GAME 11: DAL (6-5) @ NYK (3-9) | 103-106 loss

[SleepingHero]

I love ya Fif, but criticizing the coach after 2 losses in the same week against the worst team in the NBA isn't toxic, its justified.

You're just saying that the losing justifies the criticism. But that's not good logic. The losing could be coaching,  it could be roster quality, it could be that this new, young team is a work in progress, or it could be something else.

I am not saying a loss on its own justifies the criticism. A lot goes into losing a basketball game. Rarely it is ever one reason why a team loses.

However, there are reasons that carry more weight than others. I'm criticizing the coach because I felt his mistakes are the big ones as to why the Mavs consistently look off since 11/3/2019.  The Mavs have lost 9 of their 11 first quarters this year. They rank 25th in FG% for the first quarter. I believe the lack of any consistent rotation is a big reason for that. I also think that the offense itself doesn't fit our personnel. The Mavs rely too much on the 3.  They shoot the 4th most 3's per game in the NBA, yet have the 18th worst 3pt%.

And looking at the game, the kind of shots that they're taking it make sense as to why its so low. SO many of those 3's are early in the shot clock 3's that are contested and no one touches the ball (Luka and THJ are the biggest offenders). A good coach would have nipped that in the bud, but it's been a constant theme. Porzingis has looked rusty, but Carlisle has also failed to integrate him in any meaningful way in the offense. He's being used as a glorified spot up shooter. Luka runs the most PnR with Powell or Kleber, NOT KP. The Luka/KP PnR is something everyone was expecting coming into this season, yet we've barely seen it all year.

Weird rotations, such as benching Curry after his hot start against Orlando then bringing him back to shoot the game tying free throws after resting him for 2 hours is odd. Sitting Luka until 5 minutes left in the 4th, after he went off for 14 straight points in 90 seconds is odd. And those are the most egregious subs. Thats not even accounting the fact that Luka and KP only had a total of 4 shot attempts in the entire 4th quarter. Its up to the coach to make sure the team's best players gets the shots. 

I'm just scratching the surface with Carlisle's issues so far this season, I haven't even mentioned the defense, end of game management (Luka going for a quick 2 with no timeouts and 2 fouls needed for the bonus, I mean that's on Carlisle for either telling Luka to do that or failing to let his players know of the situation), or overall effort of this team. Again, I have hope that Carlisle can turn it around, and I believe he has the talent to do so. But he rightly deserves criticism for the performance he's orchestrated so far. Just as he rightly deserved praise for his 2014 series against the Spurs and 2011 championship. It goes both ways.