Lonzo Watch- 29 points 9 assists 11 rebounds

[XTraderXL]

@Pennebaker
Do you even know what annomaly is? LOL

[TankCommander17]

So you want to see his averages without his best games? That makes sense to you?

Besides even if he averaged 1ppg/8reb/8ast THAT'S STILL GOOD.

His best game was an anomaly due to a team that had given up on their coach and was giving up 40pts blowout losses. It wasn't a true indication of what he could do in the league against teams that actually played defense. Does that make more sense to you now?

You know what that's called? Wishful thinking.

If it should be so easy for a teenaged PG to put up a 29/11/9 game on these quitting Suns, then why hasn't anyone else done it this year versus Phoenix? Blake Griffin went 29/8/4, Lillard went 27/5/5, Patrick Beverly went 15/2/2.

Eric Bledsoe is known as one of the better defensive point guards in the league. He also scored 28 points in this game (which was close), so it's not like he was moping around. And he certainly didn't want to be upstaged by Lonzo Ball, but he was.

Watch the tape and you'll see Bledsoe busting his butt trying to defend Lonzo. You'll also see Bledsoe repeatedly go underneath screens, which Ball counters by nailing threes. In the 2nd half you'll start seeing Bledsoe going over screens (They cared enough to make adjustments), which Ball counters by driving and scoring off the dribble.

So basically one of the best defensive point guards in the league was being embarrassed quite early in that game.

The reality is that it's hard for any star to come up with 29/11/9 against anybody, and to do it in your 2nd game after being publicly challenged after your first game? That's special behavior. That is no anomaly.

Bledsoe quit on his team. Asked to get traded prior to the season starting. And now is not even in the team due to him publiclly tweeting he didn't care to be there.

I did see the game. The Suns pnr defense was the small go under and give a wide open shot and the big not rotating and giving a wide open shot.

Bledsoe did not bust his ass. He GAVE UP. He was gone two games later. HE QUIT ON HIS TEAM.

[nurseryc]

I wonder if Lonzo would still have the same rebounding numbers if Brook Lopez wasn’t the starting centre?

[_AIJ_]

Making his dad look like a fool again. Playoffs?

Sent from my SM-G925W8 using RealGM mobile app

[FlatearthZorro]

Worse version of Rubio.

Or Rondo. They don't play like the same brand of b-ball but they are pass first PGs. WE will see in the next 2-3 years. Who knows.

Rondo was the best player on a title contender in 2010 and put up 40 points on a terrific Heat defense in the 2012 playoffs.

It's insulting to compare Lonzo to Rondo.

Im a Cs fan. Rondo was a 4 time all star, all defense, etc.

[ChilledAlex]

Lonzo will be fine...
... if he can fix that ugly broken jumper

[azcatz11]

I predicted this before the draft. I urge someone to find my post where I mentioned explicitly than Zo couldn’t finish and his 3 wouldn’t translate. Instead, I was ridiculed like a commi in the 1950s.

Goes to show ya....

[WalterBenjamin]

The Hooneymoon is nearing its end.

[Effigy]

Hey OP, what happened to your' Lonzo watch'? Or will these posts only come in games where he plays Phoenix?

Here, I'll help you out: 5 points (2-7 shooting) 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 turnovers in a loss to the Raptors.

Overreacting to games that aren't so great don't make you any less annoying than people that hype him up too much. His numbers in that Suns game were very notable for a rookie, a bad rookie performance is not notable.

Well, to be fair he's had one great game, one ok game, and 3 bad games. And that Phoenix team is just deplorable. I just find it funny that a guy would title a thread called 'Lonzo watch' and then ignore 4 of his 5 games. I guess he wasn't really interested in following Lonzo, he only wanted to point out he had a good game.

[PierceFan4ever]

Read on Twitter

Didn't realize it was that bad

[NY 567]

Kendall Marshall could pass just as well as Lonzo, and could score better. It's still early for sure, but this has not been a good start.

[Effigy]

So you want to see his averages without his best games? That makes sense to you?

Besides even if he averaged 1ppg/8reb/8ast THAT'S STILL GOOD.

His best game was an anomaly due to a team that had given up on their coach and was giving up 40pts blowout losses. It wasn't a true indication of what he could do in the league against teams that actually played defense. Does that make more sense to you now?

You know what that's called? Wishful thinking.

If it should be so easy for a teenaged PG to put up a 29/11/9 game on these quitting Suns, then why hasn't anyone else done it this year versus Phoenix? Blake Griffin went 29/8/4, Lillard went 27/5/5, Patrick Beverly went 15/2/2, Rubio 15/11/4.

Eric Bledsoe is known as one of the better defensive point guards in the league. He's also subjectively a top 10-12 PG overall. And he also scored 28 points in this game (which was close), so it's not like he was moping around. And he certainly didn't want to be upstaged by Lonzo Ball, but he was.

Watch the tape and you'll see Bledsoe busting his butt trying to defend Lonzo. You'll also see Bledsoe repeatedly go underneath screens, which Ball counters by nailing threes. In the 2nd half you'll start seeing Bledsoe going over screens (they cared enough to make halftime adjustments), which Ball counters by driving and scoring off the dribble.

So basically one of the best defensive point guards was starting to get embarrassed early on in this contest.

The reality is that it's hard for any star to come up with 29/11/9 against anybody, and to do it in your 2nd game after being publicly challenged after your first game? That's special behavior. It's an indication of a player's ability to respond positively to criticism in an overpowering way - a trait shared by most greats players. It is not an anomaly.

