GAME 14: HOU (3-12) @ DAL (8-6) | 92-101 loss

[Kammrath]

[bodhisattva]

I predict a win, followed by comments: "we play better without Luka".
Go Mavs

[SleepingHero]

I'm expecting a game where it's like ripping off a bandaid slowly.

Odds are, the team is going to come out sluggish and over-reliant on tired legs Luka. In what should be a blowout it'll be a close game until the 4th where at that point HOPEFULLY the Mavs pull away.

We'll see though. (Also perhaps THJ will shoot us out of the game by then). 

Going to look at Green to see if he can get some shots up against a bad team. I want him to try and at least get 7. He's only ever cracked 7+ FGA ten times in his career thus far.

[KillerLeft]

I'm expecting a game where it's like ripping off a bandaid slowly.

Odds are, the team is going to come out sluggish and over-reliant on tired legs Luka. In what should be a blowout it'll be a close game until the 4th where at that point HOPEFULLY the Mavs pull away.

We'll see though. (Also perhaps THJ will shoot us out of the game by then). 

Going to look at Green to see if he can get some shots up against a bad team. I want him to try and at least get 7. He's only ever cracked 7+ FGA ten times in his career thus far.

I'll be shocked and angry if Luka plays tonight.

[SleepingHero]

I'll be shocked and angry if Luka plays tonight.

Luka doesn't take games off just to rest unless he's nursing injuries so I don't see why he'd sit. He'll play. If it does hopefully it's only 20 mins and the game is over early.

[KillerLeft]

Luka doesn't take games off just to rest unless he's nursing injuries so I don't see why he'd sit. He'll play. If it does hopefully it's only 20 mins and the game is over early.

Kidd already hinted that either Luka or Dinwiddie will rest tonight. 

If it's not Luka, he's officially an idiot.

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/coopmavs/status/1592955661415256065

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/MFollowill/status/15...8016076800

[KillerLeft]

https://twitter.com/coopmavs/status/1592955661415256065

Good decision, coach Kidd. 

If you can't rest your meal ticket (whose usage rate is on its way to legendary status) on the second night of a back to back and still form a plan to beat the one and only truly bad team in the NBA, it's time for a new coach, really. 

With Kleber AND McGee out, I bet Bertans gets some minutes. Should be interesting.

[Chicagojk]

It is to be expected.  I doubt we would have gotten an energized Luka against a two win (soon to be 3 win) Rockets team anyway.   It will be interesting to see who they start in Luka's place.  Might tell us some of their thinking.   

I expect to see a vast difference in athleticism between the two teams tonight.   I am not too confident in getting a win.  I think it will need to be a low scoring game for us to win.

[dirkfansince1998]

Will be an opportunity to earn minutes for some of the 3rd string guys. Hopefully that will be noticable on the court and the candidates bring some much needed energy and hustle.

[KillerLeft]

Will be an opportunity to earn minutes for some of the 3rd string guys. Hopefully that will be noticable on the court and the candidates bring some much needed energy and hustle.

I would think Bertans gets some time with two bigs out. 

Wood will get more minutes than usual, I bet, and I hope some of them are as a solo big. He should be motivated to play against his former team, back to back or not. 

I expect either Green or THJ to start in place of Luka, with Dinwiddie running the show with the first unit. My guess is Green, but I can make an argument for either. 

What I can't predict is whether Ntilikina will be given the entirety of the bench PG duties (yikes) and Compazzo's chance will come next time, or vice-versa, or if it will be a play-by-ear situation wherein Kidd tries to see what's working and what's not, giving both a chance.

I'll be pretty surprised and upset if they lose this game, and I think it's the perfect time to rest Luka and actually get to work on finding some ways everyone else can be effective out there on offense, with or without Luka being on the floor. It's past time they focused on that for this season, imo.

[dynamicalVoid]

Im calling it now...

Tim Hardaway Jr will paralyze any 2nd or 3rd stringers offensive growth tonight by chucking non-stop at any and every chance like he is supposed to be some Hero savior.

I bet Tim has been one of the happiest guys alive since learning Luka is out tonight.  Selfish ass dude.

[SleepingHero]

Will be an opportunity to earn minutes for some of the 3rd string guys. Hopefully that will be noticable on the court and the candidates bring some much needed energy and hustle.

Because you said it, I'm calling a Frank+Facu carry job each with 20+ points.

[Chicagojk]

Today is Josh's 22nd birthday.  Does he score 22 points?

[Chicagojk]

Is Jaden still in Mexico?  I am sure he would have no trouble taking Luka's 30% usage rate

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

Is Jaden still in Mexico?  I am sure he would have no trouble taking Luka's 30% usage rate

This feels like such a missed opportunity to me.  If there was ever a game to get the kid some burn....

[Smitty]

This feels like such a missed opportunity to me.  If there was ever a game to get the kid some burn....

He's clearly not ready. No reason to rush his development IMO.

[MarkAguirreWrathofGod]

I agree. Not sure why Jaden isn’t here for this one.

[KillerLeft]

He's clearly not ready. No reason to rush his development IMO.

Ready or not, my take is that the room for growth tonight isn't about developing prospects so much as it is getting this team to figure out how to exist, offensively, without Luka. That can only make playing with Luka better, imo, and it's almost worth losing to try to accomplish. I feel that strongly.