I think IQ has benefitted from playing with and watching Brunson every day. He seems to have adopted some of Brunson's probing style using his acceleration/deceleration to make/find holes in the defense. While IQ doesn't work to get to the midrange as much, their style of play is starting to look similar tactically, given the differences in their innate athletic skills and body type.
RJ is such a conundrum. He can go from ice cold to hot in alternating quarters. Make a great play and then dribble into a triple team. He seems like a player that just decides what he is going to do (on O and D) and has trouble adapting to his opponent's actions. Given his frame and strength, not sure why he can't just stay squared up in front of players on defense. He seems to give up more blow byes than anyone else on the team. I wonder if he overcommits toward the player and does not have the athleticism to recover? Hope he figures it out.
RJ is so frustrating to watch because his 'process' isn't ever going to be one that fans appreciate. RJ is fixated on his own eventual Stardom, so he takes shots only a guy like Kobe was given the green light to take in his latter Laker years. He has always taken shots he shouldn't take, but little by little those shots are looking less and less like hail mary's and more and more like makeable shots. We might be witnessing the birth of a supernova... or we might die before the light even reaches us. So the frustration is do we overrule our patience because this is a guy who pretends he is better than he is, or is that trait a very key element of what it takes to reach those lofty heights.
Funny...regarding IQ learning from Brunson....I was thinking: "Brunson clearly learned and molded his game after Luka." So essentially, IQ ha a taken on Luka's game!!!! 😁 Regarding RJ, I sometimes think we as a fan base underrate RJ's ability to create and get to the rim. Not many guys can actually do this around the league and it is a good skill to have. But for me, his poor athleticism and lack of fight defensively significantly limits his overall contribution to winning basketball. Combine that with zero contributions on the boards - let alone grabbing a loose ball or two - I believe this is a player that needs to be upgraded for a player (OG) who is a better fit for what we are trying to do.
Jan 30, 2023·edited Jan 30, 2023Liked by Jonathan Macri
I missed this game (sounds like a good thing) so your clipping helped me get a feel for how things went. There comes a point where when we get frustrated with Julius drifting to the basket for no apparent reason and leaving a perennial MVP wide open for a 3 that WE are the problem. This is who the man is and expecting development is self-delusion as a fan. An unguardable beast and assignment nightmare for teams on offense and arguably difference maker on D when he cares and simply maddening when he doesn't. My favorite Ju moments are when he fails on a switch or even to guard his own man and yells at IQ, Grimes or whomever as if they're the problem. Those teammates have to be so sick of that BS.
Jan 30, 2023·edited Jan 30, 2023Liked by Jonathan Macri
Great write up these are frequently something I enjoy waking up to. I also re-watched a little of the Brooklyn game. I came away less disappointed in their effort the 2nd time. They were a little flat and the Nets shot very well. I think there were some Randle moments, and they gave up more 3s in transition than normal. On those transition plays often the defender was stuck having to choose b/t taking away one shooter to leave another open. Why the Nets were able to get #s is a question I don't have the answer for, but I don't think the half court 3 point defense was terrible. Maybe a little off but not intolerable on a off night. I also thought Grimes did what he could on Kyrie on the 4th. He's the most skilled shot maker in basketball IMO. After two big wins they simply did not play as well. Let downs after highs are human nature. I think it was obvious early. At that point there were 2 choices. One: try to shake things up a little to create a spark. Maybe let Deuce and Grimes trap all over the floor when Kyrie sits. Or actually play Obi Toppin and try to take advantage of him as a scorer. In the old days someone might have taken an intentional foul. Two: grind even harder with what you do. Of course, we picked option 2 and too the team’s credit plowed their way to the rim even more than normal in the second half and produced a pretty good effort that gave them an outside chance at stealing one. All and all a not a great performance but not a terrible loss either.
Thanks so much for the kind words Ewing. And I'm wit you coming away less disappointed on rewatch, and re: your other thoughts. I'd be all for some occasional trapping.
Here's to Immanuel Quickley as the second coming of Emanuel Ginobili!
Man, different sorts of players but I'm digging that comp!
