MAVS NEWS: Luka Wins Community Cares Award! | DLive's Mom Passes Away

[michaeltex]

Lively back at practice today.

Confirmed? Great News!

[Jym]

Confirmed? Great News!

Yeah according to Kidd he "fully" practiced and they'll see how he responds tomorrow
Hopefully good to go.

[Scott41theMavs]

Yeah according to Kidd he "fully" practiced and they'll see how he responds tomorrow
Hopefully good to go.

Lively 15-20 mpg off the bench could be the difference between winning and losing this series. His defensive impact is enormous when he plays.

[Chicagojk]

I do wonder if DJJ would get a few votes for all defense.  He had a few stints when he wasn't starting but since the switch he has been fantastic defending.  I think he should deserve some votes....at least a few. 

edit...looks like he was ineligible.  

https://twitter.com/townbrad/status/1780329335708148168

[SleepingHero]

Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth)
Dereck Lively II is on the court during the open portion of Mavs practice.


https://x.com/GrantAfseth/status/1780290110207996378

^ Video of him walking around


Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth)
Dereck Lively II fully participated in today’s practice.

[SleepingHero]

[SleepingHero]

Noah Weber
@noahweber00

Luka Doncic on having Dereck Lively II back after the passing of his mother:

“(It was) big. He’s a great kid. Having him back is a big moment. We just got to all help him, we are his second family and we’re all going to help him and make him feel comfortable.”

[SleepingHero]

Noah Weber (@noahweber00)
Dereck Lively II is on the practice floor working on free throws

[Knutsen]

Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth)
Dereck Lively II is on the court during the open portion of Mavs practice.


https://x.com/GrantAfseth/status/1780290110207996378

^ Video of him walking around


Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth)
Dereck Lively II fully participated in today’s practice.

GREAT news for so many reasons, the most important one being Lively himself in the toughest of times he‘s going through having some kind of distraction for at least a couple of minutes.

[The Jom]

Who is doing this and where? I did not discount his impact (or consider him ineligible altogether) because he is a center... at all! . . .

I think it’s directed at me. Although it’s a distortion of what I said too. I don’t discount Jokic’s success necessarily because he’s a center but because of the centers he’s matched up with.

I give Jokic credit for not getting played off the floor. That’s a very significant plus in his favor. But if you just add that one ability (not getting played off the floor on the defensive end) to Ivica Zubac, all the sudden he stays on the floor and plays serious minutes in the 2 previous playoff encounters with the Mavs, and he ends up with scoring, rebounding, and efficiency numbers for those series that rival what Jokic would’ve put up. Why? Because the Mavs were constantly playing a single big who wasn’t even a very big guy.

As the league has moved towards playing PFs at C and SFs at PF, I’m less and less impressed with the offensive efficiency numbers of the real Cs who are still getting minutes. For instance, compare Drummond’s last 3 years of shooting efficiency (.61, .61, .56) to Luka’s (.53, .56, .57). 

But I get that my viewpoint is unpopular. I get that you all think the advanced stats and tracking contradict me. No need to beat me up further. I relent. Jokic is the greatest.

[MrGoat]

Did no one ever post the clip of former Mav Boban being completely awesome in what might have been his final career game?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf85vtn4RAw

[RGP1981]

Only Mavs award by Hollinger is Luka at #3 in the MVP ranking.  I really don't care. SGA had a real good season too.

I think that putting SGA over Doncic in the MVP ranking this season is somewhat like putting Embiid over Jokic in the MVP ranking last season. Is it because some people don't want to see 2 players of original European descent being the Top 2 players in the NBA? 

The talking heads are trying to paint a crazy narrative by saying things like, "SGA has taken a bunch of no-names to the 1st seed". SGA has had a Top 5 in the league type of season... but a bunch of no-names... say what? Chet has been amazing and played in 82 games. Jalen Green has played amazing as well. Then there's Giddey, Dort, Wallace, Isaiah Joe who have all made meaningful contributions.

If we switched SGA and Doncic on their teams this season, I think Luka's Thunder would have a similar record to the Celtics, while SGA's Mavericks would be in the play-in. Especially with Kyrie missing 22 of the first 50 games, having Grant Williams as starting PF, Kleber being out for so long, Dwight Powell still getting burn at Center, etc, lol.

They also point to SGA's 50x 30-point games... well, Luka also had 50x 30-point games... but Luka had 7 more 40-point games, including 2x 50-point games and that 70-pointer against ATL... and did that while averaging almost 4 more assists per game, lol.

Then there's the stats...

