Mitch Henessey said:

---

Method Man said:

---

Hotsauce said:

---

The fitness thing has to be a smoke screen. Dirk will be the first one to tell you that he didn't take his body seriously until his 30s. So to assume that Luka wouldn't flip the switch somewhere down the line...? Doesn't add up.

At best, this still feels like an ownership decision to cut payroll and reduce fan interest. At worst, this feels like some sort of collusion to get the league's best player on a marquee team.

---

Umm......This isn't true.

72 is the most games Luka Doncic has ever played for the Mavs which was 87% of the season. That was his rookie year.

Dirk was giving you 77-82 games/season every year for like 10-12 years. Same with Tim Duncan, Hakeem, Lebron, Kobe...etc

The reason these franchise players were consistently on teams that were winning 50 games a season was that these franchise players almost always played 90% of the games in a season.

Luka has NEVER given the Mavs 90%.....and its a big reason why 52-30 is the best regular season record of a Luka led team.
Luka is only 25 and he's already missing half the season?????

Dirk was in year 15 before he ever missed serious time.....why was what? Because Dirk was always lean.

---

Great. Now, take this same argument and apply it to Anthony Davis. It's even more damning than what you just said.

Again, it's bad enough that the Mavs traded Luka. Hell, I'm not even a Mavs fan and I'm heated about it. It's indefensible that they traded him for such a paltry return. They got back a player who is WAY more injury-prone, 6 years older, and is worse now than Luka is. No one is saying Davis is a bad player, but not getting a better deal than the Mavs got is criminal.

---

I know they don't promote it on television.....but defense matters.
Seriously.

I went to the Mavs game on Saturday. In AD's debut the Mavs set a franchise record for blocks???
Their defensive effort was incredible.

The Mavs haven't had an all defensive player since Tyson Chandler made 2nd team all Defense in 2010-11...and guess what happened that year?
they won the championship.

Tyson Chandler in 2011 is the only player the Mavs have ever had that was a DPOY type of talent.

The Mavs best defensive bigs in franchise history have been:
1. Tyson Chandler
2. Roy Tarpley
3. Daniel Gafford
4. Derek Lively
5. DeSagana Diop
6. Shawn Bradley
7. Erick Dampier

Anthony Davis is so much better than all of those guys its not even funny. The Mavs have never had a player with the defensive talent of a Ben Wallace, Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis...etc

On paper, the 24-25 Mavs should be one the 3 or 4 best Mavs teams of all time. This team has beaten OKC 3x and the Celtics in Boston all without Luka Doncic.

This team should be something like 37-16....but what are they? Barely over .500 because our supposed superstar can't come into training camp in shape.

If Luka was playing 75-82 games a year then the Mavs record would resemble their record like they had under Dirk Nowitski......which was regularly winning 55 to 60 games/season.

The Mavs brass feel like between Kyrie, Klay, Dinwiddie and Jaden Harden that they have enough perimeter offense to be a strong offensive team. They feel that subtracting their worst defensive player for a DPOY type of talent will make them a better team in the short run which is the next 3 years.

boognish_bear said:

---

Method Man said:

---

BUCANDOIT82 said:

---

Harrison Bergeron said:

---

There has to be a secret agenda ... no rational person with a brain would make this trade.

---

There's probably not a secret agenda. The organization put a salesman in charge supervised by a manager of casinos. They don't understand the game. Luka is a Savant and no he doesn't have to do what others do to be great. He's the Natural. You can't teach and train and work hard and develop a Super High Basketball IQ. You're born with it, or you're not.

There are 29 other teams that would have offered more than the Lakers, if they had it to offer. One thing you can teach is if you have a rare asset and decide to sell it you auction it off and sell it to the highest bidder. You don't negotiate a private sale.

---

You guys still aren't getting it.

The Mavericks have never, ever been a great defensive team.

These are only two seasons that they've ever finished the year as a top 10 team in defensive Net rating.
#5 in 2006-07 they went 67-15
#7 in 2010-11 they went 57-25 and won the NBA title.

The Mavericks have never in their franchise history ever had an Hakeem Olajuwon, Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan type of two big man that can also anchor an elite defense.

The Mavs were regularly top 3 (and many seasons #1) in the NBA in offensive Net rating under Dirk, Nash and Luka.
The Spurs (under Tim Duncan) were almost always top 5 in defense.
Which franchise has more titles and NBA Finals appearances?

The Mavs traded their worst defensive player for the best defensive big in the NBA.

The Mavs would have only done this trade for AD or Giannis. Milwaukee probably doesn't do it because the chances of Luka staying in Wisconsin past this initial 1.5 years is low.

The Lakers feel like they have the best chance of keeping Luka long term...but there is also no guarantee he stays in LA.

---

Do you think the Mavericks got a fair trade?

---

I would have liked one additional 1st round draft pick....but yes I do.

This has never happened. Two 1st team All-NBA players have never been traded for each other.

All the Luka stans keep acting like the Mavs got nothing back in return....what they got was a Defensive player of the year nominee that can do 3 things.....two of which Luka can't do at all:
1. Anchor an elite defense
2. block about 2-3 shots per game
3. score about 22-25 PPG

Max Christie will be the replacement for Dorian Finney Smith. Excellent defensive player and very smart.
The Mavs are trying to make themselves much more athletic and stronger defensively.

20 years ago the Mavs let Steve Nash walk. People always make it out to be a mistake for the Mavs because of the success that Nash would go onto have in Phoenix.

The Mavs had their best 3 year stretch in franchise history in the three years after Nash's departure going 58-24, 60-22 and 67-15.
Jason Terry was almost as good offensively as Nash and about 85% as clutch. Devin Harris was 10x the perimeter defender that Nash was. The Mavs replaced Nash's output with more athleticism and defense.

I think the same scenario will play out with Luka and the Mavs.

Sent this out days before the trade. With surgery being discussed as a possible option, it’s seems more and more likely AD has a core muscle injury (CMI). Surgery comes with a high success rate but would likely end his season. https://t.co/2CelL5emT1

— Jeff Stotts (@InStreetClothes) February 10, 2025

The Mavs and Anthony Davis are set to discuss treatment options Monday for his adductor strain, including season-ending surgery per @TheSteinLine

— Chris (@chriskindafit) February 10, 2025

boognish_bear said:

---

Method Man said:

---

BUCANDOIT82 said:

---

Harrison Bergeron said:

---

There has to be a secret agenda ... no rational person with a brain would make this trade.

---

There's probably not a secret agenda. The organization put a salesman in charge supervised by a manager of casinos. They don't understand the game. Luka is a Savant and no he doesn't have to do what others do to be great. He's the Natural. You can't teach and train and work hard and develop a Super High Basketball IQ. You're born with it, or you're not.

There are 29 other teams that would have offered more than the Lakers, if they had it to offer. One thing you can teach is if you have a rare asset and decide to sell it you auction it off and sell it to the highest bidder. You don't negotiate a private sale.

