Mavericks vs Bucks Recap: Dallas loses 25 point lead, collapses to Milwaukee 129-117
N [Applause] Hello everyone welcome to pod Maverick after dark I am Kirk Henderson and you are joined by myself and Josh Bo it is February 3rd Saturday night about 10:30 Dallas Mavericks just lost to the Milwaukee bu uh second time this season game closed out with a final score of 129 to 117
Josh how you doing I’m doing okay I have a I’m trying to think of how we’re gonna talk about this game because the Vibes feel very similar to when the Mavericks lost those two games back to back to the Hornets last season those losses dropped them under 500 and
Basically we knew that the the season was over um this is interesting because they’re 26 and 23 they’s still 30 or whatever I think they got like 35 or so games left to play this it’s not over but it just I feel like whatever you know there
Are a lot of reasons why we’ll get into it but it felt like a breaking point for a lot of people that I think were kind of holding on um some some optimism about where this team could go well similar to the Mavericks three-point shooting your camera died um so you work
On that while I kind of ramble in response um I find that that sort of lead in very interesting because I don’t know what I expected out of this game because Giannis sentac kmo is one of the players I probably have the most fear and respect for on a game
To game basis so when you’re playing the bucks even with days of rest once you know Derrik Lively’s out of the game once you know Kyrie’s you know Kyrie’s just I’m sure he’ll play the next game at this point uh but if Kyrie’s not playing you know you’re
Still just missing three of your five regular starters I don’t have a lot of high expectations for this game so when the Mavericks come out and it’s funny I could not find the game on my ridiculous streaming service that I have so I missed the seven of eight three-point
Barrage so you missed the best part of the game for the M yeah so I missed like this best and like the MAV slack has blowing up about the game and of course it’s just like all right cool I’m and then the moment I tune in I mean within
Minutes like probably not even minutes it might have been 30 seconds later Luca donic uh and and Giannis got in that little scrum on the floor where Luca displayed remarkable flexibility um I just want to point that out and rolled his ankle in such a way to where I
Remember thinking oh okay there’s the season good thing that that Knicks pick is top 10 protected yeah it looked awful like I mean it was as gross of an injury that didn’t actually I mean he probably he has a sprained ankle but some people just have pliable ankles like that
Um it was one of the grossest things that didn’t actually hurt a player that I’ve ever seen uh and then he comes back in and proceeds to sort of go to you know just really play a spectacular offensive quarter and and half um it does it does bear mentioning though that
He does not play defense sometimes and tonight was one of those games where for stretches of game like there was he got beat on a back door cut to the rim for a dunk where he didn’t move yeah he was definitely cons I mean the he definitely
Like his ankle was still like a thing like it’s not like he came back and that necessarily mean he was totally fine he was just fine enough to get back into the game but you could tell like he was like okay I’m just gonna save what I
Have well his defense picked up as the game went on like the defense maybe Lo maybe he loosened up the ankle a little bit or something yeah yeah so I mean that was that was definitely something um but then you know like I mean things like things didn’t go to hell and like
This is just how would you describe that last two minutes because my problem last two minutes of the game or the last two minutes the second quarter where the Bucks went on a 1 15 run and the final two minutes of a quarter uh it was bad
But but who what happened because you got understand like I’m writing my wife is talking to me I’m like waiting to eat my dinner at halftime and I look up and I’m just like what and then I I I I’m scrolling through the play byplay and I
Noticed the same thing I always noticed that Jason kid didn’t call [ __ ] timeout but that that feels very reductive to what happened can can you kind of tell me what happened uh well you know the offense dried up in terms of mysteries and I mean I can go
On a longer solil but oh God I can’t even say that word about yeah that’s tough for me right now sorry guys um I mean short long story short uh Mysteries and turnovers and then when you have Mysteries and turnovers with this this version of Maverick’s transition defense
Which might be one of the worst transition defenses in the entire NBA uh and when you give Giannis and Dame you know free cracks at this transition defense I mean it was it was there was nothing they could do um you know Luca had uh you know he missed a shot he
Thought he got fouled and in that you know not only does he miss a shot which led to a transition opportunity of course you know he thought he got fouled we can argue rough stuff we can bring we can talk about that later because I know
A lot of people are mad about the refs and in some cases rightly so but so it leads to you know not only is it a Miss shot it leads to a fast break opportunity where Luca gets a transition take foul on Giannis because if he didn’t I mean because Giannis was about
To but to have a like a free throw line dunk like he was about to obliterate the rim because no one was getting back uh and then he picks up a technical so that’s what that’s two free throws one for the technical one for the transition take foul then they get the
Three-pointer on the possession that they keep so that’s um that’s five points in one possession session and of course that’s the three-pointer they make where Janis sanmo uh basically kicked Luca as he was driving Baseline and passing it through the corner three which they reviewed and called
Incidental contact which was a back call you think it was like I I I Luca sold it like that looked like somebody you know when they uh when when uh the like Stone Cold used to kick P somebody in the stomach that’s what that kick was yeah I
Mean it wasn’t great but like it was still clear uh the Luka did sell it I thought what they should have called you know they should have taken away the three but maybe just called a normal foul like there were some people wondering if it was like a hostile act I
Was like no but maybe like just call an offensive foul and take away the made three so but that doesn’t happen and then the Mavericks come back with their next possession Luca misses a shot and then Giannis DRS a three at the buzzer so they scored in 29 seconds they scored eight
Points so that’s how you lose 25o leads uh in a hurry so uh if you want to go further I mean this game was the just personification of this Mavericks team like top to bottom obviously the injuries make things worse may you know this isn’t maybe the best version of
This Mavericks team but stylistically like their strengths and weaknesses I mean they were on full display tonight like you get the nine of 11 start from three they look awesome and the Bucks score 20 points in the first first quarter and you talked with uh mavs.com Bobby Carell on a really
Good podcast and y’all basically talked about went through the numbers when the Mavericks get to execute the things that they like to execute defensively they’re very good like I remember Bobby talking about when they get to ice the pick and roll uh when they get to switch and
Defend in isolation they’re like both of those things are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA the thing about that is you can only do that in a half court offense and oh there goes my camera again sorry this this is let me just keep talking if it keeps emblematic
Of of the Maverick season um the best part is Josh knows he needs to replace his camera he he just won’t actually replace his camera it’s my favorite part about this right in the middle of what I’m talking about too it’s okay sounded good they start nine of 11 from three
And uh and their defense looks amazing like I said because they can execute their half court defens of principles uh and they can’t do that when they’re Miss and you can’t execute your half court defense when you’re missing a ton of threes and you’re turning the ball over
A ton the Mavericks had eight what is it 18 turnovers tonight the turnovers tonight 21 turnovers they’re not a turnover pro team and some of the turnovers they had tonight were just crushing yeah so 21 turnovers after the nine of 11 from three start they
Finished seven of 28 um so they miss 21 three-pointers to finish the game making only seven um and the scored uh 21 25 points off turnovers and they scored 19 fast break points 64 points in the paint so basically after that nine of 11 start the Mavericks 3es dried up the Bucks
Rotations got a little bit better uh I think Luca’s three-pointer suffered after the ankle injury because he was a little he was looking a little hot at the start of the game and then I think that ankle injury kind of made those threes a little harder to make but well
I mean he’s been guarded by Giannis and that’s the secondary part of this whereas like there were a couple of times in that game where he sought out Giannis which I love because I actually think he he kind of kicks giannis’s ass but Giannis gets a great whistle against
Luca like there was one tip in towards the end when the game was kind of already done the Derrick Jones Jr one where he gets he gets Giannis on his back hip Giannis fouls the [ __ ] out of him no call and then he just goes over to the refs like my like my
Eight-year-old seven-year-old child does and he like it’s like dude just you’re not going to get all the calls against a former a former defensive player of the year I get it yeah it’s yeah that’s not great and something about the Mavericks um I’ve been thinking like their transition defense
Is just so bad I wonder how much of it is Luca is in the paint a lot even when he’s not shooting because when he’s creating three-pointers he’s creating three-pointers because he’s touching the paint usually uh either in a pick and roll or a drive um obviously Miss
Three-pointers are bad and we know that if your floor is spaced where you’ve got two guys in the corner and you miss a three and that ball is shooting out to to the top of the key and you’ve got two people in the corner it’s hard to get
Back on defense well the Mavericks always have two people in the corner and also Luc is in the paint so think about when he’s shoot when he’s passing the ball to people at the three-point line the Mavericks have two guys in the corner and Luca’s probably somewhere in
The paint if that’s a Miss shot going up the top of the wing the Mavericks are basically down if they’re not get getting back as as fast as possible they’re basically three man down almost every single transition opportunity one of because there’s two guys in the corner and Lucas in the paint passing
The ball out to a shooter so that’s they’ve gota and that’s a systematic thing but that’s also you know guys got to start leaking back before yeah the guy who doesn’t get the pass has to has to start making his way back a little
Bit that was one of the that was one of the things that happened Josh Green shot at corner three from the the right corner to in the in the uh final two minutes of the second quarter and then he he I don’t think he got fouled but he
Ends up on his back and the shot was so short that it ricocheted off the side of the rim down remember and I mean that’s as bad as a turnover those two things together like when you miss Corner threes horribly it is as bad as a live
Ball turnover yeah it’s it’s a it’s an ignition to a Fast Break um and yeah like I’ve just been like because I’ve been thinking I’m like why have the Mavericks been so bad about transition defense because they’re also usually you’re a bad defensive uh transition team because you want to pound the
