this is great stuff, Eric! lots of fun & insight in under 6 minutes (are shorter videos easier for you to make, because shorter; or harder, on the "short letter harder than a long one" principle?)
some things of note:
* Kuminga not knowing where to be in the action perhaps a clue to his spot in Kerr's doghouse, but he got a nice dunk once he figured it out
* can't tell how much Klay looking out of place in some of the actions is from him messing up vs others throwing off the timing; he had some nice passes out of these tho!
Nov 9, 2022·edited Nov 9, 2022Liked by Eric Apricot
Many thanks Mr. A! Between the T and the focaccia that's as fired up as I've seen Steph. Also noticed some unusually droopy body language from Draymond when things were getting focaccia'd up.
NBA Last Two Minute report confirmed a missed foul call on Klay on Huerter’s 3 point shot. I know a win’s a win, but that somehow put a damper on our win. I hope Klay is looking at the replay to make sure he doesn’t do that again.
There's like 20 "marginal contact" correct no calls in the L2M report. Problem is "marginal contact" is a judgment call and the L2M report's lens they are looking at might not match how the officials have been officiating. Same issue with replay when it goes to the replay center.
L2M also doesn't (as its name suggests) look at anything prior to the last two minutes. Kuminga got absolutely smacked on a layup (which he made) earlier in the game with no call. Every game will have missed calls.
There's been a zillion missed calls in sports history and honestly this one wasn't great but was hardly unusual. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. Missed calls average out over time and we've had our own complaints over the years....
Klay was an idiot on that last possession and needs to review the videotape. But after losing 5 in a row, any win is a win no matter how it was achieved.
L2M Report also says they missed a travel on Steph, I believe when they were trying to trap us on our final possession. Had they actually called travel on Steph, they would've been down only 1 with like 16 seconds left.
I would say that roughly speaking there are four areas in assessing players and I'm curious where you think the young players -- Wiseman, Moody, and Kuminga, and Poole -- are stronger or weaker in each area, and therefore where improvement might come quicker or slower, or never.
1. Physical, such as not being fast enough, strong enough
2. Habitual learning, such as not knowing where to stand, not passing to an open man, working on shooting, dribbling drills
3. Effort, such as hustle, running up and down hard on every play
4. Mental, meaning confidence, patience with error, not pouting when not played ...
1. Obviously Wiseman and Kuminga have the best physical tools, other than significant concerns with Wiseman's hands. Moody seems pretty capable for his role, too, and his wingspan will continue to come in handy. Obviously Poole's height is below NBA average and he would probably benefit from being as ripped as Steph is too, but Poole does have his own physical advantages, most notably quickness.
2. Wiseman is way behind the curve on habitual learning. It feels like he's constantly directly underneath the basket where he can't actually rebound misses, and he's often not standing in the right place for other actions either. Still better than his rookie year but it feels like he's about 50 years of game time short of becoming Kevon frickin' Looney. Kuminga is also raw, and I wouldn't be surprised if a language barrier has made it tougher for him to internalize the more complex plays (dude was raised in Congo! it's amazing he's even here making millions and playing!). I don't watch team practices though so of course I've got no idea how the guys are doing on drills. And obviously Poole has been with the team longest and knows the system best, but even early last year it was clear he understood the system and his role.
3. I like Moody's effort in particular. Poole's in-game effort has been up-and-down this year; he has stretches where he's diving into the middle of everything being disruptive on defense or working hard to get the second unit a good shot, and there are other moments where he stands around waiting for someone else to box out and rebound. Of course Poole's offseason effort leading up to last season is legendary, though. Wiseman, to his credit, has been doing pretty well on effort as well, and he continues to run the floor in transition, which is nice. Harder to tell with Kuminga since he's had such inconsistent minutes.
4. Kuminga has no lack of confidence but it's a shame he clearly doesn't respect the G-league, because it would've been great for his career and the team if he would had his full effort into crushing the competition there before this season. Moody is the most mature and balanced although his flashes of audacity are farther between than I'd like. Poole is the most patient of the bunch IMO, having been a great contributor off the bench or in the starting unit last season. It does kind of look like either his finger is hurting him or he's just adjusting to some stuff so far this season. Wiseman has looked frustrated with himself lately but given all he's gone through and the results he's seen so far, I think that's understandable; what's important is if he can channel it to productive outlets and progress, rather than letting it take hold of him. Getting a T in the thick of a game is plenty forgivable—just look at Draymond—but I have no idea how he'll carry that forward.
