Tim Cato
Appearances
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
I'm doing good, man. It's good to still be back. Glad I still get invited back, even though we are not officially co-workers. But spiritually at heart, you guys are always co-workers to me.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
I mean, you can make an argument that some of the issues is that they're not after the trade deadline. One commonality, one common trend between both of the deep playoff runs that Dallas made was that they came together late in the season. And, you know, so that's three seasons ago when they went to the conference finals. And of course, last season when they went to the finals.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
This is a team that, for some reason, takes a while to really put it together. Now, this season was supposed to be different. This season, they came in with an offseason that was supposed to give Dallas the deepest team that they have had. Injuries eroded at that right away. Dante Exum remains out. P.J. Washington has missed games. Maxi Kleba...
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
who is an injury-prone player, to be fair, as is Exum. He has missed time. Derek Lively missed a few games. Kyrie Irving, in the loss and the defeat on Thursday night against Utah, the fourth straight, he missed. That said, good teams still win without some of their rotation players. It's not like Luka and Kyrie have been missing the majority of these games.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
And so, yeah, it is absolutely a disappointing season thus far, a disappointing start for Dallas. I... I'm not quite at the point where I am willing to change my expectations for the team coming into the season. But this is a troubling trend that they keep running into where they start very slow. You know, the defense is top 10. The offense is top 10. These are usually marks of a title contender.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
As you guys said, it's been a combined eight points that they've lost these four straight games. Just a little bit here or there could have easily changed something. But that's not really an excuse. I just think Dallas is going to get to the same point that they often find themselves in under Jason Kidd. They're trying to make up ground. They're behind and they're trying to catch up.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
We've seen that happen. I still believe that's going to happen. But trying to catch up, trying to get back to where they need to be, that is a recipe for Luka to overextend himself, to play too many minutes, to be tired, exhausted, to have injury issues, nagging stuff that he just can't quite get rid of.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
going into the postseason it's a recipe for Dallas to not have you know home court advantage in the first round and it all just adds up to you know a team that can still put it together a team that's still very talented and a team that I believe will end up showing that talent but not in a way that is conducive to them finally getting over this hump and and you know really being a team that is feared going into the playoffs not just one that is playing from behind and so
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Yeah, disappointment is the right word. And as much as we can talk more about what needs to come together, the fault really lies kind of a little bit of everywhere. Every single player, the coaching staff, there's a lot of blame to go around right now.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
So he is playing off the ball more. I do think that the touches and the time of possession, it's a little bit skewed because some of that off the ball is just that he's not bringing the ball up the court. And when he brings the ball up the court about, let's say, 70% of the time when he's on the court, 80% of the time when he's on the court in previous seasons, now it's down to about 50%.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
that is going to have a material impact on just time of possession. You know, that's about eight seconds, uh, you know, a dozen times per game and that, that, that will show in the stats. That said, a big part of, of Dallas's off season was to bring in more ball handlers and to bring in more shot creators.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Uh, Najee Marshall has been someone who has been completely entrusted to, to dribble, to drive, to, to bring the ball up the court, to orchestrate fast breaks. Um, You know, they've been playing a lot of guards. Jaden Hardy, Spencer Dinwiddie, Quentin Grimes at times has been, you know, entrusted to handle the ball. And, you know, Dante Axum, when he's healthy, is going to be another player.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
And so I think a lot of this idea, or to my understanding... was to give Luka a little bit more time to rest or to just not be quite as involved in the offense at every waking moment. To make him feel like if he doesn't have the ball in his hands on offense, and if Kyrie Irving isn't out there, then the offense can still generate decent shots without him.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
And in turn, that would allow him, yes, maybe to an extent, become a better off-ball offensive player. I think that is a good, important thing that he should do in his career. I think that's a positive. But it's also to help him on the defensive end, to help bring his minutes down a little bit and just allow him to be a more complete player overall. And we're not saying that.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
We've seen the defense, you know, we've seen Luka play good defense. And when he is fully locked into playing good defense, he can be an average, maybe a bit above average defender. His problem has always been doing that possession after possession after possession. And there have been far too many lapses. And it's not just getting blown by, and it's not just losing his man.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
There's been some very high-profile moments of that happening. But one of the Mavericks' biggest issues so far this season is giving up offensive rebounds. The league average this season for offensive rebounds is just under 11. And in, what, 10 of the Mavericks' 12 games thus far, they've allowed 12 offensive rebounds or more. So they're just...
