The Robert Covington thread: "Big Shot Bob"

[dred926]

3&D guy it was glorified by guys like demarre caroll and covington.

just by the word itself 3 points and D= defense he brings both very well

[Rashodamus]

Sixer fan checking in who has watched most of RoCo's games the last several years.

He IS the best 3&D player in the league. If not then who is better? Best defensive wing in the league and a good volume 3 point shooter.

Intelligent Sixers fans are VERY sorry to see him go, but you have to give to get. RoCo provides very positive impact and will greatly help boost your win totals in the regular season. It's just that his skillset isn't as valuable in the playoffs because he can't create for himself on offense.

But overall he's a very good player and any team would be lucky to have him. Treat him well, he's one of our OG Process guys from the Hinkie era, and we have a lot of love for him and for Dario.

I dont hate him, but you are insane if you take him over Lavine which is what some people here are saying. Lavine can create for himself with the best of them, hes also a better shooter than Roco. Ones a very good role player, one could be a star and might be already and some are slow to realize it.

[Arsenal]

Sixer fan checking in who has watched most of RoCo's games the last several years.

He IS the best 3&D player in the league. If not then who is better? Best defensive wing in the league and a good volume 3 point shooter.

Intelligent Sixers fans are VERY sorry to see him go, but you have to give to get. RoCo provides very positive impact and will greatly help boost your win totals in the regular season. It's just that his skillset isn't as valuable in the playoffs because he can't create for himself on offense.

But overall he's a very good player and any team would be lucky to have him. Treat him well, he's one of our OG Process guys from the Hinkie era, and we have a lot of love for him and for Dario.

I dont hate him, but you are insane if you take him over Lavine which is what some people here are saying. Lavine can create for himself with the best of them, hes also a better shooter than Roco. Ones a very good role player, one could be a star and might be already and some are slow to realize it.

No one until now has ever accused Zach Lavine of being a 3&D player.

[KGdaBom]

Sixer fan checking in who has watched most of RoCo's games the last several years.

He IS the best 3&D player in the league. If not then who is better? Best defensive wing in the league and a good volume 3 point shooter.

Intelligent Sixers fans are VERY sorry to see him go, but you have to give to get. RoCo provides very positive impact and will greatly help boost your win totals in the regular season. It's just that his skillset isn't as valuable in the playoffs because he can't create for himself on offense.

But overall he's a very good player and any team would be lucky to have him. Treat him well, he's one of our OG Process guys from the Hinkie era, and we have a lot of love for him and for Dario.

I dont hate him, but you are insane if you take him over Lavine which is what some people here are saying. Lavine can create for himself with the best of them, hes also a better shooter than Roco. Ones a very good role player, one could be a star and might be already and some are slow to realize it.

Rasho I hate to engage you in conversation, because your whole purpose is to act like you're a genius and make rude comments to piss people off. Zach is an excellent scorer and has been doing so efficiently. However, many people believe that what RoCo does leads to more wins than what Zach does. Both are legitimate point of views. I'm in the RoCo camp. You are among the group of people who act like anybody whose primary function isn't scoring is just a role player and incapable of being a star. First Team All NBA defender. Isn't that a star in it's own right. I'm happy for Zach and hope he keeps it up, but what he is doing isn't leading to wins.

[dred926]

Defense wins championship this should set the discussion between lavine and RoCo.. we already have wiggins i still believe in wiggins dude is just 23.... hell otto porter took 5 years to be this decent...

[Rashodamus]

Sixer fan checking in who has watched most of RoCo's games the last several years.

He IS the best 3&D player in the league. If not then who is better? Best defensive wing in the league and a good volume 3 point shooter.

Intelligent Sixers fans are VERY sorry to see him go, but you have to give to get. RoCo provides very positive impact and will greatly help boost your win totals in the regular season. It's just that his skillset isn't as valuable in the playoffs because he can't create for himself on offense.

