rainmaker
Hall of Famer
This is just a closer look at who's played well and who hasn't, and most likely is important as it coincides with our best stretch of the season thus far. Also tell us who needs to step up.
Playing Well
Aaron Brooks
Mins-26 FG%-63.6% 3P%-53% PPG-10.8 APG-2.4 RPG-2.2
Tyreke Evans
Mins-33 FG%-54.8% 3P%-44.4 % PPG-21.0 APG-4.8 RPG-5.4
Jason Thompson
Mins-32 FG%-48% PPG-11 BPG-1.2 RPG-7.0
Others, Have To Fill Roles More Effectively Or Step Up Their Play
DeMarcus Cousins
Mins-29 FG%-47.3% PPG-16.8 BPG-0.6 RPG-7.2 APG-2.8
Marcus Thornton
Mins-24 FG%-44.3% 3P%-37.5% PPG-14.8 RPG-2.4 APG-1.0
Jimmer Fredette (last 5 he actually played)
Mins-13 FG%-38.4% 3P%-40% APG-1.8 RPG-.4
Isaiah Thomas (last 5 actually played)
Mins-15 FG%-37.5% 3P%-14.2% PPG-4.4 APG-3.0 RPG-1.0
John Salmons
Mins-30 FG%-39.4% 3P%-35.7% PPG-6.4 RPG-3.6 APG-1.4
James Johnson
Mins-15 FG%-53.3% 3P%-N/A PPG-3.4 RPG-1.4 APG-1.4
Obviously, this is a small sample size, but we're also seeing rotations tightened, although they still don't always make sense, and we're slowly seeing some guys step forward as the top options. There's also clear room for improvement, and even though we're playing better, if a couple others step up, we'd take a big step in the right direction.
Brooks and Reke have been a very good backcourt pairing, and really their play is a huge part for us playing our best basketball of the season thus far. Reke has seen an uptick in minutes the last two games, but it's hard to argue that they should be playing more together, really as much as possible given they're carrying the team right now.
Jason has filled in nicely as a role player, is shooting a decent % for a big, isn't forcing anything and is playing overall as a nice compliment to Brooks/Reke/Cuz.
Cuz, needs to pick it up. His shooting %'s are rising and he's slowly becoming more efficient, and his passing/increased assists are a part of our improved ball movement which is key as we play through him a fair amount, but he's taking himself out of games, and we can't have our cornerstone playing under 30 mins. He needs to be 35-38 per night. His rebounding also needs to pick up and there's little excuse for him to be rebounding at this poor a rate for him. For others it might be ok, but he's shown he's one of the top rebounders in the league. Now play like it.
Thornton also needs to pick it up. He's been extremely hot and cold this year. While his minutes have declined a bit with the improved play of Brooks/Reke, his shooting %'s are poor. 44%FG and 37.5% from 3 needs to increase. He's paid to shoot and isn't helping much elsewhere when he's not hitting. His rebounding which was an asset last year is down this year and he's just over 2 per game now. If he's not creating and not hitting the boards, we need him to hit his shots. Hopefully it improves, and I have confidence it will, and that's something which will immediately help this team. As soon as MT and Cuz join Brooks/Reke, we could really have something positive.
Salmons while not shooting great, is hitting at a high enough clip to spread the floor and keep the defense honest. He's also playing within himself and not forcing shots. If he can hit 3's at 35%+ all year it'll be a positive compared to what we had with JJ, and his defense has been pretty well since starting.
JJ's production offensively is in the toilet, but, he's taking far less shots, no 3's in the last 5, and shooting over 50% because of it. He's suddenly playing like a role player who isn't hurting us. Rebounding needs to pick up, but if he's shooting 50%+ and playing defense, he needs more minutes.
Jimmer vs IT. I really don't know who's the backup PG here. Both are getting yanked around a ridiculous amount. But, Jimmer has shot the long ball well and provides spacing when out there, and has improved a bit defensively. On this team I don't see how we can keep Jimmer who's hitting 3's at 45% for the year and 40% over his last five on the bench instead of some backup PG minutes. One downside to Jimmer though, aside from a defensive liability(which isn't nearly as bad as last year) is that he's really not creating much.
Isaiah is creating some, and is obviously a better creator than Jimmer, but his shooting has taken a nose dive from outside. His creating for us could be a bonus with the bench, but next to Reke it doesn't add much as it takes the ball out of Reke's hands. when Reke does have it, IT's 14% 3pt shooting of late is not going to spread the floor nearly as much and make him as effective off Reke as Brooks and Jimmer.
So in looking at this stretch, even though a small sample size, a few things stand out where if we improve this team could be more competitive nightly. Cuz needs to find a way to stay on the floor and pick up his rebounding. Thornton needs to start hitting a few more shots. If either of those two happen, and preferably both, we're immediately more potent. It shouldn't be that hard to get MT better looks and get him going. These are two players playing below their standard, and that gives me hope as sooner or later they should come around. IT and Jimmer both bring positive and negatives, IT with his passing and pushing the tempo, Jimmer with his ability to spread the floor. What's hurting is mixing and matching. Pick one and give him the backup PG spot. Our bench will improve. Pick whichever is more important for the team. For me, it's Jimmer's shooting, and then play them consistent minutes and let their confidence build. We'll be better for it. Also, JJ needs a few more minutes now that he seems to have settled in and accepted being a role player. A defensive minded JJ who's hitting at 50% should play more.