---

You guys still aren't getting it.

The Mavericks have never, ever been a great defensive team.

These are only two seasons that they've ever finished the year as a top 10 team in defensive Net rating.
#5 in 2006-07 they went 67-15
#7 in 2010-11 they went 57-25 and won the NBA title.

The Mavericks have never in their franchise history ever had an Hakeem Olajuwon, Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan type of two big man that can also anchor an elite defense.

The Mavs were regularly top 3 (and many seasons #1) in the NBA in offensive Net rating under Dirk, Nash and Luka.
The Spurs (under Tim Duncan) were almost always top 5 in defense.
Which franchise has more titles and NBA Finals appearances?

The Mavs traded their worst defensive player for the best defensive big in the NBA.

The Mavs would have only done this trade for AD or Giannis. Milwaukee probably doesn't do it because the chances of Luka staying in Wisconsin past this initial 1.5 years is low.

The Lakers feel like they have the best chance of keeping Luka long term...but there is also no guarantee he stays in LA.

---

Do you think the Mavericks got a fair trade?

---

Trades of superstars are so rare they are hard to evaluate. This one is perplexing as the trade raises more questions than answers for each team. As good as Luka is, the question in my mind (and possibly Maverick Management) is can you win a championship with him. Can you win it all with a point guard who is your dominant scorer, who doesn't play defense. Lebron was the key distributor and dominant scorer (who got a lot better defensively). The key for Lebron was Free Agency--he was never going to win in Cleveland the first time around with the talent he had around him. Miami creates a window to sign the superstars and get 2 championships. Staying in Dallas, and signing a Supermax contract, leaves Luka on a not quite good enough Mavericks team and no cap room to improve. If you know you can't do the supermax, you know he is gone in 2 years. Do you wait that out or get something now for him?

Method Man said:

---

Mitch Henessey said:

---

Method Man said:

---

Hotsauce said:

---

The fitness thing has to be a smoke screen. Dirk will be the first one to tell you that he didn't take his body seriously until his 30s. So to assume that Luka wouldn't flip the switch somewhere down the line...? Doesn't add up.

At best, this still feels like an ownership decision to cut payroll and reduce fan interest. At worst, this feels like some sort of collusion to get the league's best player on a marquee team.

---

Umm......This isn't true.

72 is the most games Luka Doncic has ever played for the Mavs which was 87% of the season. That was his rookie year.

Dirk was giving you 77-82 games/season every year for like 10-12 years. Same with Tim Duncan, Hakeem, Lebron, Kobe...etc

The reason these franchise players were consistently on teams that were winning 50 games a season was that these franchise players almost always played 90% of the games in a season.

Luka has NEVER given the Mavs 90%.....and its a big reason why 52-30 is the best regular season record of a Luka led team.
Luka is only 25 and he's already missing half the season?????

Dirk was in year 15 before he ever missed serious time.....why was what? Because Dirk was always lean.

---

Great. Now, take this same argument and apply it to Anthony Davis. It's even more damning than what you just said.

Again, it's bad enough that the Mavs traded Luka. Hell, I'm not even a Mavs fan and I'm heated about it. It's indefensible that they traded him for such a paltry return. They got back a player who is WAY more injury-prone, 6 years older, and is worse now than Luka is. No one is saying Davis is a bad player, but not getting a better deal than the Mavs got is criminal.

---

I know they don't promote it on television.....but defense matters.
Seriously.

I went to the Mavs game on Saturday. In AD's debut the Mavs set a franchise record for blocks???
Their defensive effort was incredible.

The Mavs haven't had an all defensive player since Tyson Chandler made 2nd team all Defense in 2010-11...and guess what happened that year?
they won the championship.

Tyson Chandler in 2011 is the only player the Mavs have ever had that was a DPOY type of talent.

The Mavs best defensive bigs in franchise history have been:
1. Tyson Chandler
2. Roy Tarpley
3. Daniel Gafford
4. Derek Lively
5. DeSagana Diop
6. Shawn Bradley
7. Erick Dampier

Anthony Davis is so much better than all of those guys its not even funny. The Mavs have never had a player with the defensive talent of a Ben Wallace, Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis...etc

On paper, the 24-25 Mavs should be one the 3 or 4 best Mavs teams of all time. This team has beaten OKC 3x and the Celtics in Boston all without Luka Doncic.

This team should be something like 37-16....but what are they? Barely over .500 because our supposed superstar can't come into training camp in shape.

If Luka was playing 75-82 games a year then the Mavs record would resemble their record like they had under Dirk Nowitski......which was regularly winning 55 to 60 games/season.

The Mavs brass feel like between Kyrie, Klay, Dinwiddie and Jaden Harden that they have enough perimeter offense to be a strong offensive team. They feel that subtracting their worst defensive player for a DPOY type of talent will make them a better team in the short run which is the next 3 years.

---

The Mavericks just went to the NBA Finals. Two years after reaching the Western Conference Finals with a ****ty roster.

And we've got people acting like Luka was leading 42-win teams to first-round exits.

It's absurd. Gaslighting at its finest.

AD was on a team with Lebron James and they've been mediocre as often as not since their Mickey Mouse title in the bubble. This idea that he's the missing piece the Mavericks needed to lift the organization past the Luka's "ceiling" of a finals appearance is ****ing ridiculous.

Method Man said:

---

You guys are being ridiculous.

The NBA is not going to allow a franchise to leave from the 6th largest media market to the 40th.

---

If the relocation fee is high enough, it makes perfect sense. Vegas is definitely a market NBA wants. And the NBA will do whatever it can to add or relocate a team to Dallas once the Mavs move. So, if the league gets a huge relocation fee and a huge expansion fee plus a generational talent in their #1 market, that's a pretty great win for Adam Silver.

GoodOleBaylorLine said:

---

Method Man said:

---

You guys are being ridiculous.

The NBA is not going to allow a franchise to leave from the 6th largest media market to the 40th.

---

If the relocation fee is high enough, it makes perfect sense. Vegas is definitely a market NBA wants. And the NBA will do whatever it can to add or relocate a team to Dallas once the Mavs move. So, if the league gets a huge relocation fee and a huge expansion fee plus a generational talent in their #1 market, that's a pretty great win for Adam Silver.

---

Exactly. Dallas would get another organization, either through relocation or expansion.

Not even sure what point you were trying to make. I was merely pointing out the fact that Dirk himself has said he didn't take nutrition and sleep seriously until much later in his career. Which is a fact.

Heard an interview with play by play guy Kevin Harlan who talked to Jason Kidd before the Celtics game last week on the trade and Kidd's quote was ' there are certain things I can't talk about now '.

Method Man said:

---

Mitch Henessey said:

---

Method Man said:

---

Hotsauce said:

---

The fitness thing has to be a smoke screen. Dirk will be the first one to tell you that he didn't take his body seriously until his 30s. So to assume that Luka wouldn't flip the switch somewhere down the line...? Doesn't add up.

