GDT: game 48 - Mavs (29-18) at Rockets (29-18) 6:30pm ESPN

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Dallas41

I'm going to go where few fans want to go

I believe KP can be a legit #1 for this team if more focus was given to him.

Now does that mean he's a better player than Luka probably not but I believe Luka needs to take a step back and become our Lebron while KP becomes our Davis

There should be of an effort to run the offense through KP 1st.

If you can get dude more consistent touches and more designed plays I believe it would benefit the team best to view him as a legit #1 option

Yes I know fans will go against this suggestion but the KP I saw in New York was the real deal and capable of being your #1 option

Luka can still get the glory but I think the mavs should start tweaking the offense to cater to KP more often

Before the season started, I actually thought KP would lead the team in both points and rebounds, since PGs who can consistently set guys up rarely score more than the top-tier player they’re setting up. Stats distribution-wise, I envisioned something closer to Magic-Kareem (or your example of LeBron-Davis) with Luka having the ability to take over as a scorer from time to time. Right now Luka is clearly #1 and KP is #2, but I agree that this team would probably find more success if they went into it with the idea that KP is the 1a scorer and Luka is 1b.

Although I think a lot of the problem is the other guys on the floor. Luka can’t just push everything through Porzingis, and when he starts losing faith in everyone else, he tends to just take over (because he can). Some more balance in our personnel coupled with a little more maturation from our 20 year old phenom should get us to the point where we could make KP more of a focal point on offense.

[MFFL]

I thought before the season that it would be midseason before KP really rounded into form. During the season I thought he was there during the first Luka injury. Now I'm convinced that KP should be the focus of the offense when he's on the court

I'm not saying KP is better than Luka but Luka is going to get his any time he wants. A big like KP has to be set up. And the more you set him up then the better your overall team is. You can't expect dominance from him when you are just using him in the flow of the offense - he becomes a waste of assets

It might mean that Carlisle might need to stagger minutes with KP being on the court for all the minutes that Luka is sitting. Otherwise you risk KP becoming a Kevin Love player - a nice compliment but not a star

[KrissKross91]

I think KP can play in the flow of the offense, just too soon.

Great to see him get to the line 13 times tho. 35 points of 1 3 is like Embiid.

[KrissKross91]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Luka isn't playing tonight. He rolled his ankle in practice yesterday.

Totally whiffed on that one. Isn't that twice in 2 weeks?

[LukaThaDon]

I'm afraid we're going to end up being a 7 or 8 seed and facing one of the L.A. teams in the first round. I guess it's better than missing the playoffs.

[turin]

Np, we've still got a few days to trade for some more small guards. ;-)

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[Underdog]

Originally Posted by turin

Np, we've still got a few days to trade for some more small guards. ;-)

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Yogi Ferrell is still out there...

[FreshJive]

Originally Posted by Dallas41

KP without Luka is becoming a thing

In the four December games Doncic missed with the ankle injury, Porzingis’ play jumped to another level averaging 23 points and 14 rebounds while shooting 37 percent from three. My brow furrowed at that line at the time, but my eye brows are officially raised after Porzingis recorded 35 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 12-of-20 from the field.

Some of this is pretty clear: Doncic dominates the ball and Porzingis’ looks and opportunities are significantly fewer, but he looks natural running as the first option (sustainability is an entirely different question). I was initially worried about this matchup considering the Rockets were playing extremely small, and Porzingis has struggled all year to punish smaller defenders. But he gave himself easy chances around the rim and shot fewer threes (four to be exact) in exchange for 13 free-throw attempts.

This is just normal nba stuff. Especially when such a high usage player like Luka sits. That usage void has to be filled, and it usually is filled by the next best player on the team, but sometimes by the scrub replacement player from the bench. When Draymond Green sat for the already short handed Warriors, players like a Eric Paschall exploded. If Bradley Beal sits for the Wizards Jordan McRae might score 30 points. A player like Porzingis is obviously going to be able to take advantage of such a huge usage void. It doesn’t mean Luka makes him worse.