[Game] Los Angeles Clippers at Sacramento Kings, 11/29/2023, 7pm Pacific 10pm Eastern
- Thread starter QWERTYLICIOUS
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Tonight will be a bigger night for Duarte if Keegan can't play. He has good defensive instincts and his size (and probably Kessler) will be needed against guys like Kawhi, PG, and Harden. Last night, chasing Steph, is a tough matchup for him because he just isn't that fast. But he has shown he can play decent defense against 2/3 types. It is actually nice to have several different types of defenders on the roster for once:
- Davion- really good at the point of attack against small/quick guards. The idea that he can guard good 3s, or even 2s, is proving to be false, but he profiles as a good defender against pure 1s like Curry and Dame, and also 1/2 combos like Donovan Mitchell and DeAngelo Russel.
- Keon- the sample size is small, but he is showing really great on ball instincts and elite ability to help, fight through screens, etc... He has a bigger frame and wingspan, which allows him to guard slightly bigger players than Davion, but also quick enough to stay with pure 1s. Maybe not as elite as Davion at staying in front of a fast pure point guard, but bigger and versatile enough to still bother than fast 1s, but also guard 1/2 combos and 2s like Shai, Booker, Russ, and Harden that are too big for Davion.
- Duarte- not an elite defender, but an above average defender, quick enough to guard most 2s and bigger combo guards (like Harden), but big enough to guard some of the 2/3 combos like Klay, Jaylen Brown, Ant, etc...
- Kessler- elite defender, not quick enough for smaller guys, but big and quick enough to guard 3/4s like Durant, Tatum, PG13, and Lebron
- Keegan- good defender, getting better by the day, and versatile enough to guard 1s (on short occasions) and then more consistently 2/3/4.
- Lyles- good team defender, some liabilities, but rugged, unafraid, and seem to bring some swagger and grit that the team sorely needs
-Sasha- definitely some liabilities, but better than advertised, gives good effort and is unafraid. Maybe a Lyles lite type defender
- Len- tough post defender, decent rim protector
- McGee- lots of liabilities, but good rim protector
My point is that it has been awhile since the team had so many decent/above average/good defenders to throw different looks at teams.
- Davion- really good at the point of attack against small/quick guards. The idea that he can guard good 3s, or even 2s, is proving to be false, but he profiles as a good defender against pure 1s like Curry and Dame, and also 1/2 combos like Donovan Mitchell and DeAngelo Russel.
- Keon- the sample size is small, but he is showing really great on ball instincts and elite ability to help, fight through screens, etc... He has a bigger frame and wingspan, which allows him to guard slightly bigger players than Davion, but also quick enough to stay with pure 1s. Maybe not as elite as Davion at staying in front of a fast pure point guard, but bigger and versatile enough to still bother than fast 1s, but also guard 1/2 combos and 2s like Shai, Booker, Russ, and Harden that are too big for Davion.
- Duarte- not an elite defender, but an above average defender, quick enough to guard most 2s and bigger combo guards (like Harden), but big enough to guard some of the 2/3 combos like Klay, Jaylen Brown, Ant, etc...
- Kessler- elite defender, not quick enough for smaller guys, but big and quick enough to guard 3/4s like Durant, Tatum, PG13, and Lebron
- Keegan- good defender, getting better by the day, and versatile enough to guard 1s (on short occasions) and then more consistently 2/3/4.
- Lyles- good team defender, some liabilities, but rugged, unafraid, and seem to bring some swagger and grit that the team sorely needs
-Sasha- definitely some liabilities, but better than advertised, gives good effort and is unafraid. Maybe a Lyles lite type defender
- Len- tough post defender, decent rim protector
- McGee- lots of liabilities, but good rim protector
My point is that it has been awhile since the team had so many decent/above average/good defenders to throw different looks at teams.
I didn't like how Duarte guard Steph. He was always up in his grill...you have know when to be tight and when not to...I don't know if that is coach strategy or just him simply over done it. When you're guarding that tight...it's easy for him to drive by you. But you also have to prepare to retrieve if you're going to guard that tight. Duarte's defense shows some holes.
Also you notice the team flow better without Sabonis. This is because the Warriors are sagging off daring Sabonis to shoot. This also prevent Fox or anyone else to attack the basket without much success and kind off frustrated the Kings in the beginning. It doesn't help with Sabonis not able to bully Looney. The lineup where they made their run was a small lineup.
Also you notice the team flow better without Sabonis. This is because the Warriors are sagging off daring Sabonis to shoot. This also prevent Fox or anyone else to attack the basket without much success and kind off frustrated the Kings in the beginning. It doesn't help with Sabonis not able to bully Looney. The lineup where they made their run was a small lineup.
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This is just my opinion but the midrange is a bit of an overrated shot for Sabonis. It’s much lower percentage than his normal looks and even if he was to hit them at 50 percent they still might play off him because he shoots over 60 percent closer to the basket. If anything he needs to take more 3s which he has shown he can do.
Well here we go! Heading down for the BTB and actually have mixed feelings who’s going to get the win. Clippers just lost at home so they’re ready to win and our Kings coming off a intense win against GSW so I’m hoping they have the steam to push through. So all I have to say is “hear the roar and light the beam”
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