5. BBIQ: seeing the floor and making the right decision quickly.
since what you call "Mental" you describe with words that to me mean "Attitude".
I'll evaluate by in-game observation only; off the floor / practice doesn't count.
Here are my "current ability" ratings on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being Curry-esque:
1. (Physical) JK: 10; MM: 7; JW: 7; JP: 7
2. (Habits) JK: 5; MM: 7; JW: 4; JP: 7
3. (Effort) JK: 7; MM: 10; JW: 6; JP: 7
4. (Attitude) JK: 5; MM: 9; JW: 5; JP: 7
5. (BBIQ) JK: 6; MM: 6; JW: 4; JP: 6 (lately; previously has shown up to 8)
To answer this in a digestible way a spreadsheet would be nice.
Depending on how this goes and my spare time, I may go back and add color and address the "quickly/slowly/never" question. Overall, I think the answer is closer to "slowly" for all the players in this list for all the criteria.
I think a lot of your grades are pretty accurate but am not entirely in agreement about JW, though not huge disagreements. Now, admittedly I was an early investor in Wiseman Island and have an interest in the sports bar there, so there's that. That said, when it comes to physical JW is right there with JK but he doesn't reap the benefits of it because of issues with BBIQ and habitual learning. I might even downgrade his habitual learning to a 3. JW puts out every bit as much effort as JK or JP; everyone on the team says he's a hard worker. I did not see an attitude problem with JW unless you count that T, and that was just frustration because he was too late to set a screen and totally messed up a play involving Steph. He cared a lot or he wouldn't have reacted that way.
I actually agree with you on JW's attitude toward working and trying hard. My specific issue with him is the "next play mentality" Kerr talks about. He appears to get into his feelings and out of the flow of the game sometimes.
Saw this in a reddit thread and I think it's a great idea: Bench the starters, and start the bench.
Pros:
1) Boosts confidence of second unit, making them believe they're the shiznit.
2) Opponent sees our "starting lineup" and lets their guard down, thinking we're the 2019 Warriors.
3) However, opponent then sees Steph/Klay/Wiggs/Dray/Loon come in at the 6 minute mark of Q1 and is scared pantsless. The shock carries over for remainder of game.
4) For everyone who wants Klay benched anyway, you're welcome.
5) For everyone who wants Kuminga to start, you're welcome.
I think it's time to take #StrengthInNumbers to the next level, and this is the way to do it.
Or start a second unit of Wiseman, Kuminga, JMG, moody with Steph and form a human circular link chain around him on offense as someone once suggested and allow him to shoot 3s from inside of it everytime
> In second spectrums "Contact on screens" tracking status, out of 145 players who qualify, James Wiseman makes contact the 13th least on screens (52.8%). Via Mismatch podcast
Yes, he doesn't seem to have the feel for it as with some of the other job descriptions that go along with playing C. This development may take years. Perhaps by 2025, we might view him as 'serviceable', a title meant for mediocre big men who are not bad and not very good.
"Yes, he doesn't seem to have the feel for it as with some of the other job descriptions that go along with playing C."
I don't think that's a problem of not understanding, that's a problem of not wanting to. Wiseman has been vocal in his admiration of Kevin Durant, who was also never as good and willing a screener as someone of his size could be. Take this as the usual fan pseudo-psychoanalysis it is, but I don't Wiseman wants to be center and if that wasn't a completely lost cause he would have pulled the same as Durant and try to make himself smaller so he can play Small and Power Forward.
Hmm. The Warrior staff have always praised his work ethic and I've never heard anyone talking about him being a PF. Personally, I wouldn't mind him being a PF if he could really play that role. A Durant he will never be. He doesn't have the skills or BBIQ to pull that off.
I would make a slight change to your wording. 'voting in a system...'
