Mavs 107, Kings 121

[mavsluvr]

MAVS BLOWN OUT BY KINGS AT AAC
FIFTH LOSS IN SEVEN GAMES

Unbelievable. What in the hay-o is wrong with the Mavericks?


GAME STORY

The Kings came in as a desperate team, having lost 9 straight games and missing 4 players in Bagley, Guy, Holmes, and Woodard. 

The Mavericks came out flat, and found themselves down 12 with 4:50 left in the first. They had a good run to close the quarter, and were behind only 2 after one, despite managing to score only 20 points. 

After tying the game within the first three minutes of the second, the home team Mavs were soon trailing by double digits again. They drew within 5 with 4:14 left in the period, but surrendered a 20-8 run to Sac, and went into halftime with a 50-67 deficit. The Kings had 45 points in the quarter. 

The disadvantage swelled to 21 five minutes into the third. A unit minus Luka and KP had a 15-2 run to bring the team within 8. But Dallas could not sustain, and ended the frame down 77-87.

The Mavs put up 30 points in the fourth, but could never get any defensive traction, and never drew closer than six. The Kings closed the game on a 12-4 run. 


STATISTICS

The shooting stats tell much of the story. Sac was 51% from two, 46% from three, and 88% from the line. Mavs were 47% inside the arc, 33% outside, and 65% on free throw attempts. The Mavs had 24 more 3PTAs than the Kings, but their poor shooting resulted in an advantage of only five made threes. Point differentials were -20 from points on twos, +15 on points from threes, and -9 on made free throws. Barf. 

Ball movement stalled, and only 15 of the Mavs’ 39 made baskets were assisted. Sac had a 56-42 advantage in points in the paint. The Mavs lost 16 points on 14 turnovers, and the Kings had an appalling 25-4 lead in fast break points. The defense was hardly worthy of the word, with the Kings blowing by the Mavericks right and left. A real beatdown by an unlikely opponent. 


PLAYERS

DFS. The team wasted a wonderful offensive night by Doe-Doe, who had his second-highest scoring game of the season, with 22 points on 8-11 shooting. He was one of the only Mavs to display energy and intensity from the first to the last, but could do little to stop the Kings.  After the game, he put all the blame on the players, saying that there is nothing Coach can do, and the guys on the court need to look at themselves in the mirror, and start playing with inspiration and gratitude.


BRUNSON. Jalen was the team’s other bright spot, with 20 points on 8-10 shooting in 31 minutes as sixth man. After a rough couple of games before this one, it was good to see the young point guard have an excellent bounce-back evening. Twelve of his points came in the second half, as he was one of the only Mavs who took advantage of the Kings’ poor interior defense.

PORZINGIS. It was a terrible night for KP, who was 3-14 from the field for 9 points, although he did grab 11 rebounds in a team-high 37 minutes. ALL of his nine points came in the first quarter, as he took only 6 shots in the last three periods, completing none of them. Dang! He had a technical foul for a “fake fight,” per Skin, with Moe Harkless, giving Moe a two-armed shove. Both players were assessed T’s. His "defense" was ineffectual, with the Kings blowing by him all night. 

DONCIC. Luka’s line looked good at 37/8/4, with 3 blocks and a steal, but it was mostly a subpar night for the youngster, by his own stratospheric standards, of course. He had 22 points in the fourth quarter, as he went into full hero mode in an attempt to salvage the contest. Over the full game, he was 14-27 from the field, 4-13 from deep, and 5-10 from the stripe, and the team was -20 when he was on the court. He drew a technical foul in the fourth, and spent much of the contest jawing at the refs. After the game, he allowed that the team needs to play “way harder,” but did not know why their energy has fallen off nor how they can get it back, saying only that it will have to start with him. 

