Luka Donic out at least a week due to wrist injury.
--Dallas
News came down today that the wrist injury Luka Doncic received in the blow out win over the New Orleans Pelicans was more serious than we thought.
Mavs staff announced today that the MVP candidate will miss the upcoming games of a pivotal road trip against Denver, Miami, Atlanta, and the New York Knicks.
The Dallas Mavericks fall to the Toronto Raptors last night 127-116. Although NBA superstar, Kyrie Irving, had 22 points (8-19 from the field) we have yet to see the offensive explosion this young NBA season from the potential hall-of-famer.
The Dallas Mavericks beat the Milwaukee Bucks to open the NBA preseason 112-102. Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 25 points. Maxi Kleber led the Mavericks with 13 points.
Jalen Brunson, Luka Doncic, and Rick Carlisle. Photo credit Jerome Miron
The Dallas Mavericks made a bigger splash than past summers with the 2018 NBA Draft. The leveraged this year's 5th pick and a first-round pick next year to acquire the most polished player available. Luka Doncic, a 6 '8 point-forward-shooting-guard Slovenian with professional experience, was the Mavs target from the beginning. Their second pick, Jaren Brunson, won the John R. Wooden and Naismith Men's College Player of the Year awards. More importantly, they both bring a winning background to a team that has lost that feeling.
As a fan first, even I sipped the kool-aid of what adding two young accomplished players with Dennis Smith, Harrison Barnes, and Dirk Nowitzki to the starting five could give the Mavs the fractional chance of having a winning season and getting back to the playoffs. Boston was able to do it young talent. Utah and Philadelphia both were lead by young, rookie talent.
For full disclosure, I was content knowing that Dallas would select the freakish Mo Bamba from Texas, by way of Harlem, New York. I was set that we would do the obvious and select this kid on pure upside alone. If he could become an outside shooter with inside presence, we would have a building block piece with Dennis Smith for a fastbreak offense.
I also relegated that with the pick of Bamba, our best hope was to get back in the NBA lottery next year and add young talent to a young roster. But, it typical Mavs fashion, we tend to think we are only one or two players away from winning. This was clearly a last attempt to use the 40-year old legs of Dirk to carry our hopes in the playoffs. The additions of two young accomplished rookies, one budding star, with a hall-a-fame coach and hall-of-fame player, are just enough to get MFFL's excited. Perhaps, too excited.
Let's let the excite prevail for a minute. If the Mavs want to make a run this upcoming season it will take some obvious gambles in free agency? DeMarcus Cousins, returning from a ruptured Achilles, or DeAndre Jordan or Dwight Howard, may not interest you at all if you have the future of the franchise in mind. It will take a lot of money to woo any free agent to come here, especially any current or past All-Star. Yet, the Mavs front office will not have the same reservations as us fans.
There is no doubt that the Mavs will pay top dollar for any of those three players. The other option is to offer Houston Rockets stand out Clint Capela a huge offer with the hopes that it will not be matched by his current employer. After all, they have to re-sign Chris Paul and woo LeBron, perhaps. Dallas area native Julius Randle has become a name to look for if the Lakers become the landing spot for two max players to join forces.
Either way, Cuban has the cap space to spend so he will spend if it offers him the chance to get back in the playoffs one more year with Dirk.
This "all in" strategy has its own share of consequences. In order to move up in the draft to acquire their next foreign superstar, we gave up next year's first-round pick unless we finish near the bottom of a bottomless league. Tanking in the NBA to get a top-5 pick has become an art form. This is the most heated race of the year, not getting a top 5 playoff seed.
Here lies the proverbial line in the sand for us. Do you want them to win at all costs? A nod to the aggressive nature we have been groomed to accept from a franchise that wouldn't let a championship team have the chance to repeat simply because they wanted to be different.
Or, do you want to truly see the team rebuild? Are you comfortable with 33 win seasons, marketing around the inevitable departure of Nowitzki, and the promise of a process?
The truth is I haven't decided myself. I suspect other Mav's fans feel the same way.
Nerlens Noel will remain in Dallas for one more year. Photo credit: Scout.com
MAVERICKS SIGN CENTER NERLENS NOEL
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed center Nerlens Noel. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Noel (6-11, 220), who was acquired by the Mavericks from the Philadelphia 76ers in a trade-deadline deal on Feb. 23, averaged 8.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.1 blocks and 21.9 minutes in 22 games (12 starts) with Dallas last year.
For the 2016-17 season, Noel posted averages of 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.3 steals, 1.0 block and 20.5 minutes in 51 games (19 starts) with Philadelphia and Dallas.
The three-year veteran out of Kentucky holds career averages of 10.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.5 blocks and 27.6 minutes in 193 games (152 starts) with the Sixers and the Mavericks. He has shot 51.1 percent from the floor for his career.
A native of Malden, Mass., Noel was originally selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the sixth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. His rights were later traded to Philadelphia along with a future first-round pick in exchange for Jrue Holiday and Pierre Jackson.
