The Dallas Mavericks have started the season strong, with the addition of rookie Dereck Lively II and others. In this enhanced segment from the Thinking Basketball podcast, Cody and Ben break down a more dynamic Maverick offense alongside Luka Doncic, Lively’s roll, their incredible 35-4 run against the Clippers and more.
–Full episode–
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQkuJAvH3-E
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Th3qJyvg9T0StWe2wiZ9N
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/232-power-rankings-are-the-mavs-legit/id1428290303?i=1000634705486
Support at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Basketball-Ben-Taylor/dp/1532968175
Podcast: https://player.fm/series/thinking-basketball or at https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/ben-taylor/thinking-basketball-podcast
Website: https://www.backpicks.com
Twitter: @elgee35
Ben Taylor is the author of Thinking Basketball, a Nylon Calculus contributor, creator of the Backpicks Top 40 series & host of the Thinking Basketball podcast.
Stats courtesy:
http://www.pbpstats.com @bballport
https://www.basketball-reference.com
https://stats.nba.com
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Footage in this video is owned by the NBA and its partners. It is intended for critique and education.
50 Comments
I thought Gobert would’ve been the perfect fit for Dallas (before Minnesota lost their minds). Rim protector on defense, and just be around the rim on offense, screening and catching dump-offs. But lively is pretty much doing all of that as a 19yo rook.
With Luka and that offense, they're a legit threat. They actually got it backwards, the simplicity and potency of their offense is why they'll be so hard to beat in a series format. It's going to be hard for a lot of teams to be able to score enough in 4 out of 7 games.
I'm not saying Dallas should be one of the favorites, the Nuggets are and should be heavily favored to repeat… but I do think Dallas will be hard for any team to eliminate this season.
This is the most hype I've been for a Mavs team in a while.
Luka has been playing off the ball this season. You people just won't let go fo past narratives. Mavs are also 2nd in the west! When has Luka disappointed in the playoffs?
still 1 to 4 years away from making to the western conference finals
I think a lot of this blazing hot start is shooting luck.
Doncic: 42% on 10 3PA
Kyrie: 40% on 7 3PA
GWill: 49% on 5.5 3PA
Hardaway: 40% on 9 3PA
That’s simply too efficient to last for a long period of time
Derrick lively is gonna start punishing people in the paint as he gets older. It’s not looking good for the league
Why does Cody deride the Luka/Kyrie pairing for not synergizing amazingly and "leaving meat on the bone", when aside from Steph and Klay, what star perimeter pairing has?
I don't see Tatum and Brown playing off each other at all but he never mentions that. Booker and CP3 took turns on the Suns. Harden and CP3 took turns on the Rockets. Harden and Maxey took turns. Kawhi and PG13 don't play off each other. When Lebron and Wade were on the Heat, apparently the Heat were better with Wade OFF the court.
I could go on and on but the point is made. All the star wing pairings I can think of play or played pretty independently of each other. It's tough to synergize a guard/guard like a guard/big because smalls don't typically run action with each other; that's always been a big/small thing. Ky and Luka are getting open shots because of the other, and the occasional cut off the ball…. what else does he want?
Sure I guess they could run some small PnR with each other, but that's a coaching decision as much as a player one. Guard/Guard just isn't a natural synergistic pairing like a Guard/Big is. This seems to bear out universally, not just on the Mavs.
Cody seems to apply a very high level of standard for Luka with other guards but never points to where else this standard is being met. It makes him come off with some confusing anti-Luka bias.
everything is ripped from a podcast or livestream now zzzzzzzzzzzz
Team construction is ALWAYS the biggest factor. I would say mindset of the team is most important followed by the matching of skills
I think an underrated point is that Kyrie ball handling instead of Luka allows Luka to save some energy for defense. I expect Luka's defense to improve
the play at 3:40 sums up westbrook's impact on D REALLY well. Random ineffective double team, and takes zero responsibility for his man Kyrie being left WIDE open
NO
Babe wake up, new Thinking Basketball video just dropped
If the Mavs latest form leans too heavily on DLively being the magic link, then im worried. When the Grizzlies lost Steven Adams they were a totally different team and they got smacked out in round one. We need space for Luka and Kai to ISO and none of our other centres collapse defenses anywhere near as much.
