Comparing 2nd year Harden vs 2nd year Lamb

Podirk · Post #1 » by **Podirk** » Mon Dec 2, 2013 9:58 pm

http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... 01&y2=2014

Interesting stuff...obviously where Lambs growth goes from here is up in the air...but he is playing good so far.

Podirk · Post #2 » by **Podirk** » Mon Dec 2, 2013 10:01 pm

The biggest area I think Lamb needs work now is getting FTs.

GREENE1148 · Post #3 » by **GREENE1148** » Tue Dec 3, 2013 5:55 am

Podirk wrote:The biggest area I think Lamb needs work now is getting FTs.

Lamb is currently scoring 1.04 ppp (points per possession) that's good for 38th in league... this is because his TOV% is so low (doesn't drive/try to beat his defender).

I understand that his FT/48 are alarmingly low, but how do player get the bulk of their free throws? By driving into the paint... that's not really what I want to see from Lamb, we have Russell, KD and Reggie for that, we need a knockdown 3 point shooter... I'd love to see him improve at coming off screens and using off ball movement to get his points, like Danny Green does.

Edit: For comparison's sake, James Harden is scoring 1.02 ppp thus far this season...

Post #4 » by **wizkid27** » Tue Dec 3, 2013 6:17 am

It's just in comparison to Harden that Lamb really sucks at getting to the line. On the flip side, that is probably Harden's single best attribute and because of that a tough point of comparison to Lamb.

It is really just a tough comparison to make all around. Harden's role was a bit of Jackson's current role and a bit of Lamb's. Both of those two provide better D than Harden but less offensive creation. Because of Russ and KD's amazing offensive abilities, we need roster balance, D, and role players more than another top 5 offensive player at this point... making it all work out for the better.

spearsy23 · Post #5 » by **spearsy23** » Tue Dec 3, 2013 9:37 am

I hope to hell Lamb shows 10 million dollars worth of value and not fifteen. I think it's pretty likely since he's not a ball in hand player like Harden, which is great for this team.

GrapeApe · Post #6 » by **GrapeApe** » Wed Dec 4, 2013 7:04 pm

Podirk wrote:The biggest area I think Lamb needs work now is getting FTs.

I don't want to jinks him, but I don't think Lamb has missed a free throw yet... in his NBA career.

Podirk · Post #7 » by **Podirk** » Wed Dec 4, 2013 7:20 pm

GrapeApe wrote:
Podirk wrote:The biggest area I think Lamb needs work now is getting FTs.

I don't want to jinks him, but I don't think Lamb has missed a free throw yet... in his NBA career.

All the more reason to get more Freebies

Fabio19 · Post #8 » by **Fabio19** » Wed Dec 4, 2013 11:35 pm

GrapeApe wrote:
Podirk wrote:The biggest area I think Lamb needs work now is getting FTs.

I don't want to jinks him, but I don't think Lamb has missed a free throw yet... in his NBA career.

You're right. He's 26-26 from the free throw line.

GREENE1148 · Post #9 » by **GREENE1148** » Thu Dec 5, 2013 8:20 am

James Harden now scoring 0.98 ppp, and Lamb up to 1.07ppp

Podirk · Post #10 » by **Podirk** » Thu Dec 5, 2013 2:09 pm

Portland last night, Lamb had a steal and a break away. Once he learns to draw the contact and get to the line his whole game will explode.

comingbacktousa · Post #11 » by **comingbacktousa** » Thu Dec 5, 2013 2:36 pm

For a young player he has been extremely consistent. 14/17 games so far with a ts% at or above 50%.

comingbacktousa · Post #12 » by **comingbacktousa** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 5:37 pm

Lamb is currently top 15 in eFG% and TOV% in the league right now. His shot chart is also a thing of beauty. His worse shot is oddly a corner 3.
http://stats.nba.com/playerShotchart.ht ... rID=203087

NaturalThunder · Post #13 » by **NaturalThunder** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:46 pm

comingbacktousa wrote:Lamb is currently top 15 in eFG% and TOV% in the league right now. His shot chart is also a thing of beauty. His worse shot is oddly a corner 3.
http://stats.nba.com/playerShotchart.ht ... rID=203087

That's the spot on the floor where I know he's hit the side of the backboard once or twice and completely overshot it and airballed it another time or two. Odd since that's supposed to be on the easiest shots in basketball. Guess one way to look at it is that he's already consistently very good from everywhere else and just about anyone can turn into at least a decent corner 3P shooter.

Bravenewworld · Post #14 » by **Bravenewworld** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 1:50 am

Its easy to compare the stats of two players and while they are both more 2 guards then anything else, they are very different players offensively and defensively.
IMO Reggie Jackson's style compares to Harden way more than Lamb and would probably be a better comparative player.

That being said im really glad we got Lamb and i think in the long run we are better off with Jackson and Lambs combined style then we are with simply Harden. The trade obviously held us back a year and hell, it could hold us back a second year as well. But when all is said in done we become deeper and more versatile because of it.

CKRT · Post #15 » by **CKRT** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 6:43 am

GREENE1148 wrote:James Harden now scoring 0.98 ppp, and Lamb up to 1.07ppp

I don't think their roles are remotely comparable right now.

We can stop these comparisons. Harden is one of, if not the best FT drawing guard to ever play. We can't seriously be expecting any of our rookies, or young players to develop to anywhere close to that. It's time we stop trying to find a replacement for Harden, because that isn't going to happen with our picks or young players. We can only hope to find something that gives us variety, and Reggie and Lamb are certainly providing it.

comingbacktousa · Post #16 » by **comingbacktousa** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 4:10 pm

There is nothing wrong with comparing the 2. 2nd year Harden wasn't the same player he was in his 3rd year or today. Maynor was the backup pg and ran the 2nd unit for the most part, so really their roles were quite similar. Harden was still the better passer than Lamb, but Lamb also turns the ball over at a very low rate. So its pick your poison kind of thing.

Okc has done a good job replacing Harden's 6th man production, the stats back this up. But can we not make this another what if thread about Harden, and just leave it as a comparison of their 2nd year in the league?

Thunderhead · Post #17 » by **Thunderhead** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 8:27 pm

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/66069538

comingbacktousa · Post #18 » by **comingbacktousa** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 4:21 pm

Good article on Lamb.

Lamb needs to take a page out of Harden's book and just take the contact at the rim instead of trying his best to avoid it and then putting up a circus shot.

5 straight games without a turnover is nice though.