nbaliveleague.com - Game of the Week

Dallas (40 - 32)

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Detroit (42 - 30)

Dallas @ Detroit
Dallas Mavericks When long term General Manager Smokey stepped aside either in the season, there was questions as to which way this franchise would go and despite the team changing hands a number of times since then, hopefully Nav is the man to lead this squad into the playoff battle and beyond. Even though they have stumbled a little bit as of late, losing their last three games, the Dallas Mavericks have a number of chips in the bank from earlier in the season and are currently sitting three and half games clear in the third seed in the Western Conference. Detroit Pistons When I entered the league, the Detroit Pistons were like a ship without a rutter. They had a number of good prospects but were going no where fast. Enter Justin. With a collection of trades that will be discussed throughout the write up, Justin has transformed this franchise into a contender, not just this season but into the future aswell. In an extremely competative Eastern conference, the Detroit Pistons are currently sitting as the sixth seed but with a number of teams nipping at their heels, every game is important for the rest of the season. Centre Wendell Carter v Nikola Vucevic It looks like its starting to turn. With less time in the medical room and a bit more opportunity on the court, Wendell Carter is starting to showcase the skills that he showed at Duke and what made him the seventh overall pick in the NLL draft just two years ago. In week eight, Nikola Vucevic was traded to the Pelicans, opening up the starting centre position for Carter and he has flourished. As a starter, Carter is putting up 13 points per game on great percentages, 15 rebounds per game that would put him in the top five rebounders in the league, to go with defensive stats that rival some of the best in the league. When it comes to the end of year awards, there's a case to be made for Wendell Carter being the most improved player in the league. The very man that made way for Carter to bloosm will be his direct opponent in this spotlighted match up. With Tobias Harris being brought into Detroit, I see Vuc sliding to the starting five position. One of the most underrated superstars in the league, Vucevic is averaging 18 points on good percentages,14.5 rebounds per game and despite only 2 assists per game, his vision and ball movement is superb for a big man. The master verse the apprentice. As good as Carter has been this year for the Mavericks, I think Vucevic has a few too many tricks in his bag and should come out on top in this one. Advantage - Detroit Power Forward Marvin Bagley v Tobias Harris After a six week absence due to a broken hand, Marvin Bagley just proved that he is fit for the upcoming week thirteen schedule and I suspect we will slot straight back into the starting line up. The talented forward has been good when on the court, averaging 14 points and 15 rebounds per game, which has been his bread and butter since being in the league. Even though Bagley's defensive stats are impressive with 2.2 blocks and 1.3 steals per game, it has been well documented that he is a traffic cone on this end of the court. I like Marvin Bagley a lot and I hope he can develop nicely but between the lack of defense and constant injuries, I get some real Greg Monroe vibes from his game. Earlier this week, the trade papers were submitted to NLL headquarters, that saw Tobias Harris being traded away from one all star passing big man called Nikola in Houston, to another all star passing big man named Nikola in Detroit. "...as a team felt we needed 1 more offensive piece.." is what GM Justin said in his recent news piece during the week and that's exactly what Harris has to offer. A combo forward, that is a lights out scorer from all three levels and can contribute a little bit on the boards. A slight downgrade on defense from Jerami Grant but hopefully not to the point where its noticeable. A completely fit Bagley doesn't match up to the calibre of player that Harris is so Bagley coming off an injury might be tough to swallow. Advantage - Detroit Small Forward Demar Derozen v RJ Barrett If you stopped the season now, there could be an argument that Derozen is the MVP of the league. It has been reported earlier in the week about Derozen's improvements from beyond the arc and from the charity stripe, increasing his percentages by 12 percent and 9 percent respectively and it has done wonders for his game and the Mavericks also. The vetern is putting up 30 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest and is also producing on the other end of the court with his on ball defense. Head down to your local bookie and put five dollars on him for the end of season award. Gamble responsibility. Despite this only being in his second season in the league, it