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

[KGdaBom]

Run it back.

Knee-jerk moves in business are generally ill-advised.

Let's see what a whole season of a healthy Conley, Edwards, McDaniels, Towns and Gobert can do.

I'm pretty optimistic.

I see that team as a title contender.

[juju14]

Why doesn't he perform in the playoffs

[thinktank]

Why doesn't he perform in the playoffs

A few things, imo:

-On D, he’s just not that good. More of a neutral to slightly below average defensive presence. That’s tough because he’s guarding a lot more space next to Gobert. KAT in space on D can also lead to foul trouble.

-On O, he tends to be a bit of a ball stopper. When he catches it, he surveys the floor too much instead of making a quick read and keeping the offense moving. If there’s no double-team, he needs to make his move right away. If there’s a double, similarly, get that ball moving right away. It’s easier to pass out of the double-team before it clamps down on him. Jokic is great at this (pass before you’re swamped with two defenders).

-Another point on O: If KAT is being guarded by a smaller player, Finch needs to recognize that and put him in the post and feed him. Force the D to make a choice between doubling or not. Then, see the above point. I really do not like KAT on the perimeter when guarded by a smaller player. That’s not an advantage for us. But KAT throwing his sweet baby hook inside and over a smaller player IS to our advantage.

[Dewey]

The BBIQ difference between Jokic and Kat is quite large. Playoffs are a different pace and intensity than the regular season … Kat does not process it while Jokic does so quite naturally. Kat will generally whine a lot as he is mentally losing his composure - Jokic just adapts and plays through it. Two totally different people when facing adversity.

[Klomp]

-On O, he tends to be a bit of a ball stopper. When he catches it, he surveys the floor too much instead of making a quick read and keeping the offense moving. If there’s no double-team, he needs to make his move right away. If there’s a double, similarly, get that ball moving right away. It’s easier to pass out of the double-team before it clamps down on him. Jokic is great at this (pass before you’re swamped with two defenders).

This is something I'm hoping can be corrected somewhat with better surroundings, as I was saying in another thread. The team is filled with ball-movers now rather than ball-stoppers. Hoping that it's contagious. Last season was actually one of his lowest usage percentages of his career. Now we need to work on that career-worst turnover percentage. But his assist percentage was one of his best, so he was still making plays out there.

[TheZachAttack]

-On O, he tends to be a bit of a ball stopper. When he catches it, he surveys the floor too much instead of making a quick read and keeping the offense moving. If there’s no double-team, he needs to make his move right away. If there’s a double, similarly, get that ball moving right away. It’s easier to pass out of the double-team before it clamps down on him. Jokic is great at this (pass before you’re swamped with two defenders).

This is something I'm hoping can be corrected somewhat with better surroundings, as I was saying in another thread. The team is filled with ball-movers now rather than ball-stoppers. Hoping that it's contagious. Last season was actually one of his lowest usage percentages of his career. Now we need to work on that career-worst turnover percentage. But his assist percentage was one of his best, so he was still making plays out there.

What is the basis for this and how it is different than previous years teams?

[Klomp]

What is the basis for this and how it is different than previous years teams?

D'Angelo Russell
Jaylen Nowell

Two significant ball-stoppers. Before them, we've had guys like Malik Beasley and Andrew Wiggins as culprits.

[TheZachAttack]

What is the basis for this and how it is different than previous years teams?

D'Angelo Russell
Jaylen Nowell

Two significant ball-stoppers.

Nowell wasn't meaningfully in the playoff rotation. D lo wasn't in the playoff rotation either and Towns showed no noticeable differences in the way you are trying to suggest.

[shrink]

Last year, Towns best two-man line up in Net Rating was with MacLaughlin, and previous year he was his #2 pairing. The top three pairings last year were MacLaughlin, NAW and Conley, and all three move the ball. Now, I don’t know if this is causation or just correlation, but these aren’t the three most talented players, so I suspect something is going on here.

The other thing this brings to mind is that previous coaches were always telling Towns NOT to pass, and he needed to raise his Usage. That made sense too, because a double-covered Towns was often still better than many of his open crappy teammates. I agree that he has to become better at passing out of double-teams, but it’s not going to happen in the final eight games of last season. Hopefully an off-season alongside players that score, or at least keep the ball moving, will help. I think Towns mentality is as a willing passer.

[thinktank]

-On O, he tends to be a bit of a ball stopper. When he catches it, he surveys the floor too much instead of making a quick read and keeping the offense moving. If there’s no double-team, he needs to make his move right away. If there’s a double, similarly, get that ball moving right away. It’s easier to pass out of the double-team before it clamps down on him. Jokic is great at this (pass before you’re swamped with two defenders).

