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It's not even that he has a bad floater, he's pretty good at hitting them. It's just that it's a bad shot.Originally Posted by JJackisangry
You hit a floater when there's 5 seconds left on the shot clock and you've been matched onto a bigger defender and that's the best shot you can manage in the time.
You do not hit a floater when 3 seconds ago you were wide open from 3 and you decided to just dribble into one because that would be fun.
Basketball.
That was literally his go to last season. Just take the open 3 you dingus.
Pre-season Averages (through 2 games, obviously not representative of what regular season will be, just figured it's a good idea to keep up with them):
Starters:
Zion: 22.5 pts, 5.5rbds, 3.5asts, 2stls, 69% shooting
Lonzo: 5.5pts, 4.5rbds, 8asts, 2stls, 26% shooting
Jrue: 15.5pts, 2rbds, 3.5asts, 2sts, 57% shooting
Ingram: 14pts, 3.5rbds, 1.5asts, 1stl, 0.5blk, 42% shooting
Favors: 5.5pts, 5.5rbds, 0asts, 0.5stl, 1.5blks, 80% shooting (only played 8 minutes in game 1)
NAW: 12.5pts, 2rbds, 4asts, 1.5stls, 53% shooting
Okafor: 12pts, 4.5rbds, 2asts, 1stl, 81% shooting
It's like in his head, he thinks he's a 25% 3pt shooter.
As the end of this game showed, I really like the idea of us playing 4-out-1-in for stretches of the game with the second unit. You can change up how you do it, but generally you put Okafor or Melli in the pivot (one in) and run some combo of Frank/NAW/Redick/Williams/Moore/Hart as your four out and just run and play pure Westphal-ball.
It seems like the coaching staff recognizes that if we are going to play at this pace, you need to go 10 deep night in and night out. Giving the second unit a distinct identify and mission (to run the other team off the floor) could be effective strategy. Honestly, with our pace, I wouldn't play my starters much more than 30-32 minutes a night. Otherwise, you will run them ragged by March...
Just a note as well: while neither the Hawks nor the Bulls are ''good'' teams, both are teams which are considered fringe playoff teams this year in the East.
I know that sounds wild, but a lot of fairly solid NBA commentators/podcasters/etc think that both of them have a chance of squeezing in, in that 7th or 8th seed spot. Of course, that doesn't mean either of them are good, but it just means that this isn't us feasting on the absolute worst teams in the NBA.
Those would be the Suns, Knicks, Cavaliers, Hornets, Wizards, and possibly Mavs.
After two games, I am most impressed with Zion and NAW; their confidence, aggression, and under control play is beyond what anyone can expect out of any rookie. Frank Jackson's shooting impressed me tonight also.
Biggest concern for me thus far: lack of mobility and aggressive rim protection from Favors. I know he isn't Golbert, but I didn't see much effort there. Hopefully he is saving it for the regular season.
Favors had 2 blocks. While he's not as bouncy as Hayes, when the front end is gushing major leaks aint too much else he can do. Truth be told a lot of that was Zion whiffing on steals and being completely lost on rotations.
I'd like them to look for him on offense a bit more.
Agreed.
I think the problem is that a lot of people (not saying this is the case with SoCal, just speaking generally) don't really know what good big man defense looks like when it's not swatting shots. Take this possession, for example:
Not sure how hot of a take this is, but Derrick Favors is going to near All-Star impact this season, if not reach it. His rim protection/interior d/pnr d is elite elite playing center: pic.twitter.com/4YI9qY2TIG
— Ben Pfeifer (@Ben_Pfeifer_) October 10, 2019
It doesn't look that much, but it's a lot. Right as the ballhandler lowers his stance, Favors shifts his balance to his left, ready to provide help. Sees the ballhandler going right, recovers to fill the lane from the top of the key, immediately notices the guy coming in off the screen that Jrue's on, drops into the lane. Notices the pass on the short roll and immediately adjusts his hips to get square on to the roller, and goes up vertically to contest without fouling. Doesn't get a block, so it doesn't show up as anything in the stat sheet, but you cannot defend this play any better.
That's everything. At every single point of the play, he's on a threat, covering a lane, squaring up, etc etc. But there's a lot of people who will watch that play and not see anything until the end when he jumps.
COMEBACK COMPLETE pic.twitter.com/taAro1B5Ia
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 10, 2019
Zion hip pocket pass are amazing. 6
Zion's vision and passing ability is something I was so excited to see unlocked at the NBA level. At Duke, he showed flashes of it (my two favourite times were the long bounce pass to Tre Jones, and the pass he made against UCF where he made the skip pass through the defense to the corner three) but because he was pretty much never used as the lead ball handler, and had very few shooters to pass to on drives, it went underused and neglected.
He's 2 preseason games in and has already had 3 or 4 just world-class passes.
Gorgeous bounce by Zion on the short roll pic.twitter.com/vBiCtISLXt
— Ben Pfeifer (@Ben_Pfeifer_) October 10, 2019
The passing of Zion and Lonzo play off of each other so well: pic.twitter.com/fC3GEbCvi6
— Ben Pfeifer (@Ben_Pfeifer_) October 10, 2019
Zion can pass too! pic.twitter.com/VnBKUwk6IA
— Ben Pfeifer (@Ben_Pfeifer_) October 8, 2019
OK come on now pic.twitter.com/tl7mefDA1k
— TS% Eliot (@Cosmis) October 10, 2019
I know it's cliche to say, but this stuff is just Lebron-esque. These finds are so good, the accuracy on the passes is so good, and it just looks easy for him.
