A New Found Respect For Dwight Powell

[IamDougieFresh]

NO ONE IS A BIGGER SMALL BALL FAN THAN ME. DWIGHT HELPED US WIN BY GETTING DOMINATED.

[KillerLeft]

NO ONE IS A BIGGER SMALL BALL FAN THAN ME. DWIGHT HELPED US WIN BY GETTING DOMINATED.

I love your bit. I lol almost every time.

[ItsGoTime]

Drummond's dominance allowed for the team to not have to work as hard throughout the game. They were then able to do what they did in the end. Drummond doesn't have to be the winning player, he just has to give us a chance at the end for the rest of the guys to do what they are supposed to do, esp when they haven't had to use up all their effort throughout the game trying to push against the unstoppable force, not being the immovable object. I showed where almost every team starts a large body, they all give them different minutes, but alleviating Powell's need to be the ONLY guy that has to go up against these guys would help him in the 21mpg he gets too.

Like SH said, it gives the defenders different looks as a more diversified team. I said AD is not the guy I'd choose, but if he's all that was left and only cost vet min or slightly more? I'm good with it. Give me a 9 minute double double, there's no possible way that hinders the outcome of a game.

[IamDougieFresh]

I love your bit. I lol almost every time.

I actually believe in small ball tbh

[KillerLeft]

I actually believe in small ball tbh

I don't even consider Powell small, tbh.

[IamDougieFresh]

I don't even consider Powell small, tbh.

I mean the overall lineup, but Dwight might as well be 6’ 7” with the way he plays.

Side note: this goofus has the most comical close out in the NBA idk if anyone else has noticed

[DanSchwartzgan]

Iztok in on the Powell love.

One thing I wish he'd have spent more time on is Powell's short roll passing.  He's really good at it and it is something that needs to be in the job description of whoever we are talking about when it comes to a longer term solution/addition at the C position.  

Our two headed Center (or going without either) is going to be fascinating to watch come the playoffs.  There are some things that Powell does really well.  But, rim protection and rebounding aren't among them.  I don't agree that he can't be played in the playoffs.  To say that is just as much an indictment against Luka as it is against Powell.  Some match-ups will be better than others.  But, Luka is what makes it work and Powell provides optionality for Luka that isn't found elsewhere on the roster.

Similarly, Maxi's D is really important.  It makes sense that he's closing games defensively.  But right now his minutes are four-on-five offensively.  Can we survive that enough to win four out of seven games?  If the answer to that is no and if the Luka/Powell PnR can be marginalized, can we make a closing lineup of DFS/Luka/Bullock/Dinwiddie/Brunson work?  Offensively?  Sure.  Defensively?  ????

https://www.dmagazine.com/sports/2022/03...lded-best/

[IamDougieFresh]

https://twitter.com/jimmy772108/status/1...74497?s=21&t=tt6nhbkJ206AqDwFybLEtw

Which one of you is this?

[ItsGoTime]

https://twitter.com/jimmy772108/status/1...74497?s=21&t=tt6nhbkJ206AqDwFybLEtw

Which one of you is this?

That guy does not post here cause DP is talked about plenty here. Followil should post a link to our board.

[cow]

"Luka simply couldn’t be Luka without Powell"

[mvossman]

This is what I was trying to express the other day. 

Yes, the Drummonds of the world are going to dominate the glass against the Mavs. And actually, Drummond's game tonight was the first time it bothered me in a while. I thought it came as close to affecting the outcome of the game as any "mismatch" inside has, recently. 

But...it doesn't really seem like giving up the glass is actually hurting the team that much, generally. This is an oversimplified way of stating my position, but I believe this worry stems from most of our collective viewing experience being from the 2000's. We're all still trying to recreate the 2011 team, and that's simply not how the game is played anymore. 

Being able to defend the pick and roll from the 5 position >>>>>>> being good on the glass. If you can do both, great - you're probably going to the finals. But, I feel like the Mavs made the correct choice for this season, given that they could do NEITHER with Porzingis on the floor.

I think folks over focus on Powell getting Bullied, but the bigger issue is the lack of rim protection.  Both Powell and Maxi get bullied, but the defense is way better with Maxi on the court due to his rim protection.  

For all of your bashing of KP, this team was better defensively with him on the court than off, and the team defense has gone down since the trade.  I would argue the order of priority is rim protection, P&R defense, Glass.

[ItsGoTime]

Regardless of the order of importance of Powell’s responsibilities, 2 out of the 3 items are lacking from him. The rebounding is the result of bullying as far as cause and effect, so when reb is an issue, to me that’s the same as saying he gets bullied. There’s a bit more “effect” to the bullying like exhaustion and injury (DP only plays 21mpg, which to me is the reason he has played every game this season, also, good on him for that!!!).

Even if we get someone like Drummond to start and play 18-20 mpg (for sure not my preference), that helps Powell to be who as much or more than he is now. It also helps the team IMO.

