For this week, and maybe beyond, we’re going to call this Big Ed’s Mailbag.
Not because I happened to step on the scale this morning. Or because I have a doctor’s appointment coming up that will require me to eat a little healthier and consume a lot less hops-derived beverages.
Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.
No, I’ve just decided that I’m comfortable in my burliness.
It’s kind of like the Mavericks being comfortable in the knowledge that they are dependent on 3-point shooting.
They know they should attack the paint more.
But it’s harder. Kind of like dieting.
So now that you know the background, here’s this week’s edition of Big Ed’s Mailbag.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Eddie, what’s going on with Wood and J-Kidd? Wood seems to have gotten very timid on the court, like he keeps looking over to see if Kidd will replace him. Something’s not right and Kidd needs to fix it. Thanks, Joseph S.
Big Ed: I’m glad I’m not the only one who has noticed a change in the last couple games. But before we assume things are going haywire, let’s think about some contributing factors. Wood is on the last year of his contract. He’s trying to show that he’s worth a new, monster deal in free agency this summer. Second, Wood has said all the right things publicly. He hasn’t rocked any boats, even though it’s obvious that he’s not a fan of the sixth-man role he’s been asked to play. Third, he was the second-leading scorer and rebounder on the team through six games. And he’s shooting over 50 percent from 3-point range. So it’s not like he hasn’t been productive. During a long season, coach-player relations often get strained. They go through ups and downs. That’s natural. So far, I haven’t noticed any permanent damage to either party in this case. That doesn’t mean they won’t have issues along the way. And remember, the Mavericks got Wood for a late first-round pick and deep reserves. Clearly, there weren’t a lot of suitors lined up to drive up the bidding price. Let’s allow this to play out and see where things are in a month or so.
Question: Need an answer on this one. Last season, Dorian Finney-Smith and Luka Dončić talked about a bet they had with each other on who would finish the season with the most dunks. Who won that bet? BrG.
Big Ed: According to basketball-reference.com, it wasn’t even close. Luka Dončić had seven dunks in the 2021-22 season. Finney-Smith had a whopping 49. And, by the way, Finney-Smith has five so far this season to Luka’s two. For reference, the Mavericks had 357 total dunks in the 2021-22 season, led by Dwight Powell’s 108. Interesting factoid: the NBA in its 75th anniversary season last year had 11,111 dunks.
Question: Is JaVale hurt? He’s not doing anything. @Realanswers.
Big Ed: At this point, Jason Kidd has had no inclination to mess with the starting lineup, other than to give JaVale McGee a rest day in the middle of three games in four days. Other than that, McGee has had fairly consistent, albeit limited, minutes. So, no, to answer your question, he is not ailing. The Mavericks are determined to treat this season like the Western Conference finalist that they were last season. They aren’t going to pour heart and soul into the regular season at the risk of burning anybody out for the playoff run that they are certain awaits them. Maybe they didn’t expect to go three rounds deep into the postseason last year. Nobody else did. But when they got to the West finals, they were whipped. What concerns me more than McGee’s lack of bigger minutes is Luka’s overuse. He needs to dial it back. Or, more accurately, Kidd needs to dial it back for him. I suspect we will see the “load-management” moniker near his name soon enough.
Question: We’ve heard Jason mention that the team needs another player to step up regarding scoring. Do you Christian Wood as the guy who can fill that secondary scoring role? @DMavsfan.
Big Ed: I’m on board with the theory that none of the current Mavericks is going to be the dependable No. 2 to Luka this season. It’s going to be by committee. And that’s fine. I’d rather have three guys averaging around 15 points behind Luka than one guy pushing 20 and then you are less potent if/when that person or Luka has to tend to an injury or rest situation. And though nobody has said it, I will. I’d be fine with lower points from Christian Wood, if his rebounding gets above (and stays above) the double-figure mark.
Twitter: @ESefko
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