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

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

Agreed. Mavs certainly have more potential on the defensive end than the first half suggests. And it is pretty obvious that some players (Luka!!!) are taking too many plays off on defense.
Looking at the rotation the main difference between the first and second half is Green's role. 11 minutes in the first half. 16 in the second half. +/- indicates that he is the glue guy that makes things work.
Interestingly the pattern you noticed also shows up. Kyrie has the worst +/- on the roster in the first half (-10.0). Best in the second half (+11.6). Luka/Kyrie minutes aren't looking as good as they could. Stretch in the late first with Kyrie/THJ is terrible. For some reason the same lineups look way better in the second half.

Ya the Luka transition stuff HAS to improve, we cannot be just giving points away in the playoffs.

That Kyrie swing was even bigger than I expected but also kind of what I figured we would see.  It's so wild to see Green's impact from an advanced analytics standpoint vs the box score.  All of the offensive passiveness is definitely a problem (although I like how encouraging Kyrie has been of him shooting the ball lately) but he clearly affects the game in huge ways.  Just kind of fascinating.

[SleepingHero]

@UsherNBA
Rookie Ladder!

1. Chet Holmgren: 7 GP, 29.9 MPG
17.0p, 8.0r, 2.7a, 1.0s, 2.4b; 72% TS
#ThunderUp

2. V. Wembanyama: 7 GP, 28.9 MPG
19.4p, 8.4r, 1.7a, 1.3s, 2.6b; 57% TS
#PorVida

3. Ausar Thompson: 8 GP, 31.1 MPG
12.0p, 9.0r, 3.8a, 1.5s, 1.9b; 47% TS
#DetroitBasketball

4. Dereck Lively II: 7 GP, 24.0 MPG
9.0p, 7.7r, 1.1a, 0.7s, 1.0b; 76% TS
#MFFL

5. Brandon Miller: 6 GP, 31.3 MPG
13.2p, 4.5r, 1.7a, 0.3s, 0.5b; 54% TS
#LetsFly35

6. Cason Wallace: 7 GP, 22.9 MPG
8.0p, 2.4r, 1.4a, 0.7s, 0.3b; 81% TS
#ThunderUp

7. Marcus Sasser: 8 GP, 18.5 MPG
9.0p, 2.4r, 2.8a, 1.0s, 0.1b; 67% TS
#DetroitBasketball

8. Jordan Hawkins: 7 GP, 27.3 MPG
12.6p, 4.0r, 1.7a, 0.9s, 0.0b; 53% TS
#Pelicans

9. Keyonte George: 8 GP, 20.8 MPG
7.4p, 2.4r, 3.3a, 0.4s, 0.1b; 55% TS
#TakeNote

10. S. Henderson: 5 GP, 28.4 MPG
8.8p, 2.2r, 4.6a, 0.6s, 0.2b; 40% TS
#RipCity

11. Anthony Black: 5 GP, 17.4 MPG
6.6p, 2.4r, 1.4a, 0.6s, 0.4b; 78% TS
#MagicTogether

12. Jaime Jaquez Jr.: 7 GP, 18.1 MPG
5.9p, 2.9r, 1.9a, 1.0s, 0.3b; 52% TS
#HeatCulture

13. Toumani Camara: 7 GP, 24.6 MPG
6.3P, 4.6r, 1.3a, 0.6s, 0.7b; 44% TS
#RipCity

14. Bilal Coulibaly: 6 GP, 23.0 MPG
6.0p, 3.2r, 1.7a, 0.7s, 1.2b; 49% TS
#ForTheDistrict

15. Julian Strawther: 6 GP, 10.5 MPG
6.8p, 1.0r, 0.5a, 0.2s, 0.3r; 61% TS
#MileHighBasketball

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

Is Amen Thompson hurt?

Also, everyone has been talking about how Detroit needs to move on from Hayes but I'm keeping my eye on how the Sasser/Ivey situation plays itself out...Monty has already cut Ivey's role in a big way since last year.

[Jakeospikez]

Is Kyrie being hunted on defense actually that bad? He's been holding up pretty well from what I've seen so far. The 1st quarter lineup with DJJ is pretty mid but they've just been trash every 1st q for whatever reason. He has plenty of lineups with a moderate amount of minutes where the Def Rtg is good. Small sample size and all that but his lineups with Green & Lively are great. These lineups being used are pretty noisy anyway you need to bring in the Off Rtg of the opposing lineup or something. Kyrie seems really bad so far with DJJ if you want to go off of these.




Seems like the roster that a lot of people wish for would just end up being the Toronto Raptors. Very mediocre play-in level team but damn they sure do got a lot of long athletic defenders without much skill to go along with it. The Bucks just gave up Jrue for Dame and Jrue is a guy lots think is perfect, both 33. He's a championship level supporting guard but I think we're fine with Kyrie tbh. Definitely would rather have Kyrie over Jrue 100% anytime Luka is out or sitting on the bench.

[DanSchwartzgan]

I feel dumb as dirt about OMax, so I lose all bragging privileges.

I'd suggest giving it some time.  How much had Hardy shown 7 games in last season?  He had played a total of 10 minutes in two of the games and didn't get consistent opportunities until January.  