But overall he's a very good player and any team would be lucky to have him. Treat him well, he's one of our OG Process guys from the Hinkie era, and we have a lot of love for him and for Dario.

I dont hate him, but you are insane if you take him over Lavine which is what some people here are saying. Lavine can create for himself with the best of them, hes also a better shooter than Roco. Ones a very good role player, one could be a star and might be already and some are slow to realize it.

No one until now has ever accused Zach Lavine of being a 3&D player.

The timberwolves traded Zach Lavine, Dunn, Lauri for Butler and Patton.

The timberwolves traded Butler and Patton for Roco, Saric, and Bayless.

So in effect the wolves traded Zach Lavine, Kris Dunn, and Lauri Markkenen for Roco, Saric, Bayless in a year.

I would rather have Zach Lavine alone than Saric/Roco.

Do you understand? You all caught up now?

[Rashodamus]

Rasho I hate to engage you in conversation, because your whole purpose is to act like you're a genius and make rude comments to piss people off. Zach is an excellent scorer and has been doing so efficiently. However, many people believe that what RoCo does leads to more wins than what Zach does. Both are legitimate point of views. I'm in the RoCo camp. You are among the group of people who act like anybody whose primary function isn't scoring is just a role player and incapable of being a star. First Team All NBA defender. Isn't that a star in it's own right. I'm happy for Zach and hope he keeps it up, but what he is doing isn't leading to wins.

Ok, so what can we do to try to quantify this?

Should we weigh who NBA GMs would rather have? Trade value?

If your belief is Roco gets a team more wins and costs half as much you would think Roco would easily have more trade value, right?

Does he?

The thing is Roco is a 4th/5th wheel, a role player. That doesnt mean he cant bring value just like Trenton Hassell brought value to the KG/Spree/Cassell wolves as a defender and open shot taker. Lavines role is star, or at worst elite scoring #3. Its easier to find a Roco to put next to a Lavine than the other way around. So I would rather have the more valuable, younger, higher upside, potential #1 scorer type than the guy you fill in around those types with...by a HUGE margin. I think every GM in the league would take Lavine if given the choice. I think the vast majority of fans now would take Lavine, and in a year I think it will be unanimous...well except for you.

[KGdaBom]

Rasho I hate to engage you in conversation, because your whole purpose is to act like you're a genius and make rude comments to piss people off. Zach is an excellent scorer and has been doing so efficiently. However, many people believe that what RoCo does leads to more wins than what Zach does. Both are legitimate point of views. I'm in the RoCo camp. You are among the group of people who act like anybody whose primary function isn't scoring is just a role player and incapable of being a star. First Team All NBA defender. Isn't that a star in it's own right. I'm happy for Zach and hope he keeps it up, but what he is doing isn't leading to wins.

Ok, so what can we do to try to quantify this?

Should we weigh who NBA GMs would rather have? Trade value?

If your belief is Roco gets a team more wins and costs half as much you would think Roco would easily have more trade value, right?

Does he?

The thing is Roco is a 4th/5th wheel, a role player. That doesnt mean he cant bring value just like Trenton Hassell brought value to the KG/Spree/Cassell wolves as a defender and open shot taker. Lavines role is star, or at worst elite scoring #3. Its easier to find a Roco to put next to a Lavine than the other way around. So I would rather have the more valuable, younger, higher upside, potential #1 scorer type than the guy you fill in around those types with...by a HUGE margin. I think every GM in the league would take Lavine if given the choice. I think the vast majority of fans now would take Lavine, and in a year I think it will be unanimous...well except for you.

You're trying to get all complicated about it. Who brings a team more wins. Simple as that. I think it's RoCo. I'm not sure. And acting like RoCo is simple to replace is BS. How many first team all NBA defensive players are there? I'll help you with that. There are 5. They don't grow on trees and they aren't easy to replace. LaVine is currently scoring a lot. Wiggins scored a lot two years ago. That doesn't mean either of them are good players.
Two more points. Spreewell was average at best. How many all NBA first team Defense did Trenton Hassell make.

