Luka Doncic started the season out of shape (by his own admission), but he and the Mavs have been on fire lately, winning 17 of their last 23. This detailed film room study of the Mavs offense and defense examines how Jason Kidd has built an offense around Luka, Jalen Brunson's importance as a secondary creator, the strengths and weaknesses of the Mavs supporting cast, along with why the Dallas defense is so good with Maxi Kleber and Dorian Finney-Smith.
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Ben Taylor is the author of Thinking Basketball, a Nylon Calculus contributor, creator of the Backpicks Top 40 series & host of the Thinking Basketball podcast.
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Music by Nemesis
#ThinkingBasketball #Luka
I think the funniest thing about luka’s improvement on defense is that it started with him winning the team’s “defensive player of the game” belt once (and it really just given to him that game because he had an okay defensive game) and after that he wanted to win it every game 💀
And luckily we have Ben masterfully breaking down that facet of the Mavs, just like other very valuable players like the underrated Maximillian, and his all-around game.
Maybe we should give Ben Simmons "Best 3pt shooter of the game" so he actually attempts some 🤣
Defense is half mental and will
@@1will2kill Na that’s bs.. 1st for ur ceiling of defense is ur height and wingspan and athleticism 2nd is your skill then 3rd is mental/will
@@cantripleplays defense is definitely mental there are players as athletic as ever and super long but are terrible defenders
Maxi Kleber & Dorian Finey-Smith are two of the most underrated role players in the league.
I really thought they were decent but I’ll look closer now.
DFS and Kleber are my favorite roleplayers. They play super hard!
Na they aren’t underrated. I don’t agree with the extension for Dfs
im embarassed of myself. i thought Maxi was a bad defender, inside and on the perimeter. i feel like a casual smh.
Exactly, clowns always say they only give you 15 points
I think most people including myself were aware of how good Luka has been on offense, but it is the defensive end where seeing plays broken down really allows you to see how much better the mavs have gotten on that end.
It is impossible, nor a player without a second star, to make an effort in defense..in that case, his strength in attack will decrease
Clippers in 6s!!
Coach matters and this is the perfect example
@@yeahyeahyeahwhat6271 yep, jason kidd is a great defensive coach and now people are seeing why
@@treysmith7725 that's just mean man
Love seeing DFS and Kleber get some recognition. Kleber is the perfect role player for a player like Doncic
i actually think he'd fit on any team. a shooting big that can guard 1-5. ideal big man, prayin for him to stay healthy tho
@@arnoldcorbina2706 Oh for sure, he’s versatile enough to be an asset for all 30 teams, but I think Dallas (or other teams with a ball dominant superstar) are where he would thrive the most
Defend, catch lobs, catch and shoot. Perfect role player imo.
Yup DFS and Maxi are criminally underated. I am NOT saying they are All defense RIGHT NOW. BUT if they can hold this defense together for the rest of the season and Dallas finishes top 5 in DRtg, at least one of them should be in the 2nd team.
@@metalsadman Mikal Bridges is the “ideal” role player
As a Mavs fan this is the most exciting thing I've seen this week
MFFLs unite
or maybe in like 3 months lmao
Isn’t that because Luka is now in top shape? I really have the feeling he didn’t work at all in the of season so he struggled to get where he is now. Maybe I’m wrong.
@@acpliego Nah you’re 100% right I’ve watched almost every Mavs game this season and his numbers and efficiency were shit when the season started and Luka looked sluggish most nights until January 1st is when he started lighting up the league again
@@acpliego Olympics, early season injury and covid all contributed to him having a rough start to the season
His shooting has picked up after a slow start and has been pretty damn elite since the new year. Over 40% on more than 8 3PA, most of which are off the dribble is great. It seems to be the same story every season with his shooting.
Yup once he gets in shape it’s over
It's because he always comes in out of shape, having spent 4 months smoking hookah and overeating - it's the same lesson Jokic had to learn after a few years
Every year he need 30 games to warm up. He needs to be elite and be ready from day one.
@@landlocked_lifts332 you know he played in the Olympics right?
@@landlocked_lifts332 That but also the NBA changing the ball for this season played a part. The shooting is down across the league this season due to the new ball.
Nice to see my man Kleber finally getting some love for his defense. Dude can guard positions 1-5 which makes it way easier to "hide" some of the Mavs weaker defenders like Brunson or THJ when he's healthy.
This aged incredibly well. Turns out the missing piece was dumping KP for dinwiddie and Bertans
I didn't realize Kleber was that switchable and overall defensively solid. Very impressive
Only casuals like u do not know that.
