Mavs 99, Clippers 109

[Dahlsim]

Luka said after the game that the loss was on him —he took too many “terrible shots,” “didn’t score,” and “lost too many balls.” 

Mostly, Luka is right here.  He's 9/23 and his #2 has been shooting well.  Need to feature the guy with hot hand.

[HanspardShowerVoice]

Is shooting 27% on wide open 3s bad?   Especially when you're playing with one of the best ball distributors who draws the most defensive attention in the league? 

[mavsluvr]

What you can’t say after last night is that the Mavericks didn’t play hard. They wanted it. More consistent efforts like that one and they’ll improve pretty quickly, imo.

There are surely still ways this group can improve -- better chemistry, KP solidifying his defensive role and maybe finding better ways to use him offensively, some of the bad three-point shooters regressing to the mean, consistently playing hard, etc. 


But I really wonder if they don't hit a hard ceiling with this roster by the end of the season. 

One example. If you're going to be an elite team, you can't have your 3-and-D guys out there turning the ball over. But when you're very short on playmaking, you end up with guys like Kleber and Doe-Doe trying to dribble and make ambitious passes, resulting in turnovers, scrambled plays and poor shots. Not to pick on them, but the high-level teams are featuring the likes of LeBron, Kawhi, Durant, Butler, Davis, etc., in the front court, while the Mavs are trying to compete starting DFS and Maxi. 

That's just an example. We could go on with them, but the point is that the Clippers exposed holes in the roster that may not be fillable with the current personnel, no matter how much want-to they exhibit. Not sure whether you are saying something different, or not. I would love to be wrong.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Only way the Mavs improve is getting more consistency on offense from as Shaq says "the Others"  Luka and KP carry the load 85% of the time.  THJ is the only other somewhat consistent help. From time to time, it's Brunson, Maxi, DFS (DoDo doesn't score dbl figures very much) and JRich. Burke seems to be out the rotation ATM.   Clippers had 10 players in double figures, not to say that happens every night either.  Ball movement is key to getting everyone involved whether the shots are falling or not.

[KillerLeft]

That's just an example. We could go on with them, but the point is that the Clippers exposed holes in the roster that may not be fillable with the current personnel, no matter how much want-to they exhibit. Not sure whether you are saying something different, or not. I would love to be wrong.

I think both of the following points are true:

1) The current Mavericks team has underachieved this season, for a variety of reasons, and is just now starting to look like the team we hoped to see at the beginning of the year. They have room for improvement, and are only just now to the point where that improvement can begin, finally.

2) if the goal is true contention, as in being favored in playoff matchups against the Clippers or other heavyweights, roster changes are needed. Better talent and more experience at the top and with the role players as well.

I don’t see those as conflicting views.

[mavsluvr]

I think both of the following points are true:

1) The current Mavericks team has underachieved this season, for a variety of reasons, and is just now starting to look like the team we hoped to see at the beginning of the year. They have room to for improvement, and are only just now to the point where that improvement can begin, finally.

2) if the goal is true contention, as in being favored in playoff matchups against the Clippers or other heavyweights, roster changes are needed. Better talent and more experience at the top and with the role players as well.

I don’t see those as conflicting views.

Thanks for the clarification. I believe we are on the same page. (I was sort of hoping you would convince me that they could contend as is, lol.)

[F Gump]

Getting AG to upgrade Maxi and OPJ to upgrade DFS would be a great TDL.

I wonder what that would look like, in one or two trades that are salary matched, each team doesn't end up with too many players to fit into their 15, and everyone gets the feeling they won.

[SleepingHero]

Mostly, Luka is right here.  He's 9/23 and his #2 has been shooting well.  Need to feature the guy with hot hand.

There was a moment in the 2nd quarter, from 5:05 to 2:00 mins left, where Luka sat and it was just KP featured. Guess how many times KP touched the ball on the offensive end. Not shoot. Touch.

Was your answer 3? Because it's 3. KP touched it 3 times in 3 minutes. 2 of those touches coming off of hand offs in the PnR. He got 1 shot attempt which he scored. Is KP not our 2nd option? 

We give KP a lot of crap for not meeting expectations, but often the team does not find him.  Even if he's scorching hot.

[ThisIStheYear]

Smaller, weaker, slower . . .yes.  But equally skilled. The Mavs played a good game, losing to a better team. They lost for the same reason they lose a lot of games - pounded on the glass. The rebounding has to get better.

[omahen]

There was a moment in the 2nd quarter, from 5:05 to 2:00 mins left, where Luka sat and it was just KP featured. Guess how many times KP touched the ball on the offensive end. Not shoot. Touch.

Was your answer 3? Because it's 3. KP touched it 3 times in 3 minutes. 2 of those touches coming off of hand offs in the PnR. He got 1 shot attempt which he scored. Is KP not our 2nd option? 

We give KP a lot of crap for not meeting expectations, but often the team does not find him.  Even if he's scorching hot.

Very good observation, I also noticed that. And KP was posting up against smaller wings all the time, but there was always Mavs guy in the way at the corner three, basically preventing a pass to KP. Because that defender can easily afford to go a step away from the corner guy to prevent KP pass as the corner guy needs way more space than that to shoot it. They just don't know hot to clear space for the ball to go inside. That's why we need better starters. 