PTS/G: Luka 33.9, SGA 30.1
AST/G: Luka 9.8, SGA 6.2
TRB/G: Luka 9.2, SGA 5.5
eFG%: Luka .573, SGA .567
PER: Luka 28.1, SGA 29.3
WS/48: Luka 0.220, SGA 0.275
BPM: Luka 9.9, SGA 9.0
VORP: Luka  8.0, SGA 7.1

It's frustrating to see.

[fifteenth]

I think it’s directed at me. Although it’s a distortion of what I said too. I don’t discount Jokic’s success necessarily because he’s a center but because of the centers he’s matched up with.

I give Jokic credit for not getting played off the floor. That’s a very significant plus in his favor. But if you just add that one ability (not getting played off the floor on the defensive end) to Ivica Zubac, all the sudden he stays on the floor and plays serious minutes in the 2 previous playoff encounters with the Mavs, and he ends up with scoring, rebounding, and efficiency numbers for those series that rival what Jokic would’ve put up. Why? Because the Mavs were constantly playing a single big who wasn’t even a very big guy.

As the league has moved towards playing PFs at C and SFs at PF, I’m less and less impressed with the offensive efficiency numbers of the real Cs who are still getting minutes. For instance, compare Drummond’s last 3 years of shooting efficiency (.61, .61, .56) to Luka’s (.53, .56, .57). 

But I get that my viewpoint is unpopular. I get that you all think the advanced stats and tracking contradict me. No need to beat me up further. I relent. Jokic is the greatest.

Jom!!! I'm a big fan of your work. Please don't feel beat up. Arguing about basketball is just what we do. You and I are on the same page on many things, so don't take offense if I pick one item where I think you're crazy.   

Regarding your post, are you saying that Zubac is almost Jokic? All he needs is this one small little thing.... not being played off the floor? Let me beat you up about this in a friendly, loving sort of way. 

COME ON JOM, DUDE, ARE YOU CRAZY!!! 

Oops, sorry. I got carried away. 

I'd say that the only thing Jokic and Zubac have in common is that they are both big. Zubac is a starting level center. Jokic is a world class basketball player who can do everything there is to do on a basketball court (except run fast) and who happens to also be a very large human. 

Also, I offered a non-advanced stats argument for Jokic up above somewhere. 

Anyway. I've never thought or typed this much about Jokic before. Down with Denver! Go Mavs!  

And keep up the good posting work, pal. 

-A Jom Fan

[fifteenth]

I think that putting SGA over Doncic in the MVP ranking this season is somewhat like putting Embiid over Jokic in the MVP ranking last season. Is it because some people don't want to see 2 players of original European descent being the Top 2 players in the NBA? 

The talking heads are trying to paint a crazy narrative by saying things like, "SGA has taken a bunch of no-names to the 1st seed". SGA has had a Top 5 in the league type of season... but a bunch of no-names... say what? Chet has been amazing and played in 82 games. Jalen Green has played amazing as well. Then there's Giddey, Dort, Wallace, Isaiah Joe who have all made meaningful contributions.

If we switched SGA and Doncic on their teams this season, I think Luka's Thunder would have a similar record to the Celtics, while SGA's Mavericks would be in the play-in. Especially with Kyrie missing 22 of the first 50 games, having Grant Williams as starting PF, Kleber being out for so long, Dwight Powell still getting burn at Center, etc, lol.

They also point to SGA's 50x 30-point games... well, Luka also had 50x 30-point games... but Luka had 7 more 40-point games, including 2x 50-point games and that 70-pointer against ATL... and did that while averaging almost 4 more assists per game, lol.

Then there's the stats...

PTS/G: Luka 33.9, SGA 30.1
AST/G: Luka 9.8, SGA 6.2
TRB/G: Luka 9.2, SGA 5.5
eFG%: Luka .573, SGA .567
PER: Luka 28.1, SGA 29.3
WS/48: Luka 0.220, SGA 0.275
BPM: Luka 9.9, SGA 9.0
VORP: Luka  8.0, SGA 7.1

It's frustrating to see.

I think if you have an MVP candidate on a one seed and an MVP candidate on a 5 seed, the one seed candidate will usually get the nod. Not saying SGA is more deserving, just saying "it is what it is."

[dirkfansince1998]

For people that want to keep up with the MVP voting.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1...=643451732

[fifteenth]

I think that putting SGA over Doncic in the MVP ranking this season is somewhat like putting Embiid over Jokic in the MVP ranking last season. Is it because some people don't want to see 2 players of original European descent being the Top 2 players in the NBA? 

Stephen Miller says hi! 

SGA leads the 1 seed. Luka leads the 5 seed. It's not unusual for the guy that plays for the more successful team to have an advantage. 

