1/2 | G37: Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers - 9:30PM CST

[spearsy23]

I really wish russ would chill on the rock the baby, air guitar or screaming how fast is he is against the kings, it’s kind of embarrassing.

How is it any more embarrassing than any other trash talk?

[sleestak33]

The Ferguson/Patterson disaster continues. 31 combined minutes played with 4 points on 2-11 shooting. It's astounding that even with these two playing those minutes and Russ going 3-20 they still win this game comfortably but it's another example of what Schroder has brought to the team with his scoring and ability to distribute the ball to scorers effectively and not having Carmelo out there stopping the offense repeatedly. Russ giving the ball up more and not having to handle the ball as much has massively helped guys like Grant, PG and Adams get more touches and expand their games and over the course of time Russ will adjust to playing off the ball more and hopefully get his shot back consistently.

[getrichordie]

I can’t help but wonder that as well. As much as I love Schroder, both he and his game is not built for this Westbrook-esque one-man-show.

Cool. So maybe he should stop doing it. How about that?

Interesting question, does Billy want him doing this?

There’s not a doubt in my mind that Donovan/Presti want Schroder playing this way... it’s clear that they think Schroder is our 1st and 2nd best scoring option on 2U and they want to see how good of an off-ball player Nader and Diallo can be.

This is a weird part of the season where GMs are trying to win but also get a closer look at what their end of the bench assets are bringing to the table... have they improved their shot? What have they learned? Have they improved on defense? Etc. They are assessing those guys values right now.


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[getrichordie]

I really wish russ would chill on the rock the baby, air guitar or screaming how fast is he is against the kings, it’s kind of embarrassing.

How is it any more embarrassing than any other trash talk?

It’s embarrassing that it’s coming from someone in a leadership position. It might not be bad relative to what everyone else in the league is doing, but it is clear that the Thunder organization hold themselves to a higher standard.


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[Pillendreher]

I can’t help but wonder that as well. As much as I love Schroder, both he and his game is not built for this Westbrook-esque one-man-show.

Cool. So maybe he should stop doing it. How about that?

Bro, I get it. I can’t lay out everything I’m seeing in words here, but I understand what you guys are saying about Schroder passing the ball more... but there’s a really, really good reason we are using Schroder to attack defenses and provide scoring on the 2U and not just letting the Diallos and Naders and Pattersons of the world jack up shots...

You just said that he is not built for this, yet advocate for it the very next second. If you can't do it, stop doing it.

[getrichordie]

Cool. So maybe he should stop doing it. How about that?

Bro, I get it. I can’t lay out everything I’m seeing in words here, but I understand what you guys are saying about Schroder passing the ball more... but there’s a really, really good reason we are using Schroder to attack defenses and provide scoring on the 2U and not just letting the Diallos and Naders and Pattersons of the world jack up shots...

You just said that he is not built for this, yet advocate for it the very next second. If you can't do it, stop doing it.

I’m not advocating for it in this specific post, I’m telling you from a basketball Xs and Os standpoint that it makes more sense to use Schroder in this way even though he’s not 100% built for it. It doesn’t mean he can’t be effective more or less... I just mean his game and his size is not built to be even more effective in the role he is playing.

I point this out because some members are acting like he should be more effective than he is being right now and it’s ludicrous to think so. He needs more help.

I’d honestly rather re-tool the bench and put more spacing around Schroder than move Schroder but it depends on the return...


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[ThunderBolt]

I really wish russ would chill on the rock the baby, air guitar or screaming how fast is he is against the kings, it’s kind of embarrassing.

How is it any more embarrassing than any other trash talk?

I’m not saying it’s unique to russ but there is a difference between talking trash with you got 13-24 like against Dallas than when you go 3-20 against LAL and teams are daring you to shoot. For the record, George did the air guitar too and if he and Rus switched stat lines, i would feel the same way.

[slick_watts]

Alas, Schroder needs to be traded because his skillset is quite redundant to Westbrook’s and Westbrook is just going to chuck the ball 20 times and not even give Schroder a chance to build rhythm... It’s clear this going to keep happening, so yeah, I’m all on board the trade Schroder train. We need a 3&D 1/2 that we can put alongside Westbrook. Schroder is a terrible fit for the way Westbrook plays... and it’s a damn shame that Westbrook is holding him and the team back in this regard.

schroder should not touch the ball when he's on the court with westbrook. he shouldn't on the court with him in the first place because he's a defensive liability and can't shoot. but if he happens to share the court with him, the best way for him to contribute is to just stay out of the way. he's a far worse play maker than westbrook, he sucks in pick and roll-- so what's the point of the ball being in his hands? for all of westbrook's insane struggles as a scorer he's still a great play maker and a waste off the ball.

give schroder a chance to build rhythm. lol. ok. you're funny, kiddo!

[Pillendreher]

I’m not advocating for it in this specific post, I’m telling you from a basketball Xs and Os standpoint that it makes more sense to use Schroder in this way even though he’s not 100% built for it. It doesn’t mean he can’t be effective more or less... I just mean his game and his size is not built to be even more effective in the role he is playing.

Yet he's not effective at all doing this. Since 12/1, he has used 93 possessions by himself (FGA, FTA or TOV) and has scored 86 points. On a team level, that's a 92.5 ORtG. League average this season is 109.8.

From a "basketball Xs and Os standpoint", this approach is absolutely killing our bench offensively. It should not continue under any circumstances.

[Old Man Game]

Dennis' usage with the bench is truly shocking. Looks like he's trying to showcase for his next starting gig but it's not working the way he thinks it is. Reminds me of watching some of these NBA rookies when they go down to the D League on assignment and just chuck to their heart's content.