Offensive glass right acks are a bad offensive rebounding team too so it’s not like they’re getting killed because guys are crashing the glass I think it’s just because this team is so reliant on three-point shooting they’ve always got two guys spaced in the corner now to be
Fair most NBA teams have two guys spaced in the corner but Luca is always in the paint too and if he’s not getting back if he you know he you know if he’s not getting back that means they’re they’re they’re down three guys when they miss a
Three which is tough um but but yeah it’s just that was the game they made their threes and their half court defense looked awesome in the first quarter from second quarter the fourth quarter they turned the ball over they missed their threes and they didn’t have an opportunity to play half court
Defense and they lost the again well in the the final score and really the final four minutes of the fourth quarter what what happened when the Mavericks got down by like they they really sorry I’m about to sneeze um the Mavericks only got down by about six
Points for by the bucks so they’re up by 25 and then there’s essentially a 30o swing for the Mavericks to be down by five or six in the third quarter yep obviously you don’t like a 30-point swing but something about at that point the Mavericks are down five and they
They wake up a little bit they they find a little bit of dignity a little bit of Pride yeah um remember that they come back in the game they they actually retake the lead in the fourth quarter or in the third quarter uh only two give it
Up on the final shot in like six seconds left it like if you want to talk about bad transition defense like that it’s just like guys what are you doing yeah and then they never got the lead you know the the the Bucks punched them in the mouth to start the fourth they
Basically got up by eight SE seven to nine points is what I wrote in my recap and then hung out at that point for the next six minutes of Play The Mavericks would score they would do something with Giannis they would isolate Giannis uh
And then he’d get a layup or a putb or Dame Lillard who was 10 of 11 from the floor my God and it was good night from there um Dam and Yannis combined to go 30 of 37 from the field the one play that had me in stitches and Luca didn’t
Actually argue the call but Giannis attempted a Euro Step with the carryover of the ball over Lucas or Luca’s head do you did you see that one I don’t remember that one off top it was coming from the top left and he crossed over and basically swung the ball over top of
Lucas Lucas 6’8 like this it’s it looked ridiculous and Luca essentially fouled him in the middle I mean Luka didn’t argue the call he was just pissed because it like it doesn’t when a lot of giannis’s motions and I’m glad there’s probably not any Bucks fans in here I
And if there are High um a lot of what Yannis does motionwise is not particularly graceful and a lot of like [ __ ] Hooper people would say he doesn’t have a bag well who the [ __ ] cares if you can just run people over and the way the game is offici
Appreciated nowadays the way he gets angles and space on people he’s just going to score a lot he’s a hell like I me he’s incredible basketball player that’s not to take anything away from him he is maximizing the ability that he has paired with the way that the game is
Called um and it was just that was there were just a couple instances of the way that he is able to do things physically that simply cannot be matched and it was it was something to watch yeah did you see do you remember the one that sticks
Out to me the most is they’re in transition the Bucks are Giannis has the ball I mean it happened repeatedly throughout the night but there was one that just stuck out to me it was in the second half um and and Yannis says you know he’s rampaging down the middle of the
Floor on a transition opportunity the Mavericks were actually like back like I think they had more guys back than the Bucks did um so they actually had an ad defensive Advantage for once some transition and Maxi was back like in the paint like in a stance guarding got his
Hands up like not hands up but like he’s in the defensive posture waiting for Giannis and Yannis is just like it’s like he’s not even there like he just basically kind of dips in doesn’t like shoulder check him just you know goes through and uses his strength and gets
An n one and he just like Maxi starts in the paint and he’s like almost near the St and like K Giannis just moves him not like in an offensive foul way just because he’s so like so damn like what Shack would do to guys in the low post
Where guys would be guarding him on the Block and then end up on the floor near the camera people and he’s dunking it like that’s what Giannis reminds me of it’s it’s unbelievable okay we’re gonna take a quick break here if you guys are here in
The Stream if you could head down and hit the like button I’d very much appreciate it while you’re down there consider subscribing to pod Maverick we do these shows uh and then I don’t know I think particularly as the season wears on I feel good tonight uh I’m GNA do a
Secondary live show where if you would like to come talk basketball with me uh get out some frustration we’ll we’ll hang out for a little bit and and talk a little bit of basketball so um be ready for that uh while you’re you know if you’re listening via a podcast and it’s
Saturday or Sunday um you know Monday morning consider subscribing to our show leave us a review be very grateful those who are watching on the YouTube uh either in the live show or later on if you could leave a comment really appreciate it I read all of the comments
Even the very mean ones and nothing tops YouTube like mean comments Twitter thinks it’s mean and it’s just just doesn’t have it um I will be hosting a second show tonight so those of you who regularly participate uh hang around because I would like to talk some ball
With you um and then stay tuned here for a quick uh ad read if you’re listening on the audio show we’ll be right back okay I don’t really know what else to talk about about this game because like you go through and you look at they
Played seven and a half guys um this was a game you know where Jaden Hardy played 11 minutes he was one of four from the floor kid yanked him pretty quick because I just Hardy’s just got to understand that he can’t do off the dribble [ __ ] where he is stationary if
He catches it on the Move off of receiving a pass I’m fine with it when he takes dribble move shots I want to die it’s awful yeah I feel like with Hardy kid is at the place where he puts him in kind of he he has a quick hook
Like he knows he kind of knows when it’s going to be good Hardy or bad hearty and credit to him I mean actually one of his better coaching boovs tonight to right and not you know not run him out there but boy have you looked at Luca’s uh
Minute game log um it’s not pretty yeah kid said the pregame that he wanted to keep him under 40 minutes but Luca said since he hadn’t played in four days he’d be happy playing all 48 and this just goes like that comment followed by the action is just telling me they don’t
Have a handle on Luca donic period but also what’s the alternative they also don’t have a choice yeah they don’t trust Seth he tried janen Hardy didn’t look good like when Kyrie’s out this roster just yeah there’s just there’s nothing there I mean you want to run do
You want to run a thj Josh green back court for for for five minutes I don’t know like that’s the only thing I could think of uh but like the thing that I’m really concerned about is I mean if they don’t if Kyrie does not come back I mean
I don’t care how good a shape Luke is in you cannot have this usage with this minute use with this minute load and not wear down like he’s gonna wear down he’s human he’s not a robot I mean maybe he doesn’t but like I’m just there’s a part
Of me that’s kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop with Luca not and it’s not Luca’s fault well I mean the ankle that you’re just like looking and you’re like man this is just the culmination of a lot of minutes what are you gonna do yeah yeah I just it just
Doesn’t the game plan being you know Luca needs to play 45 minutes and we’re they’re basically so he’s played 42 minutes or more in four straight games uh and the team is two and two in those four games so they’re not you know like not only is he playing an ungodly amount
Of minutes an unsustainable amount of minutes uh they’re they’re 500 in those four games like it’s just it’d be one thing if they were like 4-0 or three and one but like if they’re not even winning basketball like I don’t know it it feels like and I’m not saying
It’s it’s a bad coaching thing it’s again it’s just like I don’t it just Kyrie has to start has to get back or or things are just gonna snow snowball on them really quickly well then you look at the other guys that that play tonight and when you consider how many guys are
Hurt you know Grant Williams gets the start tonight hilariously he is a plus 13 like that and green was a minus 29 which is pretty funny once again and yeah cuz like Josh actually had a fairly interesting game um 20 points n rebounds three assists I am convinced he has no
Idea how to pass during a Fast Break um oh he had some bad he had he had three turnovers and two of them had to have been on Fast Break like live ball situations and I’m just like that’s where his lack of experience long term because he just he hasn’t played
Basketball as long as some other guys like really really stands out it’s hard to get super mad at him but like his speed is his weapon so if he can’t utilize anything other than getting the Rim it’s like that said he hit some clutch threes he played a pretty good game hard to
Beat on a guy I mean no no no he’s not want but but Grant yes grant grant I don’t know what to say anymore just an atrocious basketball player yeah I just he makes the worst decisions at the worst times and it’s just it’s it’s
It’s no it’s not funny it’s it’s sad I mean he had a layup that like spun in and out like it’s getting in the middle Luka Just Hits him right in the hands he has to move his hands from here to here and put the ball in the hoop and he
Bricks it yeah I just I’m embarrassed and then that that pass on the ground to Jay Crowder he had four turnovers he had that’s why he didn’t that’s why he only played 20 or 23 minutes for was like I’ve seen enough for AOW yeah for a low
Usage spot up guy to have four turnovers that’s like well the final one was the one in the second half in the left corner where he gets a kick out and just just stumble bumbles around I just yeah it’s you know you look at what they they
Roll I think they gotta trade him is the is kind of my thing because his Vibes have to suck because he is not a guy who silently complains he is me if I were a Dallas Maverick because I can’t play basketball anymore either he I would just be bitching and moaning and
Flailing and I just it is is his energy is awful I don’t know what are you tra what are you trading him for I don’t know he he’s he’s averaging six points a game in January like I still think you can convince another team that his his
His some of his playoff stuff with the Celtics was real I really do I think you have to attach a second to him like I don’t I don’t see how you’re getting you’re getting value back he still has three more years after this one and I
Know his number is not huge but with all these owners worried about like second apron stuff like no Contender is going to want that when they’re trying to pinch pennies to make sure that they’re not paying the the mega tax and then why would a bad team like you know a bad
Team will take them but they’re GNA want to pick for it like why else would they trade for him like it’s just his value right now is is catastrophic I mean he’s the new Jil McGee right now like he’s just you know you just get this guy to a