There's hope, if a few players play the way they're capable.
Playing Well
Aaron Brooks
Mins-26 FG%-63.6% 3P%-53% PPG-10.8 APG-2.4 RPG-2.2
Tyreke Evans
Mins-33 FG%-54.8% 3P%-44.4 % PPG-21.0 APG-4.8 RPG-5.4
Jason Thompson
Mins-32 FG%-48% PPG-11 BPG-1.2 RPG-7.0
Others, Have To Fill Roles More Effectively Or Step Up Their Play
DeMarcus Cousins
Mins-29 FG%-47.3% PPG-16.8 BPG-0.6 RPG-7.2 APG-2.8
Marcus Thornton
Mins-24 FG%-44.3% 3P%-37.5% PPG-14.8 RPG-2.4 APG-1.0
Jimmer Fredette (last 5 he actually played)
Mins-13 FG%-38.4% 3P%-40% APG-1.8 RPG-.4
Isaiah Thomas (last 5 actually played)
Mins-15 FG%-37.5% 3P%-14.2% PPG-4.4 APG-3.0 RPG-1.0
John Salmons
Mins-30 FG%-39.4% 3P%-35.7% PPG-6.4 RPG-3.6 APG-1.4
James Johnson
Mins-15 FG%-53.3% 3P%-N/A PPG-3.4 RPG-1.4 APG-1.4
Obviously, this is a small sample size, but we're also seeing rotations tightened, although they still don't always make sense, and we're slowly seeing some guys step forward as the top options. There's also clear room for improvement, and even though we're playing better, if a couple others step up, we'd take a big step in the right direction.
Brooks and Reke have been a very good backcourt pairing, and really their play is a huge part for us playing our best basketball of the season thus far. Reke has seen an uptick in minutes the last two games, but it's hard to argue that they should be playing more together, really as much as possible given they're carrying the team right now.
Jason has filled in nicely as a role player, is shooting a decent % for a big, isn't forcing anything and is playing overall as a nice compliment to Brooks/Reke/Cuz.
Cuz, needs to pick it up. His shooting %'s are rising and he's slowly becoming more efficient, and his passing/increased assists are a part of our improved ball movement which is key as we play through him a fair amount, but he's taking himself out of games, and we can't have our cornerstone playing under 30 mins. He needs to be 35-38 per night. His rebounding also needs to pick up and there's little excuse for him to be rebounding at this poor a rate for him. For others it might be ok, but he's shown he's one of the top rebounders in the league. Now play like it.
Thornton also needs to pick it up. He's been extremely hot and cold this year. While his minutes have declined a bit with the improved play of Brooks/Reke, his shooting %'s are poor. 44%FG and 37.5% from 3 needs to increase. He's paid to shoot and isn't helping much elsewhere when he's not hitting. His rebounding which was an asset last year is down this year and he's just over 2 per game now. If he's not creating and not hitting the boards, we need him to hit his shots. Hopefully it improves, and I have confidence it will, and that's something which will immediately help this team. As soon as MT and Cuz join Brooks/Reke, we could really have something positive.
Salmons while not shooting great, is hitting at a high enough clip to spread the floor and keep the defense honest. He's also playing within himself and not forcing shots. If he can hit 3's at 35%+ all year it'll be a positive compared to what we had with JJ, and his defense has been pretty well since starting.
JJ's production offensively is in the toilet, but, he's taking far less shots, no 3's in the last 5, and shooting over 50% because of it. He's suddenly playing like a role player who isn't hurting us. Rebounding needs to pick up, but if he's shooting 50%+ and playing defense, he needs more minutes.
Jimmer vs IT. I really don't know who's the backup PG here. Both are getting yanked around a ridiculous amount. But, Jimmer has shot the long ball well and provides spacing when out there, and has improved a bit defensively. On this team I don't see how we can keep Jimmer who's hitting 3's at 45% for the year and 40% over his last five on the bench instead of some backup PG minutes. One downside to Jimmer though, aside from a defensive liability(which isn't nearly as bad as last year) is that he's really not creating much.
Isaiah is creating some, and is obviously a better creator than Jimmer, but his shooting has taken a nose dive from outside. His creating for us could be a bonus with the bench, but next to Reke it doesn't add much as it takes the ball out of Reke's hands. when Reke does have it, IT's 14% 3pt shooting of late is not going to spread the floor nearly as much and make him as effective off Reke as Brooks and Jimmer.
So in looking at this stretch, even though a small sample size, a few things stand out where if we improve this team could be more competitive nightly. Cuz needs to find a way to stay on the floor and pick up his rebounding. Thornton needs to start hitting a few more shots. If either of those two happen, and preferably both, we're immediately more potent. It shouldn't be that hard to get MT better looks and get him going. These are two players playing below their standard, and that gives me hope as sooner or later they should come around. IT and Jimmer both bring positive and negatives, IT with his passing and pushing the tempo, Jimmer with his ability to spread the floor. What's hurting is mixing and matching. Pick one and give him the backup PG spot. Our bench will improve. Pick whichever is more important for the team. For me, it's Jimmer's shooting, and then play them consistent minutes and let their confidence build. We'll be better for it. Also, JJ needs a few more minutes now that he seems to have settled in and accepted being a role player. A defensive minded JJ who's hitting at 50% should play more.
There's hope, if a few players play the way they're capable.
