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GT #44: Pistons @ Bullets - 7:30 PM [3/27/21]

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Re: GT #44: Pistons @ Bullets - 7:30 PM [3/27/21] 

Post#81 » by SUPERBALLMAN » Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:16 am

DCZards wrote:
nate33 wrote:My original post was in no way a criticism of Mathews. I love Mathews and I am very impressed with his improvement and work ethic. He has gotten much stronger over the past year and his defense is way better. And we are now even starting to see him make a few plays off the bounce when a defender closes too aggressively.

My post was a criticism of how bereft our team is of legit NBA talent. At the moment, I don't think Mathews is well rounded enough to be a starter on a decent team, but he is the clear and obvious choice as the starter on this team. That's sad. And it's not just an indictment of the scouting and player development. It's an indictment of Brooks. How can he have all these recent 1st and 2nd round pick wing prospects (Avdija, Brown, Bonga, Robinson) but not give them a consistent role so that he can build confidence in them? The only guy they seem worried about developing is Hachimura. (And they've actually done a nice job with him.)

Mathews has been a real find for the Zards and an important contributor. But he is not a starting quality NBA player...thus my "mostly sad" response to your post/question.

Speaking of Rui...and getting back to last night's game. I thought Rui was very impressive in the 4th quarter when he scored 8 or 9 pts. He scored in a variety of ways...fadeaway jumpers off the bounce, getting to the FT line and running the court for easy hoops.

Rui stepped up last night when the Zards needed him the most.




Seems to me Matthews has fallen into the hustle & D role, I'm sure getting positive feedback from coaches and teammates and recognition that it is what has earned him playing time. But he spends so much effort flailing around that he seems to have forgotten what got him into the league which was his shooting stroke. Watching him run around and waving his arms and flopping on the floor, kicking his legs and falling every time he shoots now looking for a foul... IMO he needs to get back to his true special skill of stroking that 3ball and focus on his shooting form and making his shots instead of looking for fouls... :-?
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Re: GT #44: Pistons @ Bullets - 7:30 PM [3/27/21] 

Post#82 » by payitforward » Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:38 am

SUPERBALLMAN wrote:Seems to me Matthews has fallen into the hustle & D role, I'm sure getting positive feedback from coaches and teammates and recognition that it is what has earned him playing time. But he spends so much effort flailing around that he seems to have forgotten what got him into the league which was his shooting stroke. Watching him run around and waving his arms and flopping on the floor, kicking his legs and falling every time he shoots now looking for a foul... IMO he needs to get back to his true special skill of stroking that 3ball and focus on his shooting form and making his shots instead of looking for fouls... :-?

This is the problem with him starting alongside Westbrook & Beal -- he doesn't get shot opportunities! Has nothing to do with Mathews falling into a role. Westbrook never gets him the ball, & when Beal gets the ball he almost always tries to score.
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Re: GT #44: Pistons @ Bullets - 7:30 PM [3/27/21] 

Post#83 » by nate33 » Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:23 am

SUPERBALLMAN wrote:Seems to me Matthews has fallen into the hustle & D role, I'm sure getting positive feedback from coaches and teammates and recognition that it is what has earned him playing time. But he spends so much effort flailing around that he seems to have forgotten what got him into the league which was his shooting stroke. Watching him run around and waving his arms and flopping on the floor, kicking his legs and falling every time he shoots now looking for a foul... IMO he needs to get back to his true special skill of stroking that 3ball and focus on his shooting form and making his shots instead of looking for fouls... :-?

?

The flailing around for fouls works. There are only 6 non centers in the entire league who have a higher FTr (FTAs/FGA). The guy has a TS% of .670. And he still shoots 42% on threes, even though nobody gives him any space. What more do you want?

I can't believe someone is going to criticize Mathews for his shooting, of all things.
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Re: GT #44: Pistons @ Bullets - 7:30 PM [3/27/21] 

Post#84 » by SUPERBALLMAN » Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:21 am

nate33 wrote:
SUPERBALLMAN wrote:Seems to me Matthews has fallen into the hustle & D role, I'm sure getting positive feedback from coaches and teammates and recognition that it is what has earned him playing time. But he spends so much effort flailing around that he seems to have forgotten what got him into the league which was his shooting stroke. Watching him run around and waving his arms and flopping on the floor, kicking his legs and falling every time he shoots now looking for a foul... IMO he needs to get back to his true special skill of stroking that 3ball and focus on his shooting form and making his shots instead of looking for fouls... :-?

?

The flailing around for fouls works. There are only 6 non centers in the entire league who have a higher FTr (FTAs/FGA). The guy has a TS% of .670. And he still shoots 42% on threes, even though nobody gives him any space. What more do you want?

I can't believe someone is going to criticize Mathews for his shooting, of all things.



IMO he tries too hard to get fouls, it's going to stop working, depending on the refs to bail you out constantly is not dependable. And he's going to end up getting injured running into people like that all the time! And there was a play vs Detroit for example he was down the left side corner behind the 3 pt line, and he was so busy trying to get his arm caught into the player defending him to draw a foul that Deni was looking to pass him the ball for a shot because he was open, but Mathews wasn't even looking at Deni to get the ball he was so focused on trying to sucker his defender into a foul, so Deni instead passed it to Robinson who shot it and missed. I like Mathews alot, I just think he gets too caught up in trying to get fouls and being too unselfish, I love his heart and hustle, I just wish he would look to shoot more, that is his true special ability and would benefit the team. He is too often just a ball mover on offense , he gets it and moves it like it's hot potato when he's open for a shot. Otto Porter comes to mind as far as that.... Dude you're wide open, shoot the ball instead of passing it to someone else to shoot it who isn't as good a shooter!? Hello? The ball comes to him and he has already predetermined he's immediately passing it without any consideration given to shooting it. I'm sure his teammates appreciate the unselfishness , but he's a guy with his shooting ability that should be more selfish. Getting fouls are great, but he should be shooting 8+ threes a game.
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Re: GT #44: Pistons @ Bullets - 7:30 PM [3/27/21] 

Post#85 » by nate33 » Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:28 am

SUPERBALLMAN wrote:He is too often just a ball mover on offense , he gets it and moves it like it's hot potato when he's open for a shot. Otto Porter comes to mind as far as that.... Dude you're wide open, shoot the ball instead of passing it to someone else to shoot it who isn't as good a shooter!? Hello? The ball comes to him and he has already predetermined he's immediately passing it without any consideration given to shooting it. I'm sure his teammates appreciate the unselfishness , but he's a guy with his shooting ability that should be more selfish. Getting fouls are great, but he should be shooting 8+ threes a game.

I don't recall Mathews ever turning down a clear look from 3 (and he shouldn't). I would like him to get more 3PA's up, but the problem there is that Brooks won't run any plays for him. Mathews should be coming off of pindowns and curls all the time, not standing in the corner. It would be nice if Westbrook kicked it out to him every once in a while too.

I don't think Mathews seeking out fouls is preventing him from getting shots up.

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