At best, this still feels like an ownership decision to cut payroll and reduce fan interest. At worst, this feels like some sort of collusion to get the league's best player on a marquee team.

---

Umm......This isn't true.

72 is the most games Luka Doncic has ever played for the Mavs which was 87% of the season. That was his rookie year.

Dirk was giving you 77-82 games/season every year for like 10-12 years. Same with Tim Duncan, Hakeem, Lebron, Kobe...etc

The reason these franchise players were consistently on teams that were winning 50 games a season was that these franchise players almost always played 90% of the games in a season.

Luka has NEVER given the Mavs 90%.....and its a big reason why 52-30 is the best regular season record of a Luka led team.
Luka is only 25 and he's already missing half the season?????

Dirk was in year 15 before he ever missed serious time.....why was what? Because Dirk was always lean.

---

Great. Now, take this same argument and apply it to Anthony Davis. It's even more damning than what you just said.

Again, it's bad enough that the Mavs traded Luka. Hell, I'm not even a Mavs fan and I'm heated about it. It's indefensible that they traded him for such a paltry return. They got back a player who is WAY more injury-prone, 6 years older, and is worse now than Luka is. No one is saying Davis is a bad player, but not getting a better deal than the Mavs got is criminal.

---

I know they don't promote it on television.....but defense matters.
Seriously.

I went to the Mavs game on Saturday. In AD's debut the Mavs set a franchise record for blocks???
Their defensive effort was incredible.

The Mavs haven't had an all defensive player since Tyson Chandler made 2nd team all Defense in 2010-11...and guess what happened that year?
they won the championship.

Tyson Chandler in 2011 is the only player the Mavs have ever had that was a DPOY type of talent.

The Mavs best defensive bigs in franchise history have been:
1. Tyson Chandler
2. Roy Tarpley
3. Daniel Gafford
4. Derek Lively
5. DeSagana Diop
6. Shawn Bradley
7. Erick Dampier

Anthony Davis is so much better than all of those guys its not even funny. The Mavs have never had a player with the defensive talent of a Ben Wallace, Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis...etc

On paper, the 24-25 Mavs should be one the 3 or 4 best Mavs teams of all time. This team has beaten OKC 3x and the Celtics in Boston all without Luka Doncic.

This team should be something like 37-16....but what are they? Barely over .500 because our supposed superstar can't come into training camp in shape.

If Luka was playing 75-82 games a year then the Mavs record would resemble their record like they had under Dirk Nowitski......which was regularly winning 55 to 60 games/season.

The Mavs brass feel like between Kyrie, Klay, Dinwiddie and Jaden Harden that they have enough perimeter offense to be a strong offensive team. They feel that subtracting their worst defensive player for a DPOY type of talent will make them a better team in the short run which is the next 3 years.

---

You know what that 2011 Mavs team had that this 2024-25 Mavs team no longer has? A top 3 player in the league. I'd say Dirk has a lot more to do with that title than Tyson Chandler's defense, as good as it was.

Lively can grow into a rim protector, in the vein of a Chandler-type player, which, newsflash, is why the plan is to keep him at Center and move Davis to the 4. The plan for what to do with the roster as currently constructed isn't the issue. They're relying on a guy who had LITERALLY NEVER STAYED HEALTHY IN HIS ENTIRE 13 YEAR CAREER to stay healthy, but sure. The plan that got the roster to this point is braindead, indefensible, at best, and criminal collusion, at worst.

Your bootlicking of the Mavs front office is impressive, however, and I would like to commend you on it.

bear2be2 said:

---

Method Man said:

---

Mitch Henessey said:

---

Method Man said:

---

Hotsauce said:

---

The fitness thing has to be a smoke screen. Dirk will be the first one to tell you that he didn't take his body seriously until his 30s. So to assume that Luka wouldn't flip the switch somewhere down the line...? Doesn't add up.

At best, this still feels like an ownership decision to cut payroll and reduce fan interest. At worst, this feels like some sort of collusion to get the league's best player on a marquee team.

---

Umm......This isn't true.

72 is the most games Luka Doncic has ever played for the Mavs which was 87% of the season. That was his rookie year.

Dirk was giving you 77-82 games/season every year for like 10-12 years. Same with Tim Duncan, Hakeem, Lebron, Kobe...etc

The reason these franchise players were consistently on teams that were winning 50 games a season was that these franchise players almost always played 90% of the games in a season.

Luka has NEVER given the Mavs 90%.....and its a big reason why 52-30 is the best regular season record of a Luka led team.
Luka is only 25 and he's already missing half the season?????

Dirk was in year 15 before he ever missed serious time.....why was what? Because Dirk was always lean.

---

Great. Now, take this same argument and apply it to Anthony Davis. It's even more damning than what you just said.

Again, it's bad enough that the Mavs traded Luka. Hell, I'm not even a Mavs fan and I'm heated about it. It's indefensible that they traded him for such a paltry return. They got back a player who is WAY more injury-prone, 6 years older, and is worse now than Luka is. No one is saying Davis is a bad player, but not getting a better deal than the Mavs got is criminal.

---

I know they don't promote it on television.....but defense matters.
Seriously.

I went to the Mavs game on Saturday. In AD's debut the Mavs set a franchise record for blocks???
Their defensive effort was incredible.

The Mavs haven't had an all defensive player since Tyson Chandler made 2nd team all Defense in 2010-11...and guess what happened that year?
they won the championship.

Tyson Chandler in 2011 is the only player the Mavs have ever had that was a DPOY type of talent.

The Mavs best defensive bigs in franchise history have been:
1. Tyson Chandler
2. Roy Tarpley
3. Daniel Gafford
4. Derek Lively
5. DeSagana Diop
6. Shawn Bradley
7. Erick Dampier

Anthony Davis is so much better than all of those guys its not even funny. The Mavs have never had a player with the defensive talent of a Ben Wallace, Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis...etc

On paper, the 24-25 Mavs should be one the 3 or 4 best Mavs teams of all time. This team has beaten OKC 3x and the Celtics in Boston all without Luka Doncic.

This team should be something like 37-16....but what are they? Barely over .500 because our supposed superstar can't come into training camp in shape.

If Luka was playing 75-82 games a year then the Mavs record would resemble their record like they had under Dirk Nowitski......which was regularly winning 55 to 60 games/season.

The Mavs brass feel like between Kyrie, Klay, Dinwiddie and Jaden Harden that they have enough perimeter offense to be a strong offensive team. They feel that subtracting their worst defensive player for a DPOY type of talent will make them a better team in the short run which is the next 3 years.

---

The Mavericks just went to the NBA Finals. Two years after reaching the Western Conference Finals with a ****ty roster.

And we've got people acting like Luka was leading 42-win teams to first-round exits.

It's absurd. Gaslighting at its finest.

