HOLY KRISTAPS: All Things Porzingis | TRADED to WAS

[Tyler]

Here's another KP quote reinforcing the observation that moving to the 5 has done wonders for his game helped him find his place in the offense.  I love it and hope that's the full-time plan moving forward.  Building the roster around such unique talents at both the 1 and 5 makes the entire process so much easier for everyone -- players, coaches, and management.  

https://twitter.com/Boweman55/status/123...9442416640

---

https://twitter.com/townbrad/status/1232896244705419265

[ItsGoTime]

Did he just say that playing the 5 allows him to get more involved to do things like he’s used to and playing the 4 has him standing around on the perimeter? Did I hear that right?

If I did, is that not weird to people? That makes it sound to me like RC has the roles completely set for the positions on the court. No wavering. No adaptation for the guys you have on the team. If a player has close to the ability to play the role, they get time on the court regardless of size. Otherwise, play another ball handler (small ball).

Man, I thought RC was more adaptable. His players need to be, but he doesn’t.

[fifteenth]

Did he just say that playing the 5 allows him to get more involved to do things like he’s used to and playing the 4 has him standing around on the perimeter? Did I hear that right?

If I did, is that not weird to people? That makes it sound to me like RC has the roles completely set for the positions on the court. No wavering. No adaptation for the guys you have on the team. If a player has close to the ability to play the role, they get time on the court regardless of size. Otherwise, play another ball handler (small ball).

Man, I thought RC was more adaptable. His players need to be, but he doesn’t.

I think the piece being left out here is that when KP was at the 4, Powell was setting most of the picks. So he's talking position names but the key ingredient to this formula is that Powell isn't setting the picks anymore. 

The idea originally for the Mavs was that Luka, KP and Powell would be an unstoppable offensive trio, and they were really good, but we're learning from experience that it came to some degree at the expense of KP being comfortable on the floor. Some things you have to learn by doing. 

With KP's recent surge at least somewhat due to being the pnr guy and more involved in the offense, I think Powell goes back to his bench role when he gets healthy.

[ItsGoTime]

I think the piece being left out here is that when KP was at the 4, Powell was setting most of the picks. So he's talking position names but the key ingredient to this formula is that Powell isn't setting the picks anymore. 

This doesn’t sound like anything is being left out. When Powell was in the game, he was the C, which is the position that mostly sets screens. Doesn’t sound like that has changed. What am I missing?

Just sounds too plug and play to me. No adaptation to the skillsets of the players on the team. Is this how all coaches do things?

This makes me think RC isn’t trying to put the best team out on the court, he’s trying to put the team that best fits his way of doing things on the court. There is a difference, and it seems weird to me that that is what is happening, if indeed that is what is happening.

[fifteenth]

This doesn’t sound like anything is being left out. When Powell was in the game, he was the C, which is the position that mostly sets screens. Doesn’t sound like that has changed. What am I missing?

Just sounds too plug and play to me. No adaptation to the skillsets of the players on the team. Is this how all coaches do things?

This makes me think RC isn’t trying to put the best team out on the court, he’s trying to put the team that best fits his way of doing things on the court. There is a difference, and it seems weird to me that that is what is happening, if indeed that is what is happening.

The position names are irrelevant. Powell was the pick setter. He's gone. It opened up opportunity for KP to be the pick setter, and it turns out that it's keeping him more involved and he's playing better because of it. The timing might be coinciding a bit with KP finally shaking off rust from his year+ time off. 

My response to your assertion is that Powell wasn't setting picks because he had C beside his name on a line-up card, it was because he was really good at setting picks and rolling to the basket, and because the Mavs had visions of a powerful Luka/KP/Powell partnership. 

The best pnr guy in the league got injured, it opened up opportunity for KP, and he's playing better by being in the middle of the action. 

I guess now we're in danger of just both repeating ourselves. 

If you want to add this to the "Rick sucks because" list, then have at it, but I won't join you.

[ItsGoTime]

Didn’t realize I thought Rick sucks. Thanks for letting me know my thoughts.

I do want to get to the bottom of flaws instead of just saying he has some, I think that has merit without having to say Rick sucks.

[fifteenth]

Didn’t realize I thought Rick sucks. Thanks for letting me know my thoughts.

I do want to get to the bottom of flaws instead of just saying he has some, I think that has merit without having to say Rick sucks.

