Where is Point Zion?

[13 - 3]

Don?t shoot the messenger

Where is Point Zion? Why haven't the Pels put the ball in his hands? Should they?

A look into what might be contributing to Zion's relative inefficiency to start the year.

New video @BootKreweMedia presented by @DKSportsbook

📽️FULL VIDEO at the link:https://t.co/dWHMe29H2f pic.twitter.com/JPH2jZAlkA

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) November 1, 2022

Should the Pelicans be using Zion more as a Point Guard? @FearTheBrown breaks down how dominant Zion can be as the Point Guard of the Pelicans.https://t.co/U5zN9qaJB7

Presented by @DKSportsbook pic.twitter.com/a2NxCiyfi5

— Boot Krewe Media (@BootKreweMedia) November 1, 2022

[WhyHornetsWhy]

Forget about that, I just want to see him take a jump shot? Pretty soon, that narrative is going to develop in the media

[AusPel]

How wild is it to remember Zion hit 4/4 threes on debut

[urboyJD]

Forget about that, I just want to see him take a jump shot? Pretty soon, that narrative is going to develop in the media

Why does it matter what the narrative is in the media?

[Pelicanidae]

I said this at the start of the year when a few people mentioned just using him as super-garbage man, picking up missed shots and doing cuts and putbacks. Yeah, he can do it and do it well but why limit him?

We know, as Shamit points out, that Zion is capable of running extremely high quality offense when the ball is in his hands. He did it under SVG and, when the ball has been in his hands this season - admittedly in a small sample - it's looked good too. So why not use it more?

That's not to say he should be on ball 100% of the time, or nobody else should ever be on ball. That wouldn't be a good idea, it would reduce Ingram and CJ to spot up guys which isn't their best look, and of course when Zion sits someone else has to handle anyway. But it could easily be happening more than it is now, and it should.

[AusPel]

Zion taking a shot outside of three feet from the basket?

You love to see it

[JJackisangry]

They (CJ, Zion, BI) should all have plays with the ball in their hands running the point. Where you really need to maximize point Zion is when the other two are off the floor. He should still get looks there with those guys on the floor obviously. But point Zion should be a consistent thing without BI and CJ on the floor. He draws too much attention not to have him on the ball.

[As I See It]

Until he proves he can score from more than one level "Point Z" is self-defeating and he will get beat up unmercifully (he'd have to penetrate a wall on every possession).

[WhyHornetsWhy]

Why does it matter what the narrative is in the media?

You really don’t see the mental game and how that affects a player?


You really don’t see how that could be stopped when you are in the playoffs?…Zion have to develop a shot …or that left-handed lay up going to the rim will get stopped eventually

[WhyHornetsWhy]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Deu4GZaYFiM

Say what you want about him keeping his weight in check, but this is the Zion weight I would love for him to be at again

Reminds me of a shorter Giannis

[new city champ]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Deu4GZaYFiM

Say what you want about him keeping his weight in check, but this is the Zion weight I would love for him to be at again

Reminds me of a shorter Giannis

Don?t think that guy is ever coming back. He?s in much better shape and I think he?ll get more explosive as he rounds into form. But we haven?t really seen much of that other worldly high flyer on the Pels other than pre-season his rookie year. Could be the two knee injuries + the foot took away some of his vertical. Could be he?s just a bigger, bulkier guy now than he was as a freshman in college. Whatever the reason at this point we should probably let go of the idea that Z is going to go back to that level of athlete. He?d probably have to play at around 250 to even have a chance and that?s if the injuries haven?t done permanent damage. He can still be great, but honestly I thought Nance looked like the more explosive player last night…

[PELICANSFAN]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Deu4GZaYFiM

Say what you want about him keeping his weight in check, but this is the Zion weight I would love for him to be at again

Reminds me of a shorter Giannis

I am sure you wish you were the same weight you had at 17 or 18 as well. No players stays like that as they age and add muscle.

[fullcourtpress]

Until he proves he can score from more than one level "Point Z" is self-defeating and he will get beat up unmercifully (he'd have to penetrate a wall on every possession).

Given, but the team was immensely successful when he did run the point. My hope is that we didn't abandon the idea cause then zion is out there as a twitchier blake griffin with a less refined game.

Since he does take a 'unmerciful' beating running it maybe we are saving it for the playoffs thinking we can make the playoffs without it since we actually have done so already

[MichaelMcNamara]

This is the philosophical debate

If something is better for the team output but worse for the individuals, do you do it?

Bottom line, the team believes they can have a good regular season offense with point Zion but it goes against the .5 second philosophy, it keeps others from developing by just standing around, and like most heliocentric offenses, it won’t work as well in the playoffs

So, do you do it a lot knowing all those unintended negative consequences?

No right answer but maybe that can help the board understand the internal debate

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

This is the philosophical debate

If something is better for the team output but worse for the individuals, do you do it?

Bottom line, the team believes they can have a good regular season offense with point Zion but it goes against the .5 second philosophy, it keeps others from developing by just standing around, and like most heliocentric offenses, it won’t work as well in the playoffs

So, do you do it a lot knowing all those unintended negative consequences?

No right answer but maybe that can help the board understand the internal debate

There was no point Zion last night and no 0.5 second philosophy either. Not sure what that **** was.

[coreylaron]

This is the philosophical debate

If something is better for the team output but worse for the individuals, do you do it?

Bottom line, the team believes they can have a good regular season offense with point Zion but it goes against the .5 second philosophy, it keeps others from developing by just standing around, and like most heliocentric offenses, it won’t work as well in the playoffs

So, do you do it a lot knowing all those unintended negative consequences?

No right answer but maybe that can help the board understand the internal debate

Point Zion makes Brandon Ingram basically obsolete, no?