NippySudz wrote:esqtvd wrote:NippySudz wrote:No offense, but that's the definition of a rim protector. Someone who lives in the paint. That's the role of a rim protector. a rim protector isn't a perimeter defender most of the time. They protect the paint. He's good, just admit it man lol.
The only question is how good defensively will zu be in the playoffs? He's a young player that's not battle tested and is expected to play a key on a contender. Will he be consistent or will he be like clint capella? Clint capella plays his best basketball in the regular season, but when the playoffs come around, all his numbers dip, including his defensive numbers.
The first question is what the "rim protection" stat given here actually tells us. Or doesn't tell us. No further information seems forthcoming. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Rim protection, as a concept, is great to have. Much better to have it than not have it. But what is it worth giving up to get it? Is it worth carrying a guy who can neither score or defend outside of 6 feet from the basket?
Acc to this, Clint Capela was traded because his rim protection did not make up for his net negative effect on the Rockets, particularly Westbrook.
https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-rumors-houston-trade-of-clint-capela-was-to-maximize-russell-westbrook/Was it true? Will it work? I have no idea. But obviously it's a live question in the NBA 2020.
I have no axe to grind with Zubac. He's doing fine. I have an axe to grind with taking away minutes from Trezz at the present time. Maybe the addition of a real two-way player in MM will change everything for Zubac.
As the Clippers ate Sunday morning and tried moving on from their 27-point loss from the previous night in Minnesota, new forward Marcus Morris approached center Ivica Zubac. Morris had been on the roster for all of three days, following a trade from New York, and he had questions.
“He came up and asked me what kind of pass I like,” Zubac said. “I asked him, does he like coming off [screens] left or right? So when I’m running up and setting the screen, I can flip the pick whatever way he likes.
“Little things like that can really help, because we’ve never played together.”
https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2020-02-09/marcus-morris-debut-a-record-setter-in-clippers-rout-of-cavaliersI was never down on Zubac. I'm up on Trezz. I was REALLY down on Harkless, and said often that we were playing 4-on-5 on the offensive end with him out there. But it's a brand new ballgame now with MM. Anything could develop. Even some 4th quarter minutes for Zu.
But don't discount the possibility that MM could do wonders for Trezz [and Lou] too, on both ends.
seems like the scorers really like zu's screens.
You seem to pick and choose which advanced stats you believe in when it comes to zu. You give me blocks per 36 but when all the advance analytics points to zu, you seem to dismiss the evidence for it. It would be more simple just to say you prefer trez offensive skillset than to dismiss the stats or question them.
I believe zubac maximizes the potential of the roster . You got 3 guys who can get their own shot plus a rim defender. I think trez's scoring is can be overrated. It's good in the regular season, but I think it will not prove itself in the po season in a deep run. The defense will.If you're giving up as much as you're scoring, then you're a net neutral at best. If we play the rockets and we play small, neither zu or trez will be on the floor. They cannot space the floor and marcus morris will be at the five.
Defense wins championships as the old adage goes so that's why I lean more to zubac.
The only issue I have with zubac is that he's 22 years old with no virtually no playoffs experience, so that's where I see trez could perform there. I'm seesaw on both, even while typing this. I am excited to see doc's vision of the clippers come playoff time.
Actually you Planet Zubac people ignore the stats, particularly the one that tells us the most--that the Clippers were [slightly] better DEFENSIVELY with both Trezz and Kawhi on the floor than with Zubac and Kawhi on the floor. And I gave you the blocks per 36 minutes stat to compare apples with apples--Trezz and Zu were EXACTLY the same at 1.4.
You keep saying Zubac is the better defender without proving it, not addressed the question of the ultimate value of "rim protection," and of course ignore the obvious fact that Trezz is the FAR more imposing offensive force--which would blow any slight difference in defense out of the water.
And please, folks, no more highlight videos to attempt to make an argument. They are anecdotes, not data. Everybody in the NBA has their highlights. Everybody makes a great defensive play or a great shot. Or six. It's consistency that counts, and video clips can't establish that.
Trezz only averages 29 minutes a game. It's not like Zu has been buried without plenty of opportunity to show his stuff. But hey, Zubac is only 23 in a couple weeks and will be playing most of his minutes with MM now instead of Harkless, who's a stiff offensively and even if the more skilled defender, is not the snarling beast on D that Marcus already proved he is.
Just because I have the stats to support my position--which is that Zubac is getting the minutes he's earned, no more or less--it doesn't mean that things can't change with almost half a season left and that the evidence can't swing in favor of more Zubac. It just hasn't been justified to this point beyond opinions, feelings, and "eye tests."
And strangely enough, I'm not as worried about Zubac in the playoffs. I think he'll hang onto whatever place in the rotation he wins in the regular season. I don't hold last year against him. He went from G League to starting in the playoffs in a flash of a few weeks. I'm satisfied with his progress to this point--remember Shai went through a big slump about this time last year and Doc pulled back his PT. But by April, SGA was back on the ball. For Zubac, the best is yet to come.
Especially with Moe out and Marcus in.