STARTERS.  It was a game to forget for J Rich and Maxi. Richardson was 3-9 from the floor, had a pathetic 7/2/1 line with 2 turnovers, and accomplished little on the defensive end. Rick played him 4 minutes in the final frame, and he recorded no stats in that time. Maxi did not score, had only 3 rebounds, and played only 21 minutes, as he was called for his fourth foul late in the third quarter and played only 2 minutes of the fourth. 

BENCH. Hardaway picked a bad night to go 2-10 from the floor and have 2 turnovers. Powell was energetic, but did not score in 17 minutes — indeed, took only one shot. WCS, Redick, and Melli had brief cameos, and combined for 4 points. 

KINGS. The lowly visitors looked like world-beaters against the Mavs. D’AAron Fox embarrassed the Mavs with 30 points and 12 assists, and lived in the paint all night. Former Mav Harrison Barnes laid 24 points on the home team on 9-14 shooting. Terence Davis threw flames off the bench to the tune of 23 points, going 9-12 from the floor and 5-5 from three-point land. Even old friend Delon Wright had 13 as a reserve.The Kings won the bench battle 45-32. 


OBSERVATIONS

Carlisle deemed his team’s effort a poor performance from the first. He believes that the Mavs must start games stronger, and thinks this contest brought the squad’s mentality issues into sharp focus. He agreed that lack of urgency is a problem, and warned that every NBA team must be taken seriously. Against a very physical, switching team like Sacramento, the Mavericks needed to get stops and get out in transition, and they failed to do so. 

The Mavs' lackluster effort resulted in their digging themselves into a deep hole. They tried to climb out of it with a lot of one-on-one ball, which in turn had the effect of players like KP and THJ not getting many good looks. Harp criticized the boys for a lack of maturity, perhaps taking the Kings for granted, waiting too long to start bringing it, and then having to go into counterproductive desperation mode. 

I was very disappointed and tbh, somewhat shell-shocked by this loss. After their turkey against the Knicks, I expected them to come back with intensity, and it was bewildering to see them drag-assing around for so much of the game. Many of their shots missed short, and maybe they are just exhausted, and perhaps playing with undisclosed knocks. A health person on Twitter has noted, for example, that Luka’s knee has been taped up in a pattern that would be expected for a player with a certain type of painful injury. 

I just don’t know. Does anyone have an explanation for the unexpected deterioration during this seven-game stretch?

The Mavs face Detroit on Wednesday. On paper, it ought to be a win, but they’re going to have to be better than this to bring it home. 

[ThisIStheYear]

Slow starts due to mental focus and lack of urgency. LOL!  Enough with the ridiculous pop psychology. Change the players.  Time for Maxi and especially JRich to ride the pine. It’s Brunson’s turn. And maybe give Powell a shot too.

[Omega_Supreme]

Slow starts due to mental focus and lack of urgency. LOL!  Enough with the ridiculous pop psychology. Change the players.  Time for Maxi and especially JRich to ride the pine. It’s Brunson’s turn. And maybe give Powell a shot too.

I thought the slow starts were due to force feeding KP intentionally. The offense is not free flowing, guys seem to be intentionally deferring to KP.

---

Time to move Richardson to the bench and start Brunson

[DanSchwartzgan]

For the entire season up until now we've seen KP/Powell together a total of 17 minutes.  Tonight, out of the blue, we saw 11:33 of it.  Team was +1 during those KP as PF minutes though it is hard to read much into it as Luka was squeezing off a shot a minute during that time.  The big 15-2 run came in the 3 1/2 minutes prior to KP checking back.  The players on the floor for that run were Powell, Brunson and THJ in with starters Maxi and DFS and the ball was moving during that stretch.  

It is a very unusual way for the rotation to work.  Desperation move by Carlisle?  Or just foul trouble for Maxi and rewarding Powell's energy when KP came back in?  BTW, what did Willie do wrong in his floor time.  I thought we were going to see a Good-Willie game tonight  

Speaking of Bigs, something isn't right with Maxi.  You can typically count on him to be a net positive, but starting with the Indy loss he's put up -9, -10, -9, -5, +25, DNP, -3, DNP, +13, DNP, -3, -2, -7, +6.  He's shooting .35% from the field in that time.  Playing hurt?

