Rick refusing to change his rotation patterns is also costing the Mavs games - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Dallas41 · 02-02-2021, 10:51 AM

This is something that really bothers me. I've said this before, sometimes you have to switch it up and not keep doing the same damn thing over and over again. Luka is a young guy he doesn't need to sit out almost half the 4th qtr's every single game especially when you know your team always blow a lead.

-8: Suns start the fourth quarter 15-7 (when Luka always sits)
Every game, Luka Doncic’s minutes usually play out like this:

Plays the whole first quarter
Sits for six minutes / plays for six minutes in the second quarter
Plays the whole third quarter
Sits for five to six minutes to start the fourth / plays until the final buzzer.
Well, I think it’s time to reevaluate this. The minutes Luka sat to start the 4th seem to destroy the Mavericks every game. It was true again tonight, ending the third quarter up five to only re-enter the game down 3 with 7:13 left in the game. Yes, Dallas had a two point lead for pretty much the whole last minute of the game and should’ve finished it. But if a 35-year-old Chris Paul can play the whole fourth quarter (when it matters most) then so can a 21-year-old Luka Doncic.

Dallas41 · 02-02-2021, 10:59 AM

and if you don't want to wear him out then maybe he should sit in the 3rd qtr a few minutes and KP stays on the floor longer.

But then again how about you stop trusting THJ and Brunson and trade those guys for a legit secondary ball handler.

For crying out loud we are forced to use James Johnson as the primary ball handler when Luka sits because our other guards are that bad running the offense

Let that sink in for minute...

Maybe letting JJB go was a bad decision he could at least run the offense

tgfan · 02-02-2021, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dallas41

and if you don't want to wear him out then maybe he should sit in the 3rd qtr a few minutes and KP stays on the floor longer.

But then again how about you stop trusting THJ and Brunson and trade those guys for a legit secondary ball handler.

For crying out loud we are forced to use James Johnson as the primary ball handler when Luka sits because our other guards are that bad running the offense

Let that sink in for minute...

Maybe letting JJB go was a bad decision he could at least run the offense

OMG, what an indictment it would be for the Mavs to have come to the place that JJB was our back up to Luka for running the offense!

Simon2 · 02-02-2021, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dallas41

This is something that really bothers me. I've said this before, sometimes you have to switch it up and not keep doing the same damn thing over and over again. Luka is a young guy he doesn't need to sit out almost half the 4th qtr's every single game especially when you know your team always blow a lead.

-8: Suns start the fourth quarter 15-7 (when Luka always sits)
Every game, Luka Doncic’s minutes usually play out like this:

Plays the whole first quarter
Sits for six minutes / plays for six minutes in the second quarter
Plays the whole third quarter
Sits for five to six minutes to start the fourth / plays until the final buzzer.
Well, I think it’s time to reevaluate this. The minutes Luka sat to start the 4th seem to destroy the Mavericks every game. It was true again tonight, ending the third quarter up five to only re-enter the game down 3 with 7:13 left in the game. Yes, Dallas had a two point lead for pretty much the whole last minute of the game and should’ve finished it. But if a 35-year-old Chris Paul can play the whole fourth quarter (when it matters most) then so can a 21-year-old Luka Doncic.

The problem is he doesn't have an offensive system. Unless you have an elite backup pg, it will be hard to free-wheel it and expect the same results as if Luka is on the floor. Luka is not in the best shape. It would be nice to play him 48 mins but that's not realistic. I agree though, Rick is to inflexible. Why not just try Boban at Gobert? Just to see.

FreshJive · 02-02-2021, 03:07 PM

Luka and Paul played the same amount of minutes. Either they lose ground at the end of the third or the beginning of the fourth. I’m not sure what difference it makes. That last six minutes is the most important part of the game.

turin · 02-02-2021, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dallas41

This is something that really bothers me. I've said this before, sometimes you have to switch it up and not keep doing the same damn thing over and over again. Luka is a young guy he doesn't need to sit out almost half the 4th qtr's every single game especially when you know your team always blow a lead.

-8: Suns start the fourth quarter 15-7 (when Luka always sits)
Every game, Luka Doncic’s minutes usually play out like this:

Plays the whole first quarter
Sits for six minutes / plays for six minutes in the second quarter
Plays the whole third quarter
Sits for five to six minutes to start the fourth / plays until the final buzzer.
Well, I think it’s time to reevaluate this. The minutes Luka sat to start the 4th seem to destroy the Mavericks every game. It was true again tonight, ending the third quarter up five to only re-enter the game down 3 with 7:13 left in the game. Yes, Dallas had a two point lead for pretty much the whole last minute of the game and should’ve finished it. But if a 35-year-old Chris Paul can play the whole fourth quarter (when it matters most) then so can a 21-year-old Luka Doncic.

