Game 81: Detroit Pistons (13-67) vs. Dallas Mavericks (50-30)

[mvossman]

IF OMax can bring everything DJJ offers with better defense and shooting, then I'm not sure this team needs anything else at all. Really.

I could be wrong, but I feel like Omax is more suited to guarding big wings that DJJ, but maybe not as well suited to chase around guards.  If and when Omax gets up to rotation speed I seem him generally playing as a 4.  I think we still need a DJJ upgrade in the starting lineup with similar defense ability but more offensive game (if nothing else a better 3 point shot).

[fifteenth]

Clippers lost tonight.  Makes zero sense why we gave this game away

I think they weighed the benefits and probability of passing LAC against the benefits of rest and decided that the rest was more important.

[Scott41theMavs]

My feeling about this team is about the lack of a single sixth-man in the rotation who can score 17-20 PPG.  I actually like our rotation players, but it appears Hardaway is not that sixth-man type guy. The other players are fine, but none of them can score 15-20 PPG, and none have consistently showed up in the playoffs before.

I think there's going to be a lot of pressure on the Luca\Kyrie offense to get us deep.

Agree. 

If the Mavs hoist the Larry this year, it will be a combination of 1) staying healthy, and 2) Dante Exum stepping up and becoming That Guy.

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I think they weighed the benefits and probability of passing LAC against the benefits of rest and decided that the rest was more important.

Who had a tiebreaker?

If the Mavs had the tiebreaker, it was stupid to rest the stars. If the Clippers did, all is forgiven.

[ThisIStheYear]

IF OMax can bring everything DJJ offers with better defense and shooting, then I'm not sure this team needs anything else at all. Really.

I already feel more confident in Prosper as our end of the rotation player than I do Green. Mavs need to package Green, THJ, and Hardy plus picks this offseason for a final big move, plus maybe a small free agency move or resign of DJJ.

[SleepingHero]

Agree. 

If the Mavs hoist the Larry this year, it will be a combination of 1) staying healthy, and 2) Dante Exum stepping up and becoming That Guy.

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Who had a tiebreaker?

If the Mavs had the tiebreaker, it was stupid to rest the stars. If the Clippers did, all is forgiven.

Clippers had the tie breaker. Mavs had to win out while the Clips had to lose out in order for them to get the 4th seed.

I think rest is a bit more important vs starting the playoffs at home, but who knows? Mavs decided for us.

[myconsumerclub]

Clippers had the tie breaker. Mavs had to win out while the Clips had to lose out in order for them to get the 4th seed.

I think rest is a bit more important vs starting the playoffs at home, but who knows? Mavs decided for us.

Plus if OKC wins then we may play them in the 2nd instead of DEN or MIN and I think we wipe the floor with them at full strength so lets go with the flow rest our stars and let OKC get 1st.

[Mavs2021]

Plus if OKC wins then we may play them in the 2nd instead of DEN or MIN and I think we wipe the floor with them at full strength so lets go with the flow rest our stars and let OKC get 1st.

OKC is the team I´d be most confident about beating, followed by the Lakers (if they did not have the refs in their back pocket) and Suns. 

We have zero incentive to win this game and for the people that says it does not matter, you got to beat everybody. It does matter. It can literally decide championships.

Remember the We Believe Warriors. We could have avoided that 1st round match-up by beating them in the 2nd last regular season game, but we rested all our players. Lost by 30, finished the regular season 0-3 against them (20% of our total regular season losses) and the rest is history. They should have fought for their lives in that one regular season game. They win that one game, we have an excellent chance to win the title. As the Jazz proved in the next round, if we had avoided the Warriors in the 1st, somebody else would likely have taken care of them. Thexy were not that good, just a Nelliemare for us.

[Knutsen]

I could be wrong, but I feel like Omax is more suited to guarding big wings that DJJ, but maybe not as well suited to chase around guards.  If and when Omax gets up to rotation speed I seem him generally playing as a 4.  I think we still need a DJJ upgrade in the starting lineup with similar defense ability but more offensive game (if nothing else a better 3 point shot).

I‘m with you on that one. I see him more as a heir and potential upgrade to Kleber instead of chasing guards around full court like Jones does. DFS is also a fitting comparison from a defensive standpoint out of the Mavs universe I guess.

[Mavs2021]

I‘m with you on that one. I see him more as a heir and potential upgrade to Kleber instead of chasing guards around full court like Jones does. DFS is also a fitting comparison from a defensive standpoint out of the Mavs universe I guess.

In an ideal world Josh Green would be the one chasing around the opposing guards. He has the best physical tools on paper, but apparently he can´t do it.

[mvossman]

In an ideal world Josh Green would be the one chasing around the opposing guards. He has the best physical tools on paper, but apparently he can´t do it.

It’s been a real disappointment. His offensive timidness would be fine if he played better point of attack defense. He would be the perfect 5th starter.

[youzigizag]

I need to see Josh in these playoffs.

How do I know that Josh cant play POA? Earlier this year Kidd was being crucified and the team looked average...but not today.

What is Josh doing so bad at POA? He has the tools. I know critics say he navigates screens bad. Is that the main complaint? If so...hard to believe the kid isnt able to figure that out....its not rocket science. Hard to believe a kid that athletic and quick is having trouble chasing guards around the floor.

Does he cause too many fouls? What are his POA weaknesses? I feel there could be a bait and switch coming in the Playoffs. Maybe I am wrong on this one. I just dont really get it. He seems like a coachable kid.

[Scott41theMavs]

I need to see Josh in these playoffs.

How do I know that Josh cant play POA?  Earlier this year Kidd was being crucified and the team looked average...but not today.

What is Josh doing so bad at POA?  He has the tools.  I know critics say he navigates screens bad.  Is that the main complaint?  If so...hard to believe the kid isnt able to figure that out....its not rocket science.  Hard to believe a kid that athletic and quick is having trouble chasing guards around the floor.

Does he cause too many fouls?  What are his POA weaknesses?  I feel there could be a bait and switch coming in the Playoffs.  Maybe I am wrong on this one.  I just dont really get it.  He seems like a coachable kid.

I'm with you on all of this. I think that Kidd owes Green some film room work for the sake of the team. Also, he needs some psychological encouragement. Perhaps Kyrie could help him with that. I wonder how much of Green's struggles have to do with Luka's frustration level. Seems like JG has been his whipping boy for a while. As for his injury struggles, that seems to have more to do with style of play than a fragile body necessarily.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Green is who he is. He has the tools to be a very good wing defender, but he gets caught napping at times. And until he stops deferring to others and changes his mindset on offense to be more aggressive, I don't think his game improves much. JMO..

[Scott41theMavs]

Green is who he is. He has the tools to be a very good wing defender, but he gets caught napping at times. And until he stops deferring to others and changes his mindset on offense to be more aggressive, I don't think his game improves much. JMO..

Exum was who he was. Until he wasn't.

[DallasMaverick]

Exum was who he was. Until he wasn't.

And Kyrie was who he was. Until he wasn’t.

And Kidd was who he was. Until he wasn’t.

And Cuban was who he was. Until he wasn’t.

People do change.

[Scott41theMavs]

And Cuban was who he was. Until he wasn’t.

Yeah, Cuban was a good owner for the Mavs until the summer of 2011.

As for Kidd, let's see his in-game adjustments against the Clippers. If he performs above Rivers level - a low bar indeed - I will put on my bib for the crow plate.