This is something I'm hoping can be corrected somewhat with better surroundings, as I was saying in another thread. The team is filled with ball-movers now rather than ball-stoppers. Hoping that it's contagious. Last season was actually one of his lowest usage percentages of his career. Now we need to work on that career-worst turnover percentage. But his assist percentage was one of his best, so he was still making plays out there.

For sure. Doesn’t it seem like Connelly believes in Spurs ball? Look at championship teams. Is there any other kind of “ball”? Not really. Even Air Jordan had the triangle. Lebron is kind of a ball stopper but guess what? He’s a great passer. Lakers passed. Celtics passed. Pistons passed. Blazers passed (loved the Walton doc—relevant as ever right now with the game and current culture).

Related: When Jokic catches it at X spot on the floor, there are Y and Z cuts planned in successive fashion for Jokic to choose from. I’m concerned that Finch doesn’t have those either planned out (because free flow) or he’s not disciplining the team to execute them. I lean towards the former.

If I’m Finch, I’m absolutely stealing from the Denver Nuggets and running successive, coordinated, planned cuts when KAT catches it. KAT deserves the opportunity to see if he can make those same passes.

There should be a rhythm to our (half court) offense that is like a boxer throwing punches patterned after Jokic and Murray. That’s a good recipe. Big and little. Boom bap. In unpredictable sequence.

[SO_MONEY]

-On O, he tends to be a bit of a ball stopper. When he catches it, he surveys the floor too much instead of making a quick read and keeping the offense moving. If there’s no double-team, he needs to make his move right away. If there’s a double, similarly, get that ball moving right away. It’s easier to pass out of the double-team before it clamps down on him. Jokic is great at this (pass before you’re swamped with two defenders).

This is something I'm hoping can be corrected somewhat with better surroundings, as I was saying in another thread. The team is filled with ball-movers now rather than ball-stoppers. Hoping that it's contagious. Last season was actually one of his lowest usage percentages of his career. Now we need to work on that career-worst turnover percentage. But his assist percentage was one of his best, so he was still making plays out there.

For sure. Doesn’t it seem like Connelly believes in Spurs ball? Look at championship teams. Is there any other kind of “ball”? Not really. Even Air Jordan had the triangle. Lebron is kind of a ball stopper but guess what? He’s a great passer. Lakers passed. Celtics passed. Pistons passed. Blazers passed (loved the Walton doc—relevant as ever right now with the game and current culture).

Related: When Jokic catches it at X spot on the floor, there are Y and Z cuts planned in successive fashion for Jokic to choose from. I’m concerned that Finch doesn’t have those either planned out (because free flow) or he’s not disciplining the team to execute them. I lean towards the former.

If I’m Finch, I’m absolutely stealing from the Denver Nuggets and running successive, coordinated, planned cuts when KAT catches it. KAT deserves the opportunity to see if he can make those same passes.

There should be a rhythm to our (half court) offense that is like a boxer throwing punches patterned after Jokic and Murray. That’s a good recipe. Big and little. Boom bap. In unpredictable sequence.

The best recent display of team basketball was when Dallas made their run with Dirk. That team's ball movement was something I haven't seen since.

KAT either can't or won't pass... personally I don't think he recognizes defenses or understands there are open men when at times three guys collapse on you. I truly suspect it is a BBIQ thing.

[minimus]

What is the basis for this and how it is different than previous years teams?

D'Angelo Russell
Jaylen Nowell

Two significant ball-stoppers. Before them, we've had guys like Malik Beasley and Andrew Wiggins as culprits.

Before DLo got traded he played his best basketball in term of quick decision-making and ball movement. Part of it was his motivation to get new contract, but I think that Anderson was very helpful as secondary playmaker. I hope he will do the same as backup PF/PG this year.

[thinktank]

This is something I'm hoping can be corrected somewhat with better surroundings, as I was saying in another thread. The team is filled with ball-movers now rather than ball-stoppers. Hoping that it's contagious. Last season was actually one of his lowest usage percentages of his career. Now we need to work on that career-worst turnover percentage. But his assist percentage was one of his best, so he was still making plays out there.

For sure. Doesn’t it seem like Connelly believes in Spurs ball? Look at championship teams. Is there any other kind of “ball”? Not really. Even Air Jordan had the triangle. Lebron is kind of a ball stopper but guess what? He’s a great passer. Lakers passed. Celtics passed. Pistons passed. Blazers passed (loved the Walton doc—relevant as ever right now with the game and current culture).

Related: When Jokic catches it at X spot on the floor, there are Y and Z cuts planned in successive fashion for Jokic to choose from. I’m concerned that Finch doesn’t have those either planned out (because free flow) or he’s not disciplining the team to execute them. I lean towards the former.

