leolozon wrote:MrOrange wrote:DJ_3_Ball wrote:
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Never mind, he wasn't as efficient as I remembered in the past 5 games when Luka was missing.
He was at .536TS% for those 5 games which is really really bad for a first option, but still better than his efficiency for the year.
So, it's maybe just a question of sample size as the difference wasn't that big. Let's see how the next few games go.
Responding to this post because the other one was pretty long.
I'll just say this in general. This whole season you've been making some really good posts, but however they tend to come from a negative slant. And, when you get really frustrated (like myself) during a game thread, you can post something pretty outrageous. Maybe it's meant to be read with a hint of sarcasm.
When I read the "is it psychological?" comment, I was like Whoa dude. That's a crazy thing to say.
Listen, for me, it can be broken down this simple. We're 60% of the way through the season, and Luka & KP haven't even begun working on a pick 'n roll/pick 'n pop rhythm.
Imo, it took a backseat to Luka & Powell, which is where KP is with Luka on the floor. A passenger. You can throw out whatever stats you want, and you may very well be right. It's all a matter of perspective, in some sense. For example, I see the 7.5% of his shots with 4 seconds or less on the shot clock (and that needs context... is he being passed the ball or did he already have the ball & is shooting at that time. Why 4 seconds? Why not 5? Why not 3?... Does that include tip ins & putbacks?)... As always, you can manipulate stats to make whatever point you want.
Here's the thing. The eye test says that Luka isn't looking for KP as his #1 option. Luka & Powell does not equal championship. Luka looking for THJ & DFS before he looks for KP, that doesn't equal a championship, either.
I have been disappointed with Luka facilitating KP. It's not like when Nash & Dirk played together and you would always hear Dirk talk about how Nash just made the game easier for him. Have you heard KP say that one time this season? Where's the clips? The highlights of that.
What's going on here is, they tell KP go stand out 30 feet from the basket, well send the vendor over with a bag of popcorn for ya, and watch Luka dribble. That sucks.
I don't like James Harden. I don't like him personally, and I damn sure don't like to watch him play basketball. And, Luka talks about idolizing LeBron, but if you ask me, he idolizes James Harden. Because Luka is playing like Harden 2.0.
That is why KP plays better when Luka isn't around. Because his teammates look for him. You saw it all night last night. Teammate like DFS gets stripped, Curry got stripped (although, he's usually pretty adept at handling a possession on his own), THJ, Brunson, whoever... They try to create for themselves, their penetration is haulted, they pick up the ball & look for the 7 foot 3 guy. And KP goes to work.
That's what I see. You can tell me I'm wrong. That's fine. But, I'm not seeing Luka drive to the rim, draw an extra defender and find KP with the wrap around pass, the no look over the shoulder pass, the drive & kick for 3 (as often as I should). I'm not seeing. I might go a whole game & not see a Luka to KP assist.
Are you old enough to have watched full games (not just highlights on Youtube) of Nash & Dirk play together? That was 5-6 assists or would be assists on a nightly basis with those 2. The Mavs bread & butter. Luka to KP has not been our bread & butter this year. It hasn't even been a top 5 option. Heck, even JET & Dirk were a potent PnR tandem.
Luka & KP are wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy down the list, and that honestly has to fall at Carlisle's feet.
To me, this is no secret, and I honestly did not understand why you found it so perplexing. But, anyways, no worries. Let's just try & right the ship because this lost to HOU is just so dang disappointing. Especially the way it played out. It seems like it's been since that win in Philly since I felt good about this team. We're dang near the 7th seed now.
So this is a time for Mavs fans to rally together & just try to cheer on the team harder. Not get into petty squables & all that.