Also, it's not like the Bulls don't have anyone who's good at defense.
Otto Porter is a good defender. Thad Young is a good defender. Tomas Satoransky is a pretty good defender. Lauri Markkanen, even, isn't terrible on defense. And Zion just tore through them like they were nothing.
Also, Zion's handle is REDONKULOUS!
Moore is more tradable, eh? Expiring contract and all. I'm not the best with NBA cap and all but with Miller going down, I could see Moore being kept to stay flexible in the trade market.
Good positive energy.
But also, yo mama's fat.
Guys, we are witnessing Zanos. Can’t wait for AD to come back to NOLA. Zion and Lonzo will be a nightmare.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Seen a lot of people complaining on twitter (yeah, twitter, again) that all of Zion's shots came at the rim, so going 12 of 13 is somehow not something to be impressed by.
There's this weird thing out there where people don't realise that a layup or dunk is pretty much the most efficient shot you can get in basketball and that it's almost always the best option, especially if you're automatic at the rim like Zion is. If he was taking long twos or tons and tons of threes, it would be stupid and we would be complaining about it.
Zion shot 75% at the rim in college. That means if he takes 100 shots at the rim, he produces 150 points (assumes his shooting percentage holds) which translates to 1.50 points per shot.
By contrast, Steph Curry shot threes at 43% last year. So if he took 100 threes, at 43% he produces 129 points. That's 1.29 points per shot.
Assuming that it's not some end of game scenario where you desperately need 3 points and 2 will not suffice, it is literally better to have Zion shoot a layup than to have Curry shoot a 3.
People need to understand this. Giannis just won an MVP taking shots pretty much exclusively at the rim: if you can get there and nobody can stop you, there is no better shot in basketball than a shot at the rim by an elite finisher.
I get that making an easy layup doesn't look as flashy as making a turnaround fadeaway midranger with three people in your face, but it's better.
Last edited by Pelicanidae; 10-10-2019 at 02:02 AM.
go crazy brotha ♥️ @Zionwilliamson #CarolinaBaby
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) October 10, 2019
Great job second unit! Some thoughts: Zion is unstoppable when he drives the lane he's just too quick and explosive.Lonzo's 3 point shot is still inconsistent but his passing is elite.Ingram still forces shots also has to look to pass more out of his ISO moves seeing a little to much tunnel vision there.This is a very small team rebounding is an issue they may have to trade one of the guards to get a rebounder the Bulls got way to many second shots.Okafor may be a better option as the starting center and they may have to play Okafor and Favours together at times.Zion is even better than I thought the ball handling and moves off the dribble surprised me as well as the passing The only weakness is defense he may have trouble guarding wings.
We've seen now that Zion can completely dominate in the pre season with an array of moves (offensively).
I don't need to watch him in any more meaningless games. Bring on the season
It's a "very small" team? That's interesting. I dont see that at all.
I think he's looking at our depth that (hopefully) won't be playing much in the crunch. So yes, in preseason using all of our bench, we look small but we have enough height when playing meaningful games.
I think we just need to rebound better as our height isn’t really a problem in the starting lineup. Zion is the only one that is undersized in the starting 5 and you’d expect him to do more on the boards than last night. That was probably my biggest qualm with him as he was otherwise excellent last night. Favors did fairly well on the boards
Unless Zion is guarding the ball, he is a deer in headlights on defense and is just out of position to rebound because he's not moving.
Rebounding won't be a problem long term though. The team has length and athleticism so they aren't small by any means. A small team is the Rockets.
Defense though, will be an issue at least until next year I think.
im down on the starters who didnt play with energy and didnt play the game right on offense and defense.......proud of the bench coming in hungry with something to prove and playing the game right on both ends...the offense had ball movement and pace...the defense had hustle and made the bulls work hard on offense.....
zion has to stop gambling on defense so much because people are blaming favors for zion mistakes with bad defense.....zion gambling alot is leaving the back end out to dry on defense and causing us easy points in these 2 games....even he said coach will get on him and show him the tape.....
i guess its me because i also think we are small on the front court when it comes to rebounding...zion,,favors and ingram are a small rebounding front court compared to what we had in the last few season with AD,,boogie,,niko,,randal and whoever we had at SF......all 4 of those past players were getting double digits in rebounds a game.....so im going to chalk the rebounding up to effort right now until the season start and see how we do 2 months into the season...
friday should be a good challenge for us because the jazz should play with some pride in this game and our starters should also after yesterday so im looking forward to that game...
i wasnt checking for summer league play but naw has impressed me in these 2 games against nba players.....i thought zion was going to be the only rookie on the active roster but with miller being out and it seem like moore will be the backup SF again...miller injury has open the door for naw to be on the 12 man active roster......question is will naw be the backup PG or will gentry go with frank as the backup.....so it look like frank and naw will be battling it out in the preseason for that backup spot and thats good we will have that battle.....
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