**The Official Karl-Anthony Towns Thread: Part Two**

KGdaBom · Post #101 » by **KGdaBom** » Wed Jul 27, 2022 6:05 pm

Klomp wrote:

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Awesome

winforlose · Post #102 » by **winforlose** » Sun Aug 21, 2022 7:52 pm

So I am not an advanced stat guy. I tried some Google searches and couldn’t find what I am looking for, and am asking for help. Can anyone please direct me to a resource that breaks down defensive stats by area of the floor? I am trying to figure out how well KAT did when guarding in space during the high wall. I know the data would be limited because opponents passed a lot when defended by high wall, but any data would be an interesting predictor of KAT defending in space.

minimus · Post #103 » by **minimus** » Mon Aug 22, 2022 6:31 pm

winforlose wrote:So I am not an advanced stat guy. I tried some Google searches and couldn’t find what I am looking for, and am asking for help. Can anyone please direct me to a resource that breaks down defensive stats by area of the floor? I am trying to figure out how well KAT did when guarding in space during the high wall. I know the data would be limited because opponents passed a lot when defended by high wall, but any data would be an interesting predictor of KAT defending in space.

I saw multiple times such stats, recently about Gobert... I guess they are kind of behind paywall, it might be easier to find how KAT defended different type of plays: ISO, 3pt, post ups, pick-n-rolls etc.

CometGM · Post #104 » by **CometGM** » Thu Sep 29, 2022 4:42 pm

I think this team is gonna be scary defensively. KAT will have more leniency to chase down blocks (or hold his ground to allow Gobert to chase). More importantly I think having a defensive player like Gobert will motivate him to be better defensively. He's shown in the past he can be locked in defensively and the team has actually been really good when he's locked in. The issue has been that he reverts back. A constant defensive presence like Gobert could unlock a more consistent defensive KAT. I feel this will be a top 3 defensive team and KAT's best year defensively.

KGdaBom · Post #105 » by **KGdaBom** » Thu Sep 29, 2022 4:48 pm

CometGM wrote:I think this team is gonna be scary defensively. KAT will have more leniency to chase down blocks (or hold his ground to allow Gobert to chase). More importantly I think having a defensive player like Gobert will motivate him to be better defensively. He's shown in the past he can be locked in defensively and the team has actually been really good when he's locked in. The issue has been that he reverts back. A constant defensive presence like Gobert could unlock a more consistent defensive KAT. I feel this will be a top 3 defensive team and KAT's best year defensively.

From your Keyboard to God's eyes.

winforlose · Post #106 » by **winforlose** » Thu Sep 29, 2022 4:49 pm

CometGM wrote:I think this team is gonna be scary defensively. KAT will have more leniency to chase down blocks (or hold his ground to allow Gobert to chase). More importantly I think having a defensive player like Gobert will motivate him to be better defensively. He's shown in the past he can be locked in defensively and the team has actually been really good when he's locked in. The issue has been that he reverts back. A constant defensive presence like Gobert could unlock a more consistent defensive KAT. I feel this will be a top 3 defensive team and KAT's best year defensively.

I agree with 90%. The only thing is disagree with is that KAT has never been good in drop coverage. It isn’t a locked in vs not locked in thing, it is just a scheme he has never masters and is not likely to any time soon. Beyond that the other struggle for KAT is over helping. When in high wall he could get away with it because the scheme put guys behind him to help him. When at the rim it is too late because nobody can be behind him except his man. KAT can be a good defender, but only in the correct scheme. That is what Finch is excels at. Finding or creating the right scheme to bring out the players best situations. Rudy allows Finch to do that with a dominant paint and rim defender behind KAT.

CometGM · Post #107 » by **CometGM** » Thu Sep 29, 2022 5:13 pm

winforlose wrote:
CometGM wrote:I think this team is gonna be scary defensively. KAT will have more leniency to chase down blocks (or hold his ground to allow Gobert to chase). More importantly I think having a defensive player like Gobert will motivate him to be better defensively. He's shown in the past he can be locked in defensively and the team has actually been really good when he's locked in. The issue has been that he reverts back. A constant defensive presence like Gobert could unlock a more consistent defensive KAT. I feel this will be a top 3 defensive team and KAT's best year defensively.

I agree with 90%. The only thing is disagree with is that KAT has never been good in drop coverage. It isn’t a locked in vs not locked in thing, it is just a scheme he has never masters and is not likely to any time soon. Beyond that the other struggle for KAT is over helping. When in high wall he could get away with it because the scheme put guys behind him to help him. When at the rim it is too late because nobody can be behind him except his man. KAT can be a good defender, but only in the correct scheme. That is what Finch is excels at. Finding or creating the right scheme to bring out the players best situations. Rudy allows Finch to do that with a dominant paint and rim defender behind KAT.

