Rookie Discussion Thread

[tsherkin]

To continue discussion from the Rookie Expectations thread

[Goudelock]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G3BxyihE14[/youtube]

[76ciology]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G3BxyihE14[/youtube]

Two things I noticed. Improved a lot in acting to get the attention of refs for a foul and he's been better in knocking down open 3s.

[cyclix]

Heat fans are very contented with Justise Winslow.

[ComboGuardCity]

Stanley Johnson is looking better and better. WithKCP out he's been playing like a stud and leader.

[Goudelock]

Heat fans are very contented with Justise Winslow.

I think that everyone is more or less content with their team's rookie

[AllanH20]

The unicorn with 17/10 and 6 blocks on 6-12 shooting:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZaE49MSrk0[/youtube]

[Quentin]

Jahlil Okafor Against Nets:
118ORTG
96.6DRTG
21.4NetRTG
28.8REB%
61.9TS%

I like Okafor, but the Nets.

[iamworthy]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G3BxyihE14[/youtube]

And he only played 23min last night

[CoreyGallagher]

Jahlil Okafor Against Nets:
118ORTG
96.6DRTG
21.4NetRTG
28.8REB%
61.9TS%

I like Okafor, but the Nets.

Nets are an awful team, but their front court isn't so bad, it's actually still in tact.

Regardless, what was most impressive was his rebounding and the Nets rank 16th in the league in rebounding.

[JellosJigglin]

Russell played very well in the 4th quarter when Kobe was on the bench. He's a lead guard without a doubt. And for all the talk about him being slow and unathletic, he's finishing better within 8 feet than KP, Okafor, Winslow, Stanimal, and Mudiay, guys who are touted as much better athletes.

Russell’s shooting 57.7 percent inside of 8 feet this season, a figure that ranks 7th among the 14 rookies that have attempted at least 100 shots within that range this season. Russell’s shooting better from than range than Okafor, Justise Winslow, Frank Kaminsky, Kristaps Porzingis, Stanley Johnson, Jerian Grant, and Emmanuel Mudiay. Of the six players above him, only Devin Booker (60.0 percent) could be classified as a perimeter oriented player. The rest – Richaun Holmes, Larry Nance Jr., Willie Cauley-Stein, Towns, and Nikola Jokic – are primarily big men. Not to mention that Russell is right on par with Russell Westbrook in the 16-to-24 foot department. Westbrook has made 40.4 percent of his 99 attempts there while Russell’s made 40.0 percent of his 95 attempts. These are all indicators that the young guard might have a bright future ahead of him.

Even driving to the basket is a strength for Russell. On his 138 registered drives this season, he’s shooting 48.7 percent, which is the best mark on the team among the five players with at least 50 drives. He’s also passed out on 40 of those drives, but it’s only resulted in 9 assists. Among the five Lakers with at least 50 drives, Russell ranks first in field goal percentage, first in free throw percentage, first in points percentage, third in pass percentage, third in assist percentage, and first in turnover rate. According to Shot Analytics data, Russell also is shooting 56.1 percent on shots inside of 5 feet when a defender is with three feet of the shot attempt. He’s able to finish at a respectable rate even amongst the trees.

http://butthegameison.com/thebeat/2016/02/03/living-dangerussly/

[Klomp]

I don't remember if I put this in the thread last night...

35 players have averaged 15/10 as a rookie. Of those players, only one did so on fewer minutes per game (John Drew) and only two had a higher TS% (Buck Williams, David Robinson) than Towns, who is now the 36th on that list.

[eathb_au]

Porzingis and Jokic matching against each other so far.

[saintEscaton]

Russell played very well in the 4th quarter when Kobe was on the bench. He's a lead guard without a doubt. And for all the talk about him being slow and unathletic, he's finishing better within 8 feet than KP, Okafor, Winslow, Stanimal, and Mudiay, guys who are touted as much better athletes.

