STD (@#$show thread daily): Mavs suckage

[Melonhead]

People keep saying it?s a slump, but outside of Luka and Kyrie most of these guys don?t shoot the 3 well in general

[Melonhead]

So lazy. The lob was so predictable

[Melonhead]

Something is fundamentally wrong with pjs 3. Hard to tell what he?s doing wrong. More arc for sure but I feel like something else is off with his form

[EricaLubarsky]

Kidd: I wILl PlAy HaRdy MoRe

gives him 2min in a game where we are 5-20 on threes (2-17 outside Timmah)

[Melonhead]

Almost like he played Hardy one game to placate fans and reporters asking about it.

[Dallas41]

Originally Posted by Melonhead

People keep saying it?s a slump, but outside of Luka and Kyrie most of these guys don?t shoot the 3 well in general

That's exactly my point and gripe

If your not a good 3 point shooter try mixing it up more and don't settle

DJJ does a good job moving without the ball for easier buckets and he'll also try to drive it more.

The issue with PJ is he's never been good at it imo so I don't see it as a slump either.

I just wish dude would pass up the shot more and drive it hard. He has enough handles to put the ball on the floor

[LukaMagic]

Good game by THJ so far. That was a great assist for Luka's three. He's been FINALLY listening to Kidd. Not forcing shots, passing, and waiting for his shooting moments.

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by Dallas41

That's exactly my point and gripe

If your not a good 3 point shooter try mixing it up more and don't settle

DJJ does a good job moving without the ball for easier buckets and he'll also try to drive it more.

The issue with PJ is he's never been good at it imo so I don't see it as a slump either.

I just wish dude would pass up the shot more and drive it hard. He has enough handles to put the ball on the floor

So far I?ve seen two drives for him, one from the corner. One rimmed out.
Also saw him bring the ball up and Luka came off a screen to get the ball. Would like the see more of that.

[Dallas41]

I really like Maurkeenen

I know a few years ago he mentioned that he'd love to play in Dallas.

I think if he would be a perfect fit at the 4 next to DL or Gafford.

He'd be a poor man's Dirk 😂

[Melonhead]

Real cool how they can?t make any adjustments. Lauri will just cook to 50 points. While we watch Maxi brick 3s

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by Dallas41

I really like Maurkeenen

I know a few years ago he mentioned that he'd love to play in Dallas.

I think if he would be a perfect fit at the 4 next to DL or Gafford.

He'd be a poor man's Dirk 😂

Iirc the price tag was too high for Cubans taste.

[EricaLubarsky]

Kleber now 19% from three since the ASB

[Melonhead]

Lauri trips on his own man?s foot lol

[EricaLubarsky]

Suns lost. Must win to stay out of the playin

[LukaMagic]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Kleber now 19% from three since the ASB

This surely must pick up. He's almost always taking good, open shots.

[LukaMagic]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Suns lost. Must win to stay out of the playin

Lets see if Luka and Kyrie can win this quarter.

[LukaMagic]

Refs have been making MANY WEIRD TEAM CALLS in this game to get Utah on the free throw line.

[LukaMagic]

Gafford's size and length is making a very noticeable difference in the paint for Mavs. He's truly a great get.

[blessednegr0]

Gafford is the difference of this team. He literally changes the game on both sides of the floor.

[LukaMagic]

That was a GREAT SIGN by PJ to start putting those 3s in when it matters. PJ also always takes prudent shots, and he can go in and has a great comfort once in the paint. And he can handle the ball too.

[Dallas41]

Good lawd Gafford got up for that block

And I'll give PJ his credit he made two shots in a row and both were huge.

[Melonhead]

Huge run by the whole team

[blessednegr0]

Why is Maxi checking in at the end of this game? Also with THJ still in the game?

KIDD DOES NOT UNDERSTAND. Do not play THJ and Maxi to close the damn 4th quarter.

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by blessednegr0

Why is Maxi checking in at the end of this game? Also with THJ still in the game?

