02-01-2021, 06:07 PM
KP's defense is not good this year. He is a good interior defender, something is going on with him. In the paint yes he can get bullied sometimes, but there aren't a ton of bully-ball type bigs left these days. It's all ab rotations, stopping penetrations, closing out on shooters, disrupting passing lanes, altering shots at the rim. Getting pushed out of the way by some of your bigger bodies isn't as much of a problem as it might have been in the NBA in many years past.
The issue with a guy like Powell is that you can easily move him out of the way enough for him to not bother your shot around the rim (altho he had a very nice defensive game last game by his standard). KP is a guy you shouldn't be able to get around bc he is long enough with good feet to block or bother your shot. This year is different. He just isn't moving fast enough or reacting fast enough or whatever to be a presence in the paint. On PnR defense he is getting smoked. I don't know what to think of it.
The issue with a guy like Powell is that you can easily move him out of the way enough for him to not bother your shot around the rim (altho he had a very nice defensive game last game by his standard). KP is a guy you shouldn't be able to get around bc he is long enough with good feet to block or bother your shot. This year is different. He just isn't moving fast enough or reacting fast enough or whatever to be a presence in the paint. On PnR defense he is getting smoked. I don't know what to think of it.