Russell’s shooting 57.7 percent inside of 8 feet this season, a figure that ranks 7th among the 14 rookies that have attempted at least 100 shots within that range this season. Russell’s shooting better from than range than Okafor, Justise Winslow, Frank Kaminsky, Kristaps Porzingis, Stanley Johnson, Jerian Grant, and Emmanuel Mudiay. Of the six players above him, only Devin Booker (60.0 percent) could be classified as a perimeter oriented player. The rest – Richaun Holmes, Larry Nance Jr., Willie Cauley-Stein, Towns, and Nikola Jokic – are primarily big men. Not to mention that Russell is right on par with Russell Westbrook in the 16-to-24 foot department. Westbrook has made 40.4 percent of his 99 attempts there while Russell’s made 40.0 percent of his 95 attempts. These are all indicators that the young guard might have a bright future ahead of him.

Even driving to the basket is a strength for Russell. On his 138 registered drives this season, he’s shooting 48.7 percent, which is the best mark on the team among the five players with at least 50 drives. He’s also passed out on 40 of those drives, but it’s only resulted in 9 assists. Among the five Lakers with at least 50 drives, Russell ranks first in field goal percentage, first in free throw percentage, first in points percentage, third in pass percentage, third in assist percentage, and first in turnover rate. According to Shot Analytics data, Russell also is shooting 56.1 percent on shots inside of 5 feet when a defender is with three feet of the shot attempt. He’s able to finish at a respectable rate even amongst the trees.

http://butthegameison.com/thebeat/2016/02/03/living-dangerussly/

He has only driven out of ball screens 10.3 percent of the time but when he does the Lakers score 1.35 points per possession which puts him among good company. Kind of skewed by a limited sample size and I think he needs to be more decisive in taking it to the hole if he wants to be more effective in the pick n' roll. Also if he can go strong with his off hand and make that teardrop floater his go to that should help. Shooting mechanics could also be tweaked he has a late release even for leftie due to his two motion form and thats why he comes up short on long contested 3s

[Marcus]

I don't remember if I put this in the thread last night...

35 players have averaged 15/10 as a rookie. Of those players, only one did so on fewer minutes per game (John Drew) and only two had a higher TS% (Buck Williams, David Robinson) than Towns, who is now the 36th on that list.

Yeah you did.

Question for all.

Early as it is where does KAT rank amongst the current crop of bigs in the league right now?

[saintEscaton]

I don't remember if I put this in the thread last night...

35 players have averaged 15/10 as a rookie. Of those players, only one did so on fewer minutes per game (John Drew) and only two had a higher TS% (Buck Williams, David Robinson) than Towns, who is now the 36th on that list.

Yeah you did.

Question for all.

Early as it is where does KAT rank amongst the current crop of bigs in the league right now?

If he can sustain this level of production I think he easily garners All-NBA Third Team considerations. I say he's already a Top 5 center right now behind Cousins, Marc Gasol,AD, Drummond and in front of Horford/DeAndre/Vucevic

[FinNasty]

To quote dancing2thabeet...

Last 9 games for Justise Winslow: 34.3minutes, 8.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1steals, 58.2% from the field, 100% from the freethrow line, 50% from 3's.

[wablty]

I don't remember if I put this in the thread last night...

35 players have averaged 15/10 as a rookie. Of those players, only one did so on fewer minutes per game (John Drew) and only two had a higher TS% (Buck Williams, David Robinson) than Towns, who is now the 36th on that list.

Yeah you did.

Question for all.

Early as it is where does KAT rank amongst the current crop of bigs in the league right now?

Behind AD, Boogie, Drummond and Bosh. I think you can start talking about him around #5, though obviously there are arguments for some other guys still. I don't really consider Green a big man. More of a unique exception.

[canibaljay]

KP

21 pts, 13 rebs, 2 blks

[DaGawd]

KP

21 pts, 13 rebs, 2 blks

Looks like he's out of that little funk he was in. I think the ASB should help him get some much needed rest also