Rondo?

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by iggymcfly

I don't get why this idea is so persistent. We had more roster turnover this offseason than any contender except Cleveland. Those pieces aren't just going to magically reach their optimal level of chemistry and team ball less than 2 months into the season. Hell, the Cavs were the title favorites going into the year and they look like a mess right now. The Heat started out 12-9 when the Big 3 first assembled in Miami. So far, very early in the year, were already playing better than the Spurs or the Clippers. Who's to say that with another couple months under Carlisle we can't become a little better on defense and start challenging for the 2 seed with our current roster?

You may very well be right about Rondo for all I know, but comparing this Mavs team's woes on defense and rebounding to any team that has Lebron friggin James is just silly. The Mavs defensive and rebounding deficiencies have NOTHING to do with chemistry, and everything to do with personnel.

If Rondo isn't the guy to fix either of those problems, fine. That's a debate worth having. But the idea that the Mavs are among the worst teams in the NBA in both categories because they haven't had enough time to gel... That's not a debate worth having.

"Those pieces aren't just going to magically reach their optimal level of chemistry and team ball less than 2 months into the season."

By the same token, a team of awful defenders and rebounders isn't going to magically transform into good defenders and rebounders after a few more months either.

[iggymcfly]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

You may very well be right about Rondo for all I know, but comparing this Mavs team's woes on defense and rebounding to any team that has Lebron friggin James is just silly. The Mavs defensive and rebounding deficiencies have NOTHING to do with chemistry, and everything to do with personnel.

If Rondo isn't the guy to fix either of those problems, fine. That's a debate worth having. But the idea that the Mavs are among the worst teams in the NBA in both categories because they haven't had enough time to gel... That's not a debate worth having.

"Those pieces aren't just going to magically reach their optimal level of chemistry and team ball less than 2 months into the season."

By the same token, a team of awful defenders and rebounders isn't going to magically transform into good defenders and rebounders after a few more months either.

Yes, we're way below average on defense and rebounding, but we're also at previously unseen historically good levels in terms of offensive efficiency so it balances out. Right now, the power rankings derived from the betting lines have us as the 2nd best team in the entire league on a day-to-day basis behind Golden State:
http://stats.inpredictable.com/rankings/nba.php

If we improve at all from the players getting time together on defense, and learning how to cover each other on rotations, we're absolutely a contender to win the title. Probably have the best-looking team we've had going into the playoffs since the year we had 67 wins and the 1 seed.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by iggymcfly

Yes, we're way below average on defense and rebounding, but we're also at previously unseen historically good levels in terms of offensive efficiency so it balances out. Right now, the power rankings derived from the betting lines have us as the 2nd best team in the entire league on a day-to-day basis behind Golden State:
http://stats.inpredictable.com/rankings/nba.php

If we improve at all from the players getting time together on defense, and learning how to cover each other on rotations, we're absolutely a contender to win the title. Probably have the best-looking team we've had going into the playoffs since the year we had 67 wins and the 1 seed.

You really put an awful lot of stock in those betting lines, don't you? I don't. I tend to agree with the other posters who have the Mavs pegged as a 2nd round team at best.

If you're expecting the Mavs to get any better on defense as the season goes on, I think you're in for a big disappointment. I reiterate- our problems have nothing to do with chemistry or time. No amount of time together is going to make this a better defensive team. We lack size and ability. Not chemistry.

[Five-ofan]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

You really put an awful lot of stock in those betting lines, don't you? I don't. I tend to agree with the other posters who have the Mavs pegged as a 2nd round team at best.

If you're expecting the Mavs to get any better on defense as the season goes on, I think you're in for a big disappointment. I reiterate- our problems have nothing to do with chemistry or time. No amount of time together is going to make this a better defensive team. We lack size and ability. Not chemistry.

I think we are basically on the same page(though I'm not sure about how much I think rondo helps) no team starting the worst defensive pg in the league, a bad defensive 2 who's a midget, an averageish defensive 3, and a bad defensive 4(he got to be pretty darn good during his prime but his d has gone to hell in his old age) is going to be good defensively.

[DirkFTW]

Originally Posted by iggymcfly

Probably have the best-looking team we've had going into the playoffs since the year we had 67 wins and the 1 seed.

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

I tend to agree with the other posters who have the Mavs pegged as a 2nd round team at best.

Consensus!