Game 15: Los Angeles Lakers (9-7) vs. Dallas Mavericks (10-5) | 101-104 WIN!!!!!!!!

[youzigizag]

It was 3 years ago and a whole other lifetime of Holmes in SAC.  When I found out he tanked because he was falsely accused of domestic violence, I really started cheering for him.  Then the preseason and early season season performances had me thinking he is $12m/yr dead money.

He showed he still has it.  I don't care if he never has a shot attempt, if he rebounds and protects the rim like this, I gladly say how wrong I was.

The million dollar question is why has he not been playing more minutes?

Did you just have one good game?   His history suggests he could play ball.   Did he fall off and it shows in practice?  And he just happened to have one good game?

I support giving him more real game minutes, who cares what has happened in practice...and see if he can be more productive in games than Powell.

[The Jom]

He’s small for a big. Smaller than LeBron. I didn’t see much of what I’d call real rim protection. He doesn’t seem to have any kind of reliable shot. He can’t dunk in traffic. Not if they’re bigs. But . . .

His screens in the lane for Luka were so effective. His feet were quick enough to stay with forwards (LeBron, Hachimura) on perimeter switches. His length was enough to bother AD. He was solid and unyielding in the post. And he rebounded like the addition Nico just said we might need.

[mvossman]

He’s small for a big. Smaller than LeBron. I didn’t see much of what I’d call real rim protection. He doesn’t seem to have any kind of reliable shot. He can’t dunk in traffic. Not if they’re bigs. But . . .

His screens in the lane for Luka were so effective. His feet were quick enough to stay with forwards (LeBron, Hachimura) on perimeter switches. His length was enough to bother AD. He was solid and unyielding in the post. And he rebounded like the addition Nico just said we might need.

He is taller than LeBron.  If you are going by weight, we don't have a player on our roster as heavy as LeBron.  He is the same size as Powell and Maxi, all guys that are a little undersized trading away force for lateral quickness.  The difference being that he is a better rebounder than those guys.  For his career he averages 10 per 36 and he is averaging over 15 right now (small sample, that will come down).

Historically he has been a decent rim protector (nearly 2 per 36) and he had a very effective push shot.  Not sure how much any of that is left.  Regardless he is probably our best option as a second unit single big.

[ItsGoTime]

Powell is 2” taller but a 3” shorter standing reach to Holmes. That’s a big part of the problem.

[KillerLeft]

It's pretty easy to see why Lively and Powell were playing ahead of Holmes, imo, just like it's pretty easy to see why the Mavs become interested in some of the bigs we talk about around here but seemingly have zero interest in some of the others.

For the Mavs to become interested:

1) the center must be a pick and roll player (Holmes qualifies here, but MANY of the names people fixate on do not). If they aren't SOME type of pick and roll big (rim runner, pick-n-pop spacer, SOMETHING) the Mavs won't look twice at them. That should be obvious by now.

2) The reason Holmes isn't viewed as favorably as Powell to start with, imo, is that Powell, like Lively, is a VERTICAL SPACER. That seems to be what the team believes is MOST necessary for their offensive system to work. Regardless of how much we each think Holmes does/does not have left, I think it's safe to say his vertical spacing days are over. I have a pretty confident feeling that the centers started the season in the order LUKA preferred, not just the coaches, and that VERTICAL SPACING was the crux of what formed the ranking.

EDIT: Having said the above, it's possible that everyone involved wants to move protecting the paint and rebounding up in the importance equation a little at this point, and IF Holmes really is better at that stuff (I'm far from convinced he will be, consistently) maybe it's time for him to get some time.

[youzigizag]

It's pretty easy to see why Lively and Powell were playing ahead of Holmes, imo, just like it's pretty easy to see why the Mavs become interested in some of the bigs we talk about around here but seemingly have zero interest in some of the others.

For the Mavs to become interested:

1) the center must be a pick and roll player (Holmes qualifies here, but MANY of the names people fixate on do not). If they aren't SOME type of pick and roll big (rim runner, pick-n-pop spacer, SOMETHING) the Mavs won't look twice at them. That should be obvious by now.

2) The reason Holmes isn't viewed as favorably as Powell to start with, imo, is that Powell, like Lively, is a VERTICAL SPACER. That seems to be what the team believes is MOST necessary for their offensive system to work. Regardless of how much we each think Holmes does/does not have left, I think it's safe to say his vertical spacing days are over. I have a pretty confident feeling that the centers started the season in the order LUKA preferred, not just the coaches, and that VERTICAL SPACING was the crux of what formed the ranking.

EDIT: Having said the above, it's possible that everyone involved wants to move protecting the paint and rebounding up in the importance equation a little at this point, and IF Holmes really is better at that stuff (I'm far from convinced he will be, consistently) maybe it's time for him to get some time.

Not another issue with Luka.  Say it isnt so.

Dude...genuinely not trying to be negative.   You know who my last username was now...so dont hold this against me.

But damn it seems hard to put a team around Luka.   Its like you have to find these niche, needle in haystack players.

Love the guy.   Best Offensive player ever, imo...but I think I tell Luka that we need rebounding and paint protection over his wants.   Hes so good he can still produce on offense without Powell.  But...we cant rebound and rim protect with Powell.

I dont know.   Im ornery with how difficult the roster building for this team seems to be and it seems to mostly revolve around Luka's offensive wants and his lack of defense in regular season.   For the Record...I think Luka is really good at defense...he just only shows it in Playoffs.   But we still approach the roster building as needing to find guys that fit defensively for Luka.

It just gets frustrating.

[KillerLeft]

Not another issue with Luka.  Say it isnt so.

Dude...genuinely not trying to be negative.   You know who my last username was now...so dont hold this against me.

But damn it seems hard to put a team around Luka.   Its like you have to find these niche, needle in haystack players.

Love the guy.   Best Offensive player ever, imo...but I think I tell Luka that we need rebounding and paint protection over his wants.   Hes so good he can still produce on offense without Powell.  But...we cant rebound and rim protect with Powell.

I dont know.   Im ornery with how difficult the roster building for this team seems to be and it seems to mostly revolve around Luka's offensive wants and his lack of defense in regular season.   For the Record...I think Luka is really good at defense...he just only shows it in Playoffs.   But we still approach the roster building as needing to find guys that fit defensively for Luka.

It just gets frustrating.

It's not a Luka thing, it's a "we're built around a pick and roll ball handler" thing. 

Could be Trae Young, prime Harden, Halliburton...so many others.

---

Dude...genuinely not trying to be negative.   You know who my last username was now...so dont hold this against me.

Nobody has ever been or will ever be banned for "being negative." 

You were banned for attacking other posters needlessly and aggressively. That's pretty much the only thing you can't do around here, besides the obvious things you can't do anywhere.

[mvossman]

Powell is 2” taller but a 3” shorter standing reach to Holmes. That’s a big part of the problem.

Where are you pulling those numbers from?  Basketball reference has both at 6' 10" but doesn't provide standing reach or wingspan.