Paulo Alves

So before we go into any of the micro trends, I wanted to start with the macro.

Paolo, where are you at with this team as far as the big picture?

Are you still hoping that maybe this team can get to 55 or 60 wins and get a top two, top three seed?

Or are we basically getting to a point where it's just get to the playoffs healthy, try to get the best matchups you can, even if it's a six seed, all that matters is April, May, and June.

My question for you at this point, Paolo, after nine and eight in the last 17 games, is there still a path for this team to become dominant in the regular season?

Or are we at a point where we just sort of accept that, you know, this is who they are and maybe put our eggs in the basket of hoping they put it together when it matters most?

Sort of like, you know, Dirk Nowitzki did for a 57-win Dallas team back in 2011 when he was starting to age.

Maybe a 37-year-old KD can follow that template in 26.

I guess the bottom line and my question for you, Paolo, have these past few weeks changed your expectations at all, at least in terms of the regular season?

Because at least for me, it feels like the floor is a decent bit lower, even if the ceiling is still what it was.

He's also only playing like 15 minutes a game, so...

Yeah, I think the reason I fixate on the 17 is I go back to the first 17 and the expectations that I had coming out of October and November.

And I think you're right.

This team can still win 55-plus games.

Everything is on the table.

I just think it's becoming clearer that that juggernaut scenario...

isn't really on the table anymore, at least not in the regular season.

And perhaps we never sort of expected it after Fred's injury.

It just feels like they sort of teased us with it a little bit and then it went away.

Although I guess you can argue that this version that we've seen playing up or down to the competition, maybe there is more upside because early in the year there was that narrative of, oh, can they beat really good teams?