Why? - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

EricaLubarsky · 01-26-2023, 05:48 PM

That's the thread. Just why?

I know we had a sub-par roster last year, but going from the roster last year to this one, I still struggle to see why we saw such a drop-off in performance

Additions
Christian Wood
Javale McGee. (not seeing significant PT)
Jaden Hardy (not seeing significant PT)

Subtractions
Jalen Brunson - 6'0" guard. Only Burke had a worse defensive rating
Sterling Brown - (no significant PT)
Moses Brown - (no significant PT)

The Stats
Offense 6th (14th last year)
Defense 25th (7th last year)
Rebounding % 30th (16th last year)
FT% 27th (16th last year)

My question is why? We know that Brunson contributed. We also know that defensively he was not our lynchpin and he certainly did not significantly impact the rebounding.

We also know that he is a good FT shooter, but took only 2.7 a game (12% of our total FTs)

Why, when we swapped only Wood for Brunson are we seeing such huge issues on this team? I get that our roster is one of the least talented in the league. What I don't get is that essentially the same roster was 7th in defense and a respectable 16th in rebounding.

Little help?

SMC0007 · 01-26-2023, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

That's the thread. Just why?

I know we had a sub-par roster last year, but going from the roster last year to this one, I still struggle to see why we saw such a drop-off in performance

Additions
Christian Wood
Javale McGee. (not seeing significant PT)
Jaden Hardy (not seeing significant PT)

Subtractions
Jalen Brunson - 6'0" guard. Only Burke had a worse defensive rating
Sterling Brown - (no significant PT)
Moses Brown - (no significant PT)

The Stats
Offense 6th (14th last year)
Defense 25th (7th last year)
Rebounding % 30th (16th last year)
FT% 27th (16th last year)

My question is why? We know that Brunson contributed. We also know that defensively he was not our lynchpin and he certainly did not significantly impact the rebounding.

We also know that he is a good FT shooter, but took only 2.7 a game (12% of our total FTs)

Why, when we swapped only Wood for Brunson are we seeing such huge issues on this team? I get that our roster is one of the least talented in the league. What I don't get is that essentially the same roster was 7th in defense and a respectable 16th in rebounding.

Little help?

Maxi has been out, that hurts defense flexibility and his rebounding is down a few.

Dorian has been out but that might be an actual positive. Dude does fuck all and his production is down especially is defense.

Reggie is garbage and also does fuck all and his defense is down bad.

DP rebounding is down...as if it could get any worse.

We have little to no penetration and without comparison, I'd bet our shooting percentages are down.

We aren't tied together overall and our morale is clearly at an all time low. It all adds up.

purplefrog · 01-26-2023, 06:46 PM

I have contemplated this very question for the last couple of months. The only answer that I can come up with is that there is a change in the locker room culture. Did Brunson keep everyone on the same page? Was it Bobi? Or is it that one or more of the newcomers has injected some toxicity? Could it be rooted in the proclamation by the FO that McGee was going to be a starter? Whatever happened to, what was it called, the "elected leaders" group that was started when Kidd and Nico came aboard?

What is apparent to me is that many of the players are not leaving it all on the court as much as last year. DFS and Bullock for example seem lethargic (at least in some/many games). The playfulness that we saw last year is gone for the most part and players do not seem to be enjoying themselves. Losing is certainly part of this, but what is the horse and what is the cart is not clear. Maybe Kidd's voice was novel and engaging last year but lacks substance and is boring this season. For me its a motivation problem, as the talent is basically the same (as you point out).

SMC0007 · 01-26-2023, 07:13 PM

- There is No mentally tough veteran leader who can speak from experience and ALSO let his play back up his words. The whole team is floundering and every voice is empty or at most adds 2$ worth of gas in an empty tank. Not going to get you very far.

- Luka leads with his play but it's also riddled with super pout. He's defeated clearly and I dont see why it's not because he knows exaclty what the other guys can do, or should I say can't do.

-I think it has less to do with Kidds voice or message and more to do with a severely stagnant bunch. Everyone is looking around expecting others to do a little more, but who is capable of that, aside from a bit of extra hustle?

100% must make moves before TDL or this team is going to continue its downward spiral and thennnnn lose Wood.

DevinHarriswillstart · 01-26-2023, 07:35 PM

Bad coaching?

EricaLubarsky · 01-26-2023, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Bad coaching?

I keep coming to that

Bucks year 1 - .500
Bucks year 2 - .400

Lakers year 1 - .732
Lakers year 2 - .583

Mavs year 1 - .634
Mavs year 2 - .510

Kidd seems to have a hangover in his second years.

SMC0007 · 01-26-2023, 08:35 PM

Kidd isn't great by any stretch. But you cant expect him or anyone else to drive this pos roster to any real success. Address the roster first, thrn move on to addressing the coach.

DevinHarriswillstart · 01-26-2023, 09:01 PM

It's more than just a hangover though. Not starting Wood spun the team out of control and made the fans turn against him. It was a terrible decision no matter the outcome of Wood finally playing defense.

And the lineups still aren't good.