Multi-year deal that you think is going to fill a specific role and not only is he not filling that role but he’s doing things worse like when I when he was first acquired I tried to you know I I remember saying something like I’m not as high on him as
Everyone else but it’s still a solid move because if he at least just does the things that he does in Boston he’s a useful player he’s a rotation guy I remember people being like why are you down on the Move he’s he’s 24 or he’s 25
Whatever his age is you know he’s young he’s getting better you know he’s going to get more opportunities to look at all this I was like yeah but like he he’s F you know a guy falling out of the rotation on a good playoff team at that age when he’s had good playoff
Moments is weird you know there were some numbers with his you know defensive numbers were kind of weird last year and then even then I was like he’s just not he’s not a Dynam he’s not the dynamic forward that everyone’s asking for and just assuming that he’s just gonna take
That leap is just you know I’m just a little cautious but now he’s not even he’s not even hitting spot up three like he’s not even doing three and D stuff and I’m just like he has like one game out of every eight or nine where it’s
Like oh okay there’s that guy and and it’s worse it is worse than the Dorian stuff before I’m trying to think how to phrase this because Dorian really didn’t become an NBA player until he played Luca like that’s fair the second half of of the 20189 seasons Lucas’s rookie year
The last 30 Games Dorian shot like 40% from three and Dorian has made himself into an NBA player I’m really pleased with how d career has gone about but the Luca effect with him was real particularly from distance and the kind of shots that Luca gets guys I mean look at Derrick Jones
Jr as an example if you can get anyone with a reliable three they’re going to score points they’re going to score points which made like there was this real Nick angad of locked on Mavs our friend showed this this graph the other day we disagree with his conclusions out
Of the the guys who play the most minutes but don’t average either 10 points five rebounds or three assists Grant and Josh were two of the top five and Dorian was one of the others and Dorian was the other and all these people have been coming at me
Being like Well’s Luca having the ball for days nobody gets enough shots and I’m like guys look at other winning teams LCA could Luca by himself and this is not hyperbole Luca by himself generates more open threes than some team generate teams so if you can’t hit shots within this offense your value
Plummets and that and that the Maverick simply cannot find anyone that can hit open shots Reggie was great for a year half a year really well that’s why Tim is so important and that’s why it’s hard to trade him and that’s what makes even though they want to trade him because I
Mean his defense was atrocious tonight I know you pointed that out but he also he made four of eight from three and like he was one of like he wasn’t great but like that you have to have a guy like that on your roster if you’ve got a guy
Like Luca like not trying to argue LCA does it need to diversify the ball a little bit more like it’d be great but like gota hit gota be able to hit to be clear everyone I see the comments in the chat the Mavericks used the last tread available on Reggie bok’s
Tires that’s okay yeah I mean he’s yeah he’s not I don’t even think he’s playing like you think he’s on Houston yeah he doesn’t play um we also have to mention um know we talked about Grant like quietly the the Derrik Jones Jr um Revelation has cooled off and he’s kind of
Slowly uh morphed back into the player that he was for most of his career which is still not like terrible like it’s still totally fine for a veteran’s minimum that he’s paying like he’s still not like I wouldn’t call him underperforming like he’s right in line
With what he should be doing a minimum signing great right but like you know he was averaging 12 and a half points a game in December and there was a stretch where you’re like whoa is he like is something here did they unlock something and then in January like teams are like
No not really like they’re treating him like the player that he is um he’s actually not shooting terribly from three in January 35% he’s only taking 2.8 per game he’s took none uh he took none tonight took none in the Atlanta game that he last played um he had
Hasn’t made he’s made one three in his last four games and again it’s not because he’s necessarily shooting poorly he’s just he’s going games with like one two three attempts and that can Muck things up because he’s also you know what he was doing in uh in December he
Was taking five threes which was nice but he was taking a lot of shots because he was taking advantage of the space and driving to the rim and scoring at the rim and mixing it up with cuts and stuff like teams I think are starting to like
I think he’s shown up a little bit more on scouting reports after that December and I think teams are kind of more like okay like we’re not going to let this guy like we’re going to let him shoot threes We’re not gonna let him beat us
Off and and finish at The Rim because that’s that’s where he will kill us like we’re gonna let him shoot and then he’s not shooting because because he wants to get to the room he’s not a shooter so that’s also qu so you’re playing you know thank God Maxi woke up
From the dead because otherwise you look at your forward spot past Luca and green Jones Williams and kba you know Jones didn’t shoot a three Williams was 0 for two you know if Maxi played one of if Maxi played like he played this season they would have lost this game by like
35 points um so you know on one hand it’s a shame that they wasted the Maxi game but on the other hand like they’re just playing these guys that are just they’re just not you know it’s just there just needs to be a little bit more production yeah well did we even talk
About the Maxi game no I’m just the first mention it was crazy like like so that’s the most M that first of all that’s Maxi’s first double digit point game of the year it is the and I just did some brief looking into this it is the most two-point field goals he’s had
In the game since November of 2022 Maxi does not shoot two-pointers for for anybody’s like point of reference I mean he played a heck of a game he looked like a comfortable basketball player and I I he had 47 points on the season entering tonight before tonight yes good God he scor yeah
He scored eight in the first three minutes yeah he was great the thing that you know the threes are nice you mentioned this in the recap four two-pointers um good two-pointers like they look good he skyed for you missed it in the first quar in the first
Opening minutes he skyed for an alleyoop uh with Luca and finished it with two hand like a two-hand dunk like when was the last time we’ve seen Maxi you know finish with a dunk in the lane um in a pick and roll like it looked like he got the Kobe knee
Injection or something there’s there’s something to hit though confidence though the confidence thing with him is like very few NBA level players I’ve ever seen on offense yeah I bet we get like a month of fantastic play out of him now I really do I wouldn’t be
Surpised they need it yeah yeah they do they need everything and even tonight you know he just defensively like there was just yeah I feel like everyone that played there’s a cette like like some sort of catch like even Luca’s game was great but we mentioned you know
Defensively wasn’t good he missed eight three-pointers nine turnovers like even you know Josh Green had a great game uh offensively but I thought he got absolutely crushed on screens all night he’s just he’s not a very good Defender we we just this the idea of Josh is a defensive player
The idea of Josh is a defensive player it’s we’re running out of time not time but we’re just running out of things like it’s just there’s not there’s not a lot of tape on there um so yeah it’s just I’m curious we’ve talked a lot about the game a lot I know we’ve
Already talked for 33 minutes but there’s like some apocalyptic takes brewing and people are mad at the front office and people want kid fired after this game and I’m like is this a where we need to to step back and look at some bigger picture narratives or do we need to wait till
They get through this ala stretch like what what’s your mood like are you we can’t they you think it’s over like no I really don’t like I’m not an optimist but they’ve showed enough to make it interesting and where this all starts to boil over and I wrote about this please
Go read my recap at Mavs Moneyball dcom I talked about it to me this is almost wholly bad injury luck paired with a total lack of organizational composure I you know kid makes me mad because kid acts like he doesn’t have anything to do with it like he has no control over
It part of me gets why because as on Hall of Fame point guard he’s sitting here saying these guys get paid to play basketball they could afford to stop being babies and I and I use the collective they because we’ve seen some some like frankly some childish behavior from Tim Hardway
From uh he’s starting to pick up some technicals lately why is that because leadership comes from the top down and when you see Luca do it and nothing happens to Luca why in the hell won’t anybody won’t everybody else do it but then you know the Bucs announcers called
This out tonight and I guess I’ve just lived with this for so long it it doesn’t it didn’t even occur to me and some of you guys have probably thought about this so I apologize because this is not a new point but when Cuban is sitting there doing the same thing why
In the hell would anyone shape up he acts like a fan because he is a fan and I appreciate that but he is still a leader within the organization and then it Peters out into everything else that happens I mean I didn’t watch the Mavs broadcast tonight so I can’t speak to
This but I got a dozen messages from non- Mavs fans from different you know media people around the league and they’re like is this what you listen to every game are they okay and like that sort of thing it’s it’s a it’s I called it an epidemic in
My recap because once you start complaining it becomes the only thing you can do and it’s an organizational thing they all have to stop they all need to Buck Up and string together a series of performances all of them Luca cannot carry the offense all the time J um
Derek Lively cannot be the only defensive player they have to do this together the only way out of this mess is by playing through it and they they just don’t seem to they can’t seem to be able to do it for more than a game at a
Time I mean when was the last time I feel like a crazy person when was the last time the Mavericks won three consecutive games I’m gonna go look because I’m Petty it’s been it’s been a hot it was probably w three games start the year in January guess who those games were
Portland Portland and Minnesota Minnesota game was impressive but those other two games were cakewalks other than that they won four games to start December and then they won four games season yeah there is no continuity game to game there is not enough effort game
To game a lot of that is injuries a lot of that is things that are completely reasonable but every team has this excuse and and you know there’s I see I’m reading the comments and one person said blaming Luca again somebody else says this is a coaching problem you can
Blame it anywhere you want I don’t [ __ ] care I just want it to stop and I want to see some good basketball consistently from a team that I know can do it they can’t expect Luca to be a superhero every game no they can’t keep doing this 42 45