feels like Barrett's career is at the tipping point, with some of his class falling away and some of them booming. The fact that Barrett is a gym rat and perfectionist bodes well for him and it's starting to show for him on the hardwood. Despite being a bit loosey goosey on his shot selection, Barrett is having a decent season, putting up 15 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists per contest. I have no doubt Barrett will be a great player in years to come but Derozen is one of the best players in the league right now so it will be advantage Dallas for me. Advantage - Dallas Shooting Guard Justin Holiday v Jordan Clarkson Looking into the Dallas roster, the shooting guard position at first looks like the leanest starting position of the five. When you delve a little deeper, Justin Holiday seems to fit a role and adds nice balance to this squad. Holiday is someone that adds some defense, doesn't demand shots, only taking 4 per game but the balls that he does put up, usually have a great chance to go in, hitting 46 percent from the field and an outstanding 57 percent from beyond the arc. I think that if Nav can figure out a way to get Holiday a couple more shots without disrupting the team balance and chemistry, it would go a big way to propel Dallas into the upper echeon teams. In a four way trade that saw a number of pieces moving, Detroit brought in a certified flame thrower in Jordan Clarkson, plus a couple others. Since signing this off season, Clarkson has taken his game to another level and his in game ratings have reflected that. Averaging 16.5 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists per contest, Clarkson is a stealth bomber in a team full of guns. Fun fact, of the 90 free throws Clarkson has attempted this season, he has only missed two and he is yet to miss a free throw in the Detroit uniform. Clarkson adds offense but not a lot on defense and Holiday adds a bit on defense but not a lot on offense. This is a bit of a flip of the coin match up but I think Clarkson is just a better player so that's who I'll take. Advantage - Detroit Point Guard Chris Paul v Ja Morant The "Point Gawd" himself entered his fifteenth season with a point to prove. Paul was traded to Dallas this off season from OKC and in less minutes per game, he has upped his production in a number of categories. Putting up 16 points, 5.6 assists per game and is currently the second best thief in the league with 2.2 steals, which doesn't even do justice to how good Paul's on ball defense is. Chris Paul is one of the best floor generals to ever play in the league and right when you think it's time for Chris Paul's career to start declining, like a fine wine, he is somewhat getting better with age. Ja Morant is the one of the most exciting young point guards in the league and the scary thing is, he hasn't reached his final form. The first thing you notice is the speed and athleticism. An absolute blur when at full speed, combined with the wreckless attack on the rim, it reminds me of a young Russell Westbrook, which is astounding and scares me at the same time. Already on of the best passes in the game, with 6.4 assists and also one of the most efficient scorers, averaging 20 points per game, combined with his 1.4 steals, Morant is doing it on both ends of the court but still has so much more to grow. He will be an MVP candidate, if not winner in the next couple of years. As mentioned, Ja Morant has a very promising future in this league but right at this point of time, I cant go past the ageless wonder in Chris Paul Advantage - Dallas Bench Detroit's bench is strong with big man depth, with the likes of Holmes and Reid most likely featuring quite heavily. When it comes to wings though, they are stretched very thin, with Pokusevski and maybe Forbes seeing quite a few minutes which is concerning. Dallas has a decent spread of serviceable talent in their second unit. Walker, Jones and McConnell are solid through their guard positions and even though they are young, i don't mind Roby and Johnson. The lack of wing slash guard talent is tough for Detroit meaning their starters might have to play big minutes in this one. Is fatigue going to be a factor in this match up? Advantage - Dallas Prediction Last time these teams meet, it was Dallas that got the chocolates in a high scoring affair in week 10. Derozen went off for 50, 7 and 9 and Chris Paul was Robin with 23 points and 11 assists. For Detroit, Clarkson had 33 and Ja Morant could hold his head up high with 20 points and 8 assists. None of the Detroit bigs really showed up but this time around they have Tobias Harris and Dallas don't have Otto Porter but replace him with Marvin Bagley. I think this is going to be an absolute cracker of game and I can see the tides turn for the second and final encounter of these squads. In taking Detroit just. Detroit Pistons 111 defeat Dallas Mavericks 106

