[Game] Preseason Game 2: Kings @ Blazers 12/13/20, 6PM pst, 9PM est
- Thread starter Tetsujin
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Rewatching the fourth quarter with the Blazers broadcast. Nice to know that even without their old announcing crew they remain as homerrific as usual.
Also the Kings are running a Haliburton/Guy/James/Woodard/Metu lineup that is pretty much the platonic ideal of a lineup to run a modern switching NBA defense and Kyle Guy, a guy who at least tries hard on that end. The Blazers have absolutely no answer for it and I think I am crying tears of joy
Also the Kings are running a Haliburton/Guy/James/Woodard/Metu lineup that is pretty much the platonic ideal of a lineup to run a modern switching NBA defense and Kyle Guy, a guy who at least tries hard on that end. The Blazers have absolutely no answer for it and I think I am crying tears of joy
Another strong game for Giles. A second statement game from him to say how happy he is to get another year in Sac. I'm really glad Vlade extended him. Looking like a double/double machine. It's going to be great to have the combined passing prowess of him and Halliburton on the court together. I'm really looking forward to this sea--- oh, wait a minute
Another strong game for Giles. A second statement game from him to say how happy he is to get another year in Sac. I'm really glad Vlade extended him. Looking like a double/double machine. It's going to be great to have the combined passing prowess of him and Halliburton on the court together. I'm really looking forward to this sea--- oh, wait a minute
Fox looks like he's coasting out there. That's fine. It's preseason.
But his off the dribble 3 point shot doesn't look like it's improved at all. Think he air balled one to end the half or a quarter. It's not just how it looks, it's how it comes off the rim. It's flat. Just all wrong. I've been picking up golf. Like working on your pitching game while using a 7 iron rather than a 45* wedge. Color me worried until proven otherwise.
But his off the dribble 3 point shot doesn't look like it's improved at all. Think he air balled one to end the half or a quarter. It's not just how it looks, it's how it comes off the rim. It's flat. Just all wrong. I've been picking up golf. Like working on your pitching game while using a 7 iron rather than a 45* wedge. Color me worried until proven otherwise.
Watching that lineup in the 4th quarter had me feeling something I could not describe. Watching Haliburton defend and make plays so effortlessly. Guy, James, Woodard and Metu all blending in. These guys have only known each other a couple of weeks and hardly have had a chance to share the court.
I finally realized I was watching "A Little Magic."
I finally realized I was watching "A Little Magic."
I think the Blazers in particular have a scheme where their forwards sort of shade inside on a majority of their possessions (as a side effect, they pretty much let their opponents shoot as many threes as they'd like). The last couple of seasons, De'Aaron could still slice them up because their forwards were guys like Melo and Jacob Layman but against long defenders like RoCov and Derrick Jones Jr, he was having trouble getting where he wanted.
I do think with inside-out players like De'Aaron, it's not necessarily the threat of the three off the dribble that will opening things up for him so much as the spacing around him giving him a better opportunity to inch further inside (he's shown the ability to hit the mid-range J with relative consistency so it's almost more about him getting looks close enough to the hoop to draw the defense towards him and create creases for him to drive).
I do think with inside-out players like De'Aaron, it's not necessarily the threat of the three off the dribble that will opening things up for him so much as the spacing around him giving him a better opportunity to inch further inside (he's shown the ability to hit the mid-range J with relative consistency so it's almost more about him getting looks close enough to the hoop to draw the defense towards him and create creases for him to drive).
I love Harry Giles. I was really hoping McNair would bring him back, and really surprised when he didn't based on what Giles signed for in Portland. It may have been that Harry wasn't interested in coming back at any price or that he didn't fit McNair's concept moving forward. We may never know.
But what has been clear in these two preseason games is that Portland has a much better system for Giles. Yes, I'm sure he put in the work too, but the Blazers are both giving him more opportunities than he got with the Kings even in the preseason (and injuries do play a part there) and also playing to his strengths so he's in a better position to succeed.
It's unfortunate that he moved on but I hope he continues to find success with the Blazers.
But what has been clear in these two preseason games is that Portland has a much better system for Giles. Yes, I'm sure he put in the work too, but the Blazers are both giving him more opportunities than he got with the Kings even in the preseason (and injuries do play a part there) and also playing to his strengths so he's in a better position to succeed.
It's unfortunate that he moved on but I hope he continues to find success with the Blazers.
As far as the Kings go, that 4th quarter lineup of Guy, Hali, James, Woodard, and Metu was two McNair draft picks, a low key McNair signing, and a holdover 2nd round pick (James) that seems to be McNair's type of long, rangy, versatile wing.
That group (save for Tyrese) isn't talented enough to win, but I think it's a decent preview of what McNair is looking to assemble.
That group (save for Tyrese) isn't talented enough to win, but I think it's a decent preview of what McNair is looking to assemble.
Your absolutely right. Portland had their defense set to keep Fox out of the paint. He only turned it over twice in the paint, but almost had it stolen two other times. The only way to combat that is to hit some shots out of the paint. Fox's shot in the catch and shoot looks much better than off the dribble. I'd like to see him get some minutes with Haliburton where he can play off the ball a little bit more and get some catch and shoot corner shots.
Guy on the other hand is almost picture perfect coming off screens, stopping on a dime, getting squared up and shooting. Even his misses looked good leaving his hand. Hey, if Marcus Smart can learn to hit three's off the dribble, then it should be a cake walk for Fox.
Guy on the other hand is almost picture perfect coming off screens, stopping on a dime, getting squared up and shooting. Even his misses looked good leaving his hand. Hey, if Marcus Smart can learn to hit three's off the dribble, then it should be a cake walk for Fox.
I'm all for giving Haliburton as many minutes as he can handle. Fox & Hield have both been around 31-32 mpg the last two seasons. That would leave 32-34 mpg in the guard rotation when everyone is healthy. Hali probably shouldn't get quite that many minutes as a rookie, but I'd give him the lion's share, especially if it means he plays alongside Fox.
And if Buddy is traded he should definitely start. At best he's exactly who De'Aaron needs to fully unlock his game.
And if Buddy is traded he should definitely start. At best he's exactly who De'Aaron needs to fully unlock his game.
The small ball units again looked good. The Blazers didn't really show up and didn't play their starters much so it's kind of hard to judge. The Kings big unit came out to start OK but then quickly gave up their lead, like usual in their best case. Haliburton ran the team really well. They played quite a bit of minutes with Woodard at PF and Metu at Center with Guy and Haliburton in that Bibby/Christie mold like Baja stated above, with James, GR3 and Ramsey getting some burn. They looked like they were playing the style Monte wants. The rest did not. I will say, defensively you can see already that Woordard and Ramsey have significant tools to be utilized immediately. They both play very physical defense and have the bodies to do it. They are already more capable than most of the others on the team.