01-26-2021, 01:23 PM
(This post was last modified: 01-26-2021, 01:42 PM by KillerLeft.)
(01-26-2021, 01:07 PM)cow Wrote: Don't forget our very own James Johnson.
I actually haven't given up on Johnson yet.
I know his skills haven't meshed well here to this point. They haven't contributed positively to winning during his time on the court at all. My intention is not to argue with those who are down on him. But, I think the book is still open on whether this is due to his poor play or just a matter of the Mavs not being able to integrate his skills (unique to this team, going back several years) into their flow.
I think his playmaking COULD help quite a bit, but it's not being blended in properly. This might be his fault or theirs - not sure yet. Maybe a combination of both. Either way, he's got to let the shots fly when he's open (and hopefully make them at an adequate rate) and not over dribble.
I think his 1-on-1 defense is superior to every other big on the roster, and it's not close. Again, this hasn't always translated into a team-wide positive, mostly because of his proneness to really stupid fouls, imo. Once again, I'm not sure yet whether this is just the downside of who he is as a player, or the result of he and the team figuring things out.
I fully agree with those who think he has been underwhelming and understand why they want him buried deep on the bench. But, I also think he has shown the ability to do things nobody else on the roster can do. They are good things. I'm honestly not sure whether he should be in the top 9 or not.