As a rookie in 2014-15, Noel averaged 9.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.9 blocks and 30.8 minutes per game in 75 games (71 starts) while garnering NBA All-Rookie First Team honors.
In his lone season at Kentucky (2012-13), Noel averaged 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 2.1 steals, 4.4 blocks and 31.9 minutes en route to earning First Team All-SEC, SEC Defensive Player of the Year and SEC Rookie of the Year honors. On Jan. 29, 2013, Noel set the UK single-game record with 12 blocked shots in a victory over No. 16 Ole Miss.
Noel suffered a torn ACL in a game against the Florida Gators on Feb. 12, 2013, ending his 2012-13 season. Despite the injury, Noel declared for the 2013 NBA Draft following his freshman year. He missed the entire 2013-14 NBA season recovering from knee surgery.
The 23-year-old was the top-rated player by both ESPNU recruiting and Scout.com coming out of high school and was rated the second-best prospect by Rivals.com
The Mavericks’ 2017-18 training camp roster is now set at 20 players.
The Late Shift Blog is daily recap of all things NBA
by Rodney Fisher
We are back!
The 2016-17 NBA Season opened just as the season ended...with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Tonight was the city of Cleveland's biggest sports night in history. The Cavs raise a championship banner while the Indians start the World Series a few blocks away.
LeBron James celebrates his third ring with a triple-double performance (19 points, 11 boards, 14 assists) as the Cavs rout the New York Knicks 117-88.
Kyrie Irving led all scorers with 29 points.
For the Knicks, the trio of Kristaps Porzingis, Carmelo Anthony, and Derrick Rose were the only players in double digits for points. Joakim Noah played 19 minutes with 0 points and 0 blocks. So much for the new and improved...
Nothing is for Certain
So, the Golden State Warriors open the season with a 29 point LOSS to the San Antonio Spurs. Kevin Durant and Steph Curry had 27 and 26, but my sleeper pick for MVP Kawhi Leonard had a career-high 35 points.
LaMarcus Aldridge 26 and 14. Jonathon Simmons came off the bench to hit 20, including not missing a shot the first three quarters. He also had a chase-down block on Curry in the third quarter.
There is no doubt the Warriors will be a great team, but having the best starting 4 in the game today does nothing to replace the rebounding and defense you lost with Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes. The seven new players in the Bay will need more time to get it together.
The young Spurs have established themselves as THE team to beat in the West...Early.
Portland beat the Utah 113-104.
The Late Shift Podcast is available fresh every Monday here on NTXGame.com
Lebron James makes good on his promise to Northeast Ohio and delivers an NBA Championship to Cleveland. The Cavaliers come back from 3-1 to win Game 7 on the road. James is named MVP.
In Game 5 of the NBA Finals, Lebron James and Kyrie Irving make history by becoming the first duo to both score 40+ points in the same Finals game. They both went for 41 each to take the series back to Cleveland 3-2.
The Cleveland Cavaliers still have a hill to climb to even the series with the Golden State Warriors.
by Rodney Fisher
Golden State Warriors
Matching Intensity
The Warriors allowed the Cavaliers to feed off their home crowd in the first quarter of Game 3. It is not that they were caught off guard, they know to expect the Cavs to come out swinging in their first home game of the series, but they normally match the intensity with a deadly three-pointer or block at the rim. In Game 4, the Golden Boys need to bring their own fight early.
Lineup Change
This is simple...If Kevin Love starts, so does Andrew Bogut. If Coach Lue keeps Richard Jefferson in the the starting five, then you make the move to start last year's NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala.
Make Free Throws
We all know the Warriors need to shoot better, but 17-26 from the charity stripe needs to improve. Free throw shooting on the road is all about nerves. It is one of the best indicators to see the mindset of the road team in the playoffs. Klay Thompson was 1-3 from the free throw line. Draymond Green was 2-4.
Make the Cavs Run Half-court Sets
This has been cryptonite for the Cavs offense. When they have to run plays the settle for jumpshots, and in Game 3 they made them. That is risk you are willing to take with you have a more superior shooting team overall. The Cavs looked their best on the break in Game 3, but Lebron could not finish at the rim in with the half-court offense.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Don't Get Cute Lue
Coach does not need to make the rookie mistake of thinking that not having Kevin Love in the starting lineup is the right move. If Love is cleared to play, you have to let him start regardless of what fans, media, or Lebron has to say. If you lose Game 4 and don't start Love even though he is ready to play, the decision may cost you more than a trophy. Richard Jefferson is available to come in at anytime, he does not have to start.
Run, Run, Run
Play like your hair is on fire! Start Game 4 just like Game 3 without slowing down in the second quarter. Running will get the Cavs easy points in the paint or free throw attempts. The Cavs outscored the Warriors 15-8 on fast break points.
Lebron Needs 40
James does not need to let his foot off the gas now that Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, and J.R. Smith have decided to show up to The Finals for only one game. He has way more at stake in this series than any other player on the team. He has to play like a man possessed. Yes Lebron, you have to channel the legends of the game like Jordan, Magic, Kobe, Shaq, Olajuwon, Jabar, and others to take over.
