SOS-Echo podcast host Slavko Geric And the Tony Groden He invited a regular guest and a famous analyst before the start of the new NBA season frank outletwho has been following events in Dallas in detail in recent years, and writes for D magazine, among other things.
Luka Dongic was left without his first assistant, but he has a new power under the hoops
Very few changes, but the range is similar
For years, Dallas fans have been convinced the team hasn’t changed nearly all the time, and with the coach’s departure Rick Carlisle The arrival of the sports director Nick Harrison Just the opposite. « They actually brought in some new players last year, especially Reggie Bullock who became a regular on the team’s hitting cycle. With Christapps Porzingis gone, Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans coming, this summer Jalen Bronson leaving and Christian Wood and Gaval McGee arriving. Previously, for two years we complained well that it was practically the same team, but this team is really very different, in terms of names and the style of the players. I will personally follow the new season with great interest. However, in the big picture, it must be emphasized that despite the changes, the team still has the same scopeFranco warns.
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The only good team without another star
According to forecasts of experts, Mavs is somewhere between the tenth and twelfth places. In this tour, Dallas is the only one without a so-called second star. « They are still the only team to have only one player in the top 30 or even the top 50 in the league according to different rankings. This is a constant that has been going on for a long time. The new management is working on flexibility, so that this can change after the end of next season, when certain mistakes from the past are corrected, I think above all about the drafts that the club owes to New York.«
Bronson signed on his way to New York, McGee Center with Dallas
Almost made a replica of the 2020 Lakers
The club consolidated itself with up to two positions. Gavel McGee He is an experienced player who boasts three championship titles and an Olympic gold. Franco described him as an interesting basketball player: “It’s a different kind of center than the Dallas center in recent years, and it won’t change much in the overall picture. Average 15-17 minutes per game. Jason Kidd promised him a place in the top five, which means a lot to Mackie. Maybe it’s more about alchemy, he was an inexperienced player at first, but now is among the most respected veterans. It belongs on the Kid’s Circle – with the departure of Igor Kokoshkov and the arrival of new assistants, Jason Kidd has practically set up a replica of the Lakers team that won the championship in 2020. There’s Sean Sweeney, Greg Saint. Jean, Jared Dudley, this year brought in Quinton Crawford and McKee, who was the Lakers’ first center back that season. Kid trusted him. Dallas saw a significant drop in offensive recovery last year following the departure of Porzingis, which McGee could fill in. »
Wood is proven in attack, but not in defense yet
Franco expects more from Christian Woodwhich could be a real X factor: « He didn’t show much in defense and could play for a long time with great concentration. So far, he has played in teams that practically did not compete for a breakthrough in the playoffs. In such an environment, he filled in his personal statistics well, but did not play winning basketball. It’s very positive that defensive coach Sweeney knows him since his time in Detroit. Wood has mentioned several times that he worked with Sweeney all summer, primarily on the defensive courses. Dallas surprised a lot last year with a shift in defense, breaking into the best. Wood will have to prove he can do it himself. It will add a new dimension to the attack, and analyzes have shown that it is similar to Porzingis in terms of style and profile of the game. Wood is definitely better at bouncing the ball, he knows how to make something out of the play and last but not least, he’s got a shot that’s five percentage points better than the Latvian in recent years, which is really a lot. »
Goran Dragic has agreed to a one-year contract with Pique
Kidd didn’t trust Dragic
Istok Franco watched three EuroBasket matches in Cologne, where he spoke with several people working for Dallas or close to the club’s decision-makers. At that time, he was expected to move to Texas Goran DragicWhich didn’t happen then: »Most of them were surprised that the deal did not happen. I felt it was Jason Kidd’s decision. The coach clearly doesn’t think Goran can still play steadily at such a high level. Looks like they tried to fix everything together Facundo Campazzo. Last year Dallas had three « good ball » players. Kidd played the vast majority of matches with the two on the floor. It’s going to be tough this year because they only have Doncic and Dinwiddy. Luka has proven he can do it himself, but historical performances were more common when he had another such actor by his side. »
Predictions are around 50 wins
What is the scope of Dallas? Las Vegas bookmakers predict 48 wins for them. « Kevin BiltonESPN, an analytics expert, predicted Dallas would score just 43 wins, while 538.com tied it at 50. We’re clearly somewhere in that range. The models report various stats and facts, some of which are more susceptible to aging players (and they missed the golden stat a little bit last year). I’m focusing more on simple stats here. In the past three years, we’ve seen Dallas, with a healthy Luka Doncic, have between 48 and 52 wins, which should be the range this year as well.‘, says Franco, who added some important factors:It will be necessary to maintain harmony, raise the level of the match in defense, and they have a lot of options in attack, because they can play with high and low fives. But West this year is very good, and many of the basketball players who didn’t play (almost) anything last year due to injuries will be back, so the competition will be very fierce. »
Sports directors are rarely right (Nostradamus should be more accurate this year)
The road to MVP should start with much greater impact
Sports directors announced in a traditional pre-season poll that he would be named Player of the Year Luka Dongic. Franco is convinced that it is not only the numbers that matter, but the whole story, which was created primarily by journalists and other creators of public opinion: “I’m looking for stories. Luca’s path to a potential title is simple – he needs to start the season much better than last year. Dallas had problems with COVID-19 in December, then Doncic sprained his ankle. Then he rested for 20 days, got back to his good physical condition, then played phenomenally from January onwards. If he wants to win the MVP award, he can’t afford it this year. The second is expectations, with most of them ranking between sixth and eighth in the West. If Dallas broke 50 wins and finished in the top four in the conference, the story would be read differently and they would have a good chance. Of course, a lot also depends on the good form of other players. »
The main people move only in the summer
Slovenski is starting a new (five-year) contract this season. Franco ended the conversation with the following words:Many are wondering whether or not Dallas will be able to land another star. Regardless of the impatience of some fans, a big move is not expected at the moment, but perhaps they will make a smaller one. If the story goes with Wood in the wrong direction, the club may react. Maybe they’ll look for another builder on the ball, but I don’t expect big moves that will change the big picture. That won’t happen until next summer. »
You are invited to listen to the full episode, in which the following topics are discussed:
Frank’s trip to Cologne and Amsterdam.
Slovenia appeared in the European Championship.
Luka Dončić became famous in Germany.
– Bookmakers for the championship title.
– To Wood, who is anticipating the All-Star season.
Can Dinwiddy « cover » Bronson’s departure?
Campazzo could become the team’s second shooter.
– For Jaden Hardy’s potential.
– About the role of injuries.
The potential of Victor Wimpanyama.
How Bronson and Doncic relate to the NFL.
Many scandals before the start of the season.
Interesting facts about the number 90.
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