I like this comp too. Q and Manu both had super happy feet. Balls of energy that played an unpredictable style with shot making and dynamic pace.
I think IQ has benefitted from playing with and watching Brunson every day. He seems to have adopted some of Brunson's probing style using his acceleration/deceleration to make/find holes in the defense. While IQ doesn't work to get to the midrange as much, their style of play is starting to look similar tactically, given the differences in their innate athletic skills and body type.
RJ is such a conundrum. He can go from ice cold to hot in alternating quarters. Make a great play and then dribble into a triple team. He seems like a player that just decides what he is going to do (on O and D) and has trouble adapting to his opponent's actions. Given his frame and strength, not sure why he can't just stay squared up in front of players on defense. He seems to give up more blow byes than anyone else on the team. I wonder if he overcommits toward the player and does not have the athleticism to recover? Hope he figures it out.
RJ is so frustrating to watch because his 'process' isn't ever going to be one that fans appreciate. RJ is fixated on his own eventual Stardom, so he takes shots only a guy like Kobe was given the green light to take in his latter Laker years. He has always taken shots he shouldn't take, but little by little those shots are looking less and less like hail mary's and more and more like makeable shots. We might be witnessing the birth of a supernova... or we might die before the light even reaches us. So the frustration is do we overrule our patience because this is a guy who pretends he is better than he is, or is that trait a very key element of what it takes to reach those lofty heights.
Holy shit this comment broke my brain. The RJ Barrett experience in a nutshell. Incredibly well said.
Funny...regarding IQ learning from Brunson....I was thinking: "Brunson clearly learned and molded his game after Luka." So essentially, IQ ha a taken on Luka's game!!!! 😁 Regarding RJ, I sometimes think we as a fan base underrate RJ's ability to create and get to the rim. Not many guys can actually do this around the league and it is a good skill to have. But for me, his poor athleticism and lack of fight defensively significantly limits his overall contribution to winning basketball. Combine that with zero contributions on the boards - let alone grabbing a loose ball or two - I believe this is a player that needs to be upgraded for a player (OG) who is a better fit for what we are trying to do.
I missed this game (sounds like a good thing) so your clipping helped me get a feel for how things went. There comes a point where when we get frustrated with Julius drifting to the basket for no apparent reason and leaving a perennial MVP wide open for a 3 that WE are the problem. This is who the man is and expecting development is self-delusion as a fan. An unguardable beast and assignment nightmare for teams on offense and arguably difference maker on D when he cares and simply maddening when he doesn't. My favorite Ju moments are when he fails on a switch or even to guard his own man and yells at IQ, Grimes or whomever as if they're the problem. Those teammates have to be so sick of that BS.
I wonder if they've just accepted (like us) that it comes with the territory at this point. SMH.
love the chat, thanks!!!!
Great write up these are frequently something I enjoy waking up to. I also re-watched a little of the Brooklyn game. I came away less disappointed in their effort the 2nd time. They were a little flat and the Nets shot very well. I think there were some Randle moments, and they gave up more 3s in transition than normal. On those transition plays often the defender was stuck having to choose b/t taking away one shooter to leave another open. Why the Nets were able to get #s is a question I don't have the answer for, but I don't think the half court 3 point defense was terrible. Maybe a little off but not intolerable on a off night. I also thought Grimes did what he could on Kyrie on the 4th. He's the most skilled shot maker in basketball IMO. After two big wins they simply did not play as well. Let downs after highs are human nature. I think it was obvious early. At that point there were 2 choices. One: try to shake things up a little to create a spark. Maybe let Deuce and Grimes trap all over the floor when Kyrie sits. Or actually play Obi Toppin and try to take advantage of him as a scorer. In the old days someone might have taken an intentional foul. Two: grind even harder with what you do. Of course, we picked option 2 and too the team’s credit plowed their way to the rim even more than normal in the second half and produced a pretty good effort that gave them an outside chance at stealing one. All and all a not a great performance but not a terrible loss either.
Thanks so much for the kind words Ewing. And I'm wit you coming away less disappointed on rewatch, and re: your other thoughts. I'd be all for some occasional trapping.