AD was on a team with Lebron James and they've been mediocre as often as not since their Mickey Mouse title in the bubble. This idea that he's the missing piece the Mavericks needed to lift the organization past the Luka's "ceiling" of a finals appearance is ****ing ridiculous.

---

The Mavs goal isn't getting to the NBA Finals....its to win the whole thing.

and thats hard to do when your best player doesn't do jack chit on defense. Luka has always been the golden boy....but the Mavs were not supposed to go out in 5 games during the 24 Finals.
That series should have gone at least 6 or 7,

Luka lost game 3 (and the series) for the Mavs in the 24 NBA Finals by whining, pouting and not playing any defense.
Dude gets 4 fouls in the 4th quarter and quits on the Mavs with 4 minutes left after they got to 93-90.
Un F***cking acceptable.

Hotsauce said:

---

Not even sure what point you were trying to make. I was merely pointing out the fact that Dirk himself has said he didn't take nutrition and sleep seriously until much later in his career. Which is a fact.

---

The point I'm making is that even if Dirk didn't take his nutrition and sleep seriously.....he was still giving you 80 games a year....every season.......for a decade.

Dirk played 90% of his games for 13 out of his first 14 seasons.

Luka has never played more than 90% of his games in a season. The most games he's ever played was his rookie year.

Luka is in year 7 and at 25 years old is already missing half the damn season? Maybe if Luka had some sort of work ethic and showed up to training camp in shape the Mavs would be regularly winning 55 games plus every season.

Stefano DiMera said:

---

A lot of angst here

I saw Wayne Gretzky get traded in his prime.

If he can .. anyone can.

---

Wait a sec....that was totally different. Gretzky WANTED the trade and asked (maybe demanded) the trade.. His wife did lots of work in LA. Luka didn't want this trade.

Method Man said:

---

Hotsauce said:

---

Not even sure what point you were trying to make. I was merely pointing out the fact that Dirk himself has said he didn't take nutrition and sleep seriously until much later in his career. Which is a fact.

---

The point I'm making is that even if Dirk didn't take his nutrition and sleep seriously.....he was still giving you 80 games a year....every season.......for a decade.

Dirk played 90% of his games for 13 out of his first 14 seasons.

Luka has never played more than 90% of his games in a season. The most games he's ever played was his rookie year.

Luka is in year 7 and at 25 years old is already missing half the damn season? Maybe if Luka had some sort of work ethic and showed up to training camp in shape the Mavs would be regularly winning 55 games plus every season.

---

So your solution is to trade for a guy that is even more fragile?

And if they want to move on from Luka, fine. But do more than lock in on one guy on one team. Take some offers. It is really hard to spin this as anything other than maneuvering to benefit the Lakers.

Oh and by the way, if the Lakers decide they don't want Luka (which ain't happening because he's the new superstar of the team), they will put him on the market and get an absolute haul for him this summer. Like literally, multiple unprotected #1s and starters.

Mitch Henessey said:

---

Method Man said:

---

Mitch Henessey said:

---

Method Man said:

---

Hotsauce said:

---

The fitness thing has to be a smoke screen. Dirk will be the first one to tell you that he didn't take his body seriously until his 30s. So to assume that Luka wouldn't flip the switch somewhere down the line...? Doesn't add up.

At best, this still feels like an ownership decision to cut payroll and reduce fan interest. At worst, this feels like some sort of collusion to get the league's best player on a marquee team.

---

Umm......This isn't true.

72 is the most games Luka Doncic has ever played for the Mavs which was 87% of the season. That was his rookie year.

Dirk was giving you 77-82 games/season every year for like 10-12 years. Same with Tim Duncan, Hakeem, Lebron, Kobe...etc

The reason these franchise players were consistently on teams that were winning 50 games a season was that these franchise players almost always played 90% of the games in a season.

Luka has NEVER given the Mavs 90%.....and its a big reason why 52-30 is the best regular season record of a Luka led team.
Luka is only 25 and he's already missing half the season?????

Dirk was in year 15 before he ever missed serious time.....why was what? Because Dirk was always lean.

---

Great. Now, take this same argument and apply it to Anthony Davis. It's even more damning than what you just said.

Again, it's bad enough that the Mavs traded Luka. Hell, I'm not even a Mavs fan and I'm heated about it. It's indefensible that they traded him for such a paltry return. They got back a player who is WAY more injury-prone, 6 years older, and is worse now than Luka is. No one is saying Davis is a bad player, but not getting a better deal than the Mavs got is criminal.

---

I know they don't promote it on television.....but defense matters.
Seriously.

I went to the Mavs game on Saturday. In AD's debut the Mavs set a franchise record for blocks???
Their defensive effort was incredible.

The Mavs haven't had an all defensive player since Tyson Chandler made 2nd team all Defense in 2010-11...and guess what happened that year?
they won the championship.

Tyson Chandler in 2011 is the only player the Mavs have ever had that was a DPOY type of talent.

The Mavs best defensive bigs in franchise history have been:
1. Tyson Chandler
2. Roy Tarpley
3. Daniel Gafford
4. Derek Lively
5. DeSagana Diop
6. Shawn Bradley
7. Erick Dampier

Anthony Davis is so much better than all of those guys its not even funny. The Mavs have never had a player with the defensive talent of a Ben Wallace, Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis...etc

On paper, the 24-25 Mavs should be one the 3 or 4 best Mavs teams of all time. This team has beaten OKC 3x and the Celtics in Boston all without Luka Doncic.

This team should be something like 37-16....but what are they? Barely over .500 because our supposed superstar can't come into training camp in shape.

If Luka was playing 75-82 games a year then the Mavs record would resemble their record like they had under Dirk Nowitski......which was regularly winning 55 to 60 games/season.

The Mavs brass feel like between Kyrie, Klay, Dinwiddie and Jaden Harden that they have enough perimeter offense to be a strong offensive team. They feel that subtracting their worst defensive player for a DPOY type of talent will make them a better team in the short run which is the next 3 years.

---

You know what that 2011 Mavs team had that this 2024-25 Mavs team no longer has? A top 3 player in the league. I'd say Dirk has a lot more to do with that title than Tyson Chandler's defense, as good as it was.

Lively can grow into a rim protector, in the vein of a Chandler-type player, which, newsflash, is why the plan is to keep him at Center and move Davis to the 4. The plan for what to do with the roster as currently constructed isn't the issue. They're relying on a guy who had LITERALLY NEVER STAYED HEALTHY IN HIS ENTIRE 13 YEAR CAREER to stay healthy, but sure. The plan that got the roster to this point is braindead, indefensible, at best, and criminal collusion, at worst.

Your bootlicking of the Mavs front office is impressive, however, and I would like to commend you on it.

---

You Luka bootlickers are also commendable.

You are the Mavs front office and you've done something for Luka that the previous front office could never do for Dirk....and that is get him a second superstar player in Kyrie Irving.

They've assembled a supporting cast for the 24-25 season that should easily be a top 4 team in the NBA and this overweight, non defense playing golden boy can't show up to training camp in shape?

