Griff. Answering questions this Saturday

Just FYI

https://www.nola.com/sports/pelicans...03310822e.html

Pelicans fans you’ve GOT to have some questions about this season.

If you do, reply to us with the question and @dg_riff will answer a select few before our Saturday rebroadcast during “Pelicans Playback” at 5:30 pm CT on https://t.co/4QdSbs2hH2, app & our social channels! pic.twitter.com/CEuydpO3gG

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) March 20, 2020

In his words.....

https://www.nba.com/pelicans/news/pe...-21-appearance

What Griff didn't say spoke loudly. If you recall, the Christmas game was won, in large measure, because of the job Favors did on Jokic; he gave him fits. The fact that Griff said nothing about Favors when previewing the game's replay, probably signals the team's position on Favors going forward.

When @hayes_jaxson masters defensive verticality at the rim, and stops getting the rookie whistle, he is going to be absolutely filthy on that end of the floor. Several examples tonight of his ability to move laterally on the perimeter. #pelicansplayback

— David Griffin (@dg_riff) March 22, 2020

I agree!

Playing defense is instinctive. Hayes thinks too much and consequently is a step behind.

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Originally Posted by As I See It

Playing defense is instinctive. Hayes thinks too much and consequently is a step behind.

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So someone is born knowing how to play defense or not? I bet Jrue and Lonzo would disagree
Hayes has very little organized basketball experience...far less than most at this level. The game will slow down for him

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Originally Posted by Dago75

So someone is born knowing how to play defense or not? I bet Jrue and Lonzo would disagree
Hayes has very little organized basketball experience...far less than most at this level. The game will slow down for him

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Eh, I do think that there is a baseline instinct to defense where you can very much have a knack for it. There are players who just have it on defense, and it's not that they watch more film than anyone else or that they're specially athletic or anything; sometimes it's just something you have a natural feel for. Basketball defense isn't the only thing like this. There are tons of things that some people just have a feel for.

That said, it's also true that sometimes it takes a certain baseline of experience and familiarity with a system before that natural knack can really take over. I think this is largely the issue with Hayes. He doesn't have the same depth of experience that someone who had super heavy high school ball, followed by all the usual international ball, followed by heavy minutes in college, would have. He played relatively little in high school, didn't do Hoop Summit or anything, then had a big growth spurt and got limited minutes in college. It's to be expected that he is a little behind the curve, in that respect.

He will definitely improve, and I think he has the potential to be very good. It's once he has that familiarity and understanding that we'll be able to know if he has the knack that turns a capable defender into a great one.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dago75

So someone is born knowing how to play defense or not? I bet Jrue and Lonzo would disagree
Hayes has very little organized basketball experience...far less than most at this level. The game will slow down for him

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Sport, of any type, needs to played in order to grasp the principles and fundamentals required to excel (and play instinctively). To date, the young man has not played extensively enough at any level to master the game enough to excel...certainly not enough to excel at the highest level on the planet. Because the kid is so green, he has no choice but to 'think' the game instead of 'play' the game. Consequently, he is a always a second or two behind the play (speaking primarily of defense). Want proof? Every time, Dago, a whistle is blown against him, the confusion on JAX' face tells you just how lost he is.

As I've said many times, he is one of three players on the team I would deem to be 'Untouchable'. That's not so much for the player he is today; rather for the ceiling I see for him down the road. He has a chance to be a game-changer. Unfortunately, right now, if he changes a game...it's usually a change in the wrong direction. Even, Griff pointed out in the pre-game podcast the other day, that once JAX mastered the concept of verticality that he was going to be a force.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by As I See It

Sport, of any type, needs to played in order to grasp the principles and fundamentals required to excel (and play instinctively). To date, the young man has not played extensively enough at any level to master the game enough to excel...certainly not enough to excel at the highest level on the planet. Because the kid is so green, he has no choice but to 'think' the game instead of 'play' the game. Consequently, he is a always a second or two behind the play (speaking primarily of defense). Want proof? Every time, Dago, a whistle is blown against him, the confusion on JAX' face tells you just how lost he is.

As I've said many times, he is one of three players on the team I would deem to be 'Untouchable'. That's not so much for the player he is today; rather for the ceiling I see for him down the road. He has a chance to be a game-changer. Unfortunately, right now, if he changes a game...it's usually a change in the wrong direction. Even, Griff pointed out in the pre-game podcast the other day, that once JAX mastered the concept of verticality that he was going to be a force.

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We probably agree and the whole thing is a semantic issue over the word "instinct"

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Originally Posted by Dago75

We probably agree and the whole thing is a semantic issue over the word "instinct"

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No problem. Enjoy your day.