Dallas @ Detroit

Dallas Mavericks
When long term General Manager Smokey stepped aside either in the season, there was questions as to which way this franchise would go and despite the team changing hands a number of times since then, hopefully Nav is the man to lead this squad into the playoff battle and beyond. Even though they have stumbled a little bit as of late, losing their last three games, the Dallas Mavericks have a number of chips in the bank from earlier in the season and are currently sitting three and half games clear in the third seed in the Western Conference.

Detroit Pistons
When I entered the league, the Detroit Pistons were like a ship without a rutter. They had a number of good prospects but were going no where fast. Enter Justin. With a collection of trades that will be discussed throughout the write up, Justin has transformed this franchise into a contender, not just this season but into the future aswell. In an extremely competative Eastern conference, the Detroit Pistons are currently sitting as the sixth seed but with a number of teams nipping at their heels, every game is important for the rest of the season.

Centre
Wendell Carter v Nikola Vucevic
It looks like its starting to turn. With less time in the medical room and a bit more opportunity on the court, Wendell Carter is starting to showcase the skills that he showed at Duke and what made him the seventh overall pick in the NLL draft just two years ago. In week eight, Nikola Vucevic was traded to the Pelicans, opening up the starting centre position for Carter and he has flourished. As a starter, Carter is putting up 13 points per game on great percentages, 15 rebounds per game that would put him in the top five rebounders in the league, to go with defensive stats that rival some of the best in the league. When it comes to the end of year awards, there's a case to be made for Wendell Carter being the most improved player in the league.
The very man that made way for Carter to bloosm will be his direct opponent in this spotlighted match up. With Tobias Harris being brought into Detroit, I see Vuc sliding to the starting five position. One of the most underrated superstars in the league, Vucevic is averaging 18 points on good percentages,14.5 rebounds per game and despite only 2 assists per game, his vision and ball movement is superb for a big man.
The master verse the apprentice. As good as Carter has been this year for the Mavericks, I think Vucevic has a few too many tricks in his bag and should come out on top in this one.
Advantage - Detroit

Power Forward
Marvin Bagley v Tobias Harris
After a six week absence due to a broken hand, Marvin Bagley just proved that he is fit for the upcoming week thirteen schedule and I suspect we will slot straight back into the starting line up. The talented forward has been good when on the court, averaging 14 points and 15 rebounds per game, which has been his bread and butter since being in the league. Even though Bagley's defensive stats are impressive with 2.2 blocks and 1.3 steals per game, it has been well documented that he is a traffic cone on this end of the court. I like Marvin Bagley a lot and I hope he can develop nicely but between the lack of defense and constant injuries, I get some real Greg Monroe vibes from his game.
Earlier this week, the trade papers were submitted to NLL headquarters, that saw Tobias Harris being traded away from one all star passing big man called Nikola in Houston, to another all star passing big man named Nikola in Detroit. "...as a team felt we needed 1 more offensive piece.." is what GM Justin said in his recent news piece during the week and that's exactly what Harris has to offer. A combo forward, that is a lights out scorer from all three levels and can contribute a little bit on the boards. A slight downgrade on defense from Jerami Grant but hopefully not to the point where its noticeable. A completely fit Bagley doesn't match up to the calibre of player that Harris is so Bagley coming off an injury might be tough to swallow.
Advantage - Detroit

Small Forward
Demar Derozen v RJ Barrett
If you stopped the season now, there could be an argument that Derozen is the MVP of the league. It has been reported earlier in the week about Derozen's improvements from beyond the arc and from the charity stripe, increasing his percentages by 12 percent and 9 percent respectively and it has done wonders for his game and the Mavericks also. The vetern is putting up 30 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest and is also producing on the other end of the court with his on ball defense. Head down to your local bookie and put five dollars on him for the end of season award. Gamble responsibility.
Despite this only being in his second season in the league, it feels like Barrett's career is at the tipping point, with some of his class falling away and some of them booming. The fact that Barrett is a gym rat and perfectionist bodes well for him and it's starting to show for him on the hardwood. Despite being a bit loosey goosey on his shot selection, Barrett is having a decent season, putting up 15 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists per contest.
I have no doubt Barrett will be a great player in years to come but Derozen is one of the best players in the league right now so it will be advantage Dallas for me.
Advantage - Dallas

Shooting Guard
Justin Holiday v Jordan Clarkson
Looking into the Dallas roster, the shooting guard position at first looks like the leanest starting position of the five. When you delve a little deeper, Justin Holiday seems to fit a role and adds nice balance to this squad. Holiday is someone that adds some defense, doesn't demand shots, only taking 4 per game but the balls that he does put up, usually have a great chance to go in, hitting 46 percent from the field and an outstanding 57 percent from beyond the arc. I think that if Nav can figure out a way to get Holiday a couple more shots without disrupting the team balance and chemistry, it would go a big way to propel Dallas into the upper echeon teams.
In a four way trade that saw a number of pieces moving, Detroit brought in a certified flame thrower in Jordan Clarkson, plus a couple others. Since signing this off season, Clarkson has taken his game to another level and his in game ratings have reflected that. Averaging 16.5 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists per contest, Clarkson is a stealth bomber in a team full of guns. Fun fact, of the 90 free throws Clarkson has attempted this season, he has only missed two and he is yet to miss a free throw in the Detroit uniform.
Clarkson adds offense but not a lot on defense and Holiday adds a bit on defense but not a lot on offense. This is a bit of a flip of the coin match up but I think Clarkson is just a better player so that's who I'll take.
Advantage - Detroit