What is the goal of the season?
For the Mavs to go 47-35...... and then have Luka average 30, 9 and 9 while having by far the highest usage rate in the NBA and not playing a lick of defense?

Because of these amazing offensive stats everyone can then blame the teams mediocre regular seasons on Jason Kidd or the Mavs front office.

I don't think the Mavs were ever going to win a title with Luka Doncic.
If the Mavs ceiling is what they showed in the first half against Houston.....they will be better than what they were in 22 and 24.

ScottS said:

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Stefano DiMera said:

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A lot of angst here

I saw Wayne Gretzky get traded in his prime.

If he can .. anyone can.

---

Wait a sec....that was totally different. Gretzky WANTED the trade and asked (maybe demanded) the trade.. His wife did lots of work in LA. Luka didn't want this trade.

---

No... Gretzky found out 2 hours after winning the Stanley Cup from his father he was being traded .

Kings owner Bruce McNall was having financial problems..

GoodOleBaylorLine said:

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Method Man said:

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Hotsauce said:

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Not even sure what point you were trying to make. I was merely pointing out the fact that Dirk himself has said he didn't take nutrition and sleep seriously until much later in his career. Which is a fact.

---

The point I'm making is that even if Dirk didn't take his nutrition and sleep seriously.....he was still giving you 80 games a year....every season.......for a decade.

Dirk played 90% of his games for 13 out of his first 14 seasons.

Luka has never played more than 90% of his games in a season. The most games he's ever played was his rookie year.

Luka is in year 7 and at 25 years old is already missing half the damn season? Maybe if Luka had some sort of work ethic and showed up to training camp in shape the Mavs would be regularly winning 55 games plus every season.

---

So your solution is to trade for a guy that is even more fragile?

And if they want to move on from Luka, fine. But do more than lock in on one guy on one team. Take some offers. It is really hard to spin this as anything other than maneuvering to benefit the Lakers.

Oh and by the way, if the Lakers decide they don't want Luka (which ain't happening because he's the new superstar of the team), they will put him on the market and get an absolute haul for him this summer. Like literally, multiple unprotected #1s and starters.

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Stefano DiMera said:

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ScottS said:

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Stefano DiMera said:

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A lot of angst here

I saw Wayne Gretzky get traded in his prime.

If he can .. anyone can.

---

Wait a sec....that was totally different. Gretzky WANTED the trade and asked (maybe demanded) the trade.. His wife did lots of work in LA. Luka didn't want this trade.

---

No... Gretzky found out 2 hours after winning the Stanley Cup from his father he was being traded .

Kings owner Bruce McNall was having financial problems..

---

He actually found out that EDM wanted to trade him after the Cup win. The trade did not happen for a couple of months and Gretz ended up signing off on it. And Gretz did request a trade, but the deal was done at that point. It was to fade heat off Sather, who did not want to make the trade

GoodOleBaylorLine said:

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Method Man said:

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Hotsauce said:

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Not even sure what point you were trying to make. I was merely pointing out the fact that Dirk himself has said he didn't take nutrition and sleep seriously until much later in his career. Which is a fact.

---

The point I'm making is that even if Dirk didn't take his nutrition and sleep seriously.....he was still giving you 80 games a year....every season.......for a decade.

Dirk played 90% of his games for 13 out of his first 14 seasons.

Luka has never played more than 90% of his games in a season. The most games he's ever played was his rookie year.

Luka is in year 7 and at 25 years old is already missing half the damn season? Maybe if Luka had some sort of work ethic and showed up to training camp in shape the Mavs would be regularly winning 55 games plus every season.

---

So your solution is to trade for a guy that is even more fragile?

And if they want to move on from Luka, fine. But do more than lock in on one guy on one team. Take some offers. It is really hard to spin this as anything other than maneuvering to benefit the Lakers.

Oh and by the way, if the Lakers decide they don't want Luka (which ain't happening because he's the new superstar of the team), they will put him on the market and get an absolute haul for him this summer. Like literally, multiple unprotected #1s and starters.

---

Oh and BTW.....you still don't get it. This trade is not about getting a Herschel Walker like haul for Luka.

The Mavs didn't want some pretty good players, and a bunch of draft picks that may or may not turn into great players.

This was about trading the best offensive player in the NBA for a potential Defensive Player of the Year nominee. AD is the best two way big in the NBA.

The Dallas Mavericks have never had a great two way big, and have rarely ever been great on defense.
This trade was about acquiring a type of talent that they have never had. In Anthony Davis first game as a Mavericks they set a franchise record for blocks in a game with 18.

This trade is about the Mavericks franchise (and the new ownership) turning the corner on the last 27 years of building teams around non defense playing Euro's.

If you look at most NBA champions they typically have a top 5 defensive net rating. The Mavs are usually at the top of the NBA when it comes to offensive net rating, but very rarely have a top 10 defense.

GoodOleBaylorLine said:

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Method Man said:

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GoodOleBaylorLine said:

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Method Man said:

---

Hotsauce said:

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Not even sure what point you were trying to make. I was merely pointing out the fact that Dirk himself has said he didn't take nutrition and sleep seriously until much later in his career. Which is a fact.

---

The point I'm making is that even if Dirk didn't take his nutrition and sleep seriously.....he was still giving you 80 games a year....every season.......for a decade.

Dirk played 90% of his games for 13 out of his first 14 seasons.

Luka has never played more than 90% of his games in a season. The most games he's ever played was his rookie year.

Luka is in year 7 and at 25 years old is already missing half the damn season? Maybe if Luka had some sort of work ethic and showed up to training camp in shape the Mavs would be regularly winning 55 games plus every season.

---

So your solution is to trade for a guy that is even more fragile?

And if they want to move on from Luka, fine. But do more than lock in on one guy on one team. Take some offers. It is really hard to spin this as anything other than maneuvering to benefit the Lakers.

Oh and by the way, if the Lakers decide they don't want Luka (which ain't happening because he's the new superstar of the team), they will put him on the market and get an absolute haul for him this summer. Like literally, multiple unprotected #1s and starters.

---

---

LOL. So they traded Luka for Max Christie?

You are just trolling at this point.

---

Are you daft?

The Mavericks got rid of a bunch of guys that played no defense for two elite defensive players.

I'm tired of the dumbasses in Dallas acting like the Mavs got nothing in return.....especially when the Mavs have never had a Defensive Player of Year.

Defense does win championships...and the Mavs offensive first routine over the past 25 years has resulted in one title.

If Luka was playing 75-80 games a season then I probably wouldn't have traded him, but its very concerning when your franchise player only plays about 80% of the games every season.

Yep . that's what I said..he found out 2 hours after the Cup win ...his dad had known about the trade for 2 months and kept it a secret until that moment after they won the Cup.