[michaeltex]

How much does Luka's rebounding number affect DP and MK? I'm not saying he is stealing rebounds from them, but their occupation of the other team's big opens the door for Luka to get his numbers, doesn't it?

[Kammrath]

rebounding

Defensive Rebound %...

This year...

On-court: 73.7%
Off-court: 72.6%
Net: +1.1%

Last year...

On: 71.3%
Off: 74.1%
Net: -2.8%

The team has been rebounding great with DP this year. Last year you could argue he was a huge issue on that end. But however Kidd is doing things this year, DP is not some sort of rebounding negative.

[KillerLeft]

For all of your bashing of KP, this team was better defensively with him on the court than off, and the team defense has gone down since the trade

I keep seeing you assert this. I couldn't disagree more. I do agree that he had some good moments this season, defensively, especially relative to last year. But, I don't think he was ever anything remotely close to a defensive difference maker during his time here, personally. Huge disappointment. 

Reasonable people can disagree, and I'm truly sorry for your loss. For me, every single day without Porzingis has been happier and more fun than the previous. This team is actually fun to follow again.

[ballsrchr]

That guy does not post here cause DP is talked about plenty here. Followil should post a link to our board.

Followill was here...but somebody ran him off...

[mvossman]

I keep seeing you assert this. I couldn't disagree more. I do agree that he had some good moments this season, defensively, especially relative to last year. But, I don't think he was ever anything remotely close to a defensive difference maker during his time here, personally. Huge disappointment. 

Reasonable people can disagree, and I'm truly sorry for your loss. For me, every single day without Porzingis has been happier and more fun than the previous. This team is actually fun to follow again.

To be clear, that was a statement of fact, not an assessment.  I was referring to the teams defensive numbers when he is on the court vs off.

I don't know why folks have to wrap this into pro vs anti KP camps.  Comments like "sorry for your loss" sound like your lumping me into the pro KP camp.  I am not.  I think folks tend to be overly negative on him, especially after he is gone, and just trying to bring some perspective that is not tainted by hate/dislike.

I am glad he is gone.  I did not like the return we got originally, but am very pleased with what we are getting from Din, and now consider him a core piece.  I wish we had dumped KP in the offseason when we would have had more options to the hole left in our frontcourt.  Not sure it is necessary to jump on a post just because it says something mildly positive about KP.

[KillerLeft]

Comments like "sorry for your loss" sound like your lumping me into the pro KP camp.  I am not.

I very much am. I think that, because you have been the most vocal about your distaste for the trade (by a large margin) and you have so often attempted to point out that Dinwiddie could've been had over the summer without giving up Porzingis (which we actually don't know) you must view his departure as some sort of significant loss. 

Am I wrong to think so?

---

To be clear, that was a statement of fact, not an assessment.  I was referring to the teams defensive numbers when he is on the court vs off.

Yeah, I got it. I just don't think it's that simple. If the team was playing a style of defense that won't work in the playoffs in order to achieve those numbers (which, in my strongly held opinion, they were) does this even matter?

---

I am glad he is gone.  I did not like the return we got originally, but am very pleased with what we are getting from Din, and now consider him a core piece.  I wish we had dumped KP in the offseason when we would have had more options to the hole left in our frontcourt.  Not sure it is necessary to jump on a post just because it says something mildly positive about KP.

I can get behind this. 

At the previous trade deadline would've been even better, but this helps me see where you're coming from.

[mvossman]

I very much am. I think that, because you have been the most vocal about your distaste for the trade (by a large margin) and you have so often attempted to point out that Dinwiddie could've been had over the summer without giving up Porzingis (which we actually don't know) you must view his departure as some sort of significant loss. 

Am I wrong to think so?

You are.  My issues were totally about the return.  I hate that Bertans contract, and I had a lot of concerns with Dinwiddie.  Like I said, I would have greatly preferred they dumped him in the offseason when they had cap space to do something about it.

Was I really the most vocal against it?  I thought there were others more pissed.  2021 comes to mind, and a couple of others.  I certainly have not been harping on it.  I would say 95% of my posts have nothing to do with KP.

[KillerLeft]

BTW, @"mvossman", the "truly sorry for your loss" part was genuine, not sarcastic (although maybe not appropriate at all if you really wanted him gone). 

I lived through a situation here during which Carlisle left and everyone was kicking him on his way out the door. It really bummed me out, and I thought about leaving. The comment was my honest attempt at empathy, since I fancy that I know a bit about what KP truthers have been going through recently.

---

Was I really the most vocal against it?  I thought there were others more pissed.  2021 comes to mind, and a couple of others. 

I thought so, yes. But, maybe that's because you were the most vocally against it amongst the rank of those whom I read most carefully. 

Love @"Mavs2021", but basically everything that happens makes him mad.