01-02-2020, 09:04 AM
(01-02-2020, 05:22 AM)j0Shi Wrote:
- Kleber is pretty much the only one performing on nightly basis.
I see this kind of thing a lot here. Sometimes the eye test lies. The team's O is 8 points per 100 worse with Maxi in the game (the D is 2.9 pp100 better for a net rating of - 5.1). Last season the O was actually better when Maxi was on the floor (+1.7) and the D was +5.3. His net rating was a stellar +6.9. The metrics at 538.com aren't kind to Maxi either, but in fairness, his RPM numbers are good.
If anything, his raw data has improved this season. Blocks are down, but scoring, rebounding and 3% are up slightly. So, why is the team less effective when Maxi is on the floor this season? My theory is his fit with the players around him. He's playing 11.7 minutes less with Barea and 3 minutes less with Powell than he did a year ago. On a bad team, Kleber + Powell were +8.5 and Kleber + Barea were +11.5. Both numbers were astounding compared to all other combinations. Powell is again BY FAR the best on/off player on the team (even without Barea). Part of what made Maxi effective was he was a beneficiary of the Powell/Barea PnR and the Powell screen game.
Logically, this season, one might say that Powell gets more time with Luka. So, the comparisons aren't fair. Powell/KP/Luka is +7.4 while Maxi/KP/Luka is +1.2. What Maxi really needs more of is Powell/Luka/Maxi. That trio is +25 in 4.8 minutes per game in 22 games. That trio works (and would help Maxi's numbers), but they don't use it very much.