It is tough to integrate young guys and win.  Heck, even now we are still trying to work Hardy in little by little.  We are also putting a ton of focus on Lively (and rightfully so).  I never thought there was a chance we'd give big minutes to both Lively and OMax simultaneously to start the season.  My hope is they handle him similarly to what they did with Hardy last year.  I thought all along we got youngsters, but we also got vets at similar positions to hold down the fort until the youngsters were ready (Exum, Seth, DJJ, Holmes).

[SleepingHero]

@iztok_franko
I will be the first to tell that this by qtr net ratings early on are very volatile / fluky. Teams have had on average only around 150 field goal attempts so far in the 4th.

But Dallas have had a string of really good 4th quarter performances so far.

1. I was wrong - Luka & Kyrie played (and kicked ass down the stretch) on a B2B
Dallas is 6-0 in clutch and this season one can be confident if they get even going into 4th they're gonna win. Both stars made several key plays on both ends in clutch.


2. I was right - Dallas is a much better playmaking and shooting team
Wrote in the preview that if Mavs match Magic intensity & take care of the ball they should be fine.
Well they did it in the 2nd half. Magic creators struggled: Paolo 6 assists-6 turnovers,Suggs 7 ast-4 tov.

3. Game plan - let Black, Suggs, Mo shoot
It was obvious Mavs helped off Magic poor shooters on Paolo & Frantz drives. But they made shots in 1st half: 4 of 7 from 3, Magic 7/11 overall.
But Magic went cold in the 2nd: 1/16 from 3. Not throwing the ball away helped as well.

4. Hardaway Jr. offensive game
THJ had his moments on the defensive end in 1st half. But as maddening as that can be, it's hard not to play a 39% three-point shooter that hoists 9.3 threes per game.
THJ finished with 21 points, 4/11 from 3, 8/16 overall.

5. Derrick Jones Jr. defensive game
DJJ has been Mavs best point of attack defender this season.  But I've been waiting for some of his athletic rear-view contest and help D blocks. He had 2 last night  and several other solid defensive plays

[SleepingHero]

@SloHoopsFan
Tim MacMahon: “We’re a decade away from Dwight Powell being the Dallas Mavericks CEO. And I’m only half kidding.”

— via The Lowe Post

[DanSchwartzgan]

@iztok_franko
 

2. I was right - Dallas is a much better playmaking and shooting team
Wrote in the preview that if Mavs match Magic intensity & take care of the ball they should be fine.
Well they did it in the 2nd half. Magic creators struggled: Paolo 6 assists-6 turnovers,Suggs 7 ast-4 tov. 

We are not turning it over (4th lowest in the league)

We are not fouling (17.3/game is best in the league and a 16% improvement from the year before)

We are drawing fouls (23.1/game is best in the league).

We hit our 3's (2nd best in the league at .394%).  Good thing since our 3 point attempt rate is highest in the league.

We are 23rd in the league in blocked shots, but 4.6 blocks is a 23% improvement from last year

We are 26th in the league in O-rebounds, but 9.1/game is a 20% improvement over last year.  

We are giving up the same PPG at 114.1 as last year, but that's actually good considering Pace has gone from 28th to 8th.

Edit:  Here's a few more:

We are #1 in Net Rating in Clutch minutes.  O = 142.9, D = 85.7 and Net = 57.1 (2nd-4th are Milwaukee, Denver & Boston)

Opponent FG% in Clutch minutes is 39.3%.  3% in Clutch minutes  is 27.3%

We are the second best team in the league in Isolation Scoring frequency and best in the success of those plays.

We are still near the bottom of the league in frequency of transition plays.  But, when we do it, we are the best at it.

[The Jom]

We are #1 in Net Rating in Clutch minutes.  O = 142.9, D = 85.7 and Net = 57.1 (2nd-4th are Milwaukee, Denver & Boston)

How is that even possible???

[Chicagojk]

I had hoped for a bigger role for Hardy to begin the year. Although the way Hardaway is playing he deserves the minutes. Maybe that changes as the year goes on. With that being said, I love how they have found important minutes for Jaden in games. It is great experience having him play minutes that matter. It can't mimic playoff basketball, but it is really good experience for a young player. Says a lot that a lot of his minutes come late third and the fourth quarters of close games.

[Chicagojk]

I'd suggest giving it some time.  How much had Hardy shown 7 games in last season?  He had played a total of 10 minutes in two of the games and didn't get consistent opportunities until January.  

It is tough to integrate young guys and win.  Heck, even now we are still trying to work Hardy in little by little.  We are also putting a ton of focus on Lively (and rightfully so).  I never thought there was a chance we'd give big minutes to both Lively and OMax simultaneously to start the season.  My hope is they handle him similarly to what they did with Hardy last year.  I thought all along we got youngsters, but we also got vets at similar positions to hold down the fort until the youngsters were ready (Exum, Seth, DJJ, Holmes).

Well said.  I assume we will see OMAX get some G-league run.  Not a lot, but in games where the Mavs are off and in town, let him get some run in a G-league game.   Similarly what Hardy did last year.   

