(07-25-2021, 12:44 PM)omahen Wrote: I am not on sell KP at all costs island, at all.This is the symbiotic relationship I was talking about. There is a way to make it work, it may be threading a needle hard, but there is a way. Might have to be more of a hybrid zone type D where when he does find the ability to roam he needs to call it out so his teammates can cover his man a bit more.
But I think the biggest thing that reduced his productivity was when teams realized that you just have to go small against him. He can't punish smaller guys on offense and (of course) can't guard a guard or wing on the other side and can't afford to stay near the paint protecting the rim because that guy will shoot it (same thing happened to Gobert). I don't think Clippers were the only ones who successfuly implemented that strategy. From the top of my head I remember Boston game where RC chose to rather sit KP because Boston went small ball. I am sure there was more. I am not sure it was only RC inability to utilize KP and that Kidd will dance in with a magic stick making everything different. I think it is more on KP.
That's why I think his defense is not the biggest issue - he will be just fine when his task will be to guard a non shooting big. But he must be able to force the opponent to put such a guy on the floor.
I would much prefer losing to the other team by them hitting 3's than making layup after layup. At least there is a better chance that we can do what we need to on our offensive end to stay in it and that they will miss 3's (to me). This year we were giving up 3's AND layups!