Nic Claxton NEEDS to play. Period,

Prokorov · Post #1 » by **Prokorov** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 2:15 pm

DISCLAIMER: I want to preface this by saying I was wrong... not once, but multiple times on Claxton. First, when he was drafted and early on I said he wasn't a center. I said he is closer to Kurucs... a lanky athletic PF. That he coudln't play the 5 as a center and was more up and down open court player (which, he was in college). Next, I said he again wasnt a center defensively, after he showed he was a legit rim roller on offense. While he blocked shots I didn't think he was a rim protector... again, I was wrong. Many claim i cant admit it, so im putting it out there. I had him in the G-league, but he is our best defensive player, by far.

On to why he needs to play. This team is MUCH better offensively with a rim rolling big.. Alot is made about "spacing the floor" but there is a point of diminishing returns. Also, for a team that is super heavy with jump shooters. you are giving the SHOOTERS space when defense need to respect a rim rolling big. When Harden ran the pick and pop with Blake, it got blake an open three. When Harden ran the pick and roll with Claxton, it got Joe Harris an open three. Claxton dove, Harris wing defender on the weak side had to pinch down to prevent a dunk, and harden hit harris for an open three. Thats a big difference.

Now, maybe we dont play Claxton/Brown together or Claxton/Bembry... but most lineups we can put 4 shooters around claxton, and thats lethal. I have no issue dumping Deandre Jordan, but I always felt last year that we lost a huge dimension to our offense once DJ was relegated to DNP-CDs and Blake/LMA were here

Also, the idea of spacing is to give open lane/prevent rim help for guys to score at the rim. But if you look at our big 3, all of them score the majority of there points on jumpers (even harden, despite all his FTS). Kyrie hits a ton of jumpers, KD, hardens step back. You dont need to go 5-out for KD to hit a pull up J.

And you provide easy baskets with claxton too. if Claxtons man camps out to help on a harden drive, once harden beats his man (he will) that leaves claxton alone at the basket (or a D rotation that leads to an open Harris/KD/whoever three).

Its just better offense and better for our specific players. I think Blake needs to play a ton too. he helps space the floor with Brown or Bembry out there and going 5 out can force other teams not to go as big.

Then, we all know clax is an All-NBA defender and the best switch defender in the NBA.

Hopefully Nash has him in 20+ minutes every night.

MrDollarBills · Post #2 » by **MrDollarBills** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 4:26 pm

Read on Twitter

Play him goddamn it. 30+ mins a night, starting C.

Prokorov · Post #3 » by **Prokorov** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 4:56 pm

MrDollarBills wrote:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Play him goddamn it. 30+ mins a night, starting C.

Yup, on defense alone he deserves it.... but id also argue even without shooting or even scoring his rolling has a huge impact to the quality shots we get/offensive output.

When he rolls off a harden PNR, the defense has to move. 5-out there may be elite space, and our ISO is great, but were still mostly a jumpshooting team in isolation, we dont need 5 out. 4 shooters' is pletny

Ksny13 · Post #4 » by **Ksny13** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 5:23 pm

Prokorov wrote:
MrDollarBills wrote:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Play him goddamn it. 30+ mins a night, starting C.

Yup, on defense alone he deserves it.... but id also argue even without shooting or even scoring his rolling has a huge impact to the quality shots we get/offensive output.

When he rolls off a harden PNR, the defense has to move. 5-out there may be elite space, and our ISO is great, but were still mostly a jumpshooting team in isolation, we dont need 5 out. 4 shooters' is pletny

To your point the best and most dangerous Harden we got to see in Houston was with Clint Capela. The moment Houston traded Capela we saw a dip in Harden’s play and how he functioned. The floater of his is such a deadly weapon but without a PnR big man it’s negated. He was using it all the time in Houston and when the D would guard that he had an easy toss to CC at the rim. That all ended when they traded CC. I think playing Clax big minutes with Harden would make Brooklyn very scary. It would bring out not only the best of Clax but Harden as well.

ecuhus1981 · Post #5 » by **ecuhus1981** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 9:59 pm

It is exceedingly obvious to us as fans, that Claxton needs to start. Sure, our front office says, he's up for a hefty new contract after this season. Sure, we have plenty of other frontcourt options, including a 1st round rookie C to develop. Still, Nic is truly a rare bird; we need to maximize his development with steady 1st-unit PT.

