Hunter doesn’t flop.
1 Like
Fair enough. Let’s say that Embiid is a Hunter Dickinson but with the ability to toy with Andre Drummond.
1 Like
Duncan Robinson interviews Caris LeVert on his latest podcast, The Long Shot. Lotta good stuff in it.
4 Likes
Caris Levert is going off again tonight. 33 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists and just hit the game tying shot with 13 seconds left
Edit: ended up with 35, 14 and 8 in a one point OT loss
5 Likes
I think this game is a good microcosm of Caris’ Pacers’ tenure. He wasn’t that efficient (it took him 30 shots to get his 35 points), but at this point, this roster - no TJ Warren, no Myles Turner, no Malcolm Brogdon (ie, 3 of his 4 best teammates) - means there’s basically 2 guys that can handle even double-digit shots - Sabonis and Levert. So I think we’re seeing tenure can’t swallow lead-guard usage THAT well, but as a piece with at least competent teammates, I think there’s a reasonable hope things look even better. I don’t even think this an insult…not many guys can handle 30+ usages consistently and be efficient.
Poole had a solid game too - obviously eclipsed by Steph’s nightly fireworks show (49 in 29 minutes! He got up 21 threes!), but he scored 16 on 10 shots. Now, it was against OKC, which is sort of like playing a G League team, and due to the aforementioned Curry performance, exteeeended garbage time.
I think that the heavy minutes are wearing Caris down. He missed three straight free throws late in the game that I attribute to fatigue. He has to carry this team with all of the missing pieces. Almost pulled it off last night.
1 Like
1 Like
I’m not surprised by the possible FA numbers for Duncan.
Hardaway continued his hot streak, scoring 25 on 7/11 from three in a blowout over the Cavs
Nice breakdown of the Duncan-Bam DHO…
4 Likes
Okay Juwan…let’s see that action with Diabate and Houstan next year!
5 Likes
I would pay a pretty penny to know how often the names “Adebayo” and “Robinson” were mentioned when Juwan was recruiting Diabate and Houstan.
2 Likes
I highly doubt Juwan mentioned Duncan a single time when recruiting Houstan. Juwan didn’t really coach him much, and not at all during his successful seasons. And I doubt you sell a 5* recruit on being Duncan Robinson. He would have been more likely to say Jimmy Butler even if he’s closer to the other.
2 Likes
Is it fair to consider Duncan a successful Wolverine? Don’t get me wrong, he was a(n important?) part of a beloved team, and there’s no doubt that he’s a wildly successful NBA player, but it seems like Beilein let his own Steph Curry ride the pine too much and take only 5 shots a game for his whole Michigan career. If you told me that one of the best shooters in the NBA was a Senior on a Michigan team that went to the natty, and then you told me that he averaged single digits points, I’d think something was off.
2 Likes
Yes. Yes but more characters.
Let’s not forget that there were plenty of people calling for him to play far less than he did. Duncan played about as much as Duncan earned at Michigan, which was a starter on a national title team. Then the Heat took him and made him better.
7 Likes
I think credit due to the Heat rather than that Beilein missed something. Maybe Duncan could do stuff Beilein’s offense didn’t require, and the Heat showed it. But the Heat have also famously worked on his confidence too, and that’s been talked about.
That said, Juwan maybe didn’t overlap much but if I’m a kid like Houstan it matters to me that Duncan flourished with the Heat. Juwan can establish that he cut his teeth as a coach learning under masters of the art, and even though Juwan was not directly involved with Duncan blowing up, the techniques that facilitated that process are going to be available to Houstan nonetheless because of Juwan.
2 Likes
Maybe I’m wrong here, but I don’t think Caleb Houstan has any illusions that he plays like Jimmy Butler. Just look at his role at Montverde. I didn’t mean Juwan would mention Duncan in the sense of “I’ll develop you like I developed Duncan.” More like, “I want to draw up plays for you to take lots of 3’s like Miami does for Duncan.”
2 Likes
His numbers aren’t all that different in the NBA than they were in college. He took 8 3s per 40 in college, 10 per 36 in the pros. Shot well from deep in both. Gotta factor in the shot clock and JB’s slower pace as well. Also not like Duncan is averaging 20 a game in the NBA.
I think we definitely could have got more out of him while in college. I think Duncan is also an example for people that think you can develop more in college than NBA. Some cases that’s true, but in most, players get to realize their full potential as a pro.
3 Likes
I used Butler as the nearest example. My point being, no 5* kid is going to love hearing “you’re gonna play the Duncan Robinson role.” I’m sure Caleb doesn’t have massive delusions of grandeur but I imagine he sees himself as a more complete player than Duncan. He’ll likely point to Isaiah and Franz roles and uses this year, including the post ups for fadeaways
Hey, being Duncan Robinson isn’t too bad, to the tune of ~$20 mil per year. But yeah, I get your point, Houstan is probably a better defender and passer than Robinson. That said, for a guy who knows he’ll make his money by draining a lot of threes, I think hearing that there is a game plan to get him a lot of good looks would be pretty attractive.
2 Likes