Game 39: New York Knicks (22-15) vs Dallas Mavericks (22-16)

[Chicagojk]

Derrick Jones is working his butt off. Defending and had another huge dunk. His ability to create when defenses are scrambling is huge. He also looks like he is dealing with some nagging injuries.

The one concern is his shooting. He is getting wide open looks. He is down to 34% from three. I think that is sustainable with everything else he is doing. But he is at 25% over the last 10 games. Needs to be a mid 30's shooter. Last night, the Knicks were giving him the three when doubling Kyrie.

[Winter]

We spend way too much time on Green. The guy gets a solid "B" on his test paper and we have to have parent-teacher conference.

[KillerLeft]

Derrick Jones is working his butt off.  Defending and had another huge dunk.  His ability to create when defenses are scrambling is huge.  He also looks like he is dealing with some nagging injuries. 

The one concern is his shooting.  He is getting wide open looks.  He is down to 34% from three.  I think that is sustainable with everything else he is doing.  But he is at 25% over the last 10 games.  Needs to be a mid 30's shooter.  Last night, the Knicks were giving him the three when doubling Kyrie.

Absolutely right.

The team obviously needs what he brings to the table pretty desperately. However, there seems to be a misconception that the good things he does will somehow offset his inability to shoot, should that trend continue. That just isn’t true. You can’t have somebody out there who the other team doesn’t have to guard. The end, period.

Because I enjoy what DJJ brings to the table so much, I sincerely hope he starts hitting shots again. He doesn’t have to be Hardaway, but he has to hold a defender in place.

[dirkfansince1998]

Derrick Jones is working his butt off.  Defending and had another huge dunk.  His ability to create when defenses are scrambling is huge.  He also looks like he is dealing with some nagging injuries. 

The one concern is his shooting.  He is getting wide open looks.  He is down to 34% from three.  I think that is sustainable with everything else he is doing.  But he is at 25% over the last 10 games.  Needs to be a mid 30's shooter.  Last night, the Knicks were giving him the three when doubling Kyrie.

Was the same against the T'Wolves. Gobert playing off DJJ. Difficult to hide him on offense. Cannot even use him as a screener/outlet. Terrible pick and roll stats (only 0.68ppp) and not nearly as good of a decision maker as Powell in the short roll.

[Winter]

I think there are a lot of NBA players which play long minutes with a 32-33% 3-pt shot (PS being one of them). DJJ's recent history suggests that's probably where he will be at the end of the year. He does so much elsewhere (unlike, say, Reggie Bullock) with rebounds and defense, that I don't think he's yanked out of the lineup as easily as some other players might.

[omahen]

We spend way too much time on Green. The guy gets a solid "B" on his test paper and we have to have parent-teacher conference.

Personally I don't have any problem with Green. I don't believe he will ever realize all of his theoretic potential, but he is a decent player for his money. Has his ups and downs, but this is natural for players in his price range. I just react to opinions saying that we have a Luka problem with Green. I think Green is a proffessional and it is only on him to overcome his limitations. Especially as this is his fourth season already.

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Derrick Jones is working his butt off.  Defending and had another huge dunk.  His ability to create when defenses are scrambling is huge.  He also looks like he is dealing with some nagging injuries. 

The one concern is his shooting.  He is getting wide open looks.  He is down to 34% from three.  I think that is sustainable with everything else he is doing.  But he is at 25% over the last 10 games.  Needs to be a mid 30's shooter.  Last night, the Knicks were giving him the three when doubling Kyrie.

I think he is the best defender Mavs had in the Luka years. By far.

[mvossman]

I think he is the best defender Mavs had in the Luka years. By far.

I think Dorian was in the same class.  Not as quick, but bigger.  I would rather have Dorian guarding 4s and DJJ guarding 2s, but I think they have similar defensive impact.  I would not mind having both.

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I think there are a lot of NBA players which play long minutes with a 32-33% 3-pt shot (PS being one of them). DJJ's recent history suggests that's probably where he will be at the end of the year. He does so much elsewhere (unlike, say, Reggie Bullock) with rebounds and defense, that I don't think he's yanked out of the lineup as easily as some other players might.

I don't really think PS is a good comparison.  He can create his own shot and create for others.  I don't think you will see defenses ignoring him.  Its not that DJJ will not have value on the court, but there is a huge difference in his value if he is shooting 36% from 3 vs 32.

[surfpuckmd]

Absolutely right.

The team obviously needs what he brings to the table pretty desperately. However, there seems to be a misconception that the good things he does will somehow offset his inability to shoot, should that trend continue. That just isn’t true. You can’t have somebody out there who the other team doesn’t have to guard. The end, period.

Because I enjoy what DJJ brings to the table so much, I sincerely hope he starts hitting shots again. He doesn’t have to be Hardaway, but he has to hold a defender in place.