KIDD DOES NOT UNDERSTAND. Do not play THJ and Maxi to close the damn 4th quarter.

He straight up doesn?t get it.
That shit will lose us a game in the playoffs.

[JTmoney2424]

Explain to me why THJ is in this game please

[JTmoney2424]

This is a key game to keep this tie for #6 and Kidd leaves in a guy that can?t hit a wide open shot it his life depended on it. I really don?t see the logic

[JTmoney2424]

On the plus side, the defense really stepped up in the second half and gave very few open shots. 2 huge games coming up now. Def need a split

[DevinHarriswillstart]

These are the types of games they lost earlier in the season. Really feel the team has turned a corner in winning closer games.

[Melonhead]

More Hardy, more lively (less maxi and thj)

Those two cannot be closing games. Lost count of how many times it?s been said on here.

Great to see them grind out a win. On the road in March it?s not easy to run over a team.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Phx losing the SA is pretty hilarious. I'm not sure they even make the playoffs.

[LukaMagic]

THJ finished the game with 13 points and 4 assists. That is a good production for him. Almost great.

[Melonhead]

Basketball is fun to watch again. This post trade stretch feels like 2022 stretch into the playoffs. Never in my dreams did I think this organization would ever get centers. And now we have two of the best.

Going to keep putting it out there, I still am not sure where Josh Green fits. Just because he needs the ball in his hands in motion to be effective and clicking.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by Melonhead

Basketball is fun to watch again. This post trade stretch feels like 2022 stretch into the playoffs. Never in my dreams did I think this organization would ever get centers. And now we have two of the best.

Going to keep putting it out there, I still am not sure where Josh Green fits. Just because he needs the ball in his hands in motion to be effective and clicking.

I know it's like I want to complain that Lively only got 18 minutes, but I also wouldn't care if Gafford got 35 minutes.

It actually helps both of them not to play high minutes.

Green fits if he shoots and hits threes. Otherwise, he doesn't.

And PJs issues are still fitting his game into our system. The two just don't mesh right now, but it really has nothing to do with him taking threes. This is actually a similar issue we had with Harrison Barnes. Both players play better when playmaking with the ball in their hands. But we just don't need that with Kyrie and Luka. So he is basically having to reinvent his game on offense on the fly.

[Dallas41]

Originally Posted by blessednegr0

Why is Maxi checking in at the end of this game? Also with THJ still in the game?

KIDD DOES NOT UNDERSTAND. Do not play THJ and Maxi to close the damn 4th quarter.

Yeah that tandem no longer makes any sense to close out games but Kidd can't seem to ever get away from that 5 out offense.

I'd much rather close with two defenders in Gafford and DJJ as opposed to Kleber & THJ who both bricks shots anyway.

Hell Dante Exum makes even more sense than THJ late in games

[LukaMagic]

https://youtu.be/S7oMVFsBgWo?t=236

This is a play that Mavs should run more. The reason for that is because the defenses are collapsing on Luka (and Kyrie). Given the attention that they are giving to Luka and Kyrie, these sorts of plays become very possible. And both DJJ and PJ Washington can be used in these roles because they are both very lengthy and have relative comfort in the paint.

But you can see how Gafford's pass was imprecise. That's why Mavs need to work on this stuff in practice so that Gafford AND LIVELY would become familiar with these sorts of plays and passes. And then when these things become more common within the Mavs offensive set ups, then that makes it EASIER for Luka and Kyrie to score because the defenses must pay greater attention to other things and other players on the court.

A team that wins a conference or a championship should have GREAT COMFORT in running these plays. So that they can comfortably fake it both ways: A: Luka comes out to get a pass (and fake that) and B: DJJ/PJ runs under the rim to get a pass (and fake that). And then they can also have plays BUILDING OFF OF THAT. That's what good basketball would look like when you have things like that happening.