Minutes but I also don’t know I don’t know where they go until Kyrie gets back but yeah the the organizational stuff like I’m I’m with you uh there just seems to be a boiling frustration that’s like palpable um the refs were not great but it’s also at a certain point
Like I mean nothing’s like the refs aren’t great but but complaining about it isn’t going to take away the foul like they’re not going to call they’re not going to take away the foul they’re not going to take away your technical maybe they call the game a
Little bit differently but but I mean we’ve seen this repeatedly this felt kind of like the Phoenix game a little bit where when the adversity Struck it just kind of snowballed down and I understand that maybe that’s because they’re frustrated because they felt like they haven’t had their full team on
The floor for a long time which is true they basically haven’t played their five best guys together together more than like 50 possessions or whatever it is so I get it they’re frustrated and everyone’s FR like it just I don’t know like that’s why I said
This game sort of felt like those two Charlotte games because it feels like guys are just kind of letting go of the Rope they’re letting go of their competitiveness a little bit you don’t get that like stuff yeah yeah like and and I understand people want to fire the coach
And and I get it and I’m not a kid fan but I’m trying to think of like like firing kid is not going to make Kyrie play 80% of the the games that are remaining or 90% or whatever they need it’s not going to make Derek Derrick Lively’s nose go from broken to
Unbroken like that’s not to give kid an excuse like I think he’s there’s some things that he’s been doing this season that are that are really bad but I’m just saying like I don’t know I think if they want want to make a coaching change I would just wait till
The off like I just don’t see the benefit of bringing in someone new or or elevating a new voice like maybe you get that bump where you win like two or three or four games in a row or you go like five in one because everyone’s kind
Of pepped up by a new coaching change but like that stuff catches up to you a little bit and trying to implement new stuff mid-season I don’t know like maybe it’s going to get to a point where they can’t get Escape it and they feel like that’s the
Only change that they could make and we have to see what the trade deadline brings because that’s what usually the mid-season coaching changes something happens they can’t you know they feel like this is the only thing that they can do yeah so we’ll see but I just I
Don’t know what that’s gonna change right now but when they get to the summer I’m totally like they do need to evaluate like all of this leadership stuff right now because it stinks it stinks that you know they get some bad calls like it felt like when the Giannis
Kick call went against them like everything just kind of fell apart from there like I think credit to them for maybe finishing that third quarter strong but again they had already lost the 25-point lead by them like they shouldn’t have even been in that position to begin with no um now you
Could say they shouldn’t have had a 25-point lead to begin with considering the the odds were were stacked against them but you play the you know that’s not what happened like they they got a 25-point lead like you can’t you can’t come away from this game being like this
Isn’t that big deal of a loss because they should have lost this game anyway like no like things change like you have new information and your opinion should change like they have a 25-point lead they should have been able to close the game out uh they should have at least
Been able to make it a clutch game down like this wasn’t even a clutch game like how many teams have a 25 point lead lose and it’s not even goes down in the in the record books as a clutch game like it was it was a bad second through
Through fourth quarter and and the way it just kind of the air got let out of the balloon it felt like the Phoenix game and the Phoenix game also had really bad vibes around yeah well you you said something that I thought was important and made me think of something
That I didn’t really close on if you’re gonna complain about the referees if that’s gonna be a thing okay and that can just happen some games at a certain point there needs to be a cell decision point to where you’re really making the point you want to make as a
Player as a coach if it’s Luca and you’re really that pissed about how you’ve been treated get ejected over a real call part of why I don’t think he does is because I think he he knows that in his heart of hearts some of the things that
He argues aren’t worth aren’t worth the the things that he’s mad about kid though kid could you know kid doesn’t do that like kid doesn’t get technicals and he’s only been ejected like twice since he’s been in Dallas I think with with the kind of fragility this team is displaying that kind of
Gesture would might work you know car did it every now great now and again it’s not like we as fans all feel like kid isn’t sing up for his players I wonder if the players feel that way I don’t know because kid and Hardway and Luca and there’s a lot of weirdness you
Know we never even touched on the fact that kid went on the radio after the last game and said that Luca is better than Durk and could be one of the best players of all time which felt like such unbelievable pandering that we didn’t even talk about
It because our site just looks at some of this stuff and just rolls our eyes like I I don’t you know we don’t do fan speculation that much or trade speculation and sometimes we don’t really talk about these these kind of like click clicky stories because it
Just annoys me as an editor and I I don’t know I I I just it has to start somewhere and you know Luca can get up and give his normal platitude which is I got to be better I got to do this I got to do that and I appreciate that when he
Does it they’re just there something’s got to change you know something’s got to change yeah I don’t I don’t really disagree I don’t know what it will be because I think it’s just so injury dependent and I think yeah everything we’ve talked about tonight really for the past several games Grant Williams
Shooting Derrick Jones shooting if all those guys are bumped down the Peg and have less stress on them maybe they play better yeah but I mean like Derek Jones has to still play like they still have to play like I know if they get pegged
You know down a peg that helps but I don’t know how much it helps I there’s probably something that’s that I’ve been thinking about like it feels like we’ve been talking for like two years maybe even longer now feels like it’s just been this constant well when the the when the
Conditions are right like when this happens and this happens then they’re going to take off or or this is going to be better you know when they get healthy you know when Kyrie and Luca get more time together you know when they gel when they make before the Kyrie trade it
Was like okay well they just need to make the big trade they need you know there’s been a little it feels like the wheels are spinning and the they’re just not going like it feels like they’re stuck in the mud these last two years like the wheels are spinning in
The mud and they’re just not going forward they’re not necessarily going backward I mean they kind of they did last year for sure but uh it’s just like they’re just in this constant cycle of well let’s just wait till this thing happens and then things will be better
And at a certain point how many times can you say that before you realize well now the season’s over we can’t wait for things to get better um not trying to to end the podcast on like a downer note but like this might just be a year where
They’re not healthy that happens to teams you know out to Casey Smith wherever he is they’re not even the most injured team in the NBA by the way not even close so you know and of course all those teams I think ahead of them are like really bad like Memphis and maybe a
Couple other teams so you know it’s it feels like they’re kind of on a treadmill right now like they’re just it’s just always it’s just always one more thing and I’ve like you’re just waiting for the moment where they’re like okay we are short-handed and we are
Not being dealt a great a great hand here but f it let’s let’s take three out of four let’s you know let’s turn this around let’s you know let’s rally behind something like there’s just something off that that that needs to change and I can’t I can’t pinpoint it I can’t
Quantify it I can’t statistically you know highlight what that is there just feels like they’re just stalled like they’re stuck at neutral uh for like the last two years and I don’t I don’t know what that that Mara one of our long time commenters says oh my the dreaded treadmill of mediocrity
Oh right [ __ ] good good line man good line all right Josh I’m Gonna Let You Go edit and do some other stuff I’m going to take a minute long break and then we’re going to be back with our second live show uh for anybody who wants to
Hang out please do I’m going to be posting a link here in the chat which I want you to come up and join the show for those on listening on audio MAV party if I don’t split it into two shows the second one will be on Sunday afternoon uh everybody thanks so much
For hanging out uh please give me just a second I need to go make another drink and I will be right back to Taco basketball guys have fun tonight go Mavs [Applause] And we’re back welcome to Mavs or I’m sorry pod Maverick presents group therapy my name is Kirk Henderson if you recall I’m editorinchief over at Mavs Moneyball dcom I run pod Maverick along with Josh Bo we do these podcasts where you fans fellow basketball fans
Come talk a little hoop with us those of you who are listening on the live show there is a YouTube stream I’m sorry a um link that should be pinned within the chat uh I want you to click on that and and come join me tell me what your
Thoughts are on this game tell me what your thoughts are on the season along with anything else that might be on your mind basketball related if you are listening to our live show on Twitter and you want to join the show send me a direct message and I will shoot you the
Link as well all right coming up first we got Brian who is always here to help me kick off the show very much appreciate it uh Brian what’s uh what’s cracking tonight man I I’m not gonna lie I kind of just clicked the link just on reflex
I I don’t feel inclined to talk about that basketball team at all man sure should we talk about something else I heard somebody that didn’t like blue-eyed Samurai and got really upset with them really what was even that critique oh just you know like there’s certain people that don’t like animation
And I’m just like you I don’t like I don’t like Scorsese movies half the time what’s you know what are you going to do what are you going to do did you watch the game tonight I did I watched it from beginning to end unfortunately uh I saw that early lead
That we got out to immediately tweeted Midway through I think by the time it was like a 15 16 point lead I said oh they’re making well no actually when the lead was still only four or five I said they’re making everything and the Bucks are not and they’re still only Up by
Four Points yeah I know exactly what the script is on right tweeted that like four minutes into the game and inevitably here we are man I have a painful message to a to a bucks fan friend that that essentially said I can’t wait to see how we blow this this 25-point
Lead yeah dude I just I’m I’m I’m tired man like I like Josh played well on offense and at this point that’s all I’m really expecting I I’m the three and D dream is is dead at least for this year maybe if he learns how to navigate his
Scream over the summer we can you know go into because he looks good when he plays on the national team so I don’t there’s still something for him to work out there sure but offensively he’s been fine the last few weeks so I’ll take that we got the Maxi outlier game I I
