04-08-2021, 09:42 AM
Something needs to improve. There chemistry is not good and you can see they really have very little joy playing together. Hopefully this is more of a Embid/Simmons issue where last year the common thought was they couldn't excel together. Both were gifted players but weren't able to combine their powers into a super power. I guess Philly will still be measured in the playoffs and that is TBD. Although the results this year appear much better than last year. Hopefully KP and Luka can have a similar growth and not be like Kobe and Shaq ending(sans the titles). I still believe KP here (and healthy, big if) is the quickest, best way to be a championship team.
As for my take, I really dislike the lack of ball movement. I really envisioned the 2020 Mavs would play like the Spurs or the 2011 Mavs or the championship Warriors teams. Where they got good shots on most possessions and the ball would move all over the court. Luka is so good that they can win with this style of offense, I just prefer the ball movement offense to the iso Harden Rocket offense. I don't believe this type of offense, despite Luka's greatness, is a way to win a championship either.
I think blame lies with several people. KP, Luka, front office, coaching staff. Luka plays his game and typically makes the right play. Although, I just have the feeling he treats KP like DFS (or others). As in, if he creates and they are open, he will make the right play. I would like to see him view KP closer to an equal. In that, he thinks it is responsibility to create good looks for KP, give him more touches when he is hot, and when he is cold looks for ways to get him easy baskets. Let him touch the ball more, even it is a give and go or reversing the ball. If you consider yourself elite, you want to touch the ball more. The DFS types can deal with not getting a lot of touches besides open jumpers, guys who think they are elite want to be involved.
As for my take, I really dislike the lack of ball movement. I really envisioned the 2020 Mavs would play like the Spurs or the 2011 Mavs or the championship Warriors teams. Where they got good shots on most possessions and the ball would move all over the court. Luka is so good that they can win with this style of offense, I just prefer the ball movement offense to the iso Harden Rocket offense. I don't believe this type of offense, despite Luka's greatness, is a way to win a championship either.
I think blame lies with several people. KP, Luka, front office, coaching staff. Luka plays his game and typically makes the right play. Although, I just have the feeling he treats KP like DFS (or others). As in, if he creates and they are open, he will make the right play. I would like to see him view KP closer to an equal. In that, he thinks it is responsibility to create good looks for KP, give him more touches when he is hot, and when he is cold looks for ways to get him easy baskets. Let him touch the ball more, even it is a give and go or reversing the ball. If you consider yourself elite, you want to touch the ball more. The DFS types can deal with not getting a lot of touches besides open jumpers, guys who think they are elite want to be involved.