I like the opening tip play we've done the past 2 games trying to get him a lob right away. Am guessing that there's a counter move that we're holding on to as well, once teams get used to us trying that out.
I like it as well, it just gets him involved early. He’s had 2 very solid games so far. I don’t mind finding ways to get DA his 1st basket to start the game if it guarantees the defensive effort he’s put in the last 2 games.
Early results, Ayton has the 2nd lowest defensive rating in the entire league. https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/nba-defensive-rating-leaders-this-season
That is the way it was when I saw it. Somehow, I missed putting in the '2nd' part before lowest. Thanks for the catch.
He is averaging 8.9 shots per game while putting up a paltry 0.4 fts per game. Also facing a career low in usage. Our guards and wings aren't good enough to freeze one of our most efficient offensive players like this. Figure it out Chauncey.
He keeps saying he's still learning what Ayton can and can't do. Like there isn't 5 yrs of film on the guy? Hell, maybe hit up Mike Schmitz for a scouting report?
I've noticed every time Ayton catches the ball there are 3 people in the paint around him and sometimes he gets stripped. It's hard to get him the ball when: 1.) There's no spacing. 2.) He's not good enough to create his own shot. 3.) We don't have a real good pick and roll ballhandler. Direct post ups are difficult as well when we don't have players that can throw basic entry passes. He's not a particularly good post up player anyways. Even in Phoenix he was mostly a finisher, and he's going from Chris Paul and a bunch of spacing to.....whatever this is.
I wish i had synergy to back me up. Forget post ups. We hardly even run pick and rolls with the guy. He sets crappy screens yes, but thr lack of touches is egregious. From Malcolm and Grant especially. They don't ever look for him with pocket passes.
I would need to pull up possessions, but outside of a few good ones with Scoot, they converge when the pass gets through and he gets stripped a lot. He needs space. Also don't think Shaedon is comfortable enough to be running a ton of PnRs.
I don’t even like those kinds of looks for him unless there’s a size advantage. I remember in the first Memphis game, DA had a smaller guy pinned under, got the ball, 2(?) backdown dribbles, and threw up a money jump hook. Those are GREAT looks for him. But in the same game, he got the ball with Tillman and threw up a hook that had no chance of going in. The lack of spot up opportunities are inexcusable right now though. 2 jumpers a quarter is 8 FGA a game, we can afford to live and die with that when we aren’t competing. A few more FGA off dump offs. A few from hustle plays and running the floor.
just checked for Ayton: touches/game: 2022-23 = 51.9....2023-24 = 45.6 paint touches/game: 2022-23 = 11.1....2023-24 = 7.9 seconds/touch: 2022-23 = 1.54....2023-24 = 1.59 2022-23 PnR Roll Man: 4.8/game --> 1.20 ppp --> 65th percentile 2022-23 PnR Roll Man: 2.8/game --> 0.94 ppp --> 24th percentile my guess it's a combo of Chauncey not knowing how to use Ayton and CP3 not being around
He's a knock down shooter from midrange. Not running pick and pop plays for him is criminal. It would also help unclog the lane for our drivers.
