Game Thread GAME# 46: MAVERICKS @ BLAZERS - JANUARY 23, 2020 - THURSDAY, 7:30 PM, TNT

Hahahaha. What's funny is I never agreed with KJ more.

 

Also, Id rather play a worse player he gives 100% effort than a slightly less sucky one that gives 25% effort.

 

I don't think Stotts is perfect at anything, rotations included.

I'd rather see Little play over Swanigan in general, but I'm not going to get worked up over which non-NBA ready player is on the court. I'm more worried about the ratio of non-NBA ready players on the active roster.

 

Hey no question i wanted the guy to play. Still do. But facts is still facts.

 

You see it's more than that on the last game in particular. Stotts still didn't have much available. Getting worked up over rotations when they have 8 guys that have been around and two that are playing in their first game for the team is nuts? Even more so when you are sitting with arguably the worst record they have had in 15 years. This team is sitting 3 games back of the 8th spot.
There is a huge difference in what i would expect Stotts to do. He is treading a very different situation right now. He has to keep certain players happy. He has to deal with some players making their way back from injury. He absolutely has to develop players. He has to deal with the "Tank" mentality. He has to do all that while management is asking him to put a marketable product on the floor. I personally do not envy his job at all.

 

That's my view kind of. I'd rather play an unknown G-League player than a known-to-be-really-bad player who has no upside. Not because I believe the G-League player will become better. He probably won't. He will probably be even worse. But there's a chance he will become better and since the current player is unacceptably bad it's worth a roll of the dice. Hopefully it's not our only strategy not to waste Dame's prime, but it's A strategy that doesn't cost anything really other than our W/L record this season.

 

If you want to play Swanigan at back up center, fine, I agree the options were limited.

But there is absolutely no way to excuse putting Swanigan in at PF.

The Mavericks lineup at the time was Doncic, Wright, Hardaway, Jackson, and Kleber. Who is Swanigan supposed to guard if Whiteside is already forced to the perimeter to guard Kleber?

The Blazers had already given up 31 points including SIX 3 pointers in the first 8:19 of the game. Again, why would putting Swanigan in WITH Whiteside be anyone's decision to slow their 3 point barrage down?

Swanigan comes in the game and not only does Stotts have him guarding a perimeter player but of all the possible options on the team he chooses Swanigan to double team Luka in a transparently weird way. The already hot Mavs hit wide open 3's on the first 3 possessions after Swanigan came into the game leading to scoring 45 points in the 1st quarter and 78 in the 1st half. Why would you send the slowest footed player on the roster to double Luka?

These aren't hindsight questions. I was at the game and asked these questions as they were happening to other people in my section.

 

Well one thing is for certain. The Mavs were shooting lights out. A couple misses and it works better. Not that it was good but better.
Next thing is as bad as the defense was the Blazers lost by 8 right? They weren’t covering well either?
Last point and it still doesn’t make any excuses. Biggie at least knew the play calls. Give him a chance and look at how much he improved while gone I guess. The season is over. Start looking at what they have. This includes Looking at Little a bunch more hopefully.
Again this season is over. It’s going to be hard to understand every decision made on rotations is what I’m starting to think.
At what point do they start real load management on Lillard. He is going to make the All Star game so I’m thinking wins will be few and far between. Why press any more at all?

 

IIRC the defense played against Har_en was to get the ball out of his hands. Portland ran two defenders @ Har_en most times before the screen came.
The Rockettes just missed shots. A ton of wide open shots.
Exactly the same defense played against Luka.

But who knows I've been told I know nothing about basketball.