CP played half the first and third, and all of the 2nd and 4th. This is the exact opposite of what RC did. Maybe RC will decide to copy another NBA coach. He sure as heck doesn't see things the way fans do.

Heezzi · 02-02-2021, 04:45 PM

No reason for Luka to play that way. He needs to play all of 2nd and 4th.

FreshJive · 02-02-2021, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heezzi

No reason for Luka to play that way. He needs to play all of 2nd and 4th.

Why?

FreshJive · 02-02-2021, 07:03 PM

Why are the last minutes of the 1st and 3rd less important than the beginning of the 2nd and 4th? The points count the same. The end of the 4th is the only time period with amplified importance, although coaches seem to think there is something to closing quarters strongly (could be why Carlisle uses Luka this way.)

turin · 02-02-2021, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreshJive

Why are the last minutes of the 1st and 3rd less important than the beginning of the 2nd and 4th? The points count the same. The end of the 4th is the only time period with amplified importance, although coaches seem to think there is something to closing quarters strongly (could be why Carlisle uses Luka this way.)

It's not just about points. Anybody who has ever watched an NBA can see the change in intensity at different times of the game. Playoffs are at a different level. End of games are different also. Closing strong to end the 2nd quarter is more important than the end of the 1st imo because of the layover during halftime interval. I'd rather Luka play the first half of the third and come back beginning of the 4th, so he has several minutes to warm up and get himself back in the flow of the game. I prefer this, so he can close strong instead of him coming in with 6 minutes left and then trying to get back in a groove while the most critical minutes in the game are winding down. Just my .02.

If you really want to parse things, then there's no rule he can't come out with 2 minutes left to end the third and then come back into the 4th with 8 minutes left. I just think the coach should zero in on what works best for Luka's effectiveness and energy level, but I don't think coming into the 4th with only 6 minutes left makes any sense at all. The more he can play in the 4th when it matters, the better imo.

Dallas41 · 02-02-2021, 07:20 PM

I guess the biggest question should be based on what you've seen last year and this year have the results changed for the Mavs?

This is how Luka was rotated last year and they blew many leads as well

So ask yourself is it ok to keep doing what you've been doing or would you consider trying something different even if it's just a slight adjustment or tweak from your current pattern?

That is the issue I see with RC, he's sometimes stubborn in his ways.

Had this same convo in about two weeks ago in a GDT when the Mavs basically sat Luka halfway through the 4th QTR and the camera's showed Luka asking to go back into a game sooner yet RC didn't oblige.

The Mavs blew the lead and by the time Luka did go back in he had cooled off and didn't shoot the same.

Devin Harris and Cedric Ceballos both questioned that decision and put their exact quote in the GDT afterwards.

So does Luka need to play the entire 4th QTR?

NO he does not but it sure as hell wouldn't hurt to get him back in the games a little earlier in the 4th QTR's if you keep repeating the same darn things over and over again with him on the bench to start 4th qtr's.

FreshJive · 02-02-2021, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turin

It's not just about points. Anybody who has ever watched an NBA can see the change in intensity at different times of the game. Playoffs are at a different level. End of games are different also. Closing strong to end the 2nd quarter is more important than the end of the 1st imo because of the layover during halftime interval. I'd rather Luka play the first half of the third and come back beginning of the 4th, so he has several minutes to warm up and get himself back in the flow of the game. I prefer this, so he can close strong instead of him coming in with 6 minutes left and then trying to get back in a groove while the most critical minutes in the game are winding down. Just my .02.

If you really want to parse things, then there's no rule he can't come out with 2 minutes left to end the third and then come back into the 4th with 8 minutes left. I just think the coach should zero in on what works best for Luka's effectiveness and energy level.

I understand the intensity thing, but that’s always at the the end of halves. The same way you could argue that playing the whole fourth means he is in the groove for the end, you could also say that if he rests at the beginning of the quarter, he will have more energy to finish the game.

I agree that it’s whatever works best for the player, and I kind of agree that he could come out a couple minutes earlier in the third and come play a little longer in the fourth. I looked at what other teams are doing, and most of them use a similar pattern to the way Rick uses Luka with their star players. Just from the last couple of days Kyrie, Durant, Davis, Lilliard, Hayward, Kawhi all rotate the same way. Paul is kind of an exception.