The Official NBA Season Thread: NBA Cup Night

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Kemba deserves more touches

 

[SneakerProSr.]

Kemba deserves more touches

Lowkey he does. He maybe has 25 games a season left in the knee but while it’s intact yes we need him

 

[osh kosh bosh]

They are the 2nd slowest team in the league, and they have the lowest transition frequency.

call me crazy but maybe the guy who has the ball 90% of the time, takes all the shots, and makes all the passes prob has something to do with it.

 

[Arthur Shelby]

 

[osh kosh bosh]

this may be your best work yet

I have no idea what this means.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

 

[lawdog1]

Embiid is a monster. He’s been kills us pretty much every time, going to back to when DJ was our center.

 

[dacomeup]

I think that OKB’s overall point is valid — but like @SneakerProSr alluded to, more Spencer and Wood playmaking is not the answer here.

 

[finallyfamous]

They are the 2nd slowest team in the league, and they have the lowest transition frequency.

call me crazy but maybe the guy who has the ball 90% of the time, takes all the shots, and makes all the passes prob has something to do with it.

You're right man.

 

[storm2006]

It feels like you are trying us into the shoot emoji_tm: T0INE ) of saying that Luka is problematic I think this is one way of looking at it given your transition argument. Let’s say instead of Luka this Dallas roster had some like hmmmm I don’t know, Trae Young? Would their offense be better off? Would they have a better record?

Luka is at 33/8/9on 50/35/75 with a ~38% usage. The last time we saw something similar to this was probably pre-CP3 Harden when he averaged 29/8/11 on 44/34/85 with a ~34% in 16-17. They finished 55-27 (3rd) but he was running with got damb Ariza, Eric Gordon, Pat Bev, young Capela, Ryan Anderson and Lou Will. Of course they lost in 6 to the 2nd round to the Spurs.

All of this is to say that elite, Top 3-5 guys who are playing middle to lower-middle tier players HAVE to do more and their usage is high and their numbers pop out but they don’t win championships because the talent around them is just absent. But them having the ball is the only thing that gives them a punchers chance.

Even with Jalen Brunson that man had a 40% usage last playoffs and they still got to the WCF!! A 23 y/o putting up early prime, 28 y/o Harden numbers and similarly carrying a Texas franchise?!? You better some respek on that young man’s name.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

to be clear I love Luka, he is one of my top 3 players to watch,
probably, Jokic, SGA and Luka.

but im just saying maybe a few a hit ahead passes to trigger transition.
we don't gotta do Luka ball every possession.

 

[storm2006]

Edit:

I think that OKB’s overall point is valid — but like @SneakerProSr alluded to, more Spencer and Wood playmaking is not the answer here.

THIS! There are some things that aren’t good for the team but not worth criticizing like Luka’s ball dominance or the Lakers not making a trade right now because there are other factors that cannot be controlled (ie personnel for Dallas and AD’s injury for LA) that are preventing the ability to remedy those issues. Given their situations they are both doing the best possible given the extenuating circumstances although it doesn’t look good.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

also if Luka could find a way to be a threat without the ball in his hands.

improving as a spot up or movement shooter would be good.
feels like he's one of those rare guys who is better shooting off the dribble.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Edit:


THIS! There are some things that aren’t good for the team but not worth criticizing like Luka’s ball dominance or the Lakers not making a trade right now because there are other factors that cannot be controlled (ie personnel for Dallas and AD’s injury for LA) that are preventing the ability to remedy those issues. Given their situations they are both doing the best possible given the extenuating circumstances although it doesn’t look good.

obviously the roster is not ideal.

but I def think they could do better. like wood, Dinwiddie can't be a threat in transition?
like really basically never ever running, that's the best they can do?

 

[B Sox]

I don’t know if I want the ball in Wood’s hands on the break unless he’s catching and dunking

 

[pdino]

If they had another guy who could play-make would be perfect for Dallas. Maybe someone like... Jalen Brunson? Oh wait..

 

[Nipsey3000]

Luka is gonna be what he is.

The same way prime James harden was only gonna be what he was.

Try to surround him with consistent 3Ds and a dunker at center... Hopefully that center can do more in the post and shoot to 15-18ft.

See what happens. Live w/ results.

 

[worldbeefreeg]

Take away Luka, the Mavs are a bottom three or four roster in the league.

There is certainly room to critique Luka’s monopolization of the ball and the limits of playing through him so much that you limit
transition opportunities and the development of other creators etc but he let Brunson have the ball plenty of times last year.

If we are talking about Kemba Walker and Spencer Dinwiddie being possible answers to Luka’s monopolization than that’s not a Luka issue that’s a roster issue.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

I don’t know if I want the ball in Wood’s hands on the break unless he’s catching and dunking

but like thats not going to happen...if you don't run in the first place.

again like do they have to be at the very bottom in both pace, and transition frequency.
like dead last?

they can't pump those numbers up at all?

Luka used to run all the time at real madrid when he was a tad bit...slimmer

 

[Based Jesus]

WE MEN

 

[osh kosh bosh]

he used to run
before he was exposed to the american obesity epidemic.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

and on the other hand

 

[B Sox]

but like thats not going to happen...if you don't run in the first place.

again like do they have to be at the very bottom in both pace, and transition frequency.
like dead last?

they can't pump those numbers up at all?

Luka used to run all the time at real madrid when he was a tad bit...slimmer

I agree with you that I think some things can change slightly. But everyone on the team is a play finisher aside from Luka and Dinwiddie. And Dinwiddie is like the 4th option at best on a good team.

They have a major personnel problem, and it’s probably a bit much to ask Luka to speed up the pace a bunch while also relying on him to do everything in the half court. Gotta find spots in game to get rest. No different than things we’ve heard about Harden and Bron in the past.

 

[B Sox]

If he could ever get right health-wise, Alfonzo Ball would actually be a nice piece to have alongside Luka as someone that is always looking to push the ball up the court, and can also act as a shooter for Luka in the half court.

 

[elpablo21]

Would have never guessed KPJ would be on that list