Between photo shoots and interview sessions at Mavericks’ media day on Monday, coach Jason Kidd acknowledged the obvious – that expectations for the surprise Western Conference finalists of 2022 will be revved past the red line as training camp opens Tuesday.
“I understand that,” Kidd said. “It’s the expectations that any coach or any sports team goes through after having a good year. I think that’s one of the things – we have to try to be realistic.
“And then just being honest. I will continue to be honest. I was honest last year. We’re going to play defense. We’re going to have fun. But I think just (easing) the expectations because we don’t know what we have. This is a different test, a different team. But we’ll know what we have as we go forward.”
Kidd doesn’t want to pump up the stress level on the first day of camp. There will be plenty of time for that.
But whatever expectations fans might have, internally, they are just as grandiose, even if nobody wants to pinpoint those hopes and dreams.
“I still feel like people in the league think it’s a fluke,” said Dorian Finney-Smith of last year’s playoff run. “A lot of guys were hurt (around the league) and they’re going to be back this year. I still feel like they look (negatively) at us and we still got a point to prove.”
And yet, the local fan base could not be more enthusiastic about the 2022-23 season. The Mavericks had the fifth-best record in the NBA and took down the Phoenix Suns, owners of the best regular-season record, in the second round of the playoffs.
There’s a lot to like about where the Mavericks are situated, even if they have to find a new way to do things with the exit of Jalen Brunson via free agency.
“Collectively, we fell short,” Spencer Dinwiddie said. “We didn’t win a championship. So there’s always going to be another step to take. That comes with the fact that we have a top-five player (in Luka Dončić) and no other player that’s made an all-star team.
“If you look at it like that, even if MFFLs believe in us, it’s probably not going to get as much recognition nationwide just from the standpoint that you’re use to seeing two or three max guys on a roster leading (elite teams). I think that’s why maybe there’s a disconnect between local and national (respect).
“But overall, if we can have another season like last year and obviously not lose to Golden State, then we continue to build upon what we did.”
Starters (tentatively) revealed: While training camp is only beginning, Kidd wasted no time giving his thoughts on how the starting lineup will look.
For now – and those are two words that should not be forgotten – new big man Christian Wood will be coming off the bench.
“Right now, I would bring him off the bench, with starting JaVale (McGee) and Spencer,” Kidd said. “And that’s the way we’ll start as we go forward. But as you know, flexibility is something that you have to (have) as a head coach.
“He can start at times if the matchup is something we want to look at. And I talked about it last year. You’re going to see a lot of different lineups so we can get the answers to the test so that when we make it to the playoffs, we’re comfortable with guys playing with one another.”
Said Wood when asked about coming off the bench: “This is my first time hearing about it.”
He quickly followed that up with a true veteran move, saying that he’s more interested in finishing games than starting them.
It’s likely that Dorian Finney-Smith, Reggie Bullock and Luka would be the remaining starters.
Say goodbye to red meat: Reggie Bullock took on a huge workload during the playoffs, when he averaged 39.3 minutes per game and had to spend a good chunk of time defending point guards like Chris Paul and Steph Curry.
By the end of the playoffs, he knew he could make some improvements.
“I definitely changed my eating. The red meat, I’m so done with,” Bullock said Monday. “I feel a lot lighter, a lot quicker. And I’m trying to keep my body hydrated. Drinking more water than ever, trying to stick to more than a gallon a day. I know it’s going to be a long season. We want to play until June.”
Bullock said he learned by watching Curry, who expends huge amounts of energy at both ends of the court, during the West finals. Bullock was impressed with the way Curry would be moving nonstop on offense, but still have enough in the tank to show out on screens and move his feet defensively.
But there was another reason why Bullock ditched red meat.
Really for myself,” he said. “I know the history of my family also and what it does in the black community. All that knowledge, I wanted to try to correct things for my future, for my kids and one of main factors is (health issues) run in my family. So I just want to try to eat better and make my life better for my kids.”
Hoping for a hot start: Last season, the Mavericks were ravaged by COVID-19 in November and December and had a 16-18 record before New Year’s Eve.
They recovered nicely, but they’re hoping not to be in a similar hole this time around.
“Nobody wants to have a slow start like last year,” Dinwiddie said. “It wasn’t something I was here for, but it definitely was talked about.”
As Finney-Smith said: “That’s what we’re working for. We’re not trying to start the year off 16-17. We know it’s going to be harder. Obviously, it’s always hard when you have a good year and have to start all the way over. But I feel like we’re ready.”
The Mavericks play 11 of their first 16 games at American Airlines Center, which should improve their chances of getting off to a decent start.
Twitter: @Esefko
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