Just queue up the touch pass Lonzo had to Nance The Younger in the PHX game. Watch the driving Ball to Brewer assist. You should be on the bandwagon after watching just 10 or 12 plays.

Those games were 40 point blowouts. Lillard, Beverly, Blake all sat the whole fourth quarter.

[MartinToVaught]

Also, Lonzo chucked 27 shots to get his points. Blake, Beverley, Lillard and Rubio didn't have that kind of unlimited green light to chuck.

Plus, what tape shows Bledsoe "busting his butt" to defend Lonzo? All of the Suns' guards were going under screens all night and giving Lonzo wide-open shots. When Lonzo drove, Chandler barely even tried to contest. They were not trying at all on defense, Bledsoe included. There was no trapping, no hedging, no switching at any point, so the idea that Watson "made adjustments" is just flat-out incorrect.

[Anti Chalmers]

Lonzo is basically still a pimply teenager averaging 10.2/8.6/8.4 in the NBA. I suppose your main gripe has to do with his scoring totals and shooting percentages and defense. That's fair. But both his shooting and his defense will improve with time. But he's still close to averaging a triple double in a massive market with intense hype and scrutiny which is still impressive no matter how you cut it.

What are his numbers without the Phoenix game. That is what I want to know. Hold up I will do the math real quick.
5.5ppg/8rbs/8.25asts/3tos
22%/12%/57% 2p/3p/FT
That is what he is averaging if you don't include the Phoenix game.
Put that together with his lack of defense. His inability to get his shot off cleanly and to drive due to his lack of athleticism and it is not a pretty picture.

So you want to see his averages without his best games? That makes sense to you?

Besides even if he averaged 1ppg/8reb/8ast THAT'S STILL GOOD.

Yeah but 8 ast/8 reb with terribleee shooting % is not good. He’s clearly hurting his team more than helping. I’m still a Lonzo believer and think he will be a starter level player for a long time. I just don’t think he can be as good as Kidd. He can be a better Rubio if he works on his shot. Look at Rubio’s passing highlight and you will see flashy passes like Lonzo.

[Pointgod]

He's leading the league in assists as a rookie which is impressive. He's also rebounding well and transformed the team into one of the league leaders in assists. So far all his weaknesses are what we expected. So he's pretty much living up to the scouting reports

[Patsfan1081]

Hey, it took Kobe Bryant 6 1/2 seasons before he managed to put up at least 29 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists in a game.

Lonzo did it in his 2nd game!

In fact, Kobe only reached at least those totals 6 times in his entire career (including playoffs)!

http://bkref.com/tiny/Kj7Pi

Yes, Lonzo will be up and down as a rookie, but he's already a better prospect than the rookie Kobe.

Kobe wasn't a pg, and he a kid stait out of high school playing on a fifty plus win Laker team as a rookie, their situations are totally different. But even as an 18 year old Kobe was still was somewhat efficient as a rookie and never had a negative win share like Lonzo currently does. I think Ball's shooting will come around, he won't be very efficient anytime soon but he'll def be better as the season goes on. I'm not seeing him having a better rookie season than Simmons, Tatum or Smith Jr though.

[Patsfan1081]

He's leading the league in assists as a rookie which is impressive. He's also rebounding well and transformed the team into one of the league leaders in assists. So far all his weaknesses are what we expected. So he's pretty much living up to the scouting reports

I don't think he's in the top five actually. To be honest I'm not really impressed with assist numbers unless you're dining other things also. You put TJ McConnel in for thirty five minutes a night and he's going to be in the top five also. His rebounding numbers are more impressive to me, if he can keep those up and raise his efficiency a bit it will equate to a good rookie season.

[WalterBenjamin]

He's leading the league in assists as a rookie which is impressive. He's also rebounding well and transformed the team into one of the league leaders in assists. So far all his weaknesses are what we expected. So he's pretty much living up to the scouting reports

It depends on how much you consider passing as important compared to others skills. I think the offensive sistems have outdated the pass first PG. And the argument about Ball bringing a culture with him is stupid. Good coaching does that more than any one player. Heck Brooklyn is developing a culture. And for What is worth passing from a PG od not as valuable as passing from higher positions. A Draymond is more valuable as a passer than Ball. Because his teammates can focus on others skills. Ball neads a scorer. Shooting all around him. Cutting on a high lewel. Ball is so to say more suited as a SG because of the way the basketball is being played. He aint covering any positional inefficiencies in todays basketball. Rather he creates them.

[Pointgod]

He's leading the league in assists as a rookie which is impressive. He's also rebounding well and transformed the team into one of the league leaders in assists. So far all his weaknesses are what we expected. So he's pretty much living up to the scouting reports

I don't think he's in the top five actually. To be honest I'm not really impressed with assist numbers unless you're dining other things also. You put TJ McConnel in for thirty five minutes a night and he's going to be in the top five also. His rebounding numbers are more impressive to me, if he can keep those up and raise his efficiency a bit it will equate to a good rookie season.

Oops you're right. He is top 5 but not leading the league. I must have heard that wrong somewhere but still that's an impressive feat. I doubt Tj McConnell could sustain that performance while haing the same defensive pressure on him.

[Alfred]

His shot is absolutely atrocious. He should not be allowed to shoot threes until he fixes his mechanics.