Both sides want to xploit and disenfranchise. It's rigged from the getgo, no matter what one's intentions are. People want to feel good about themselves like they are doing good in the world. This is incredibly naive and has nothing to do with 'love', democracy, or any real change. These are the same words that have been spoken ever since I can remember, the same promises, and the same conveyor belt of morons uttering them that want power in one form or another. They are masters at brainwashing as if voting has really changed the disastrous course mankind has taken. Democracy is a total illusion and has been weaponized by our Uncle Sam, that devoted relative who terrorizes the world with his benefits.
I just watched the video. Should we be concerned that Kuminga doesn't know the plays in his second year with the team? Or was this just a case of him not paying attention to the play call?
Don't get me wrong I'm happy they won and snapped the losing streak...but needing Curry to go banana pajama mamma jamma just to beat the Kings, I'm a little worried.
this is great stuff, Eric! lots of fun & insight in under 6 minutes (are shorter videos easier for you to make, because shorter; or harder, on the "short letter harder than a long one" principle?)
some things of note:
* Kuminga not knowing where to be in the action perhaps a clue to his spot in Kerr's doghouse, but he got a nice dunk once he figured it out
* can't tell how much Klay looking out of place in some of the actions is from him messing up vs others throwing off the timing; he had some nice passes out of these tho!
* Steph
also, "Gaggle" is a fun name
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10055097-warriors-two-timeline-approach-cant-be-more-important-than-stephen-currys-timeline
The front office and Kerr are going to have to walk a very, very tight line this season.
Many thanks Mr. A! Between the T and the focaccia that's as fired up as I've seen Steph. Also noticed some unusually droopy body language from Draymond when things were getting focaccia'd up.
NBA Last Two Minute report confirmed a missed foul call on Klay on Huerter’s 3 point shot. I know a win’s a win, but that somehow put a damper on our win. I hope Klay is looking at the replay to make sure he doesn’t do that again.
There's like 20 "marginal contact" correct no calls in the L2M report. Problem is "marginal contact" is a judgment call and the L2M report's lens they are looking at might not match how the officials have been officiating. Same issue with replay when it goes to the replay center.
L2M also doesn't (as its name suggests) look at anything prior to the last two minutes. Kuminga got absolutely smacked on a layup (which he made) earlier in the game with no call. Every game will have missed calls.
There's been a zillion missed calls in sports history and honestly this one wasn't great but was hardly unusual. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. Missed calls average out over time and we've had our own complaints over the years....
Klay was an idiot on that last possession and needs to review the videotape. But after losing 5 in a row, any win is a win no matter how it was achieved.
Yeah even if he had not made contact, that was very risky to be closing out so close.
L2M Report also says they missed a travel on Steph, I believe when they were trying to trap us on our final possession. Had they actually called travel on Steph, they would've been down only 1 with like 16 seconds left.
Last Two Minute report missed a travel call on Jeremi Grant's game-winning shot against the Suns last Friday. Suns fans have got to be mad about that.
https://official.nba.com/l2m/L2MReport.html?gameId=0022200130
I would say that roughly speaking there are four areas in assessing players and I'm curious where you think the young players -- Wiseman, Moody, and Kuminga, and Poole -- are stronger or weaker in each area, and therefore where improvement might come quicker or slower, or never.
1. Physical, such as not being fast enough, strong enough
2. Habitual learning, such as not knowing where to stand, not passing to an open man, working on shooting, dribbling drills
3. Effort, such as hustle, running up and down hard on every play
4. Mental, meaning confidence, patience with error, not pouting when not played ...
1. Obviously Wiseman and Kuminga have the best physical tools, other than significant concerns with Wiseman's hands. Moody seems pretty capable for his role, too, and his wingspan will continue to come in handy. Obviously Poole's height is below NBA average and he would probably benefit from being as ripped as Steph is too, but Poole does have his own physical advantages, most notably quickness.
