Can someone please explain to me why Shabazz is still getting 20 min per game as the backup PG? Since the All Star break Shabazz is shooting 34% fg and 32% 3pt... not to mention he never gets teammates involved. After watching Baldwin look like prime Tony Allen the other night, why is Shabazz still playing over him???
Can't explain it. I thought last night was the perfect game for Baldwin. Might have been related to the fact that we did okay on defense, just couldn't score. If I was trying to score more, I would probably still trust Napier to get hot over Baldwin.
Before we wonder why Bazz plays over Wade, we need to wonder why Pat plays over him… (the answer is that he own compromising pictures of Terry Stotts)
We need someone to score. I'd agree with pulling Bazz if anyone else was hitting anything, but they weren't. Only one guy had a good offensive game last night - and God knows we have little interest in calling plays for him in the post.
Shabazz has been a black hole... he dribbles around for 20 seconds then jacks up a bad shot. He doesn’t give the rest of the second unit a chance to succeed as the pg. he is shooting 34% since all star break... not just a cold streak, it’s almost half the season... why is he still playing??? Especially when you saw what Baldwin did against Harden... I’m pretty sure Baldwin can shoot at least 34%
From a post-game the other day, it seems Stotts doesn't like answering this question. Almost like he wants Nurk to get more shots, but Dame isn't getting him the ball enough. Given that each time you gave Nurk the ball, you are forcing Jokic to chance on fouling him, or at least tiring Jokic more, 15 shots didn't seem like nearly enough. When you also see that Nurk was the only player shooting over 40%... How did Nurkic not get at least 20 shots up? Seems like the team bet on some threes falling that just didn't.
I was thinking about this yesterday and while I’m no Connaughton fan, I think he hurts us less than Napier. Napier is pretty much a shittier version of CJ. Doesn’t create for others and jacks up stupid shots. In the last three games, he’s had three assists, TOTAL. Baldwin is a pure point guard who’s always looking to get others involved. He averaged over 5 assists a game in the g league, but it would’ve been more if any of his teammates could shoot.
It will be interesting to see who comes off the bench against Utah. I could see Baldwin getting a shot after what happened in Denver, but Stotts may be too locked into what he wants in his playoff rotation.
I don't disagree with you, but based on per-36 Asst:TOV for this year (small sample size for Baldwin), Baldwin is 2.6:2.1 and Napier is 4.0:2.9.
If Stotts doesn’t pull his head out of his ass and play Baldwin over Shabazz we have no chance in the playoffs... a ball hog shooting 34% fg means no bench points... Baldwin will at the very least make life difficult for opposing teams best players. I just don’t understand the loyalty to a player that won’t even be here next season... just play the best players Stotts! So frustrating!
When do you support a shooter through a slump v. giving up on him? Pat hitting threes in the playoffs could be huge. If you support him, maybe he turns it around. If you don't, then park his butt on the bench.
You’re talking about a coach that has allowed CJ to play point guard for three years. We’ll see the same rotation tomorrow and we’ll see the same rotation in the playoffs.
That goes to my next point; even when Baldwin’s been in the game he hasn’t been allowed to run the offense and has been relegated to standing in the corner while CJ and Napier hop around the court.
CJ and Napier should not be allowed on the court at the same time. Seems like there should be a rip in the time space continuum. Napier and Dame. Baldwin and CJ. Always put a pure pt guard with a ballhog to balance it out.
I'm not sure Baldwin could earn that level of trust this late in the season. It would be a huge risk.
I think of him as the cheaper version of CJ. Longer-term, I would like to trade CJ for a small forward and keep Baldwin and Napier.