[KGdaBom]

I dont hate him, but you are insane if you take him over Lavine which is what some people here are saying. Lavine can create for himself with the best of them, hes also a better shooter than Roco. Ones a very good role player, one could be a star and might be already and some are slow to realize it.

No one until now has ever accused Zach Lavine of being a 3&D player.

The timberwolves traded Zach Lavine, Dunn, Lauri for Butler and Patton.

The timberwolves traded Butler and Patton for Roco, Saric, and Bayless.

So in effect the wolves traded Zach Lavine, Kris Dunn, and Lauri Markkenen for Roco, Saric, Bayless in a year.

I would rather have Zach Lavine alone than Saric/Roco.

Do you understand? You all caught up now?

So says RASHO the GENIUS. Everybody you have been enlightened by RASHO the GENIUS. Now bow down and thank him for wasting his time on lesser life forms like the rest of us.

[fattymcgee]

Big Shot Bob was Robert Horry.
Has Covington ever made a big shot?

[dalton749]

Its kind of silly to call the guy the best 3nD player in the league and then disqualify other guys for being too talented to fit that description.

Kawhi, PG and klay are pretty clearly the best 3nD guys in the league because that is the very basic description of their games, they just happened to expand on it.

He’s in the category of high end wing role players though, with porter, ingles, Ariza etc., and should be a good fit next to wiggins.

[MN7725]

Its kind of silly to call the guy the best 3nD player in the league and then disqualify other guys for being too talented to fit that description.

Kawhi, PG and klay are pretty clearly the best 3nD guys in the league because that is the very basic description of their games, they just happened to expand on it.

He’s in the category of high end wing role players though, with porter, ingles, Ariza etc., and should be a good fit next to wiggins.

3/D is somewhat of a backhanded compliment for players that are poor dribblers, poor passers, struggle to finish at rim, etc
It's just a label that focuses on what they can bring to a team while ignoring the many aspects of the offensive game they struggle at

Calling pretty much all of the guys you mentioned 3/D doesn't give them credit for their skill sets

[XDevilBoiX]

Big Shot Bob was Robert Horry.
Has Covington ever made a big shot?

Not that I can remember. Covington frustrated me more then anyone else, I expected more out of him and some consistency on offense. But he is who he is, you guys won’t be frustrated like me if you don’t expect a lot out of him lol. He will contribute on the defensive side of the court but he’s no lock down defender. He’s good at poking the ball lose if he gets beat 1 on 1 and deflects a lot of balls. His shooting is very inconsistent but like Saric, he will give you 100% effort every game.

He has also improve his dribble this year and seem to finish at the rim better also, something he was very awful prior to this year.

[dred926]

The timberwolves traded Zach Lavine, Dunn, Lauri for Butler and Patton.

The timberwolves traded Butler and Patton for Roco, Saric, and Bayless.

So in effect the wolves traded Zach Lavine, Kris Dunn, and Lauri Markkenen for Roco, Saric, Bayless in a year.

I would rather have Zach Lavine alone than Saric/Roco.

Do you understand? You all caught up now?

you are so smart... if we didnt trade for butler we would never have been to the playoffs last year and even with markanen and lavine and dunn we would never make it either. we gambled for butler to make the playoffs dont kid yourself

[FireMorey]

Covington has hit big shots. Not a ton, but he has.

Watch on YouTube

And one against the T-Wolves ironically

Watch on YouTube

[Klomp]

Read on Twitter

[KGdaBom]

Big Shot Bob was Robert Horry.
Has Covington ever made a big shot?

Yes he has. I think it is kind of fun calling him Big Shot Bob. We know that is really only Robert Horry.

[Domejandro]

Just switch it to "Big Shot Rob". Still a parody, but that way it is his own nickname.

[Grubie024]

Yeah, the guy who shoots .359 from 3 on wide open looks for his career and never higher than .374 is the best 3&D guy in the NBA!

