Game Grades: Mavericks @ Spurs (:vomit:)

[tbdog]

The truth is, apart from Leonard and Green, and maybe* Manu, Anderson is our best perimeter defender

[SAGirl]

The truth is, apart from Leonard and Green, and maybe* Manu, Anderson is our best perimeter defender

I think bc of that Chinook, myself, Raybies, now you, maybe some others who don't want to stick their necks out in this forum, wanted Pop to figure out how to get more out of him offensively. If you get just a little bit more out of him, he could impact the team more than other players in the margins based on the fact that even without scoring he is able to help the team win games, just based on his defense and smarts.

I think some guys just don't realize that at all. There are times that there are players you just can't afford to play even if they give you some offense like the Kevin Martin's of the world bc as much as the give you on offense they give more to the o t her team on defense right back. Pop has been careful to keep sieves like that in the margins. And in the playoffs those guys cost you, heavily.

I feel like if Kyle is not realizing whatever potential he has on offense, the team will be worse off. I am talking about this team this season.

But it's on him to be more aggressive with his shots and it's on Pop to continue to put pressure on him. We shall see what happens.

[dabom]

Says the person who's completely biased in favor of Anderson.

Aside from the obvious (him not being good), the reason he receives so much criticism is because you and your buddy have tried to shove him down people's throats . . . and also because you take it personally and are easy to get a rise out of.

This is so true. I didn't even know who fathead was till sag started to ride fatheads nuts. You can't say fake up in here. Expect to get called out.

[MI21]

I've never hated Kyle Anderson but there is zero excuse or justification for how putrid he has played this season. It's not just the lack of aggression because it would actually be worse if he was shooting more, because he is a shooter.

I see no reason why he should see the court during meaningful chunks of the game.

[Chinook]

btb, dunno if this has been posted, but here is a 10-minutes highlight video of the game:

[GSH]

INHO Pop didn't want to stomp on a very wounded Maverick team so he started some rookies and kept the vets off the floor as much as possible. He was taking a calculated risk that his lineups full of bench players could play throught their errors and still perfom to win the game.

I could have lived with that explanation, until he went off in the postgame about how his players "didn't respect the other team". Because that's EXACTLY what he did. When you think about it, even your explanation says that he thought he could beat the other team while starting rookies, and playing combinations that don't know each other. Maybe he was right to not expect much out of the depleted Mavs, but that's still the definition of not respecting the other team.

[wildbill2u]

I could have lived with that explanation, until he went off in the postgame about how his players "didn't respect the other team". Because that's EXACTLY what he did. When you think about it, even your explanation says that he thought he could beat the other team while starting rookies, and playing combinations that don't know each other. Maybe he was right to not expect much out of the depleted Mavs, but that's still the definition of not respecting the other team.

I think you made two points here. 1. Pop disrespected the other team by not starting and playing the normal starters. I suppose you can make that argument although over the years Pop has often shown a streak of mercy for outmatched opponents. He usually takes out his best players when it appears another team is beaten rather than running up the score. 2. His rant over the players not respecting the Mavericks could be seen in the light of number one above, but I think it was a teaching moment for the rookies and bench, telling them to never underestimate a wounded team or one that they might otherwise overmatch.

You have to remember that Pop is never satisfied because he never wants his players to become satisfied or overconfident. I don't remember a single game in 20 years where he told his players they played a perfect game. If you remember the 5th game in the last championship, in the locker room he started off with telling the players that there would be a practice the next day to work on some stuff. Clearly, it was a joke on himself which the players enjoyed --- and yet in some ways it was a macrocosm of his coaching theory that you are never perfect, always something to work on.