Method Man said:

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GoodOleBaylorLine said:

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Method Man said:

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GoodOleBaylorLine said:

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Method Man said:

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Hotsauce said:

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Not even sure what point you were trying to make. I was merely pointing out the fact that Dirk himself has said he didn't take nutrition and sleep seriously until much later in his career. Which is a fact.

---

The point I'm making is that even if Dirk didn't take his nutrition and sleep seriously.....he was still giving you 80 games a year....every season.......for a decade.

Dirk played 90% of his games for 13 out of his first 14 seasons.

Luka has never played more than 90% of his games in a season. The most games he's ever played was his rookie year.

Luka is in year 7 and at 25 years old is already missing half the damn season? Maybe if Luka had some sort of work ethic and showed up to training camp in shape the Mavs would be regularly winning 55 games plus every season.

---

So your solution is to trade for a guy that is even more fragile?

And if they want to move on from Luka, fine. But do more than lock in on one guy on one team. Take some offers. It is really hard to spin this as anything other than maneuvering to benefit the Lakers.

Oh and by the way, if the Lakers decide they don't want Luka (which ain't happening because he's the new superstar of the team), they will put him on the market and get an absolute haul for him this summer. Like literally, multiple unprotected #1s and starters.

---

---

LOL. So they traded Luka for Max Christie?

You are just trolling at this point.

---

Are you daft?

The Mavericks got rid of a bunch of guys that played no defense for two elite defensive players.

I'm tired of the dumbasses in Dallas acting like the Mavs got nothing in return.....especially when the Mavs have never had a Defensive Player of Year.

Defense does win championships...and the Mavs offensive first routine over the past 25 years has resulted in one title.

If Luka was playing 75-80 games a season then I probably wouldn't have traded him, but its very concerning when your franchise player only plays about 80% of the games every season.

---

You can't complain about Luka missing games, talk about defense winning championships and ignore the fact that Anthony Davis, the catalyst of this supposed defensive improvement, is about to miss a month plus after playing three quarters of a game in Dallas.

The Mavericks didn't get better defensively if AD doesn't play. And surprise, surprise, AD is about to miss extended time less than a game into his Dallas tenure because that's what he does. They don't call him "Street Clothes" for nothing.

As most people predicted, the Mavericks just got worse both in the present and future with this trade. But even I thought it would take more than one game for that to become obvious.

Method Man said:

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GoodOleBaylorLine said:

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Method Man said:

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Hotsauce said:

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Not even sure what point you were trying to make. I was merely pointing out the fact that Dirk himself has said he didn't take nutrition and sleep seriously until much later in his career. Which is a fact.

---

The point I'm making is that even if Dirk didn't take his nutrition and sleep seriously.....he was still giving you 80 games a year....every season.......for a decade.

Dirk played 90% of his games for 13 out of his first 14 seasons.

Luka has never played more than 90% of his games in a season. The most games he's ever played was his rookie year.

Luka is in year 7 and at 25 years old is already missing half the damn season? Maybe if Luka had some sort of work ethic and showed up to training camp in shape the Mavs would be regularly winning 55 games plus every season.

---

So your solution is to trade for a guy that is even more fragile?

And if they want to move on from Luka, fine. But do more than lock in on one guy on one team. Take some offers. It is really hard to spin this as anything other than maneuvering to benefit the Lakers.

Oh and by the way, if the Lakers decide they don't want Luka (which ain't happening because he's the new superstar of the team), they will put him on the market and get an absolute haul for him this summer. Like literally, multiple unprotected #1s and starters.

---

Oh and BTW.....you still don't get it. This trade is not about getting a Herschel Walker like haul for Luka.

The Mavs didn't want some pretty good players, and a bunch of draft picks that may or may not turn into great players.

This was about trading the best offensive player in the NBA for a potential Defensive Player of the Year nominee. AD is the best two way big in the NBA.

The Dallas Mavericks have never had a great two way big, and have rarely ever been great on defense.
This trade was about acquiring a type of talent that they have never had. In Anthony Davis first game as a Mavericks they set a franchise record for blocks in a game with 18.

This trade is about the Mavericks franchise (and the new ownership) turning the corner on the last 27 years of building teams around non defense playing Euro's.

If you look at most NBA champions they typically have a top 5 defensive net rating. The Mavs are usually at the top of the NBA when it comes to offensive net rating, but very rarely have a top 10 defense.

---

And the Mavs still don't have a great two-way big because the one they just traded for plays even less than the guy you're trying desperately to flame. Man, the Mavs front office either has zero justification for this trade, or they sent the D team to this board to defend it.

Method Man said:

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bear2be2 said:

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Method Man said:

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Mitch Henessey said:

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Method Man said:

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Hotsauce said:

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The fitness thing has to be a smoke screen. Dirk will be the first one to tell you that he didn't take his body seriously until his 30s. So to assume that Luka wouldn't flip the switch somewhere down the line...? Doesn't add up.

At best, this still feels like an ownership decision to cut payroll and reduce fan interest. At worst, this feels like some sort of collusion to get the league's best player on a marquee team.

---

Umm......This isn't true.

72 is the most games Luka Doncic has ever played for the Mavs which was 87% of the season. That was his rookie year.

Dirk was giving you 77-82 games/season every year for like 10-12 years. Same with Tim Duncan, Hakeem, Lebron, Kobe...etc

The reason these franchise players were consistently on teams that were winning 50 games a season was that these franchise players almost always played 90% of the games in a season.

Luka has NEVER given the Mavs 90%.....and its a big reason why 52-30 is the best regular season record of a Luka led team.
Luka is only 25 and he's already missing half the season?????

Dirk was in year 15 before he ever missed serious time.....why was what? Because Dirk was always lean.

---

Great. Now, take this same argument and apply it to Anthony Davis. It's even more damning than what you just said.

Again, it's bad enough that the Mavs traded Luka. Hell, I'm not even a Mavs fan and I'm heated about it. It's indefensible that they traded him for such a paltry return. They got back a player who is WAY more injury-prone, 6 years older, and is worse now than Luka is. No one is saying Davis is a bad player, but not getting a better deal than the Mavs got is criminal.

---

I know they don't promote it on television.....but defense matters.
Seriously.

I went to the Mavs game on Saturday. In AD's debut the Mavs set a franchise record for blocks???
Their defensive effort was incredible.

The Mavs haven't had an all defensive player since Tyson Chandler made 2nd team all Defense in 2010-11...and guess what happened that year?
they won the championship.

Tyson Chandler in 2011 is the only player the Mavs have ever had that was a DPOY type of talent.

The Mavs best defensive bigs in franchise history have been:
1. Tyson Chandler
2. Roy Tarpley
3. Daniel Gafford
4. Derek Lively
5. DeSagana Diop
6. Shawn Bradley
7. Erick Dampier

Anthony Davis is so much better than all of those guys its not even funny. The Mavs have never had a player with the defensive talent of a Ben Wallace, Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis...etc

On paper, the 24-25 Mavs should be one the 3 or 4 best Mavs teams of all time. This team has beaten OKC 3x and the Celtics in Boston all without Luka Doncic.

