The way forward

Watching everybody orgasming over Luka Doncic is depressing the hell out of me. My only comfort is that I don't think Porzingis is all that, is possibly injury prone, and his contract if he doesn't pan out is a huge millstone. But right now Doncic looks like Larry Bird 2.0 and the Mavs look like the next Dynasty. Meanwhile we're in a tailspin, and Dame is pushing 30. Where do we go from here?
Well, what we need to do is focus on DEFENSE. This is something that small market teams who can't attract superstars need to do to excel at. Great defenders are available up and down the draft and occasionally (Bruce Bowen, Wesley Matthews) undrafted. We have the building blocks in Nurk, Zach and Nas, so maybe we can try to be like Iverson's Philly Finals Team, only with Dame playing The Answer and shouldering the scoring load, with everyone else playing a role.

This will of course mean trading CJ, because you can't have two weak links on defense.

Wishlist acquisitions:
Jonathan Isaac
Frank Nkilitina
Marcus Smart
Josh Richardson
Robert Covington

 

This seems to be Toronto's philosophy and it's working okay for them at the moment.

 

All i can say is I was a badass until 36 so i am certain Dame will be also.

 

I can think of few things that would surprise me more than CJ getting traded.

 

Then you will need more scoring again, that's why we needed Kanter too.

You can have two weak links on defense, you just need help from the other three and you need to be smart about rotations,minutes etc.

It's funny to say this, but i don't think we're getting swept by GS if we had Tucker or Harrell.

 

Isaac and Smart probably aren't available. Orlando and Boston love them. Frankie Smokes is possible. The others maybe.

 

Here's what SHOULD happen:


Of course, it requires (a) The Knicks being stupid and shortsighted and (b) Olshey prioritizing defense, and while one of those things is quite likely, the other is not.

 

I agree. It is just a wish list.

 

Like the guy who traded Dirk Nowitzki AND CHANGE for Tractor Traylor. Moral: if the Mavs want a euro guy from you KEEP HIM.

 

Sounds like a character in a Scorsese movie.

 

We just need to be healthy. No moves are necessary. Just write off this year and get ready for next year.

 

When of course everyone will be healthy and as good as new.

 

I don't think we need more scoring. We need CJ's shots distributed to other players so we aren't so predictable.

 

sounds like the Oden era

 

Yea..... scoring in the NBA doesn't always work like that.
Sometimes you need players who can create points out of nothing, especially in the playoffs.

That's why stars matters so much in the NBA, if it wasn't like that then all you had to do is sign 9 players who can score 10ppg and you're good. That model usually fails.

 

I have to admit I turned on the Mavs game yesterday just to watch some Luka. I was not let down.

 

yeah, what really gauges success most often in the playoffs are players that can consistently punish a defense when they have the ball. That's not just about scoring either; those players need to bring the rest of the team along with them. That forces defenses to react and adjust, often not successfully

Portland only has one player like that, and it's the reason why opponents have been selling out their defenses to stop Dame...it works

what Portland needs is another player at least as talented as Dame. A perimeter player who can take the ball and threaten defenses from the arc to the rim. A player who could punish teams for doubling Dame. They just don't have anybody like that, but then, that kind of talent is rare. Taking 7 of CJ's shots and giving them to Hood and Simons isn't going to move any needle

 

We need Zach and Nurk back to open the lanes for Dame and CJ.....our screens aren't allowing any lanes to the rim for the most part ...Skal is getting much better at it but Whiteside isn't really great at screen and roll play so far