I don't know if Luka ever wins a championship or not, or if he ever wins an MVP and is considered 'the best player in the world', but I hope history inscribes just how insanely good he is/was offensively.
2:20 if Luka looks better physically to you guys this year… imagine if he ever gets remotely fit…the horror 🤣.
Seriously, I used to lost one and a half kg in a couple hours of playing pick up when I was his age. How the hell is this guy looking like he won the golden ticket to Willy Wonka's factory every season?? I can't even begin to understand it
If they get a guy that can take Jokić. I’m picking them to win it all.
its all dependent on lukas decision making. They basically have him running QB with all his reads idk how u scheme any better for playoffs when what they're running isn't that complex. The success of it all falls on the decision making and play of luka and if the shooters can make the open shot or capitalize on the closeouts and attack. Its why you seen DJJ having such a great start. Hes attacking on close outs and if they don't close he has a wide open 3 on the wing. Its almost like teams have to really bother luka enough or hope he has an off night or that the shooters around are having an off night.
Y'all must have not seen him play lmao 😂
Mavs need a solid PF down the stretch. They played GW at 5 against Nuggets. Ultra small ball won't be successful in playoff
I think Lively's passing off of rolls is being overlooked. As he gets more minutes he can easily average 4-5 assists a gane. He is great at reading the defense after the roll abd passing to the corner or a cutter. Reminds me a kot of Joakim Noah.
Aw. I thought this was its own breakdown but it's a re-hash of the pod…
Dereck lively has to start shooting threes
I dont need a system, I am a system
It’s funny the unstoppable and new looking offence Mavs got destroyed by the Pels. And it wasn’t an outscoring situation, it was on D. Luka and Kyrie got smothered, forcing turnovers left and right
I really really like the mavs new roster. They are a better version of the clippers. I could see them going to the conference finals if they keep playing like this..
Hello! I was wondering in plays such as the 4th minute 30 seconds where luka sends the ball to the runner, is that exactly how the coaches make the play? Or do coaches give you a general start and whatever you do from there is up to the players themselves?
That 35-4 run (and that game in general) is just more evidence that Luka just hates the Clippers. 😂
Grant Williams was perfect for this team. I was happy he left the Celtics as I knew he’d get much more opportunities and we would see how good he is.
Cuban gonna let Lively go for free when his rookie contract expire
They are legit. Luka finally has a legit center. And 49% possession time for Luka? Give the man 51, he's the man.
“..Josh Green, fantastic defensive player..” 💀💀💀
Too much dribbling from Luca… It's a little bit better this year but in the playoffs that's the problem.
totally skeptical about all of this, but we'll see
I don't think the Mav acquired Grant Williams for his passing ability more so for his defensive prowess
We've already gotten 3 rookie breakdowns, but I'm excited for a fuller Lively breakdown as well as Jaime Jaquez
Maybe they're another good big away from REALLY contending. They are very well constructed: generational star, all star, 3&D wings, shooters, 6th man(THJ) ideals rolling bigs for the system
Luka looks in far better shape this season
The real answer that nobody talked about is LUKA MOVING OFF BALL. And cutting
Lively is what McGee was supposed to bring when the Mavs signed him
Would Luka and the Mavs be able to use Bol Bol? How about trading for him?
Im a Mavs fan and I truly believe that this is the most complete roster the mass have constructed since the Dirk Era. Luka and Kyrie for Starpower. Shooters all around and with Grant, Lively, Green, DJJ and hopefully Omax as well, you got a real good defense as well. If Luka could drag a team half as good as this one to the conference finals …. imagine what he can do with the current roster
I'm an OKC fan, and Cason Wallace is a solid gut. But I was sooooo mad we traded Derek during the draft. He has great motor and solid instincts. Thunder would love a big like him rn
DP aint a rim protector
Ngl im lookin forward to watching the mavs all season im slight pissed cuz im a gsw fan and lively is quite literally what the team needs but he's a great fit next to Luka
No mention of DJJ?
The good thing about Lively at this stage is he doesn't need to be much more than a rim runner, rebounder, paint protector. This allows him to develop other areas of his game without pressure on him as a player. This duo of Luka + Lively could be really dangerous for years to come.
2 jazz players with almost 80% of possession… like damn!
What if they get kuzma