09-22-2020, 02:02 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-22-2020, 02:16 PM by KillerLeft.)
(09-22-2020, 01:50 PM)Jason Terry Wrote: I guess my real point is: why is anything offensive related a top priority for us at all? I get that anyone we bring in needs to be able to shoot, but how do we need something “desperately” when we were the highest rated offensive team of all time?
Defense needs to be improved, for sure. The offense is farther along than the defense, for sure.
It's not "either/or" though.
Yes, they had a statistically great offensive system. Do you truly think they had the best offense in the league, in a practical, last five minutes of the game against a good team sort of way? I don't. I think the offensive limitations had every bit as much to do with their close game woes as the defensive limitations.
These great teams who are making it deep into the playoffs all have MULTIPLE players on the floor who can create shots for themselves or others. KP is GREAT, but he's not going to create for others like Jokic does, for example. At least, not in the system the Mavs are building.
They wanted Kemba Walker. We know that. After watching how Carlisle sent Burke right to the front of the minutes line against the Clippers, and watching how much better that made the team play, I finally get WHY they wanted Kemba Walker. I see and understand the vision they had, which, again, I've admitted I was skeptical of at the time.
To be fair, I don't think this player HAS to be a guard. But, they literally only had Brunson and Barea on the roster as possibilities to provide this all season. I think we can assume, because of the Kemba bid, that they thought this was a problem, and personally I still assume they feel this way.
Exactly what @"Scott41theMavs" said. I agree.
When you get to the playoffs, the good teams can double or trap in ways where the first correct pass won't find an open shooter. So, you need a situation wherein Luka's pass can be more of a hockey assist. But, if the first pass finds a player who can't take the action needed to exploit the defense, your offense is going to hit a brick wall, at some point.
This, essentially, is what sunk Houston and Milwaukee. I do not want to go down that path, personally.
@"Scott41theMavs" I'm right there with your thinking on this, but I'll push back on Curry. I think he's special in some ways, and I agree that he can floor the ball and create for himself surprisingly well. Better than Burke. But, I don't see him as the type who can do that while simultaneously looking for ways to set up OTHER players.