Star Fox
- Thread starter Tetsujin
- Start date
Two big differences with Fox this year is he's far more patient when he's going into the paint and his shot is better at all 3 levels. I mentioned this after one of the first games of the season, but he's just not barreling into the rim protection all the time, but changing speeds, changing angles, pulling from different spots in the mid-range. It's helped keep defenders off-balance which I think has really helped him put up elite efficiency. It's a lot like what Steve Nash/CP3 used to do all the time where they're probing the defense and just waiting for the right moment to dish or put up a shot.
And just at all levels, his shot is significantly better:
At the rim: 90% eFG !!! on 31 attempts
3-10 feet: 57% eFG on 49 attempts
10-16 feet: 63% eFG on 27 attempts
3pt%: 36.5% on 52 attempts
Last season:
At the rim: 71.4% eFG on 217 attempts
3-10 feet: 46.6% eFG on 292 attempts
10-16 feet: 45.1% eFG on 206 attempts
3pt: 29.7% on 249 eFG attempts
And just at all levels, his shot is significantly better:
At the rim: 90% eFG !!! on 31 attempts
3-10 feet: 57% eFG on 49 attempts
10-16 feet: 63% eFG on 27 attempts
3pt%: 36.5% on 52 attempts
Last season:
At the rim: 71.4% eFG on 217 attempts
3-10 feet: 46.6% eFG on 292 attempts
10-16 feet: 45.1% eFG on 206 attempts
3pt: 29.7% on 249 eFG attempts
That 3-10 feet range has been killer, where he gets penetration and has his defender on his feels before stepping back for the floater. How many times did we hear Grant’s “stops , pops , de’aaron fox” get cutoff when he missed those lol. And last night he did it twice to get the final four points to put the Lakers away
He's also doing a great job of varying his speed on drives now. In recent seasons it seems like he would either pull up for the elbow jumper or put his head down and try to get all the way to the basket to draw the foul. Now he's capable of stopping and pulling up anywhere inside of 15 feet or finishing with a floater over the shotblocker. I feel like some kind of switch has been flipped for him mentally after that Miami game. He realized that he's not getting the calls so he stopped looking for contact and got a lot more aggressive about getting to his spots quickly and decisively.
He is not settling for lazy three point shots anymore. You can tell he’s focused on the mid range and drive game. Three point shots are now generally only coming when he’s wide open and feet are set. He definitely has improved mechanics also, but I think better shot selection has a big part of his increased efficiency.
This Fox is pretty close to what we saw that one year under Walton before Walton decided to use him as a pseudo 2 guard again. It's amazing what having a fitting team and a coach willing to ride you can do. Obviously some of those numbers are going to go down at some point but if those paint and 3 point numbers maintain that's a huge leap.
That "lazy" stuff is actually a big part of the spacing issues we saw in years prior. This is proving it. So did the Gentry changeover actually since he ran 4/5 out ball like they should have been the whole time and Fox returned before going down. At some point even a player like Fox will give up and start launching as his only option. This team now can still do better at times with spacing but Monte got a big strong screener in pick and roll and a bunch of spacers to help Fox that aren't all small combo G's. There's still plenty of those too though, lol. During the losses this season we saw too much off ball motion and low post play through Sabonis but now Brown is running that pick and roll about right in terms of mix with the pin downs and cuts. Matt Barnes has even brought it up a bunch of times on the pregame that they should have one goal in mind, get into the middle of the paint and work from there. They have possibly the best catch and finish big that can also make plays as a passer which is rare, and Fox. Monk is finding that groove, now when Harrison and Keegan start finding shots out of all this every game, this could get interesting.
It's close, but I think where Fox has taken a real leap is that patience (along with a better shooting stroke) when he's driving to the paint. I think he's realized that he changes gears better than anyone in the NBA, so it makes him that much more dangerous if the defender has to guess when he's going to go full force to the rim, or pull up on that mid-range.
The great thing is the Kings are 7th in ORtg this year and I think they've probably had everyone firing to at least average levels for 1 game of that (Cleveland). And that's with Barnes playing poorly for most of the season and Keegan really struggling in 4 of his last 5. Once those guys find a groove/consistency and you can add them to what Fox/Sabonis/Huerter/Monk are doing? Oh boy. That's when you start getting real excited about the offensive ceiling of this team.
The great thing is the Kings are 7th in ORtg this year and I think they've probably had everyone firing to at least average levels for 1 game of that (Cleveland). And that's with Barnes playing poorly for most of the season and Keegan really struggling in 4 of his last 5. Once those guys find a groove/consistency and you can add them to what Fox/Sabonis/Huerter/Monk are doing? Oh boy. That's when you start getting real excited about the offensive ceiling of this team.
They didn’t win $#/t. I say that as a lifelong Dodgers fan, who also got gifted a fake title.
I also say that also knowing how every other full season has gone for the LA LeFrauds since LBJ has been there. Missed the playoffs twice (soon to be 3x), 1st round playoff exit, and 2-10 this current season. Then the anomaly season which was fragmented and mysteriously continued in the wake of the Kobe Bryant tragedy. Shockingly 2 LA teams won!
Nope, sorry, law of averages applies here.
Circling back to the LAL bypassing Tatum and Fox — it was a terrible decision. The AD trade doesn’t change that. They could traded either of those two for AD also.
I also say that also knowing how every other full season has gone for the LA LeFrauds since LBJ has been there. Missed the playoffs twice (soon to be 3x), 1st round playoff exit, and 2-10 this current season. Then the anomaly season which was fragmented and mysteriously continued in the wake of the Kobe Bryant tragedy. Shockingly 2 LA teams won!
Nope, sorry, law of averages applies here.
Circling back to the LAL bypassing Tatum and Fox — it was a terrible decision. The AD trade doesn’t change that. They could traded either of those two for AD also.
you know I'm joking there right.
I would say almost any team aside from Lakers, Celtics, and MAAAAYBE Chicago would go all in on a decade of losing for one chip but doing it in an empty arena wouldn't be worth it. And when you already had 17 lol ok. enjoy being a joke for the rest of the decade Lakers.
I would say almost any team aside from Lakers, Celtics, and MAAAAYBE Chicago would go all in on a decade of losing for one chip but doing it in an empty arena wouldn't be worth it. And when you already had 17 lol ok. enjoy being a joke for the rest of the decade Lakers.
Fox can finally play this level of defense all game because he does not need to shoulder such a gargantuan offensive load anymore, we have seen him lock players down in the past and outright win games with his defense, but the toll of all the non calls and fouls and taking it to the paint when his jump shot was not as developed seemed to really wore on him.
Despite all this he has been somewhat of an iron man and played through multiple injuries multiple times.
I remember him coming back from a GRADE 3 ankle sprained after a little over a month and it looked like he didn't miss a beat at all. He is definitely the one that we have been waiting for. This season he missed one(?)game with a knee bone bruise? How is it possible. Hopefully he continues to work on his body.
Despite all this he has been somewhat of an iron man and played through multiple injuries multiple times.
I remember him coming back from a GRADE 3 ankle sprained after a little over a month and it looked like he didn't miss a beat at all. He is definitely the one that we have been waiting for. This season he missed one(?)game with a knee bone bruise? How is it possible. Hopefully he continues to work on his body.
