Richaun Holmes - all he contributes is a contract for trading

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

Blaming that play on Green is so horrible. Who was Powell guarding? He could have been in reach of Zubac while in the lane the whole time. If Harden drives and he goes to help and Zubac then gets the pass, that would’ve been on someone other than Powell. The lengths taken to excuse him are so mind boggling.

I mean you can be upset at the design and feel that Powell should have stayed home but the defense is designed to overload the strong side as dirkfan pointed out.  You can even see the correct execution in the first half of the possession although the offensive action was different.  Green was also pulled at this exact moment and then didn't see the floor again so it definitely seems the coaches feel Green made the mistake here.

I'm not trying to make excuses for Powell.  Just saying what I'm seeing in that play.  I do think the communication is a little haywire, you can hear Powell say "I'm low" just before him yelling "help" to Hardaway to let him know he can force Harden to the baseline.  I don't think letting Green know that he's the low man though should be a signal to Green to be moving weakside, he's simply providing awareness.

I'm not trying to say Powell is some great defender, right now the bench units with Powell/Hardaway are where we're currently just getting absolutely dominated, but he's one of the few people on the floor that I trust to make proper rotations currently.  He just happens to be overmatched consistently after making that rotation.