2. Wiseman is way behind the curve on habitual learning. It feels like he's constantly directly underneath the basket where he can't actually rebound misses, and he's often not standing in the right place for other actions either. Still better than his rookie year but it feels like he's about 50 years of game time short of becoming Kevon frickin' Looney. Kuminga is also raw, and I wouldn't be surprised if a language barrier has made it tougher for him to internalize the more complex plays (dude was raised in Congo! it's amazing he's even here making millions and playing!). I don't watch team practices though so of course I've got no idea how the guys are doing on drills. And obviously Poole has been with the team longest and knows the system best, but even early last year it was clear he understood the system and his role.
3. I like Moody's effort in particular. Poole's in-game effort has been up-and-down this year; he has stretches where he's diving into the middle of everything being disruptive on defense or working hard to get the second unit a good shot, and there are other moments where he stands around waiting for someone else to box out and rebound. Of course Poole's offseason effort leading up to last season is legendary, though. Wiseman, to his credit, has been doing pretty well on effort as well, and he continues to run the floor in transition, which is nice. Harder to tell with Kuminga since he's had such inconsistent minutes.
4. Kuminga has no lack of confidence but it's a shame he clearly doesn't respect the G-league, because it would've been great for his career and the team if he would had his full effort into crushing the competition there before this season. Moody is the most mature and balanced although his flashes of audacity are farther between than I'd like. Poole is the most patient of the bunch IMO, having been a great contributor off the bench or in the starting unit last season. It does kind of look like either his finger is hurting him or he's just adjusting to some stuff so far this season. Wiseman has looked frustrated with himself lately but given all he's gone through and the results he's seen so far, I think that's understandable; what's important is if he can channel it to productive outlets and progress, rather than letting it take hold of him. Getting a T in the thick of a game is plenty forgivable—just look at Draymond—but I have no idea how he'll carry that forward.
tl;dr
Physical: Wiseman = Kuminga > Moody > Poole
Learning: Poole > Moody > Kuminga > Wiseman
Effort: ??? > Kuminga
Mental: Poole > Moody > Wiseman > Kuminga
I'll bite and add:
5. BBIQ: seeing the floor and making the right decision quickly.
since what you call "Mental" you describe with words that to me mean "Attitude".
I'll evaluate by in-game observation only; off the floor / practice doesn't count.
Here are my "current ability" ratings on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being Curry-esque:
1. (Physical) JK: 10; MM: 7; JW: 7; JP: 7
2. (Habits) JK: 5; MM: 7; JW: 4; JP: 7
3. (Effort) JK: 7; MM: 10; JW: 6; JP: 7
4. (Attitude) JK: 5; MM: 9; JW: 5; JP: 7
5. (BBIQ) JK: 6; MM: 6; JW: 4; JP: 6 (lately; previously has shown up to 8)
To answer this in a digestible way a spreadsheet would be nice.
Depending on how this goes and my spare time, I may go back and add color and address the "quickly/slowly/never" question. Overall, I think the answer is closer to "slowly" for all the players in this list for all the criteria.
I think a lot of your grades are pretty accurate but am not entirely in agreement about JW, though not huge disagreements. Now, admittedly I was an early investor in Wiseman Island and have an interest in the sports bar there, so there's that. That said, when it comes to physical JW is right there with JK but he doesn't reap the benefits of it because of issues with BBIQ and habitual learning. I might even downgrade his habitual learning to a 3. JW puts out every bit as much effort as JK or JP; everyone on the team says he's a hard worker. I did not see an attitude problem with JW unless you count that T, and that was just frustration because he was too late to set a screen and totally messed up a play involving Steph. He cared a lot or he wouldn't have reacted that way.
I actually agree with you on JW's attitude toward working and trying hard. My specific issue with him is the "next play mentality" Kerr talks about. He appears to get into his feelings and out of the flow of the game sometimes.
“Anthony Lamb” and “Crunch Time”. Didn’t expect to hear those together this year.
Anthony "Crunch Time" Lamb. Let it be known.
Saw this in a reddit thread and I think it's a great idea: Bench the starters, and start the bench.
Pros:
1) Boosts confidence of second unit, making them believe they're the shiznit.
2) Opponent sees our "starting lineup" and lets their guard down, thinking we're the 2019 Warriors.
3) However, opponent then sees Steph/Klay/Wiggs/Dray/Loon come in at the 6 minute mark of Q1 and is scared pantsless. The shock carries over for remainder of game.
