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Check out how far out Porzingis is as he just watches Luka dancing into a stepback. He knows he’s not getting the ball here.
Similar to that, look at Doncic after he throws the pass for the post up. This body language says everything. Now it’s time for the big man to get a shot.
This is absolutely not the dynamic you want to see from your 2 superstars. Watching each other taking turns at going 1 on 1 with no movement at all.
Dallas lost the opening game by 26, and it wasn’t pretty at all.
Let me show you. What up everybody, my name is Stefan and this is Heat Check. Let’s get into it.
After that playoff debacle last year especially for Porzingis, and with the new coaching staff, you would think that things would change.
But as you can see, there is no synergy whatsoever between the 2 and it mostly boils down 1 on 1 matchups.
Kristaps was mostly way out at the three point line waiting for a kickout which sometimes he got, but oftentimes he didn’t as Luka did his usual thing, and also because there are players far more suited for that role, and ones that can knock it down from deep at a better rate.
I gotta be clear, it’s not that I’m blaming Kristaps, it’s just that I feel like they really haven’t figured out the fit and how they can both coexist in this offense.
There were multiple examples of a pick and roll between them, where it could have been executed better in my opinion.
Right here we have the high pick, but then you see that the big man is hesitant to fully roll, and not really in a good position to get the pass with all the defenders around.
So it’s kind of a herky jerky situation that ends up with this awkward floater and a miss.
In this situation, great screen, and Luka could really bounce pass this to Kristaps, as he’s got the lane to attack against Trae Young. But Doncic was already set on shooting this, which to me isn’t the best decision and it ends up being another missed field goal.
So almost in a way to make it up to him, there will be plays where Luka is on the side just sitting there, letting the big man get his touches and be involved in some actions.
Or in this situation look at how he throws the ball inside and just signals to everyone that this is a play for Porzingis. And since the latvian needs to get his shots, he forces a heavily contested one hander that ends up as a bad miss.
Again, I’m not blaming anyone, but this is not ideal. Porzingis is here semi open with Young on him, but Doncic also has an open look that he’s shown that he can knock down.
And look at how awkward this looks. Doncic has the ball outside, and Porzingis is in the paint but not really engaged, not looking for the ball, and to be honest, Luka is not really looking for him either. So check out how he starts going towards the three point line, not really having an idea what to do or how the play will look.
I don’t care how dangerous he can be from outside, your main big man shouldn’t just be standing out here and looking at what the other guy is doing.
Here are a few more for you to see that nothing really happens, and there’s no real connection between Dalas’s 1-2 punch that’s supposed to take them to the finals.
I was excited to see if things have changed but this seems to be the same old story from the playoffs last year, and I’m not sure what the Mavericks will do about this, because the fit just doesn’t seem to be there.
Mavs fans, let me know in the comments if you would trade Porzingis, or do you believe that this can work. That’s it for now, subscribe and talk to you in the next one. Peace out.