@@KeySzn I appreciate the positivity and love brother
@@isaacdisanto1020 your sarcasm is not welcomed.
@@KeySzn your stupid-ass negativity is not welcomed. I recommend learning to let people enjoy things and learn things. You'll make a lot more friends that way
@@KeySzn behave like a man Vasquez plz
Thank you for giving Finney-Smith and Kleber their shine. Both of those guys are the backbone of this Mavs defense.
10000%
didn’t Kleber get postered by Kawhi? haha
So? Rodman got posterised he was still elite if not the best defender out there, Maxi fights and defend great againts everyone. Kawhi is cheat code if he would be helthy last year they win it all and Luka took them to 7 games.
@@benjamin-qn7nf all the best defenders got crossed or got dunked on. Happens to everyone.
@@benjamin-qn7nf okay and? Kawhi has been posterized, lebron, kobe, Rodman, Ben wallace, pippen, etc it’s part of the game bro lol
This is why I love your videos, I really learn something I would’ve never thought about. Maxi kleber and dorian finney smith are some of the most underrated defenders in the league
No matter how many times he gets posterized, he will still get you at the defensive end.
as a Mavs fan, I've been waiting on DFS and Maxi to get more recognition. Love to see this.
7:12 is the reason I love watching Brunson so much. His hesitations are incredible, and I love it when he goes to this weird super quick off-leg layup. He’s just a super satisfying player to watch in the way he moves on offense.
Seriously. His footwork and body control as a 6'1 guard in the post is phenomenal. Love his step throughs too
Yep and his finishing at the rim is so impressive for guy such undersized player.
off-leg. number 13. Nashty
I’ve been waiting for someone to praise maxi klebers defense for weeks, dude is straight up elite
I knew Kleber was a great defender and decent shooter but thank you for breaking it down and truly showing how valuable he is, glad he got resigned
I'm so glad we took care of DFS, he's been such a force on our defense
Don't forget about his 3pt shooting. It's gone up every year since his rookie season proving that Russell WestBrick is to lazy to learn how to shoot.
@@bigred9991 kinda random mention
@@bigred9991 Why even mention Brook. He’s never shot under 40% other than his rookie season. He just had a TO problem and he doesn’t fit on the Lakers. He also has a pacing problem but % wise he isn’t absolutely abysmal.
@@bigred9991 You seem triggered by Russ lol
@@dwaynekeenum1916 I just like to take shots at Russ when I can. That's all.
This Kidd defensive scheme is super impressive. I’m excited to see how far we can go in the playoffs, especially if our shots start falling more consistently
Pretty far based on the fact that key stats are gone on other teams.
you get to the wcf, but then Luka's defensive limits and the warriors superior adaptability take you out
This is one of the best explanations of the Mavericks I’ve ever seen. I watch this team everyday and sometimes I get upset with some peoples takes on the mavs when they never watch the team and just make blanket statements like luka can’t play defense or that dfs and maxi aren’t good role players.
The biggest blanket takes were casuals moaning about KP's lack of presence after the trade. Sure he has 1.7 bpg but Kleiber and DFS do a lot more defensively than KP does and even with protecting the rim on their part. On offense if Dinwiddie and Bertans are at the very least healthy (and motivated to repair their values) then they flow well into the Kidd offense as role players. Ultimately KP was out for like 20 odd games and the Mavs have still put up 30 wins before he got traded. So fit is the thing Kidd is trying to emphasize with a roster he ideally wants to see.
Dorian FInney Smith earned every dollar of his new extension. Went from undrafted to a key player. We love him!
team-friendly contract, too!
I've been a fan of Kleber for a while now. He's an excellent utility player. He's a solid 77 with badges.
He didn't play this great defense until kidd arrived, that miami game, he stopped jimy buckets 1 on 1, he's lockdown defender now.
@@metalsadman Yes he did. He locked down Zion last year off the top.
@@metalsadman also was killing it in the bauble before his injury
I laughed so hard.
@@metalsadman Not true, he's always been solid on that end
Thank you for covering Dallas. As a Dallas native the Mavs are criminally under reported on in national media and your analysis is always great
Nope. They'd much rather talk about the Lakers or Knicks for the 100th time. Smh
I love how Brunson modelled his game after Luka's, all those no look passes, lobs... but especially love that burst of fake in and out-s and driving towards the rim. Mavs should keep him at all costs!