The starters were trash tonight.  Horrid start to Q-1 and bad end to Q-2 (Brunson was in for Maxi, but mostly starters).  Then, no better to start the 3rd.  Something happened after that five game winning streak starting with the Houston loss.  2-5 during that time and we trailed Memphis in one of those wins the entire game until we didn't.  Feels like we are just going through the motions right now...like a chunk of the team knows they won't be here much longer.

[Kammrath]

BTW, what did Willie do wrong in his floor time.

Absolutely nothing.

But I have come to accept the fact that 75% of the time a player getting playing time for RC has NOTHING to do with what they personally do good or bad during a game.

[ClutchDirk]

Another stellar performance for no fault Maxi again...

[Dahlsim]

Absolutely nothing.

But I have come to accept the fact that 75% of the time a player getting playing time for RC has NOTHING to do with what they personally do good or bad during a game.

Acceptance.  Well put.  Watching the Post championship era Mavs I think I've went thru the Kubler-Ross 5 stages following the quick death of the championship Dallas Mavericks era.  What a brief reign it was quickly moving into mediocrity, in its best years. 

For Coach Carlisle playing time game to game seems to be matchup driven, particularly when it comes to the front line, especially pivoting around the center position. 
For a long time, no matter how good a game a center would have, even spectacular, it was quite possible he would get little minutes the very next game or two down the line.  Sometimes the 5 spot in the rotation could go from a big game right into a DNP-CD.  

Evidently it's mainly about the defensive matchups from game to game as Coach Carlisle perceives it.  

Pre-injury Dwight Powell looked like he might be the first center I can remember since Tyson Chandler, that Rick Carlisle might actually trust for solid minutes from game to game without Matchup Mystery Minutes resulting in head scratching changes from game to game. 

Acceptance. 

[Dahlsim]

I just don’t know. Does anyone have an explanation for the unexpected deterioration during this seven-game stretch. 

In addition to a few excellent observations made already in this thread such as the bell weather of Maxi's performance, I also have noted that the head of the snake himself looks like he's worn down, maybe a even a little beat up physically, even emotionally. 

Luka looks like he's looking for answers on the floor, score more, pass more, defend more?  He's clearly not accepting losing so he might be going thru some Kubler-Ross of his own.  If Luka's not leading the way with other-worldly games, this team hasn't been even playoff quality. 

Luka without great front play and protection from the center position concerns me.  He looks like he's often trying to provide the inside offense at the rim, the outside marksman ship from the 3 the passing game AND the defensive stopper role when that's not being handled enough, which is way too much for even a super young body in the NBA to do game after game for high minutes. 

Luka looks at times like an OLD 22 year old half-limping almost, out there carrying 2 much load for too many minutes.  

Then there's KP, who shows sign of rounding back into his Unicorn abilities offensively but defensively, maybe its too much for him to also be the high block rim protector and rebounder too.  Can his wiry frame and legs hold up inside for so long as a 5 while still lighting it up on the other end for big points?  

There also seems to be some sense that while he's playing his role and position, he might not really be bought in to his role? 

Signs of physical and maybe corresponding energy depletion from the key drivers.

[Mavs2021]

In addition to a few excellent observations made already in this thread such as the bell weather of Maxi's performance, I also have noted that the head of the snake himself looks like he's worn down, maybe a even a little beat up physically, even emotionally. 

Luka looks like he's looking for answers on the floor, score more, pass more, defend more?  He's clearly not accepting losing so he might be going thru some Kubler-Ross of his own.  If Luka's not leading the way with other-worldly games, this team hasn't been even playoff quality. 

Luka without great front play and protection from the center position concerns me.  He looks like he's often trying to provide the inside offense at the rim, the outside marksman ship from the 3 the passing game AND the defensive stopper role when that's not being handled enough, which is way too much for even a super young body in the NBA to do game after game for high minutes. 

