Dukies in the NBA 2021-22

[DukieInBrasil]

Bagley played 35 minutes last night in a 3OT win over the Lakers.

Obviously didn't catch it live (might have been an important Duke game overlapping), but this apparently was Bagley's best defensive performance in the NBA (and possibly ever). The Kings went with Bagley on LeBron for much of the multiple overtimes and he showed out. This Twitter thread from Steve Jones (a fantastic follow for close looks at NBA games) gets into some of what Bagley was doing. You know you're doing a good job defensively when LBJ is hunting switches to get you off of him rather than to get someone specific switched onto him. Bagley's ability to avoid the screens and stick with the King was a major factor in the win.

Great to see him getting an opportunity with Luke Walton gone. I don't know any details about that whole mess (and honestly don't want to), but I have to admit that the idea of not playing Bagley at all strikes me as totally absurd and 100% counterproductive. Gentry is not a perfect coach, though I think he's a much better one than he gets credit for, but no matter what you think of him, that kind of petty thing just won't happen. He'll play his guys, and he'll connect with them personally in a way that Walton just clearly didn't with Bagley. I still think that Bagley probably could use a change of scenery, but maybe this is the jumpstart he needs?

not only that, but Bagley scored 13 on perfect shooting on the night: 5-5 FG, 1-1 3FG and 2-2 FTs. Who knows, being dissed like he was by Walton might be the thing that Big Marv needed to motivate him to work on his game rather than trying to get by on raw talent (?). It's too early to tell if that statement is true, but he's too good to be bound to the bench.

[Billy Dat]

Some Grayson love from the Ringer's KOC

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/1...-julius-randle

[Peter]

new zion.jpg

While no 'official' return date is on offer, he's scrimmaging 4-on-4 in practice.

It's been estimated that he's two weeks (at most) from playing again.

Much has been made of his weight gain, of course, but I recall an article in Men's Health of September 2020 in which they marveled at his ability to lose weight. He had been living with his parents during the Covid lockdown, and his mother, Sharonda Sampson, had assumed the responsibility of cooking all his meals. She forbade him his favorites -- "all the sauces, the bacon," etc. -- and pushed grilled salmon. As a result, at the start of last season, he looked like this:

minus25.jpg

I wonder if his mother is not once again involving herself in his training regimen.

[JetpackJesus]

Walton had a grudge against former Duke players, or something else?

Holding a grudge against former Duke players because of the outcome of a certain National Championship game perhaps?

[Steven43]

Just wanted to give a shout out to Wendell Carter Jr., who is so far having the best year of his career with career highs in pretty much every category, so far. FG% is just slightly lower than his career high, but due to a career high in 3FG% and 3FGA his eFG is a career high by far. His blocks/game is not his career high either (actually career low), but we'll overlook that since it is only 0.1 bpg below every other year of career except his rookie year (0.7 vs 0.8). His FT% is at a career low right now, but that might change with time...

Color me confused. You started out by saying Carter is “having the best year of his career with career highs in pretty much every category”……and then proceeded to point out that his FG % is below his career high, and his blocks per game and FT % are at career lows.

That being said, you’re probably right that he’s having his best NBA season thus far. Unfortunately his team, the Orlando Magic, are not doing so hot as they have the second-worst record in the league.

[CDu]

Color me confused. You started out by saying Carter is “having the best year of his career with career highs in pretty much every category”……and then proceeded to point out that his FG % is below his career high, and his blocks per game and FT % are at career lows.

That being said, you’re probably right that he’s having his best NBA season thus far. Unfortunately his team, the Orlando Magic, are not doing so hot as they have the second-worst record in the league.

Carter is definitely having his best season, although I agree that the argument for why it is his best was... tortured. But by BPM, VORP, PER, and WS/48, it's comfortably his best season so far.

Now, it's still just a decent season, and it's the first time he's been a positive in oBPM (still a negative in dBPM). But it's definite progress. I'm definitely sad he's no longer on the Bulls, although the Vucevic trade was what spurred the acquisitions this past offseason, and without it the team probably is on the outside of the playoff picture.

RJ Barrett, on the other hand, appears to be reverting back to rookie-year levels of performance.

[TheOldBattleship]

Color me confused. You started out by saying Carter is “having the best year of his career with career highs in pretty much every category”……and then proceeded to point out that his FG % is below his career high, and his blocks per game and FT % are at career lows.

That being said, you’re probably right that he’s having his best NBA season thus far. Unfortunately his team, the Orlando Magic, are not doing so hot as they have the second-worst record in the league.

To be fair, his fg% is lower simply because he's taking more threes, which is a good thing for a number of reasons but not least because he's hitting a lot of them: he's at 39% from three on almost 4 attempts a game. He's hitting his 2's at a career high rate (nearly 60%) and he's at a career high in both the % numbers that take the three vs. two thing into account (eFG% and TS%). A big part of the story is that he's been playing a ton with Mo Bamba and Robin Lopez, both of whom are clearly 5s on defense, even if Bamba shares that center role offensively with Carter (basketball reference has Wendell's split between the 4 and 5 as 73%/27%; the most % of time he'd spent at the 4 in previous years was last year, when he registered 20% of his time at the 4 and 80% at the 5). That's what's going on with his blocks per game: he's playing as a 4 almost exclusively on that end, so he's spending a lot more time away from the basket out of necessity.