Jokic won two in a row. It's not unusual for voters to share the wealth and avoid giving it to the same guy every year.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

I think it’s directed at me. Although it’s a distortion of what I said too. I don’t discount Jokic’s success necessarily because he’s a center but because of the centers he’s matched up with.

I give Jokic credit for not getting played off the floor. That’s a very significant plus in his favor. But if you just add that one ability (not getting played off the floor on the defensive end) to Ivica Zubac, all the sudden he stays on the floor and plays serious minutes in the 2 previous playoff encounters with the Mavs, and he ends up with scoring, rebounding, and efficiency numbers for those series that rival what Jokic would’ve put up. Why? Because the Mavs were constantly playing a single big who wasn’t even a very big guy.

As the league has moved towards playing PFs at C and SFs at PF, I’m less and less impressed with the offensive efficiency numbers of the real Cs who are still getting minutes. For instance, compare Drummond’s last 3 years of shooting efficiency (.61, .61, .56) to Luka’s (.53, .56, .57). 

But I get that my viewpoint is unpopular. I get that you all think the advanced stats and tracking contradict me. No need to beat me up further. I relent. Jokic is the greatest.

You give up too easy...

[mvossman]

I think it’s directed at me. Although it’s a distortion of what I said too. I don’t discount Jokic’s success necessarily because he’s a center but because of the centers he’s matched up with.

I give Jokic credit for not getting played off the floor. That’s a very significant plus in his favor. But if you just add that one ability (not getting played off the floor on the defensive end) to Ivica Zubac, all the sudden he stays on the floor and plays serious minutes in the 2 previous playoff encounters with the Mavs, and he ends up with scoring, rebounding, and efficiency numbers for those series that rival what Jokic would’ve put up. Why? Because the Mavs were constantly playing a single big who wasn’t even a very big guy.

As the league has moved towards playing PFs at C and SFs at PF, I’m less and less impressed with the offensive efficiency numbers of the real Cs who are still getting minutes. For instance, compare Drummond’s last 3 years of shooting efficiency (.61, .61, .56) to Luka’s (.53, .56, .57). 

But I get that my viewpoint is unpopular. I get that you all think the advanced stats and tracking contradict me. No need to beat me up further. I relent. Jokic is the greatest.

You asked not to get beat up in the same post you compared Jokic to Zubac.  Tough ask.

[RGP1981]

For people that want to keep up with the MVP voting.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1...=643451732

Looks like it's the usual suspects trying to "create" a "case" for SGA over Luka.

1st place vote given to SGA by: Stephen A Smith, Kendrick Perkins. LOL.

SGA leads the 1 seed. Luka leads the 5 seed. It's not unusual for the guy that plays for the more successful team to have an advantage. 

Jokic won two in a row. It's not unusual for voters to share the wealth and avoid giving it to the same guy every year.

If Jokic won two in a row and they're sharing the wealth, then why not give it to Luka?

PTS/G: Luka 33.9, SGA 30.1
AST/G: Luka 9.8, SGA 6.2
TRB/G: Luka 9.2, SGA 5.5
eFG%: Luka .573, SGA .567
PER: Luka 28.1, SGA 29.3
WS/48: Luka 0.220, SGA 0.275
BPM: Luka 9.9, SGA 9.0
VORP: Luka  8.0, SGA 7.1

Another point to consider. Luka been carrying his team for years, despite being almost a year younger than SGA, while SGA's team been tanking to collect the talent that has helped them get to that 1st seed.

[fifteenth]

Looks like it's the usual suspects trying to "create" a "case" for SGA over Luka.

1st place vote given to SGA by: Stephen A Smith, Kendrick Perkins. LOL.


If Jokic won two in a row and they're sharing the wealth, then why not give it to Luka?

PTS/G: Luka 33.9, SGA 30.1
AST/G: Luka 9.8, SGA 6.2
TRB/G: Luka 9.2, SGA 5.5
eFG%: Luka .573, SGA .567
PER: Luka 28.1, SGA 29.3
WS/48: Luka 0.220, SGA 0.275
BPM: Luka 9.9, SGA 9.0
VORP: Luka  8.0, SGA 7.1

Another point to consider. Luka been carrying his team for years, despite being almost a year younger than SGA, while SGA's team been tanking to collect the talent that has helped them get to that 1st seed.

I'm a Luka fan! If you want to make a statistical case for Luka, I'm all for it. The purpose of my posts was to push back on the conspiracy theory arguments and the "Jokic isn't that great" arguments. I'm a Luka fan but I'm also a fan of legit arguments over silliness.