Mavs 124, Pacers 112

[KillerLeft]

The weight room might help some but I think the benefit wouldn’t be great.  KP has an ectomorph body and it’s super difficult to put on weight and muscle.  I don’t know what his weight routine is now but I think he looks pretty solid for that body type and as a fellow ectomorph I would give a left nut for his build.

I think his build is the absolute best thing about him. 

He's thinner and weaker than some other 7 footers, sure, but he's also MUCH faster, quicker and more agile than they are. I think these are really important qualities in today's game. Strength is great, don't get me wrong, but not at the expense of agility and flexibility - just look at Boban. Tough to imagine anyone stronger than him, and he's almost unplayable. 

What WCS needs is to UNDERSTAND the game better, imo, so he's reacting more instinctively out there instead of constantly trying to think about what to do next.

[RDB]

I think his build is the absolute best thing about him. 

He's thinner and weaker than some other 7 footers, sure, but he's also MUCH faster, quicker and more agile than they are. I think these are really important qualities in today's game. Strength is great, don't get me wrong, but not at the expense of agility and flexibility - just look at Boban. Tough to imagine anyone stronger than him, and he's almost unplayable. 

What WCS needs is to UNDERSTAND the game better, imo, so he's reacting more instinctively out there instead of constantly trying to think about what to do next.

As a fellow ectomorph I completely agree with both points.  I was just commenting on other's thoughts regarding the need to hit the weight room.  That said, I would still rather be a mesomorph like mavsluvr.  Those are the guys on the cover of Men's Fitness 

[burekemde]

I think his build is the absolute best thing about him. 

He's thinner and weaker than some other 7 footers, sure, but he's also MUCH faster, quicker and more agile than they are. I think these are really important qualities in today's game. Strength is great, don't get me wrong, but not at the expense of agility and flexibility - just look at Boban. Tough to imagine anyone stronger than him, and he's almost unplayable. 

What WCS needs is to UNDERSTAND the game better, imo, so he's reacting more instinctively out there instead of constantly trying to think about what to do next.

This is also a great point. And the thing about missing layups and easy dunks, let's hope that this will be fixed with more practice. If he fixes this and understands the team movement and plays better, he has enormous potential.

[mavsluvr]

That said, I would still rather be a mesomorph like mavsluvr. 

hahahahahaha


omg

I can't believe this is really a thing, lol

[mavsluvr]

More and more and more, I am liking the Luka and Brunson backcourt. Brunson is getting better off the ball. And he is exactly that playmaker some people here, including me, are wanting to have next to Luka. Last game he showed he can be that.  

That he is smaller and able to stay with some smaller more mobile PG's, is another advantage. Brunson has that natural feel for the game, that you just cant teach. He is a great player. And he is getting better and better and better. Slowly, but it's noticable. With players steadily improving, you just need to play them more and give them the chances to further improve, reach their ceiling. 

There are interesting lineups that could be made based on the Luka-Brunson backcourt. It also gives another playmaker out there whenever Luka is doubled. Something that THJ cant do the same manner as Brunson is able to do.

Agree that this presents intriguing possibilities. It was interesting to me that Luka played off the ball some when Brunson was in. Maybe not Luka's favorite thing, but another way of countering the Luka-centric defense.

[RDB]

hahahahahaha


omg

I can't believe this is really a thing, lol

https://giphy.com/gifs/WDn21GO1KmpNK/html5

[mavsluvr]

https://giphy.com/gifs/WDn21GO1KmpNK/html5

lololol

[ItsGoTime]

hahahahahaha


omg

I can't believe this is really a thing, lol

That's exactly the way a certain broadcaster would respond!

[fifteenth]

I love that we're learning so much more about mavsluvr this season!

[meistermatze]

Awesome win, this game was evry entertaining. It was also a great display of how our offense is best, when Luka does not need to score. It feels like Luka mostly has monster nights points wise when we lose. Shows that no one player in this league can win you games by himself on a consistent basis. I mean even LeBron always needed a second fiddle... same in San Francisco with Steph.

[mtrot]

The weight room might help some but I think the benefit wouldn’t be great.  KP has an ectomorph body and it’s super difficult to put on weight and muscle.  I don’t know what his weight routine is now but I think he looks pretty solid for that body type and as a fellow ectomorph I would give a left nut for his build.

My weight room suggestion was for WCS, not KP.

[KillerLeft]

My weight room suggestion was for WCS, not KP.

LOL!

I was talking about WCS, too, in my response. But honestly, they're pretty similar.

[omahen]

It was also a great display of how our offense is best, when Luka does not need to score.

Luka was doubled or trippled most of the time, he couldn't score more even though he wanted to. It is actually a bad sign that the others playing 4 on 3 or even 4 on 2 were not able to put this game away sooner. I thought offense was still very bad for at least two quarters. Numerous missed wide open shots. 

I don't know why the narrative of Mavs loosing when Luka scores is appearing on this board, you are not the first with this. Many factors contribute to correlation between Luka scoring and losing. For example: does Luka score more because others can't score or does he score more because he is not involving others? I guess the first case is more realistic. Take the game against Chicago - did Mavs lose because Luka was shooting too much or because others just couldn't buy a bucket? Would it really help if he shot less? He had 15 assists with others shooting 10 % from three. Last season he had most (32) attempts in an OT loss against Charlotte. Check who were the starters in that one - Barea, Jackson, Powell and DFS. Brunson from the bench was 1-5 and Wright had -10 net rating in 6 minutes. Basically everything depended on Luka. Than we have win against Houston (30 shots) and loss against OKC (29 shots). Starters in this game - Maxi, DFS, Powell and Brunson. You see the pattern? Perhaps he doesn't shoot more in the wins because he doesn't need to. Perhaps he shoots less in wins because he can go for only the easiest shots while teammates efficiently finish their shots.

Of course there are times Luka wants to do to much, loses the ball stupidly or shoots a not needed three pointer. There are some games with several mistakes of that kind. But I don't think this gives a lot of support to the "Mavs lose when Luka shoots more" narrative.

And of course - no one can win on his own. I am sure Luka is well aware of that.

[mavsluvr]

we're learning so much more about mavsluvr this season!

I wouldn't necessarily say that, hahaha.

[fifteenth]

I wouldn't necessarily say that, hahaha.

Remember when we went LARPing that one time?

[mavsluvr]

Remember when we went LARPing that one time?

hahaha, still laughing