The OFFICIAL rookie impressions thread pt.III

branny · Post #261 » by **branny** » Fri Feb 15, 2013 10:30 am

this thread.

Jon1798 · Post #262 » by **Jon1798** » Fri Feb 15, 2013 2:22 pm

Let's take this thread off the deep end now.

Austin Rivers has looked very solid as of late. In February, he's averaged 6.4 points on 47.4% from the field, 50% from three(2-4), and 63.6% from the FT(7-11) in 22.7 minutes a game. As per usual, watching him play he's been even better than his numbers suggest. He's probably been one of the Hornets best man to man defenders. Monty still won't let him run the point with the second unit where I think many believe he would really strive. He has started the last two games in place of Eric Gordon and played a total of 61 minutes of basketball with only 1 turnover and two blowout wins.

As much fun as everyone has ripping the kid, he really does show a lot of promise.

GhostsOfGil · Post #263 » by **GhostsOfGil** » Fri Feb 15, 2013 2:42 pm

Jon1798 wrote:Let's take this thread off the deep end now.

Austin Rivers has looked very solid as of late. In February, he's averaged 6.4 points on 47.4% from the field, 50% from three(2-4), and 63.6% from the FT(7-11) in 22.7 minutes a game. As per usual, watching him play he's been even better than his numbers suggest. He's probably been one of the Hornets best man to man defenders. Monty still won't let him run the point with the second unit where I think many believe he would really strive. He has started the last two games in place of Eric Gordon and played a total of 61 minutes of basketball with only 1 turnover and two blowout wins.

As much fun as everyone has ripping the kid, he really does show a lot of promise.

I'm so torn on Rivers. When I saw him play against Washington I was thoroughly impressed but his advanced stats are just horrendous. I mean were praising the guy for scoring 6 points in 23 minutes with a 2 week sample size. Jon, you've seen him play quite a bit, what do you think his ceiling is?

nin10doe · Post #264 » by **nin10doe** » Fri Feb 15, 2013 4:55 pm

The Sebastian Express wrote:Davis only added 6 points and 3 rebounds in 'garbage' time. It's not like he doubled his stats. I don't see the problem with him accumulating those stats, his game was impressive enough tonight without them. I had no problem with him playing as a Blazers fan, though as a Hornicans fan I might have been worried about playing my franchise player in a game with a thirty plus differential (I see Monty picked that one up from Nate).

Thats definitely not something Monty usually does, fwiw. For the last month +, they've been keeping Davis on a pretty strict minutes limit. They try to keep him below 30 minutes, no matter how well he's playing.

Davis was coming off of his two worst games of the season prior to the Portland game and looked like he was losing confidence and/or hitting the rookie wall. Im almost positive that the only reason Davis was in that game late is because he was having his best game in a couple weeks and Monty wanted him to go into all star weekend on a positive note. So, Monty left him in and was still able to keep him under 30 minutes. It definitely wasn't to rub it in or pad stats because Davis has gotten yanked multiple times over the last month, even when playing great, because he'd hit his minutes limit.

JWiLL02 · Post #265 » by **JWiLL02** » Fri Feb 15, 2013 8:33 pm

So who's replacing Drummond in the game tonight?

Jonas has had some of the bigger games for any of the rookie bigs this year, would like to see him get that spot.

NBA Fan 1234 · Post #266 » by **NBA Fan 1234** » Fri Feb 15, 2013 8:44 pm

Wasn't it reported Nicholson would replace him?

Elden Payton · Post #267 » by **Elden Payton** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 12:24 am

Paco's right, it's Nicholson.

nickforthreee · Post #268 » by **nickforthreee** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 4:06 am

rookie impression: shved is athletic!

lazfa199 · Post #269 » by **lazfa199** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 4:52 am

Asides from Portland highlights here and there, I haven't really watched Lillard play. Hes much bigger than I thought he was. Chris Paul is still going to be an all star for years to come, but if and when Tony Parker starts to decline the competition for that all star spot among west PG's is going to be fun to watch.

boogie-reke · Post #270 » by **boogie-reke** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 5:35 am

nickforthreee wrote:rookie impression: shved is athletic!

That was known to people who see him.

My impression is Nikola Vucevic has what looked to be real 3pt range potential in his jumper if he puts in the work.

His shot looks good. If he manages to add that element to his game he's gonna be making the big bucks in this current league. Elite rebounding legit 7 footer with 3pt range? that's what every coach in today's league is creaming his pants for.

ComboGuardCity · Post #271 » by **ComboGuardCity** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 7:24 am

You can't take an NBA player shooting 3s in an all star game seriously. These guys are pros. I've seen Ben Wallace hit 15 straight 3s from dead center. Game situations are different.

boogie-reke · Post #272 » by **boogie-reke** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 8:00 am

The emphasis is on the word 'potential' and 'if he works on it'.

He's already a decent midrange jumpshooter and isn't shy of taking long 2's aswell - he shows he has the range and his shot looked very good too - I don't think that Ben Wallace example applies here.

