Start Bjelica

[Warriors Analyst]

This talk of Bjelica being as good as Looney on defense is.... wrong.

Bjelica was a Sacremento King last year. And their defense was worse when Bjelica was on the court. Let that sink in.

Bjelica has been fine on defense, save for Dwight baptizing him. But Dwight is still an absolute freak. Drummond might be the only other bench big in the league that will abuse Bjelica in a similar way. Otherwise, Bjelica has consistently been in the right place and has made solid contests on drives and on switches. Who is saying he's as good as Looney on D?

[FNQ]

This talk of Bjelica being as good as Looney on defense is.... wrong.

Bjelica was a Sacremento King last year. And their defense was worse when Bjelica was on the court. Let that sink in.

This kind of take is why metrics exist.

Since data tracking has them both relatively equal (Nemo better offball, Looney better on):

Looney DBPM '20: 0.5
Nemo DBPM '20: -1.1 (-1.7 in SAC, +0.7 in MIA)

Looney DBPM '19: -0.8
Nemo DBPM '19: 0.5

Looney DBPM '18: 0.4
Nemo DBPM '18: 0.5

Not to mention Bjelica played a man-heavy PF spot and is now moving to C, where being positionally sound is far more important.

So far there are 2 sides: one saying that Looney is definitely better, and another saying that Bjelica shouldn't be written off considering his history. The stats don't seem to see much of a difference, which is weird considering Looney's played a traditionally favorable position for metrics on good defensive teams, while Nemanja has played a less favorable position on poor defensive teams.

Choose wisely

[floppymoose]

Dbpm doesnt do much for me. Looney is going to finish the season with a significantly better rapm than Bjelica. And that builds in Bjelica’s offense as well, which is his strength.

[B-King]

Starting opposing centers will just feast on him.

[Coxy]

What a debut!

[ahmetmekin]

We are seeing peak Bjelica after age 33.

[FNQ]

Starting opposing centers will just feast on him.

He did good work on AD tonight. And unlike Looney, when someone like LeBron or Westbrook got into the lane but didnt have the angle for an easy dunk/layup, Bjelica stayed glued to AD and took away the pass, and the Lakers didnt make us pay. Also left him in great rebounding position, which is how he boarded so well

I'm not worried about him if we start him. I'm worried about Looney if we bench him

[GunnerWRX]

Starting opposing centers will just feast on him.

He did good work on AD tonight. And unlike Looney, when someone like LeBron or Westbrook got into the lane but didnt have the angle for an easy dunk/layup, Bjelica stayed glued to AD and took away the pass, and the Lakers didnt make us pay. Also left him in great rebounding position, which is how he boarded so well

I'm not worried about him if we start him. I'm worried about Looney if we bench him

Great game by Bjelica tonight!

Yes, I worry about Looney playing with the bench.

[a8bil]

I'm guessing ILOVEIT gets a bit more run on this thread...

[GSWFan1994]

Here's ILOVEIT on the streets, a few weeks ago:

Watch on YouTube

PS: some Warriors fans had the same reaction as the guy on 1'50''...

[Coxy]

I just saw someone refer to Bjelica today as a "Poor mans Jokic".

I like it.

[Impuniti]

Starting opposing centers will just feast on him.

He did good work on AD tonight. And unlike Looney, when someone like LeBron or Westbrook got into the lane but didnt have the angle for an easy dunk/layup, Bjelica stayed glued to AD and took away the pass, and the Lakers didnt make us pay. Also left him in great rebounding position, which is how he boarded so well

I'm not worried about him if we start him. I'm worried about Looney if we bench him

Team can "start" Loon and then just play Bjelica more minutes, best of both worlds.

Then we'll see what happens once Wiseman is back.

[GunnerWRX]

I just saw someone refer to Bjelica today as a "Poor mans Jokic".

I like it.

I think that's a closer comparison than David Lee.

Bjelica's game is nothing like Lee's.

[Samurai]

Starting opposing centers will just feast on him.

He did good work on AD tonight. And unlike Looney, when someone like LeBron or Westbrook got into the lane but didnt have the angle for an easy dunk/layup, Bjelica stayed glued to AD and took away the pass, and the Lakers didnt make us pay. Also left him in great rebounding position, which is how he boarded so well

I'm not worried about him if we start him. I'm worried about Looney if we bench him

Team can "start" Loon and then just play Bjelica more minutes, best of both worlds.

Then we'll see what happens once Wiseman is back.

Initial impressions from Warriors staff is that Wiseman will not play a lot, at least initially, with Steph and Dray. He is expected to be the regular pick-and-roll partner with Poole at the start of the 2nd and 4th quarters when Steph and Dray typically sit. Since Bjelly looked good alongside Draymond tonight, that could work out well for us.

[FNQ]

I just saw someone refer to Bjelica today as a "Poor mans Jokic".

I like it.

I think that's a closer comparison than David Lee.

Bjelica's game is nothing like Lee's.

what

[GunnerWRX]

I just saw someone refer to Bjelica today as a "Poor mans Jokic".

I like it.

I think that's a closer comparison than David Lee.

Bjelica's game is nothing like Lee's.

what

Lee can’t pass or shoot or handle like Belly.

Belly can’t set a pick or rebound like Lee.

They do look alike and are both white though.

[FNQ]

I think that's a closer comparison than David Lee.

Bjelica's game is nothing like Lee's.

what

Lee can’t pass or shoot or handle like Belly.

Belly can’t set a pick or rebound like Lee.

They do look alike and are both white though.

Lee was a good handler and passer, and he had a solid jumper out to 20 feet. Lee also was infamous for slipping the picks before he actually got hit, and accrued empty rebounds with the best of them.

They’re a ton alike. Are you kidding?

[lars_rosenberg]

David Lee lived in the paint, Bjelica is one of the best 3 point shooters in the NBA.

They look alike, but they have a different game. David Lee maybe had the skills to play like Bjelica, but he never did.

Lee is young Brook López, Bjelica is old Brook López (just kidding, Lee could rebound).

[Warriors Analyst]

He did good work on AD tonight. And unlike Looney, when someone like LeBron or Westbrook got into the lane but didnt have the angle for an easy dunk/layup, Bjelica stayed glued to AD and took away the pass, and the Lakers didnt make us pay. Also left him in great rebounding position, which is how he boarded so well

I'm not worried about him if we start him. I'm worried about Looney if we bench him

Team can "start" Loon and then just play Bjelica more minutes, best of both worlds.

Then we'll see what happens once Wiseman is back.

Initial impressions from Warriors staff is that Wiseman will not play a lot, at least initially, with Steph and Dray. He is expected to be the regular pick-and-roll partner with Poole at the start of the 2nd and 4th quarters when Steph and Dray typically sit. Since Bjelly looked good alongside Draymond tonight, that could work out well for us.

I think that if Bjelica keeps up his play on offense and continues to look competent on D, there will be serious consideration to keeping him in his rotation spot and playing heavy minutes with the second unit. Bjelica's playmaking makes the second unit click. Poole is the only guy in that unit who can get to the rim off the dribble; they need Bjelica to drive and kick to create shots as well.

I think the player who has the most to lose now is Looney. I wouldn't be surprised if Wiseman gets run with the starters for the sake of keeping the second unit together.

[a8bil]

Is it too soon to ask: Who was the last player who won MIP and MVP in the same season?