<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The end of the 2021-22 NBA season is remarkably bittersweet. The basketball was great, with an incredible level of competitiveness, a revamping of defense, an embracing of coverage versatility and an impressive rookie class. Covering it was an absolute joy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On a personal note, a massive thank you to all who read my work, supported me, encouraged me or interacted with me during the season. Last May, I graduated from college with roughly a year-and-a-half of covering basketball in some part-time fashion under my belt.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I took a bit of a leap of faith to write about basketball full-time or go broke trying, and because of BasketballNews and a few other platforms, I was able to stay afloat and eventually break even for the first time in my life based on work I'm truly passionate about. My athletic &lsquo;career&rsquo; ended in 2018 and it took me a long time to really find out what was next and what my purpose was. Writing and talking about the game just does something for me that I can&rsquo;t explain, so I&rsquo;ll just reiterate: thank you all again for making this life possible. Without help from many of you and my family, I wouldn&rsquo;t be in this position. I&rsquo;m an extremely lucky person and I&rsquo;m so glad to do what I do, and I'm fortunate that my work resonates with people.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So as per usual, my main takeaway is never from the result, even when looking at my own track through basketball. The process is 97% of why I care and watch the games. It&rsquo;s what I love to track and decipher. Nekias Duncan exemplified that and then some </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">with his piece yesterday</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The seasons within each season define the process. A player returns from injury or makes a key development that shapes a rotation, changes a team's identity or defines a stretch of play. Rinse and repeat, as this happens a multitude of times for each team to varying degrees. The contention landscape is an ever-molding horizon that whittles away as the year goes by.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A third of the way through the season, I thought the Cleveland Cavaliers had a shot at winning a series and making a second one raucous for their opponent. I didn&rsquo;t have faith in the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; frontcourt rotation and halfcourt offense, leading me to think they&rsquo;d be out of the playoffs before the Conference Finals (lol).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Along those lines, perhaps the biggest takeaway I have from this season and the postseason is that it&rsquo;s just really freakin' hard to win a title. That sounds reductive, and perhaps it is in essence, but that&rsquo;s sort of the point. I think it&rsquo;s a bit foolhardy and lacking in context at times to take away any sweeping thoughts on the ideology of basketball in such a volatile setting.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We at large don&rsquo;t know the full slate of what is or isn&rsquo;t going on behind the scenes or in a locker room until it&rsquo;s being broken nationally and is about to be resolved one way or another. That&rsquo;s not an excuse for poor or underwhelming play, rather to say that it&rsquo;s hard to place and capture the magic of incredible success. I, and many, thought that the Phoenix Suns would walk into the Western Conference Finals. The vibes dissipated with a quickness from immaculate to disastrous in a way I haven&rsquo;t felt since the 2013-14 Indiana Pacers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I can point out the poor play and roster flaws that led to their on-court demise, but whatever happened off the court without a doubt contributed. It would be in poor faith to say, &ldquo;Because of this they lost." But it would be just as wrong to say, &ldquo;Well, they just didn&rsquo;t have that dog in them.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Suns did have that magic for much of the season. We&rsquo;ve seen teams find it and lose it during the course of the year time and time again. Finding that run of play and maintaining it is so much more difficult than we lend credence to. We tend to decry the losers rather than pointing out the immaculate nature of those who stood the test of four playoff series. We should change that! Winning the NBA Finals is extremely difficult.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Nekias pointed out in his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aforementioned article</a> about Jayson Tatum, think about all of the fantastic moments and series that Tatum </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">did </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">have leading up to the Finals. That man balled the heck out. We&rsquo;re talking about how making the Finals and losing is bad for Tatum&rsquo;s legacy??? That&rsquo;s crazy to me. I understand the importance of legacy to some, but those arguments shed 97% of what got us here and hyperfocus on a six-game series at the highest level of play.</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Basketball and sports in general are meant to be analyzed; it&rsquo;s a large part of my job. But I feel the championship series should ultimately be much more about enjoying two incredibly good, incredibly talented and incredibly fun teams duel for the top spot in the league after the season tipped 240 days before.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To lead into some of the more tactical/schematic takeaways, advantage continuation is paramount. It probably seems obvious, but the ability to keep moving the ball, keep a play running and force the defense to react in kind is so important, even if it doesn&rsquo;t lead to a bucket. I was routinely stricken by how often the Warriors had first, second, third or even fourth actions sputter out, but they routinely found a small crevice upon which to expand and keep the advantage flowing.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I saw so many times throughout the series, &ldquo;How was this Boston defense good during the regular season?&rdquo; Was I doomscrolling and over-indexing? You bet. But it still stood out. The Celtics fought for their lives on possessions, and the way they shut down the Warriors time and time again in the halfcourt only to be whiplashed by a backcut, a broken play, an impromptu DHO, a Steph Curry deep three or a quick putback after 15 seconds of scramble felt back-breaking. I&rsquo;m not sure I&rsquo;ve ever </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">felt </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Steph&rsquo;s shooting gravity and never ending off-ball movement like I did in this Finals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even with players who weren&rsquo;t shooters on volume, the Warriors unclogged possessions due to Steph&rsquo;s otherworldly play and the quick decision-making of his teammates. Draymond flipping the switch on his offensive aggression, adjusting the shot tendencies like we WISH NBA 2K would even consider absolutely changed the series. Eliminating some of the indecisiveness and unwillingness made Golden State that much harder to guard.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As athletic and sizable as the Celtics were across the board, they often felt a step behind and rarely dictating the dance in defensive possessions, which felt quite polar to their first three series.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prior to the final few games against the Warriors, the Celtics toed that line of having enough of that ball movement and redrive oomph, attacking with secondary and tertiary drives to maintain an advantage. That, uhhh, did not hold up in the Finals, as the Warriors played phenomenal defense, but it also felt like Boston went away from what made them the best offense in the league in 2022. Marcus Smart has his fair share of erratic offensive possessions, but he spurred the offense throughout the year as Ime Udoka charged him with more primary ball-handling duties to put Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in more optimal offensive situations.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It wasn&rsquo;t that he needed to <em>always</em> have the ball, and he still handled much in the postseason, but it assuredly happened less, and penetration and kickouts became more sparse. Again though, the point is that secondary creation juice is a large part of <em>how</em> they got to the Finals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks both felt as though they really lacked another secondary creator or enough of that ability to continue the advantages of Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo respectively. Again, not fully that dumbed down, but the Griz dealt with the issues of too many shooters who were hesitant and also not impacting the defense. The Bucks rarely sniffed the paint outside of Giannis or Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s forays to the rim. Kick-outs were routinely one-and-done shots. Injuries certainly played a factor, as Khris Middleton changes things greatly for the Bucks, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case. Even during the regular season, Milwaukee felt short of another shot creator.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On a similar note, the use of the clock to cut down or exacerbate your advantages on the margins is essential if you have some semblance of halfcourt struggles or are facing a top-notch defensive team. The Warriors absolutely bodied teams in transition and with early offense (no stats, just vibes; this was clear while watching). I think back to that Denver series and how masterfully the Warriors forced cross-matches and shifted the defense before plays started just by running like mad down the court.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boston was on their heels for so much of the series due to how much concerted effort the Warriors put into getting into early sets. Running off of misses was a huge swing factor, feasting on Boston&rsquo;s at-rim misses in droves and parlaying a 4-on-3 against them into a 4-on-3 the other way. It honestly felt devastating at times, the basketball version of Sisyphus&rsquo; toil playing out on the parquet.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Celtics felt on the verge of an eight-second violation every possession coming up court. Golden State employed a good array of pressure to slow down the Celtics; that&rsquo;s one of my favorite random things. You&rsquo;d think pressure would speed things up, right? Nope, it made the Celtics bog down and sink like a tank traversing through mud (shout out Call of Duty 4, mission War Pig; a throwback to seventh grade). In turn, they were sped up due to facing the shot clock with a proverbial back against the wall. All of the tendencies were loaded up in Golden State&rsquo;s favor given how they worked the margins.</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">My last point I really want to stress is my ultimate Old-Man-Yells-at-Clouds moment. It is really, really, really, reaaaallllllyyyy hard to be a big in the NBA. So often, there&rsquo;s this idea that's consistently projected that you can "just scoop up a viable big for the mid-level exception" or that "teams shouldn&rsquo;t draft a big in the lottery." And sure, you can get a really serviceable backup or spot-starter for the MLE!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But you know that defensive-coverage versatility we mentioned earlier? It is so hard to be a big who can only play one coverage. I&rsquo;d argue being a coverage-versatile big who can make quality decisions and continue advantages if you don&rsquo;t craft them themselves is the most lacking positional archetype in a league that looks starved for them.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is not my attempt to display how I think basketball should be played; there are a ton of viable ways to win a title and construct a roster even if there are some underscored guidelines that set the boundaries of what a team can be at the highest level.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But let&rsquo;s just run through some of the most important players on the deep playoff teams (who made it to the second round or further):</span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jaren Jackson Jr.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Giannis Antetokounmpo</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Deandre Ayton</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Robert Williams III</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Al Horford</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Draymond Green</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kevon Looney (who was incredible throughout the Warriors' run)</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bam Adebayo</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Maxi Kleber</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The NBA 5 is so pivotal upon how defenses play the game on either side. For a defense, they need to be able to hang up in a multitude of schemes while ideally being a backline eraser with strong-help instincts and the athleticism to deter shots. Switch everything is a lie, but some switchability is pretty nice too! Can you play close to the level? Can you show and recover? Can you display enough hand activity to add a modicum of hesitation on pull-up twos or a guard turning the corner out of a ball screen as your point-of-attack defender fights over to reconnect?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are a trillion responsibilities seemingly, and ground coverage is a must.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Offensively, the 5s routinely were the focal point of how a defense looked to stifle an offense. While Draymond isn&rsquo;t technically a 5, he played a great deal of time there and his improved play and aggression over the backend of the series was paramount in attacking Boston&rsquo;s defense and tipping the scale. In the previous series, I can still hear Steve Jones Jr.&rsquo;s voice ringing out from the Dunker Spot (</span><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">listen and subscribe!</span></a>) about how teams played him as a post decision-maker with Golden State&rsquo;s patented split cuts.</p>
<p>Al Horford broke defenses with his consistent shooting in the playoffs, something that wasn&rsquo;t there much of the regular season. Shooting in that sweet spot of league average or slightly higher without hesitation at the 5 spot is back-breaking. Miami and Milwaukee routinely tried to negate Horford&rsquo;s presence, but if you&rsquo;re going to shoot like that without thinking, it changes the way a defense can play you. Much of the same should be said of Maxi Kleber for the Mavs. His personal heater against the Suns altered that series and forced Phoenix into a defensive bind that restructured the way they could play defense without getting absolutely pelted from Kleber&rsquo;s above-the-break dynamism.</p>
<p>Being a capable two-way NBA big is freakin' hard. The game is still shifting more and more toward size and skill, something the next few draft classes exemplify. I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s as drastic as every player being 7-feet tall and taking pull-up threes out of ball screens, but there&rsquo;s real credence to acknowledging that the first few draft classes of players that grew up playing AAU and youth ball after the spacing revolution are coming in with skill sets to match. A few seasons ago, I was speaking with a prominent high school coach who mentioned that the high-school game was a half decade behind the NBA, as players adapted to what they saw and took in growing up. We&rsquo;re seeing that start to play out and that&rsquo;s absurdly cool to witness.</p>
<p>What will the game look like in 2027? I don&rsquo;t have the answer, but I have a semblance of an idea of where it&rsquo;s headed in the next few years, and I&rsquo;m excited.</p>
<p>What will the next shift be? How is the game going to bend the court dimensions again? It continually happens over time, as innovation and adaptation occurs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The game is beautiful, and I&rsquo;m lucky to cover it. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to anyone who's reading and those who have shared or interacted with my work over the last season. It&rsquo;s odd to say goodbye to 2022, but I have a good feeling about next season.</p>
<p>Who knows, maybe this is the year for the Sacramento Kings?! Maybe the Orlando Magic are our wondrous young team that takes a sizable step forward from fun and young to fun, young and funkily effective. I don&rsquo;t know what next year holds and I can make as many predictions as I want, but that unknowing is part of what makes the game so mystifying to me. I love uncovering and trying to learn more about what the game is, and the skill sets and stories that make up the humans who play the game. I truly loved the process and unraveling of the 2022 season, and I hope you can say the same!</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The end of the 2021-22 NBA season is remarkably bittersweet. The basketball was great, with an incredible level of competitiveness, a revamping of defense, an embracing of coverage versatility and an impressive rookie class. Covering it was an absolute joy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On a personal note, a massive thank you to all who read my work, supported me, encouraged me or interacted with me during the season. Last May, I graduated from college with roughly a year-and-a-half of covering basketball in some part-time fashion under my belt.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I took a bit of a leap of faith to write about basketball full-time or go broke trying, and because of BasketballNews and a few other platforms, I was able to stay afloat and eventually break even for the first time in my life based on work I'm truly passionate about. My athletic &lsquo;career&rsquo; ended in 2018 and it took me a long time to really find out what was next and what my purpose was. Writing and talking about the game just does something for me that I can&rsquo;t explain, so I&rsquo;ll just reiterate: thank you all again for making this life possible. Without help from many of you and my family, I wouldn&rsquo;t be in this position. I&rsquo;m an extremely lucky person and I&rsquo;m so glad to do what I do, and I'm fortunate that my work resonates with people.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So as per usual, my main takeaway is never from the result, even when looking at my own track through basketball. The process is 97% of why I care and watch the games. It&rsquo;s what I love to track and decipher. Nekias Duncan exemplified that and then some </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">with his piece yesterday</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The seasons within each season define the process. A player returns from injury or makes a key development that shapes a rotation, changes a team's identity or defines a stretch of play. Rinse and repeat, as this happens a multitude of times for each team to varying degrees. The contention landscape is an ever-molding horizon that whittles away as the year goes by.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A third of the way through the season, I thought the Cleveland Cavaliers had a shot at winning a series and making a second one raucous for their opponent. I didn&rsquo;t have faith in the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; frontcourt rotation and halfcourt offense, leading me to think they&rsquo;d be out of the playoffs before the Conference Finals (lol).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Along those lines, perhaps the biggest takeaway I have from this season and the postseason is that it&rsquo;s just really freakin' hard to win a title. That sounds reductive, and perhaps it is in essence, but that&rsquo;s sort of the point. I think it&rsquo;s a bit foolhardy and lacking in context at times to take away any sweeping thoughts on the ideology of basketball in such a volatile setting.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We at large don&rsquo;t know the full slate of what is or isn&rsquo;t going on behind the scenes or in a locker room until it&rsquo;s being broken nationally and is about to be resolved one way or another. That&rsquo;s not an excuse for poor or underwhelming play, rather to say that it&rsquo;s hard to place and capture the magic of incredible success. I, and many, thought that the Phoenix Suns would walk into the Western Conference Finals. The vibes dissipated with a quickness from immaculate to disastrous in a way I haven&rsquo;t felt since the 2013-14 Indiana Pacers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I can point out the poor play and roster flaws that led to their on-court demise, but whatever happened off the court without a doubt contributed. It would be in poor faith to say, &ldquo;Because of this they lost." But it would be just as wrong to say, &ldquo;Well, they just didn&rsquo;t have that dog in them.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Suns did have that magic for much of the season. We&rsquo;ve seen teams find it and lose it during the course of the year time and time again. Finding that run of play and maintaining it is so much more difficult than we lend credence to. We tend to decry the losers rather than pointing out the immaculate nature of those who stood the test of four playoff series. We should change that! Winning the NBA Finals is extremely difficult.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Nekias pointed out in his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aforementioned article</a> about Jayson Tatum, think about all of the fantastic moments and series that Tatum </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">did </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">have leading up to the Finals. That man balled the heck out. We&rsquo;re talking about how making the Finals and losing is bad for Tatum&rsquo;s legacy??? That&rsquo;s crazy to me. I understand the importance of legacy to some, but those arguments shed 97% of what got us here and hyperfocus on a six-game series at the highest level of play.</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Basketball and sports in general are meant to be analyzed; it&rsquo;s a large part of my job. But I feel the championship series should ultimately be much more about enjoying two incredibly good, incredibly talented and incredibly fun teams duel for the top spot in the league after the season tipped 240 days before.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To lead into some of the more tactical/schematic takeaways, advantage continuation is paramount. It probably seems obvious, but the ability to keep moving the ball, keep a play running and force the defense to react in kind is so important, even if it doesn&rsquo;t lead to a bucket. I was routinely stricken by how often the Warriors had first, second, third or even fourth actions sputter out, but they routinely found a small crevice upon which to expand and keep the advantage flowing.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I saw so many times throughout the series, &ldquo;How was this Boston defense good during the regular season?&rdquo; Was I doomscrolling and over-indexing? You bet. But it still stood out. The Celtics fought for their lives on possessions, and the way they shut down the Warriors time and time again in the halfcourt only to be whiplashed by a backcut, a broken play, an impromptu DHO, a Steph Curry deep three or a quick putback after 15 seconds of scramble felt back-breaking. I&rsquo;m not sure I&rsquo;ve ever </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">felt </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Steph&rsquo;s shooting gravity and never ending off-ball movement like I did in this Finals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even with players who weren&rsquo;t shooters on volume, the Warriors unclogged possessions due to Steph&rsquo;s otherworldly play and the quick decision-making of his teammates. Draymond flipping the switch on his offensive aggression, adjusting the shot tendencies like we WISH NBA 2K would even consider absolutely changed the series. Eliminating some of the indecisiveness and unwillingness made Golden State that much harder to guard.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As athletic and sizable as the Celtics were across the board, they often felt a step behind and rarely dictating the dance in defensive possessions, which felt quite polar to their first three series.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prior to the final few games against the Warriors, the Celtics toed that line of having enough of that ball movement and redrive oomph, attacking with secondary and tertiary drives to maintain an advantage. That, uhhh, did not hold up in the Finals, as the Warriors played phenomenal defense, but it also felt like Boston went away from what made them the best offense in the league in 2022. Marcus Smart has his fair share of erratic offensive possessions, but he spurred the offense throughout the year as Ime Udoka charged him with more primary ball-handling duties to put Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in more optimal offensive situations.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It wasn&rsquo;t that he needed to <em>always</em> have the ball, and he still handled much in the postseason, but it assuredly happened less, and penetration and kickouts became more sparse. Again though, the point is that secondary creation juice is a large part of <em>how</em> they got to the Finals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks both felt as though they really lacked another secondary creator or enough of that ability to continue the advantages of Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo respectively. Again, not fully that dumbed down, but the Griz dealt with the issues of too many shooters who were hesitant and also not impacting the defense. The Bucks rarely sniffed the paint outside of Giannis or Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s forays to the rim. Kick-outs were routinely one-and-done shots. Injuries certainly played a factor, as Khris Middleton changes things greatly for the Bucks, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case. Even during the regular season, Milwaukee felt short of another shot creator.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On a similar note, the use of the clock to cut down or exacerbate your advantages on the margins is essential if you have some semblance of halfcourt struggles or are facing a top-notch defensive team. The Warriors absolutely bodied teams in transition and with early offense (no stats, just vibes; this was clear while watching). I think back to that Denver series and how masterfully the Warriors forced cross-matches and shifted the defense before plays started just by running like mad down the court.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boston was on their heels for so much of the series due to how much concerted effort the Warriors put into getting into early sets. Running off of misses was a huge swing factor, feasting on Boston&rsquo;s at-rim misses in droves and parlaying a 4-on-3 against them into a 4-on-3 the other way. It honestly felt devastating at times, the basketball version of Sisyphus&rsquo; toil playing out on the parquet.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Celtics felt on the verge of an eight-second violation every possession coming up court. Golden State employed a good array of pressure to slow down the Celtics; that&rsquo;s one of my favorite random things. You&rsquo;d think pressure would speed things up, right? Nope, it made the Celtics bog down and sink like a tank traversing through mud (shout out Call of Duty 4, mission War Pig; a throwback to seventh grade). In turn, they were sped up due to facing the shot clock with a proverbial back against the wall. All of the tendencies were loaded up in Golden State&rsquo;s favor given how they worked the margins.</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">My last point I really want to stress is my ultimate Old-Man-Yells-at-Clouds moment. It is really, really, really, reaaaallllllyyyy hard to be a big in the NBA. So often, there&rsquo;s this idea that's consistently projected that you can "just scoop up a viable big for the mid-level exception" or that "teams shouldn&rsquo;t draft a big in the lottery." And sure, you can get a really serviceable backup or spot-starter for the MLE!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">B</span>ut you know that defensive-coverage versatility we mentioned earlier? It is so hard to be a big who can only play one coverage. I&rsquo;d argue being a coverage-versatile big who can make quality decisions and continue advantages if you don&rsquo;t craft them themselves is the most lacking positional archetype in a league that looks starved for them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is not my attempt to display how I think basketball should be played; there are a ton of viable ways to win a title and construct a roster even if there are some underscored guidelines that set the boundaries of what a team can be at the highest level.</p>
<p>But let&rsquo;s just run through some of the most important players on the deep playoff teams (who made it to the second round or further):</p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Jaren Jackson Jr.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Giannis Antetokounmpo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Deandre Ayton</li>
<li aria-level="1">Robert Williams III</li>
<li aria-level="1">Al Horford</li>
<li aria-level="1">Draymond Green</li>
<li aria-level="1">Kevon Looney (who was incredible throughout the Warriors' run)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bam Adebayo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Maxi Kleber</li>
</ul>