End of game play calling is awful.

The only thing Kidd did right was play Green, but I feel he uses that as his shield from criticism. And dicking around with Hardy slightly negates that.

But when defense, ft shooting, and rebounding go bad...it's coaching. There is no trade out there that will fix all three.

SMC0007 · 01-26-2023, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

It's more than just a hangover though. Not starting Wood spun the team out of control and made the fans turn against him. It was a terrible decision no matter the outcome of Wood finally playing defense.

And the lineups still aren't good.

End of game play calling is awful.

The only thing Kidd did right was play Green, but I feel he uses that as his shield from criticism. And dicking around with Hardy slightly negates that.

But when defense, ft shooting, and rebounding go bad...it's coaching. There is no trade out there that will fix all three.

Eh. I feel like you can quite literally get better at all 3, rebounding, defense and free throws by getting better players. Idk, maybe ones who are good at that stuff by a FO that is capable of roster builds?

You want defense? Well tough, you get Luka , SD, Wood, Dwight fn POW and THJ in the SLU. If that's not laughable in terms of expecting defense, you don't know humor.

You want rebounding? Well I'm glad you asked...you get DP and Dorian in SLU.

You want FTs? You have Luka, Dorian who have always sucked. The rest are inconsistent ft shooters at best.

This group hasn't all the sudden gotten bad at these things because of Kidd. Most of them weren't that good at any of it before. Now Theyre all forced to slam head first up against their ceiling. They are forced to attempt to go beyond their realistic capabilities because of Cuban/FO. In small doses, smaller more realistic roles, they are fine. They're thoroughly exposed since the Phx series.

Kidd has fucked up a lot. Mismanaged play calls, minutes/rotations etc. But the roster is worse.

You choose:
Option A: fire Kidd. ( I'll even give you a 2nd tier coach as a replacement.

Option B: Tangible upgrades on roster

JustJay · 01-26-2023, 10:33 PM

To me we overachieved in every way possible last season, including making the WCF.

DevinHarriswillstart · 01-26-2023, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMC0007

Eh. I feel like you can quite literally get better at all 3, rebounding, defense and free throws by getting better players. Idk, maybe ones who are good at that stuff by a FO that is capable of roster builds?

You want defense? Well tough, you get Luka , SD, Wood, Dwight fn POW and THJ in the SLU. If that's not laughable in terms of expecting defense, you don't know humor.

You want rebounding? Well I'm glad you asked...you get DP and Dorian in SLU.

You want FTs? You have Luka, Dorian who have always sucked. The rest are inconsistent ft shooters at best.

This group hasn't all the sudden gotten bad at these things because of Kidd. Most of them weren't that good at any of it before. Now Theyre all forced to slam head first up against their ceiling. They are forced to attempt to go beyond their realistic capabilities because of Cuban/FO. In small doses, smaller more realistic roles, they are fine. They're thoroughly exposed since the Phx series.

Kidd has fucked up a lot. Mismanaged play calls, minutes/rotations etc. But the roster is worse.

You choose:
Option A: fire Kidd. ( I'll even give you a 2nd tier coach as a replacement.

Option B: Tangible upgrades on roster

Morphius- What if I told you can you do both A AND B.

Simon2 · 01-27-2023, 01:18 AM

THJ was injured last year. His addition is a subtraction

SMC0007 · 01-27-2023, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Morphius- What if I told you can you do both A AND B.

Ha. You must choose ONE.

Cuban could also sell the team too I rekon.

R28J · 01-27-2023, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simon2

THJ was injured last year. His addition is a subtraction

And the winner goes too...

tap2390 · 01-27-2023, 04:18 PM

1) Kidd is Avery Johnson 2.0, except we're in a different era and guys will tune him out super quick.

2) Roster mismanagement, including, but not limited to, the following: signing Javale McGee, not signing Goran Dragic, missing out on low risk moves: Damion Lee, Lonnie Walker, Andre Drummond, Bruce Brown, etc., and of course, not extending Brunson when we had the chance.

Dallas41 · 01-27-2023, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R28J

And the winner goes too...

Yep

This team excelled without him last year.

I think if you could replace Powell and THJ in the starting lineup you get better as a team.

Both players are weak defenders and if Powell ain't catching lobs he's useless and if THJ isn't hitting 3's he's useless.

I don't think Kidd is a perfect coach, but I give him credit for developing. Josh Green and also getting Wood to put forth effort in defense.

But overall Kidd can't fix the defense or rebounding because the roster overall doesn't have the players to do it.

Yes, he makes some questionable coaching decisions late in games with play calls, but one could also argue that a handful of games that Dallas lost was simply because of poor FT shooting. Kidd can't shoot FTs for Luka, DFS and THJ.

If these guys won't take FT shooting seriously that's not on Kidd.

Besides those same players were bad FT shooters long before Kidd showed up so it's not just an issue with the current coaching staff that issue existed before Kidd.

He needs to find a way to build pieces around Luka, Wood, Dinwiddie and Green.

Those 4 guys are the nucleus and I believe if they somehow added a rebounder and wing defender it would jump start the team.