Will Nash do it, give Clax 28mpg from game 1? My guess is no. He's too infatuated with 5-out offense at the expense of sieve-y defense. Nic may eventually stretch the floor, but that shouldn't keep him from the starting lineup. I think Steve will keep Claxton in the "Stay Ready Crew" doghouse for the 1st month of the season. Hopefully, he's with the starters where he belongs by Christmas.

(Not to make everything about He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, but I think that the decision to start Nic from game 1 would have been easier, if HWSNBN would have taken the vaccine and shown up for work. Starting another non-shooter in Bruce instead allows Nash an excuse to block Nic. Sigh.)

Prokorov · Post #6 » by **Prokorov** » Sat Oct 16, 2021 1:51 am

ecuhus1981 wrote:It is exceedingly obvious to us as fans, that Claxton needs to start. Sure, our front office says, he's up for a hefty new contract after this season. Sure, we have plenty of other frontcourt options, including a 1st round rookie C to develop. Still, Nic is truly a rare bird; we need to maximize his development with steady 1st-u
nit PT.

Will Nash do it, give Clax 28mpg from game 1? My guess is no. He's too infatuated with 5-out offense at the expense of sieve-y defense. Nic may eventually stretch the floor, but that shouldn't keep him from the starting lineup. I think Steve will keep Claxton in the "Stay Ready Crew" doghouse for the 1st month of the season. Hopefully, he's with the starters where he belongs by Christmas.

(Not to make everything about He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, but I think that the decision to start Nic from game 1 would have been easier, if HWSNBN would have taken the vaccine and shown up for work. Starting another non-shooter in Bruce instead allows Nash an excuse to block Nic. Sigh.)

i dont even need nic to start, just play at least the backup C.

like you, i think he opens the year in the theo pinson role

MrDollarBills · Post #7 » by **MrDollarBills** » Sat Oct 16, 2021 2:13 am

Prokorov wrote:
ecuhus1981 wrote:It is exceedingly obvious to us as fans, that Claxton needs to start. Sure, our front office says, he's up for a hefty new contract after this season. Sure, we have plenty of other frontcourt options, including a 1st round rookie C to develop. Still, Nic is truly a rare bird; we need to maximize his development with steady 1st-u
nit PT.

Will Nash do it, give Clax 28mpg from game 1? My guess is no. He's too infatuated with 5-out offense at the expense of sieve-y defense. Nic may eventually stretch the floor, but that shouldn't keep him from the starting lineup. I think Steve will keep Claxton in the "Stay Ready Crew" doghouse for the 1st month of the season. Hopefully, he's with the starters where he belongs by Christmas.

(Not to make everything about He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, but I think that the decision to start Nic from game 1 would have been easier, if HWSNBN would have taken the vaccine and shown up for work. Starting another non-shooter in Bruce instead allows Nash an excuse to block Nic. Sigh.)

i dont even need nic to start, just play at least the backup C.

like you, i think he opens the year in the theo pinson role

I love Bruce, but he should not start. Jevon Carter is a better fit since he is a two way player with his defense and shooting.

If you ask me, either pair up Claxton and Blake up front, or shift KD to PF, start Clax at C and put Carter in the backcourt with Harden so James doesn't have to defend PGs.

Prokorov · Post #8 » by **Prokorov** » Mon Oct 18, 2021 1:04 pm

MrDollarBills wrote:
Prokorov wrote:
ecuhus1981 wrote:It is exceedingly obvious to us as fans, that Claxton needs to start. Sure, our front office says, he's up for a hefty new contract after this season. Sure, we have plenty of other frontcourt options, including a 1st round rookie C to develop. Still, Nic is truly a rare bird; we need to maximize his development with steady 1st-u
nit PT.

Will Nash do it, give Clax 28mpg from game 1? My guess is no. He's too infatuated with 5-out offense at the expense of sieve-y defense. Nic may eventually stretch the floor, but that shouldn't keep him from the starting lineup. I think Steve will keep Claxton in the "Stay Ready Crew" doghouse for the 1st month of the season. Hopefully, he's with the starters where he belongs by Christmas.

(Not to make everything about He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, but I think that the decision to start Nic from game 1 would have been easier, if HWSNBN would have taken the vaccine and shown up for work. Starting another non-shooter in Bruce instead allows Nash an excuse to block Nic. Sigh.)

i dont even need nic to start, just play at least the backup C.

like you, i think he opens the year in the theo pinson role

I love Bruce, but he should not start. Jevon Carter is a better fit since he is a two way player with his defense and shooting.

If you ask me, either pair up Claxton and Blake up front, or shift KD to PF, start Clax at C and put Carter in the backcourt with Harden so James doesn't have to defend PGs.