Luka looks at times like an OLD 22 year old half-limping almost, out there carrying 2 much load for too many minutes.  

Then there's KP, who shows sign of rounding back into his Unicorn abilities offensively but defensively, maybe its too much for him to also be the high block rim protector and rebounder too.  Can his wiry frame and legs hold up inside for so long as a 5 while still lighting it up on the other end for big points?  

There also seems to be some sense that while he's playing his role and position, he might not really be bought in to his role? 

Signs of physical and maybe corresponding energy depletion from the key drivers.

Spot on. Luka is drained physically and mentally from carrying this shitshow every night. He tried the pass first approach in recent games, because it is less physically stressful and the result was he had 12 assists and the team was down 20. The guy has to work his butt off every night to create open looks, cause nobody else can dribble twice and pass without falling over their own feet or throwing the ball away. 

I can´t believe people are starting to blame him for all of this, when Carlisle, Donnie and Cuban have produced an endless pile of shit for the last decade. 

Here is a shocking stat:

Total minutes played amongst 2021 rookies:

38. Josh Green
66. Tyrell Terry
70. Nate Hinton
72. Tyler Bey

You want this translated into more sadness: If you combined the minutes of all our four rookies, they´d rank 32nd in total minutes!! That´s with 85-100% health availability (depending on whether Terry really has a physical problem/family emergency or just wants the f*** out).

[mavsluvr]

I thought the slow starts were due to force feeding KP intentionally. The offense is not free flowing, guys seem to be intentionally deferring to KP.

I have noticed that, as well. When it is successful in getting KP going early, it actually seems to work pretty well. But when it doesn't, as in last night's game, yikes!

[TXBamanut]

I have noticed that, as well. When it is successful in getting KP going early, it actually seems to work pretty well. But when it doesn't, as in last night's game, yikes!

But last night was also a perfect example of why you can't stop working him into the offense like they did last night.

In the first half,
KP was 3 for 10
Luka was 3 for 11

Then Luka started the hero ball and shot his was out of it, which he is allowed to do...they just stopped going to KP, and you get 4th quarters that look like this in crunch time.









We can't limp around playing with one hand tied behind our back and beat ANYONE...if we just choose to go 4 on 5, that's not going to work as this team is constructed.  Ship KP off or change...that's where we are.  No harm, no foul and that's not a stomp your foot and give him the ball statement...that's just a practical, pragmatic look at where we are. 

He's not good enough at the little things to be Tyson Chandler and only touch the ball every now and again, and even then, Carlisle started running that pin down flash up for a FT line jumper play for TC at the end...

If you think it looked bad last night, just wait until the blowouts that will come from better teams.

[Chicagojk]

Last night they mentioned how few fast break buckets the Mavs get.   This has been a pet peeve of mine for a while.    The pace picked up in the third when Luka was out.  I understand Luka likes the ball to survey the floor.  But I wish he would push the pace more.   He has done it a few times this year and I really like it.   I really like putting pressure on the defense.   Open threes on a break is fine, but I would much prefer trying to get easy baskets at the rim.   It may help our role players to get some easier baskets as well.   

Our offense was very good last year playing the same style, but it bugged me last year too.   For me, nothing is scarier than when Lebron gets the ball and is going downhill looking for quick, easy baskets.   Luka isn't quite a fast as Lebron, but I think he can play the same way.

[TXBamanut]

MAVS BLOWN OUT BY KINGS AT AAC
FIFTH LOSS IN SEVEN GAMES

Unbelievable. What in the hay-o is wrong with the Mavericks?


PORZINGIS. It was a terrible night for KP, who was 3-14 from the field for 9 points, although he did grab 11 rebounds in a team-high 37 minutes. ALL of his nine points came in the first quarter, as he took only 6 shots in the last three periods, completing none of them. Dang! He had a technical foul for a “fake fight,” per Skin, with Moe Harkless, giving Moe a two-armed shove. Both players were assessed T’s. His "defense" was ineffectual, with the Kings blowing by him all night. 