The one downside here is the ft%, and it seems like that might be tied into his new role as more of a floor-spacer, as well. Carter is shooting fewer free throws than he ever has in his career this year, and I wonder if that's contributed to his lower % when he does get to the line. But overall, the minor downtick there is more than made up for with his shooting from 3. The Magic have been pretty bad thus far, it's true, but interestingly enough, their starting five has been fairly good despite how young they all are. The bench (and even units with mostly their starters and a couple of bench guys), on the other hand, has been a true abomination.

[Smitty1911]

While no 'official' return date is on offer, he's scrimmaging 4-on-4 in practice.

It's been estimated that he's two weeks (at most) from playing again.

While I’m not expecting Valanciunas to go 7-8 from 3 with regularity like last night, it is intriguing to think about how that complements (shout out Jim Sumner) Zion’s game. I’m really looking forward to him getting in shape and doing Zion things in an open lane. Come on, big fella, give us a memorable 6+ healthy months!

[flyingdutchdevil]

While I’m not expecting Valanciunas to go 7-8 from 3 with regularity like last night, it is intriguing to think about how that complements (shout out Jim Sumner) Zion’s game. I’m really looking forward to him getting in shape and doing Zion things in an open lane. Come on, big fella, give us a memorable 6+ healthy months!

I think Valanciunas is a near perfect Zion complement. Great from 3, great rebounder, annnnnnd...that's about it. It would be nice to have a great defender in Valanciunas, but how many great 3pt shooters, great rebounders, and great defenders are their in the NBA?

Zion is phenomenal at scoring in the paint and really good at playmaking. He is good, but not great, at rebounding. He is a disaster from deep and bad at defense.

Let's face it- with Valancuinas, Zion, and Ingram, you have a frontcourt that can score on anyone. They can't defend their own shadow, but that's okay. Baby steps, Pelicans. Baby steps.

[DukieInBrasil]

I think Valanciunas is a near perfect Zion complement. Great from 3, great rebounder, annnnnnd...that's about it. It would be nice to have a great defender in Valanciunas, but how many great 3pt shooters, great rebounders, and great defenders are their in the NBA?

Zion is phenomenal at scoring in the paint and really good at playmaking. He is good, but not great, at rebounding. He is a disaster from deep and bad at defense.

Let's face it- with Valancuinas, Zion, and Ingram, you have a frontcourt that can score on anyone. They can't defend their own shadow, but that's okay. Baby steps, Pelicans. Baby steps.

Zion is a career 33% 3FG shooter, although only 29.4% last year. He doesn't shoot many and he needs to be wide, wide open to shoot them. 33% from 3 is a eFG of 50%. That's hardly a disaster. I'm not trying to say he's great, nor that NOLA needs or wants him to shoot a lot from 3, since his eFG% is so much better near the rim, but he's no Mason Plumlee from deep.

[Duke79UNLV77]

Zion is a career 33% 3FG shooter, although only 29.4% last year. He doesn't shoot many and he needs to be wide, wide open to shoot them. 33% from 3 is a eFG of 50%. That's hardly a disaster. I'm not trying to say he's great, nor that NOLA needs or wants him to shoot a lot from 3, since his eFG% is so much better near the rim, but he's no Mason Plumlee from deep.

His advanced stats on defense were also quite good last year. He still makes mistakes on that end as he is learning and always will need to conserve some energy for offense, but he can be a plus defender.

[flyingdutchdevil]

His advanced stats on defense were also quite good last year. He still makes mistakes on that end as he is learning and always will need to conserve some energy for offense, but he can be a plus defender.

Last season, his defense win shares was 1.6 and his defensive box plus minus was -0.4. Defensive rating was 115.

Not sure he was 'good' last year on defense but he can get better. He'll need to shed some weight though and try harder. That's the start.

[Duke79UNLV77]

Last season, his defense win shares was 1.6 and his defensive box plus minus was -0.4. Defensive rating was 115.

Not sure he was 'good' last year on defense but he can get better. He'll need to shed some weight though and try harder. That's the start.

Some poster cited and linked some other advanced defensive metric last year where both Zion and Kyrie rated very well. Getting healthy and losing weight and getting the darn shot should be key for them this year.

[JetpackJesus]

Zion is a career 33% 3FG shooter, although only 29.4% last year. He doesn't shoot many and he needs to be wide, wide open to shoot them. 33% from 3 is a eFG of 50%. That's hardly a disaster. I'm not trying to say he's great, nor that NOLA needs or wants him to shoot a lot from 3, since his eFG% is so much better near the rim, but he's no Mason Plumlee from deep.

He's no Marshall Plumlee from deep, either!

[sagegrouse]

Good shooting by the Devils in the NBA last night: 16/31 from three; 33/53 from two point territory; and only missed one free throw (13/14).

That's 51.6%, 62.3%, and 92.9%.

Makes you think that shooting results for a night are correlated from the different areas.

[nmduke2001]

Zion return delayed

ESPN reporting that soreness in the foot has caused NO to hold Zion out of full contact practice which will further delay his return.

[SouthernDukie]

Zion return delayed

ESPN reporting that soreness in the foot has caused NO to hold Zion out of full contact practice which will further delay his return.

He won’t play till next year. Very sad.

[MartyClark]

He won’t play till next year. Very sad.

I hope that you are wrong.

I worry that he has peaked and, because of weight and injuries, will never live up to his spectacular potential.

I'm pulling for the guy.

[SouthernDukie]

I hope that you are wrong.

I worry that he has peaked and, because of weight and injuries, will never live up to his spectacular potential.

I'm pulling for the guy.

I certainly hope I’m wrong as well. And I’m rooting for him as much as anyone.

[Daddylawman]

Tyus a +42 tonight