[Old Man Game]

Feel like I'm coming around a bit on Nader. I was about 95% sure he wasn't good before. Now I'm down to 75%. The fact that he was the D League rookie of the year 2 seasons ago does seem to indicate he's not just a total stiff. Just not clear if that translates to the varsity.

[getrichordie]

I’m not advocating for it in this specific post, I’m telling you from a basketball Xs and Os standpoint that it makes more sense to use Schroder in this way even though he’s not 100% built for it. It doesn’t mean he can’t be effective more or less... I just mean his game and his size is not built to be even more effective in the role he is playing.

Yet he's not effective at all doing this. Since 12/1, he has used 93 possessions by himself (FGA, FTA or TOV) and has scored 86 points. On a team level, that's a 92.5 ORtG. League average this season is 109.8.

From a "basketball Xs and Os standpoint", this approach is absolutely killing our bench offensively. It should not continue under any circumstances.

I don't disagree. Our bench sucks as a whole on offense. The thinking behind our bench is as long as our NetRtg can be as close to 0 as possible and not negative, then our starters should be able to win the game, but Westbrook has been worse than even my worst expectations for him. I knew Westbrook would struggle due to decline this year, but I didn't see this level of bad.

[Old Man Game]

I really wish russ would chill on the rock the baby, air guitar or screaming how fast is he is against the kings, it’s kind of embarrassing.

How is it any more embarrassing than any other trash talk?

The rest of us can see it whereas the trash talk we mostly wouldn't be privy to.

[slick_watts]

I’m not advocating for it in this specific post, I’m telling you from a basketball Xs and Os standpoint that it makes more sense to use Schroder in this way even though he’s not 100% built for it. It doesn’t mean he can’t be effective more or less... I just mean his game and his size is not built to be even more effective in the role he is playing.

Yet he's not effective at all doing this. Since 12/1, he has used 93 possessions by himself (FGA, FTA or TOV) and has scored 86 points. On a team level, that's a 92.5 ORtG. League average this season is 109.8.

From a "basketball Xs and Os standpoint", this approach is absolutely killing our bench offensively. It should not continue under any circumstances.

I don't disagree. Our bench sucks as a whole on offense. The thinking behind our bench is as long as our NetRtg can be as close to 0 as possible and not negative, then our starters should be able to win the game, but Westbrook has been worse than even my worst expectations for him. I knew Westbrook would struggle due to decline this year, but I didn't see this level of bad.

our starters are one of the best lineups in the nba, dude.

[slick_watts]

Dennis' usage with the bench is truly shocking. Looks like he's trying to showcase for his next starting gig but it's not working the way he thinks it is. Reminds me of watching some of these NBA rookies when they go down to the D League on assignment and just chuck to their heart's content.

he reminds me of an even more empowered dion.

[getrichordie]

Yet he's not effective at all doing this. Since 12/1, he has used 93 possessions by himself (FGA, FTA or TOV) and has scored 86 points. On a team level, that's a 92.5 ORtG. League average this season is 109.8.

From a "basketball Xs and Os standpoint", this approach is absolutely killing our bench offensively. It should not continue under any circumstances.

I don't disagree. Our bench sucks as a whole on offense. The thinking behind our bench is as long as our NetRtg can be as close to 0 as possible and not negative, then our starters should be able to win the game, but Westbrook has been worse than even my worst expectations for him. I knew Westbrook would struggle due to decline this year, but I didn't see this level of bad.

our starters are one of the best lineups in the nba, dude.

I know this, dude. But they aren't the only lineup playing out there. There's also a lot of minutes going to the Schroder-Westbrook lineups where Westbrook is taking the majority of the shots and missing them and Dennis can't do what he should be doing because Westbrook is taking up so many possessions...

[Pillendreher]

The thinking behind our bench is as long as our NetRtg can be as close to 0 as possible and not negative, then our starters should be able to win the game

But it's not, that's the point. Our bench defense has been very good so far (97th percentile in DRtG with Noel on the floor!), but the offense has been such an absolute dumpster fire (2nd percentile in ORtG with Noel on the floor!) that we're not breaking even. If our bench performed like a bottom 5 offense, we'd be talking about a +3 to +5 lineup with this defense. Hell, league average offense would mean +8 or even better.

We're leaving so much on the table because of this. It's one of our biggest issues offensively.

[getrichordie]

I really wish russ would chill on the rock the baby, air guitar or screaming how fast is he is against the kings, it’s kind of embarrassing.

How is it any more embarrassing than any other trash talk?

I’m not saying it’s unique to russ but there is a difference between talking trash with you got 13-24 like against Dallas than when you go 3-20 against LAL and teams are daring you to shoot. For the record, George did the air guitar too and if he and Rus switched stat lines, i would feel the same way.

Facts.


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[spearsy23]

I really wish russ would chill on the rock the baby, air guitar or screaming how fast is he is against the kings, it’s kind of embarrassing.

How is it any more embarrassing than any other trash talk?

The rest of us can see it whereas the trash talk we mostly wouldn't be privy to.

That's just a function of us paying attention to this team though. There are a lot of Guys doing this, and most of them are worse than Russ (ie Patrick Beverley). The only time I find it embarrassing is when you're doing it down 15.

[Pillendreher]

There's also a lot of minutes going to the Schroder-Westbrook lineups where Westbrook is taking the majority of the shots and missing them and Dennis can't do what he should be doing because Westbrook is taking up so many possessions...

And what is it that Schröder should be doing? When runnig the bench, he's an inefficient ballhog that has more broken lob passes than assists for 3s. When playing with the starters, he's an offensive afterthought because he can't shoot and because the other players are better options offensively. What exactly is this version of Schröder that team is depriving us of?