Overall you're probably right regarding him having issues with drop coverage and over-helping, but there have been times where he's been locked in and doing almost everything right. It really hasn't happened often, maybe a couple of games here and there, but there was a like 13 game or so stretch in 2018 where he was doing almost everything right defensively. It was amazing to watch. I was going to post about it back then but Klomp posted about it (https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1657211&hilit=towns).

What changed in that time frame? I'm not sure. But at least to me it looked like an internal change and focus with KAT. Something that I haven't seen to that extent since then. If he could come close to what he was doing in that time frame on a consistent basis, I sincerely don't see how this team could be beat.

I do agree with you that Finch maximizing KAT's defense via schemes is the best way to go. A 13 game run isn't enough to give me hope that it can be unlocked inside him on a more consistent basis, but one can definitely dream!

KGdaBom · Post #108 » by **KGdaBom** » Mon Oct 3, 2022 8:38 pm

KAT is back at practice, but it seems his illness which he won't say what it was is, Was pretty severe and left him weakened a lot. He might not be himself for a few weeks.

Watch on YouTube

;t=87s

Post #109 » by **Klomp** » Mon Oct 3, 2022 8:51 pm

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Post #110 » by **Klomp** » Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:29 pm

Read on Twitter

KGdaBom · Post #111 » by **KGdaBom** » Tue Oct 18, 2022 10:04 pm

Klomp wrote:

Read on Twitter

I have no clue what that chart means. I'm guessing it's good.

Nick K · Post #112 » by **Nick K** » Wed Oct 19, 2022 12:14 am

KGdaBom wrote:
Klomp wrote:

Read on Twitter

I have no clue what that chart means. I'm guessing it's good.

I have no idea what the hell it means either!

WolfAddict · Post #113 » by **WolfAddict** » Wed Oct 19, 2022 12:19 am

I'm reading it as KATs defensive impact has steadily increased as he's gotten older... But I may be wrong

Post #114 » by **Klomp** » Wed Oct 19, 2022 12:20 am

https://www.nbastuffer.com/analytics101/darko-daily-plus-minus/

WolfAddict · Post #115 » by **WolfAddict** » Wed Oct 19, 2022 12:22 am

Klomp wrote:https://www.nbastuffer.com/analytics101/darko-daily-plus-minus/

Yeah, I was way off

TimberKat · Post #116 » by **TimberKat** » Wed Oct 19, 2022 1:07 am

WolfAddict wrote:
Klomp wrote:https://www.nbastuffer.com/analytics101/darko-daily-plus-minus/

Yeah, I was way off

I thought it was comparing Towns yearly performance to Darko Milicic

KGdaBom · Post #117 » by **KGdaBom** » Wed Oct 19, 2022 3:43 pm

Klomp wrote:https://www.nbastuffer.com/analytics101/darko-daily-plus-minus/

Reading that hurt my feeble brain :noway:

I think I get it.

KGdaBom · Post #118 » by **KGdaBom** » Wed Oct 19, 2022 3:43 pm

TimberKat wrote:
WolfAddict wrote:
Klomp wrote:https://www.nbastuffer.com/analytics101/darko-daily-plus-minus/

Yeah, I was way off

I thought it was comparing Towns yearly performance to Darko Milicic

Yep. I wondered what that Darko had to do with anything.

Devilzsidewalk · Post #119 » by **Devilzsidewalk** » Wed Oct 19, 2022 4:10 pm

is DARKO considered a good metric? I remember once they polled a bunch of teams and formed a ranking of all the different proprietary composite metrics (like PER, RPM, RAPM, RAPTOR, etc etc etc) and it was pretty interesting to see which ones teams found most useful. The most liked were the more obscure ones. I wish I could find that again, I can't remember where I saw it.

~edit

https://hoopshype.com/lists/advanced-stats-nba-real-plus-minus-rapm-win-shares-analytics/

I think this was it. Yes DARKO appears to be very valued.

wolves_89 · Post #120 » by **wolves_89** » Wed Oct 19, 2022 9:22 pm

I'm not sure how much value to place on Towns past defensive metrics. Karl's defensive role is going to be very different for the roughly 20 minutes a night he is on the court with Gobert. It's going to be really interesting to see how successful KAT is at adapting to his role as the second big and how quickly Finch can find adjustments to make the defense work for the starting unit.