The sign at the entrance to the Arena dei Dallas Mavericks recites “works in progress”. The NBA runners-up start this season with the burden on their shoulders of having to reconfirm themselves as contenders and of trying to disprove those who still remain perplexed today about the Texan team’s real chances of being able to grab the much-coveted ring.
In an attempt to put the qualities of his team back under the spotlight, Kyrie Irvinga few days ago, he declared to the press that Dallas’ paint defense was the best in the league, after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves for 120 to 114.
However, Uncle Drew soon had to swallow a big bitter pill, since after only forty-eight hours, the Mavericks suffered an important defeat against the young Houston Rockets Coach Udoka’s husband.
Just try not to think about it too much and have fun playing. We are in a learning phase. We have last year’s achievement, but it means nothing this year, because we didn’t achieve what matters
Kyrie Irving
Irving’s advice to teammates on how to turn a loss like tonight’s into a positive:
“Just try not to overthink it & just have fun hooping. We’re in a feeling out process. We have the success of last year but it doesn’t mean s**t this year because we’ve accomplished nothing.” pic.twitter.com/9xYeyeQtls
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) November 1, 2024
The result in itself was not overwhelming, 108 a 102 per i Rocketsbut the game tells us about a Dallas that was never able to control the opponents’ attacks, for about three quarters, going down by 23 points at halftime.
Subsequently came the almost comeback, led by Irving himself, 28 pointsand the usual magical Luka Doncic, 29 pointsdemonstrating how potentially unmanageable this pair is in the offensive phase for anyone in front of them.
It is important to avoid one defeat being immediately followed by another, tomorrow we need to go back to work and prepare, to improve in the areas where we were weak tonight
Kyrie Irving
Kyrie once again proves confident in the technical project currently underway in Dallas and he has every reason to be. What is definitely needed is time. Time to allow Klay Thompson to find his new dimension in a Doncic-centric system and to get his shot back to full strength.
To understand how much Marshall and Grimes will be able to have a concrete impact on coach Kidd’s rotations; to identify any gaps to be filled on the market in order to be able to cope, in a possible revenge, with the so-called green tsunami Boston Celtics.