Calling Luka thicc is one of the reasons why I’m subbed to this channel
That’s the thing about this years Mavs Brunson’s improvement and getting Spencer gives the two additional ball handlers so Luka can be off ball more in the playoffs. If their defense can hold up still and Bertans becomes that 3 point weapon again I can see Dallas making outta the 2nd round this year with Luka ball he’s that damn good
This is the key point where I think we've seen an improvement offensively. Once Brunson was inserted into the starting line-up, you didn't have to rely on Luka possessing the ball early in the possession. When teams start to double him, Brunson has been able to take over, allowing Luka to work more off-the-ball...and it's nice to see Luka touch the ball already in a favorable position later in the possession. They need to recognize this in the last two minutes. Their offense changes to Luka holding the ball at the top in isolation and waiting for the clock to run-down. At that point, you need a score, so they need to get Luka the ball closer to the basket, not hanging around the top of the key where he's likely going to jack up a low-percentage three. Threes are great when they are wide-open...not when you force it up. I think this is a large reason Luka is only "average" as a three point shooter...he typically creates his own threes...and those threes usually have a higher degree of difficulty.
Last year the Mavs faced the Clippers with Kawhi turning in to prime MJ, they were the team that I think could give the Mavs the most trouble (Outside of Utah maybe) I think if we faced any other team we could have gone to the second round.
I’m still having doubts with bertans’s defense and shooting.
@@alohatigers1199 his defense sure but his shooting is still pretty real given the spacing. I don't think he had that benefit with the Wizards and their lack of consistent spacing and creation around him which a spot up shooter needs to thrive. At worst case Kidd an hide him on defense with his better defenders on the floor and he won't incur the penalty of being targeted by opposing teams.
Would love to hear your analysis on the small sample size of Spencer Dinwidee's addition to the Mavs
Love seeing Kleber and Finney-Smith get some recognition
The most exciting thing for Mavs fans is that it appears that Luka has bought in to the system. If management can get some more talent around him then the Mavs will be a top 3 team in the west for a long time.
Love that we agree on Kleber! He is my favorite defensive player of Mavs..
Mavs fans should be excited and Kidd deserves a ton of credit. They never played this kind of defense under Rick. Buy-in from the players is everything. Mavs still need one more solid scoring option and a really solid rim protector. Let's hope Dinwiddie returns to pre-Wizards form on the offensive end. If he does, that's some serious depth for the Mavs in the playoffs. Josh Green also needs to improve as a shooter, but he's young and shows excellent promise.
Dinwiddie was a steal for the Mavs 😤 he balling. Things looking great for the Mavs.
Love the fact that you specifically heralded Kleber. A big man that can guard 1 through 5 AND gives you 36% from downtown? It doesn't get much better than that when it comes to roleplayers.
"someone get this man PR" 🤣 Lord knows he needs it
Great that you shouted out Finney-Smith and Kleber, I've not payed too much attention to them prior, but this year has been extremely fun to witness their play on the defensive end.
Brunson's really the key for them to me. Luka is obviously unreal, but when his usage is in the 40's or even 50's he tends to wear out by the end of games. If Brunson can step up as a legit no. 2 in the playoffs I think they can hang with anybody
Brunson is nice especially when luka comes out Brunson can still carry a heavy load for the mavs offense but come on sayin like wears out at ends of games is absurd😂luka is just one of those guys he built for the moment it doesn’t matter if he missing shots in the 4th the thing with him is when he has the ball and the clock ticking down luka just makes it just like guys like bron kobe mj and a bunch of guys that were just built for the moment
maxi Kleber is my favorite role player, I really hope he stays healthy, and Luka is a lot better on defense, he definitely has the size
2 months later and we are seeing how far he can take them
Once again you have provided us with a detailed breakdown on how the Dallas plays. Keep up the good work.
I love how deep the NBA feels this year. Some injuries here and there but lots of teams have at least one player that can give their team a really good chance to win. Hope the playoffs are wild.
feel bad for the clippers though. both their guys being out and all.
Maxi's footwork on defense and his ability to stay on the ground to contest without fouling are elite level. Would have liked for you to analyse what Spencer Dinwiddie can bring to the table. Just switching him for jalen brunson into that 2nd ball handler role in the starting would give teams match up nightmares. The shortest player on that lineup is 6'5". Heliocentric lineups the next thing (again)?