Fair enough. Sorry about that.

FYI, I just listened to the Locked on Mavs Podcast and they talk about this exact topic

[Benskix2]

Why were people insisting that a 7'3" guy wasn't going to be good at playing center and should be a full time 4 before the season started?

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/THJFanAccount/status...1582748672

---

https://twitter.com/bobbykaralla/status/...8283331586

[StepBackJay]

KP is awesome. I'd like to see him do more of this with Luka out there too. I have thought all year the Mavs maybe spread the ball a little too much. I am fine with the distribution overall I have just felt like KP should be averaging a couple more shots a game.

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/townbrad/status/1234298897088106496

---

[Scott41theMavs]

I just want to reiterate how huge KP's rebounding improvement is for his future, and the future of the Mavs.

[Kammrath]

I just want to reiterate how huge KP's rebounding improvement is for his future, and the future of the Mavs.

Yep.

Couple numbers for you:

Defensive Rebounding %
2016 - 20.7%
2017 - 18.2%
2018 - 18.1%
2020 - 25.7% (!)

On/Off Team Rebounding 2020
Def Rebounding - +3.0% (!)
Total Rebounding - +1.2%

[vg2011]

This doesn’t sound like anything is being left out. When Powell was in the game, he was the C, which is the position that mostly sets screens. Doesn’t sound like that has changed. What am I missing?

Just sounds too plug and play to me. No adaptation to the skillsets of the players on the team. Is this how all coaches do things?

This makes me think RC isn’t trying to put the best team out on the court, he’s trying to put the team that best fits his way of doing things on the court. There is a difference, and it seems weird to me that that is what is happening, if indeed that is what is happening.

The position names are irrelevant. Powell was the pick setter. He's gone. It opened up opportunity for KP to be the pick setter, and it turns out that it's keeping him more involved and he's playing better because of it. The timing might be coinciding a bit with KP finally shaking off rust from his year+ time off. 

My response to your assertion is that Powell wasn't setting picks because he had C beside his name on a line-up card, it was because he was really good at setting picks and rolling to the basket, and because the Mavs had visions of a powerful Luka/KP/Powell partnership. 

The best pnr guy in the league got injured, it opened up opportunity for KP, and he's playing better by being in the middle of the action. 

I guess now we're in danger of just both repeating ourselves. 

If you want to add this to the "Rick sucks because" list, then have at it, but I won't join you.

I think the problem is thinking of terms like center or power forwards in their traditional meanings.

When an offense is put on paper everyone is assigned a number between 1 and 5. Out of habit we call a 5 a center but the term center doesn't really mean much in Rick's offense. What matters is what the 5 does. It would almost be better to replace 1-5 with A-E to avoid confusion.

The one thing Powell does at an elite level is roll which is what a 5/E does. But he can't shoot threes.

One of the many things KP does well is shoot threes. Which is what a 4/D does. But coming off injury he was not an option to roll.

So initially while KP is shaking off the rust Rick took advantage of Powell and KP's strengths.

Now that Powell is out and KP can occasionally roll because he has more confidence in his knee the logical position for KP is the 5/E.

[Tyler]

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1234604394882027521

[ItsGoTime]

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1234604394882027521

Congrats KP! Very well deserved!

[Hypermav]

Hey, that is awesome for KP.  He deserves the recognition.

[Hypermav]

http://www.ultimateknicks.com/forum/topic.asp?t=59648&page=13

Poor Knick fan.

[ClutchDirk]

http://www.ultimateknicks.com/forum/topic.asp?t=59648&page=13

Poor Knick fan.

when have the knicks ever done that..maybe I T did?

I'm still waiting for the draft pick that can stick around in NY for more than 3 seasons..That hasn't happen since Lee and Nate 10 yrs ago, and those are the only 2 since john wallace and charlie ward.

So the knicks have developed just 4 payers in over 35 yrs...lmfao

[BigDirk41]

We may be a better team with KP being the Alpha on offense and Luka concentrating on being more of a 23-25/10/10 player. Luka doesn't have the fitness level to play like he wants to imo. I'm seeing the same issues as last year with the phenomenal start and slowly dropping off month after month to finish the season minus a few flashes of huge games. He looks soft. He really needs to get his body right to be the player he wants to be.