NBA post: OKC stat worth noting

[BlueBomb]

I was going to put this in the "Enes Kanter" post but decided it was worth its on thread.

Saw a stat on ESPN over the weekend: The three players in the NBA that scored the most points in ISOLATION last season? Westbrook, Paul George and Melo.

What are the odds that Donovan will be able to get THREE players to change the way they've always played basketball? Ain't happening.

I don't think the "servant leadership" speech will work with them...

 

[GonzoCat90]

All three were the only players on awful teams who could create their own shot. It's a stat of necessity, not personality.

It's like saying James Harden averaged more assists than LeBron. He's not a better passer, the offense is just designed to run everything through him, so his usage rate inflates the raw numbers.

What we also saw last year was that Paul George isn't a number one option on a winning team, that Melo is best in his Olympic role where he doesn't have to carry the scoring load and that Russ wears himself out trying to do everything and then the team collapsed when he was on the bench.

These moves fix all of those issues, and they gave up very little to get them.

 

[BlueBomb]

I agree they were good trades in terms of whey they gave up to get those two players. But I disagree that that Westbrook and Melo were tops in that stat out of necessity. Paul George maybe.

 

[GonzoCat90]

I agree they were good trades in terms of whey they gave up to get those two players. But I disagree that that Westbrook and Melo were tops in that stat out of necessity. Paul George maybe.

Who was creating for Westbrook and Melo then?

The options are transition, isolation, pick and roll, catch and shoot, and post ups. The rosters they played with aren't conducive to scoring in many of those ways.

 

[BlueBomb]

Who was creating for Westbrook and Melo then?

The options are transition, isolation, pick and roll, catch and shoot, and post ups. The rosters they played with aren't conducive to scoring in many of those ways.

I get your point. But, there are plenty of teams in the NBA that have one great player and that's it. But those teams don't play isolation ball. But there's no real debate here. These three players are used to playing that way. Whether they had to or not is not the point. Just that I don't think they will be overly successful in changing their ways.

 

[LeonThe Camel]

OKC is going the route of out score the opponent rather than play a complete game. The other 2 players will be defensive/rebounding focused while the 3 stars score the points

 

[Double Oaked Juice]

It will be interesting. You watch the way Carmello has played in the Olympics, and he comes off as a team player who tends to move the ball to the right man. Think about this lineup for OKC:

1. Russ Westbrook
2. Andre Roberson
3. Paul George
4. Carmello
5. Patrick Patterson

How do you guard that? I guess you could help off of Roberson, but then you are still trying to defend four fairly lethal three point shooters, three guys who can create their own shot against just about anyone, two guys who can get to the basket at will, etc. And on the other end of the floor, all of those guys are + defenders with the exception of Melo. Should be fun to watch.

 

[GonzoCat90]

I get your point. But, there are plenty of teams in the NBA that have one great player and that's it. But those teams don't play isolation ball. But there's no real debate here. These three players are used to playing that way. Whether they had to or not is not the point. Just that I don't think they will be overly successful in changing their ways.

I guess I just disagree that it would be "changing their ways" as much as it is finally not having to do it all alone.

We've seen Melo thrive with the Olympic team because he was in a lesser role. We've seen Paul George be a contender in the East when he had some help. We've seen Westbrook go to the finals when other great players are with him and things don't fall apart without him carrying the entire load.

So they've all done what this will be asking them to do. They were all unhappy with their situations last year (or the last few) and should welcome the influx of some talent they respect.

It'll take some time to mesh. It always does. The Heat needed it. The Warriors needed it. But great players figure it out in basketball. I'm not saying they'll beat the Warriors or even the Spurs/Rockets, but they'll be much better and I don't think it's some chemistry blowout people like to imagine just because of their perceptions of Russ and Melo.

 

[Big_Blue79]

It will be interesting. You watch the way Carmello has played in the Olympics, and he comes off as a team player who tends to move the ball to the right man. Think about this lineup for OKC:

1. Russ Westbrook
2. Andre Roberson
3. Paul George
4. Carmello
5. Patrick Patterson

How do you guard that? I guess you could help off of Roberson, but then you are still trying to defend four fairly lethal three point shooters, three guys who can create their own shot against just about anyone, two guys who can get to the basket at will, etc. And on the other end of the floor, all of those guys are + defenders with the exception of Melo. Should be fun to watch.

I tend to like that lineup, but it's going to be terrible on defense. Westbrook is a bad defensive player; observation and stats bear that out. And Patrick Patterson can compete at the 4, but as a center he would be a big defensive minus. This lineup might still be good, but it's going to give up a ton of buckets.

 

[GonzoCat90]

I tend to like that lineup, but it's going to be terrible on defense. Westbrook is a bad defensive player; observation and stats bear that out. And Patrick Patterson can compete at the 4, but as a center he would be a big defensive minus. This lineup might still be good, but it's going to give up a ton of buckets.

I agree. I think the same lineup with Adams at the 5 is ideal for OKC.

Roberson and PG on the wing means you can put Russ on the third most dangerous perimeter option, which is fine for everyone except OKC. He's physical and athletic so he can guard 3's if needed.

Adams can protect the rim and clog the paint.

And then if the other team doesn't have three good perimeter options, you can drop PG to the 4 if need be on defense.

Switching 1-4 is huge in the NBA, especially against the top teams.

Then you cab sub Patterson at the 4 and move PG and Melo around if you want to keep them in the lineup. The versatility is really nice, and they have so many more shooters than last season.

 

[Deli owl]

It will be interesting. You watch the way Carmello has played in the Olympics, and he comes off as a team player who tends to move the ball to the right man. Think about this lineup for OKC:

1. Russ Westbrook
2. Andre Roberson
3. Paul George
4. Carmello
5. Patrick Patterson

How do you guard that? I guess you could help off of Roberson, but then you are still trying to defend four fairly lethal three point shooters, three guys who can create their own shot against just about anyone, two guys who can get to the basket at will, etc. And on the other end of the floor, all of those guys are + defenders with the exception of Melo. Should be fun to watch.

Roberson couldn't hit the ground with the ball if he fell down.

 

[Smashcat]

Roberson couldn't hit the ground with the ball if he fell down.

Terrible shooter last season but hit 31 percent of his 3s in 2015. Sure won't have any pressure on him to hit shots this coming season.

 

[Deli owl]

Terrible shooter last season but hit 31 percent of his 3s in 2015. Sure won't have any pressure on him to hit shots this coming season.

It's his free throws that are the scariest.

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

All three were the only players on awful teams who could create their own shot. It's a stat of necessity, not personality.

BOOM. End of Thread. /