This team should be something like 37-16....but what are they? Barely over .500 because our supposed superstar can't come into training camp in shape.

If Luka was playing 75-82 games a year then the Mavs record would resemble their record like they had under Dirk Nowitski......which was regularly winning 55 to 60 games/season.

The Mavs brass feel like between Kyrie, Klay, Dinwiddie and Jaden Harden that they have enough perimeter offense to be a strong offensive team. They feel that subtracting their worst defensive player for a DPOY type of talent will make them a better team in the short run which is the next 3 years.

---

The Mavericks just went to the NBA Finals. Two years after reaching the Western Conference Finals with a ****ty roster.

And we've got people acting like Luka was leading 42-win teams to first-round exits.

It's absurd. Gaslighting at its finest.

AD was on a team with Lebron James and they've been mediocre as often as not since their Mickey Mouse title in the bubble. This idea that he's the missing piece the Mavericks needed to lift the organization past the Luka's "ceiling" of a finals appearance is ****ing ridiculous.

---

The Mavs goal isn't getting to the NBA Finals....its to win the whole thing.

and thats hard to do when your best player doesn't do jack chit on defense. Luka has always been the golden boy....but the Mavs were not supposed to go out in 5 games during the 24 Finals.
That series should have gone at least 6 or 7,

Luka lost game 3 (and the series) for the Mavs in the 24 NBA Finals by whining, pouting and not playing any defense.
Dude gets 4 fouls in the 4th quarter and quits on the Mavs with 4 minutes left after they got to 93-90.
Un F***cking acceptable.

---

That series might have gone six or seven if Kyrie Irving wasn't a complete no-show.

Luka was the only player to show up at all in the finals. No one else on the roster could hit a freaking shot. Anyone blaming him for the Mavs finals loss is a moron.

Last year the Mavs were ranked #20 in Scoring Defense. On the way to the NBA Finals they knocked off T'Wolves #1 in Scoring Defense, Clippers #10 in SD, and Thunder #11 in SD. Of course we want a better defense....but we beat 3 teams in the playoffs that had better defensive rankings.

I don't think we can assume just because the Mavs didn't win the Finals last year that meant they had hit their ceiling under Luka. Often times teams get close several times before finally breaking through.

In 21-22 the Celtics finished #2 in the Eastern Conf and went on to lose in the NBA Finals to the Warriors 2-4. In 22-23 the Celtics again finished #2 in the Eastern Conf and then got beat in the Conf Finals to the Heat 3-4. Then of course last year they finally broke through and got their Title.

We were possibly seeing a similar trajectory with the Mavs making the Conf Finals in 2022 and then the NBA Finals in 2024. We never got to see what this new roster construction with Klay, Grimes, Naji, and a second year Lively could do with Luka at the helm.

Luka isn't Jordan....but Jordan did not win his first NBA Title until his 7th season. Three years in a row from '87-'90 the Bulls got bounced by the Pistons before finally breaking through for their first Title in '91. Luka is now in his 7th season.

boognish_bear said:

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Last year the Mavs were ranked #20 in Scoring Defense. On the way to the NBA Finals they knocked off T'Wolves #1 in Scoring Defense, Clippers #10 in SD, and Thunder #11 in SD. Of course we want a better defense....but we beat 3 teams in the playoffs that had better defensive rankings.

I don't think we can assume just because the Mavs didn't win the Finals last year that meant they had hit their ceiling under Luka. Often times teams get close several times before finally breaking through.

In 21-22 the Celtics finished #2 in the Eastern Conf and went on to lose in the NBA Finals to the Warriors 2-4. In 22-23 the Celtics again finished #2 in the Eastern Conf and then got beat in the Conf Finals to the Heat 3-4. Then of course last year they finally broke through and got their Title.

We were possibly seeing a similar trajectory with the Mavs making the Conf Finals in 2022 and then the NBA Finals in 2024. We never got to see what this new roster construction with Klay, Grimes, Naji, and a second year Lively could do with Luka at the helm.

Luka isn't Jordan....but Jordan did not win his first NBA Title until his 7th season. Three years in a row from '87-'90 the Bulls got bounced by the Pistons before finally breaking through for their first Title in '91. Luka is now in his 7th season.

---

The Celtics were the best team in the NBA by far in 2024. Anyone who watched them play in the playoffs knew this.

If the Mavericks had somehow knocked them off to win the championship, it would have rivaled Dirk's 2011 run as one of the most unlikely in the recent history of the NBA.

That Luka took that bunch to the finals is a feather in his cap. Those trying to turn the loss to Boston into any other sort of narrative are idiots.

Jason Kidd says Anthony Davis is "still being evaluated" and expects a statement to come out after that's completed. He is dealing with an adductor strain.

— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) February 10, 2025

bear2be2 said:

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Method Man said:

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bear2be2 said:

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Method Man said:

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Mitch Henessey said:

---

Method Man said:

---

Hotsauce said:

---

The fitness thing has to be a smoke screen. Dirk will be the first one to tell you that he didn't take his body seriously until his 30s. So to assume that Luka wouldn't flip the switch somewhere down the line...? Doesn't add up.

At best, this still feels like an ownership decision to cut payroll and reduce fan interest. At worst, this feels like some sort of collusion to get the league's best player on a marquee team.

---

Umm......This isn't true.

72 is the most games Luka Doncic has ever played for the Mavs which was 87% of the season. That was his rookie year.

Dirk was giving you 77-82 games/season every year for like 10-12 years. Same with Tim Duncan, Hakeem, Lebron, Kobe...etc

The reason these franchise players were consistently on teams that were winning 50 games a season was that these franchise players almost always played 90% of the games in a season.

Luka has NEVER given the Mavs 90%.....and its a big reason why 52-30 is the best regular season record of a Luka led team.
Luka is only 25 and he's already missing half the season?????

Dirk was in year 15 before he ever missed serious time.....why was what? Because Dirk was always lean.

---

Great. Now, take this same argument and apply it to Anthony Davis. It's even more damning than what you just said.

Again, it's bad enough that the Mavs traded Luka. Hell, I'm not even a Mavs fan and I'm heated about it. It's indefensible that they traded him for such a paltry return. They got back a player who is WAY more injury-prone, 6 years older, and is worse now than Luka is. No one is saying Davis is a bad player, but not getting a better deal than the Mavs got is criminal.

---

I know they don't promote it on television.....but defense matters.
Seriously.

I went to the Mavs game on Saturday. In AD's debut the Mavs set a franchise record for blocks???
Their defensive effort was incredible.

The Mavs haven't had an all defensive player since Tyson Chandler made 2nd team all Defense in 2010-11...and guess what happened that year?
they won the championship.

Tyson Chandler in 2011 is the only player the Mavs have ever had that was a DPOY type of talent.