I just don't understand all "Kleber is our fourth (or even third) best player" stuff being thrown around here. He is so extremely limited on offense... He managed 4 shots in 35 minutes and scored 1. DFS is in the same category, only his shooting percentage is worse. They are no where near so elite on defense that it would compensate for the offensive inability. 

Clippers game was great as it was played at playoff level intensity, shooting was good yet we still lost. It really exposed true weaknesses. DFS was actually ok in last playoffs, but Maxi was same zero on offense as this game (excuse was broken finger). I am not ready to quit on JRich, I need a bigger sample. I expect he will be number three guy in playoffs.

[mavsluvr]

Smaller, weaker, slower . . .yes.  But equally skilled. The Mavs played a good game, losing to a better team. They lost for the same reason they lose a lot of games - pounded on the glass. The rebounding has to get better.

Rebounding is definitely an issue for this team -- partly effort-related, but also exacerbated when they play small. 

Stein said in his live chat on Sunday that the Mavs' front office thought they had one of the top four rosters in the West. If they think Josh, Doe-Doe, and Maxi are equally as skilled as Paul George, Kawhi, and even Zubac/Morris, there is no hope for improving this team. I assume they were just dishing out PR, but yikes, what if they really believe that?

[Kammrath]

Stein said in his live chat on Sunday that the Mavs' front office thought they had one of the top four rosters in the West.

[Chicagojk]

Rebounding is definitely an issue for this team -- partly effort-related, but also exacerbated when they play small. 

Stein said in his live chat on Sunday that the Mavs' front office thought they had one of the top four rosters in the West. If they think Josh, Doe-Doe, and Maxi are equally as skilled as Paul George, Kawhi, and even Zubac/Morris, there is no hope for improving this team. I assume they were just dishing out PR, but yikes, what if they really believe that?

I really don't think that is a bad take.   You win with stars in the NBA.   Even with a flawed roster, they still could wind up with as a top 4 best team if Luka and KP are healthy heading into the playoffs.

The issue is there were about 7 teams who legit could say they were one of the top 4 teams in the West.   Utah, PHX and Portland have taken advantage this year.   But that is not to say the same will be true by the end of this season or if you played the season over again.    Mavs clearly have some work to do to get to a yearly contender, but I don't think expecting a top 4 team in the west heading into the season was a bad take.

[mavsluvr]

I really don't think that is a bad take.   You win with stars in the NBA.   Even with a flawed roster, they still could wind up with as a top 4 best team if Luka and KP are healthy heading into the playoffs.

The issue is there were about 7 teams who legit could say they were one of the top 4 teams in the West.   Utah, PHX and Portland have taken advantage this year.   But that is not to say the same will be true by the end of this season or if you played the season over again.    Mavs clearly have some work to do to get to a yearly contender, but I don't think expecting a top 4 team in the west heading into the season was a bad take.

They were said to have been very surprised that the roster didn't click as well as they had expected. Iirc, James Johnson was sold as an enforcer, and J Rich as an important playmaker and stopper. Both of which would have been optimistic takes, to say the least. 

Whatever they thought at the beginning of the season, we are where we are now. However, if they really thought or still think they have one of the best rosters in the West, that might provide some insight into the reasons for not making more moves. If they think they're set, why should they?

[Chicagojk]

They were said to have been very surprised that the roster didn't click as well as they had expected. Iirc, James Johnson was sold as an enforcer, and J Rich as an important playmaker and stopper. Both of which would have been optimistic takes, to say the least. 

Whatever they thought at the beginning of the season, we are where we are now. However, if they really thought or still think they have one of the best rosters in the West, that might provide some insight into the reasons for not making more moves. If they think they're set, why should they?

Yeah, I don't want to get into an argument because I agree they have probably been too optimistic about their roster and thought they are closer then they really are.  Although if Luka and KP play at their peak, they probably aren't far away.   

As far as moves go, I don't expect much besides a fringe move if one happens.  I will be disappointed if they move a rookie.  And besides that the Mavs really don't have many attractive assets.  With very few teams looking to blow things up and many teams looking to be buyers, I just don't see much out there.   Plus, big changes at the trade deadline are very tricky to incorporate into a team midseason.

[mavsluvr]

Yeah, I don't want to get into an argument because I agree they have probably been too optimistic about their roster and thought they are closer then they really are.  Although if Luka and KP play at their peak, they probably aren't far away.   

As far as moves go, I don't expect much besides a fringe move if one happens.  I will be disappointed if they move a rookie.  And besides that the Mavs really don't have many attractive assets.  With very few teams looking to blow things up and many teams looking to be buyers, I just don't see much out there.   Plus, big changes at the trade deadline are very tricky to incorporate into a team midseason.

If I came across antagonistic, that was not my intention. I tend to assume that the Mavs are at least as aware of the holes in their roster as we are, but now and then I hear some report that shocks me. I still think it is likely that they are just doing their "We love our boys in blue" routine. 

Agree that mid-season trades are difficult, although I don't think they should let that stop them if something good comes up. Also agree that nothing much, if anything, is to be expected at the TDL, and that the team shouldn't make a move just to look like they are doing something.