I think the most impressive thing about Luka is that he has been so good in the playoffs in a heliocentric offense when a lot of other players that has similar usage rates (harden, russ) really struggle because their teams are lacking and all focus is on them. Luka really is Lebron like
thx for the pr on finney smith and maxi, they are solid
With the type of 3's Luka takes, even 35% is insane. Going on a 40%+ stretch is just unreal.
Yes, creating his own. Difficult
he's gonna be the next harden within a year or two
@@Star-pl1xs I think he is already beyond that level because he actually gets even better in the Playoffs & Harden falls off big time.
Makes a video about an offensive superstar but talks a great deal about all other pieces and what makes a system work. So nice to see someone give credit to the role players and so many things beyond stat lines and flashy offense. Love this channel from day 1 and always hyped for another video!
Excellent video…I loved the Mavs breakdown & some well deserved praise for my guys Maxi, Brunson, & DFS :)
Great commentary, I appreciate your knowledge of the game ! 👍👍👍👍👍
Haven't even watched the video yet but just wanted to say you're the GOAT and that your content/passion is phenomenal. Thanks for all of your work!
So glad you gave some Maxi cred. His overall defense has been steadily becoming some of the best in the league. He's been getting hotter from 3 too 😱
One thing that’s really impressive: the way he’s managing the game. I mean, numbers are obvious. Everyone can see his numbers. There’s a lot of [other] things you can’t put into stats. That’s understanding the time, score, who’s hot, who’s playing well, when the team needs him to score, when the team needs him to distribute and facilitate for other guys. That’s amazing.
You guys are QUICKLY becoming my favorite channel!
I never notice how long your videos are because of good they are. Your explanations are so good and you have a great speaking voice. Keep being awesome!
this guy is amazing, i thought i was a homer for how hard DFS and Kleber play but it’s awesome to finally see them getting some recognition for their efforts
Such a good and complete analysis, congrats. Here is my sub.
First video I've seen from you. Awesome content! And as a German its awesome to see some Maxi Appreciation! You've got a new follower!
I love the video brother! Keep up the amazing work! 👍🏼
Great video as usual mate! Biggest surprise to me was the part on Maxi Kleber's defence. I'll be honest I mostly thought of him as a stretch big until now but obviously haven't been watching enough Mavs games. Get him some PR indeed
My favorite channel making a video about one of my favorite player. Amazing!!!
This type of team wide analysis from Ben is gold. @thinkingbasketball I would love to see analysis like this of some of the top teams in the East leading up to the playoffs. I don’t think I’m alone in having a hard time sorting through the EC playoff picture.
FINALLY an uploader giving the German Shepherd lotta love!! I've watched a lot of guys on defense with different teams and Maxi has got the quickest feet of any defender on any team I've seen and his vertical has got to be over 40". He is also very fast. As one Mavs commenter said, "Maxi can go get it", talking about a half court sprint to block a shot from behind. And there's a quietness to his game when he blocks shots, shoots or dunks. He doesn't say much or yell even when he makes a great play. I'm a big fan of Maxi!
great overall video of course as always, but i wanted to specifically shoutout the bit on finney-smith communicating. the '04 pistons were my first basketball love and clips where i can hear and see defensive communication are one of my vices lol
Another fantastic video as usual. Would love to see something on the Celtics bc they’ve strung together a nice run backed by a stingy defense. If they’re legit, they can enter an already gauntlet of an eastern conference. Thanks Ben!
After his first season, I've said to anyone who would listen that he has a legitimate chance to be the greatest of all time. Not in the same way that we say that about like seemingly half the young stars out there. No I mean he has a chance to have career averages of like 27+pts, 9+rbs, 9+ast. Imagine him doin that for 15 years? And who knows how many rings and MVPs he'll finish with. But when it's all said and done, he might be right up there with the very best(Mt. Rushmore).
Totally agree luka is magician
A Thinking Basketball video on my favorite team? Basketball nirvana! Also 11:58 is very encouraging as that's Dinwiddie and Bertans in their first game as Mavs executing the defense, love to see it!
Thanks for the vid
Thank you for these incredible breakdowns..Extremely well done
Great job as always and many thanks from Germany for pointing out how good Maxi Kleber is. To me, he should be in the All-Defensive Team.
Thanks for finally raise some awareness on Maxi, one of my favorite players
Awesome analysis. Couldn't stop watching
Loved those clips capturing Dorrian Finney-Smith communicating on defence.
Great video!
Finally some PR for maxi! Awesome player
14:31 That was awesome!!! No slacking off; this also tells the opposition to be alert and give their all in every play.