Not saying he'll be Kevin Love or anything, but he shows signs that he can have that ability to step out and be a threat from 3 when needed too at times which is where the league is going to with bigmen anyways.

Post #273 » by **NO-KG-AI** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 8:37 am

Wasn't he a decent 3 point shooter in college? I could see him being a legit threat from there.

Ziggy Stardust · Post #274 » by **Ziggy Stardust** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 9:09 am

Shved is a good player, but he's so dirty. Which I wouldn't mind if he was on my team. Honestly I'd kinda like it, and the edge he brought as long as he didn't try to seriously hurt someone, or try to go after a sore spot like somebody tried to do to Bogut a few weeks back right after he came back from injury. I'm just pissed that he effed Kyries ankle up right before the last game of the break, and before the All star and three point shootout.

KazuoOda · Post #275 » by **KazuoOda** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 2:55 pm

Dion has been playing great in the last month. He's stopped taking questionable shots and his FG% has risen. His FG% in is .507. Him and Kyrie are more comfortable together as well and that will only get better with time.

mandurugo · Post #276 » by **mandurugo** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 2:58 pm

Ziggy Stardust wrote:Shved is a good player, but he's so dirty. Which I wouldn't mind if he was on my team. Honestly I'd kinda like it, and the edge he brought as long as he didn't try to seriously hurt someone, or try to go after a sore spot like somebody tried to do to Bogut a few weeks back right after he came back from injury. I'm just pissed that he effed Kyries ankle up right before the last game of the break, and before the All star and three point shootout.

You must be joking.

Jon1798 · Post #277 » by **Jon1798** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 3:08 pm

GhostsOfGil wrote:
Jon1798 wrote:Let's take this thread off the deep end now.

Austin Rivers has looked very solid as of late. In February, he's averaged 6.4 points on 47.4% from the field, 50% from three(2-4), and 63.6% from the FT(7-11) in 22.7 minutes a game. As per usual, watching him play he's been even better than his numbers suggest. He's probably been one of the Hornets best man to man defenders. Monty still won't let him run the point with the second unit where I think many believe he would really strive. He has started the last two games in place of Eric Gordon and played a total of 61 minutes of basketball with only 1 turnover and two blowout wins.

As much fun as everyone has ripping the kid, he really does show a lot of promise.

I'm so torn on Rivers. When I saw him play against Washington I was thoroughly impressed but his advanced stats are just horrendous. I mean were praising the guy for scoring 6 points in 23 minutes with a 2 week sample size. Jon, you've seen him play quite a bit, what do you think his ceiling is?

Most everyone who didn't hate him going in, and watched him play this season came away with the same impression. He looked good, but his numbers didn't.

A couple of big things that hurt his advanced stats are the fact that he has played a lot of minutes, and never shoots. The kid has been way too passive this season. Go compare the amount of shots he's taken vs guys like Beal and Waiters and it's staggerring. And then, Rivers has struggled at the FT line. It appears to mostly be mental. You can just see in his face that he feels everyone watching him. He's settled down a good bit lately.

On the flip side, Brian Roberts' advanced stats look great, and no Hornets fan would hesitate to take Rivers over Roberts.

As for ceiling, that's tough. I think he's a point guard for sure(funny considering everyone's opinions going in.) Maybe not ceiling, but I see him as everything we thought Jeremy Lin could be. Good size, good scorer, surprisingly solid defender with quick hands. Probably long term one of the lower end starting PG's or higher end backup point guards.

Post #278 » by **C.lupus** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 3:14 pm

Ziggy Stardust wrote:Shved is a good player, but he's so dirty. Which I wouldn't mind if he was on my team. Honestly I'd kinda like it, and the edge he brought as long as he didn't try to seriously hurt someone, or try to go after a sore spot like somebody tried to do to Bogut a few weeks back right after he came back from injury. I'm just pissed that he effed Kyries ankle up right before the last game of the break, and before the All star and three point shootout.

So contesting a shot with your arms straight up is now considered dirty? :roll:

Ziggy Stardust · Post #279 » by **Ziggy Stardust** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 6:11 pm

mandurugo wrote:
Ziggy Stardust wrote:Shved is a good player, but he's so dirty. Which I wouldn't mind if he was on my team. Honestly I'd kinda like it, and the edge he brought as long as he didn't try to seriously hurt someone, or try to go after a sore spot like somebody tried to do to Bogut a few weeks back right after he came back from injury. I'm just pissed that he effed Kyries ankle up right before the last game of the break, and before the All star and three point shootout.

You must be joking.

go to the 50 second mark.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAAVhhWeKfk[/youtube]

hangntuff · Post #280 » by **hangntuff** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 6:21 pm

There's nothing dirty about that...and that includes the 50 second mark.

Shveds foot...the one that Irving lands on... is directly under Shveds body. Take a closer look. It is his other leg that is sticking out.

Shved's leg that Irving steps on is under Shved like it would befor anybody. It is his other leg...which affects nobody that is sticking out.

As a matter of fact as I look at it you can see Irvings legs are flying forward as he lands in an unusual manner.