<p>The NBA 5 is so pivotal upon how defenses play the game on either side. For a defense, they need to be able to hang up in a multitude of schemes while ideally being a backline eraser with strong-help instincts and the athleticism to deter shots. Switch everything is a lie, but some switchability is pretty nice too! Can you play close to the level? Can you show and recover? Can you display enough hand activity to add a modicum of hesitation on pull-up twos or a guard turning the corner out of a ball screen as your point-of-attack defender fights over to reconnect?</p>
<p>There are a trillion responsibilities seemingly, and ground coverage is a must.</p>
<p>Offensively, the 5s routinely were the focal point of how a defense looked to stifle an offense. While Draymond isn&rsquo;t technically a 5, he played a great deal of time there and his improved play and aggression over the backend of the series was paramount in attacking Boston&rsquo;s defense and tipping the scale. In the previous series, I can still hear Steve Jones Jr.&rsquo;s voice ringing out from the Dunker Spot <span style="font-weight: 400;">(</span><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">listen and subscribe!</span></a>) about how teams played him as a post decision-maker with Golden State&rsquo;s patented split cuts.</p>
<p>Al Horford broke defenses with his consistent shooting in the playoffs, something that wasn&rsquo;t there much of the regular season. Shooting in that sweet spot of league average or slightly higher without hesitation at the 5 spot is back-breaking. Miami and Milwaukee routinely tried to negate Horford&rsquo;s presence, but if you&rsquo;re going to shoot like that without thinking, it changes the way a defense can play you. Much of the same should be said of Maxi Kleber for the Mavs. His personal heater against the Suns altered that series and forced Phoenix into a defensive bind that restructured the way they could play defense without getting absolutely pelted from Kleber&rsquo;s above-the-break dynamism.</p>
<p>Being a capable two-way NBA big is freakin' hard. The game is still shifting more and more toward size and skill, something the next few draft classes exemplify. I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s as drastic as every player being 7-feet tall and taking pull-up threes out of ball screens, but there&rsquo;s real credence to acknowledging that the first few draft classes of players that grew up playing AAU and youth ball after the spacing revolution are coming in with skill sets to match. A few seasons ago, I was speaking with a prominent high school coach who mentioned that the high-school game was a half decade behind the NBA, as players adapted to what they saw and took in growing up. We&rsquo;re seeing that start to play out and that&rsquo;s absurdly cool to witness.</p>
<p>What will the game look like in 2027? I don&rsquo;t have the answer, but I have a semblance of an idea of where it&rsquo;s headed in the next few years, and I&rsquo;m excited.</p>
<p>What will the next shift be? How is the game going to bend the court dimensions again? It continually happens over time, as innovation and adaptation occurs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The game is beautiful, and I&rsquo;m lucky to cover it. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to anyone who's reading and those who have shared or interacted with my work over the last season. It&rsquo;s odd to say goodbye to 2022, but I have a good feeling about next season.</p>
<p>Who knows, maybe this is the year for the Sacramento Kings?! Maybe the Orlando Magic are our wondrous young team that takes a sizable step forward from fun and young to fun, young and funkily effective. I don&rsquo;t know what next year holds and I can make as many predictions as I want, but that unknowing is part of what makes the game so mystifying to me. I love uncovering and trying to learn more about what the game is, and the skill sets and stories that make up the humans who play the game. I truly loved the process and unraveling of the 2022 season, and I hope you can say the same!</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The end of the 2021-22 NBA season is remarkably bittersweet. The basketball was great, with an incredible level of competitiveness, a revamping of defense, an embracing of coverage versatility and an impressive rookie class. Covering it was an absolute joy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On a personal note, a massive thank you to all who read my work, supported me, encouraged me or interacted with me during the season. Last May, I graduated from college with roughly a year-and-a-half of covering basketball in some part-time fashion under my belt.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I took a bit of a leap of faith to write about basketball full-time or go broke trying, and because of BasketballNews and a few other platforms, I was able to stay afloat and eventually break even for the first time in my life based on work I'm truly passionate about. My athletic &lsquo;career&rsquo; ended in 2018 and it took me a long time to really find out what was next and what my purpose was. Writing and talking about the game just does something for me that I can&rsquo;t explain, so I&rsquo;ll just reiterate: thank you all again for making this life possible. Without help from many of you and my family, I wouldn&rsquo;t be in this position. I&rsquo;m an extremely lucky person and I&rsquo;m so glad to do what I do, and I'm fortunate that my work resonates with people.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So as per usual, my main takeaway is never from the result, even when looking at my own track through basketball. The process is 97% of why I care and watch the games. It&rsquo;s what I love to track and decipher. Nekias Duncan exemplified that and then some </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">with his piece yesterday</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The seasons within each season define the process. A player returns from injury or makes a key development that shapes a rotation, changes a team's identity or defines a stretch of play. Rinse and repeat, as this happens a multitude of times for each team to varying degrees. The contention landscape is an ever-molding horizon that whittles away as the year goes by.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A third of the way through the season, I thought the Cleveland Cavaliers had a shot at winning a series and making a second one raucous for their opponent. I didn&rsquo;t have faith in the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; frontcourt rotation and halfcourt offense, leading me to think they&rsquo;d be out of the playoffs before the Conference Finals (lol).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Along those lines, perhaps the biggest takeaway I have from this season and the postseason is that it&rsquo;s just really freakin' hard to win a title. That sounds reductive, and perhaps it is in essence, but that&rsquo;s sort of the point. I think it&rsquo;s a bit foolhardy and lacking in context at times to take away any sweeping thoughts on the ideology of basketball in such a volatile setting.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We at large don&rsquo;t know the full slate of what is or isn&rsquo;t going on behind the scenes or in a locker room until it&rsquo;s being broken nationally and is about to be resolved one way or another. That&rsquo;s not an excuse for poor or underwhelming play, rather to say that it&rsquo;s hard to place and capture the magic of incredible success. I, and many, thought that the Phoenix Suns would walk into the Western Conference Finals. The vibes dissipated with a quickness from immaculate to disastrous in a way I haven&rsquo;t felt since the 2013-14 Indiana Pacers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I can point out the poor play and roster flaws that led to their on-court demise, but whatever happened off the court without a doubt contributed. It would be in poor faith to say, &ldquo;Because of this they lost." But it would be just as wrong to say, &ldquo;Well, they just didn&rsquo;t have that dog in them.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Suns did have that magic for much of the season. We&rsquo;ve seen teams find it and lose it during the course of the year time and time again. Finding that run of play and maintaining it is so much more difficult than we lend credence to. We tend to decry the losers rather than pointing out the immaculate nature of those who stood the test of four playoff series. We should change that! Winning the NBA Finals is extremely difficult.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Nekias pointed out in his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aforementioned article</a> about Jayson Tatum, think about all of the fantastic moments and series that Tatum </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">did </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">have leading up to the Finals. That man balled the heck out. We&rsquo;re talking about how making the Finals and losing is bad for Tatum&rsquo;s legacy??? That&rsquo;s crazy to me. I understand the importance of legacy to some, but those arguments shed 97% of what got us here and hyperfocus on a six-game series at the highest level of play.</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Basketball and sports in general are meant to be analyzed; it&rsquo;s a large part of my job. But I feel the championship series should ultimately be much more about enjoying two incredibly good, incredibly talented and incredibly fun teams duel for the top spot in the league after the season tipped 240 days before.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To lead into some of the more tactical/schematic takeaways, advantage continuation is paramount. It probably seems obvious, but the ability to keep moving the ball, keep a play running and force the defense to react in kind is so important, even if it doesn&rsquo;t lead to a bucket. I was routinely stricken by how often the Warriors had first, second, third or even fourth actions sputter out, but they routinely found a small crevice upon which to expand and keep the advantage flowing.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I saw so many times throughout the series, &ldquo;How was this Boston defense good during the regular season?&rdquo; Was I doomscrolling and over-indexing? You bet. But it still stood out. The Celtics fought for their lives on possessions, and the way they shut down the Warriors time and time again in the halfcourt only to be whiplashed by a backcut, a broken play, an impromptu DHO, a Steph Curry deep three or a quick putback after 15 seconds of scramble felt back-breaking. I&rsquo;m not sure I&rsquo;ve ever </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">felt </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Steph&rsquo;s shooting gravity and never ending off-ball movement like I did in this Finals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even with players who weren&rsquo;t shooters on volume, the Warriors unclogged possessions due to Steph&rsquo;s otherworldly play and the quick decision-making of his teammates. Draymond flipping the switch on his offensive aggression, adjusting the shot tendencies like we WISH NBA 2K would even consider absolutely changed the series. Eliminating some of the indecisiveness and unwillingness made Golden State that much harder to guard.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As athletic and sizable as the Celtics were across the board, they often felt a step behind and rarely dictating the dance in defensive possessions, which felt quite polar to their first three series.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prior to the final few games against the Warriors, the Celtics toed that line of having enough of that ball movement and redrive oomph, attacking with secondary and tertiary drives to maintain an advantage. That, uhhh, did not hold up in the Finals, as the Warriors played phenomenal defense, but it also felt like Boston went away from what made them the best offense in the league in 2022. Marcus Smart has his fair share of erratic offensive possessions, but he spurred the offense throughout the year as Ime Udoka charged him with more primary ball-handling duties to put Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in more optimal offensive situations.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It wasn&rsquo;t that he needed to <em>always</em> have the ball, and he still handled much in the postseason, but it assuredly happened less, and penetration and kickouts became more sparse. Again though, the point is that secondary creation juice is a large part of <em>how</em> they got to the Finals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks both felt as though they really lacked another secondary creator or enough of that ability to continue the advantages of Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo respectively. Again, not fully that dumbed down, but the Griz dealt with the issues of too many shooters who were hesitant and also not impacting the defense. The Bucks rarely sniffed the paint outside of Giannis or Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s forays to the rim. Kick-outs were routinely one-and-done shots. Injuries certainly played a factor, as Khris Middleton changes things greatly for the Bucks, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case. Even during the regular season, Milwaukee felt short of another shot creator.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On a similar note, the use of the clock to cut down or exacerbate your advantages on the margins is essential if you have some semblance of halfcourt struggles or are facing a top-notch defensive team. The Warriors absolutely bodied teams in transition and with early offense (no stats, just vibes; this was clear while watching). I think back to that Denver series and how masterfully the Warriors forced cross-matches and shifted the defense before plays started just by running like mad down the court.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boston was on their heels for so much of the series due to how much concerted effort the Warriors put into getting into early sets. Running off of misses was a huge swing factor, feasting on Boston&rsquo;s at-rim misses in droves and parlaying a 4-on-3 against them into a 4-on-3 the other way. It honestly felt devastating at times, the basketball version of Sisyphus&rsquo; toil playing out on the parquet.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Celtics felt on the verge of an eight-second violation every possession coming up court. Golden State employed a good array of pressure to slow down the Celtics; that&rsquo;s one of my favorite random things. You&rsquo;d think pressure would speed things up, right? Nope, it made the Celtics bog down and sink like a tank traversing through mud (shout out Call of Duty 4, mission War Pig; a throwback to seventh grade). In turn, they were sped up due to facing the shot clock with a proverbial back against the wall. All of the tendencies were loaded up in Golden State&rsquo;s favor given how they worked the margins.</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>My last point I really want to stress is my ultimate Old-Man-Yells-at-Clouds moment. It is really, really, really, reaaaallllllyyyy hard to be a big in the NBA. So often, there&rsquo;s this idea that's consistently projected that you can "just scoop up a viable big for the mid-level exception" or that "teams shouldn&rsquo;t draft a big in the lottery." And sure, you can get a really serviceable backup or spot-starter for the MLE!</p>
<p>But you know that defensive-coverage versatility we mentioned earlier? It is so hard to be a big who can only play one coverage. I&rsquo;d argue being a coverage-versatile big who can make quality decisions and continue advantages if you don&rsquo;t craft them themselves is the most lacking positional archetype in a league that looks starved for them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is not my attempt to display how I think basketball should be played; there are a ton of viable ways to win a title and construct a roster even if there are some underscored guidelines that set the boundaries of what a team can be at the highest level.</p>
<p>But let&rsquo;s just run through some of the most important players on the deep playoff teams (who made it to the second round or further):</p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Jaren Jackson Jr.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Giannis Antetokounmpo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Deandre Ayton</li>
<li aria-level="1">Robert Williams III</li>
<li aria-level="1">Al Horford</li>
<li aria-level="1">Draymond Green</li>
<li aria-level="1">Kevon Looney (who was incredible throughout the Warriors' run)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bam Adebayo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Maxi Kleber</li>
</ul>
<p>The NBA 5 is so pivotal upon how defenses play the game on either side. For a defense, they need to be able to hang up in a multitude of schemes while ideally being a backline eraser with strong-help instincts and the athleticism to deter shots. Switch everything is a lie, but some switchability is pretty nice too! Can you play close to the level? Can you show and recover? Can you display enough hand activity to add a modicum of hesitation on pull-up twos or a guard turning the corner out of a ball screen as your point-of-attack defender fights over to reconnect?</p>
<p>There are a trillion responsibilities seemingly, and ground coverage is a must.</p>
<p>Offensively, the 5s routinely were the focal point of how a defense looked to stifle an offense. While Draymond isn&rsquo;t technically a 5, he played a great deal of time there and his improved play and aggression over the backend of the series was paramount in attacking Boston&rsquo;s defense and tipping the scale. In the previous series, I can still hear Steve Jones Jr.&rsquo;s voice ringing out from the Dunker Spot <span style="font-weight: 400;">(</span><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">listen and subscribe!</span></a>) about how teams played him as a post decision-maker with Golden State&rsquo;s patented split cuts.</p>
<p>Al Horford broke defenses with his consistent shooting in the playoffs, something that wasn&rsquo;t there much of the regular season. Shooting in that sweet spot of league average or slightly higher without hesitation at the 5 spot is back-breaking. Miami and Milwaukee routinely tried to negate Horford&rsquo;s presence, but if you&rsquo;re going to shoot like that without thinking, it changes the way a defense can play you. Much of the same should be said of Maxi Kleber for the Mavs. His personal heater against the Suns altered that series and forced Phoenix into a defensive bind that restructured the way they could play defense without getting absolutely pelted from Kleber&rsquo;s above-the-break dynamism.</p>
<p>Being a capable two-way NBA big is freakin' hard. The game is still shifting more and more toward size and skill, something the next few draft classes exemplify. I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s as drastic as every player being 7-feet tall and taking pull-up threes out of ball screens, but there&rsquo;s real credence to acknowledging that the first few draft classes of players that grew up playing AAU and youth ball after the spacing revolution are coming in with skill sets to match. A few seasons ago, I was speaking with a prominent high school coach who mentioned that the high-school game was a half decade behind the NBA, as players adapted to what they saw and took in growing up. We&rsquo;re seeing that start to play out and that&rsquo;s absurdly cool to witness.</p>
<p>What will the game look like in 2027? I don&rsquo;t have the answer, but I have a semblance of an idea of where it&rsquo;s headed in the next few years, and I&rsquo;m excited.</p>
<p>What will the next shift be? How is the game going to bend the court dimensions again? It continually happens over time, as innovation and adaptation occurs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The game is beautiful, and I&rsquo;m lucky to cover it. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to anyone who's reading and those who have shared or interacted with my work over the last season. It&rsquo;s odd to say goodbye to 2022, but I have a good feeling about next season.</p>
<p>Who knows, maybe this is the year for the Sacramento Kings?! Maybe the Orlando Magic are our wondrous young team that takes a sizable step forward from fun and young to fun, young and funkily effective. I don&rsquo;t know what next year holds and I can make as many predictions as I want, but that unknowing is part of what makes the game so mystifying to me. I love uncovering and trying to learn more about what the game is, and the skill sets and stories that make up the humans who play the game. I truly loved the process and unraveling of the 2022 season, and I hope you can say the same!</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The end of the 2021-22 NBA season is remarkably bittersweet. The basketball was great, with an incredible level of competitiveness, a revamping of defense, an embracing of coverage versatility and an impressive rookie class. Covering it was an absolute joy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On a personal note, a massive thank you to all who read my work, supported me, encouraged me or interacted with me during the season. Last May, I graduated from college with roughly a year-and-a-half of covering basketball in some part-time fashion under my belt.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I took a bit of a leap of faith to write about basketball full-time or go broke trying, and because of BasketballNews and a few other platforms, I was able to stay afloat and eventually break even for the first time in my life based on work I'm truly passionate about. My athletic &lsquo;career&rsquo; ended in 2018 and it took me a long time to really find out what was next and what my purpose was. Writing and talking about the game just does something for me that I can&rsquo;t explain, so I&rsquo;ll just reiterate: thank you all again for making this life possible. Without help from many of you and my family, I wouldn&rsquo;t be in this position. I&rsquo;m an extremely lucky person and I&rsquo;m so glad to do what I do, and I'm fortunate that my work resonates with people.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So as per usual, my main takeaway is never from the result, even when looking at my own track through basketball. The process is 97% of why I care and watch the games. It&rsquo;s what I love to track and decipher. Nekias Duncan exemplified that and then some </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">with his piece yesterday</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The seasons within each season define the process. A player returns from injury or makes a key development that shapes a rotation, changes a team's identity or defines a stretch of play. Rinse and repeat, as this happens a multitude of times for each team to varying degrees. The contention landscape is an ever-molding horizon that whittles away as the year goes by.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A third of the way through the season, I thought the Cleveland Cavaliers had a shot at winning a series and making a second one raucous for their opponent. I didn&rsquo;t have faith in the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; frontcourt rotation and halfcourt offense, leading me to think they&rsquo;d be out of the playoffs before the Conference Finals (lol).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Along those lines, perhaps the biggest takeaway I have from this season and the postseason is that it&rsquo;s just really freakin' hard to win a title. That sounds reductive, and perhaps it is in essence, but that&rsquo;s sort of the point. I think it&rsquo;s a bit foolhardy and lacking in context at times to take away any sweeping thoughts on the ideology of basketball in such a volatile setting.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We at large don&rsquo;t know the full slate of what is or isn&rsquo;t going on behind the scenes or in a locker room until it&rsquo;s being broken nationally and is about to be resolved one way or another. That&rsquo;s not an excuse for poor or underwhelming play, rather to say that it&rsquo;s hard to place and capture the magic of incredible success. I, and many, thought that the Phoenix Suns would walk into the Western Conference Finals. The vibes dissipated with a quickness from immaculate to disastrous in a way I haven&rsquo;t felt since the 2013-14 Indiana Pacers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I can point out the poor play and roster flaws that led to their on-court demise, but whatever happened off the court without a doubt contributed. It would be in poor faith to say, &ldquo;Because of this they lost." But it would be just as wrong to say, &ldquo;Well, they just didn&rsquo;t have that dog in them.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Suns did have that magic for much of the season. We&rsquo;ve seen teams find it and lose it during the course of the year time and time again. Finding that run of play and maintaining it is so much more difficult than we lend credence to. We tend to decry the losers rather than pointing out the immaculate nature of those who stood the test of four playoff series. We should change that! Winning the NBA Finals is extremely difficult.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Nekias pointed out in his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aforementioned article</a> about Jayson Tatum, think about all of the fantastic moments and series that Tatum </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">did </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">have leading up to the Finals. That man balled the heck out. We&rsquo;re talking about how making the Finals and losing is bad for Tatum&rsquo;s legacy??? That&rsquo;s crazy to me. I understand the importance of legacy to some, but those arguments shed 97% of what got us here and hyperfocus on a six-game series at the highest level of play.</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Basketball and sports in general are meant to be analyzed; it&rsquo;s a large part of my job. But I feel the championship series should ultimately be much more about enjoying two incredibly good, incredibly talented and incredibly fun teams duel for the top spot in the league after the season tipped 240 days before.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To lead into some of the more tactical/schematic takeaways, advantage continuation is paramount. It probably seems obvious, but the ability to keep moving the ball, keep a play running and force the defense to react in kind is so important, even if it doesn&rsquo;t lead to a bucket. I was routinely stricken by how often the Warriors had first, second, third or even fourth actions sputter out, but they routinely found a small crevice upon which to expand and keep the advantage flowing.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I saw so many times throughout the series, &ldquo;How was this Boston defense good during the regular season?&rdquo; Was I doomscrolling and over-indexing? You bet. But it still stood out. The Celtics fought for their lives on possessions, and the way they shut down the Warriors time and time again in the halfcourt only to be whiplashed by a backcut, a broken play, an impromptu DHO, a Steph Curry deep three or a quick putback after 15 seconds of scramble felt back-breaking. I&rsquo;m not sure I&rsquo;ve ever </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">felt </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Steph&rsquo;s shooting gravity and never ending off-ball movement like I did in this Finals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even with players who weren&rsquo;t shooters on volume, the Warriors unclogged possessions due to Steph&rsquo;s otherworldly play and the quick decision-making of his teammates. Draymond flipping the switch on his offensive aggression, adjusting the shot tendencies like we WISH NBA 2K would even consider absolutely changed the series. Eliminating some of the indecisiveness and unwillingness made Golden State that much harder to guard.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As athletic and sizable as the Celtics were across the board, they often felt a step behind and rarely dictating the dance in defensive possessions, which felt quite polar to their first three series.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prior to the final few games against the Warriors, the Celtics toed that line of having enough of that ball movement and redrive oomph, attacking with secondary and tertiary drives to maintain an advantage. That, uhhh, did not hold up in the Finals, as the Warriors played phenomenal defense, but it also felt like Boston went away from what made them the best offense in the league in 2022. Marcus Smart has his fair share of erratic offensive possessions, but he spurred the offense throughout the year as Ime Udoka charged him with more primary ball-handling duties to put Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in more optimal offensive situations.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It wasn&rsquo;t that he needed to <em>always</em> have the ball, and he still handled much in the postseason, but it assuredly happened less, and penetration and kickouts became more sparse. Again though, the point is that secondary creation juice is a large part of <em>how</em> they got to the Finals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">T</span>he Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks both felt as though they really lacked another secondary creator or enough of that ability to continue the advantages of Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo respectively. Again, not fully that dumbed down, but the Griz dealt with the issues of too many shooters who were hesitant and also not impacting the defense. The Bucks rarely sniffed the paint outside of Giannis or Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s forays to the rim. Kick-outs were routinely one-and-done shots. Injuries certainly played a factor, as Khris Middleton changes things greatly for the Bucks, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case. Even during the regular season, Milwaukee felt short of another shot creator.</p>
