[Grades] Grades v. Knicks 2/15/12
- Thread starter Bricklayer
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Evans getting a C+ ????????
Come on. I pray that you're not teaching; the students would all leave with A's and would know less than when they started the class. Grade inflation here we come.
Evans was MIA in the first quarter. He was the invisible man. Padding stats when no Knick even cares makes Evans better than average?
Come on. I pray that you're not teaching; the students would all leave with A's and would know less than when they started the class. Grade inflation here we come.
Evans was MIA in the first quarter. He was the invisible man. Padding stats when no Knick even cares makes Evans better than average?
I threw the "+" in just to pee you off, and to widen the gap between his and Cousins grade in recognition of him actually turning it up after half, and Cousins never being able to do so. Also in recognition of the multiple blown assists that would/should have made it closer to 19-4-8. You dump it to a big man low, and they throw it off the bottom fo the rim, that;s on them, not you.
The Thunder do have PG's, Westbrook and Maynor. Westbrook is not the typical one, because he excels at scoring, but he's still small and mobile enough to get to anywhere on the court, and therefore can find open guys with success. If you're comparing Reke to Westbrook, Reke is just too big to be able to play in traffic and get through the lanes to set others up. Thats why he's usually does one drive and make a move. So while the Thunder's Westbrook definitely isnt the average PG, he can still do a lot of the things a PG does.
That's ridiculous. Too big to get into the lanes to set up others? Then how the hell does he penetrate and get to the rim at an elite status? How does he constantly penetrate into the paint(when aggressive) and set up guys only to see them brick, or dribble into traffic for a tougher shot, or just bobble the ball out of bounds the majority of the time?
Sure Reke doesn't make the best decisions in the paint when attacking sometimes, and Smart is helping him "map" the floor to better understand where the options are, but that's completely different than saying he's just too big to get into the paint to set up others. I mean, do you watch the Kings? Do you watch the worst shooting team in the league constantly brick shots off his penetration? Do you just happen to be in the other room when Reke penetrates and sets up JJ/JT/Hayes only to see them either bobble the ball out of bounds or miss a chippy? Have you noticed how many times Reke could have had 10+ asts if his shooters actually converted open shots off his penetration at an NBA average rate?
Maybe you should also go look at stats, such as ast rate, which I posted a few weeks ago. The guy you say isn't capable of even getting to the places on the floor to find open guys has an ast rate since Smart took over, which is right up there with Westbrook, Parker, Rose, Holiday and Lawson.
Sure Reke doesn't make the best decisions in the paint when attacking sometimes, and Smart is helping him "map" the floor to better understand where the options are, but that's completely different than saying he's just too big to get into the paint to set up others. I mean, do you watch the Kings? Do you watch the worst shooting team in the league constantly brick shots off his penetration? Do you just happen to be in the other room when Reke penetrates and sets up JJ/JT/Hayes only to see them either bobble the ball out of bounds or miss a chippy? Have you noticed how many times Reke could have had 10+ asts if his shooters actually converted open shots off his penetration at an NBA average rate?
Maybe you should also go look at stats, such as ast rate, which I posted a few weeks ago. The guy you say isn't capable of even getting to the places on the floor to find open guys has an ast rate since Smart took over, which is right up there with Westbrook, Parker, Rose, Holiday and Lawson.
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You missed my point. I said "play" in traffic. I dont deny his ability to cut through traffic and make a pass. But actively cutting through traffic, playing in the lanes, keeping his dribble alive, using screen,s looking for guys etc. in the way that a PG does.
Size does play a factor. It's a lot tougher for a big guy to protect his dribble in traffic, as opposed to shorter guys. That's why PG's are usually the primary ballhandler. Not only are they the most mobile but they can protect the ball a lot better on the dribble than bigger guys.
How many times have you seen Reke dribble into traffic, and be able to dribble back out? His size isn't going to allow him to play in traffic in the way shorter PG's can.
Size does play a factor. It's a lot tougher for a big guy to protect his dribble in traffic, as opposed to shorter guys. That's why PG's are usually the primary ballhandler. Not only are they the most mobile but they can protect the ball a lot better on the dribble than bigger guys.
How many times have you seen Reke dribble into traffic, and be able to dribble back out? His size isn't going to allow him to play in traffic in the way shorter PG's can.
I agree with that first part. Think you exaggerated the second part. But yeah, I do think Cousins and IT are the only ones coming out every night and showing fire, intensity, and really look like they know a maximum effort is needed to win and are ready to do just that.
I actually think a guy like Salmons, with his librarian on too much vicodin demeanor hurts the guys above and beyond his play. It must rub off.
I actually think a guy like Salmons, with his librarian on too much vicodin demeanor hurts the guys above and beyond his play. It must rub off.
I agree with you. However, I don't think that's the direction our team is taking with Tyreke. While we call him a "PG", he's really more a primary ballhandler in the Wade/Kobe sense. Both those guys don't dribble around in traffic either like Nash or Chris Paul. Nor do Derek Fisher and Chalmers. From what I see he's mostly going to set up guys mainly when they double team him or leave guys open, and not so much by finding cutters etc. Only time will tell whether this is a good strategy or not, but I do think that because Tyreke isn't that sort of PG he needs to be able to shoot, and we need to surround him and Cousins with guys who can shoot.
That's more a style issue. Reke is getting into the paint, creating, drawing attention, setting guys up, and getting them mostly the same shots many other pg's create. That's why his ast rate is where it is.
Smaller pg's normally bring it back out because they don't have the ability to finish at the rim the same way Reke does. That's where his size is an advantage. There's not much of a reason for Reke to dribble in and then back out. He has opportunities other smaller pg's don't have inside due to his speed and size. When he does penetrate and kick it, we're getting the same shots most teams get, just with the worst shooters in the league by %.
It's Reke's decision making which still needs improving, although it has improved since Smart took over. Reke gets to the spots he needs to to create for himself or others, but the poor shooters combined with his decision making not being at a Rose/Parker level is the issue imo, and his decision will only improve imo.
Smaller pg's normally bring it back out because they don't have the ability to finish at the rim the same way Reke does. That's where his size is an advantage. There's not much of a reason for Reke to dribble in and then back out. He has opportunities other smaller pg's don't have inside due to his speed and size. When he does penetrate and kick it, we're getting the same shots most teams get, just with the worst shooters in the league by %.
It's Reke's decision making which still needs improving, although it has improved since Smart took over. Reke gets to the spots he needs to to create for himself or others, but the poor shooters combined with his decision making not being at a Rose/Parker level is the issue imo, and his decision will only improve imo.
