Post#30 » by pepe1991 » Tue Jan 18, 2022 7:07 am
People just don't understand basketball. That's pretty much it. Or they never watch any basketball outside bubble of their own team so they have some distorted reality. If they do, they would understand why somebody like Barnes on Warriors is 11 ppg player, and few months later is 20 ppg player on Dallas. And why he would be 10 ppg player today, if he returns to Warriors.
4 different players, same role. Same fan complaint.
2011-2014 Heat and Bosh. People couldn't top crying how overrated he was. He wasn't. he went from playing major role ( first option ) on Toronto to playing 3rd option, perimeter oriented. He went from shooting around 34% outside 16 feet to shooting almost half of shots.
Ofc his efficiency and counting stats, went down. But that was only possible way how Wade and Lebron could work. Wade was horrific outside shooter and they had to add 3 shooters around them to open foor.
Cavs Kevin Love. Basically same thing. From 26 and 13 to being glorified spot up shooter in corner and being 16 -10 guy.
Same thing. Irving and Lebron needed spacing. He had to play what he was given.
Kevin Garnett on Celtics. From 24 and 13 guy to 16 and 9 guy. Guy was just 32 in second year with Boston. Guy went from shooting 25% of shots from mid range to...shoting 40% of shots from mid range.
And now it's Vuc thing. Derozan needs spacing, that's why he is most common pick& roll partner with Vuc, Vuc drags off his man. But that also means Vuc is mainly floor spacer. As usual, with 2 uber high usage scorers, his offense does not come in rythm, rather sporadic and in waves. In general bulls standing at 27-15 is basically miracle, given how often somebody is out. Right now 3 out of 5 orginal starters are hurt ( Derozan and Vuc only starting). They aslo had 3 weeks where whole team had Covid quaranteen.
last example is Davis, guy who is probably top 15 player in nba ( top 10? ) guy averaged 28 ppg without Lebron, 22 points with Lebron, once again, turned into 3rd option, behind Westbrook, his efficiency also dropped off with counting stats.
Wendell Carter, for all praise that he got, averages hardly 13 points on 10 rebounds, while being incapable of playing center. Guy also has downright tragjectory. Started season strong, but since December his efficiency is dipping below league's average, mainly because he is 27% three point shooter since November ended. Wendell showed some signs of improvment, but as usual, got hurt.
Vuc is excellent player and one of key reasons why Derozan is having best season in years. He freezes big from overhelping and allows Derozan to drive because Vuc's man has to stick to him on perimeter. Aldrige did similar things, but it was in period when Aldrige wasn't high usage 3 poitn shooter ( next year he had to quit basketball).
All those "soft, gutless, low energy" crap is just that. Crap. people were labeling Pau Gasol soft whole his life. In reality, whoever team he left, was falling apart after his departure, and won everything that was possible to win in basketball ( despite being robbed from finals MVP in 2009 ).
Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. -John Lennon