<p>On a similar note, the use of the clock to cut down or exacerbate your advantages on the margins is essential if you have some semblance of halfcourt struggles or are facing a top-notch defensive team. The Warriors absolutely bodied teams in transition and with early offense (no stats, just vibes; this was clear while watching). I think back to that Denver series and how masterfully the Warriors forced cross-matches and shifted the defense before plays started just by running like mad down the court.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston was on their heels for so much of the series due to how much concerted effort the Warriors put into getting into early sets. Running off of misses was a huge swing factor, feasting on Boston&rsquo;s at-rim misses in droves and parlaying a 4-on-3 against them into a 4-on-3 the other way. It honestly felt devastating at times, the basketball version of Sisyphus&rsquo; toil playing out on the parquet.</p>
<p>The Celtics felt on the verge of an eight-second violation every possession coming up court. Golden State employed a good array of pressure to slow down the Celtics; that&rsquo;s one of my favorite random things. You&rsquo;d think pressure would speed things up, right? Nope, it made the Celtics bog down and sink like a tank traversing through mud (shout out Call of Duty 4, mission War Pig; a throwback to seventh grade). In turn, they were sped up due to facing the shot clock with a proverbial back against the wall. All of the tendencies were loaded up in Golden State&rsquo;s favor given how they worked the margins.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>My last point I really want to stress is my ultimate Old-Man-Yells-at-Clouds moment. It is really, really, really, reaaaallllllyyyy hard to be a big in the NBA. So often, there&rsquo;s this idea that's consistently projected that you can "just scoop up a viable big for the mid-level exception" or that "teams shouldn&rsquo;t draft a big in the lottery." And sure, you can get a really serviceable backup or spot-starter for the MLE!</p>
<p>But you know that defensive-coverage versatility we mentioned earlier? It is so hard to be a big who can only play one coverage. I&rsquo;d argue being a coverage-versatile big who can make quality decisions and continue advantages if you don&rsquo;t craft them themselves is the most lacking positional archetype in a league that looks starved for them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is not my attempt to display how I think basketball should be played; there are a ton of viable ways to win a title and construct a roster even if there are some underscored guidelines that set the boundaries of what a team can be at the highest level.</p>
<p>But let&rsquo;s just run through some of the most important players on the deep playoff teams (who made it to the second round or further):</p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Jaren Jackson Jr.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Giannis Antetokounmpo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Deandre Ayton</li>
<li aria-level="1">Robert Williams III</li>
<li aria-level="1">Al Horford</li>
<li aria-level="1">Draymond Green</li>
<li aria-level="1">Kevon Looney (who was incredible throughout the Warriors' run)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bam Adebayo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Maxi Kleber</li>
</ul>
<p>The NBA 5 is so pivotal upon how defenses play the game on either side. For a defense, they need to be able to hang up in a multitude of schemes while ideally being a backline eraser with strong-help instincts and the athleticism to deter shots. Switch everything is a lie, but some switchability is pretty nice too! Can you play close to the level? Can you show and recover? Can you display enough hand activity to add a modicum of hesitation on pull-up twos or a guard turning the corner out of a ball screen as your point-of-attack defender fights over to reconnect?</p>
<p>There are a trillion responsibilities seemingly, and ground coverage is a must.</p>
<p>Offensively, the 5s routinely were the focal point of how a defense looked to stifle an offense. While Draymond isn&rsquo;t technically a 5, he played a great deal of time there and his improved play and aggression over the backend of the series was paramount in attacking Boston&rsquo;s defense and tipping the scale. In the previous series, I can still hear Steve Jones Jr.&rsquo;s voice ringing out from the Dunker Spot <span style="font-weight: 400;">(</span><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">listen and subscribe!</span></a>) about how teams played him as a post decision-maker with Golden State&rsquo;s patented split cuts.</p>
<p>Al Horford broke defenses with his consistent shooting in the playoffs, something that wasn&rsquo;t there much of the regular season. Shooting in that sweet spot of league average or slightly higher without hesitation at the 5 spot is back-breaking. Miami and Milwaukee routinely tried to negate Horford&rsquo;s presence, but if you&rsquo;re going to shoot like that without thinking, it changes the way a defense can play you. Much of the same should be said of Maxi Kleber for the Mavs. His personal heater against the Suns altered that series and forced Phoenix into a defensive bind that restructured the way they could play defense without getting absolutely pelted from Kleber&rsquo;s above-the-break dynamism.</p>
<p>Being a capable two-way NBA big is freakin' hard. The game is still shifting more and more toward size and skill, something the next few draft classes exemplify. I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s as drastic as every player being 7-feet tall and taking pull-up threes out of ball screens, but there&rsquo;s real credence to acknowledging that the first few draft classes of players that grew up playing AAU and youth ball after the spacing revolution are coming in with skill sets to match. A few seasons ago, I was speaking with a prominent high school coach who mentioned that the high-school game was a half decade behind the NBA, as players adapted to what they saw and took in growing up. We&rsquo;re seeing that start to play out and that&rsquo;s absurdly cool to witness.</p>
<p>What will the game look like in 2027? I don&rsquo;t have the answer, but I have a semblance of an idea of where it&rsquo;s headed in the next few years, and I&rsquo;m excited.</p>
<p>What will the next shift be? How is the game going to bend the court dimensions again? It continually happens over time, as innovation and adaptation occurs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The game is beautiful, and I&rsquo;m lucky to cover it. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to anyone who's reading and those who have shared or interacted with my work over the last season. It&rsquo;s odd to say goodbye to 2022, but I have a good feeling about next season.</p>
<p>Who knows, maybe this is the year for the Sacramento Kings?! Maybe the Orlando Magic are our wondrous young team that takes a sizable step forward from fun and young to fun, young and funkily effective. I don&rsquo;t know what next year holds and I can make as many predictions as I want, but that unknowing is part of what makes the game so mystifying to me. I love uncovering and trying to learn more about what the game is, and the skill sets and stories that make up the humans who play the game. I truly loved the process and unraveling of the 2022 season, and I hope you can say the same!</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The end of the 2021-22 NBA season is remarkably bittersweet. The basketball was great, with an incredible level of competitiveness, a revamping of defense, an embracing of coverage versatility and an impressive rookie class. Covering it was an absolute joy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On a personal note, a massive thank you to all who read my work, supported me, encouraged me or interacted with me during the season. Last May, I graduated from college with roughly a year-and-a-half of covering basketball in some part-time fashion under my belt.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I took a bit of a leap of faith to write about basketball full-time or go broke trying, and because of BasketballNews and a few other platforms, I was able to stay afloat and eventually break even for the first time in my life based on work I'm truly passionate about. My athletic &lsquo;career&rsquo; ended in 2018 and it took me a long time to really find out what was next and what my purpose was. Writing and talking about the game just does something for me that I can&rsquo;t explain, so I&rsquo;ll just reiterate: thank you all again for making this life possible. Without help from many of you and my family, I wouldn&rsquo;t be in this position. I&rsquo;m an extremely lucky person and I&rsquo;m so glad to do what I do, and I'm fortunate that my work resonates with people.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So as per usual, my main takeaway is never from the result, even when looking at my own track through basketball. The process is 97% of why I care and watch the games. It&rsquo;s what I love to track and decipher. Nekias Duncan exemplified that and then some </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">with his piece yesterday</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The seasons within each season define the process. A player returns from injury or makes a key development that shapes a rotation, changes a team's identity or defines a stretch of play. Rinse and repeat, as this happens a multitude of times for each team to varying degrees. The contention landscape is an ever-molding horizon that whittles away as the year goes by.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A third of the way through the season, I thought the Cleveland Cavaliers had a shot at winning a series and making a second one raucous for their opponent. I didn&rsquo;t have faith in the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; frontcourt rotation and halfcourt offense, leading me to think they&rsquo;d be out of the playoffs before the Conference Finals (lol).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Along those lines, perhaps the biggest takeaway I have from this season and the postseason is that it&rsquo;s just really freakin' hard to win a title. That sounds reductive, and perhaps it is in essence, but that&rsquo;s sort of the point. I think it&rsquo;s a bit foolhardy and lacking in context at times to take away any sweeping thoughts on the ideology of basketball in such a volatile setting.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We at large don&rsquo;t know the full slate of what is or isn&rsquo;t going on behind the scenes or in a locker room until it&rsquo;s being broken nationally and is about to be resolved one way or another. That&rsquo;s not an excuse for poor or underwhelming play, rather to say that it&rsquo;s hard to place and capture the magic of incredible success. I, and many, thought that the Phoenix Suns would walk into the Western Conference Finals. The vibes dissipated with a quickness from immaculate to disastrous in a way I haven&rsquo;t felt since the 2013-14 Indiana Pacers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I can point out the poor play and roster flaws that led to their on-court demise, but whatever happened off the court without a doubt contributed. It would be in poor faith to say, &ldquo;Because of this they lost." But it would be just as wrong to say, &ldquo;Well, they just didn&rsquo;t have that dog in them.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Suns did have that magic for much of the season. We&rsquo;ve seen teams find it and lose it during the course of the year time and time again. Finding that run of play and maintaining it is so much more difficult than we lend credence to. We tend to decry the losers rather than pointing out the immaculate nature of those who stood the test of four playoff series. We should change that! Winning the NBA Finals is extremely difficult.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Nekias pointed out in his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aforementioned article</a> about Jayson Tatum, think about all of the fantastic moments and series that Tatum </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">did </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">have leading up to the Finals. That man balled the heck out. We&rsquo;re talking about how making the Finals and losing is bad for Tatum&rsquo;s legacy??? That&rsquo;s crazy to me. I understand the importance of legacy to some, but those arguments shed 97% of what got us here and hyperfocus on a six-game series at the highest level of play.</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Basketball and sports in general are meant to be analyzed; it&rsquo;s a large part of my job. But I feel the championship series should ultimately be much more about enjoying two incredibly good, incredibly talented and incredibly fun teams duel for the top spot in the league after the season tipped 240 days before.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To lead into some of the more tactical/schematic takeaways, advantage continuation is paramount. It probably seems obvious, but the ability to keep moving the ball, keep a play running and force the defense to react in kind is so important, even if it doesn&rsquo;t lead to a bucket. I was routinely stricken by how often the Warriors had first, second, third or even fourth actions sputter out, but they routinely found a small crevice upon which to expand and keep the advantage flowing.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I saw so many times throughout the series, &ldquo;How was this Boston defense good during the regular season?&rdquo; Was I doomscrolling and over-indexing? You bet. But it still stood out. The Celtics fought for their lives on possessions, and the way they shut down the Warriors time and time again in the halfcourt only to be whiplashed by a backcut, a broken play, an impromptu DHO, a Steph Curry deep three or a quick putback after 15 seconds of scramble felt back-breaking. I&rsquo;m not sure I&rsquo;ve ever </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">felt </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Steph&rsquo;s shooting gravity and never ending off-ball movement like I did in this Finals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even with players who weren&rsquo;t shooters on volume, the Warriors unclogged possessions due to Steph&rsquo;s otherworldly play and the quick decision-making of his teammates. Draymond flipping the switch on his offensive aggression, adjusting the shot tendencies like we WISH NBA 2K would even consider absolutely changed the series. Eliminating some of the indecisiveness and unwillingness made Golden State that much harder to guard.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As athletic and sizable as the Celtics were across the board, they often felt a step behind and rarely dictating the dance in defensive possessions, which felt quite polar to their first three series.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prior to the final few games against the Warriors, the Celtics toed that line of having enough of that ball movement and redrive oomph, attacking with secondary and tertiary drives to maintain an advantage. That, uhhh, did not hold up in the Finals, as the Warriors played phenomenal defense, but it also felt like Boston went away from what made them the best offense in the league in 2022. Marcus Smart has his fair share of erratic offensive possessions, but he spurred the offense throughout the year as Ime Udoka charged him with more primary ball-handling duties to put Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in more optimal offensive situations.</span></p>
<p>It wasn&rsquo;t that he needed to always have the ball, and he still handled much in the postseason, but it assuredly happened less, and penetration and kickouts became more sparse. Again though, the point is that secondary creation juice is a large part of how they got to the Finals.</p>
<p>The Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks both felt as though they really lacked another secondary creator or enough of that ability to continue the advantages of Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo respectively. Again, not fully that dumbed down, but the Griz dealt with the issues of too many shooters who were hesitant and also not impacting the defense. The Bucks rarely sniffed the paint outside of Giannis or Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s forays to the rim. Kick-outs were routinely one-and-done shots. Injuries certainly played a factor, as Khris Middleton changes things greatly for the Bucks, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case. Even during the regular season, Milwaukee felt short of another shot creator.</p>
<p>On a similar note, the use of the clock to cut down or exacerbate your advantages on the margins is essential if you have some semblance of halfcourt struggles or are facing a top-notch defensive team. The Warriors absolutely bodied teams in transition and with early offense (no stats, just vibes; this was clear while watching). I think back to that Denver series and how masterfully the Warriors forced cross-matches and shifted the defense before plays started just by running like mad down the court.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston was on their heels for so much of the series due to how much concerted effort the Warriors put into getting into early sets. Running off of misses was a huge swing factor, feasting on Boston&rsquo;s at-rim misses in droves and parlaying a 4-on-3 against them into a 4-on-3 the other way. It honestly felt devastating at times, the basketball version of Sisyphus&rsquo; toil playing out on the parquet.</p>
<p>The Celtics felt on the verge of an eight-second violation every possession coming up court. Golden State employed a good array of pressure to slow down the Celtics; that&rsquo;s one of my favorite random things. You&rsquo;d think pressure would speed things up, right? Nope, it made the Celtics bog down and sink like a tank traversing through mud (shout out Call of Duty 4, mission War Pig; a throwback to seventh grade). In turn, they were sped up due to facing the shot clock with a proverbial back against the wall. All of the tendencies were loaded up in Golden State&rsquo;s favor given how they worked the margins.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>My last point I really want to stress is my ultimate Old-Man-Yells-at-Clouds moment. It is really, really, really, reaaaallllllyyyy hard to be a big in the NBA. So often, there&rsquo;s this idea that's consistently projected that you can "just scoop up a viable big for the mid-level exception" or that "teams shouldn&rsquo;t draft a big in the lottery." And sure, you can get a really serviceable backup or spot-starter for the MLE!</p>
<p>But you know that defensive-coverage versatility we mentioned earlier? It is so hard to be a big who can only play one coverage. I&rsquo;d argue being a coverage-versatile big who can make quality decisions and continue advantages if you don&rsquo;t craft them themselves is the most lacking positional archetype in a league that looks starved for them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is not my attempt to display how I think basketball should be played; there are a ton of viable ways to win a title and construct a roster even if there are some underscored guidelines that set the boundaries of what a team can be at the highest level.</p>
<p>But let&rsquo;s just run through some of the most important players on the deep playoff teams (who made it to the second round or further):</p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Jaren Jackson Jr.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Giannis Antetokounmpo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Deandre Ayton</li>
<li aria-level="1">Robert Williams III</li>
<li aria-level="1">Al Horford</li>
<li aria-level="1">Draymond Green</li>
<li aria-level="1">Kevon Looney (who was incredible throughout the Warriors' run)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bam Adebayo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Maxi Kleber</li>
</ul>
<p>The NBA 5 is so pivotal upon how defenses play the game on either side. For a defense, they need to be able to hang up in a multitude of schemes while ideally being a backline eraser with strong-help instincts and the athleticism to deter shots. Switch everything is a lie, but some switchability is pretty nice too! Can you play close to the level? Can you show and recover? Can you display enough hand activity to add a modicum of hesitation on pull-up twos or a guard turning the corner out of a ball screen as your point-of-attack defender fights over to reconnect?</p>
<p>There are a trillion responsibilities seemingly, and ground coverage is a must.</p>
<p>Offensively, the 5s routinely were the focal point of how a defense looked to stifle an offense. While Draymond isn&rsquo;t technically a 5, he played a great deal of time there and his improved play and aggression over the backend of the series was paramount in attacking Boston&rsquo;s defense and tipping the scale. In the previous series, I can still hear Steve Jones Jr.&rsquo;s voice ringing out from the Dunker Spot <span style="font-weight: 400;">(</span><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">listen and subscribe!</span></a>) about how teams played him as a post decision-maker with Golden State&rsquo;s patented split cuts.</p>
<p>Al Horford broke defenses with his consistent shooting in the playoffs, something that wasn&rsquo;t there much of the regular season. Shooting in that sweet spot of league average or slightly higher without hesitation at the 5 spot is back-breaking. Miami and Milwaukee routinely tried to negate Horford&rsquo;s presence, but if you&rsquo;re going to shoot like that without thinking, it changes the way a defense can play you. Much of the same should be said of Maxi Kleber for the Mavs. His personal heater against the Suns altered that series and forced Phoenix into a defensive bind that restructured the way they could play defense without getting absolutely pelted from Kleber&rsquo;s above-the-break dynamism.</p>
<p>Being a capable two-way NBA big is freakin' hard. The game is still shifting more and more toward size and skill, something the next few draft classes exemplify. I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s as drastic as every player being 7-feet tall and taking pull-up threes out of ball screens, but there&rsquo;s real credence to acknowledging that the first few draft classes of players that grew up playing AAU and youth ball after the spacing revolution are coming in with skill sets to match. A few seasons ago, I was speaking with a prominent high school coach who mentioned that the high-school game was a half decade behind the NBA, as players adapted to what they saw and took in growing up. We&rsquo;re seeing that start to play out and that&rsquo;s absurdly cool to witness.</p>
<p>What will the game look like in 2027? I don&rsquo;t have the answer, but I have a semblance of an idea of where it&rsquo;s headed in the next few years, and I&rsquo;m excited.</p>
<p>What will the next shift be? How is the game going to bend the court dimensions again? It continually happens over time, as innovation and adaptation occurs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The game is beautiful, and I&rsquo;m lucky to cover it. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to anyone who's reading and those who have shared or interacted with my work over the last season. It&rsquo;s odd to say goodbye to 2022, but I have a good feeling about next season.</p>
<p>Who knows, maybe this is the year for the Sacramento Kings?! Maybe the Orlando Magic are our wondrous young team that takes a sizable step forward from fun and young to fun, young and funkily effective. I don&rsquo;t know what next year holds and I can make as many predictions as I want, but that unknowing is part of what makes the game so mystifying to me. I love uncovering and trying to learn more about what the game is, and the skill sets and stories that make up the humans who play the game. I truly loved the process and unraveling of the 2022 season, and I hope you can say the same!</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The end of the 2021-22 NBA season is remarkably bittersweet. The basketball was great, with an incredible level of competitiveness, a revamping of defense, an embracing of coverage versatility and an impressive rookie class. Covering it was an absolute joy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On a personal note, a massive thank you to all who read my work, supported me, encouraged me or interacted with me during the season. Last May, I graduated from college with roughly a year-and-a-half of covering basketball in some part-time fashion under my belt.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I took a bit of a leap of faith to write about basketball full-time or go broke trying, and because of BasketballNews and a few other platforms, I was able to stay afloat and eventually break even for the first time in my life based on work I'm truly passionate about. My athletic &lsquo;career&rsquo; ended in 2018 and it took me a long time to really find out what was next and what my purpose was. Writing and talking about the game just does something for me that I can&rsquo;t explain, so I&rsquo;ll just reiterate: thank you all again for making this life possible. Without help from many of you and my family, I wouldn&rsquo;t be in this position. I&rsquo;m an extremely lucky person and I&rsquo;m so glad to do what I do, and I'm fortunate that my work resonates with people.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So as per usual, my main takeaway is never from the result, even when looking at my own track through basketball. The process is 97% of why I care and watch the games. It&rsquo;s what I love to track and decipher. Nekias Duncan exemplified that and then some </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">with his piece yesterday</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The seasons within each season define the process. A player returns from injury or makes a key development that shapes a rotation, changes a team's identity or defines a stretch of play. Rinse and repeat, as this happens a multitude of times for each team to varying degrees. The contention landscape is an ever-molding horizon that whittles away as the year goes by.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A third of the way through the season, I thought the Cleveland Cavaliers had a shot at winning a series and making a second one raucous for their opponent. I didn&rsquo;t have faith in the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; frontcourt rotation and halfcourt offense, leading me to think they&rsquo;d be out of the playoffs before the Conference Finals (lol).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Along those lines, perhaps the biggest takeaway I have from this season and the postseason is that it&rsquo;s just really freakin' hard to win a title. That sounds reductive, and perhaps it is in essence, but that&rsquo;s sort of the point. I think it&rsquo;s a bit foolhardy and lacking in context at times to take away any sweeping thoughts on the ideology of basketball in such a volatile setting.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We at large don&rsquo;t know the full slate of what is or isn&rsquo;t going on behind the scenes or in a locker room until it&rsquo;s being broken nationally and is about to be resolved one way or another. That&rsquo;s not an excuse for poor or underwhelming play, rather to say that it&rsquo;s hard to place and capture the magic of incredible success. I, and many, thought that the Phoenix Suns would walk into the Western Conference Finals. The vibes dissipated with a quickness from immaculate to disastrous in a way I haven&rsquo;t felt since the 2013-14 Indiana Pacers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I can point out the poor play and roster flaws that led to their on-court demise, but whatever happened off the court without a doubt contributed. It would be in poor faith to say, &ldquo;Because of this they lost." But it would be just as wrong to say, &ldquo;Well, they just didn&rsquo;t have that dog in them.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Suns did have that magic for much of the season. We&rsquo;ve seen teams find it and lose it during the course of the year time and time again. Finding that run of play and maintaining it is so much more difficult than we lend credence to. We tend to decry the losers rather than pointing out the immaculate nature of those who stood the test of four playoff series. We should change that! Winning the NBA Finals is extremely difficult.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Nekias pointed out in his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aforementioned article</a> about Jayson Tatum, think about all of the fantastic moments and series that Tatum </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">did </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">have leading up to the Finals. That man balled the heck out. We&rsquo;re talking about how making the Finals and losing is bad for Tatum&rsquo;s legacy??? That&rsquo;s crazy to me. I understand the importance of legacy to some, but those arguments shed 97% of what got us here and hyperfocus on a six-game series at the highest level of play.</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Basketball and sports in general are meant to be analyzed; it&rsquo;s a large part of my job. But I feel the championship series should ultimately be much more about enjoying two incredibly good, incredibly talented and incredibly fun teams duel for the top spot in the league after the season tipped 240 days before.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To lead into some of the more tactical/schematic takeaways, advantage continuation is paramount. It probably seems obvious, but the ability to keep moving the ball, keep a play running and force the defense to react in kind is so important, even if it doesn&rsquo;t lead to a bucket. I was routinely stricken by how often the Warriors had first, second, third or even fourth actions sputter out, but they routinely found a small crevice upon which to expand and keep the advantage flowing.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I saw so many times throughout the series, &ldquo;How was this Boston defense good during the regular season?&rdquo; Was I doomscrolling and over-indexing? You bet. But it still stood out. The Celtics fought for their lives on possessions, and the way they shut down the Warriors time and time again in the halfcourt only to be whiplashed by a backcut, a broken play, an impromptu DHO, a Steph Curry deep three or a quick putback after 15 seconds of scramble felt back-breaking. I&rsquo;m not sure I&rsquo;ve ever </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">felt </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Steph&rsquo;s shooting gravity and never ending off-ball movement like I did in this Finals.</span></p>