Was in a group chatting someone said uh yeah no what Maxi showed is encouraging I said no what Maxi showed is something that should get him tested for PDS I called it the proof I called it the proof of Life game yeah yeah that’s precisely what it was
And so yeah Maxi had a really good game couldn’t capitalize on it very annoying Luca had a Soo game like by his standards like he scored he hit threes early on he let the refs get in his head bad stretches that were very costly and
He turned the ball over a whole hell of a lot like turn yeah that’s so stinky that’s so stinky dude how the f how the [ __ ] did Grant Williams have before turnovers when he was barely touching the ball well he had that real cool one because he Dove on the ground makes a
Nice play to get the ball from the Mavericks and then uh threw it to Jay Crowder that was one of them Jay Crowder had that behind the back pass to Damen Lillard for a layup that was one a really Soul crushing moment yeah then he
Had one in the fourth quarter that was a basically a Happy Feet one from the three-point line that was just two those are the first two that come to mind he obviously had more um oh when he traveled and then Luka looked like he wanted to murder him with multiple
Weapons on the other side of the Court yeah yeah that so so that was I’ve just I’m I’m at the point like early in the fourth quarter I was just in the trade machine just just just [ __ ] around I was like I’ve got better weights it’s been like time I’m
I’m just because like people keep saying let the team get healthy let the team get healthy dude I don’t give a [ __ ] they’ve had 50 games to get healthy and then not healthy I’m I just I’m past the point of caring like fire Jon kid sure but if we’re
Firing him fire Nico too for the job he’s done over the last like three or four years he doesn’t get out of this Suns skade Sure Fire Michael Finley because I don’t know what the hell he does fire Dirk too for all I care Trey
Kyrie I’m I’m just over it man I’m so over Kyrie so so I want to get your take on something sure I have I’m I’m on record there’s audio of me saying this so there’s just no point trying to act like I you know do the
[ __ ] where act like I was in on Kyrie Al I was unhappy with the Kyrie trade rumors I was unhappy with the Kyrie trade I was unhappy with the Kyrie resigning but at a certain point you dance with Hua I’ve liked Kyrie’s play but I don’t
Know do you feel had he not said the night that he sprained his thumb that he was going to play through it had he not said that would you be as kind of like do you think the fan base would be as angsty as they are with him right now
Because I think that is why everybody’s super like because he did he comes out he’s like I’m gonna play through this it’ll be fine and then he hasn’t played in five games I think I think everybody’s like M as kind of a Kyrie skeptic I think everybody’s been really
Hard on him what do you think I agree and I do think that there are people who were mad specifically at that I I was going to get to the point that I’m at right now now no matter what he he’s he’s missed so much time he’s
Been good he’s missed he’s missed 45% of the Season he’s been good for the most part when he plays he’s still like like he’s still gonna come back and have two he’ll be good a shitty quarter to start the game both of the first couple games
He played and then we’re gonna get the I’ve got to stop being so passive that’s not in my character postgame press conference after the third game when we go under score like 35 points yeah yeah and then he’ll get back on track but like it’s I’m I’m just doe the the
Injury the ramp up the freak injury again the ramp up I’m just because they are all freak injuries but at a certain point it’s like damn this sucks I’m tired of it man it’s it’s just adding up and it’s not like his fault he can’t control getting hurt
But and and then people on the timeline doing the Brunson thing again and I’m like dog I can we just like can like I know that’s why we’re where we are but can we just not like like one time can we just like lose and be sad and say the
Team stinks and not come back well you know jayen Bron I had one National media member kind of get into it with me and be like you know how much of this is Luca wanting everything for himself and I’m just like can you guys go [ __ ] yourselves what I promise you he wants
To win if he didn’t want to win he wouldn’t play on a Slovenian national team that has nobody taller than 67 on it he wants to win winning is what is important to him not winning on his terms winning I win if he wanted to win on his terms why
Would he look around at what he’s seeing right now and be like yes these are my terms yes this is this is so great I love playing with 3 32% three-point I love that two of like the two of our starters should be starters are our minimum guys that we picked up
Like three weeks before free agency and I love that’s amazing don’t don’t don’t don’t you agree isn’t that also amazing to you it’s just it’s it’s I I feel like we’re all colle and this is why we do these shows because we got we we we got my friend
Captain Kyrie’s GNA join here in a little bit who will probably have some Delight I Henry will have great counter counter countering thoughts to this and this is why we do these because conversation is much better than typing where everybody is a [ __ ] keyboard Warrior including myself I told one guy
Tonight who was like your opinion is trash and I’m like you [ __ ] follow me I don’t follow I was about say you literally have to be in here to see it so that and look man Captain Kyrie can come up here and kill me prob like no no
No it’s I don’t even I’m not even I like Kyrie I want Kyrie to succeed at Kyrie it’s just this just doesn’t feel good it sucks no Everything feels bad and I just want everything and everyone to go away that’s that’s kind of the point that I’m
At I’ve hit the point that I was after the first Charlotte loss last year where I’m just like I don’t until they do something like do something there there’s there’s no reason to watch this team and I’ll say that I’m going to keep watching I keep watching day yeah but I’m gonna come
Back and I’m gonna keep watching and I’m gonna keep being depressed and I’m gonna keep coming back and saying these things because this is what’s been happening for like a month now well I mean there’s just yeah I don’t know I mean Kyrie come Kyrie probably come back you know we’re gonna
Have who do we play next the Sixers we have a string just so everybody knows just for like scheduling purposes we have a string of beautiful timed basketball games we have a six o’clock a 6:30 and a 2 pm start time I’m pretty sure of our next like just real stuff of
Magic and I say that as a new dad who loves going to bed so that’s yeah man this this isn’t all that fun but I’m I’m glad I can talk about it with other people rather than reading through my timeline because like um like with Josh and I had kind of an interesting
Discussion about L uh about uh Grant and like it made me think about um Mavs fans for life Landon Thomas wrote a piece about Grant and even in the headline he said something about I can’t remember the headline exactly but it’s just talking about Grant struggles and
Talking about how you know this was the opportunity for Grant Williams to go from being a bit player to potentially like a real real qual he might have used the word Superstar but I don’t want to put words if I don’t remember the headline but like talking about how
Grant Williams had a real chance to become something here and still does but it’s like like and then I think about this Josh Bo tweet listen to this this is brutal the big ma ma yeah the big Mavericks money offseason trade or free AG since Luca’s rookie year 2019 dlan Wright 2020 Josh
Richardson 2021 Reggie belock 2022 Christian Wood 2023 Grant Williams Oh my God and he a first on wood oh God I mean so it’s like and you just at a certain point like I I don’t like being this mean about Grant well grant grant Williams I don’t like it’s not fun
I don’t want to be mean about our players I mean sometimes I do but not like all the time Kirk and and and the worst part about it is and Josh said it too most of those moves and it’s what gives me kind of like pause about even being optimistic about what they’re
Doing in the future most of those moves we kind of liked at the time except for like the javil one and the javil one and like like the right move I don’t think I was a huge fan of that one at the time but otherwise we were all like hey hey yeah
Moves we’re so stupid and none of them have worked and I’m just like okay so even man I feel like even if they managed to swing like kma and and Gafford and like like they they throw out that first they throw out a swap second salary Jaden Hardy whatever and
They managed to get him I’m still in the back of my mind GNA be like okay how do they possibly [ __ ] this up because I they’re still going to I just don’t know how I know man there we are all right thanks for hanging out and getting us started of
Course D thanks for having me okay we got three other folks waiting um we got rain who I’m gonna bring up next then Henry then brandom rain how you doing welcome to the show Rain you there all right we’ll give rain a second um we’re going to go to Henry Henry
What’s going on man what’s going on boss man how you feeling I mean I I wish I like we’re at the point in the season where I question why I do this it’s therapy it’s therapy man not just the therapy but like covering the games because it’s like I I I I
Mentioned the fact earlier that like the Mavericks and you were you were in that last show I saw your comment where it’s like the Mavericks have a three- game win streak at the beginning of January a four game win streak beginning of December like there’s just no continuity
In their play and there’s so many reasons for that but it sucks all the same I can’t I can’t I’m trying to remember the the coach’s name I think it was like eigor koscos or something of the sort like that when him and Lucas said in Euro ball almost every time up
The floor there’s a set there’s a designed play for a designed outcome to happen yes I the the difference the the the Mavericks quarter one was the top three team in the west I have not seen seen them play defense like this all [ __ ] year yeah it was pretty tight
And they actually ran sets there were plays it was I I I don’t know what happened it was it was it was flowing it was defense and then literally from two to four it went back to high screen High pick and roll four out Luca ISO I don’t
Know what happened from quarter one to the rest of the game well in the fourth they did start throwing that really I don’t want to call it an orthodox but it’s just like I don’t think D like Dame Lillard might as well be tissue paper as
Far as defense goes you had Giannis up there kind of like looking like a windmill in Luca’s face and he just kind of it this is where you know having Lively in the middle of the floor I think would have made a better difference he he would find Dwight a few
Times but he you know he his best option in his mind was going ISO and this gets back to what we’ve talked about to date you know you’ve heard us talking they don’t do that if Kyrie’s out on the floor they really don’t because you got too many you got another option out
There if I join the chat here will this kick me out of here because I want to type to some of these guys uh I don’t know because I have to do this for my computer and if you’re on your phone that’s a different one well you don’t
Argue with I I got a great piece of advice the other day now keep in mind all my wonderful live commenters I’m glad you’re here I had a friend of mine who does this stuff for like a living basically tell me to not always over index the chat oh I’m not worried about
