2020-2021 ROSTER TALK: Archived

[dirkfansince1998]

I'm not ready to give up on DP/KP as starters just because Powell had a great night with KP out.  Powell is the best perimeter defender and has the best team defense numbers of any of the alternatives.  We know DFS at PF is MUCH less effective defensively than DFS at SF (D-Rating is 10 points better at 106 when DFS is at SF).  When KP and Maxi are on the floor together, the D-Rating is 108.2 (and 100 in limited minutes with WCS).  The logical extension is KP/DP should be just as good defensively if not better.  And, this is backed up by the 500 minutes they played together last season with a D-Rating of 105.3

I think we can all agree that the team has a higher offensive ceiling with KP on the floor but personally I think the defensive ceiling is much higher without him.
Doesn´t even matter who replaces him as long as the Mavs aren´t going small (DFS, Green or Doncic playing PF).

Sample sizes without KP are really small but...

Powell-Melli: 88.2 D-Rating in 81 minutes
Powell-Kleber: 99.8 D-Rating in 249 minutes
WCS-Kleber: 101.9 D-Rating in 180 minutes

Without KP the Mavs can play a modern switch heavy defense. They can hide individual weaknesses on the perimeter with switches and rotations. This is a matter of scheme and coaching preferences.
Continue to build around KP as a more traditional rim protecting big. Play more drop defense in the pick and roll. Less switches. Less rotations. That approach would require some major upgrades on the perimeter. Not to mention that KP himself needs to get back to his pre injury level on defense.
Or move on and focus on the switch heavy scheme. Add fitting pieces that can offer both perimeter defense and rim protection.