Kleber and DFS are two of the best contracts in the league IMO. They aren't stars. But it's hard to imagine getting anyone better for what we pay them. his highlights against the Heat are ridiculous especially that block on Bam's alley-oop attempt: kzhead.info/sun/dZyLc6txjomlmZE/bejne.html
Danm what a video. I had to come back after what I’ve seen the Mavs do to Utah. Both offensively and defensively. Without Luka. This team is so Dangerous. And I think it’s like playing with fire to sleep on the supporting cast too. In those first three Game, Dallas has shown us that they are a very well coached team. And I really liked how some of the bench players has stepped up(Kleber and Bertrand) and how the Team has adapted throughout the series.
Commenting for engagement! great as always.
Amazing breakdown!!
Great vid
Finally !!!!Anyone talk of the great defence of Dorian!!!!!For me he is really close to Thybull . Also he can guard 4 and 5
great video. Sending to my brother to backup my case for kidds defensive scheme impact & vibe w luka rn.
Not a mavs fan, but I absolutely love this video, great breakdown of what’s happening with Luka & the mavs right now
your praising love for Maxi Kleber is soothing... his importance for the Mavs is so often overseen. I hope he will finally release his A-game in the playoffs, so the mavs can have a deep run after all these years.
This is one of the best basketball channels I’ve seen
2:35 Jesus, this is so gooooood, orgastically good, i freaking love this little details and subtle manipulation (even tho it drives me insane when i'm playing chess, there's always something i'm not seeing).
Great breakdown and foresight into this teams success. The playoffs are here and you've been proven to know what you are talking about once again.
Bring back five thoughts please!! Btw love the videos
Loved the Kleber coverage. He's been a solid inside and out defender from day one! Almost like a Draymond in a sense with the versatility
Been saying the whole season, DFS should be All-Defense. But now, I think Maxi should be there too!
It's amazing that a team constructed around a single player has its chances to win in today's NBA. That's why he is called Luka Magic.
Depends. We’ll see how great this works out if they make the playoffs. Luka won’t be able to carry them the entirety of the post season.
You're doing a great job. I am learning a lot from watching your videos. Thank you!
Another amazing video
Fantastic video. More deffensive breakdowns :)
The defense part was SOOOOO good, especially 2 or 3 first (and i was thinking i was kinda tired of seeing defense analysis at this point, but it was so good i was hyped).
Really good video
Coming back to this after the Phoenix series and just wow. You called that 6 months ago 🤣
Finally someone talking about Brunson. I'm a Mavs fan and this guy is one of the most underrated players in the nba
Great work again! Watching this makes me want Clippers Mavericks 3!!!!
Best breakdowns right here 👌
Think it’s tough for them to get past the semis with just one guy. Gonna come down to Brunson taking an overall leap and guys hitting their shots off the double teams
Yeah having only one dude is still a grim and unfortunate situation for such an exciting team prospect like the Luka Mavs. Maybe in the future, if they make acquisitions or guys take major leaps
Its always been that, the most efective way to stop luka is double team him hard, and make the others beat u, so if the rest of the team can make open shots and luka gets his 3 going, its really hard to stop the mavs
@@felipecabrera5468 that’s exactly the opposite how clippers beat the mavs in the last two playoff and the last game. They do not care how many points do luka get. They let luka take all the shot and make other players cold.
I hope they buy Robin Lopez from the buyout, he'd be perfect Luka sub if all of the three key players (Luka, Dorian and Maxi) are benched
Brunson takeover and Bertans back into his prime will get them past the semis. At least now they have solved their biggest problem(Porzingis). It'll only get better and better from now on.
I feel like his ceiling is as high as anyones and he has shown us he can perform when push comes to shove. definitely my favorite young player. must-watch in the playoffs
hey ben! i love your channel and in my opinion its easily some of the best content on youtube. that said can we expect an embiid analysis?
Possibly - I've been wanting to.
@@ThinkingBasketball that’s great to hear, regardless of which player i know you’ll deliver amazing content! thanks for this amazing content
Fantastic analysis. Dinwiddie has also shown to be a major positive in terms of another ballhandling, playmaking guard coming off the bench and starting albeit the sample size is quite small for now. I genuinely can't believe having to incorporate Porzingis' limited skillset and subpar shooting held back the Mavs this much. It seems even more fluid. Excited for the playoffs and the rest of the season especially due the west being hella competitive right now.
Hello Thinking Basketball. Appreciate your content very much! Still awaiting for you your Heat-related video. Anyways, cheers to you!