09-12-2020, 03:24 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-12-2020, 03:33 PM by KillerLeft.)
I don't think Carlisle WANTS Luka's usage to be so high, it's just that he didn't have any choice.
On the roster, the only two alternatives were Barea and Brunson, both of whom were hurt for long stretches. I was actually pretty shocked that he didn't try to force Barea in more during the bubble, so I guess that means that dude really is about done. We know Carlisle is a fan.
Brunson is actually promising as a backup, but he's not great at playing with Luka, so he's not an ideal fit, perhaps. You don't want to be locked into playing Luka off ball for 5 minutes at a time, either. The goal is to have options, so a player who can only play on ball is just as ill-fitting as one who can only play off.
Curry and THJ are both worthless initiators. They're almost exclusively off ball players. Good ones, and both CAN handle and create for themselves, but they're not solutions as even secondary playmakers, really.
Carlisle gave Wright 100 chances to play point guard this season. Way more than I would have. He failed every time. Many of those frustrating losses before the lockdown were due, in my opinion, to long stretches of the game where Wright was initiating and the offense just looked clueless. I think they REALLY wanted this to work out, not only because they needed a second playmaker, but also because they wanted Wright's defense to have a spot in the rotation. Sadly, it did not work out.
All of this is to illustrate that Luka's insanely high usage is not by design. It was necessity. Like, the only way they could win. This is why Trey Burke got the playoff minutes he got (thank God for him!) This is why they targeted Kemba Walker, and that is why they'll target someone else like that this year. It's going to make everyone groan again, but it IS a need, and possibly the biggest one.
I think this is right on point. You said it much more succinctly than I did, so sorry I missed it. The only part of this that's "in the past" in my opinion is that I don't think we can go back to a world in which Luka isn't the PRIMARY ball handler. But yes, absolutely, they will want another one.
On the roster, the only two alternatives were Barea and Brunson, both of whom were hurt for long stretches. I was actually pretty shocked that he didn't try to force Barea in more during the bubble, so I guess that means that dude really is about done. We know Carlisle is a fan.
Brunson is actually promising as a backup, but he's not great at playing with Luka, so he's not an ideal fit, perhaps. You don't want to be locked into playing Luka off ball for 5 minutes at a time, either. The goal is to have options, so a player who can only play on ball is just as ill-fitting as one who can only play off.
Curry and THJ are both worthless initiators. They're almost exclusively off ball players. Good ones, and both CAN handle and create for themselves, but they're not solutions as even secondary playmakers, really.
Carlisle gave Wright 100 chances to play point guard this season. Way more than I would have. He failed every time. Many of those frustrating losses before the lockdown were due, in my opinion, to long stretches of the game where Wright was initiating and the offense just looked clueless. I think they REALLY wanted this to work out, not only because they needed a second playmaker, but also because they wanted Wright's defense to have a spot in the rotation. Sadly, it did not work out.
All of this is to illustrate that Luka's insanely high usage is not by design. It was necessity. Like, the only way they could win. This is why Trey Burke got the playoff minutes he got (thank God for him!) This is why they targeted Kemba Walker, and that is why they'll target someone else like that this year. It's going to make everyone groan again, but it IS a need, and possibly the biggest one.
(09-12-2020, 03:12 PM)khaled1987 Wrote: This is a bit off point, and I might be living in the past, but Luka build his FIBA legacy as 2nd ball handler, behind guys like Dragic or Sergio Llull, Mavs wanted to have a PG beside him. Tried it with DSJ, Wright and attempt to do so with Kemba. I think it is something the Mavs wants but failed to do. Though that s a bit irrelevant to Demar argument
I think this is right on point. You said it much more succinctly than I did, so sorry I missed it. The only part of this that's "in the past" in my opinion is that I don't think we can go back to a world in which Luka isn't the PRIMARY ball handler. But yes, absolutely, they will want another one.