The Mavs best defensive bigs in franchise history have been:
1. Tyson Chandler
2. Roy Tarpley
3. Daniel Gafford
4. Derek Lively
5. DeSagana Diop
6. Shawn Bradley
7. Erick Dampier

Anthony Davis is so much better than all of those guys its not even funny. The Mavs have never had a player with the defensive talent of a Ben Wallace, Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis...etc

On paper, the 24-25 Mavs should be one the 3 or 4 best Mavs teams of all time. This team has beaten OKC 3x and the Celtics in Boston all without Luka Doncic.

This team should be something like 37-16....but what are they? Barely over .500 because our supposed superstar can't come into training camp in shape.

If Luka was playing 75-82 games a year then the Mavs record would resemble their record like they had under Dirk Nowitski......which was regularly winning 55 to 60 games/season.

The Mavs brass feel like between Kyrie, Klay, Dinwiddie and Jaden Harden that they have enough perimeter offense to be a strong offensive team. They feel that subtracting their worst defensive player for a DPOY type of talent will make them a better team in the short run which is the next 3 years.

---

The Mavericks just went to the NBA Finals. Two years after reaching the Western Conference Finals with a ****ty roster.

And we've got people acting like Luka was leading 42-win teams to first-round exits.

It's absurd. Gaslighting at its finest.

AD was on a team with Lebron James and they've been mediocre as often as not since their Mickey Mouse title in the bubble. This idea that he's the missing piece the Mavericks needed to lift the organization past the Luka's "ceiling" of a finals appearance is ****ing ridiculous.

---

The Mavs goal isn't getting to the NBA Finals....its to win the whole thing.

and thats hard to do when your best player doesn't do jack chit on defense. Luka has always been the golden boy....but the Mavs were not supposed to go out in 5 games during the 24 Finals.
That series should have gone at least 6 or 7,

Luka lost game 3 (and the series) for the Mavs in the 24 NBA Finals by whining, pouting and not playing any defense.
Dude gets 4 fouls in the 4th quarter and quits on the Mavs with 4 minutes left after they got to 93-90.
Un F***cking acceptable.

---

That series might have gone six or seven if Kyrie Irving wasn't a complete no-show.

Luka was the only player to show up at all in the finals. No one else on the roster could hit a freaking shot. Anyone blaming him for the Mavs finals loss is a moron.

---

STFU ass clown.

LUKA no showed on defense during the Finals. The Celtics actively hunted him throughout the series....and Luka exited game 3 fouling out with 4 minutes left in the game (and the mavs down 93-90) when he got so frustrated that he committed four insane fouls during the 4th quarter.

What superstar fouls out of a Game 3 of an NBA Finals with 4 minutes left in the game????????

77 for everyone at tonight’s game 😎 pic.twitter.com/tEGUKXHhPq

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 10, 2025

boognish_bear said:

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Last year the Mavs were ranked #20 in Scoring Defense. On the way to the NBA Finals they knocked off T'Wolves #1 in Scoring Defense, Clippers #10 in SD, and Thunder #11 in SD. Of course we want a better defense....but we beat 3 teams in the playoffs that had better defensive rankings.

I don't think we can assume just because the Mavs didn't win the Finals last year that meant they had hit their ceiling under Luka. Often times teams get close several times before finally breaking through.

In 21-22 the Celtics finished #2 in the Eastern Conf and went on to lose in the NBA Finals to the Warriors 2-4. In 22-23 the Celtics again finished #2 in the Eastern Conf and then got beat in the Conf Finals to the Heat 3-4. Then of course last year they finally broke through and got their Title.

We were possibly seeing a similar trajectory with the Mavs making the Conf Finals in 2022 and then the NBA Finals in 2024. We never got to see what this new roster construction with Klay, Grimes, Naji, and a second year Lively could do with Luka at the helm.

Luka isn't Jordan....but Jordan did not win his first NBA Title until his 7th season. Three years in a row from '87-'90 the Bulls got bounced by the Pistons before finally breaking through for their first Title in '91. Luka is now in his 7th season.

---

This years Mavericks team was supposed to be Luka's MVP year. This was supposed to be the season that he bounces back from a Finals defeat ala Dirk in 2006-07 and leads the Mavs to a 61-21 sort of record while playing 75-80 games season.
The old mavs front office never came close to surrounding Dirk the talent that Luka currently has.

Well guess what......Mr. Golden Boy can't show up in shape and can't stay healthy....and this season is just wasting away. All the while Houston and OKC are building young rosters that will continue to contend in the future.

Luka started this year playing horribly and got benched for two weeks so that his fat ass could get in shape.
His lack of effort on defense is directly related to being heavy.
The fact that he's never played more than 90% of a games in a season is directly related to his conditioning.

bear2be2 said:

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boognish_bear said:

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Last year the Mavs were ranked #20 in Scoring Defense. On the way to the NBA Finals they knocked off T'Wolves #1 in Scoring Defense, Clippers #10 in SD, and Thunder #11 in SD. Of course we want a better defense....but we beat 3 teams in the playoffs that had better defensive rankings.

I don't think we can assume just because the Mavs didn't win the Finals last year that meant they had hit their ceiling under Luka. Often times teams get close several times before finally breaking through.

In 21-22 the Celtics finished #2 in the Eastern Conf and went on to lose in the NBA Finals to the Warriors 2-4. In 22-23 the Celtics again finished #2 in the Eastern Conf and then got beat in the Conf Finals to the Heat 3-4. Then of course last year they finally broke through and got their Title.

We were possibly seeing a similar trajectory with the Mavs making the Conf Finals in 2022 and then the NBA Finals in 2024. We never got to see what this new roster construction with Klay, Grimes, Naji, and a second year Lively could do with Luka at the helm.

Luka isn't Jordan....but Jordan did not win his first NBA Title until his 7th season. Three years in a row from '87-'90 the Bulls got bounced by the Pistons before finally breaking through for their first Title in '91. Luka is now in his 7th season.

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The Celtics were the best team in the NBA by far in 2024. Anyone who watched them play in the playoffs knew this.

If the Mavericks had somehow knocked them off to win the championship, it would have rivaled Dirk's 2011 run as one of the most unlikely in the recent history of the NBA.

That Luka took that bunch to the finals is a feather in his cap. Those trying to turn the loss to Boston into any other sort of narrative are idiots.

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Dumbass Luka Stans like this are actually the reason I'm glad he's gone. I'm a fan of the Dallas Mavericks....not any single player.

The problem with people like this is that they never acknowledge the defensive part of playing basketball. To people like this its all about how much you can score.

The Mavs received the best two way big in the entire NBA......someone that scores almost as much as Luka but can impact the defensive side of the ball in ways that Luka is not capable of doing.

The Dallas Mavericks have never had a player with Anthony Davis's skillset.
Luka puts up amazing stats every year....and the best record the Mavericks have ever had under Luka is 52-30.

There might be a better way to construct a team that can annually contend for the NBA title.