<p>Even with players who weren&rsquo;t shooters on volume, the Warriors unclogged possessions due to Steph&rsquo;s otherworldly play and the quick decision-making of his teammates. Draymond flipping the switch on his offensive aggression, adjusting the shot tendencies like we WISH NBA 2K would even consider absolutely changed the series. Eliminating some of the indecisiveness and unwillingness made Golden State that much harder to guard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>As athletic and sizable as the Celtics were across the board, they often felt a step behind and rarely dictating the dance in defensive possessions, which felt quite polar to their first three series.</p>
<p>Prior to the final few games against the Warriors, the Celtics toed that line of having enough of that ball movement and redrive oomph, attacking with secondary and tertiary drives to maintain an advantage. That, uhhh, did not hold up in the Finals, as the Warriors played phenomenal defense, but it also felt like Boston went away from what made them the best offense in the league in 2022. Marcus Smart has his fair share of erratic offensive possessions, but he spurred the offense throughout the year as Ime Udoka charged him with more primary ball-handling duties to put Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in more optimal offensive situations.</p>
<p>It wasn&rsquo;t that he needed to always have the ball, and he still handled much in the postseason, but it assuredly happened less, and penetration and kickouts became more sparse. Again though, the point is that secondary creation juice is a large part of how they got to the Finals.</p>
<p>The Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks both felt as though they really lacked another secondary creator or enough of that ability to continue the advantages of Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo respectively. Again, not fully that dumbed down, but the Griz dealt with the issues of too many shooters who were hesitant and also not impacting the defense. The Bucks rarely sniffed the paint outside of Giannis or Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s forays to the rim. Kick-outs were routinely one-and-done shots. Injuries certainly played a factor, as Khris Middleton changes things greatly for the Bucks, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case. Even during the regular season, Milwaukee felt short of another shot creator.</p>
<p>On a similar note, the use of the clock to cut down or exacerbate your advantages on the margins is essential if you have some semblance of halfcourt struggles or are facing a top-notch defensive team. The Warriors absolutely bodied teams in transition and with early offense (no stats, just vibes; this was clear while watching). I think back to that Denver series and how masterfully the Warriors forced cross-matches and shifted the defense before plays started just by running like mad down the court.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston was on their heels for so much of the series due to how much concerted effort the Warriors put into getting into early sets. Running off of misses was a huge swing factor, feasting on Boston&rsquo;s at-rim misses in droves and parlaying a 4-on-3 against them into a 4-on-3 the other way. It honestly felt devastating at times, the basketball version of Sisyphus&rsquo; toil playing out on the parquet.</p>
<p>The Celtics felt on the verge of an eight-second violation every possession coming up court. Golden State employed a good array of pressure to slow down the Celtics; that&rsquo;s one of my favorite random things. You&rsquo;d think pressure would speed things up, right? Nope, it made the Celtics bog down and sink like a tank traversing through mud (shout out Call of Duty 4, mission War Pig; a throwback to seventh grade). In turn, they were sped up due to facing the shot clock with a proverbial back against the wall. All of the tendencies were loaded up in Golden State&rsquo;s favor given how they worked the margins.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>My last point I really want to stress is my ultimate Old-Man-Yells-at-Clouds moment. It is really, really, really, reaaaallllllyyyy hard to be a big in the NBA. So often, there&rsquo;s this idea that's consistently projected that you can "just scoop up a viable big for the mid-level exception" or that "teams shouldn&rsquo;t draft a big in the lottery." And sure, you can get a really serviceable backup or spot-starter for the MLE!</p>
<p>But you know that defensive-coverage versatility we mentioned earlier? It is so hard to be a big who can only play one coverage. I&rsquo;d argue being a coverage-versatile big who can make quality decisions and continue advantages if you don&rsquo;t craft them themselves is the most lacking positional archetype in a league that looks starved for them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is not my attempt to display how I think basketball should be played; there are a ton of viable ways to win a title and construct a roster even if there are some underscored guidelines that set the boundaries of what a team can be at the highest level.</p>
<p>But let&rsquo;s just run through some of the most important players on the deep playoff teams (who made it to the second round or further):</p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Jaren Jackson Jr.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Giannis Antetokounmpo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Deandre Ayton</li>
<li aria-level="1">Robert Williams III</li>
<li aria-level="1">Al Horford</li>
<li aria-level="1">Draymond Green</li>
<li aria-level="1">Kevon Looney (who was incredible throughout the Warriors' run)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bam Adebayo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Maxi Kleber</li>
</ul>
<p>The NBA 5 is so pivotal upon how defenses play the game on either side. For a defense, they need to be able to hang up in a multitude of schemes while ideally being a backline eraser with strong-help instincts and the athleticism to deter shots. Switch everything is a lie, but some switchability is pretty nice too! Can you play close to the level? Can you show and recover? Can you display enough hand activity to add a modicum of hesitation on pull-up twos or a guard turning the corner out of a ball screen as your point-of-attack defender fights over to reconnect?</p>
<p>There are a trillion responsibilities seemingly, and ground coverage is a must.</p>
<p>Offensively, the 5s routinely were the focal point of how a defense looked to stifle an offense. While Draymond isn&rsquo;t technically a 5, he played a great deal of time there and his improved play and aggression over the backend of the series was paramount in attacking Boston&rsquo;s defense and tipping the scale. In the previous series, I can still hear Steve Jones Jr.&rsquo;s voice ringing out from the Dunker Spot <span style="font-weight: 400;">(</span><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">listen and subscribe!</span></a>) about how teams played him as a post decision-maker with Golden State&rsquo;s patented split cuts.</p>
<p>Al Horford broke defenses with his consistent shooting in the playoffs, something that wasn&rsquo;t there much of the regular season. Shooting in that sweet spot of league average or slightly higher without hesitation at the 5 spot is back-breaking. Miami and Milwaukee routinely tried to negate Horford&rsquo;s presence, but if you&rsquo;re going to shoot like that without thinking, it changes the way a defense can play you. Much of the same should be said of Maxi Kleber for the Mavs. His personal heater against the Suns altered that series and forced Phoenix into a defensive bind that restructured the way they could play defense without getting absolutely pelted from Kleber&rsquo;s above-the-break dynamism.</p>
<p>Being a capable two-way NBA big is freakin' hard. The game is still shifting more and more toward size and skill, something the next few draft classes exemplify. I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s as drastic as every player being 7-feet tall and taking pull-up threes out of ball screens, but there&rsquo;s real credence to acknowledging that the first few draft classes of players that grew up playing AAU and youth ball after the spacing revolution are coming in with skill sets to match. A few seasons ago, I was speaking with a prominent high school coach who mentioned that the high-school game was a half decade behind the NBA, as players adapted to what they saw and took in growing up. We&rsquo;re seeing that start to play out and that&rsquo;s absurdly cool to witness.</p>
<p>What will the game look like in 2027? I don&rsquo;t have the answer, but I have a semblance of an idea of where it&rsquo;s headed in the next few years, and I&rsquo;m excited.</p>
<p>What will the next shift be? How is the game going to bend the court dimensions again? It continually happens over time, as innovation and adaptation occurs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The game is beautiful, and I&rsquo;m lucky to cover it. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to anyone who's reading and those who have shared or interacted with my work over the last season. It&rsquo;s odd to say goodbye to 2022, but I have a good feeling about next season.</p>
<p>Who knows, maybe this is the year for the Sacramento Kings?! Maybe the Orlando Magic are our wondrous young team that takes a sizable step forward from fun and young to fun, young and funkily effective. I don&rsquo;t know what next year holds and I can make as many predictions as I want, but that unknowing is part of what makes the game so mystifying to me. I love uncovering and trying to learn more about what the game is, and the skill sets and stories that make up the humans who play the game. I truly loved the process and unraveling of the 2022 season, and I hope you can say the same!</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The end of the 2021-22 NBA season is remarkably bittersweet. The basketball was great, with an incredible level of competitiveness, a revamping of defense, an embracing of coverage versatility and an impressive rookie class. Covering it was an absolute joy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On a personal note, a massive thank you to all who read my work, supported me, encouraged me or interacted with me during the season. Last May, I graduated from college with roughly a year-and-a-half of covering basketball in some part-time fashion under my belt.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I took a bit of a leap of faith to write about basketball full-time or go broke trying, and because of BasketballNews and a few other platforms, I was able to stay afloat and eventually break even for the first time in my life based on work I'm truly passionate about. My athletic &lsquo;career&rsquo; ended in 2018 and it took me a long time to really find out what was next and what my purpose was. Writing and talking about the game just does something for me that I can&rsquo;t explain, so I&rsquo;ll just reiterate: thank you all again for making this life possible. Without help from many of you and my family, I wouldn&rsquo;t be in this position. I&rsquo;m an extremely lucky person and I&rsquo;m so glad to do what I do, and I'm fortunate that my work resonates with people.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So as per usual, my main takeaway is never from the result, even when looking at my own track through basketball. The process is 97% of why I care and watch the games. It&rsquo;s what I love to track and decipher. Nekias Duncan exemplified that and then some </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">with his piece yesterday</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The seasons within each season define the process. A player returns from injury or makes a key development that shapes a rotation, changes a team's identity or defines a stretch of play. Rinse and repeat, as this happens a multitude of times for each team to varying degrees. The contention landscape is an ever-molding horizon that whittles away as the year goes by.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A third of the way through the season, I thought the Cleveland Cavaliers had a shot at winning a series and making a second one raucous for their opponent. I didn&rsquo;t have faith in the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; frontcourt rotation and halfcourt offense, leading me to think they&rsquo;d be out of the playoffs before the Conference Finals (lol).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Along those lines, perhaps the biggest takeaway I have from this season and the postseason is that it&rsquo;s just really freakin' hard to win a title. That sounds reductive, and perhaps it is in essence, but that&rsquo;s sort of the point. I think it&rsquo;s a bit foolhardy and lacking in context at times to take away any sweeping thoughts on the ideology of basketball in such a volatile setting.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We at large don&rsquo;t know the full slate of what is or isn&rsquo;t going on behind the scenes or in a locker room until it&rsquo;s being broken nationally and is about to be resolved one way or another. That&rsquo;s not an excuse for poor or underwhelming play, rather to say that it&rsquo;s hard to place and capture the magic of incredible success. I, and many, thought that the Phoenix Suns would walk into the Western Conference Finals. The vibes dissipated with a quickness from immaculate to disastrous in a way I haven&rsquo;t felt since the 2013-14 Indiana Pacers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I can point out the poor play and roster flaws that led to their on-court demise, but whatever happened off the court without a doubt contributed. It would be in poor faith to say, &ldquo;Because of this they lost." But it would be just as wrong to say, &ldquo;Well, they just didn&rsquo;t have that dog in them.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Suns did have that magic for much of the season. We&rsquo;ve seen teams find it and lose it during the course of the year time and time again. Finding that run of play and maintaining it is so much more difficult than we lend credence to. We tend to decry the losers rather than pointing out the immaculate nature of those who stood the test of four playoff series. We should change that! Winning the NBA Finals is extremely difficult.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Nekias pointed out in his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aforementioned article</a> about Jayson Tatum, think about all of the fantastic moments and series that Tatum </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">did </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">have leading up to the Finals. That man balled the heck out. We&rsquo;re talking about how making the Finals and losing is bad for Tatum&rsquo;s legacy??? That&rsquo;s crazy to me. I understand the importance of legacy to some, but those arguments shed 97% of what got us here and hyperfocus on a six-game series at the highest level of play.</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Basketball and sports in general are meant to be analyzed; it&rsquo;s a large part of my job. But I feel the championship series should ultimately be much more about enjoying two incredibly good, incredibly talented and incredibly fun teams duel for the top spot in the league after the season tipped 240 days before.</p>
<p>To lead into some of the more tactical/schematic takeaways, advantage continuation is paramount. It probably seems obvious, but the ability to keep moving the ball, keep a play running and force the defense to react in kind is so important, even if it doesn&rsquo;t lead to a bucket. I was routinely stricken by how often the Warriors had first, second, third or even fourth actions sputter out, but they routinely found a small crevice upon which to expand and keep the advantage flowing.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I saw so many times throughout the series, &ldquo;How was this Boston defense good during the regular season?&rdquo; Was I doomscrolling and over-indexing? You bet. But it still stood out. The Celtics fought for their lives on possessions, and the way they shut down the Warriors time and time again in the halfcourt only to be whiplashed by a backcut, a broken play, an impromptu DHO, a Steph Curry deep three or a quick putback after 15 seconds of scramble felt back-breaking. I&rsquo;m not sure I&rsquo;ve ever felt Steph&rsquo;s shooting gravity and never ending off-ball movement like I did in this Finals.</p>
<p>Even with players who weren&rsquo;t shooters on volume, the Warriors unclogged possessions due to Steph&rsquo;s otherworldly play and the quick decision-making of his teammates. Draymond flipping the switch on his offensive aggression, adjusting the shot tendencies like we WISH NBA 2K would even consider absolutely changed the series. Eliminating some of the indecisiveness and unwillingness made Golden State that much harder to guard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>As athletic and sizable as the Celtics were across the board, they often felt a step behind and rarely dictating the dance in defensive possessions, which felt quite polar to their first three series.</p>
<p>Prior to the final few games against the Warriors, the Celtics toed that line of having enough of that ball movement and redrive oomph, attacking with secondary and tertiary drives to maintain an advantage. That, uhhh, did not hold up in the Finals, as the Warriors played phenomenal defense, but it also felt like Boston went away from what made them the best offense in the league in 2022. Marcus Smart has his fair share of erratic offensive possessions, but he spurred the offense throughout the year as Ime Udoka charged him with more primary ball-handling duties to put Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in more optimal offensive situations.</p>
<p>It wasn&rsquo;t that he needed to always have the ball, and he still handled much in the postseason, but it assuredly happened less, and penetration and kickouts became more sparse. Again though, the point is that secondary creation juice is a large part of how they got to the Finals.</p>
<p>The Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks both felt as though they really lacked another secondary creator or enough of that ability to continue the advantages of Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo respectively. Again, not fully that dumbed down, but the Griz dealt with the issues of too many shooters who were hesitant and also not impacting the defense. The Bucks rarely sniffed the paint outside of Giannis or Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s forays to the rim. Kick-outs were routinely one-and-done shots. Injuries certainly played a factor, as Khris Middleton changes things greatly for the Bucks, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case. Even during the regular season, Milwaukee felt short of another shot creator.</p>
<p>On a similar note, the use of the clock to cut down or exacerbate your advantages on the margins is essential if you have some semblance of halfcourt struggles or are facing a top-notch defensive team. The Warriors absolutely bodied teams in transition and with early offense (no stats, just vibes; this was clear while watching). I think back to that Denver series and how masterfully the Warriors forced cross-matches and shifted the defense before plays started just by running like mad down the court.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston was on their heels for so much of the series due to how much concerted effort the Warriors put into getting into early sets. Running off of misses was a huge swing factor, feasting on Boston&rsquo;s at-rim misses in droves and parlaying a 4-on-3 against them into a 4-on-3 the other way. It honestly felt devastating at times, the basketball version of Sisyphus&rsquo; toil playing out on the parquet.</p>
<p>The Celtics felt on the verge of an eight-second violation every possession coming up court. Golden State employed a good array of pressure to slow down the Celtics; that&rsquo;s one of my favorite random things. You&rsquo;d think pressure would speed things up, right? Nope, it made the Celtics bog down and sink like a tank traversing through mud (shout out Call of Duty 4, mission War Pig; a throwback to seventh grade). In turn, they were sped up due to facing the shot clock with a proverbial back against the wall. All of the tendencies were loaded up in Golden State&rsquo;s favor given how they worked the margins.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>My last point I really want to stress is my ultimate Old-Man-Yells-at-Clouds moment. It is really, really, really, reaaaallllllyyyy hard to be a big in the NBA. So often, there&rsquo;s this idea that's consistently projected that you can "just scoop up a viable big for the mid-level exception" or that "teams shouldn&rsquo;t draft a big in the lottery." And sure, you can get a really serviceable backup or spot-starter for the MLE!</p>
<p>But you know that defensive-coverage versatility we mentioned earlier? It is so hard to be a big who can only play one coverage. I&rsquo;d argue being a coverage-versatile big who can make quality decisions and continue advantages if you don&rsquo;t craft them themselves is the most lacking positional archetype in a league that looks starved for them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is not my attempt to display how I think basketball should be played; there are a ton of viable ways to win a title and construct a roster even if there are some underscored guidelines that set the boundaries of what a team can be at the highest level.</p>
<p>But let&rsquo;s just run through some of the most important players on the deep playoff teams (who made it to the second round or further):</p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Jaren Jackson Jr.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Giannis Antetokounmpo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Deandre Ayton</li>
<li aria-level="1">Robert Williams III</li>
<li aria-level="1">Al Horford</li>
<li aria-level="1">Draymond Green</li>
<li aria-level="1">Kevon Looney (who was incredible throughout the Warriors' run)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bam Adebayo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Maxi Kleber</li>
</ul>
<p>The NBA 5 is so pivotal upon how defenses play the game on either side. For a defense, they need to be able to hang up in a multitude of schemes while ideally being a backline eraser with strong-help instincts and the athleticism to deter shots. Switch everything is a lie, but some switchability is pretty nice too! Can you play close to the level? Can you show and recover? Can you display enough hand activity to add a modicum of hesitation on pull-up twos or a guard turning the corner out of a ball screen as your point-of-attack defender fights over to reconnect?</p>
<p>There are a trillion responsibilities seemingly, and ground coverage is a must.</p>
<p>Offensively, the 5s routinely were the focal point of how a defense looked to stifle an offense. While Draymond isn&rsquo;t technically a 5, he played a great deal of time there and his improved play and aggression over the backend of the series was paramount in attacking Boston&rsquo;s defense and tipping the scale. In the previous series, I can still hear Steve Jones Jr.&rsquo;s voice ringing out from the Dunker Spot <span style="font-weight: 400;">(</span><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">listen and subscribe!</span></a>) about how teams played him as a post decision-maker with Golden State&rsquo;s patented split cuts.</p>
<p>Al Horford broke defenses with his consistent shooting in the playoffs, something that wasn&rsquo;t there much of the regular season. Shooting in that sweet spot of league average or slightly higher without hesitation at the 5 spot is back-breaking. Miami and Milwaukee routinely tried to negate Horford&rsquo;s presence, but if you&rsquo;re going to shoot like that without thinking, it changes the way a defense can play you. Much of the same should be said of Maxi Kleber for the Mavs. His personal heater against the Suns altered that series and forced Phoenix into a defensive bind that restructured the way they could play defense without getting absolutely pelted from Kleber&rsquo;s above-the-break dynamism.</p>
<p>Being a capable two-way NBA big is freakin' hard. The game is still shifting more and more toward size and skill, something the next few draft classes exemplify. I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s as drastic as every player being 7-feet tall and taking pull-up threes out of ball screens, but there&rsquo;s real credence to acknowledging that the first few draft classes of players that grew up playing AAU and youth ball after the spacing revolution are coming in with skill sets to match. A few seasons ago, I was speaking with a prominent high school coach who mentioned that the high-school game was a half decade behind the NBA, as players adapted to what they saw and took in growing up. We&rsquo;re seeing that start to play out and that&rsquo;s absurdly cool to witness.</p>
<p>What will the game look like in 2027? I don&rsquo;t have the answer, but I have a semblance of an idea of where it&rsquo;s headed in the next few years, and I&rsquo;m excited.</p>
<p>What will the next shift be? How is the game going to bend the court dimensions again? It continually happens over time, as innovation and adaptation occurs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The game is beautiful, and I&rsquo;m lucky to cover it. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to anyone who's reading and those who have shared or interacted with my work over the last season. It&rsquo;s odd to say goodbye to 2022, but I have a good feeling about next season.</p>
<p>Who knows, maybe this is the year for the Sacramento Kings?! Maybe the Orlando Magic are our wondrous young team that takes a sizable step forward from fun and young to fun, young and funkily effective. I don&rsquo;t know what next year holds and I can make as many predictions as I want, but that unknowing is part of what makes the game so mystifying to me. I love uncovering and trying to learn more about what the game is, and the skill sets and stories that make up the humans who play the game. I truly loved the process and unraveling of the 2022 season, and I hope you can say the same!</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The end of the 2021-22 NBA season is remarkably bittersweet. The basketball was great, with an incredible level of competitiveness, a revamping of defense, an embracing of coverage versatility and an impressive rookie class. Covering it was an absolute joy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On a personal note, a massive thank you to all who read my work, supported me, encouraged me or interacted with me during the season. Last May, I graduated from college with roughly a year-and-a-half of covering basketball in some part-time fashion under my belt.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I took a bit of a leap of faith to write about basketball full-time or go broke trying, and because of BasketballNews and a few other platforms, I was able to stay afloat and eventually break even for the first time in my life based on work I'm truly passionate about. My athletic &lsquo;career&rsquo; ended in 2018 and it took me a long time to really find out what was next and what my purpose was. Writing and talking about the game just does something for me that I can&rsquo;t explain, so I&rsquo;ll just reiterate: thank you all again for making this life possible. Without help from many of you and my family, I wouldn&rsquo;t be in this position. I&rsquo;m an extremely lucky person and I&rsquo;m so glad to do what I do, and I'm fortunate that my work resonates with people.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So as per usual, my main takeaway is never from the result, even when looking at my own track through basketball. The process is 97% of why I care and watch the games. It&rsquo;s what I love to track and decipher. Nekias Duncan exemplified that and then some </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">with his piece yesterday</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The seasons within each season define the process. A player returns from injury or makes a key development that shapes a rotation, changes a team's identity or defines a stretch of play. Rinse and repeat, as this happens a multitude of times for each team to varying degrees. The contention landscape is an ever-molding horizon that whittles away as the year goes by.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A third of the way through the season, I thought the Cleveland Cavaliers had a shot at winning a series and making a second one raucous for their opponent. I didn&rsquo;t have faith in the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; frontcourt rotation and halfcourt offense, leading me to think they&rsquo;d be out of the playoffs before the Conference Finals (lol).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Along those lines, perhaps the biggest takeaway I have from this season and the postseason is that it&rsquo;s just really freakin' hard to win a title. That sounds reductive, and perhaps it is in essence, but that&rsquo;s sort of the point. I think it&rsquo;s a bit foolhardy and lacking in context at times to take away any sweeping thoughts on the ideology of basketball in such a volatile setting.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We at large don&rsquo;t know the full slate of what is or isn&rsquo;t going on behind the scenes or in a locker room until it&rsquo;s being broken nationally and is about to be resolved one way or another. That&rsquo;s not an excuse for poor or underwhelming play, rather to say that it&rsquo;s hard to place and capture the magic of incredible success. I, and many, thought that the Phoenix Suns would walk into the Western Conference Finals. The vibes dissipated with a quickness from immaculate to disastrous in a way I haven&rsquo;t felt since the 2013-14 Indiana Pacers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I can point out the poor play and roster flaws that led to their on-court demise, but whatever happened off the court without a doubt contributed. It would be in poor faith to say, &ldquo;Because of this they lost." But it would be just as wrong to say, &ldquo;Well, they just didn&rsquo;t have that dog in them.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Suns did have that magic for much of the season. We&rsquo;ve seen teams find it and lose it during the course of the year time and time again. Finding that run of play and maintaining it is so much more difficult than we lend credence to. We tend to decry the losers rather than pointing out the immaculate nature of those who stood the test of four playoff series. We should change that! Winning the NBA Finals is extremely difficult.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Nekias pointed out in his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aforementioned article</a></span>about Jayson Tatum, think about all of the fantastic moments and series that Tatum did have leading up to the Finals. That man balled the heck out. We&rsquo;re talking about how making the Finals and losing is bad for Tatum&rsquo;s legacy??? That&rsquo;s crazy to me. I understand the importance of legacy to some, but those arguments shed 97% of what got us here and hyperfocus on a six-game series at the highest level of play.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Basketball and sports in general are meant to be analyzed; it&rsquo;s a large part of my job. But I feel the championship series should ultimately be much more about enjoying two incredibly good, incredibly talented and incredibly fun teams duel for the top spot in the league after the season tipped 240 days before.</p>
