12-18-2020, 12:22 PM
(12-18-2020, 08:54 AM)DanSchwartzman Wrote: Yeah, I made the mistake of looking at the game thread last night. I almost never do that as I don't start games until about an hour in (plus my life is better without all the bitching and whining). So, this time I could see comments before the actual plays happened.
The last three games Powell has been on an island guarding Towns and GA. They ranked #1 and #5 in OPM in the league and we go nuts when an incredible offensive machine lures Powell into biting on a pump fake. But, I see nary a word when Maxi is caught totally asleep on the lob play at the end of the third. BTW, Powell made an incredible defensive play just prior to biting on the fake. No credit for good plays ever.
We act like Powell did something wrong when he goes out with 3:00 left in the third and the team goes on a run. But no one mentions the team was +3 WITH Powell in the third. It wasn't Powell's departure that caused the run. Minnesota had four turnovers (3 unforced) in a short span of time. Maxi had one fantastic sequence near the end of the third, but the bulk of the run had nothing to do with him.
I hate comparing Powell to Maxi, but there is a total double standard. Powell can do no right in the eyes of some who cling to well established narratives. They couldn't conceive of him starting...yet he starts. They couldn't conceive of him being healthy...yet he is. Anyone else we'd be celebrating the hard work it took to get here and looking forward to what he'll look like when he shakes off a bit more rust (or KP comes back creating even more space in the lane). But not with Powell. I really don't get it.
BTW, Powell has changed his approach on 3's a bit. For some reason he's always insisted on shooting a 3 point jumper and now he's closer to a set shot (he still gets some lift, but not as much as in the past). There's no need to do anything else when you are left wide open. I suspect we'll see 35% or more this season largely because of this adjustment.
*instert slow clap gif*
right on