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
So you're just conceding second chance points over and over and over again. And the defense is, you know, statistically it's holding up despite that. But it's really, you know, it's the second chance points that are really killing them.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
And, you know, when you play with Luka often as your second tallest player, and we know that he's a fantastic rebounder, he has to be locked into that side as well. You can't miss box outs. You can't just stand there. You know, and hope the ball falls to him because, you know, this is kind of the way Dallas has committed to playing, you know, the power forward on this team.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
If not Luca, if Luca isn't the tallest guy, it's PJ Washington. You know, this is not a team that is running out a seven footer and a 6'10 player at the same time. And so. It's been very frustrating for Mavericks fans. It's been very frustrating for Luka fans because Luka can be this all-generational player. And his offensive game hasn't quite been there. That's been another issue.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
He's not shooting quite as well. He just doesn't look like he's moving at 100%. And I don't think it's injury specifically. I think he just is getting back into the rhythm of the season. But on the defensive end, his buy-in has – it's too fleeting. It comes and goes way too often.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
And as a result, Dallas is just in a situation where whether it's offensive rebounds, whether it's concentration and effort, it just hasn't been there. And I think the late games, it has shown up a little bit too often. That is – That's been a lot of what's contributed to these, you know, four consecutive losses, despite the point differential, the combined point deficit being so small.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Defensive lapses, there's been a little bit too much Luka pulling up for 30 foot shots. I think we all focus on the end of games, and there's been some end-of-game issues, and this would look a lot better if Dallas just was executing a bit better. I do go back to, oh goodness, which game was it? It was against Phoenix, where Kyrie Irving was just nuclear. It might have been the game after that.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
They all blur together at a certain point in the season. But Luka, up two, took a 30-foot shot that he never passed. He barely got it over the line within eight seconds. So yes, there's been some issues. Dallas has also not started well. Almost consistently, they're shipping 10 points in the first quarter. They've done that almost all season.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Against Utah on Thursday, they had one of the most terrific third quarters I've ever seen, where the effort and the buy-in wasn't there. Utah, for example, is a team that's the worst team in the Western Conference. all it takes is not playing horrifically, more or less, for a good team to beat them. And in that third quarter, they did.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
They played horrifically, and all of a sudden, when in the fourth quarter, they actually played a very good fourth quarter. It was not nearly enough to overcome this deficit, this hole they had dug themselves. So, I would say that the fourth quarter stuff has to be better, and I think it will be, just in a sense of randomness. Clutch is a very small sample size. I do think it will trend upwards.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
But Dallas is also digging themselves holes throughout games. Most often the first quarter, and the first quarter against Utah wasn't superb. But it's not exactly encouraging that these first quarter problems are not leaking into other quarters, even if the fourth quarter looks better for the team.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Yeah, I would say overall, Clay, in isolation and in a vacuum, has been great. He hasn't quite been the offensive player that he was last season, but there's expectations that he's going to get back there. His shooting percentage, things like that. There's hope that he's going to be a 40% shooter because he's Clay Thompson.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
And he's been a shooter who typically starts a little slow, starts a little cold, and then warms up throughout the year. And But overall, you know, defensively, he's been fine. I think the concerns are not specifically about Klay Thompson, that he's been horrific, that he's been, you know, Klay Thompson before the season.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
He talked about wanting to prove that he could still be an all-defense caliber player. And I think it's clear that he's past that, you know, that, you know, nearing 35, that he's not at that point of his career anymore. But I think he's been okay. He's been a fine defender, and he's been an above-average offensive player who may still yet be a bit better than what he's even shown so far.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
The question is, and not to say that you were saying otherwise, the question is, can you survive with Klay, Luka, and Kyrie all together? Is that just not enough punch, not enough oomph on the defensive end? And the numbers so far would agree that...
