JN61 wrote:hardenASG13 wrote:The entire thunder board for years supporting Andre Roberson, who couldnt dribble a ball while guarded, attempt a shot off the dribble, and shot 25% on unguarded (like nobody considered closing out to him) 3's, largely from the corner. Also averaged 1apg in 30 minutes a night.
Made 0 sense to play a complete non treat/shooter next to a prime russell westbrook, whose main weakness was shooting and main strength in the halfcourt was getting to the rim and collapsing a defense. The whole board pretty much scoffed at the notion of spacing and how shooting was everything, preferring individual perimeter defense and screen setting. It didnt go well for OKC, KD left because of it and Roberson is now out of the league in his early 30s. Nobody plays guys remotely as limited as him offensively at all, let alone the 30mpg he was handed by OKC.
Roberson is out of the league because his knee or what ever shattered. He can't play professionally because his leg is done. His impact on defensive side was dpoy level before his injury. OKCs defense with PG and Roberson that year before injury in late December was just ridiculous. Sure he couldn't shoot but he was really good at reading defense and make smart cuts to which Westbrook made wide open plays. Those backdoor cuts were bread and butter even with Thabo.
They werent backdoor cuts. Nobody paid any attention to him, he was free to cut whenever. You have to be denied or closely guarded on the perimeter to cut backdoor. The idea of either haplening to roberson is laughable/never happened. Players were yelled at if they closed out to him!
He made it back from injury, just nobody plays guys like him. Ever see another guy go from 30mpg in his late 20s, have 1 injury, then never be able to play again (aside from catastrophic stuff)?
OKC couldve been an unstoppable offensive machine with prime russ/KD, but instead chose to play 4 on 5 (and their centers couldnt create or shoot eithet).Just think about the idea of having prime KD/westbrook and saying lets put a complete non shooter in the corner who cant dribble while guarded or attempt (not make,attempt) a pull up jumper and also put a center with no range out there who plays exclusively on the block (where russ is trying to go) and also isnt a post threat. It makes/made 0 sense.
