Game 75: DAL (36-38) @ CHA (24-51)

[HoosierDaddyKid]

The West is still wide open. There are a lot of solid teams, but I don't see any great ones. Things can change quickly with the right leadership and a few good defensive players. Everyone gets way too depressed when they have a bad run. Ironically this is exactly what they need in order to make a significant improvement to the roster.

Yeah, ok... It's not gonna happen overnight as you suggest.

[loki]

Yeah, ok... It's not gonna happen overnight as you suggest.

The Kings went 10-16 last year after trading for Sabonis. They hired a new coach, traded for Kevin Huerter, and now they are 45-29 and the 3rd seed. I don't see why there should be some arbitrary timeline of two years for the Mavs to be good again.

[Mavs2021]

The West is still wide open. There are a lot of solid teams, but I don't see any great ones. Things can change quickly with the right leadership and a few good defensive players. Everyone gets way too depressed when they have a bad run. Ironically this is exactly what they need in order to make a significant improvement to the roster.

Noboy will sign here. People need to understand that players don´t want to play for franchises with bad leadership.

Why would a ring chasing veteran sign with Dallas over Phoenix, Denver, Memphis, Clippers, Warriors, Bucks, 76ers, Celtics? How do you pay for elite defensive talent, when you have no draft assets and no capspace? How do you convince players to sign for one of the worst run franchises in the league? How does all that happen?

That is the cold hard truth that Mark Cuban can´t accept, cause again, he´s a bad owner.

The only way out of such a situation is youth. Simply put we cannot outbid any team in the league for the services of proven players due to our lack of assets. If we win a bidding war, it means we grossly overvalued the players skill (McGee) or undervalued the risks attached out of our desperation (Kyrie).

The only way out of that situation is to make educated guesses on young players with upside desperate for an opportunity. You need to nail 2-3 of those to build a contender. The way Cuban strategizes and operates that won´t happen.

Literally the only way Cuban could build a contender is getting lucky thrice in the draft and he was already at two, before he decided to let one leave for nothing, cause again, he´s a bad owner.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

The Kings went 10-16 last year after trading for Sabonis. They hired a new coach, traded for Kevin Huerter, and now they are 45-29 and the 3rd seed. I don't see why there should be some arbitrary timeline of two years for the Mavs to be good again.

Not going to get in a pissing contest with you over this. The Kings situation is totally different. They made a few tweaks to their team that worked out. Dallas's fortunes changed when they let Brunson walk, and gave up a very good 3&D guy in DFS, and threw in Dinwiddie who won games for them and those picks for good measure for Kyrie. Last year was a aberration, more than anything else. Do you think this team has the brain trust to make the right decisions to get the train back on the tracks?  I don't inspite having two of the best players in the league.

[loki]

Not going to get in a pissing contest with you over this. The Kings situation is totally different. They made a few tweaks to their team that worked out. Dallas's fortunes changed when they let Brunson walk, and gave up a very good 3&D guy in DFS, and threw in Dinwiddie who won games for them and those picks for good measure for Kyrie. Last year was a aberration, more than anything else. Do you think this team has the brain trust to make the right decisions to get the train back on the tracks?  I don't inspite having two of the best players in the league.

I would agree they overachieved last year. I think they are underachieving right now. I completely understand the lack of confidence in the front office. But I also think that with Luka and Kyrie in place the team's needs are very clearly defined, and the players that could fill those roles should be attainable (especially if they land a top 10 pick). No guarantees they get the job done of course.

[omahen]

This team is broken. Luka looked like he didn't want to be on the floor when the game started. Zero energy from everyone, no fight, no hustle. When Kyrie and Luka play Green is just switched off for who knows why. -25 in 14 minutes. Gave up on Powell after 3 minutes (didn't happen any previous game) and just played Maxi most of the time. His only good defensive possession were those two blocks on DSJ. Kyrie kicking out a fan!? Come on, you play because of and for fans...

I guess it is different in US, but in Europe a proud coach would step down after last game already, certainly after this one. Irrelevant if it is him or players, he lost the team and it is obvious.

[SwisherPrice]

Mavs were doomed from the start when they did nothing to replace Brunson and didn't even try. I know it's tough to replace a player who has become a borderline All Star in NY but you have to at least try to replace that production with a few guards. And remember, they only were interested in Dragic being the new Boban on the bench. Just expecting Dinwiddie and Luka to pick up the slack is unacceptable...and that talk of Ntilikina and Green being the additional ballhandlers lol. I gave Nico/Kidd a try in terms of the roster but that failure, along with the JaVale signing turning into a bust are showing me that they might not have a clue what they're doing.

The problems this team has were there all season...they were getting close to a breaking point throughout the year and it finally happened.

[omahen]

He definitely lost that bet

(1) Callie Caplan on Twitter: "Jason Kidd on Luka Doncic's frustration and lack of joy: "You have to give him credit for saying that. He’s human. He spoke his truth. ... As an organization, our job is to help, so we’re helping. Hopefully you see that smile today and that swagger. I’ll bet that you see it."" / Twitter

[dirkfansince1998]

Looking back at the JB and McGee thread from last summer is glorious...and depressing.

[Chicagojk]

Josh Green leaking to the finish line is really bumming me out too.    He was a complete non factor again.  He deserves some blame too, but I think for him to be successful he needs to touch the ball often and be in a motion offense.   It is going to require for us to change some things.  It appears this team feels most comfortable with guys like Maxi, Bullock and Hardaway ready to launch an open three.   Josh can do this but he is very selective on his threes.    But he can do things that those three can't even dream of doing, but it seems like that isn't being asked of him when we have a full team.   Just really strange...and disappointing.