Point Guard
Chris Paul v Ja Morant
The "Point Gawd" himself entered his fifteenth season with a point to prove. Paul was traded to Dallas this off season from OKC and in less minutes per game, he has upped his production in a number of categories. Putting up 16 points, 5.6 assists per game and is currently the second best thief in the league with 2.2 steals, which doesn't even do justice to how good Paul's on ball defense is. Chris Paul is one of the best floor generals to ever play in the league and right when you think it's time for Chris Paul's career to start declining, like a fine wine, he is somewhat getting better with age.
Ja Morant is the one of the most exciting young point guards in the league and the scary thing is, he hasn't reached his final form. The first thing you notice is the speed and athleticism. An absolute blur when at full speed, combined with the wreckless attack on the rim, it reminds me of a young Russell Westbrook, which is astounding and scares me at the same time. Already on of the best passes in the game, with 6.4 assists and also one of the most efficient scorers, averaging 20 points per game, combined with his 1.4 steals, Morant is doing it on both ends of the court but still has so much more to grow. He will be an MVP candidate, if not winner in the next couple of years.
As mentioned, Ja Morant has a very promising future in this league but right at this point of time, I cant go past the ageless wonder in Chris Paul
Advantage - Dallas

Bench
Detroit's bench is strong with big man depth, with the likes of Holmes and Reid most likely featuring quite heavily. When it comes to wings though, they are stretched very thin, with Pokusevski and maybe Forbes seeing quite a few minutes which is concerning.
Dallas has a decent spread of serviceable talent in their second unit. Walker, Jones and McConnell are solid through their guard positions and even though they are young, i don't mind Roby and Johnson.
The lack of wing slash guard talent is tough for Detroit meaning their starters might have to play big minutes in this one. Is fatigue going to be a factor in this match up?
Advantage - Dallas

Prediction
Last time these teams meet, it was Dallas that got the chocolates in a high scoring affair in week 10. Derozen went off for 50, 7 and 9 and Chris Paul was Robin with 23 points and 11 assists. For Detroit, Clarkson had 33 and Ja Morant could hold his head up high with 20 points and 8 assists. None of the Detroit bigs really showed up but this time around they have Tobias Harris and Dallas don't have Otto Porter but replace him with Marvin Bagley. I think this is going to be an absolute cracker of game and I can see the tides turn for the second and final encounter of these squads. In taking Detroit just.
Detroit Pistons 111 defeat Dallas Mavericks 106

Mavericks Star

DeMar DeRozan
Hard to go past Demar Derozen when it comes to the star spotlight. He has been on a tear this season and his overall improvement has put him on the fringes of MVP discussions. Putting up a gigantic line last time these two teams met, Demar is going to emulate something like that to help his team across the line.

PPG

RPG

APG

SPG

BPG

FPG

TPG

Pistons Star

Tobias Harris
The spotlight for Detroit is on the new comer, Tobias Harris. As highlighted earlier, the Detroit big men hardly fired a shot last time these teams met, so Harris is going to have to be ready straight out of the gate. Harris' size and incredible ability to score will come in handy in this one and for the foreseeable future.

X-Factor
It has been discussed at some length that fatigue isn't really an issue in this engine but I somewhat beg to differ. When a player is running around with the green gatorade cup next to their name, it definitely represents something. As discussed earlier, Detroit's wing and guard depth are concerning and if fatigue or even foul trouble show their ugly head in this game, it might be interesting. I think Detroit have the better starting five on paper and I tipped them to get the win but this might get interesting in the fourth.

X-Factor

It has been discussed at some length that fatigue isn't really an issue in this engine but I somewhat beg to differ. When a player is running around with the green gatorade cup next to their name, it definitely represents something. As discussed earlier, Detroit's wing and guard depth are concerning and if fatigue or even foul trouble show their ugly head in this game, it might be interesting. I think Detroit have the better starting five on paper and I tipped them to get the win but this might get interesting in the fourth.