prime1time wrote:Rui’s playoff success shows why I thought he was a good draft pick. In the playoffs many players shrink offensively. Defenses play tight. You can’t just freestyle and score effectively. You need actual offensive skill. Rui has shot above 50% every game in this playoff series. Going against a vet like Harris is tough, but it is a good learning experience. Coupled with his lights out 3-point shooting and it’s not to know why this thread is so quiet. Meanwhile the player that he’s often compared to Brandon Clarke can’t even get onto the floor. Hopefully, Rui uses this series as a leaping board to enter into the offseason and improve his game.
The best thing about Rui is that you know he can't be played off the floor defensively. That's the number one prerequisite for any playoff-caliber starter.
This is one of the main reasons why we struggle so much against Philly. We've got a total of three non-centers in the rotation who can hold up defensively: Westbrook, Beal and Hachimura. Everyone else is getting picked on: Bertans, Ish, Neto. Brooks won't dare even try Mathews.
Of course, part of the trouble is Brooks' reluctance to try Hutchison or Gill in important minutes.