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Those three together have not led to great defensive ratings that the team performs a bit better when it's two of those three guards plus a Najee Marshall, plus a Quinton Grimes, plus a P.J. Washington. Or really, if you're just playing two of those guys, ideally you can get two of those players that I just named. Grimes, Marshall, Najee. And that helps the defense a lot.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
So I think we're still in a find-out mode. I think that... it's a little bit too early to come to you know specific conclusions and clay himself certainly has not been a disappointment but it is going to be the big question hovering around the team all season even if they pull things together and start winning a little bit
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
That question, and whether this starting lineup works, whether this closing lineup works, and against Utah on Thursday, Dallas noticeably spent most of the fourth quarter playing without Klay Thompson out there. If that closing lineup is going to work, whether that trio is going to work, or whether Klay Thompson would fit the team better in another way, that's going to be the big question.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
I just think it's a little bit too early to say for sure.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
The legendary Mark Stein. I know. Four times a week.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
So I've got first guess? Yeah. I named them all. That's right. That's right. Yeah, you could sweep it. Vince Carter.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
comprehension is right here my brain's still a little hazy from being oh my goodness what a rough start this is the equivalent of spilling coffee onto my keyboard oh goodness I heard half the question I already started the brain was already going what about the zinger that's right Andrew he's one can you name the other three Brunson Brunson is one I get you a full point Andrew
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Oh, who are we missing? Oh, Klay Thompson. Kyrie Irving. Oh, Kyrie, Kyrie. You said Klay Thompson.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Oh, man. And this is is this by volume or is this by by points per?
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
They've given up a lot of quantity of transition defense, I would say. Maybe not the efficiency. I was going to go with that either way.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Okay, okay, okay. This would be a great time to guess Vince Carter.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Dang. And I... So Jason Kidd was one, so this is number three. This is number three. Oh, gosh. This is Brad Davis. Yes.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Just by longevity. He actually has his number retired with the team, which...
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
He does indeed. I think if they had to do it over, maybe it wouldn't happen. But he was one of those people who... That feels bad. Brad Davis, he was a fine player during his day. But he was also someone with the team from the start of the Mavericks franchise existence or within a season. And then he spent all like 13 seasons with them. Great mustache, Brad Davis. Indeed.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
So you remember when I was talking about the first quarter struggles, and there's been an interesting thing about Dallas where they've started a player who I don't think is their best player. That player at that position. That player has been Daniel Gafford. So let me go with Daniel Gafford.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
He's been in the rotation pretty much every game. I think he has enough minutes.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
I knew Kyrie's splits had been very, very odd because he's been their best player so far. This is one reminder that on-off can be a little funky. Kyrie has objectively been the team's best player thus so far. His splits have been a little weird and bad. Yeah.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Okay. In fact, one pair very much did not play together quite a bit of distance.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
I would not have done that. That was impressive.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
So I'm just setting the scene for both of those. So 2018, and it has to be someone who would be likely to appear in something like this. Let's start with Carmelo Anthony.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
That's why I went with Carmelo. I thought it would be like his peers at the time.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Yeah, I thought it would be like noted peers. I should have said legends.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Okay, Andrew, this sets up. Pop, pop. Pop, pop. Pop, pop.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
So Dirk kind of has the same situation where it feels like a little bit too obvious. And so I'm going to say, actually, So I was going to say Devin Harris or I was going to say JJ Barea, but I think I'm going to say Maxie. I think Maxie is my guess. That's interesting.
The Athletic NBA Daily
Worried about the Mavs? + How bad is the East?
Yeah, I'm always hopping on, you know, as soon as I finish up my postgame duties. But yeah, I'm still a reporter and a writer. But yeah, we're also five times a week and I'll be on just about every show. And you can find my writing at alldlls.com. Awesome. Tim, thanks so much for coming on.