He was tied for 91st in 3pt % in the NBA with sharpshooters like Al Farooq Aminu and Marreese Speights and .001 better than the vaunted Jeff Teague!

The year before he was tied for 138th in the league.

The year before that he was tied for 87th in the league.

Hes mediocre at half of the "3&D" equation, cant jump over a phone book, and has little to no offensive game outside of wide open spot up 3's at league average success.

Wake up.

Here's the thing above Covington's shooting.

When he first got to Philly, obviously we were really bad. And the biggest reason why we were bad was the half court offense. No one could create anything, turnovers left and right, ect. So the Sixers decided the best (least worst) way to combat that was to have their three point shooters take shots the second they have any bit of daylight. Even if your feet aren't perfectly set. Even if you are 30 feet from the basket. Let it rip.

They first asked a guy named James Anderson to do it, but he was not comfortable shooting that much, so they got rid of him. Covington was the first guy to come in and really take to it. He would take tons of 3s that many guys would pass up. And the result was, even if they didn't go in, teams had to account for him wherever he was on the court, which opened space for everyone else. And they continued this practice even as Embiid and Simmons started playing, in part I'm sure because the team still lacked half court shot creation. (Something we are hoping Butler can provide)

He's a very good shooter. You watch him in warmups (He's the kind of guy that goes out 75 minutes before every game and does a long hard meticulous shooting routine) and he's draining everything. I have no doubt that if he took 3 3s a game only when he's wide open like Aminu does, he would shoot well above 40%. And if Thibs tells him to only shoot in those situations, I'm sure he will. But if they want him to continue to be aggressive, he'll shoot above league average on some of the highest volume of the league, which is itself valuable.

Since I'm already talking about him, in terms of his defense: You guys are getting a great defensive player, but you need to understand what he is and what he isn't. He's not Tony Allen. He's not a shutdown corner or a star stopper. His on ball defense is ok to good (was bad in the playoffs against the Celtics last year). His main value in that aspect is that he legitimately can play solid on ball defense on anyone 1-4.

But when it comes to team defense, he's legitimately one of the 3 or 4 best wings in the league. He is incredible at digging down on drives and getting his hands on balls. His steals and blocks numbers this year have been out of this world, and that's only the tip of the iceberg. He's consistently at the top the leaderboard in deflection rate and contested shots. He's always getting his hands on balls and causing turnovers.

Those two aspects made him somewhat of a controversial figure in Philly. If you didn't like him, it was because he was a chucker and was overrated defensively because he couldn't lock people down. If you liked him, he's a good shooter that was following orders to take shots, and his team defense more than made up for any deficiencies. As you can guess, I was in the latter camp.

I hope he does well. I am worried about Thibs playing him 45 minutes a game.

Awesome post. Thank you for the insight. I'm excited to watch this man get to work and I'm sure Wolves fans will take to him quickly.
Good luck in the east and with Butler.

[KGdaBom]

Its kind of silly to call the guy the best 3nD player in the league and then disqualify other guys for being too talented to fit that description.

Kawhi, PG and klay are pretty clearly the best 3nD guys in the league because that is the very basic description of their games, they just happened to expand on it.

He’s in the category of high end wing role players though, with porter, ingles, Ariza etc., and should be a good fit next to wiggins.

3/D is somewhat of a backhanded compliment for players that are poor dribblers, poor passers, struggle to finish at rim, etc
It's just a label that focuses on what they can bring to a team while ignoring the many aspects of the offensive game they struggle at

Calling pretty much all of the guys you mentioned 3/D doesn't give them credit for their skill sets

When you call a player a 3&D guy you are referring to their role on the team being to play tough D usually perimeter D as under the basket Centers are never referred to as 3&D guys. Also they are meant to primarily stay on the perimeter taking three point shots. If the players role is to be the primary scorer or passer for his team than he doesn't get referred to as a 3&D guy. It doesn't mean that the 3&D player doesn't have decent dribbling, passing, or rebounding skills. It does mean that those parts of their games aren't featured.