In our short viewing of OMAX in preseason, he didn't appear ready.   Looked a little confused out there and was not cutting hard to get the ball on the wings.  That is fine.   I think for him I would like to see him beat out DJJ for minutes as the year goes on.   That may be hard as DJJ been solid.   Just like last year, I thought Hardy should compete to beat out Frank, Pinson, and other for leftover minutes.  He did.   The competition probably wasn't as good as DJJ has played so far though.

I really want to see more of OMAX.  Really liked him in summer league.  I can already tell he fits the same personality as Lively and Josh.   Guys who just go out and play who will never complain they don't get enough shots.   Having three of those guys if they can all play is exactly they type of guys we need around Luka.

[KillerLeft]

O-Max is going to be fine. I still think he'll be the steal of the draft, eventually. Lively has just spoiled us by contributing right away, so we're all like "Where's O-Max?" Patience.

[DanSchwartzgan]

The front page of Spotrac has a story up projecting what teams will have what space and what exceptions (or be over the 2nd apron).  It is must reading for fantasy traders as you have to think like the decision makers think and know what the decision makers know to propose good trades.  Next year's cap info is critical to that.  Here is where Dallas projects to fit:

 
TAXPAYER MLE TEAMS (2)

The addition of the Second Apron has created a smaller-than-usual window for teams to be in position to use the Taxpayer MLE, but without creating issues against the Second Apron hard cap.

1. Dallas Mavericks
   
2. Portland Trail Blazers
   

The Mavericks project to be around $16 million under the Second Apron, but they also only have two roster spots to fill. That leaves enough room to use the Taxpayer MLE to add a player, with enough wiggle room to stay under the hard cap that would be created at the Second Apron.
 

In other news, I saw on one of the fantasy trade sites a proposal to send Holmes/Maxi and the 2027 unprotected to Charlotte for PJ Washington.  Again, pure speculation and not reporting.  The thing that caught my attention was it was Maxi instead of THJ being put into the deal.  Washington just turned 25 and is on a declining contract making $15.5mm next season.  That is $8.3mm less than the Maxi/Holmes combo.  It is an interesting proposal.

I've heard both Keith Smith and Brian Dameris report that they judged a college competition in Phoenix over the weekend among graduate students interested in the business of the NBA.  It was a mock NBA trade deadline and students were judged on the quality of their trades and their knowledge of the cap and trade rules.  The winning team was the Laker's and their main trade was for Kyrie.  The interesting part was they convinced the Dallas team to take LA's remaining unprotected pick, but also did two pick swaps with the Mav's.  The LA team sold the idea that LA could be worse in those years after the old guys retire, but the judges thought the swaps might actually benefit LA if such a trade caused Luka to leave and forced the Mav's into a rebuild.

[Benskix2]

I think pick swaps are options and not straight up trades of picks, the team that receives the pick swap isn't forced to make the swap if it isn't beneficial.

[SleepingHero]

I think pick swaps are options and not straight up trades of picks, the team that receives the pick swap isn't forced to make the swap if it isn't beneficial.

+41 +77

[dirkfansince1998]

Raptors game not included (don't think it changes anything) the Mavs rank dead last in miles per game. Is it the scheme? Are they lazy? Too many low motor guys?

https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/speed-distance

[omahen]

Raptors game not included (don't think it changes anything) the Mavs rank dead last in miles per game. Is it the scheme? Are they lazy? Too many low motor guys?

https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/speed-distance

I think it is the scheme. Mavs offense has been focusing on PnR with the goal to hunt mismatches. The other guys mostly just stretch the floor.

[SleepingHero]

@grantafseth
Over their last six games, the Dallas Mavericks have been the NBA's worst on both ends of paint scoring per game:

Paint Points Per Game: 37.7 (30th)
Opponent Paint Points Per Game: 61.7 (30th)
Differential: -24.0

[SleepingHero]

https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status...8212435345
Jason Kidd delivered a blunt message in the locker room after the Mavs allowed 72 points in the paint (again) in last night’s loss to the Raptors.

Kyrie Irving: “When you have your head coach calling you soft, you got to take that personally and take that as a challenge.”

https://twitter.com/sixfivelando/status/...3088251370
Kyrie Irving: “Being able to be in that locker room and just be honest about what we did tonight. We were soft in the interior, in the paint tonight. When your coach is calling you soft, you gotta take that personally and take that as a challenge.”

[ItsGoTime]

https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status...8212435345
Jason Kidd delivered a blunt message in the locker room after the Mavs allowed 72 points in the paint (again) in last night’s loss to the Raptors.

Kyrie Irving: “When you have your head coach calling you soft, you got to take that personally and take that as a challenge.”

https://twitter.com/sixfivelando/status/...3088251370
Kyrie Irving: “Being able to be in that locker room and just be honest about what we did tonight. We were soft in the interior, in the paint tonight. When your coach is calling you soft, you gotta take that personally and take that as a challenge.”

Doesn’t help the interior for the perimeter defense to be as weak as it is. I mean, sure, all of it sucks and we need better personnel, but this is the pot calling the kettle black if I’ve ever heard it.

---

And that is not me standing up for our interior defenders.