Derek Bodner’s Blog

Here are things I think I think through 9 games of the NBA season.

* This team really, really struggles in the half court set. When Kyle Korver’s not on the floor, there’s absolutely no spacing. Jason Smith helps a little, but his impact’s not enough, and his playing time’s not long enough, to truly fix the problem. The team’s filled with guards who like to go 1-1 and drive, and forwards with no discernible offensive abilities. Bad combination.
* This team has a hard time taking advantage of Andre Miller’s skillset. Miller’s best with cutters, shooters, and big men who can finish. We have none of the above. Andre Iguodala’s gotten better at catch and shoot, but it’s not his strong point. Opposite him we run Willie Green and Rodney Carney, who offensively are very similar. Both tend to be better at 1-1 situations, neither are really catch and shoot threats (although they sometimes try to be), and neither move all that well without the ball (either coming off of screens or cutting to the basket). And the big men? Let’s not get started. Reggie Evans is a nice piece to have coming off your bench, but he really clogs things up offensively if in there for an extended period of time. Some might say Andre Miller’s not playing well, and he probably isn’t. But he also doesn’t really fit this team.
* Andre Iguodala’s pressing a bit, and it’s been showing recently. The turnovers are a real problem, and are part him not having the ballhandling to be a #1 option, and part because he’s trying to do too much and doesn’t have the necessary pieces around him. His jumpshot, both midrange and longrange, look like they’ve improved, and he’s considerably better at shooting off the dribble than he’s ever been in the past. The real thing holding him back from being a #1 scorer at this point in his career isn’t his jumpshot anymore, but his body control. If he had the body control of Louis Williams he’d be a 25 point per game scorer in this league. He’s great at getting in the paint, and gets to the line a lot because of that. But he’s not a great finisher after contract.
* Louis Williams, on the other hand, has tremendous body control. The regularity and percentage at which he completes difficult drives in traffic is astounding. This is the reason (combined with his sick first step) that he looks like he can be a legit scorer in this league. I wasn’t completely sold on Louis last year, but I’m really warming up to him. His offensive game isn’t just ripe with potential, but it’s very advanced for a 21 year old. Deep range, great first step, good finisher, hesitation moves, midrange game. And what impresses me the most? While he’s obviously a scoring point guard, he doesn’t look like the type that’s either going to habitually shoot early in the shotclock or take shots out of the rhythm of the offense. I would definitely like to see him get a more prominent role.
* Willie Green and Rodney Carney are both very disappointing. I suppose I’m not disappointed in Willie, because he’s the same player he’s always been. They’re both black holes offensively. When they touch the ball, if they don’t pass it back immediately, they’re going 1-1 with their man. Neither of them contribute much else. Getting to the line? Rebounding? Passing? Not so much. When their shots are off, they’re liabilities. I give Rodney a little more slack because he seems to be playing solid defense.
* Can’t fault Reggie Evans. He’s doing what he’s asked to do. Problem is he’s asked to do it as a starter rather than a 15-20 minute per game sub.
* I’ve warmed up to Jason Smith. I was worried about his release point on his jump shot and drives, but that’s turned out not to be too much of an issue. With his mobility, hustle, and range, he’s going to be an asset. Not convinced it’s as a starter, but an asset nonetheless.
* Sammy started off really playing well, but has come back to earth the last few games. I have little hope for Sam, and he’s made some plays this year (fouling Bargnani in 3 pt range, not boxing Bosh out on a free throw) that remind me why he frustrates me more than any player since Derrick Coleman was here the first time.
* Thad Young is…..well….Raw. But I believe he’s our best fit, skillwise to play next to Iguodala and is our future starting 3. Right now he’s got a place on this team just by hustling, rebounding, playing defense, and being an opportunistic scorer. The effort is there, and that’s going to make him a contributor even when shots aren’t falling. Just try not to do too much, and limit putting the ball on the floor to when you’re by yourself. Please.

In the end, this is still a bad team. They play hard, and they’re a good group of guys, but they’re overmatched from a talent perspective nearly every time they step on the court. They’re fun to watch, and they probably won’t end up with one of the five worst records in the league, but they’re not in a real competing state yet, and probably won’t be for a few years.