bullock was very good tonight.   I like having a guy who is looking for his offense while on the floor.   

Willie continued his really bad play to start the season.    His minutes may drop when Maxi is back.   He needs to impact games more when he is in there.   Dwight would look really good as our fourth big.    He plays so hard every time he is on the court.   Some really nice passing by KP.  Lets keep that up.  Even with a rough shooting game, he impacted the game.   He really needs to get better balance and withstand some contact in the paint though.   Good game overall though.  

I don't think it has bit them yet this year, but the free throw shooting percentage continues to be a concern.   I would like to see them raise that percentage over the next few weeks.   Especially as they are going on the road.  Can't keep on giving those points away. 

I have always liked Josh Hart.  Tough player.

[Kammrath]

 I just think Luka is not playing with any urgency out there.   And with him being our best player and the rest of the starters depend on him, things really bog down when he is not all world.   With our starting lineup, Luka really needs to be all world.  When he isn't, the offense really is tough to watch.    

If Frank keeps on having nice performances, Mavs may pick up the phone when Dragic is released eventually and contacts the Mavs with "who Dis"?  Jalen was great again.    My MVP for the first 10 games.   The teams looks very good every time he is in the game. 

SO MUCH good analysis, especially in the above. 

Luka has almost NO urgency right now, I think that is exactly the right word. Not sure if it is physical (conditioning or injury) or mental/heart. But it is really hurting the team right now. I am so surprised AND grateful they are 7-3 with how Luka has performed. I really think they could be 9-1 or 10-0 if Luka had been his best self. 

And Frank has been such a revelation! Everything about him right now is incredible....attitude, effort, offensive aggressiveness/unselfishness, defensive activity/intensity. As I have said elsewhere: if FN becomes what I think he can, the entire outlook of this roster changes. Adding one legit two-way NBA starter to this team would answer so many issues.

[SleepingHero]

OUTSTANDING defensive possession there from KP. Resisted the urge to leave his feet on the fake and served as a deterrent to three opposing players, including the guy who eventually took the shot.

Goodness, more of that, please!

Never thought I'd see the day that KL would not only praise KP, but praise KP consistently throughout a game...

[KillerLeft]

Never thought I'd see the day that KL would not only praise KP, but praise KP consistently throughout a game...

What can I say, he played well! Twice in a row!

[SleepingHero]

What can I say, he played well! Twice in a row!

It's funny because I didn't even think KP had much of a standout game last night. I felt like he missed quite a few easy ones, and he wasn't nearly as aggressive going to the basket as he did against Boston. He also fumbled 3 post up's just because of his awful balance/ball protection. But he sparked that 12-0 run where he scored 9 points and assisted on the last 3 points where it sparked everyone else to wake up. He also played pretty good defense.


But hey! I'm not going to stand in the way for some long overdue KP praise

[KillerLeft]

It's funny because I didn't even think KP had much of a standout game last night.

I agree that he laid his usual series of bricks. 

But, the aggressive catch-and-shoot misses (in open situations) have never bothered me. He has to shoot those, and whatever the percentages say, he looks comfortable doing so, and the defense has to respect him from outside. It's an important role. 

The bad turnarounds might've bothered me, only last night I saw some things I didn't all of last season. For one thing, it was not a forgone conclusion that he was going to get a shot up exactly 1.7 seconds after pass he received. I saw him move the ball, relocate, etc. For another, there actually were instances last night of him flooring the ball, drawing attention and then passing the ball on time and on target to create offense for other players. I honestly thought I'd never see the day. 

Defensively, there were maybe only 3 possessions (that I caught and can remember) during which I thought he was abused or lazy. Honestly, there were probably more possessions where I thought his defense was a positive than ever before (might be romanticizing this due to how terrible he was last season). 

I'm trying to meet the dude halfway, here. He certainly hasn't been a max-level superstar these past two games, but I'm comfortable claiming that he has played like a good player who I'd want to be a Maverick twice in a row. That's a big deal for me!