NBA 2022-23 Season

[JazzNU]

[ponchi101]

I just read an article that the Mavs are thinking of shutting down Kyrie and Luka for the last few games.
Whatever that was: it was a very bad deal. Let's see how they prepare for next season (they would be conceding that they will not make the playoffs).

[New England Nitemare]

I just read an article that the Mavs are thinking of shutting down Kyrie and Luka for the last few games.
Whatever that was: it was a very bad deal. Let's see how they prepare for next season (they would be conceding that they will not make the playoffs).

That seems crazy to me, since Dallas is only 1 game out of the 10th spot. I would think you would shut them down only if they were mathematically eliminated from the playoff race.

[JazzNU]

If they did it, it would be about draft pick placement, whether that is to make pick or have a valuable trade asset. But they don't have any rights to Kyrie pass this season, so it'd be a strange move.

Dallas is just flailing it seems, the numbers say that Kyrie brought what he was expected to bring, so it seems like this is mostly about expectations. People are finally starting to question Mark Cuban and Luka, both of which are long overdue.

[Suliso]

I don't see how this is possibly true. Before the trade Dallas was safely within a play off zone, just a game or two behind #3, and Luka was a serious MVP contender. After the trade it all unraveled... Kyrie has made this team worse. How and why I can't judge, but results are results.

[JazzNU]

I don't see how this is possibly true. Before the trade Dallas was safely within a play off zone, just a game or two behind #3, and Luka was a serious MVP contender. After the trade it all unraveled... Kyrie has made this team worse. How and why I can't judge, but results are results.

You're a Luka fan, so I'm not sure you're objective here. I have no rooting interest in the Mavs of any kind, so I just listen and read as a general NBA fan when Mavs stuff comes up. This is not hard information to know or find, it's been discussed a good deal in recent weeks. Kyrie isn't just not the problem, the team has a better net rating when he's on the floor than when he's not. And they have a significantly better net rating when's it's Kyrie with the rest of the team without Luka. Luka is that level of a ball hog and that bad of a defender. Also, you can't look at the Mavs' standing in a vacuum.

[ponchi101]

The other explanation is that the guys they let go for Kyrie were actually doing a lot more than was recognized.
But, regardless of how well Kyrie the individual is playing, since his arrival, the team has done worse. So he has to be part of the equation to describe this "new" team.

[JazzNU]

The other explanation is that the guys they let go for Kyrie were actually doing a lot more than was recognized.
But, regardless of how well Kyrie the individual is playing, since his arrival, the team has done worse. So he has to be part of the equation to describe this "new" team.

That's captured in the conversations as well. I already mentioned this. The players traded, especially one, was a key defensive player. BUT, you shouldn't mistake that as Mavs were a good defensive team pre-trade and now they are a bad defensive team. They've always been on the bottom half of defense, it's just worst now with the loss of that player.

Kyrie is part of the new team of course. But is he the reason that the team isn't winning right now? No. Find me the reputable people that talk the X's and O's of the games that is saying that. People who have been highly critical of Kyrie aren't willing to put the blame on him on this Mavs team, because there's just not much to support that claim.

Kyrie is an easy target, and that's largely on him. But he can't be the scapegoat every time just because people don't like him.

[JazzNU]

Keep focusing on Kyrie though.

[ponchi101]

With playoffs about to start:
The only way I can see for Boston NOT to make the final is if they go to a super tough 7 games series with the Sixers, and then have to face the Bucks at home.
And Phoenix is looking too tough in the west.
Of course, hope to be 100% wrong on both accounts.

[ponchi101]

First series to be "decided": Clippers without Paul George for the entire series with the Suns.
That is too much of a loss, against a team that is looking very much like the favorite in the West.
And the Bucks just lost Giannis to a back injury. And back injuries don't heal quickly.

[JazzNU]

[JazzNU]

[ponchi101]

Sunday, bony Sunday. Way too many injuries.

[JazzNU]

Good first playoff games across the board, only two were truly out of reach. Not sure any of the injuries are truly impactful outside of Tyler Herro's and the existing injury to Paul George, though they won without him tonight. With initial x-rays being negative, seems like Giannis and Ja might be back fairly soon. There's no self awareness in the quote from Ja at all.