If I’m Finch, I’m absolutely stealing from the Denver Nuggets and running successive, coordinated, planned cuts when KAT catches it. KAT deserves the opportunity to see if he can make those same passes.

There should be a rhythm to our (half court) offense that is like a boxer throwing punches patterned after Jokic and Murray. That’s a good recipe. Big and little. Boom bap. In unpredictable sequence.

The best recent display of team basketball was when Dallas made their run with Dirk. That team's ball movement was something I haven't seen since.

KAT either can't or won't pass... personally I don't think he recognizes defenses or understands there are open men when at times three guys collapse on you. I truly suspect it is a BBIQ thing.

I’ve always been partial to what Pop did with his big three.

Dirk I remember more for him bailing them out in the midrange. And Corey Brewer everywhere.

[Klomp]

What is the basis for this and how it is different than previous years teams?

D'Angelo Russell
Jaylen Nowell

Two significant ball-stoppers. Before them, we've had guys like Malik Beasley and Andrew Wiggins as culprits.

Before DLo got traded he played his best basketball in term of quick decision-making and ball movement. Part of it was his motivation to get new contract, but I think that Anderson was very helpful as secondary playmaker. I hope he will do the same as backup PF/PG this year.

Another thing that feeds into this is not only what they do with the ball, but also what they do without the ball. Most of the guys I listed were not only ball-stoppers but ball-watchers as well. Something I've seen from Brown, Milton, NAW, Miller and Clark is they all seem to be active off the ball with a number of smart cuts on tape. When you're playing with Edwards and Towns, that's crucial.

[younggunsmn]

This is something I'm hoping can be corrected somewhat with better surroundings, as I was saying in another thread. The team is filled with ball-movers now rather than ball-stoppers. Hoping that it's contagious. Last season was actually one of his lowest usage percentages of his career. Now we need to work on that career-worst turnover percentage. But his assist percentage was one of his best, so he was still making plays out there.

For sure. Doesn’t it seem like Connelly believes in Spurs ball? Look at championship teams. Is there any other kind of “ball”? Not really. Even Air Jordan had the triangle. Lebron is kind of a ball stopper but guess what? He’s a great passer. Lakers passed. Celtics passed. Pistons passed. Blazers passed (loved the Walton doc—relevant as ever right now with the game and current culture).

Related: When Jokic catches it at X spot on the floor, there are Y and Z cuts planned in successive fashion for Jokic to choose from. I’m concerned that Finch doesn’t have those either planned out (because free flow) or he’s not disciplining the team to execute them. I lean towards the former.

If I’m Finch, I’m absolutely stealing from the Denver Nuggets and running successive, coordinated, planned cuts when KAT catches it. KAT deserves the opportunity to see if he can make those same passes.

There should be a rhythm to our (half court) offense that is like a boxer throwing punches patterned after Jokic and Murray. That’s a good recipe. Big and little. Boom bap. In unpredictable sequence.

The best recent display of team basketball was when Dallas made their run with Dirk. That team's ball movement was something I haven't seen since.

KAT either can't or won't pass... personally I don't think he recognizes defenses or understands there are open men when at times three guys collapse on you. I truly suspect it is a BBIQ thing.

Tunnel vision is a big problem for KAT. Edwards has issues with it too.

Being able to react on the fly to changes in the defense is a high level skill, not a lot of guys have it.
It manifests itself through preparation and repetition.

The nuggets had counters for everything we threw at them on both ends of the floor.
And they had guys who could execute those plans, Jokic putting on an all tme clinic.

Part of it is that our offense, being so organic and free flowing, doesn't lend itself to the kind of structure necessary for that.

Sometimes I think it would have helped some of our guys (especially KAT and ANT) learn better if Finch called the same play 15 times in a row and made them run it until they could execute it perfectly. The defense will adjust so they have to master all the counters. That's what an old school coach would have done.

[Klomp]

I think it's important to remember...

Watch on YouTube

[Klomp]

Read on Twitter

[Baseline81]

Read on Twitter

Honestly, if that's all Michelobius can come up for reasons to trade Towns, he's not trying too hard.

[thinktank]

I think it's important to remember...

Watch on YouTube

It’s important to remember not just the highlights, but the defensive lowlights, too.

Remember everything.

[TimberKat]

Read on Twitter

Honestly, if that's all Michelobius can come up for reasons to trade Towns, he's not trying too hard.

A lot of the other reasons to trade Towns such as fit, defense, flexibility, etc are encompassed in the point "unlikely to find a replacement as good". Working around the cap is a non issue if owner is willing to paid. Get draft picks as currency for future trade but those picks can also go down in value. So may as well holding on to Towns as currency until a good replacement is found in a trade. I don't think he missed a lot of points but he is certainly in the don't trade Towns yet camp.