I always love your reviews, and usually agree, but I'm going to push back on this statement as lacking context.  They were blowing past EVERY Mav all night and KP was consistently stuck between rotating to help D or keeping Whiteside or their other center off the boards.  He played pretty good defense on Whiteside after the first shot or so, went 4-11 and Metu went 3-8, so he did pretty good on who they had him on.

When you funnel a driver to the shotblocker, you have to get a body on his man, and the Mavs DON'T do that at all and that's not on him.  I would literally feel danged if I do or danged if I don't.  I either block the shot and catch it or it's a waste of time and I get blamed either way.  It's hard to have full force energy to continue to fail like that.  He's a pro, so he has too, but that's not easy to know that you either get something that happens 2 times a game if you are elite or you are an idiot.

[mavsluvr]

I always love your reviews, and usually agree, but I'm going to push back on this statement as lacking context.  They were blowing past EVERY Mav all night and KP was consistently stuck between rotating to help D or keeping Whiteside or their other center off the boards.

When you funnel a driver to the shotblocker, you have to get a body on his man, and the Mavs DON'T do that at all and that's not on him.  I would literally feel danged if I do or danged if I don't.  I either block the shot and catch it or it's a waste of time and I get blamed either way.  It's hard to have full force energy to continue to fail like that.  He's a pro, so he has too, but that's not easy to know that you either get something that happens 2 times a game if you are elite or you are an idiot.

Thanks, Bama, I am always happy to receive other perspectives. 

I find your views on KP very interesting, and will try to consider them in evaluating his performances. 

I actually never meant to suggest that the loss was only on KP, just that his performance was below his usual standard. And that was surely not just on him -- the offense needs to operate in such a manner as to create good looks for KP and the other scorers.

[Mavs2021]

Last night they mentioned how few fast break buckets the Mavs get.   This has been a pet peeve of mine for a while.    The pace picked up in the third when Luka was out.  I understand Luka likes the ball to survey the floor.  But I wish he would push the pace more.   He has done it a few times this year and I really like it.   I really like putting pressure on the defense.   Open threes on a break is fine, but I would much prefer trying to get easy baskets at the rim.   It may help our role players to get some easier baskets as well.   

Our offense was very good last year playing the same style, but it bugged me last year too.   For me, nothing is scarier than when Lebron gets the ball and is going downhill looking for quick, easy baskets.   Luka isn't quite a fast as Lebron, but I think he can play the same way.

The pace is on Carlisle and nobody else. We play slow, so we don´t commit the evil turnovers. We don´t go after offensive rebounds, cause it exposes us defensively. Been that way for 15 years.

Of course you can run with Luka. The dude could probably throw fullcourt alley-oop passes behind his back.

Another reason rookies are screwed here btw. They can´t use the one advantage they have: young legs to outrun old people down the floor. So instead they are supposed to outsmart guys in the halfcourt that have 15 years of know-how on them.  Josh Green cannot outsmart Ingles and Bogdanovic in the halfcourt with Gobert waiting at the rim, but he can out-run them down the floor. If he was allowed to (be on the floor).

[TXBamanut]

Thanks, Bama, I am always happy to receive other perspectives. 

I find your views on KP very interesting, and will try to consider them in evaluating his performances. 

I actually never meant to suggest that the loss was only on KP, just that his performance was below his usual standard. And that was surely not just on him -- the offense needs to operate in such a manner as to create good looks for KP and the other scorers.

I didn't take it as you were saying it was all on him, but I do feel in general, that he takes way too much blame.  "Don't shoot midrange" then "why aren't you posting up" -- "don't shoot threes" vs "take more threes"

This isn't a you thing, but I'm going to just add, that I don't know a big man in the history of the NBA that didn't depend on the offensive set and the PG to get him the ball to be successful.  He goes in the post, he doesn't get the pass and floats to the corner.  He stays at the 3 and may get the shot or not.

