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.
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.
Here's to Immanuel Quickley as the second coming of Emanuel Ginobili!
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.
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.
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.