[F Gump]

Josh Green leaking to the finish line is really bumming me out too.    He was a complete non factor again.  He deserves some blame too, but I think for him to be successful he needs to touch the ball often and be in a motion offense.   It is going to require for us to change some things.  It appears this team feels most comfortable with guys like Maxi, Bullock and Hardaway ready to launch an open three.   Josh can do this but he is very selective on his threes.    But he can do things that those three can't even dream of doing, but it seems like that isn't being asked of him when we have a full team.   Just really strange...and disappointing.

I have to think (hope?) that the franchise has been tanking for some time, and continues to do so. You don't ever give your players a mandate to play bad, but odd rotations and using players in ways that don't fit their strengths are a way to frustrate a team's effort and add baffling losses to keep the tanking goal within arm's reach. Just a thought.

[KillerLeft]

I have to think (hope?) that the franchise has been tanking for some time, and continues to do so. You don't ever give your players a mandate to play bad, but odd rotations and using players in ways that don't fit their strengths are a way to frustrate a team's effort and add baffling losses to keep the tanking goal within arm's reach. Just a thought.

I hope you’re right, but my heart and brain are 99% sure you’re not.

I think it’s as simple as this:

Bad coach, bad culture (happened very quickly), role players being allowed and encouraged to do things they shouldn’t (“just play basketball, this game isn’t hard”), a superstar with much to learn whose immaturity has stalled him a little (although at an already mile-high level) but to whom the entire team and city seems deferential (before he’s ready to succeed in that environment), and finally, the death sentence - just a bad all around organization run by a clown.  

I think they’re really, really trying to win and cannot.

[Branduil]

The famous saying is "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity," although honestly with Kidd and Cuban you might well attribute both.

[Jym]

I have to think (hope?) that the franchise has been tanking for some time, and continues to do so. You don't ever give your players a mandate to play bad, but odd rotations and using players in ways that don't fit their strengths are a way to frustrate a team's effort and add baffling losses to keep the tanking goal within arm's reach. Just a thought.

Nah they didn't pay over 50 million in luxury tax and give up a future first rounder to tank.
this is just complete and utter incompetence on all levels

[Branduil]

If Cuban has even scintilla of shame and self-awareness, just the absolute minimum, he would take these 3 steps in the offseason:

1. Fire Kidd
2. Fire Nico
3. Fire himself, and hire the most competent basketball president money can buy. Give him full rein to make any further organizational changes as needed, as the last chance at keeping Luka and saving this franchise.

[ItsGoTime]

If Cuban has even scintilla of shame and self-awareness, just the absolute minimum, he would take these 3 steps in the offseason:

1. Fire Kidd
2. Fire Nico
3. Fire himself, and hire the most competent basketball president money can buy. Give him full rein to make any further organizational changes as needed, as the last chance at keeping Luka and saving this franchise.

4. Get off the sidelines where the refs can hear him smack talking and get a box for private viewing.
5. Stop talking smack after the games about the refs.

[cow]

Cuban's relationship with the league is what it is and the only way that changes is if he sells the team which is doubtful.  Speaking of doubtful, thinking any part of this season is tanking is just that.  Maybe this final stretch, but tanking has never been Cuban's way.  Kidd's rotations have been head scratching, to put it mildly, all season long.  And further doubts, Cuban making a decision to fire Kidd and/or Nico, especially the latter.  

On the positive side, my sub-40 win season might just happen.

[omahen]

Cuban

I hope he is next in line of owners to get a Sterling/Sarver treatment by the league. Can't explain how dissapointed I am in him as a owner. Just running an innefficient and toxic all around culture. Decades of mistakes culminated with Nico/Kidd failure.

[omahen]

I have to think (hope?) that the franchise has been tanking for some time, and continues to do so.

If they are, I don't think Cuban is in on the plan. I don't think he is that good of an actor. Which is basically me saying, I don't think they are tanking.

Some of the decisions coming from TDL are mind boggling though. A child could see they desperately need a PF yet they did nothing about it at TDL. It was very predictable already bad defense will fall apart with DFS gone, yet they did nothing about it. Coaching rotations and decisions are mildly said strange most of the times. 

I think it is either something very wrong in the locker room or team quit on the coach. One thing to have in mind. Luka allegedly didn't like Carlisle because he treated some players unfairly (Mejri for example). And here you have rumors Kokoskov was gone because Kidd was affraid of him and the Wood accusations of his value being tanked on purpose.

[Branduil]

If they are, I don't think Cuban is in on the plan. I don't think he is that good of an actor. Which is basically me saying, I don't think they are tanking.

Some of the decisions coming from TDL are mind boggling though. A child could see they desperately need a PF yet they did nothing about it at TDL. It was very predictable already bad defense will fall apart with DFS gone, yet they did nothing about it. Coaching rotations and decisions are mildly said strange most of the times. 

I think it is either something very wrong in the locker room or team quit on the coach. One thing to have in mind. Luka allegedly didn't like Carlisle because he treated some players unfairly (Mejri for example). And here you have rumors Kokoskov was gone because Kidd was affraid of him and the Wood accusations of his value being tanked on purpose.

A child also could have seen the need for a third ballhandler at the start of the season, and yet they acted like they never needed one. Cuban and co. have really managed to one-up themselves in incompetence this past year, just continually shooting themselves in the foot in a spiteful way. Mishandling Brunson, signing McGee, trading for Wood and then continually insulting him and putting him and themselves in a position to fail, trading for Kyrie and then failing to patch the holes left by the trade. Just an utter shitshow.