02-13-2021, 07:48 AM
(02-13-2021, 02:09 AM)SleepingHero Wrote: I'm sorry but what?
Kristaps was NOT the issue tonight regarding rim protection... at all. Out of Zion's 14 made buckets, Kristaps was at fault for 3 of them, with 1 being a good contest that Zion just made. The other 2 KP just got taken off the dribble by Zion's speed. Steven Adams had 2 made buckets, one where he overpowered KP on a rebound which led to a putback (his fault), and the other Luka fails to box out (not KP's fault). Ingram? He had 3 made drives to the basket. One where just walks through THJ to the bucket as KP tries to contest but couldn't get the angle, one where he drives and Adams sets a sneaky pick to stop a KP contest, and the third where Maxi was a step slow on the recovery. 2 out of 4 Hernangomez's buckets came off a fastbreak and another coming off of a favorable loose ball. The only bucket he made in the halfcourt was a post-up over Willie. And that's pretty much it. Bledsoe had 1 drive where Richardson just got beat.
It's really interesting that you single KP's performance on the interior D (where he had an overall average game there, nothing egregious like you and many others are making him out to be), when Maxi was THE worst defender on the court tonight. Multiple times he just got beat and overpowered by Zion. THJ too. Multiple times he was caught out of position and didn't pick up the right guy in transition. Willie? He got beat multiple times tonight. DFS? Ingram shot over him several times. KP was at fault for at most FOUR of the Pels 24 interior made buckets, and we're going to make him the prime suspect? Give me a break. I understand you guys have completely written KP off, but at least be grounded in reality.
https://go.nba.com/8lqd
1/1 Transition 2vs1. KP isn´t even trying to stop the play but I give him a pass. Really difficult to defend a 2vs1.
2/2 Zion drives at Maxi. Maxi stays in front of him but he overpowers him. KP is ball watching. Not boxing out Adams. Not trying to play help defense. Even though he is in perfect posiiton.
3/3 KP and Maxi switch. Maxi on Adams. KP on Zion. Zion just walks by KP for an uncontested layup.
4/4 Lonzo pushing the pace. Maxi coming from the corner and getting beat in transition. Easy dunk for Zion. KP probably could have contested the dunk but not without fouling or giving up an and1.
5/5 Mavs defense out of position. Maxi on Lonzo. THJ doesn´t realize that he has to pick up Zion. Easy Zion drive from the corner. Once again KP isn´t even trying to step up and play help defense.
KP on the bench
6/6 FT-line face up. Zion beats WCS to the rim.
7/7 Post up. Baseline drive vs Maxi. Good defense but Zion finishes the reverse layup.
KP back in the game
8/8 Zion-Adams pick and roll. Maxi and KP switch. Zion easily beats KP with a baseline drive and finishes the play with a dunk. KP makes it worse with a cheap foul. And1.
9/9 Ingram-Zion pick and roll. DFS and Maxi switch. Ingram dishes out a well timed bounce pass. Easy layup. Next stupid foul. And1. KP boxed out Adams. Did not attempt to play help defense from the weakside.
10/10 Ball-Zion pick and roll. Once again an easy bounce pass and and1 dunk after a cheap foul from Kleber. KP is not in the play. Instead he is guarding Hernangomez in the corner (Hernangomez is 0/4 from 3 for the season).
11/11 Zion posts up Kleber. Good defense on a hook shot but he makes it anyway. KP once again wrestling Adams. Not protecting the rim.
12/13 Maxi steps up to stop the Ingram drive. Ingram swings it to Zion. Maxi cuts of the drive but Zion is deep in the paint and just finishes over him. KP in a great position but not trying to contest the shot. Once again being pushed out of the way by Adams.
KP on the bench
13/14 Redick misses a shot. Good contest from Kleber. Hernangomes tip out. Luka on Zion. Lob pass in the paint. WCS steps up and tries to help but Zion finishes over him.
KP back in the game
14/15 Zion catches the ball at the FT line and beats KP to the rim. Good contest. Better offense.
You are rightfully pointing out that KP wasn´t the man defender vs Zion. But he was the help defender at the rim and simply refused to step up and contest shots.
I don´t want to turn this into a KP bashing thread. And agree that the entire team played really bad on defense. Maxi was outmatched vs Zion but his teammates played no help defense and it looks like RC wasn´t willing to double Zion. Probably a smart decision because the Pelicans couldn´t miss from 3 in the first half.
KP was not the issue when it comes to rim protection? Maybe...just maybe not playing any help defense in the paint is an issue. The Mavs had no rim protection and that´s a big problem. I give Adams a lot of credit because he made some really smart veteran plays to push KP out of position or prevent him from contesting shots. But that´s not an excuse. The center is the most important defender on the floor and KP wasn´t doing his job. Not really sure why. I guess he wanted to prevent easy offensive boards for Adams and focused on early boxouts but that´s not really helping the team when Zion is getting uncontested layup and dunks in the paint.