Players that occupy his spot on the team, you can't go "well he's on, so we'll give him the ball" and if he has a stinker half, go "well, we're moving on."  You can do that for a role player, but not the second best player on your team. 

I've never been madder in a game that when we were in triple overtime and our super player (and he was) had like 40 and decided to take on 3 guys on a fast break to win, while I ran to the basket with no one even looking at me and he didn't pass it, missed the shot and we lost.  I can imagine how a guy who's been a scorer and franchise player in the league being relegated to "enhanced role player" status....and it's really kind of getting that way late in games.  This team won't be right until the top two players are taking things on their shoulders, not just playing hero ball and forcing shots, but trusting each other to make shots.

If he takes good shots, then take them.  If he doesn't, then bench him, but that's how you play basketball.  You can't just give love to Doe-Doe and say "keep shooting it" when he's missing and then be like "KP your off, just hang out over here and go block shots"...

You ride or die with your stars because that's just your team...you can't work around it when they are on the court, you just have to choose that is how you are going to roll.

I really believe that while KP isnt' the most important thing on the team, getting his role right in Luka's eyes is the most important improvement that we really can make.

Luka can't do all his twisting and turning in the paint with 3 guys on him and ignore KP sitting at the 3 point line wide open in a tight game and expect to win anything of consequence in this league unless he's greater than every other player that has ever lived.  The James Harden that Luka is emulating sometimes right now doesn't work for long term team success.

[mavsluvr]

Tim Cato has a new Athletic article delving into the question of what is wrong with the Mavericks. 

His conclusions --

-- The team is too dependent on Luka for scoring. Luka creates good looks for his teammates, and they too often don't convert. 

-- The team relies on at least two of KP, Hardaway, and Brunson -- maybe also Richardson -- to have 20-point games from night to night. That often works, but also often doesn't, and is a hallmark of a lower seed playoff team.

-- Richardson, signed as the stopper of point guards, is not used to guard those players. Instead, you have situations like DFS on Fox. 

-- The team is not deep enough. Carlisle has relied mostly on seven players since the ASB. Luka and KP have been given occasional rest games, but the others have mostly played around 30 mpg, and fatigue is surfacing as a factor in performances. 

-- A deadline trade produced Melli and Redick, who are barely getting playing time. 

--  DFS and other players are being asked to do too much, both in terms of physical output and roles played. 

--  Three-point percentage has plummeted. 

Above all, his essential takeaway is that the roster has not improved, as a practical matter, since 2019, except for Luka's individual growth. He analyzes several transactions, to show that movement has been, at best, lateral. 

https://theathletic.com/2528764/2021/04/...-improved/

Are these points justified?

[Kammrath]

His conclusions --

-- The team is too dependent on Luka for scoring. Luka creates good looks for his teammates, and they too often don't convert. 

-- The team relies on at least two of KP, Hardaway, and Brunson -- maybe also Richardson -- to have 20-point games from night to night. That often works, but also often doesn't, and is a hallmark of a lower seed playoff team.

-- Richardson, signed as the stopper of point guards, is not used to guard those players. Instead, you have situations like DFS on Fox. 

-- The team is not deep enough. Carlisle has relied mostly on seven players since the ASB. Luka and KP have been given occasional rest games, but the others have mostly played around 30 mpg, and fatigue is surfacing as a factor in performances. 

-- A deadline trade produced Melli and Redick, who are barely getting playing time. 

--  DFS and other players are being asked to do too much, both in terms of physical output and roles played. 

--  Three-point percentage has plummeted. 

Above all, his essential takeaway is that the roster has not improved, as a practical matter, since 2019, except for Luka's individual growth.

My responses....

1) I think a GREAT team can rely on Luka generating looks, just like Nash did for the great Suns teams. But Luka's talent around him either doesn't fit or is frankly not very NBA worthy.

