For years a reason was established in relation to Luka Doncic very specific, going so far as to say that all the Slovenian needed was another star by his side. With the presence of this star alone all problems would disappear. The more talent in the squad, the less reliance on former Real Madrid. They almost looked like the steps you had to follow in a culinary recipe. In this way, when the Dallas Mavericks were available to them to acquire Kyrie IrvingThey did not hesitate for a moment. No problem, they thought. Nothing could be further from the truth.
With and without Lucas. With and without Kyrie. Together and apart. The Mavs’ problems are still there, and it doesn’t look like they’ll be able to find a solution with less than a month to go before the regular season ends.
The only thing that can comfort (but not calm down) the team’s fans is that from the tight situation that prevails in western conference It might happen Anything. With 27 days left until this campaign ends and the postseason begins, there is only one difference of 2.5 games between fifth and twelfth. A bad week can knock a team off its belt Playoffs almost in the positions of Lottery scheme. A blessing and, at the same time, a condemnation.
Dallas is in a difficult and uncomfortable position. To fulfill the prophecy that bringing in a star in Doncic would put the Mavs on the map, the franchise had to part ways with their most valuable players. Which, to some extent, broke the balance prevailing in the group he leads Jason Kidd but whose reward seemed worthy.
After making this move, the Mavs balance is 6 wins for 8 losses, of which both have simultaneously played in 9 of them (3-6 chips) and Here’s how Luca and Kairi have performed to date:
| Minutes | offensive percentage | defense ratio | Net Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irving and Doncic on the court | 232 | 122.6 | 115.8 | +6.7 |
| Doncic on court, Irving off | 86 | 107.5 | 131.3 | -23.8 |
| Irving on the court, Doncic out | 112 | 134.5 | 123.6 | +10.8 |
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A quick read of those numbers shows that yes, indeed, Irving provided a solution in those segments in which Doncic was absent (about 11 per night) in exchange for being worse in the ones he plays without Kyrie (some 10 per game ).
What is this then?
The answer lies in Jason Kidd’s own rotation. The Mavs coach has recovered for the occasion Frank Dilikina with the idea of helping the team defensively, but the results were not very positive. In the two starting lineups without Irving but with Doncic who was the Frenchman, the result was -0.9 of net score and -57.1. On the other hand, a Justin Holliday who has lived up to his reputation as an inconsistent player, posting +6.3, -46.2 and -57.1 in his quintet with the Slovenian.
His lost Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith, the two players who played the most minutes in Dallas after Doncic, has affected the team’s movement and especially its consistency. In return, the Texans have won punch Hand-in-hand with a Kyrie who is averaging 27.5 points and 6.6 assists while shooting 41.4 percent from three and 58.1 percent from two.
However, there is another question that goes beyond the consequences of a sports decision made by the offices. Which still has no clear answer consumed 82% of the team’s regular season. What is Jason Kidd’s problem with Christian Wood?
Both together and separately, the internal numbers with the Slovenian star were positive, maybe questionable defensively, but not so much when you consider that the Mavs are 23rd in efficiency. And yet, since acquiring Irving, Wood was the 7th player to go the most shutouts in a night. The player who came to solve many of the problems that the position had in Dallas saw his playing time reduced to less than 20 minutes. A situation that has been inexplicable since the beginning of the season. So much so that even in the Mavs’ last game without their two stars, Wood lasted 15 minutes.
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When asked about this, Kidd dismissed the matter, citing the large number of indoor spaces available and the difficulty this entails for fair distribution.
“If you look at the depth we have, we’re trying to get them to come out and see who has the hot hand, and right now, with Maxi (Kleber) back, that’s going to cut into some of his minutes. [de Wood]especially when we are healthy. And that’s how it is now, and it may change as we go along.said Kidd.
Beyond that, the reality for the Mavericks doesn’t inspire optimism. DO.With 14 games to go they will have to find a way to work with what they have. All this while Luka Doncic is far from feeling well physically as he carries a muscle injury that will keep him out indefinitely. While on paper they have one of the most affordable schedules in the league, their reality is quite different. Only the 2 engagements against the Spurs and the other 2 against the Hornets will offer a chance he faces an opponent who no longer has anything at stake. This is because 5 will be with teams in the battle for play-in and the other 5 with opponents in races for positions facing their class Playoffs.
Some Mavs who haven’t been brilliant defensively or inconsistent in general face the decisive stretch of their season with the challenge of understanding each other and getting out of the Play-In hole as quickly as possible to avoid failure .
The issues that were there before Kyrie Irving was signed are still there if not enlarged. And maybe it’s too late for an asterisk to be enough.
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