It no there just like and I I do that a lot because I like acting with people no no I’m shouting out Jeremy Sate because he sees the Jason Jason kid Avatar and the sh no I just wanted to shout out a couple of people but oh yeah absolutely
Did we did we okay two things one can we acknowledge how shameful it is that Jaylen Brunson got more help in his what second year with New York than LCA has in six they built a nice team up there man like something special actually insane
And again I think I said it last time until until until Cuban gets rid of this buddy Bros Club [ __ ] with Jason kid again Jason kid was a primarily passing guard he is not the coach there nothing against him he needs to be coaching a Trey young a Tyrese halberton or someone
That’s more of a facilitator he doesn’t need to be coaching two scoring guards it doesn’t [ __ ] work that’s number one number two to the Luca stands on on Twitter bro not not most most people are are really good people but some of the Luca stands who with that little video
Because Kyrie had a conversation with Dane talking about he’s not committed and they’re probably trolling oh yeah but no because Kyrie likes everybody Kyrie goes and dabs up every possible person he’s he’s understand how how they’re blaming Kyrie in this situation because if Kyrie had 40 in 10 and they
Lost it’s oh my god look he leads LCA he needs Luca but now Luca does oh my God he needs so much help so just it’s the delusional Luca stands that actually piss me off from this fan club I never seen it so much and again I’m sure most of these
No it’s not trolling but it is kind of a level of frustration and and I do think that K like that Kyrie is not you know you saw the Stephen A Smith thing this week which that that was that was egregious but then again we know ESPN
And Disney we know they’re we know the place well but that’s kind of what Sports Talk Radio does I mean I just kind of include all the sort of like throw out a fire take let’s talk about it sort of thing and that’s just it’s it’s just the nature of it it’s it’s
Really I I I and you know it’s so weird it’s so weird for and you know I know you’re newer to our show but like I’m usually the negative one and so for my co-host Josh to be like this feels like the Charlotte games last year is
Shocking to me so again so the guy that just left I can’t remember his name but the the other guy that came on first yeah Brian yeah okay so Brian he said let’s say we got Danny ABIA and Gafford or K and such and such and you’re still
Waiting for them to [ __ ] this up I agree I agree because I posted I said okay they we have a 25o lead 21 point Le watch we blow this [ __ ] I don’t think there’s any true Mass fan that actually thought that we were actually going to
Hold that league did I think we were going to win the game yes but I didn’t think we were actually gonna blow the [ __ ] lead like that so my thing is is what can the Mavericks as an organization do to where if they make a
Move in the back of your head you’re not waiting for the rug to be pulled under you yeah nothing right now that’s honestly why like I I I I you know we’re kind of getting into the nitty-gritty but that’s what this show is for and I
Don’t I’m not great about trade stuff I don’t like the fact that in order to be an NBA fan sometimes you have to be an accountant that also understands like trade spreadsheets and [ __ ] and it’s just not really what I like to do I like to watch basketball it’s a wild concept
Okay and I’m pretty sure if they trade away their 2027 pick that all that really does it’s like charging a credit card you have to the bill comes due and I think if they move that 20127 pick I don’t think they can do anything of Interest this summer I mean they would
Have three first first round picks thism summer right that’s what I want do that okay so would you be okay with trading one now if we had two during the summer no because I don’t think you can because those two at that point are so far down
The road I don’t think they matter okay so you think those two are contingent upon this one yes I don’t know see that’s where it’s like I’m not great about this stuff it’s just I want to have the ammunition to be able to go say here’s the cards that we have now
There’s a lot of great points in return from that that essentially boil down to well who you don’t know who’s going to available this summer you know Kyle kma is available right now can you get a better person than Kyle kma this summer and let me just tell you that in 2024 it
Really hurts me on like a spiritual level to have Kyle kozma matter that much yeah I I really don’t want the kma kick that is disgusting there’s nothing that I’ve seen from again I wasn’t a big Danny abda fan until I saw Danny ab’s defensive highlights I feel like him and
Gaffer would be the play or we do PJ Washington Nick Richards and I think there’s like one more thing in there too where I actually liked it but another thing that I actually pointed out from the game that I feel like was really the turning point or one of the many turning
Points was when Luca didn’t get that obvious call after Giannis completely [ __ ] ninjaed him in the nuts yes get that F call I feel like Luca’s body language and mood switched for the worst and as a and again he we we we we put so much pressure on him he’s 24 fam he’s
Still a kid but someone has to let him know that when his body language and his mood changes that leadership then trickles down to the it’s it’s a it’s cascading yeah you can’t do that it’s hard for me to tell a 24 year old not to
Do that you still have to remember he’s a kid but he knows it that’s the other thing and that’s what the Slovenian fans will tell you he knows it it’s that I and you know not that we’re not psychologists but the 24 part of it does
Matter and I think that there’s going to be something at like 28 where he’s just like I’m a a different dude oh yeah yeah yeah he’s got to go through life you have to go through some [ __ ] you know what I mean like that worst in conference heartbreak or you know
Whatever you want call it I don’t think anyone expect them to beat it but you have to go through failure and [ __ ] [ __ ] and then you emerge out of that’s the only way men grow is through suffering so I’m hoping that every breaking point in your life has come from some sort of
Pain or suffering or loss every single time for every man so but he has to stop the body language bro that rubs off crazy like just I really theing everything the soaking the running back slowly making it a four on five for the enemy like he has to stop it it’s it’s
Extremely tough but and I’ll end with everything I say every time I come on here man I want Jason kid Fire by 11:59 so we got about 14 minutes so um bring in Mike benen hoser and uh you know go from there man but this is I’ve
Emotionally detached for this team I’m G still watch him but I’ve I’ve no longer invested in them the way I was earlier in the season I just kind of I just kind of watch it now it is what it is well thank you so much for spending
Part of your evening with us see you manam all right talk soon all right coming up next is my man brandom actually no rain rejoined rain was in line we’re gonna give rain a chance here Brandon give me just a second rain what’s up man hey yeah I’m just gonna switch this
Camera off because I’m about to drive I understand that’s that’s my favorite is when people are on this show driving and I’m just like guys don’t do that don’t do but hey wait you can listen to me what’s going on well I’m just at a point of complete
Ay um that might have to do more did your audio drop man and rain’s having a hard time with the car I’ve done this too where it’s like the car audio will kick you in and out between the Bluetooth thing um all right R I’m G have to bring you back up
We’ll try again Brandon welcome back okay you doing all right I am doing I I’m I hear my wife upstairs with the three-month-old and he sounds really angry and I’m wondering if I should cancel the show but until she tells me to come up we’re gonna keep talking so
What’s going on waiting for that calma trade yeah I don’t know I don’t know how I’ll react to that because KY kusma is a much better player than I originally thought I kind of thought that he was like the Lakers bump guy because like they do this with everybody where it’s like if
You play for the Los Angeles Lakers you’re fantastic yeah and only problem is every guy that they drafted and played with for years turned out to be really pretty stinking good yeah he’s another one he is another one but man I think it’s gonna take a little bit more
Than KY kman that help this help this roster out Kirk I think you’re right but look I feel like this I mean the roster so injured and so up and down I mean trading past the midpoint I feel like it would be use useless this is my opinion especially L
With not knowing if you know you get a player that you don’t know going to resign you know that’s that’s lost value and we’ve lost enough value over the years by just giving away money to bigs that don’t really you know contribute yeah so I feel like it’s a lot cause so
To me I mean you just have me being a math fan I would just have to face it that you know this roster is not that good um the best bet is to go for it you know this summer the guys that you know don’t fit the culture let them go and
You know you’ll have a pick you know um going forward you know despite giving away the Nick pick this year is one asset that we do have as opposed to going you know into the rest of the season with somebody that may or may not sign and you know Ms have a terrible
History of people walking away after one year there’s been plenty of examples even with just role players of guys going away so um I would just you know run it back and just take my L if I had to H I mean Cuban talked about this in a
Recent uh Twitter thread where man that man spends more time on Twitter than I do but just he kind of kept referring back to the team Health um and and I get why I I just want to see it and you know the top comment on
My recap tonight of Ms Moneyball is like yep another pre-ordained loss after missing three starters and it’s just it really is hard like some I I I I don’t think it’s that reductive I really it can’t be because these guys are NBA players and some of them are supposed to
Be pretty good but that doesn’t take away from the fact that like this just continues to feel real bad like there’s just you remember in 2022 we went on that run everything felt great this felt so it feels like a Wednesday at work that never
Ends The Day That Never End but I mean Kirk is so hard for these guys to you know with the injuries and a lot of these guys being young um they really haven’t had a chance to play with each other they had a chance to play with
Luka because he’s always in the roster and guys’s just always playing um you know is really odd this year because the white po was injured and he’s never injured but there’s so much turnar around I mean how many guys are really and this is no not to Luka but how many
Guys are gonna be able to develop around Luca you know shooting skills ball handling skills or just getting a feel of the game around somebody that’s just ball dominant and you know I brought this up before that you know he’s good for helping guys but you know them
Missing time and not being able to play with each other I had I feel like that would have to definitely factor into you know not only the culture but the record as well too um so it’s just it’s just circumstance I feel you know well it’s tough because there’s not a lot of
Answers and I don’t think they’re going to get any which is why I just think at a certain point there needs to be you know we need to hear about some players only meeting we need to hear about something some kind of accountability somewhere you know the