<p>To lead into some of the more tactical/schematic takeaways, advantage continuation is paramount. It probably seems obvious, but the ability to keep moving the ball, keep a play running and force the defense to react in kind is so important, even if it doesn&rsquo;t lead to a bucket. I was routinely stricken by how often the Warriors had first, second, third or even fourth actions sputter out, but they routinely found a small crevice upon which to expand and keep the advantage flowing.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I saw so many times throughout the series, &ldquo;How was this Boston defense good during the regular season?&rdquo; Was I doomscrolling and over-indexing? You bet. But it still stood out. The Celtics fought for their lives on possessions, and the way they shut down the Warriors time and time again in the halfcourt only to be whiplashed by a backcut, a broken play, an impromptu DHO, a Steph Curry deep three or a quick putback after 15 seconds of scramble felt back-breaking. I&rsquo;m not sure I&rsquo;ve ever felt Steph&rsquo;s shooting gravity and never ending off-ball movement like I did in this Finals.</p>
<p>Even with players who weren&rsquo;t shooters on volume, the Warriors unclogged possessions due to Steph&rsquo;s otherworldly play and the quick decision-making of his teammates. Draymond flipping the switch on his offensive aggression, adjusting the shot tendencies like we WISH NBA 2K would even consider absolutely changed the series. Eliminating some of the indecisiveness and unwillingness made Golden State that much harder to guard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>As athletic and sizable as the Celtics were across the board, they often felt a step behind and rarely dictating the dance in defensive possessions, which felt quite polar to their first three series.</p>
<p>Prior to the final few games against the Warriors, the Celtics toed that line of having enough of that ball movement and redrive oomph, attacking with secondary and tertiary drives to maintain an advantage. That, uhhh, did not hold up in the Finals, as the Warriors played phenomenal defense, but it also felt like Boston went away from what made them the best offense in the league in 2022. Marcus Smart has his fair share of erratic offensive possessions, but he spurred the offense throughout the year as Ime Udoka charged him with more primary ball-handling duties to put Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in more optimal offensive situations.</p>
<p>It wasn&rsquo;t that he needed to always have the ball, and he still handled much in the postseason, but it assuredly happened less, and penetration and kickouts became more sparse. Again though, the point is that secondary creation juice is a large part of how they got to the Finals.</p>
<p>The Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks both felt as though they really lacked another secondary creator or enough of that ability to continue the advantages of Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo respectively. Again, not fully that dumbed down, but the Griz dealt with the issues of too many shooters who were hesitant and also not impacting the defense. The Bucks rarely sniffed the paint outside of Giannis or Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s forays to the rim. Kick-outs were routinely one-and-done shots. Injuries certainly played a factor, as Khris Middleton changes things greatly for the Bucks, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case. Even during the regular season, Milwaukee felt short of another shot creator.</p>
<p>On a similar note, the use of the clock to cut down or exacerbate your advantages on the margins is essential if you have some semblance of halfcourt struggles or are facing a top-notch defensive team. The Warriors absolutely bodied teams in transition and with early offense (no stats, just vibes; this was clear while watching). I think back to that Denver series and how masterfully the Warriors forced cross-matches and shifted the defense before plays started just by running like mad down the court.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston was on their heels for so much of the series due to how much concerted effort the Warriors put into getting into early sets. Running off of misses was a huge swing factor, feasting on Boston&rsquo;s at-rim misses in droves and parlaying a 4-on-3 against them into a 4-on-3 the other way. It honestly felt devastating at times, the basketball version of Sisyphus&rsquo; toil playing out on the parquet.</p>
<p>The Celtics felt on the verge of an eight-second violation every possession coming up court. Golden State employed a good array of pressure to slow down the Celtics; that&rsquo;s one of my favorite random things. You&rsquo;d think pressure would speed things up, right? Nope, it made the Celtics bog down and sink like a tank traversing through mud (shout out Call of Duty 4, mission War Pig; a throwback to seventh grade). In turn, they were sped up due to facing the shot clock with a proverbial back against the wall. All of the tendencies were loaded up in Golden State&rsquo;s favor given how they worked the margins.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>My last point I really want to stress is my ultimate Old-Man-Yells-at-Clouds moment. It is really, really, really, reaaaallllllyyyy hard to be a big in the NBA. So often, there&rsquo;s this idea that's consistently projected that you can "just scoop up a viable big for the mid-level exception" or that "teams shouldn&rsquo;t draft a big in the lottery." And sure, you can get a really serviceable backup or spot-starter for the MLE!</p>
<p>But you know that defensive-coverage versatility we mentioned earlier? It is so hard to be a big who can only play one coverage. I&rsquo;d argue being a coverage-versatile big who can make quality decisions and continue advantages if you don&rsquo;t craft them themselves is the most lacking positional archetype in a league that looks starved for them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is not my attempt to display how I think basketball should be played; there are a ton of viable ways to win a title and construct a roster even if there are some underscored guidelines that set the boundaries of what a team can be at the highest level.</p>
<p>But let&rsquo;s just run through some of the most important players on the deep playoff teams (who made it to the second round or further):</p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Jaren Jackson Jr.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Giannis Antetokounmpo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Deandre Ayton</li>
<li aria-level="1">Robert Williams III</li>
<li aria-level="1">Al Horford</li>
<li aria-level="1">Draymond Green</li>
<li aria-level="1">Kevon Looney (who was incredible throughout the Warriors' run)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bam Adebayo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Maxi Kleber</li>
</ul>
<p>The NBA 5 is so pivotal upon how defenses play the game on either side. For a defense, they need to be able to hang up in a multitude of schemes while ideally being a backline eraser with strong-help instincts and the athleticism to deter shots. Switch everything is a lie, but some switchability is pretty nice too! Can you play close to the level? Can you show and recover? Can you display enough hand activity to add a modicum of hesitation on pull-up twos or a guard turning the corner out of a ball screen as your point-of-attack defender fights over to reconnect?</p>
<p>There are a trillion responsibilities seemingly, and ground coverage is a must.</p>
<p>Offensively, the 5s routinely were the focal point of how a defense looked to stifle an offense. While Draymond isn&rsquo;t technically a 5, he played a great deal of time there and his improved play and aggression over the backend of the series was paramount in attacking Boston&rsquo;s defense and tipping the scale. In the previous series, I can still hear Steve Jones Jr.&rsquo;s voice ringing out from the Dunker Spot <span style="font-weight: 400;">(</span><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">listen and subscribe!</span></a>) about how teams played him as a post decision-maker with Golden State&rsquo;s patented split cuts.</p>
<p>Al Horford broke defenses with his consistent shooting in the playoffs, something that wasn&rsquo;t there much of the regular season. Shooting in that sweet spot of league average or slightly higher without hesitation at the 5 spot is back-breaking. Miami and Milwaukee routinely tried to negate Horford&rsquo;s presence, but if you&rsquo;re going to shoot like that without thinking, it changes the way a defense can play you. Much of the same should be said of Maxi Kleber for the Mavs. His personal heater against the Suns altered that series and forced Phoenix into a defensive bind that restructured the way they could play defense without getting absolutely pelted from Kleber&rsquo;s above-the-break dynamism.</p>
<p>Being a capable two-way NBA big is freakin' hard. The game is still shifting more and more toward size and skill, something the next few draft classes exemplify. I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s as drastic as every player being 7-feet tall and taking pull-up threes out of ball screens, but there&rsquo;s real credence to acknowledging that the first few draft classes of players that grew up playing AAU and youth ball after the spacing revolution are coming in with skill sets to match. A few seasons ago, I was speaking with a prominent high school coach who mentioned that the high-school game was a half decade behind the NBA, as players adapted to what they saw and took in growing up. We&rsquo;re seeing that start to play out and that&rsquo;s absurdly cool to witness.</p>
<p>What will the game look like in 2027? I don&rsquo;t have the answer, but I have a semblance of an idea of where it&rsquo;s headed in the next few years, and I&rsquo;m excited.</p>
<p>What will the next shift be? How is the game going to bend the court dimensions again? It continually happens over time, as innovation and adaptation occurs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The game is beautiful, and I&rsquo;m lucky to cover it. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to anyone who's reading and those who have shared or interacted with my work over the last season. It&rsquo;s odd to say goodbye to 2022, but I have a good feeling about next season.</p>
<p>Who knows, maybe this is the year for the Sacramento Kings?! Maybe the Orlando Magic are our wondrous young team that takes a sizable step forward from fun and young to fun, young and funkily effective. I don&rsquo;t know what next year holds and I can make as many predictions as I want, but that unknowing is part of what makes the game so mystifying to me. I love uncovering and trying to learn more about what the game is, and the skill sets and stories that make up the humans who play the game. I truly loved the process and unraveling of the 2022 season, and I hope you can say the same!</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The end of the 2021-22 NBA season is remarkably bittersweet. The basketball was great, with an incredible level of competitiveness, a revamping of defense, an embracing of coverage versatility and an impressive rookie class. Covering it was an absolute joy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On a personal note, a massive thank you to all who read my work, supported me, encouraged me or interacted with me during the season. Last May, I graduated from college with roughly a year-and-a-half of covering basketball in some part-time fashion under my belt.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I took a bit of a leap of faith to write about basketball full-time or go broke trying, and because of BasketballNews and a few other platforms, I was able to stay afloat and eventually break even for the first time in my life based on work I'm truly passionate about. My athletic &lsquo;career&rsquo; ended in 2018 and it took me a long time to really find out what was next and what my purpose was. Writing and talking about the game just does something for me that I can&rsquo;t explain, so I&rsquo;ll just reiterate: thank you all again for making this life possible. Without help from many of you and my family, I wouldn&rsquo;t be in this position. I&rsquo;m an extremely lucky person and I&rsquo;m so glad to do what I do, and I'm fortunate that my work resonates with people.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So as per usual, my main takeaway is never from the result, even when looking at my own track through basketball. The process is 97% of why I care and watch the games. It&rsquo;s what I love to track and decipher. Nekias Duncan exemplified that and then some </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">with his piece yesterday</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>The seasons within each season define the process. A player returns from injury or makes a key development that shapes a rotation, changes a team's identity or defines a stretch of play. Rinse and repeat, as this happens a multitude of times for each team to varying degrees. The contention landscape is an ever-molding horizon that whittles away as the year goes by.</p>
<p>A third of the way through the season, I thought the Cleveland Cavaliers had a shot at winning a series and making a second one raucous for their opponent. I didn&rsquo;t have faith in the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; frontcourt rotation and halfcourt offense, leading me to think they&rsquo;d be out of the playoffs before the Conference Finals (lol).</p>
<p>Along those lines, perhaps the biggest takeaway I have from this season and the postseason is that it&rsquo;s just really freakin' hard to win a title. That sounds reductive, and perhaps it is in essence, but that&rsquo;s sort of the point. I think it&rsquo;s a bit foolhardy and lacking in context at times to take away any sweeping thoughts on the ideology of basketball in such a volatile setting.</p>
<p>We at large don&rsquo;t know the full slate of what is or isn&rsquo;t going on behind the scenes or in a locker room until it&rsquo;s being broken nationally and is about to be resolved one way or another. That&rsquo;s not an excuse for poor or underwhelming play, rather to say that it&rsquo;s hard to place and capture the magic of incredible success. I, and many, thought that the Phoenix Suns would walk into the Western Conference Finals. The vibes dissipated with a quickness from immaculate to disastrous in a way I haven&rsquo;t felt since the 2013-14 Indiana Pacers.</p>
<p>I can point out the poor play and roster flaws that led to their on-court demise, but whatever happened off the court without a doubt contributed. It would be in poor faith to say, &ldquo;Because of this they lost." But it would be just as wrong to say, &ldquo;Well, they just didn&rsquo;t have that dog in them.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Suns did have that magic for much of the season. We&rsquo;ve seen teams find it and lose it during the course of the year time and time again. Finding that run of play and maintaining it is so much more difficult than we lend credence to. We tend to decry the losers rather than pointing out the immaculate nature of those who stood the test of four playoff series. We should change that! Winning the NBA Finals is extremely difficult.</p>
<p>As Nekias pointed out in his<span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aforementioned article</a></span>about Jayson Tatum, think about all of the fantastic moments and series that Tatum did have leading up to the Finals. That man balled the heck out. We&rsquo;re talking about how making the Finals and losing is bad for Tatum&rsquo;s legacy??? That&rsquo;s crazy to me. I understand the importance of legacy to some, but those arguments shed 97% of what got us here and hyperfocus on a six-game series at the highest level of play.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Basketball and sports in general are meant to be analyzed; it&rsquo;s a large part of my job. But I feel the championship series should ultimately be much more about enjoying two incredibly good, incredibly talented and incredibly fun teams duel for the top spot in the league after the season tipped 240 days before.</p>
<p>To lead into some of the more tactical/schematic takeaways, advantage continuation is paramount. It probably seems obvious, but the ability to keep moving the ball, keep a play running and force the defense to react in kind is so important, even if it doesn&rsquo;t lead to a bucket. I was routinely stricken by how often the Warriors had first, second, third or even fourth actions sputter out, but they routinely found a small crevice upon which to expand and keep the advantage flowing.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I saw so many times throughout the series, &ldquo;How was this Boston defense good during the regular season?&rdquo; Was I doomscrolling and over-indexing? You bet. But it still stood out. The Celtics fought for their lives on possessions, and the way they shut down the Warriors time and time again in the halfcourt only to be whiplashed by a backcut, a broken play, an impromptu DHO, a Steph Curry deep three or a quick putback after 15 seconds of scramble felt back-breaking. I&rsquo;m not sure I&rsquo;ve ever felt Steph&rsquo;s shooting gravity and never ending off-ball movement like I did in this Finals.</p>
<p>Even with players who weren&rsquo;t shooters on volume, the Warriors unclogged possessions due to Steph&rsquo;s otherworldly play and the quick decision-making of his teammates. Draymond flipping the switch on his offensive aggression, adjusting the shot tendencies like we WISH NBA 2K would even consider absolutely changed the series. Eliminating some of the indecisiveness and unwillingness made Golden State that much harder to guard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>As athletic and sizable as the Celtics were across the board, they often felt a step behind and rarely dictating the dance in defensive possessions, which felt quite polar to their first three series.</p>
<p>Prior to the final few games against the Warriors, the Celtics toed that line of having enough of that ball movement and redrive oomph, attacking with secondary and tertiary drives to maintain an advantage. That, uhhh, did not hold up in the Finals, as the Warriors played phenomenal defense, but it also felt like Boston went away from what made them the best offense in the league in 2022. Marcus Smart has his fair share of erratic offensive possessions, but he spurred the offense throughout the year as Ime Udoka charged him with more primary ball-handling duties to put Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in more optimal offensive situations.</p>
<p>It wasn&rsquo;t that he needed to always have the ball, and he still handled much in the postseason, but it assuredly happened less, and penetration and kickouts became more sparse. Again though, the point is that secondary creation juice is a large part of how they got to the Finals.</p>
<p>The Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks both felt as though they really lacked another secondary creator or enough of that ability to continue the advantages of Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo respectively. Again, not fully that dumbed down, but the Griz dealt with the issues of too many shooters who were hesitant and also not impacting the defense. The Bucks rarely sniffed the paint outside of Giannis or Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s forays to the rim. Kick-outs were routinely one-and-done shots. Injuries certainly played a factor, as Khris Middleton changes things greatly for the Bucks, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case. Even during the regular season, Milwaukee felt short of another shot creator.</p>
<p>On a similar note, the use of the clock to cut down or exacerbate your advantages on the margins is essential if you have some semblance of halfcourt struggles or are facing a top-notch defensive team. The Warriors absolutely bodied teams in transition and with early offense (no stats, just vibes; this was clear while watching). I think back to that Denver series and how masterfully the Warriors forced cross-matches and shifted the defense before plays started just by running like mad down the court.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston was on their heels for so much of the series due to how much concerted effort the Warriors put into getting into early sets. Running off of misses was a huge swing factor, feasting on Boston&rsquo;s at-rim misses in droves and parlaying a 4-on-3 against them into a 4-on-3 the other way. It honestly felt devastating at times, the basketball version of Sisyphus&rsquo; toil playing out on the parquet.</p>
<p>The Celtics felt on the verge of an eight-second violation every possession coming up court. Golden State employed a good array of pressure to slow down the Celtics; that&rsquo;s one of my favorite random things. You&rsquo;d think pressure would speed things up, right? Nope, it made the Celtics bog down and sink like a tank traversing through mud (shout out Call of Duty 4, mission War Pig; a throwback to seventh grade). In turn, they were sped up due to facing the shot clock with a proverbial back against the wall. All of the tendencies were loaded up in Golden State&rsquo;s favor given how they worked the margins.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>My last point I really want to stress is my ultimate Old-Man-Yells-at-Clouds moment. It is really, really, really, reaaaallllllyyyy hard to be a big in the NBA. So often, there&rsquo;s this idea that's consistently projected that you can "just scoop up a viable big for the mid-level exception" or that "teams shouldn&rsquo;t draft a big in the lottery." And sure, you can get a really serviceable backup or spot-starter for the MLE!</p>
<p>But you know that defensive-coverage versatility we mentioned earlier? It is so hard to be a big who can only play one coverage. I&rsquo;d argue being a coverage-versatile big who can make quality decisions and continue advantages if you don&rsquo;t craft them themselves is the most lacking positional archetype in a league that looks starved for them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is not my attempt to display how I think basketball should be played; there are a ton of viable ways to win a title and construct a roster even if there are some underscored guidelines that set the boundaries of what a team can be at the highest level.</p>
<p>But let&rsquo;s just run through some of the most important players on the deep playoff teams (who made it to the second round or further):</p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Jaren Jackson Jr.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Giannis Antetokounmpo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Deandre Ayton</li>
<li aria-level="1">Robert Williams III</li>
<li aria-level="1">Al Horford</li>
<li aria-level="1">Draymond Green</li>
<li aria-level="1">Kevon Looney (who was incredible throughout the Warriors' run)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bam Adebayo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Maxi Kleber</li>
</ul>
<p>The NBA 5 is so pivotal upon how defenses play the game on either side. For a defense, they need to be able to hang up in a multitude of schemes while ideally being a backline eraser with strong-help instincts and the athleticism to deter shots. Switch everything is a lie, but some switchability is pretty nice too! Can you play close to the level? Can you show and recover? Can you display enough hand activity to add a modicum of hesitation on pull-up twos or a guard turning the corner out of a ball screen as your point-of-attack defender fights over to reconnect?</p>
<p>There are a trillion responsibilities seemingly, and ground coverage is a must.</p>
<p>Offensively, the 5s routinely were the focal point of how a defense looked to stifle an offense. While Draymond isn&rsquo;t technically a 5, he played a great deal of time there and his improved play and aggression over the backend of the series was paramount in attacking Boston&rsquo;s defense and tipping the scale. In the previous series, I can still hear Steve Jones Jr.&rsquo;s voice ringing out from the Dunker Spot <span style="font-weight: 400;">(</span><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">listen and subscribe!</span></a>) about how teams played him as a post decision-maker with Golden State&rsquo;s patented split cuts.</p>
<p>Al Horford broke defenses with his consistent shooting in the playoffs, something that wasn&rsquo;t there much of the regular season. Shooting in that sweet spot of league average or slightly higher without hesitation at the 5 spot is back-breaking. Miami and Milwaukee routinely tried to negate Horford&rsquo;s presence, but if you&rsquo;re going to shoot like that without thinking, it changes the way a defense can play you. Much of the same should be said of Maxi Kleber for the Mavs. His personal heater against the Suns altered that series and forced Phoenix into a defensive bind that restructured the way they could play defense without getting absolutely pelted from Kleber&rsquo;s above-the-break dynamism.</p>
<p>Being a capable two-way NBA big is freakin' hard. The game is still shifting more and more toward size and skill, something the next few draft classes exemplify. I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s as drastic as every player being 7-feet tall and taking pull-up threes out of ball screens, but there&rsquo;s real credence to acknowledging that the first few draft classes of players that grew up playing AAU and youth ball after the spacing revolution are coming in with skill sets to match. A few seasons ago, I was speaking with a prominent high school coach who mentioned that the high-school game was a half decade behind the NBA, as players adapted to what they saw and took in growing up. We&rsquo;re seeing that start to play out and that&rsquo;s absurdly cool to witness.</p>
<p>What will the game look like in 2027? I don&rsquo;t have the answer, but I have a semblance of an idea of where it&rsquo;s headed in the next few years, and I&rsquo;m excited.</p>
<p>What will the next shift be? How is the game going to bend the court dimensions again? It continually happens over time, as innovation and adaptation occurs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The game is beautiful, and I&rsquo;m lucky to cover it. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to anyone who's reading and those who have shared or interacted with my work over the last season. It&rsquo;s odd to say goodbye to 2022, but I have a good feeling about next season.</p>
<p>Who knows, maybe this is the year for the Sacramento Kings?! Maybe the Orlando Magic are our wondrous young team that takes a sizable step forward from fun and young to fun, young and funkily effective. I don&rsquo;t know what next year holds and I can make as many predictions as I want, but that unknowing is part of what makes the game so mystifying to me. I love uncovering and trying to learn more about what the game is, and the skill sets and stories that make up the humans who play the game. I truly loved the process and unraveling of the 2022 season, and I hope you can say the same!</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>The end of the 2021-22 NBA season is remarkably bittersweet. The basketball was great, with an incredible level of competitiveness, a revamping of defense, an embracing of coverage versatility and an impressive rookie class. Covering it was an absolute joy.</p>
<p>On a personal note, a massive thank you to all who read my work, supported me, encouraged me or interacted with me during the season. Last May, I graduated from college with roughly a year-and-a-half of covering basketball in some part-time fashion under my belt.</p>
