[Game] Kings @ Knicks - 12/4/16 - 4:30PT/7:30ET
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While his points per game, he's shooting his career high in FG% (8% above his career average) and 3pt% (4% above his career average). He's averaging a career high in PER and WS/48. Essentially he's putting up career numbers this year. It's hard to argue Durant isn't playing to his potential. You put him in a starting lineup comprised of 2 players who need shots and he's doing much better than he ever did with Westbrook. Go figure.
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Cuz is averaging over 29.1ppg right now, and Rudy is averaging right around his career norm (20.1, above hsi career 18.6). They get along fine offensively. When you get down to it any two scorers are always going to conflict a bit. Even Curry has had to step back for Durant, and Klay is struggling as a forgotten banana.
But the IT thing is different. IT has repeatedly said he wants to emulate A.I., and has even received praise from the former high king of ballhoggery.
Cousins right now is running a 37.1 USG%, which is completely insane. Last year he was at 35.4% and it led the league, and only Westbrook's outlandish 41.0% this year keeps Cuz's number from leading again.
Meanwhile IT is running a 33.7%. High enough itself to lead the league in some years, and only about a percentage point behind the 35% A.I. ran annually through his prime. There is simply no way you can have two guys running around with mid-30 USG%s, certainly not if you are planning on any teammates ever touching the ball.
Rudy Gay on the other hand is running a 25.3 USG%, which is right on line with his career 24.8%. He's fine. In many years Cuz would be on the cusp of leading the league in scoring right now, and yet Rudy still has room to take up the same number of possessions he always has.
But the IT thing is different. IT has repeatedly said he wants to emulate A.I., and has even received praise from the former high king of ballhoggery.
Cousins right now is running a 37.1 USG%, which is completely insane. Last year he was at 35.4% and it led the league, and only Westbrook's outlandish 41.0% this year keeps Cuz's number from leading again.
Meanwhile IT is running a 33.7%. High enough itself to lead the league in some years, and only about a percentage point behind the 35% A.I. ran annually through his prime. There is simply no way you can have two guys running around with mid-30 USG%s, certainly not if you are planning on any teammates ever touching the ball.
Rudy Gay on the other hand is running a 25.3 USG%, which is right on line with his career 24.8%. He's fine. In many years Cuz would be on the cusp of leading the league in scoring right now, and yet Rudy still has room to take up the same number of possessions he always has.
Cousins and Gay don't really compliment each other. But in their case, it's not because they both need the ball, it's because they aren't effective at playing inside-out, or pick and roll.
Thomas is a different animal. Ball-dominant point guards and high usage centers don't mix, and history backs that up. I don't think that there's been one since Magic Johnson who made it work, and the thing about Magic is that his first instinct was always to pass. Thomas gets assists by virtue of having the ball in his hands all the time, the same way that Tyreke Evans gets assists by virtue of having the ball in his hands all the time, the same way that Allen Iverson got assists by virtue of having the ball in his hands all the time, but I don't think that even his most ardent 'Stans' would try to make the case that Isaiah Thomas' first instinct when he gets the ball is to pass. That's the kind of point guard you need with a high usage center.
Thomas is a different animal. Ball-dominant point guards and high usage centers don't mix, and history backs that up. I don't think that there's been one since Magic Johnson who made it work, and the thing about Magic is that his first instinct was always to pass. Thomas gets assists by virtue of having the ball in his hands all the time, the same way that Tyreke Evans gets assists by virtue of having the ball in his hands all the time, the same way that Allen Iverson got assists by virtue of having the ball in his hands all the time, but I don't think that even his most ardent 'Stans' would try to make the case that Isaiah Thomas' first instinct when he gets the ball is to pass. That's the kind of point guard you need with a high usage center.