Mavericks are a little bit of a leaky ship and and we always hear this sort of stuff you know everybody hates hates Tim McMahon because he’s the only one who asks any real questions night toight but it’s you know I want to hear something like that where it’s like McMahon comes
Out and says well I heard there’s a team only meeting and and they you know beat Grant Williams with soap bars wrapped in towels until he cried and then they realized they were going to play better like I don’t know something ridiculous I I just I need that I need that to to
Inject some life into the season because this it feels listless it feels meaningful meaningless as well too I mean it’s like these guys are just out there going with emotions and I feel like with you know these guys being super competitive if something doesn’t give then it can easily just
Turn into some type of internal RI to where they’re not really on the same page because they’re losing you know wi is all ill but they just keep losing losing becomes a part of the culture then I have to feel like there’s going to be some type of finger pointing and
With the roster not being good at all there could be a lot of finger pointing and I don’t to me the front office doesn’t seem like the type that’s going to go in there and you know mediate or you know kind of I gu say manage these
Tempers so it can get it could bad fast but and maybe it will may you know maybe it will I I’m just I’m not to the point where my co colleague Josh Bo was where he’s just like this feels like something that’s gone off the rails right because
They they close out here let’s just see here I got the schedule up they close out they go Sixers who won’t have Joel embiid they have Brooklyn who are a catastrophically bad vibes team then they go uh New York Knicks who probably should beat the Daylights
Out of us but I that just strikes me as a game that’s going to be a great one that’s a TNT game um and then they play the Thunder Washington and then San Antonio before Allstar break so that’s one two that’s seven no that’s six games and that’s six games and they’re only
Three games above 5 three games above 500 they they need to they need to win they need to go split 500 for me they need to go into All-Star break above 500 that’s what that’s my my kind of line of demarcation and to me that would be more
Of the priority than you know any type potential coaching changing or or trade because think about this you three games above 500 you’re going into the break and you have these tough games and you have guys that’s injured um making some type of change would kind of shift The
Narrative to it would to me would seem like it would thr off the chemistry so I would definitely prioritize getting wins in before anything well the deadline the deadline and see you know you’d think I’d know this cuz I run I run a website the deadline is Thursday so it’s crazy
Yeah so like they’ll still have games to play after that because you remember we’re all excited about Kyrie last year where we went and and then Luca was hurt Luca got hurt trying to um I don’t know if you remember this he got hurt trying
To like dunk from like the middle of the key against New Orleans and then his calf was just like never the same the rest of the year so oh goodness you got anything else for us Brandon yeah man that’s it Kirk but you know I look at it like this I mean
That a Mavericks watching him a long time and I’ve seen some some terrible basketball so just another season man I don’t I don’t know if you remember Doug McLoud that dude if you don’t you’re not missing I’m not quite old enough for that but I know who he is dude he he
Shot the most threes in one season he was like 33% this is pre- dirt Doug McLoud there’s not a lot of highlights on them shout out to dug but man it was bad you know you got to think back to the Sam delberg days the sagana job Jose
Calderon I mean it’s been so many names that’s been thrown out that potentially could help the Mavs you know Elton bran Eric dampier all these names have been out there for years and the Mavericks have always been this 500 team so what’s interesting is Cuban has been there all
Of those years you know just like Jerry Jones been there for the mediocre Cowboys days y you know Cuban’s been there for the mediocre you know Dallas maveri days so at some point he’s going to realize that it’s either cognitive distance or or something but you know
It’s just who they are and their roster hasn’t changed their culture hasn’t changed so until there’s a cultural shift in that front office you know only thing we could do is just watch the game and hope they get better yeah no well appreciate you joining as always my guy
Thank you Kirk all right coming up next we’re going to try rain one more time and then rain it might not happen for you tonight rain what’s try the audio now trying the audio again hey there we go what’s up like I said just complete aathy as we
All know kman is not going to make this any better he might be an improvement over whatever we trade for him but if Kyrie’s out Li’s out continue revolving door of just players in and out of the hospital nothing’s going to change I don’t see the value in making any big
Swing moves not that that they really can or have the pieces to and honest I’m not I’m not here sitting tank I’m just saying let the season be what it’s going to be don’t trade anything of value and if injuries and the the like just leave them to happen
To being able to keep their pick and that’s just the way the you know that the cards fall and that’s just what it is I I like it that’s kind of where I am because I don’t want to give anything up of value because nothing that’s out
There moves the needle not to be all you know dropping dropping really terrible uh metaphors but improving from a team that can win 42 games to a team that can win 43 and a half games and giving up a first round pick to do so strikes me as as like patently
Insane and like I do genuinely believe that despite the records being very simar this team is an improvement over last year it is a very over last year there were no answers last year we like we know that there are things that work for this team last year there was
Nothing that worked they were healthy I mean well moderately Luca and Kyrie weren’t particularly healthy now the stretch but it wasn’t like this where it’s like oh well here’s our next four guys that are missing 10 to 12 games that’s and not to pump the brakes on um I can’t
Remember who it was that you know fire kid okay I’ll be on that we can get rid of kid not the point of the Year where this should happen it’s just not going to do anything something has to change with the culture of their team Luca might
Bear some responsibility for this I did hope that well and Kyrie has proven to be somewhat of an effective leader on the team but the culture of the team under kid someone needs needs to be able to light a fire under these guys when things aren’t going well and he he might
Be able to manage their personalities in the locker room but he can’t clearly manage them when they’re on the court yeah and I do think not that this is going to happen that next year there should be a change and obviously there should be roster changes as well and I
Do think that what Nico did over the season U um offseason was an improvement now could we have known that H [ __ ] me I’m blanking on his name right now because he’s just he’s a blank on the court um Grant Williams Grant Williams there we go like that hurts
Theoretically he should have fit like a glove yeah he’s the type of guy that Luca could get paid what does he do b a three a bit a d that’s if you can do that anyone who can do that should look at at Luker and go this guy’s going to tick my three
Point percentage up maybe what three four points I’m going to get more wide open shots than ever seen my life I’m gonna look I can look like a star on this team any defensive attention that I do draw is going to be highlight even more because it might be one of three
Guys on the entire bloody team that can defend to any degree right but he’s just become nothing I actually was pushing for that in the off season and now I can’t even remember his name it’s it’s it’s tragic but the rest of the moves this the iom this I thought Derek
D Jr I in the off season I was like what the [ __ ] are we doing sorry the empathy is has subsided I was thinking what the [ __ ] are we doing that this guy doesn’t fit and you know he’s not as good as he was at the start of the year but he’s way
Out playing his contract exam’s out playing his contract otherwise I think the offseason moves were good and Rome wasn’t built in a day so I feel like he give him another opportunity in the offseason and let’s be honest you can’t really go changing out your GM every other season now can
You but some things just have to change but I don’t see the point of changing them right now unless they’re gonna pick up Wiggins for I don’t know like $3 and a candy bar there’s just no point yeah it doesn’t get us anywhere any yeah well man I appreciate you
Struggling through and hanging out to talk with us all right no wores I have a good one they go all right rain says he has apathy but then he he hangs out to join a live show for for 40 minutes so he does he’s not he’s not that apathetic
And we’re grateful that he joined David you’re gonna take us home tonight what’s going on hey Kirk uh so you know how you said I I always only go to good games well tonight I was at this game so uh it was uh the first quarter was the most
Fun ever because it was the Maxi game for like the first 20 minutes um I’m just gonna hit a few notes that I don’t think other people have already covered because I think there’s a lot of it’s all right man a lot of good stuff so uh
First off the the debate that we had earlier this week um Luca is definitely a better player than Dirk has not had a better career obvious sure can uh but the one thing that Dirk needs to help this young man with is his maturity because it kills me the guy is more than
Enough talented and yet there was a whole defensive play with a baseline I forget who it was Chris midleton or somebody just ran behind him while he were sitting there complaining to the refs in the second quarter uh about a no call and like the amount
Of if he can take the beatings he can literally get his ankle broken by Giannis and teleport back to I didn’t even see I saw him go to the locker right underneath where my seats are and then teleport back into the game two minutes later and
Uh he can do that but yet he can’t contain his emotions on a non call where he barely got gry’s going into the rim he’s if if he can like button that up I think that’ll help but our our team just lacks size man every time I’ve gone to
One of these games bucks are real big yeah it’s Giannis is an enormous human yeah Giannis is the idea that he’s you know we can it’s like the Tim Duncan problem is he a center is he a forward who the [ __ ] cares he’s 7 foot 8 uh and
Jumps out of the gym uh he just I thought he would play be bullyball tonight uh from like within five feet of the basket instead it was just him running at the basket I was shocked that people couldn’t try and stay in front of him better but he’s he’s extremely
Gifted and uh you know it when we’re running a lineup of pal and kba and uh Grant Williams as our bigs you know those are two essentially two forward like two small forwards and uh like maybe a power forward in Dwight pal like we don’t have anybody over
610 we’re just not going to be able to compete in the NBA without another seven-footer at least when we had Bon we had somebody to mix things up and tonight I saw kid I think it was the third quarter he subbed out within like it felt like within like 30 seconds he
Had subbed out Grant Williams Tim Hardway Jr Maxi Cleveland Dwight pal and then back again like he went back to it because he was just he was completely devoid of options so I don’t even know like where to go right now besides getting healthy but with we’re like as
