but Marty's and Meyers' problems were all mental as in they'd overthink every play and their skills couldn't manifest onto the floor. I think Simons' issues all stem solely from lack of experience and playing a new position. He's not sitting there confused on the court about what to do next. Rather, he's just trying to score because that's what he knows what to do best. I think the playmaking and game management will come. This CJ injury might be a blessing in disguise, even if it comes with some losses in the short term.
And he needs to score really well every night, because he is still an undersized SG who plays average defense at best. It's great if they have finally realized he can not even think about playmaking because he needs to focus completely on scoring. But that is all he is, a scorer. Adds nothing else to winning basketball.
I think you are being very generous saying he is a average defender. He is constantly lost on defense and teams do what they can to switch him to be the on the ball defender because he can't stop anyone. I am glad the kid has had two good offensive games in a row, but he has been abused on the other end each of the last two games.
people are ready to give hot takes and write off a guy in his third year who has no experience, but turn a blind eye when dame is letting guys go to the rim unimpeded for games on end. It's a double standard that baffles me sometimes, and brings me back to my original question in this thread: Had neil not been so standoffish in his claims of Simons being the best player he has drafted, etc, would people be so harsh on judging him?
The kid has played over 100 games with a average of 17 minutes in those games. This hot take that he has no experience is getting old. He has played and in that time he has put up horrible numbers. People want to use the no experience excuse which baffles me, because Olshey has been forcing Stotts to play him by refusing to bring in a NBA ready PG to play when Dame and CJ can't.
I just wish people would give him that at least, and not focus on every single possession/game. Judge him in the aggregate, and consider his role on the team, etc. Think everyone is on the same page that if he doesn't show anything, you cut your losses.
He played 70 games last season, 20 minutes a game over those 70 games. Pretending that this is new this year is just masking the point that on a team with Kanter and Melo, he is the worst defender. These last two games teams are going out of there way to get him on the ball as a defender because he can't stay in front of people and when he is off the ball he is out of position. Does the team have defensive philosophy problems, probably, but a big reason is because Ant is bad. As for your previous point, is Dame every going to be on a NBA All defensive team no, but to even compare the two of them on the defensive end is laughable.
dude dame had his back to his defender on multiple possessions when they had the ball in their hands. mike muscala drove right around Lillard twice to the rim. Defensive miscues come very frequently on this team. But to place blame on Simons for yesterday makes no sense to me. I just want improvement from everyone.
my ceiling for Simons is a prime Lou Williams. Lou only came into his own later into his career when he figured out how to draw fouls. Think Simons ends up a better shooter, when it's all said and done.
At no point did I place the blame on Ant for yesterday, but at the same time he is not good on the defensive end. Did Dame have his best game no, but he is still a better defender then Ant. You were saying Ant is just inexperienced and he is in his third year and has been force fed minutes in every year. I hope he becomes a serviceable NBA Player, but he is barely there on Offense and a sieve on defense.
It seems he already is a much better rebounder than Trent. Averages about one more rebound per 36 and his total rebounding % is twice that of Trent's. Trent is trending down and Anf up.
I was wondering about that also? Or has he just let his hair get taller?