<p>I took a bit of a leap of faith to write about basketball full-time or go broke trying, and because of BasketballNews and a few other platforms, I was able to stay afloat and eventually break even for the first time in my life based on work I'm truly passionate about. My athletic &lsquo;career&rsquo; ended in 2018 and it took me a long time to really find out what was next and what my purpose was. Writing and talking about the game just does something for me that I can&rsquo;t explain, so I&rsquo;ll just reiterate: thank you all again for making this life possible. Without help from many of you and my family, I wouldn&rsquo;t be in this position. I&rsquo;m an extremely lucky person and I&rsquo;m so glad to do what I do, and I'm fortunate that my work resonates with people.</p>
<p>So as per usual, my main takeaway is never from the result, even when looking at my own track through basketball. The process is 97% of why I care and watch the games. It&rsquo;s what I love to track and decipher. Nekias Duncan exemplified that and then some <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">with his piece yesterday</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>The seasons within each season define the process. A player returns from injury or makes a key development that shapes a rotation, changes a team's identity or defines a stretch of play. Rinse and repeat, as this happens a multitude of times for each team to varying degrees. The contention landscape is an ever-molding horizon that whittles away as the year goes by.</p>
<p>A third of the way through the season, I thought the Cleveland Cavaliers had a shot at winning a series and making a second one raucous for their opponent. I didn&rsquo;t have faith in the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; frontcourt rotation and halfcourt offense, leading me to think they&rsquo;d be out of the playoffs before the Conference Finals (lol).</p>
<p>Along those lines, perhaps the biggest takeaway I have from this season and the postseason is that it&rsquo;s just really freakin' hard to win a title. That sounds reductive, and perhaps it is in essence, but that&rsquo;s sort of the point. I think it&rsquo;s a bit foolhardy and lacking in context at times to take away any sweeping thoughts on the ideology of basketball in such a volatile setting.</p>
<p>We at large don&rsquo;t know the full slate of what is or isn&rsquo;t going on behind the scenes or in a locker room until it&rsquo;s being broken nationally and is about to be resolved one way or another. That&rsquo;s not an excuse for poor or underwhelming play, rather to say that it&rsquo;s hard to place and capture the magic of incredible success. I, and many, thought that the Phoenix Suns would walk into the Western Conference Finals. The vibes dissipated with a quickness from immaculate to disastrous in a way I haven&rsquo;t felt since the 2013-14 Indiana Pacers.</p>
<p>I can point out the poor play and roster flaws that led to their on-court demise, but whatever happened off the court without a doubt contributed. It would be in poor faith to say, &ldquo;Because of this they lost." But it would be just as wrong to say, &ldquo;Well, they just didn&rsquo;t have that dog in them.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Suns did have that magic for much of the season. We&rsquo;ve seen teams find it and lose it during the course of the year time and time again. Finding that run of play and maintaining it is so much more difficult than we lend credence to. We tend to decry the losers rather than pointing out the immaculate nature of those who stood the test of four playoff series. We should change that! Winning the NBA Finals is extremely difficult.</p>
<p>As Nekias pointed out in his<span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aforementioned article</a></span>about Jayson Tatum, think about all of the fantastic moments and series that Tatum did have leading up to the Finals. That man balled the heck out. We&rsquo;re talking about how making the Finals and losing is bad for Tatum&rsquo;s legacy??? That&rsquo;s crazy to me. I understand the importance of legacy to some, but those arguments shed 97% of what got us here and hyperfocus on a six-game series at the highest level of play.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Basketball and sports in general are meant to be analyzed; it&rsquo;s a large part of my job. But I feel the championship series should ultimately be much more about enjoying two incredibly good, incredibly talented and incredibly fun teams duel for the top spot in the league after the season tipped 240 days before.</p>
<p>To lead into some of the more tactical/schematic takeaways, advantage continuation is paramount. It probably seems obvious, but the ability to keep moving the ball, keep a play running and force the defense to react in kind is so important, even if it doesn&rsquo;t lead to a bucket. I was routinely stricken by how often the Warriors had first, second, third or even fourth actions sputter out, but they routinely found a small crevice upon which to expand and keep the advantage flowing.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I saw so many times throughout the series, &ldquo;How was this Boston defense good during the regular season?&rdquo; Was I doomscrolling and over-indexing? You bet. But it still stood out. The Celtics fought for their lives on possessions, and the way they shut down the Warriors time and time again in the halfcourt only to be whiplashed by a backcut, a broken play, an impromptu DHO, a Steph Curry deep three or a quick putback after 15 seconds of scramble felt back-breaking. I&rsquo;m not sure I&rsquo;ve ever felt Steph&rsquo;s shooting gravity and never ending off-ball movement like I did in this Finals.</p>
<p>Even with players who weren&rsquo;t shooters on volume, the Warriors unclogged possessions due to Steph&rsquo;s otherworldly play and the quick decision-making of his teammates. Draymond flipping the switch on his offensive aggression, adjusting the shot tendencies like we WISH NBA 2K would even consider absolutely changed the series. Eliminating some of the indecisiveness and unwillingness made Golden State that much harder to guard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>As athletic and sizable as the Celtics were across the board, they often felt a step behind and rarely dictating the dance in defensive possessions, which felt quite polar to their first three series.</p>
<p>Prior to the final few games against the Warriors, the Celtics toed that line of having enough of that ball movement and redrive oomph, attacking with secondary and tertiary drives to maintain an advantage. That, uhhh, did not hold up in the Finals, as the Warriors played phenomenal defense, but it also felt like Boston went away from what made them the best offense in the league in 2022. Marcus Smart has his fair share of erratic offensive possessions, but he spurred the offense throughout the year as Ime Udoka charged him with more primary ball-handling duties to put Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in more optimal offensive situations.</p>
<p>It wasn&rsquo;t that he needed to always have the ball, and he still handled much in the postseason, but it assuredly happened less, and penetration and kickouts became more sparse. Again though, the point is that secondary creation juice is a large part of how they got to the Finals.</p>
<p>The Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks both felt as though they really lacked another secondary creator or enough of that ability to continue the advantages of Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo respectively. Again, not fully that dumbed down, but the Griz dealt with the issues of too many shooters who were hesitant and also not impacting the defense. The Bucks rarely sniffed the paint outside of Giannis or Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s forays to the rim. Kick-outs were routinely one-and-done shots. Injuries certainly played a factor, as Khris Middleton changes things greatly for the Bucks, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case. Even during the regular season, Milwaukee felt short of another shot creator.</p>
<p>On a similar note, the use of the clock to cut down or exacerbate your advantages on the margins is essential if you have some semblance of halfcourt struggles or are facing a top-notch defensive team. The Warriors absolutely bodied teams in transition and with early offense (no stats, just vibes; this was clear while watching). I think back to that Denver series and how masterfully the Warriors forced cross-matches and shifted the defense before plays started just by running like mad down the court.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston was on their heels for so much of the series due to how much concerted effort the Warriors put into getting into early sets. Running off of misses was a huge swing factor, feasting on Boston&rsquo;s at-rim misses in droves and parlaying a 4-on-3 against them into a 4-on-3 the other way. It honestly felt devastating at times, the basketball version of Sisyphus&rsquo; toil playing out on the parquet.</p>
<p>The Celtics felt on the verge of an eight-second violation every possession coming up court. Golden State employed a good array of pressure to slow down the Celtics; that&rsquo;s one of my favorite random things. You&rsquo;d think pressure would speed things up, right? Nope, it made the Celtics bog down and sink like a tank traversing through mud (shout out Call of Duty 4, mission War Pig; a throwback to seventh grade). In turn, they were sped up due to facing the shot clock with a proverbial back against the wall. All of the tendencies were loaded up in Golden State&rsquo;s favor given how they worked the margins.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>My last point I really want to stress is my ultimate Old-Man-Yells-at-Clouds moment. It is really, really, really, reaaaallllllyyyy hard to be a big in the NBA. So often, there&rsquo;s this idea that's consistently projected that you can "just scoop up a viable big for the mid-level exception" or that "teams shouldn&rsquo;t draft a big in the lottery." And sure, you can get a really serviceable backup or spot-starter for the MLE!</p>
<p>But you know that defensive-coverage versatility we mentioned earlier? It is so hard to be a big who can only play one coverage. I&rsquo;d argue being a coverage-versatile big who can make quality decisions and continue advantages if you don&rsquo;t craft them themselves is the most lacking positional archetype in a league that looks starved for them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is not my attempt to display how I think basketball should be played; there are a ton of viable ways to win a title and construct a roster even if there are some underscored guidelines that set the boundaries of what a team can be at the highest level.</p>
<p>But let&rsquo;s just run through some of the most important players on the deep playoff teams (who made it to the second round or further):</p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Jaren Jackson Jr.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Giannis Antetokounmpo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Deandre Ayton</li>
<li aria-level="1">Robert Williams III</li>
<li aria-level="1">Al Horford</li>
<li aria-level="1">Draymond Green</li>
<li aria-level="1">Kevon Looney (who was incredible throughout the Warriors' run)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bam Adebayo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Maxi Kleber</li>
</ul>
<p>The NBA 5 is so pivotal upon how defenses play the game on either side. For a defense, they need to be able to hang up in a multitude of schemes while ideally being a backline eraser with strong-help instincts and the athleticism to deter shots. Switch everything is a lie, but some switchability is pretty nice too! Can you play close to the level? Can you show and recover? Can you display enough hand activity to add a modicum of hesitation on pull-up twos or a guard turning the corner out of a ball screen as your point-of-attack defender fights over to reconnect?</p>
<p>There are a trillion responsibilities seemingly, and ground coverage is a must.</p>
<p>Offensively, the 5s routinely were the focal point of how a defense looked to stifle an offense. While Draymond isn&rsquo;t technically a 5, he played a great deal of time there and his improved play and aggression over the backend of the series was paramount in attacking Boston&rsquo;s defense and tipping the scale. In the previous series, I can still hear Steve Jones Jr.&rsquo;s voice ringing out from the Dunker Spot <span style="font-weight: 400;">(</span><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">listen and subscribe!</span></a>) about how teams played him as a post decision-maker with Golden State&rsquo;s patented split cuts.</p>
<p>Al Horford broke defenses with his consistent shooting in the playoffs, something that wasn&rsquo;t there much of the regular season. Shooting in that sweet spot of league average or slightly higher without hesitation at the 5 spot is back-breaking. Miami and Milwaukee routinely tried to negate Horford&rsquo;s presence, but if you&rsquo;re going to shoot like that without thinking, it changes the way a defense can play you. Much of the same should be said of Maxi Kleber for the Mavs. His personal heater against the Suns altered that series and forced Phoenix into a defensive bind that restructured the way they could play defense without getting absolutely pelted from Kleber&rsquo;s above-the-break dynamism.</p>
<p>Being a capable two-way NBA big is freakin' hard. The game is still shifting more and more toward size and skill, something the next few draft classes exemplify. I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s as drastic as every player being 7-feet tall and taking pull-up threes out of ball screens, but there&rsquo;s real credence to acknowledging that the first few draft classes of players that grew up playing AAU and youth ball after the spacing revolution are coming in with skill sets to match. A few seasons ago, I was speaking with a prominent high school coach who mentioned that the high-school game was a half decade behind the NBA, as players adapted to what they saw and took in growing up. We&rsquo;re seeing that start to play out and that&rsquo;s absurdly cool to witness.</p>
<p>What will the game look like in 2027? I don&rsquo;t have the answer, but I have a semblance of an idea of where it&rsquo;s headed in the next few years, and I&rsquo;m excited.</p>
<p>What will the next shift be? How is the game going to bend the court dimensions again? It continually happens over time, as innovation and adaptation occurs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The game is beautiful, and I&rsquo;m lucky to cover it. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to anyone who's reading and those who have shared or interacted with my work over the last season. It&rsquo;s odd to say goodbye to 2022, but I have a good feeling about next season.</p>
<p>Who knows, maybe this is the year for the Sacramento Kings?! Maybe the Orlando Magic are our wondrous young team that takes a sizable step forward from fun and young to fun, young and funkily effective. I don&rsquo;t know what next year holds and I can make as many predictions as I want, but that unknowing is part of what makes the game so mystifying to me. I love uncovering and trying to learn more about what the game is, and the skill sets and stories that make up the humans who play the game. I truly loved the process and unraveling of the 2022 season, and I hope you can say the same!</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

The 2021-22 NBA season is over. What can we take away from it and where is the game headed in the coming years?

Bidding adieu to the 2021-22 NBA season: Final(s) thoughts

<p>To put it bluntly, the Atlanta Dream were a mess last season. Off-court drama, season-long suspensions and poor play culminated in one of the worst seasons in Atlanta's franchise history.</p>
<p>Things are different for the Dream in 2022. Tanisha Wright's established a hard-nosed defensive identity that's embodied by the roster. The team features more veteran players and is led by the top selection in the 2022 WNBA Draft, Rhyne Howard.</p>
<p>Howard has rightfully <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken many of the headlines</a> out of Atlanta, as she has all but locked up the Rookie of the Year award and has a good chance at an All-Star nod. Howard's off-ball play and shooting gravity have made her an incredibly lethal and dynamic offensive outlet from day one, with the potential for extremely high levels of shot creation.</p>
<p>However, lately, the play of Aari McDonald has shone through in droves. The No. 3 overall pick in 2021, McDonald struggled to find her footing last season as a rookie, but the flashes of yesteryear have parlayed into more consistent creation and play in 2022.</p>
<p>McDonald was already playing more this year and had cemented a higher place in the rotation, but with Erica Wheeler out due to an injury suffered against the Seattle Storm, McDonald's commanded an even greater chunk of playing time and usage. While Wheeler's absence hurts a great deal in the moment (get well soon!), McDonald's expanded role has turned my head.</p>
<p>There are viable reasons for McDonald to come off the bench: Kristy Wallace has a bit more size, and she and Wheeler have fit pretty well together as a starting backcourt. Wallace is more of an off-ball guard and ball-mover, so loading up the starting lineup with all of Atlanta's shot creation can make subbing patterns a little different (not saying I necessarily agree, rather that I get the ideology).</p>
<p>According to PBP Stats, lineups featuring both McDonald and Wheeler outscore opposition by 9.7 points per 100 possessions, largely on the back of a stellar 83.75 defensive rating crafted in the 120 minutes they've played together. When Tiffany Hayes (a really good player) returns, it will make things even more interesting, as she's started in all but seven games she's played for Atlanta since 2014. I actually think Hayes' eventual return could lead to more Wheeler/McDonald lineups, as there'd be less worry about when it comes to staggering ball-handlers. Regardless, I can't wait for more of that duo, and I'm sure Coach Wright wants to see more too.</p>
<p>McDonald's confidence has been awesome to see. She scored 15 points just three times last year; it was her season-high as a rookie. This year, she has already surpassed that three times. In her three games as a starter, McDonald is averaging 17.3 points per game on 56.2% True Shooting along with 5.0 assists per game.</p>
<p>The best way I've found to describe Aari's game is <span style="font-weight: 400;">uninterrupted</span>. She is always moving on or off the ball. If she's walled off, she's pivoting and heading a new direction or moving the ball, but she's also been quite good at picking her spots to attack the basket. Despite her small stature, she puts a dent in the defense in a way no one else does for the Dream. Her swarming nature collapses lanes and opens pathways for off-ball players to attack that wouldn't be there without her ability to generate paint touches and rim pressure.</p>
<p>This possession early last night against the Chicago Sky is indicative of McDonald's persistence as an offensive presence.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/90zg0p" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Even though she misses the attempt at the rim, her lack of indecisiveness and ability to make plays with quickness gives her and the Dream an advantage. The defense takes a half-second to breath after the initial stop. McDonald erases that half-second stoppage to make the most of her skill set. She puts awesome velocity on passes, often throws well into the shooting pocket and has very good awareness of where her outlets are.</p>
<p>A few possessions later, Aari finds herself in a late-clock situation without the ball. AD gets a ball screen from Cheyenne Parker and the Sky late switch to neutralize the action. But wait! There's an open Aari McDonald in the slot!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/70po5s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Replacing/relocating to the perimeter on a drive or roll is a great way to catch a defender napping, and McDonald executes it with guile.</p>
<p>Toggling on and off the ball with efficacy makes it that much harder to guard you (cough cough, Kelsey Plum this season). Adding in movement off the ball along with considerable on-ball creation leads a swelling gravity well when considering McDonald's ability as a shooter.</p>
<p>The Dream are third in the WNBA in pace, according to Her Hoop Stats, and McDonald plays a significant part in that. To say that Aari flies down the court to push the break would be an understatement. She constantly looks for ways to put the defense on their heels.</p>
<p>Advantage maintenance is arguably as important as advantage creation, and McDonald embodies that perspective.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y1st0r" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She has such a good first step, taking Allie Quigley off the dribble without a screen and generating a clean paint touch before the quick flip to Parker.</p>
<p>If McDonald just jogs to the perimeter to respace and set herself, then this is likely not a shot as Quigley reconnects and keeps Aari in front. The constant movement and readiness keeps the initial advantage open.</p>
<p>Her continued flashes of synergy with Rhyne Howard should have Dream fans excited about the future of the organization.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Aari McDonald to Rhyne Howard connection is showing some dope flashes<br /><br />It sucks that Erica is out, but cool to see Aari with some more run. Got into the paint like crazy in this game and Rhyne's off-ball movement syncs so well with that <a href="https://t.co/xd8JYkDs7T">pic.twitter.com/xd8JYkDs7T</a></p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1536705163397939200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The way she collapses the paint and constantly scans the floor meshed with Howard's fluid off-ball movement and shooting prowess (she's already one of the best shooters in the league as a rookie) is so tantalizing when contemplating how this team is constructed.</p>
<p>Howard has the makings of an elite shot creator, but she has limitations as a an initial bender of the defense. She doesn't have the blend of handle and burst to break down defenses and set it into rotation consistently yet. Pairing with McDonald, who can toggle on and off the ball, push the pace and relocate, is about as ideal a running mate as you can imagine for Howard.</p>
<p>Atlanta has most utilized Howard out of screens and flowing off the ball into on-the-ball actions (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-out-sabrina-ionescu-playmaking-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similarly to Sabrina Ionescu in June</a>), and McDonald is perhaps the best guard on the team in terms of creating the paint touches to draw the defense the most.</p>
<p>As Howard continues to work toward high levels of shot creation, surrounding her with secondary shot creators is paramount. One of the best ways to open up a creator is to force the defense to deal with another!</p>
<p>The Dream have a much brighter future compared to what it may have seemed last season. Organizational overhaul deserves due credit, as does Rhyne Howard's immediate emergence as a star, but be sure to keep note of Aari McDonald's play and improvements, as she's played a significant part in Atlanta's 2022 stability while also providing more reason for optimism of the team's future.</p>

<p>To put it bluntly, the Atlanta Dream were a mess last season. Off-court drama, season-long suspensions and poor play culminated in one of the worst seasons in Atlanta's franchise history.</p>
<p>Things are different for the Dream in 2022. Tanisha Wright's established a hard-nosed defensive identity that's embodied by the roster. The team features more veteran players and is led by the top selection in the 2022 WNBA Draft, Rhyne Howard.</p>
<p>Howard has rightfully <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken many of the headlines</a> out of Atlanta, as she has all but locked up the Rookie of the Year award and has a good chance at an All-Star nod. Howard's off-ball play and shooting gravity have made her an incredibly lethal and dynamic offensive outlet from day one, with the potential for extremely high levels of shot creation.</p>
<p>However, lately, the play of Aari McDonald has shone through in droves. The No. 3 overall pick in 2021, McDonald struggled to find her footing last season as a rookie, but the flashes of yesteryear have parlayed into more consistent creation and play in 2022.</p>
<p>McDonald was already playing more this year and had cemented a higher place in the rotation, but with Erica Wheeler out due to an injury suffered against the Seattle Storm, McDonald's commanded an even greater chunk of playing time and usage. While Wheeler's absence hurts a great deal in the moment (get well soon!), McDonald's expanded role has turned my head.</p>
<p>There are viable reasons for McDonald to come off the bench: Kristy Wallace has a bit more size, and she and Wheeler have fit pretty well together as a starting backcourt. Wallace is more of an off-ball guard and ball-mover, so loading up the starting lineup with all of Atlanta's shot creation can make subbing patterns a little different (not saying I necessarily agree, rather that I get the ideology).</p>
<p>According to PBP Stats, lineups featuring both McDonald and Wheeler outscore opposition by 9.7 points per 100 possessions, largely on the back of a stellar 83.75 defensive rating crafted in the 120 minutes they've played together. When Tiffany Hayes (a really good player) returns, it will make things even more interesting, as she's started in all but seven games she's played for Atlanta since 2014. I actually think Hayes' eventual return could lead to more Wheeler/McDonald lineups, as there'd be less worry about when it comes to staggering ball-handlers. Regardless, I can't wait for more of that duo, and I'm sure Coach Wright wants to see more too.</p>
<p>McDonald's confidence has been awesome to see. She scored 15 points just three times last year; it was her season-high as a rookie. This year, she has already surpassed that three times. In her three games as a starter, McDonald is averaging 17.3 points per game on 56.2% True Shooting along with 5.0 assists per game.</p>
<p>The best way I've found to describe Aari's game is <span style="font-weight: 400;">uninterrupted</span>. She is always moving on or off the ball. If she's walled off, she's pivoting and heading a new direction or moving the ball, but she's also been quite good at picking her spots to attack the basket. Despite her small stature, she puts a dent in the defense in a way no one else does for the Dream. Her swarming nature collapses lanes and opens pathways for off-ball players to attack that wouldn't be there without her ability to generate paint touches and rim pressure.</p>
<p>This possession early last night against the Chicago Sky is indicative of McDonald's persistence as an offensive presence.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/90zg0p" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Even though she misses the attempt at the rim, her lack of indecisiveness and ability to make plays with quickness gives her and the Dream an advantage. The defense takes a half-second to breath after the initial stop. McDonald erases that half-second stoppage to make the most of her skill set. She puts awesome velocity on passes, often throws well into the shooting pocket and has very good awareness of where her outlets are.</p>
<p>A few possessions later, Aari finds herself in a late-clock situation without the ball. AD gets a ball screen from Cheyenne Parker and the Sky late switch to neutralize the action. But wait! There's an open Aari McDonald in the slot!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/70po5s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Replacing/relocating to the perimeter on a drive or roll is a great way to catch a defender napping, and McDonald executes it with guile.</p>
<p>Toggling on and off the ball with efficacy makes it that much harder to guard you (cough cough, Kelsey Plum this season). Adding in movement off the ball along with considerable on-ball creation leads a swelling gravity well when considering McDonald's ability as a shooter.</p>
<p>The Dream are third in the WNBA in pace, according to Her Hoop Stats, and McDonald plays a significant part in that. To say that Aari flies down the court to push the break would be an understatement. She constantly looks for ways to put the defense on their heels.</p>
<p>Advantage maintenance is arguably as important as advantage creation, and McDonald embodies that perspective.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y1st0r" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She has such a good first step, taking Allie Quigley off the dribble without a screen and generating a clean paint touch before the quick flip to Parker.</p>
<p>If McDonald just jogs to the perimeter to respace and set herself, then this is likely not a shot as Quigley reconnects and keeps Aari in front. The constant movement and readiness keeps the initial advantage open.</p>
<p>Her continued flashes of synergy with Rhyne Howard should have Dream fans excited about the future of the organization.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Aari McDonald to Rhyne Howard connection is showing some dope flashes<br /><br />It sucks that Erica is out, but cool to see Aari with some more run. Got into the paint like crazy in this game and Rhyne's off-ball movement syncs so well with that <a href="https://t.co/xd8JYkDs7T">pic.twitter.com/xd8JYkDs7T</a></p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1536705163397939200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The way she collapses the paint and constantly scans the floor meshed with Howard's fluid off-ball movement and shooting prowess (she's already one of the best shooters in the league as a rookie) is so tantalizing when contemplating how this team is constructed.</p>
<p>Howard has the makings of an elite shot creator, but she has limitations as a an initial bender of the defense. She doesn't have the blend of handle and burst to break down defenses and set it into rotation consistently yet. Pairing with McDonald, who can toggle on and off the ball, push the pace and relocate, is about as ideal a running mate as you can imagine for Howard.</p>