Mavs fans we’re all expecting Dante exom and Kyrie Irving to magically save the day um when really like Derek Lively having his nose broken and you talked about going 500 these next few games it’s going to be brutal um thank God Jo lmb it is
Is is going to be out but like Victor wanana is uh as bad as the Spurs are holy Christmas we are gonna get eaten alive um in these upcoming games by every single big um I mean this is this is gonna be bad y’all like brace brace
For impact we need to pray that Luca and the tandem shooting of all of these uh these guards can get us through uh the next I don’t know 30 quarters a basketball to like until until we can get some size back because without Derek Lively we have zero like if the
Mavericks make any trade I don’t know who’s out there I know we’ve been begging for capella um but anybody we need a backup center like yesterday we need somebody that can back up this team because there’s nothing we can do um all of our defenses played below the rim the only
Chance we have is playing some sort of Zone trying to get in TI the passing spaces and if it wasn’t for Derrick Jones Jr tonight we would have probably lost by 25 like yeah he covered so many gaps and caused so many tips and like errant passes in the first half and then
Again later in the second it was incredible and if it wasn’t for Grant Williams making us you know play four on six then you know maybe we have a shot uh defensively but like yeah that’s that’s really all I got to say like I mean obviously we got to
Get healthy I don’t want us to make a gamble trade but but like it’s just it’s sad it’s sad watching us like have the smallest lineup that I’ve ever seen uh night after night after night and then couple that with this argument that we saw earlier about like who’s had the better
Who’s the better player who’s the better career I will say this Durk took accountability for the team and it is drastically missing like Luca does everything that you want a superstar to do except keep his Focus where where it belongs in game I mean you’re going to get frustrated you’re going to
Especially with [ __ ] calls like literally donon has kicked him in the stomach tonight it wasn’t look Luca sold it a little like he did make com but Lucas sold that thing like he was like getting you know like I used to sell fights with my big brother where oh he’s
Beating me up oh sure no I mean there was also Luca Just Popcorn hand one out of bounds and they show the replay in the arena and he obviously didn’t even get touched and he tried to like Euro soccer player injury into his face or something it’s like no bro just [ __ ]
Coughed at the baskball the uh the idea that like but like Yannis like I expected them at least to maybe say offensive foul on Yannis because he wasn’t dunking it he was throwing an outlet pass and they didn’t even wipe that away and then of course on the
Other end Tim Hardway got bodied like he he tackled him through the layup uh uh Giannis did and they didn’t even call it like they just like yep that was a block like yeah on his neck um it was the ring was bad tonight sure but like the free
Throw disparity really wasn’t there we actually rebounded well like everyone hustled tonight which is the sad part like we hustled hard the turnovers and the sloppiness again were a result of those passes uh from Luca a lot of them sailed meaning that he’s expecting guys to be able to jump higher Dwight Powell
Maxi Clea none of those guys could reach some of those passes part of that’s on him but that part of that’s on he’s he’s gotten used to having an actual and if those guys are an inch or Too Tall or we have so big too you
Know the Bucks the Bucks put luuka in a in a bit of a blender today I mean nine turnovers yeah it was it was rough yeah he he was having some just handles issues uh around the perimeter which are a little uncharacteristic yeah but yeah I just anyway that’s my that’s my take
Is it’s going to be rough these next few games because we if he can’t if the ER Lively can’t get in there I don’t know what our record is without him somebody’s probably got it on their laptop but it’s it’s going to be brutal Kirk like
This is this this team is too small night in night out we have too many guards and as much as I love Tim Hardway season so far overall like if we can get more size between him or Hardy and that was the other thing I don’t know why he
Took Hardy I felt like Hardy I do because Hardy took Hardy takes when hardy hardy doesn’t go ahead yeah I want your take because I could so basically Hardy when Hardy decides that he’s going to make magic happen nothing good happens he he took a step back jumper at
The top of the key because he he just can’t get separation from anybody and his best assets are when he’s catching the ball in the move already and the defense isn’t totally set because he’s you know he’s Shifty enough he’s strong enough he’s athletic enough but he’s not
Particularly quick and so what he’ll do is he’ll take a bad shot but then he won’t get back on defense and you cannot do both and and Bobby Cara pointed it out to me and I’ve been watching it happen where he’ll watch a shot a little
Too long and then he’ll get beat back and that that’s just it’s tough and kid doesn’t have the patience for it and the mat you know it’s they should have turned to him again I think just because they need the minutes eaten up by somebody but that that was kind of why
Okay yeah I I get that yeah but again it’s like kid that that limits your rotation to like more Grant Williams minutes um when there’s definitely times where it’s like you know we need some offense in here and something to get our our our spark going but yeah if if we
Don’t have any more size like I’m getting really nervous about this season like somebody I think Brian to start the this this off was saying he had vibes from Charlotte I’m sure that was the end of the year last year for me is like that first Charlotte
Loss was was catastro I was like oh no this is like we are in full we are in full nose dive time and uh at that point it was like go go all the way get a get a pick steal it from the Knicks screw them they they already messed with
Jaylen Brunson take it from him I don’t know what our I don’t know what we do this year but if we don’t make the playoffs this year or we’re you know 10 seed I GNA be rough not looking forward to that but I still think they’re all
Right all right man thanks for hanging out thanks man thanks all right coming up last we got I said David was last but then we got another guest Mike joined down below I’m going to bring Mike up on stage Mike welcome to the show what’s going on man what’s up what’s up long
Time youer first time coming up here and I just wanted to get off that it’s such bad basketball that it’s just on another screen now I don’t even [ __ ] listen to it anymore I I watch and I’m like oh I I just have happy moments where it’s
Like oh we’re up like 26 nice I saw luuka got like he he his ankle or something I was worried about that but he came back in but um it’s so infuriating that I’m just watching the wire and I’m just peeking at the game at a different screen from
Now on that’s a better use of your time tonight it definitely is it’s like what what are we doing I I get that I get that messed up about it but then when I come in here and I see everybody else mess about messed up about it it makes it gives me
I go the other way now now I feel like I don’t know we have Derek Lively and Luca donic when Derk Livy gets better I I feel like Derek Livy could be an All-Star probably if he’s this good in his rookie year I don’t know I feel like
This year is gonna suck anyway let’s just make it to the playoffs like we’re a dice roll against anyone if the I like the Timberwolves matchup anyway let’s just get let’s be the a see let’s let’s beat the Timberwolves it’s not that bad guys put
Him on you g through a full range of feelings tonight haven’t you exactly what what season of The Wire are you on uh I’m second this first time watching it I’m on the second season two you’re on Season Two Season Two may feel like a slog it
Already does it’s like what the hell you just you just gota what did Lester Freeman say in season one he says all the pieces matter that show comes together and you’ll be like oh okay so anyway sorry as a a white guy look man as as a white guy
Approaching 40 I I have to talk about the wire because it’s the thing I did in my 20s and it’s just such a great show um yeah I I I think you’re you know you’re this is a positive note to end the show on because the framework is
There which is why I’m not down and out on the season yet I I I like the take Mike I think this is a healthy take and I think everyone should should take it to heart it’ll be and if it’s not okay then then we can go watch something else on
TV that’s exactly exactly put them on your second screens guys let them if it if they’re Mak if they’re bitching and complaining that they need to get healthy then fine was the wire let them get healthy screw it Mike thanks so much man talk soon all right yep see you it’s
A great way to in the show guys this has Ben Kirk I can hear my wife upstairs she needs some help with the baby appreciate you hanging out with me for almost uh I don’t know almost 100 minutes again tonight everybody be good we’ll be back
On Monday night uh two or three early games in a row like I mentioned so we’ll uh hopefully have talk a little earlier in the evening everybody be good go Mavs
Kirk and Josh connect to talk about a frustrating loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night. #LukaDoncic had an injury scare in the first quarter but returned to play a strong game. #Giannis Antetokounmpo and #DameLilliard are pretty incredible though and came roaring back to defeat Dallas, despite the Mavericks holding a 25 point lead at one point. #BlueWireVideo
Start time is an estimate!
LIKE the stream, SUBSCRIBE to the show, CLICK THE BELL to get notified when we go LIVE, and LEAVE a comment.
Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com
Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6632355645227008
8 Comments
I really like how you just keep it REAL. You're still a Mavs fan but you tell it how it is. Appreciate y'all
Hard truths about this team:
1. Luka lacks maturity and is exhausting to watch complain every single game (he’s my favorite player in the league) but sometimes it’s unbearable.
2. Kyrie is very injury prone and honestly unreliable
3. Kidd is not a good coach and only has the job because he’s buddies with Cuban
4. The Mavs system of chucking up 3s is broken flawed and outdated
5. Mavs have a high chance of missing the playoffs again. And honestly, Luka should leave if that happens
After this kinda game, you really need a drink or two 🙁
Watch they're gonna bring back kidd bc stupid fans think this team just sux bc of injuries, yall can't see that kidd is an awful coach, sad
Williams so bad, one of our Big 3 we were told??? Trade him, value back? He has no value. You cant take role players ie. Williams & Jones then put them into a starting role and expect them to flip to a high level player. If you dont have talent you dont have it, especially comes crunch time.
There was a couple of times in second half that wide open Williams and Jones doesnt even look to take the open shot.
Big changes needed. Luka playing way way too many mins. No consistent play from Williams, Jones, Green, Curry, Holmes, Morris, Powell, Hardy, Lawson. THJ either great or terrible, no consistency. Irving play or trade him. Maybe we need coaching change someone with emotion. Leadership does greatly include the head coach and staff. Either make major trades or if mgt is convinced this team can win, trade Luka. The haters will be happy and let him win with a new team. Think we could get 3 solid players for him, get Irving well, then go play. Let Luka play for new organization and let him shine for another team. Win win for all involved. Time for changes.
Kyrie is making nearly a million a night to sit there and cheerlead.