Oklahoma City is as far from a lottery team as Dom Perignon from Ripple, but the Thunder’s Alex Caruso provided the Mavs a blueprint for tanking the other night when he used Aggie ingenuity and his shoe to block a shot.
Goaltending and a technical.
That, friends, is the level of creativity it’s going to take for the Mavs to go as low as they can go.
Fortunately, they took another step in the right direction with Wednesday’s 135-120 loss to Atlanta in front of a surprisingly sizeable and friendly crowd at American Airlines Center. Fans apparently don’t hold the losing against the home team, nor should they.
Mavericks
As our Mike Curtis noted the other day, it’ll be hard for the Mavs to improve their draft position with a dozen games left. They’re trying to hold off New Orleans and Memphis for sixth while chasing Utah for fifth.
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Bad news: Unless they get the same luck that dropped in their laps last year, chances are they’ll finish out of the running for one of the consensus top four of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson.
Good news: They’re right in the sweet spot for the top point guards, and in a good class, at that.
Besides keeping track of your bracket, which will be busted before the weekend’s out, your assignment for the next three weeks will be to watch Darius Acuff Jr., Kingston Flemings, Keaton Wagler and Mikel Brown Jr. to decide who best pairs with Cooper Flagg for the next decade or so.
Don’t bother asking the Mavs whom they like. They don’t even have a full-time general manager yet. When I asked one of the co-interims, Matt Riccardi, if this is a good point guard class, he’d only say it depends on what you consider a point guard these days.
Jason Kidd, a connoisseur of the position, said the same when I asked him what he looks for first in a point guard.
“There’s a lot of guys who don’t play the position anymore,” he said. “So it’s just, you know, ‘Can you make others better?’ ”
For instance, he considers Nikola Jokic, all 6-11, 284 pounds of him, a point guard. He sees, he passes, he makes everyone better, and he can take over the game when necessary.
“He’s a quarterback,” Kidd added. “So I’m trying to look at it more as a quarterback and not as this person who’s only 5-10 and he has to be a point guard.
“There’s a lot of guys in this league that can make others better.”
Question is, is there anyone in this draft who can do the same?
Let’s start with Acuff, Arkansas’ freshman sensation. Check him out in the West. He’s listed at 6-3, but is probably closer to 6-2. Looks like he could make a nice cornerback for Christian Parker.
But, make no mistake, Acuff is a baller. Unanimous SEC Player of the Year. His last three games going into the tournament, he scored 37, 24 and 30 points. Lit up Alabama for 49 in 50 minutes. Shot a whopping 44.5% on 5.8 3s a game. Gets in the lane and finishes. Never off balance. Great vision. Averaged 6.5 assists to 2.2 turnovers.
Acuff would give the Mavs the dynamic scorer they need from the backcourt while maximizing Flagg’s potential. He’d get my vote, anyway.
With this caveat: Not only is Acuff a little short for the position, he doesn’t make up for it with much want-to on defense. Kidd couldn’t play him next to Kyrie Irving next season, that’s for sure.
On the other hand, you don’t make a 10-year decision based on your roster next season. Kidd could stagger minutes for Acuff and Kyrie. Or, for all we know, Kyrie might want to leave for a contender at the trade deadline next year and leave it to the rookie.
Concerns about Acuff’s defense and his ceiling – he’s considered the most NBA-ready of the point guards – means the Mavs will consider alternatives, as well.
Kingston Flemings, playing in the South Regional, is trying to get Houston back to the national title game. He’s taller than Acuff at 6-4, a much better defender and a superior athlete. Great playmaker, as well. He’s a scorer, though not necessarily a shooter. Scouts reportedly are concerned about his mechanics, even if his form didn’t keep him from shooting 39.2% on 3s.
Keaton Wagler, also on view in the South, surprised everyone in his freshman season at Illinois. At 6-6, 185 pounds, he’s got ideal length for the position. Shot 40.2% on 5.8 3s a game. An impeccable passer, as well.
A Tyrese Halliburton starter kit?
Last, but not least, consider Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. Going into the season, he was expected to be a top-three pick. He might have the most range of anyone in the tournament. Went off for 45 points against North Carolina State. But a back problem that left him streaky this season will keep him out of the East Regional this weekend, though the Cardinals hope he could return if they advance.
Let me ask: Do you really want to invest the last, best pick you own for the foreseeable future on a 19-year-old with back problems?
Seems like a no-go, but he at least deserves the benefit of a check-up.
No matter how you define the point guard position these days, it seems as if there are several guys who could fill it for the Mavs. The beauty of March Madness is that it’s dominated by guards, so the stage is set. This should be fun to watch. Better than looking at your bracket.
Twitter/X: @KSherringtonDMN
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