<p>Atlanta has most utilized Howard out of screens and flowing off the ball into on-the-ball actions (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-out-sabrina-ionescu-playmaking-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similarly to Sabrina Ionescu in June</a>), and McDonald is perhaps the best guard on the team in terms of creating the paint touches to draw the defense the most.</p>
<p>As Howard continues to work toward high levels of shot creation, surrounding her with secondary shot creators is paramount. One of the best ways to open up a creator is to force the defense to deal with another!</p>
<p>The Dream have a much brighter future compared to what it may have seemed last season. Organizational overhaul deserves due credit, as does Howard's immediate emergence as a star. But be sure to keep note of Aari McDonald's play and improvements, as she's played a significant part in Atlanta's 2022 stability while also providing more reason for optimism of the team's future.</p>

<p>To put it bluntly, the Atlanta Dream were a mess last season. Off-court drama, season-long suspensions and poor play culminated in one of the worst seasons in Atlanta's franchise history.</p>
<p>Things are different for the Dream in 2022. Tanisha Wright's established a hard-nosed defensive identity that's embodied by the roster. The team features more veteran players and is led by the top selection in the 2022 WNBA Draft, Rhyne Howard.</p>
<p>Howard has rightfully <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken many of the headlines</a> out of Atlanta, as she has all but locked up the Rookie of the Year award and has a good chance at an All-Star nod. Howard's off-ball play and shooting gravity have made her an incredibly lethal and dynamic offensive outlet from day one, with the potential for extremely high levels of shot creation.</p>
<p>However, lately, the play of Aari McDonald has shone through in droves. The No. 3 overall pick in 2021, McDonald struggled to find her footing last season as a rookie, but the flashes of yesteryear have parlayed into more consistent creation and play in 2022.</p>
<p>McDonald was already playing more this year and had cemented a higher place in the rotation, but with Erica Wheeler out due to an injury suffered against the Seattle Storm, McDonald's commanded an even greater chunk of playing time and usage. While Wheeler's absence hurts a great deal in the moment (get well soon!), McDonald's expanded role has turned my head.</p>
<p>There are viable reasons for McDonald to come off the bench: Kristy Wallace has a bit more size, and she and Wheeler have fit pretty well together as a starting backcourt. Wallace is more of an off-ball guard and ball-mover, so loading up the starting lineup with all of Atlanta's shot creation can make subbing patterns a little different (not saying I necessarily agree, rather that I get the ideology).</p>
<p>According to PBP Stats, lineups featuring both McDonald and Wheeler outscore opposition by 9.7 points per 100 possessions, largely on the back of a stellar 83.75 defensive rating crafted in the 120 minutes they've played together. When Tiffany Hayes (a really good player) returns, it will make things even more interesting, as she's started in all but seven games she's played for Atlanta since 2014. I actually think Hayes' eventual return could lead to more Wheeler/McDonald lineups, as there'd be less worry about when it comes to staggering ball-handlers. Regardless, I can't wait for more of that duo, and I'm sure Coach Wright wants to see more too.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>McDonald's confidence has been awesome to see. She scored 15 points just three times last year; it was her season-high as a rookie. This year, she has already surpassed that three times. In her three games as a starter, McDonald is averaging 17.3 points per game on 56.2% True Shooting along with 5.0 assists per game.</p>
<p>The best way I've found to describe Aari's game is <span style="font-weight: 400;">uninterrupted</span>. She is always moving on or off the ball. If she's walled off, she's pivoting and heading a new direction or moving the ball, but she's also been quite good at picking her spots to attack the basket. Despite her small stature, she puts a dent in the defense in a way no one else does for the Dream. Her swarming nature collapses lanes and opens pathways for off-ball players to attack that wouldn't be there without her ability to generate paint touches and rim pressure.</p>
<p>This possession early last night against the Chicago Sky is indicative of McDonald's persistence as an offensive presence.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/90zg0p" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Even though she misses the attempt at the rim, her lack of indecisiveness and ability to make plays with quickness gives her and the Dream an advantage. The defense takes a half-second to breath after the initial stop. McDonald erases that half-second stoppage to make the most of her skill set. She puts awesome velocity on passes, often throws well into the shooting pocket and has very good awareness of where her outlets are.</p>
<p>A few possessions later, Aari finds herself in a late-clock situation without the ball. AD gets a ball screen from Cheyenne Parker and the Sky late switch to neutralize the action. But wait! There's an open Aari McDonald in the slot!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/70po5s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Replacing/relocating to the perimeter on a drive or roll is a great way to catch a defender napping, and McDonald executes it with guile.</p>
<p>Toggling on and off the ball with efficacy makes it that much harder to guard you (cough cough, Kelsey Plum this season). Adding in movement off the ball along with considerable on-ball creation leads a swelling gravity well when considering McDonald's ability as a shooter.</p>
<p>The Dream are third in the WNBA in pace, according to Her Hoop Stats, and McDonald plays a significant part in that. To say that Aari flies down the court to push the break would be an understatement. She constantly looks for ways to put the defense on their heels.</p>
<p>Advantage maintenance is arguably as important as advantage creation, and McDonald embodies that perspective.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y1st0r" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She has such a good first step, taking Allie Quigley off the dribble without a screen and generating a clean paint touch before the quick flip to Parker.</p>
<p>If McDonald just jogs to the perimeter to respace and set herself, then this is likely not a shot as Quigley reconnects and keeps Aari in front. The constant movement and readiness keeps the initial advantage open.</p>
<p>Her continued flashes of synergy with Rhyne Howard should have Dream fans excited about the future of the organization.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Aari McDonald to Rhyne Howard connection is showing some dope flashes<br /><br />It sucks that Erica is out, but cool to see Aari with some more run. Got into the paint like crazy in this game and Rhyne's off-ball movement syncs so well with that <a href="https://t.co/xd8JYkDs7T">pic.twitter.com/xd8JYkDs7T</a></p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1536705163397939200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The way she collapses the paint and constantly scans the floor meshed with Howard's fluid off-ball movement and shooting prowess (she's already one of the best shooters in the league as a rookie) is so tantalizing when contemplating how this team is constructed.</p>
<p>Howard has the makings of an elite shot creator, but she has limitations as a an initial bender of the defense. She doesn't have the blend of handle and burst to break down defenses and set it into rotation consistently yet. Pairing with McDonald, who can toggle on and off the ball, push the pace and relocate, is about as ideal a running mate as you can imagine for Howard.</p>
<p>Atlanta has most utilized Howard out of screens and flowing off the ball into on-the-ball actions (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-out-sabrina-ionescu-playmaking-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similarly to Sabrina Ionescu in June</a>), and McDonald is perhaps the best guard on the team in terms of creating the paint touches to draw the defense the most.</p>
<p>As Howard continues to work toward high levels of shot creation, surrounding her with secondary shot creators is paramount. One of the best ways to open up a creator is to force the defense to deal with another!</p>
<p>The Dream have a much brighter future compared to what it may have seemed last season. Organizational overhaul deserves due credit, as does Howard's immediate emergence as a star. But be sure to keep note of Aari McDonald's play and improvements, as she's played a significant part in Atlanta's 2022 stability while also providing more reason for optimism of the team's future.</p>

<p>To put it bluntly, the Atlanta Dream were a mess last season. Off-court drama, season-long suspensions and poor play culminated in one of the worst seasons in Atlanta's franchise history.</p>
<p>Things are different for the Dream in 2022. Tanisha Wright's established a hard-nosed defensive identity that's embodied by the roster. The team features more veteran players and is led by the top selection in the 2022 WNBA Draft, Rhyne Howard.</p>
<p>Howard has rightfully <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken many of the headlines</a> out of Atlanta, as she has all but locked up the Rookie of the Year award and has a good chance at an All-Star nod. Howard's off-ball play and shooting gravity have made her an incredibly lethal and dynamic offensive outlet from day one, with the potential for extremely high levels of shot creation.</p>
<p>However, lately, the play of Aari McDonald has shone through in droves. The No. 3 overall pick in 2021, McDonald struggled to find her footing last season as a rookie, but the flashes of yesteryear have parlayed into more consistent creation and play in 2022.</p>
<p>McDonald was already playing more this year and had cemented a higher place in the rotation, but with Erica Wheeler out due to an injury suffered against the Seattle Storm, McDonald's commanded an even greater chunk of playing time and usage. While Wheeler's absence hurts a great deal in the moment (get well soon!), McDonald's expanded role has turned my head.</p>
<p>There are viable reasons for McDonald to come off the bench: Kristy Wallace has a bit more size, and she and Wheeler have fit pretty well together as a starting backcourt. Wallace is more of an off-ball guard and ball-mover, so loading up the starting lineup with all of Atlanta's shot creation can make subbing patterns a little different (not saying I necessarily agree, rather that I get the ideology).</p>
<p>According to PBP Stats, lineups featuring both McDonald and Wheeler outscore opposition by 9.7 points per 100 possessions, largely on the back of a stellar 83.75 defensive rating crafted in the 120 minutes they've played together. When Tiffany Hayes (a really good player) returns, it will make things even more interesting, as she's started in all but seven games she's played for Atlanta since 2014. I actually think Hayes' eventual return could lead to more Wheeler/McDonald lineups, as there'd be less worry about when it comes to staggering ball-handlers. Regardless, I can't wait for more of that duo, and I'm sure Coach Wright wants to see more too.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>McDonald's confidence has been awesome to see. She scored 15 points just three times last year; it was her season-high as a rookie. This year, she has already surpassed that three times. In her three games as a starter, McDonald is averaging 17.3 points per game on 56.2% True Shooting along with 5.0 assists per game.</p>
<p>The best way I've found to describe Aari's game is <span style="font-weight: 400;">uninterrupted</span>. She is always moving on or off the ball. If she's walled off, she's pivoting and heading a new direction or moving the ball, but she's also been quite good at picking her spots to attack the basket. Despite her small stature, she puts a dent in the defense in a way no one else does for the Dream. Her swarming nature collapses lanes and opens pathways for off-ball players to attack that wouldn't be there without her ability to generate paint touches and rim pressure.</p>
<p>This possession early last night against the Chicago Sky is indicative of McDonald's persistence as an offensive presence.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/90zg0p" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Even though she misses the attempt at the rim, her lack of indecisiveness and ability to make plays with quickness gives her and the Dream an advantage. The defense takes a half-second to breath after the initial stop. McDonald erases that half-second stoppage to make the most of her skill set. She puts awesome velocity on passes, often throws well into the shooting pocket and has very good awareness of where her outlets are.</p>
<p>A few possessions later, Aari finds herself in a late-clock situation without the ball. AD gets a ball screen from Cheyenne Parker and the Sky late switch to neutralize the action. But wait! There's an open Aari McDonald in the slot!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/70po5s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Replacing/relocating to the perimeter on a drive or roll is a great way to catch a defender napping, and McDonald executes it with guile.</p>
<p>Toggling on and off the ball with efficacy makes it that much harder to guard you (cough cough, Kelsey Plum this season). Adding in movement off the ball along with considerable on-ball creation leads a swelling gravity well when considering McDonald's ability as a shooter.</p>
<p>The Dream are third in the WNBA in pace, according to Her Hoop Stats, and McDonald plays a significant part in that. To say that Aari flies down the court to push the break would be an understatement. She constantly looks for ways to put the defense on their heels.</p>
<p>Advantage maintenance is arguably as important as advantage creation, and McDonald embodies that perspective.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y1st0r" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She has such a good first step, taking Allie Quigley off the dribble without a screen and generating a clean paint touch before the quick flip to Parker.</p>
<p>If McDonald just jogs to the perimeter to respace and set herself, then this is likely not a shot as Quigley reconnects and keeps Aari in front. The constant movement and readiness keeps the initial advantage open.</p>
<p>Her continued flashes of synergy with Rhyne Howard should have Dream fans excited about the future of the organization.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Aari McDonald to Rhyne Howard connection is showing some dope flashes<br /><br />It sucks that Erica is out, but cool to see Aari with some more run. Got into the paint like crazy in this game and Rhyne's off-ball movement syncs so well with that <a href="https://t.co/xd8JYkDs7T">pic.twitter.com/xd8JYkDs7T</a></p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1536705163397939200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The way she collapses the paint and constantly scans the floor meshed with Howard's fluid off-ball movement and shooting prowess (she's already one of the best shooters in the league as a rookie) is so tantalizing when contemplating how this team is constructed.</p>
<p>Howard has the makings of an elite shot creator, but she has limitations as a an initial bender of the defense. She doesn't have the blend of handle and burst to break down defenses and set it into rotation consistently yet. Pairing with McDonald, who can toggle on and off the ball, push the pace and relocate, is about as ideal a running mate as you can imagine for Howard.</p>
<p>Atlanta has most utilized Howard out of screens and flowing off the ball into on-the-ball actions (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-out-sabrina-ionescu-playmaking-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similarly to Sabrina Ionescu in June</a>), and McDonald is perhaps the best guard on the team in terms of creating the paint touches to draw the defense the most.</p>
<p>As Howard continues to work toward high levels of shot creation, surrounding her with secondary shot creators is paramount. One of the best ways to open up a creator is to force the defense to deal with another!</p>
<p>The Dream have a much brighter future compared to what it may have seemed last season. Organizational overhaul deserves due credit, as does Howard's immediate emergence as a star. But be sure to keep note of Aari McDonald's play and improvements, as she's played a significant part in Atlanta's 2022 stability while also providing more reason for optimism of the team's future.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>To put it bluntly, the Atlanta Dream were a mess last season. Off-court drama, season-long suspensions and poor play culminated in one of the worst seasons in Atlanta's franchise history.</p>
<p>Things are different for the Dream in 2022. Tanisha Wright's established a hard-nosed defensive identity that's embodied by the roster. The team features more veteran players and is led by the top selection in the 2022 WNBA Draft, Rhyne Howard.</p>
<p>Howard has rightfully <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken many of the headlines</a> out of Atlanta, as she has all but locked up the Rookie of the Year award and has a good chance at an All-Star nod. Howard's off-ball play and shooting gravity have made her an incredibly lethal and dynamic offensive outlet from day one, with the potential for extremely high levels of shot creation.</p>
<p>However, lately, the play of Aari McDonald has shone through in droves. The No. 3 overall pick in 2021, McDonald struggled to find her footing last season as a rookie, but the flashes of yesteryear have parlayed into more consistent creation and play in 2022.</p>
<p>McDonald was already playing more this year and had cemented a higher place in the rotation, but with Erica Wheeler out due to an injury suffered against the Seattle Storm, McDonald's commanded an even greater chunk of playing time and usage. While Wheeler's absence hurts a great deal in the moment (get well soon!), McDonald's expanded role has turned my head.</p>
<p>There are viable reasons for McDonald to come off the bench: Kristy Wallace has a bit more size, and she and Wheeler have fit pretty well together as a starting backcourt. Wallace is more of an off-ball guard and ball-mover, so loading up the starting lineup with all of Atlanta's shot creation can make subbing patterns a little different (not saying I necessarily agree, rather that I get the ideology).</p>
<p>According to PBP Stats, lineups featuring both McDonald and Wheeler outscore opposition by 9.7 points per 100 possessions, largely on the back of a stellar 83.75 defensive rating crafted in the 120 minutes they've played together. When Tiffany Hayes (a really good player) returns, it will make things even more interesting, as she's started in all but seven games she's played for Atlanta since 2014. I actually think Hayes' eventual return could lead to more Wheeler/McDonald lineups, as there'd be less worry about when it comes to staggering ball-handlers. Regardless, I can't wait for more of that duo, and I'm sure Coach Wright wants to see more too.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>McDonald's confidence has been awesome to see. She scored 15 points just three times last year; it was her season-high as a rookie. This year, she has already surpassed that three times. In her three games as a starter, McDonald is averaging 17.3 points per game on 56.2% True Shooting along with 5.0 assists per game.</p>
<p>The best way I've found to describe Aari's game is <span style="font-weight: 400;">uninterrupted</span>. She is always moving on or off the ball. If she's walled off, she's pivoting and heading a new direction or moving the ball, but she's also been quite good at picking her spots to attack the basket. Despite her small stature, she puts a dent in the defense in a way no one else does for the Dream. Her swarming nature collapses lanes and opens pathways for off-ball players to attack that wouldn't be there without her ability to generate paint touches and rim pressure.</p>
<p>This possession early last night against the Chicago Sky is indicative of McDonald's persistence as an offensive presence.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/90zg0p" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Even though she misses the attempt at the rim, her lack of indecisiveness and ability to make plays with quickness gives her and the Dream an advantage. The defense takes a half-second to breath after the initial stop. McDonald erases that half-second stoppage to make the most of her skill set. She puts awesome velocity on passes, often throws well into the shooting pocket and has very good awareness of where her outlets are.</p>
<p>A few possessions later, Aari finds herself in a late-clock situation without the ball. AD gets a ball screen from Cheyenne Parker and the Sky late switch to neutralize the action. But wait! There's an open Aari McDonald in the slot!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/70po5s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Replacing/relocating to the perimeter on a drive or roll is a great way to catch a defender napping, and McDonald executes it with guile.</p>
<p>Toggling on and off the ball with efficacy makes it that much harder to guard you (cough cough, Kelsey Plum this season). Adding in movement off the ball along with considerable on-ball creation leads a swelling gravity well when considering McDonald's ability as a shooter.</p>
<p>The Dream are third in the WNBA in pace, according to Her Hoop Stats, and McDonald plays a significant part in that. To say that Aari flies down the court to push the break would be an understatement. She constantly looks for ways to put the defense on their heels.</p>
<p>Advantage maintenance is arguably as important as advantage creation, and McDonald embodies that perspective.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y1st0r" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She has such a good first step, taking Allie Quigley off the dribble without a screen and generating a clean paint touch before the quick flip to Parker.</p>
<p>If McDonald just jogs to the perimeter to respace and set herself, then this is likely not a shot as Quigley reconnects and keeps Aari in front. The constant movement and readiness keeps the initial advantage open.</p>
<p>Her continued flashes of synergy with Rhyne Howard should have Dream fans excited about the future of the organization.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Aari McDonald to Rhyne Howard connection is showing some dope flashes<br /><br />It sucks that Erica is out, but cool to see Aari with some more run. Got into the paint like crazy in this game and Rhyne's off-ball movement syncs so well with that <a href="https://t.co/xd8JYkDs7T">pic.twitter.com/xd8JYkDs7T</a></p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1536705163397939200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The way she collapses the paint and constantly scans the floor meshed with Howard's fluid off-ball movement and shooting prowess (she's already one of the best shooters in the league as a rookie) is so tantalizing when contemplating how this team is constructed.</p>
<p>Howard has the makings of an elite shot creator, but she has limitations as a an initial bender of the defense. She doesn't have the blend of handle and burst to break down defenses and set it into rotation consistently yet. Pairing with McDonald, who can toggle on and off the ball, push the pace and relocate, is about as ideal a running mate as you can imagine for Howard.</p>
<p>Atlanta has most utilized Howard out of screens and flowing off the ball into on-the-ball actions (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-out-sabrina-ionescu-playmaking-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similarly to Sabrina Ionescu in June</a>), and McDonald is perhaps the best guard on the team in terms of creating the paint touches to draw the defense the most.</p>
<p>As Howard continues to work toward high levels of shot creation, surrounding her with secondary shot creators is paramount. One of the best ways to open up a creator is to force the defense to deal with another!</p>
<p>The Dream have a much brighter future compared to what it may have seemed last season. Organizational overhaul deserves due credit, as does Howard's immediate emergence as a star. But be sure to keep note of Aari McDonald's play and improvements, as she's played a significant part in Atlanta's 2022 stability while also providing more reason for optimism of the team's future.</p>
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<p>To put it bluntly, the Atlanta Dream were a mess last season. Off-court drama, season-long suspensions and poor play culminated in one of the worst seasons in Atlanta's franchise history.</p>
<p>Things are different for the Dream in 2022. Tanisha Wright's established a hard-nosed defensive identity that's embodied by the roster. The team features more veteran players and is led by the top selection in the 2022 WNBA Draft, Rhyne Howard.</p>
<p>Howard has rightfully <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken many of the headlines</a> out of Atlanta, as she has all but locked up the Rookie of the Year award and has a good chance at an All-Star nod. Howard's off-ball play and shooting gravity have made her an incredibly lethal and dynamic offensive outlet from day one, with the potential for extremely high levels of shot creation.</p>
<p>However, lately, the play of Aari McDonald has shone through in droves. The No. 3 overall pick in 2021, McDonald struggled to find her footing last season as a rookie, but the flashes of yesteryear have parlayed into more consistent creation and play in 2022.</p>
<p>McDonald was already playing more this year and had cemented a higher place in the rotation, but with Erica Wheeler out due to an injury suffered against the Seattle Storm, McDonald's commanded an even greater chunk of playing time and usage. While Wheeler's absence hurts a great deal in the moment (get well soon!), McDonald's expanded role has turned my head.</p>
<p>There are viable reasons for McDonald to come off the bench: Kristy Wallace has a bit more size, and she and Wheeler have fit pretty well together as a starting backcourt. Wallace is more of an off-ball guard and ball-mover, so loading up the starting lineup with all of Atlanta's shot creation can make subbing patterns a little different (not saying I necessarily agree, rather that I get the ideology).</p>
<p>According to PBP Stats, lineups featuring both McDonald and Wheeler outscore opposition by 9.7 points per 100 possessions, largely on the back of a stellar 83.75 defensive rating crafted in the 120 minutes they've played together. When Tiffany Hayes (a really good player) returns, it will make things even more interesting, as she's started in all but seven games she's played for Atlanta since 2014. I actually think Hayes' eventual return could lead to more Wheeler/McDonald lineups, as there'd be less worry about when it comes to staggering ball-handlers. Regardless, I can't wait for more of that duo, and I'm sure Coach Wright wants to see more too.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>McDonald's confidence has been awesome to see. She scored 15 points just three times last year; it was her season-high as a rookie. This year, she has already surpassed that three times. In her three games as a starter, McDonald is averaging 17.3 points per game on 56.2% True Shooting along with 5.0 assists per game.</p>
<p>The best way I've found to describe Aari's game is <span style="font-weight: 400;">uninterrupted</span>. She is always moving on or off the ball. If she's walled off, she's pivoting and heading a new direction or moving the ball, but she's also been quite good at picking her spots to attack the basket. Despite her small stature, she puts a dent in the defense in a way no one else does for the Dream. Her swarming nature collapses lanes and opens pathways for off-ball players to attack that wouldn't be there without her ability to generate paint touches and rim pressure.</p>
<p>This possession early last night against the Chicago Sky is indicative of McDonald's persistence as an offensive presence.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/90zg0p" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Even though she misses the attempt at the rim, her lack of indecisiveness and ability to make plays with quickness gives her and the Dream an advantage. The defense takes a half-second to breath after the initial stop. McDonald erases that half-second stoppage to make the most of her skill set. She puts awesome velocity on passes, often throws well into the shooting pocket and has very good awareness of where her outlets are.</p>
<p>A few possessions later, Aari finds herself in a late-clock situation without the ball. AD gets a ball screen from Cheyenne Parker and the Sky late switch to neutralize the action. But wait! There's an open Aari McDonald in the slot!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/70po5s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Replacing/relocating to the perimeter on a drive or roll is a great way to catch a defender napping, and McDonald executes it with guile.</p>
<p>Toggling on and off the ball with efficacy makes it that much harder to guard you (cough cough, Kelsey Plum this season). Adding in movement off the ball along with considerable on-ball creation leads to swelling gravity well when considering McDonald's ability as a shooter.</p>
<p>The Dream are third in the WNBA in pace, according to Her Hoop Stats, and McDonald plays a significant part in that. To say that Aari flies down the court to push the break would be an understatement. She constantly looks for ways to put the defense on their heels.</p>