2) KP is unreliable and inconsistent within the current system and next to Luka. THJ is inconsistent and always has been. JB is not given a consistent enough/big enough role to offer the consistency that the Mavs need from him.

3) JR is NOT a good defender and that has been proven over and over this season. When leaned upon as a stopper he will not come through most nights. DFS is also NOT a stopper. Leaning on either for that role leads to the breakdown of the whole D at the point of attack and KP has NOT been good playing behind these guys this season at all.

4) Whether the talent is not deep enough or whether RC is unwilling to play deeper players is debatable to me. But the result of fatigue feels pretty unquestionable at this point.

5) Yeah the deadline produced ZERO movement of the needle, so to speak. It was basically a trade just to do a trade. 

6) DFS should be a 15-20 min NBA player not a 32 min player. Having such a solid, but average player log so many KEY minutes brings down the team. DFS isn't alone in being asked to be much more than he is as a player.

7) This team does not have truly good shooters on it. THJ is probably the best from deep and he is crazy inconsistent. JB is good, but needs more space to get off his shot. I think Maxi's performance is an outlier.

8) Yes, the roster that is played by RC (cannot speak to what is buried on the bench) has not been improved in any meaningful way since the KP trade. The failure to develop rookies year after year is the main culprit in my opinion and it has snowballed over the last decade to this point.

[mavsluvr]

My responses....

1) I think a GREAT team can rely on Luka generating looks, just like Nash did for the great Suns teams. But Luka's talent around him either doesn't fit or is frankly not very NBA worthy.

2) KP is unreliable and inconsistent within the current system and next to Luka. THJ is inconsistent and always has been. JB is not given a consistent enough/big enough role to offer the consistency that the Mavs need from him.

3) JR is NOT a good defender and that has been proven over and over this season. When leaned upon as a stopper he will not come through most nights. DFS is also NOT a stopper. Leaning on either for that role leads to the breakdown of the whole D at the point of attack and KP has NOT been good playing behind these guys this season at all.

4) Whether the talent is not deep enough or whether RC is unwilling to play deeper players is debatable to me. But the result of fatigue feels pretty unquestionable at this point.

5) Yeah the deadline produced ZERO movement of the needle, so to speak. It was basically a trade just to do a trade. 

6) DFS should be a 15-20 min NBA player not a 32 min player. Having such a solid, but average player log so many KEY minutes brings down the team. DFS isn't alone in being asked to be much more than he is as a player.

7) This team does not have truly good shooters on it. THJ is probably the best from deep and he is crazy inconsistent. JB is good, but needs more space to get off his shot. I think Maxi's performance is an outlier.

8) Yes, the roster that is played by RC (cannot speak to what is buried on the bench) has not been improved in any meaningful way since the KP trade. The failure to develop rookies year after year is the main culprit in my opinion and it has snowballed over the last decade to this point.

Thanks for the detailed response. I'll take these on a couple at a time. 

1)  I think the team really is too dependent on Luka. Although that can work in the regular season, it is too easy to shut down one guy in the playoffs, even a super-talented guy. Think the team is in serious need of more playmaking on the floor with Luka. Agree that the supporting cast is not championship quality. 

2)  Agree that it would be better to have two guys who can be depended on for 20 ppg, rather than having to count on a couple of members of a platoon to step up from one game to the next. KP generally approaches this, but after that, you just never know.

[Mavs2021]

My responses....


6) DFS should be a 15-20 min NBA player not a 32 min player. Having such a solid, but average player log so many KEY minutes brings down the team. DFS isn't alone in being asked to be much more than he is as a player.

I´m so sick of this. O`Neale, Batum, Green, KCP. They play 30 MPG for the Jazz, Sixers, Clippers and Lakers and put up the exact same stats as DFS. Guess these teams don´t know what they are doing either having so many bang average players playing so many key minutes. DFS playing 32 MPG on $4M is the least of our f****** problems.