Some great basketball being played by the team, other than Julius (and some Brunson inconsistency) I’d say everyone is off to a pretty great start to the season. And even randle’s issue has pretty much just been shooting %, his rebounding and passing look solid, and the last few games the shooting has been better as well.
RJ looks like he’s an all-star, letting the offense come to him and showing off a sweet stroke leading to efficiency that has previously alluded him.
Quick looks like he took the 6MOTY snub to heart and is looking to lock it up the year, dude is just playing the most efficient basketball I’ve ever seen from him, the definition of a spark plug.
DiVincenzo is a welcome addition and has one of the prettiest jumpers I’ve ever seen.
Mitch looks to have taken that next step in solidifying him as a premier starting center, he is just a guy every team wants, great rim protector, can hold his own guarding the perimeter when mismatched into guards, elite offensive rebounder, just a high impact guy.
But
I struggle to see how a team like this wins a 7 game series against the Nuggets, Suns, Bucks, or even the Celtics. I’d love to be wrong but the offensive firepower on those teams just feels unbeatable no matter how good our defense is.
I’d love to be shown why I’m wrong, but if we won a ship we would go down as one of the least talented rosters to do so, so I just can’t see how it would reasonably happen, or what pieces we’d add to get to that level.
Randle was 5th in iso frequency last year and still managed 0.97 PPP (65th percentile). Better than Tatum, Edwards, Trae Young, Giannis, Paul George, Devin Booker Jaylen Brown etc. That is elite anyway you look at it.
And while Randle wasn’t good in the clutch last year (34%). Neither was Trae Young (37%), SGA (38%), Dame (38%), Tatum (35%) Ja (34%), Booker (37%), Giannis (38%)
Good thing we have Brunson to take shots in the clutch
I think we also need to discuss the kind of ISOs Julius is getting. Feels like especially with Brunson here it has been less of him ISOing his man and instead them getting the switch on the pnr and them choosing who is breaking down who.
Brunson was 84th percentile how is 65 and 84 both considered elite? Brunson and Randle imo are in two different tiers in terms of isolation and efficiency.
No one cares what Trae young and others shot in the clutch it doesnt negate the fact that Randle is bad in the clutch you are either good or you arent. All those players have a better plus/minus in the clutch than Randle. Its not all about shooting but deicision making and we know Randle is more TO prone late.
Your right we do have Brunson but he doesnt tae every shot in the clutch. The most important thing we need to do is play through Brunson late.