4) For everyone who wants Klay benched anyway, you're welcome.
5) For everyone who wants Kuminga to start, you're welcome.
I think it's time to take #StrengthInNumbers to the next level, and this is the way to do it.
Down vote
Or start a second unit of Wiseman, Kuminga, JMG, moody with Steph and form a human circular link chain around him on offense as someone once suggested and allow him to shoot 3s from inside of it everytime
A truly heliocentric offense at last!
> In second spectrums "Contact on screens" tracking status, out of 145 players who qualify, James Wiseman makes contact the 13th least on screens (52.8%). Via Mismatch podcast
https://twitter.com/Baltej_hoops/status/1590207428322529281
Yes, he doesn't seem to have the feel for it as with some of the other job descriptions that go along with playing C. This development may take years. Perhaps by 2025, we might view him as 'serviceable', a title meant for mediocre big men who are not bad and not very good.
I honestly think he doesn't like the physical game.
It's OK ... he can learn to do it. But, it may take more time than, say, one of the Plumlees.
"Yes, he doesn't seem to have the feel for it as with some of the other job descriptions that go along with playing C."
I don't think that's a problem of not understanding, that's a problem of not wanting to. Wiseman has been vocal in his admiration of Kevin Durant, who was also never as good and willing a screener as someone of his size could be. Take this as the usual fan pseudo-psychoanalysis it is, but I don't Wiseman wants to be center and if that wasn't a completely lost cause he would have pulled the same as Durant and try to make himself smaller so he can play Small and Power Forward.
Warriors might as well give him a shot at sf. He’s got some block against C it seems.
Hmm. The Warrior staff have always praised his work ethic and I've never heard anyone talking about him being a PF. Personally, I wouldn't mind him being a PF if he could really play that role. A Durant he will never be. He doesn't have the skills or BBIQ to pull that off.
Or the generational shooting ability.
Ouch Kawhi injured again??? Kinda feel for Paul George, his partner in crime leaving him hanging.
Maybe you are right, but Kawhi was MVP even in 2013 Finals. When healthy, expecially in playoff time, he is a bad guy
Don't forget that very fortunate set of bounces on the rim against PHI... the narrative would've been very different these last few years.
Re: voting, there are a lot of stupid people in this country
Kyrie would prefer to say enlightened 👌
And it seems like a ton of them get into politics.
and then the rest of them vote for those ones
I see 3 senate races still cAlled: “tossup”, and it looks like warnack v walker may go to runoff
Sighs...thank citizen united for the funding or he would have lost
The best fox and the koch brothers can buy 🤬
I would make a slight change to your wording. 'voting in a system...'
Both sides want to xploit and disenfranchise. It's rigged from the getgo, no matter what one's intentions are. People want to feel good about themselves like they are doing good in the world. This is incredibly naive and has nothing to do with 'love', democracy, or any real change. These are the same words that have been spoken ever since I can remember, the same promises, and the same conveyor belt of morons uttering them that want power in one form or another. They are masters at brainwashing as if voting has really changed the disastrous course mankind has taken. Democracy is a total illusion and has been weaponized by our Uncle Sam, that devoted relative who terrorizes the world with his benefits.
there's a world of difference between voting in a system and voting for a system
I voted… for Steph Warriors Wonder
OT: I voted not too long ago. There was a polling station at a middle school library close to where I live, so I walked over there and cast my vote.
Thank you
Thank you
I just watched the video. Should we be concerned that Kuminga doesn't know the plays in his second year with the team? Or was this just a case of him not paying attention to the play call?
Sheesh. C'mon now JK.
Lol either way man...
Also, loving the Apricotisms! Foccacia!
and Brownian motion! (is that a widely known term? I use it for research, so I'm not a good judge).
The right word is "focaccia" in italian ;-)
my bad, thanks for correcting!
I'm familiar with it at least!
Lol After last night's win, they're at -36 scoring margin in the 4th. That's a lot of close losses...
Don't get me wrong I'm happy they won and snapped the losing streak...but needing Curry to go banana pajama mamma jamma just to beat the Kings, I'm a little worried.