This is complicated.  I think he's still one of our better players despite the 3-point slump.  His defense and ability to finish at the rim and in transition are still giving us winning minutes.  I think he can maintain this in the regular season and especially in lineups without Luka.  He's been much better than Grant Williams because of all else he brings.  

In the playoffs though, DJJ will have to be able to hit 3 point shots when playing with Luka.  Otherwise, he's a liability. We'd have to restrict his minutes to when Luka sits.  I think the freneticism of the Kyrie, Hardy, Green and DJJ lineups allow DJJ to still thrive even when he's not hitting the 3.  That's only gonna be about 10 minutes though in a playoff series.

[Winter]

I don't really think PS is a good comparison.  He can create his own shot and create for others.  I don't think you will see defenses ignoring him.  Its not that DJJ will not have value on the court, but there is a huge difference in his value if he is shooting 36% from 3 vs 32.

I don't fully agree, but we can leave at that. I simply think that our most successful lineups include DJJ... and likely still do even if he's hitting 32%. If there is another starting lineup without DJJ that is better, I could be persuaded to change my mind.

[SleepingHero]

Considering that Green picked up Brunson full court all game long it might have been about energy. Cannot expect him to go at full speed on both ends for 30+ minutes.

Great first quarter. 11pts. Setting the tone on defense with his full court press against Brunson.
Only played six minutes in the second quarter. Missed two FTs.
Third quarter wasn't pretty. Couldn't do anything to slow down the Brunson/Randle pick and roll but that is obviously a team effort. Wouldn't be fair to single him out.
Emerged as a hero in in the late 4th quarter. Steal + clutch three.

Holding Brunson to 5/14 from the field as the primary defender. And that includes two layups in the last few seconds of the game when the Mavs just wanted to avoid a three.

[KillerLeft]

I don't fully agree, but we can leave at that. I simply think that our most successful lineups include DJJ... and likely still do even if he's hitting 32%. If there is another starting lineup without DJJ that is better, I could be persuaded to change my mind.

Both things can be true. 

I think DJJ has been one of the better players on the team this year. I think he's probably in their top 5, definitely their top 7. As currently constructed, the team must play him. 

AND, if he's in the playoff rotation, not having to be guarded, the Mavs will have a 0% chance of beating someone. You LITERALLY cannot win these days playing 4 on 5. It's the one, cardinal sin of team design that can't be overcome.

[Chicagojk]

I will say one thing about Jones. Even during his slump, he has shown very little hesitancy shooting threes. If he is open and in a good spot, he is taking the shot. So at least it doesn't appear to have hurt his confidence.

[KillerLeft]

I will say one thing about Jones.  Even during his slump, he has shown very little hesitancy shooting threes.  If he is open and in a good spot, he is taking the shot.  So at least it doesn't appear to have hurt his confidence.

That's true, and I hope it continues. The only thing worse than an unguarded guy missing open 3's is an unguarded guy who's too scared to take them.

[mvossman]

I don't fully agree, but we can leave at that. I simply think that our most successful lineups include DJJ... and likely still do even if he's hitting 32%. If there is another starting lineup without DJJ that is better, I could be persuaded to change my mind.

I am a DJJ fan (was before we signed him) but he has the worst net rating of any rotation player except Williams.  The eye test says he has been more valuable than that, but lineup data does not seem to be a strong argument in his favor.

[MFFL]

We spend way too much time on Green. The guy gets a solid "B" on his test paper and we have to have parent-teacher conference.

The teacher must suck on grading. The guy is averaging 7 points and under 3 rebounds a game and he's getting a B?

C+ work at best

[Winter]

The teacher must suck on grading. The guy is averaging 7 points and under 3 rebounds a game and he's getting a B?

C+ work at best

My grade was for just last night's homework. 

That said, it looked a little to me like Kyrie is mentoring him some. Maybe that works. I don't know. My guess is that the FO sees a starter kit in Green, but just can't figure out how to make it consistent. Another team could see something in him, and frankly I could see him benefitting in another system with other players.

But for the time being, I'm usually fine with his minutes and his play. I'm just not sure the Mavs will be able to unlock a starter. I think it's more likely he's traded eventually.

[Scott41theMavs]

The teacher must suck on grading. The guy is averaging 7 points and under 3 rebounds a game and he's getting a B?

C+ work at best

They were referring to yesterday evening. You know, a game is like a test. Averages are like grades over the course of a semester. The issue is the game - why jump on Josh when he did well in this game?

[MFFL]

They were referring to yesterday evening. You know, a game is like a test. Averages are like grades over the course of a semester. The issue is the game - why jump on Josh when he did well in this game?

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

We spend way too much time on Green. The guy gets a solid "B" on his test paper and we have to have parent-teacher conference.

never mind