But that requires great teamwork and players getting used to each other and getting used to the positions that they are in. As you can see, Gafford does not have a great comfort making this pass. But he can still do it. And so can Lively.

[LukaMagic]

https://youtu.be/fGi4hMqA320

Mavericks have played Sacramento Kings only once this season with both Luka and Kyrie on the floor:

Kyrie:
23 points
2 rebounds
1 assists

Luka:
25 points
10 rebounds
7 assists

Kyrie had a disappointing performance. Mavs need Kyrie to be engaged more and to be more on the ball and to push towards 6-7 assists per game.

DJJ was used on Fox at the outset and Lively on Sabonis. Now Mavs have PJ to throw at Fox, while Lively has gained a lot of experience since November when that game was played.

And there is now Gafford too who might be an even better option on Sabonis. That will be interesting to see who is a better option on Sabonis. Sabonis is a technically very sound, mobile big that moves very, very well. And that can also shoot from the outside but apparently doesn't do it often. Gafford could struggle with Sabonis, while Lively is inexperienced.

Look at this play, for example: https://youtu.be/fGi4hMqA320?t=495 Sabonis did that to Lively who is bigger and lengthier than him. And Lively moves better than Gafford. But Gafford has greater length and size. In these situations it will be essential for both Gafford and Lively NOT TO JUMP and not to fall for fakes and pump fakes.

Dallas lost that game at home. And both of the upcoming games are in Sacramento. If Mavs were to win both games they would make a little bit of a statement in the Western conference. Not winning one would be a major disappointment for this team. This is a nice test for the Mavs.

[rimrocker]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

I know it's like I want to complain that Lively only got 18 minutes, but I also wouldn't care if Gafford got 35 minutes.

It actually helps both of them not to play high minutes.

Green fits if he shoots and hits threes. Otherwise, he doesn't.

And PJs issues are still fitting his game into our system. The two just don't mesh right now, but it really has nothing to do with him taking threes. This is actually a similar issue we had with Harrison Barnes. Both players play better when playmaking with the ball in their hands. But we just don't need that with Kyrie and Luka. So he is basically having to reinvent his game on offense on the fly.

It seems to me that Josh has reached his peak as a Mav and we should move on from him in the off season.

We need to find a starter quality player who can guard 1-3 and score in double digits on a nightly basis.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by rimrocker

It seems to me that Josh has reached his peak as a Mav and we should move on from him in the off season.

We need to find a starter quality player who can guard 1-3 and score in double digits on a nightly basis.

I'm not opposed to trading Green, but it better be for something good. He's by no means such a detriment to the team that it would be addition by subtraction.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by Melonhead

People keep saying it?s a slump, but outside of Luka and Kyrie most of these guys don?t shoot the 3 well in general

It's true that most of the roster just aren't particularly good shooters. However, a bunch of these guys have still been shooting way under their career averages. PJ is a career 35% shooter, but is 25% so far with the Mavs. THJ has been horrible for like the past 25 games before tonight- but he's the streakiest player I've ever seen. Maxi is career 35% but is 22% over the last 10 games.

It's not a good shooting team overall, but they have definitely been shooting worse than their career averages say they should.

[purplefrog]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

It's true that most of the roster just aren't particularly good shooters. However, a bunch of these guys have still been shooting way under their career averages. PJ is a career 35% shooter, but is 25% so far with the Mavs. THJ has been horrible for like the past 25 games before tonight- but he's the streakiest player I've ever seen. Maxi is career 35% but is 22% over the last 10 games.

It's not a good shooting team overall, but they have definitely been shooting worse than their career averages say they should.

I agree. And I think that the success they are having with points in the paint has created a different flow with the offense. This may be impacting the 3pt shooting. But it may also be the case that the team will eventually adapt to the new offensive rhythm and the shooting improves. I am confident Luka will find consistency again (last five games for Luka % from 3pt: 18.2%, 40.0%, 16.7%, 45.5%, 16.7%).