<p>Advantage maintenance is arguably as important as advantage creation, and McDonald embodies that perspective.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y1st0r" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She has such a good first step, taking Allie Quigley off the dribble without a screen and generating a clean paint touch before the quick flip to Parker.</p>
<p>If McDonald just jogs to the perimeter to respace and set herself, then this is likely not a shot as Quigley reconnects and keeps Aari in front. The constant movement and readiness keeps the initial advantage open.</p>
<p>Her continued flashes of synergy with Rhyne Howard should have Dream fans excited about the future of the organization.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Aari McDonald to Rhyne Howard connection is showing some dope flashes<br /><br />It sucks that Erica is out, but cool to see Aari with some more run. Got into the paint like crazy in this game and Rhyne's off-ball movement syncs so well with that <a href="https://t.co/xd8JYkDs7T">pic.twitter.com/xd8JYkDs7T</a></p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1536705163397939200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The way she collapses the paint and constantly scans the floor meshed with Howard's fluid off-ball movement and shooting prowess (she's already one of the best shooters in the league as a rookie) is so tantalizing when contemplating how this team is constructed.</p>
<p>Howard has the makings of an elite shot creator, but she has limitations as a an initial bender of the defense. She doesn't have the blend of handle and burst to break down defenses and set it into rotation consistently yet. Pairing with McDonald, who can toggle on and off the ball, push the pace and relocate, is about as ideal a running mate as you can imagine for Howard.</p>
<p>Atlanta has most utilized Howard out of screens and flowing off the ball into on-the-ball actions (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-out-sabrina-ionescu-playmaking-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similarly to Sabrina Ionescu in June</a>), and McDonald is perhaps the best guard on the team in terms of creating the paint touches to draw the defense the most.</p>
<p>As Howard continues to work toward high levels of shot creation, surrounding her with secondary shot creators is paramount. One of the best ways to open up a creator is to force the defense to deal with another!</p>
<p>The Dream have a much brighter future compared to what it may have seemed last season. Organizational overhaul deserves due credit, as does Howard's immediate emergence as a star. But be sure to keep note of Aari McDonald's play and improvements, as she's played a significant part in Atlanta's 2022 stability while also providing more reason for optimism of the team's future.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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<p>To put it bluntly, the Atlanta Dream were a mess last season. Off-court drama, season-long suspensions and poor play culminated in one of the worst seasons in Atlanta's franchise history.</p>
<p>Things are different for the Dream in 2022. Tanisha Wright's established a hard-nosed defensive identity that's embodied by the roster. The team features more veteran players and is led by the top selection in the 2022 WNBA Draft, Rhyne Howard.</p>
<p>Howard has rightfully <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken many of the headlines</a> out of Atlanta, as she has all but locked up the Rookie of the Year award and has a good chance at an All-Star nod. Howard's off-ball play and shooting gravity have made her an incredibly lethal and dynamic offensive outlet from day one, with the potential for extremely high levels of shot creation.</p>
<p>However, lately, the play of Aari McDonald has shone through in droves. The No. 3 overall pick in 2021, McDonald struggled to find her footing last season as a rookie, but the flashes of yesteryear have parlayed into more consistent creation and play in 2022.</p>
<p>McDonald was already playing more this year and had cemented a higher place in the rotation, but with Erica Wheeler out due to an injury suffered against the Seattle Storm, McDonald's commanded an even greater chunk of playing time and usage. While Wheeler's absence hurts a great deal in the moment (get well soon!), McDonald's expanded role has turned my head.</p>
<p>There are viable reasons for McDonald to come off the bench: Kristy Wallace has a bit more size, and she and Wheeler have fit pretty well together as a starting backcourt. Wallace is more of an off-ball guard and ball-mover, so loading up the starting lineup with all of Atlanta's shot creation can make subbing patterns a little different (not saying I necessarily agree, rather that I get the ideology).</p>
<p>According to PBP Stats, lineups featuring both McDonald and Wheeler outscore opposition by 9.7 points per 100 possessions, largely on the back of a stellar 83.75 defensive rating crafted in the 120 minutes they've played together. When Tiffany Hayes (a really good player) returns, it will make things even more interesting, as she's started in all but seven games she's played for Atlanta since 2014. I actually think Hayes' eventual return could lead to more Wheeler/McDonald lineups, as there'd be less worry about when it comes to staggering ball-handlers. Regardless, I can't wait for more of that duo, and I'm sure Coach Wright wants to see more too.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>McDonald's confidence has been awesome to see. She scored 15 points just three times last year; it was her season-high as a rookie. This year, she has already surpassed that three times. In her three games as a starter, McDonald is averaging 17.3 points per game on 56.2% True Shooting along with 5.0 assists per game.</p>
<p>The best way I've found to describe Aari's game is <span style="font-weight: 400;">uninterrupted</span>. She is always moving on or off the ball. If she's walled off, she's pivoting and heading a new direction or moving the ball, but she's also been quite good at picking her spots to attack the basket. Despite her small stature, she puts a dent in the defense in a way no one else does for the Dream. Her swarming nature collapses lanes and opens pathways for off-ball players to attack that wouldn't be there without her ability to generate paint touches and rim pressure.</p>
<p>This possession early last night against the Chicago Sky is indicative of McDonald's persistence as an offensive presence.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/90zg0p" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Even though she misses the attempt at the rim, her lack of indecisiveness and ability to make plays with quickness gives her and the Dream an advantage. The defense takes a half-second to breath after the initial stop. McDonald erases that half-second stoppage to make the most of her skill set. She puts awesome velocity on passes, often throws well into the shooting pocket and has very good awareness of where her outlets are.</p>
<p>A few possessions later, Aari finds herself in a late-clock situation without the ball. AD gets a ball screen from Cheyenne Parker and the Sky late switch to neutralize the action. But wait! There's an open Aari McDonald in the slot!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/70po5s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Replacing/relocating to the perimeter on a drive or roll is a great way to catch a defender napping, and McDonald executes it with guile.</p>
<p>Toggling on and off the ball with efficacy makes it that much harder to guard you (cough cough, Kelsey Plum this season). Adding in movement off the ball along with considerable on-ball creation leads to swelling gravity when considering McDonald's ability as a shooter.</p>
<p>The Dream are third in the WNBA in pace, according to Her Hoop Stats, and McDonald plays a significant part in that. To say that Aari flies down the court to push the break would be an understatement. She constantly looks for ways to put the defense on their heels.</p>
<p>Advantage maintenance is arguably as important as advantage creation, and McDonald embodies that perspective.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y1st0r" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She has such a good first step, taking Allie Quigley off the dribble without a screen and generating a clean paint touch before the quick flip to Parker.</p>
<p>If McDonald just jogs to the perimeter to respace and set herself, then this is likely not a shot as Quigley reconnects and keeps Aari in front. The constant movement and readiness keeps the initial advantage open.</p>
<p>Her continued flashes of synergy with Rhyne Howard should have Dream fans excited about the future of the organization.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Aari McDonald to Rhyne Howard connection is showing some dope flashes<br /><br />It sucks that Erica is out, but cool to see Aari with some more run. Got into the paint like crazy in this game and Rhyne's off-ball movement syncs so well with that <a href="https://t.co/xd8JYkDs7T">pic.twitter.com/xd8JYkDs7T</a></p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1536705163397939200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The way she collapses the paint and constantly scans the floor meshed with Howard's fluid off-ball movement and shooting prowess (she's already one of the best shooters in the league as a rookie) is so tantalizing when contemplating how this team is constructed.</p>
<p>Howard has the makings of an elite shot creator, but she has limitations as a an initial bender of the defense. She doesn't have the blend of handle and burst to break down defenses and set it into rotation consistently yet. Pairing with McDonald, who can toggle on and off the ball, push the pace and relocate, is about as ideal a running mate as you can imagine for Howard.</p>
<p>Atlanta has most utilized Howard out of screens and flowing off the ball into on-the-ball actions (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-out-sabrina-ionescu-playmaking-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similarly to Sabrina Ionescu in June</a>), and McDonald is perhaps the best guard on the team in terms of creating the paint touches to draw the defense the most.</p>
<p>As Howard continues to work toward high levels of shot creation, surrounding her with secondary shot creators is paramount. One of the best ways to open up a creator is to force the defense to deal with another!</p>
<p>The Dream have a much brighter future compared to what it may have seemed last season. Organizational overhaul deserves due credit, as does Howard's immediate emergence as a star. But be sure to keep note of Aari McDonald's play and improvements, as she's played a significant part in Atlanta's 2022 stability while also providing more reason for optimism of the team's future.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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<p>To put it bluntly, the Atlanta Dream were a mess last season. Off-court drama, season-long suspensions and poor play culminated in one of the worst seasons in Atlanta's franchise history.</p>
<p>Things are different for the Dream in 2022. Tanisha Wright's established a hard-nosed defensive identity that's embodied by the roster. The team features more veteran players and is led by the top selection in the 2022 WNBA Draft, Rhyne Howard.</p>
<p>Howard has rightfully <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken many of the headlines</a> out of Atlanta, as she has all but locked up the Rookie of the Year award and has a good chance at an All-Star nod. Howard's off-ball play and shooting gravity have made her an incredibly lethal and dynamic offensive outlet from day one, with the potential for extremely high levels of shot creation.</p>
<p>However, lately, the play of Aari McDonald has shone through in droves. The No. 3 overall pick in 2021, McDonald struggled to find her footing last season as a rookie, but the flashes of yesteryear have parlayed into more consistent creation and play in 2022.</p>
<p>McDonald was already playing more this year and had cemented a higher place in the rotation, but with Erica Wheeler out due to an injury suffered against the Seattle Storm, McDonald's commanded an even greater chunk of playing time and usage. While Wheeler's absence hurts a great deal in the moment (get well soon!), McDonald's expanded role has turned my head.</p>
<p>There are viable reasons for McDonald to come off the bench: Kristy Wallace has a bit more size, and she and Wheeler have fit pretty well together as a starting backcourt. Wallace is more of an off-ball guard and ball-mover, so loading up the starting lineup with all of Atlanta's shot creation can make subbing patterns a little different (not saying I necessarily agree, rather that I get the ideology).</p>
<p>According to PBP Stats, lineups featuring both McDonald and Wheeler outscore opposition by 9.7 points per 100 possessions, largely on the back of a stellar 83.75 defensive rating crafted in the 120 minutes they've played together. When Tiffany Hayes (a really good player) returns, it will make things even more interesting, as she's started in all but seven games she's played for Atlanta since 2014. I actually think Hayes' eventual return could lead to more Wheeler/McDonald lineups, as there'd be less worry about when it comes to staggering ball-handlers. Regardless, I can't wait for more of that duo, and I'm sure Coach Wright wants to see more too.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>McDonald's confidence has been awesome to see. She scored 15 points just three times last year; it was her season-high as a rookie. This year, she has already surpassed that three times. In her three games as a starter, McDonald is averaging 17.3 points per game on 56.2% True Shooting along with 5.0 assists per game.</p>
<p>The best way I've found to describe Aari's game is <span style="font-weight: 400;">uninterrupted</span>. She is always moving on or off the ball. If she's walled off, she's pivoting and heading a new direction or moving the ball, but she's also been quite good at picking her spots to attack the basket. Despite her small stature, she puts a dent in the defense in a way no one else does for the Dream. Her swarming nature collapses lanes and opens pathways for off-ball players to attack that wouldn't be there without her ability to generate paint touches and rim pressure.</p>
<p>This possession early last night against the Chicago Sky is indicative of McDonald's persistence as an offensive presence.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/90zg0p" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Even though she misses the attempt at the rim, her lack of indecisiveness and ability to make plays with quickness gives her and the Dream an advantage. The defense takes a half-second to breath after the initial stop. McDonald erases that half-second stoppage to make the most of her skill set. She puts awesome velocity on passes, often throws well into the shooting pocket and has very good awareness of where her outlets are.</p>
<p>A few possessions later, Aari finds herself in a late-clock situation without the ball. AD gets a ball screen from Cheyenne Parker and the Sky late switch to neutralize the action. But wait! There's an open Aari McDonald in the slot!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/70po5s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Replacing/relocating to the perimeter on a drive or roll is a great way to catch a defender napping, and McDonald executes it with guile.</p>
<p>Toggling on and off the ball with efficacy makes it that much harder to guard you (cough cough, Kelsey Plum this season). Adding in movement off the ball along with considerable on-ball creation leads to swelling gravity well as&nbsp;defenses&nbsp;account&nbsp;for&nbsp;her&nbsp;as&nbsp;a&nbsp;shooter McDonald's ability as a shooter.</p>
<p>The Dream are third in the WNBA in pace, according to Her Hoop Stats, and McDonald plays a significant part in that. To say that Aari flies down the court to push the break would be an understatement. She constantly looks for ways to put the defense on their heels.</p>
<p>Advantage maintenance is arguably as important as advantage creation, and McDonald embodies that perspective.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y1st0r" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She has such a good first step, taking Allie Quigley off the dribble without a screen and generating a clean paint touch before the quick flip to Parker.</p>
<p>If McDonald just jogs to the perimeter to respace and set herself, then this is likely not a shot as Quigley reconnects and keeps Aari in front. The constant movement and readiness keeps the initial advantage open.</p>
<p>Her continued flashes of synergy with Rhyne Howard should have Dream fans excited about the future of the organization.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Aari McDonald to Rhyne Howard connection is showing some dope flashes<br /><br />It sucks that Erica is out, but cool to see Aari with some more run. Got into the paint like crazy in this game and Rhyne's off-ball movement syncs so well with that <a href="https://t.co/xd8JYkDs7T">pic.twitter.com/xd8JYkDs7T</a></p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1536705163397939200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The way she collapses the paint and constantly scans the floor meshed with Howard's fluid off-ball movement and shooting prowess (she's already one of the best shooters in the league as a rookie) is so tantalizing when contemplating how this team is constructed.</p>
<p>Howard has the makings of an elite shot creator, but she has limitations as a an initial bender of the defense. She doesn't have the blend of handle and burst to break down defenses and set it into rotation consistently yet. Pairing with McDonald, who can toggle on and off the ball, push the pace and relocate, is about as ideal a running mate as you can imagine for Howard.</p>
<p>Atlanta has most utilized Howard out of screens and flowing off the ball into on-the-ball actions (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-out-sabrina-ionescu-playmaking-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similarly to Sabrina Ionescu in June</a>), and McDonald is perhaps the best guard on the team in terms of creating the paint touches to draw the defense the most.</p>
<p>As Howard continues to work toward high levels of shot creation, surrounding her with secondary shot creators is paramount. One of the best ways to open up a creator is to force the defense to deal with another!</p>
<p>The Dream have a much brighter future compared to what it may have seemed last season. Organizational overhaul deserves due credit, as does Howard's immediate emergence as a star. But be sure to keep note of Aari McDonald's play and improvements, as she's played a significant part in Atlanta's 2022 stability while also providing more reason for optimism of the team's future.</p>
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<p>To put it bluntly, the Atlanta Dream were a mess last season. Off-court drama, season-long suspensions and poor play culminated in one of the worst seasons in Atlanta's franchise history.</p>
<p>Things are different for the Dream in 2022. Tanisha Wright's established a hard-nosed defensive identity that's embodied by the roster. The team features more veteran players and is led by the top selection in the 2022 WNBA Draft, Rhyne Howard.</p>
<p>Howard has rightfully <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken many of the headlines</a> out of Atlanta, as she has all but locked up the Rookie of the Year award and has a good chance at an All-Star nod. Howard's off-ball play and shooting gravity have made her an incredibly lethal and dynamic offensive outlet from day one, with the potential for extremely high levels of shot creation.</p>
<p>However, lately, the play of Aari McDonald has shone through in droves. The No. 3 overall pick in 2021, McDonald struggled to find her footing last season as a rookie, but the flashes of yesteryear have parlayed into more consistent creation and play in 2022.</p>
<p>McDonald was already playing more this year and had cemented a higher place in the rotation, but with Erica Wheeler out due to an injury suffered against the Seattle Storm, McDonald's commanded an even greater chunk of playing time and usage. While Wheeler's absence hurts a great deal in the moment (get well soon!), McDonald's expanded role has turned my head.</p>
<p>There are viable reasons for McDonald to come off the bench: Kristy Wallace has a bit more size, and she and Wheeler have fit pretty well together as a starting backcourt. Wallace is more of an off-ball guard and ball-mover, so loading up the starting lineup with all of Atlanta's shot creation can make subbing patterns a little different (not saying I necessarily agree, rather that I get the ideology).</p>
<p>According to PBP Stats, lineups featuring both McDonald and Wheeler outscore opposition by 9.7 points per 100 possessions, largely on the back of a stellar 83.75 defensive rating crafted in the 120 minutes they've played together. When Tiffany Hayes (a really good player) returns, it will make things even more interesting, as she's started in all but seven games she's played for Atlanta since 2014. I actually think Hayes' eventual return could lead to more Wheeler/McDonald lineups, as there'd be less worry about when it comes to staggering ball-handlers. Regardless, I can't wait for more of that duo, and I'm sure Coach Wright wants to see more too.</p>
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<p>McDonald's confidence has been awesome to see. She scored 15 points just three times last year; it was her season-high as a rookie. This year, she has already surpassed that three times. In her three games as a starter, McDonald is averaging 17.3 points per game on 56.2% True Shooting along with 5.0 assists per game.</p>
<p>The best way I've found to describe Aari's game is <span style="font-weight: 400;">uninterrupted</span>. She is always moving on or off the ball. If she's walled off, she's pivoting and heading a new direction or moving the ball, but she's also been quite good at picking her spots to attack the basket. Despite her small stature, she puts a dent in the defense in a way no one else does for the Dream. Her swarming nature collapses lanes and opens pathways for off-ball players to attack that wouldn't be there without her ability to generate paint touches and rim pressure.</p>
<p>This possession early last night against the Chicago Sky is indicative of McDonald's persistence as an offensive presence.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/90zg0p" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Even though she misses the attempt at the rim, her lack of indecisiveness and ability to make plays with quickness gives her and the Dream an advantage. The defense takes a half-second to breath after the initial stop. McDonald erases that half-second stoppage to make the most of her skill set. She puts awesome velocity on passes, often throws well into the shooting pocket and has very good awareness of where her outlets are.</p>
<p>A few possessions later, Aari finds herself in a late-clock situation without the ball. AD gets a ball screen from Cheyenne Parker and the Sky late switch to neutralize the action. But wait! There's an open Aari McDonald in the slot!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/70po5s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Replacing/relocating to the perimeter on a drive or roll is a great way to catch a defender napping, and McDonald executes it with guile.</p>
<p>Toggling on and off the ball with efficacy makes it that much harder to guard you (cough cough, Kelsey Plum this season). Adding in movement off the ball along with considerable on-ball creation leads to swelling gravity well as defenses account for her as a shooter.</p>
<p>The Dream are third in the WNBA in pace, according to Her Hoop Stats, and McDonald plays a significant part in that. To say that Aari flies down the court to push the break would be an understatement. She constantly looks for ways to put the defense on their heels.</p>
<p>Advantage maintenance is arguably as important as advantage creation, and McDonald embodies that perspective.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y1st0r" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She has such a good first step, taking Allie Quigley off the dribble without a screen and generating a clean paint touch before the quick flip to Parker.</p>
<p>If McDonald just jogs to the perimeter to respace and set herself, then this is likely not a shot as Quigley reconnects and keeps Aari in front. The constant movement and readiness keeps the initial advantage open.</p>
<p>Her continued flashes of synergy with Rhyne Howard should have Dream fans excited about the future of the organization.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Aari McDonald to Rhyne Howard connection is showing some dope flashes<br /><br />It sucks that Erica is out, but cool to see Aari with some more run. Got into the paint like crazy in this game and Rhyne's off-ball movement syncs so well with that <a href="https://t.co/xd8JYkDs7T">pic.twitter.com/xd8JYkDs7T</a></p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1536705163397939200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The way she collapses the paint and constantly scans the floor meshed with Howard's fluid off-ball movement and shooting prowess (she's already one of the best shooters in the league as a rookie) is so tantalizing when contemplating how this team is constructed.</p>
<p>Howard has the makings of an elite shot creator, but she has limitations as a an initial bender of the defense. She doesn't have the blend of handle and burst to break down defenses and set it into rotation consistently yet. Pairing with McDonald, who can toggle on and off the ball, push the pace and relocate, is about as ideal a running mate as you can imagine for Howard.</p>
<p>Atlanta has most utilized Howard out of screens and flowing off the ball into on-the-ball actions (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-out-sabrina-ionescu-playmaking-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similarly to Sabrina Ionescu in June</a>), and McDonald is perhaps the best guard on the team in terms of creating the paint touches to draw the defense the most.</p>
<p>As Howard continues to work toward high levels of shot creation, surrounding her with secondary shot creators is paramount. One of the best ways to open up a creator is to force the defense to deal with another!</p>
<p>The Dream have a much brighter future compared to what it may have seemed last season. Organizational overhaul deserves due credit, as does Howard's immediate emergence as a star. But be sure to keep note of Aari McDonald's play and improvements, as she's played a significant part in Atlanta's 2022 stability while also providing more reason for optimism of the team's future.</p>
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<p>To put it bluntly, the Atlanta Dream were a mess last season. Off-court drama, season-long suspensions and poor play culminated in one of the worst seasons in Atlanta's franchise history.</p>
<p>Things are different for the Dream in 2022. Tanisha Wright's established a hard-nosed defensive identity that's embodied by the roster. The team features more veteran players and is led by the top selection in the 2022 WNBA Draft, Rhyne Howard.</p>
<p>Howard has rightfully <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken many of the headlines</a> out of Atlanta, as she has all but locked up the Rookie of the Year award and has a good chance at an All-Star nod. Howard's off-ball play and shooting gravity have made her an incredibly lethal and dynamic offensive outlet from day one, with the potential for extremely high levels of shot creation.</p>
<p>However, lately, the play of Aari McDonald has shone through in droves. The No. 3 overall pick in 2021, McDonald struggled to find her footing last season as a rookie, but the flashes of yesteryear have parlayed into more consistent creation and play in 2022.</p>
<p>McDonald was already playing more this year and had cemented a higher place in the rotation, but with Erica Wheeler out due to an injury suffered against the Seattle Storm, McDonald's commanded an even greater chunk of playing time and usage. While Wheeler's absence hurts a great deal in the moment (get well soon!), McDonald's expanded role has turned my head.</p>
<p>There are viable reasons for McDonald to come off the bench: Kristy Wallace has a bit more size, and she and Wheeler have fit pretty well together as a starting backcourt. Wallace is more of an off-ball guard and ball-mover, so loading up the starting lineup with all of Atlanta's shot creation can make subbing patterns a little different (not saying I necessarily agree, rather that I get the ideology).</p>
<p>According to PBP Stats, lineups featuring both McDonald and Wheeler outscore opposition by 9.7 points per 100 possessions, largely on the back of a stellar 83.75 defensive rating crafted in the 120 minutes they've played together. When Tiffany Hayes (a really good player) returns, it will make things even more interesting, as she's started in all but seven games she's played for Atlanta since 2014. I actually think Hayes' eventual return could lead to more Wheeler/McDonald lineups, as there'd be less worry about when it comes to staggering ball-handlers. Regardless, I can't wait for more of that duo, and I'm sure Coach Wright wants to see more too.</p>
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<p>McDonald's confidence has been awesome to see. She scored 15 points just three times last year; it was her season-high as a rookie. This year, she has already surpassed that three times. In her three games as a starter, McDonald is averaging 17.3 points per game on 56.2% True Shooting along with 5.0 assists per game.</p>
<p>The best way I've found to describe Aari's game is <span style="font-weight: 400;">uninterrupted</span>. She is always moving on or off the ball. If she's walled off, she's pivoting and heading a new direction or moving the ball, but she's also been quite good at picking her spots to attack the basket. Despite her small stature, she puts a dent in the defense in a way no one else does for the Dream. Her swarming nature collapses lanes and opens pathways for off-ball players to attack that wouldn't be there without her ability to generate paint touches and rim pressure.</p>
<p>This possession early last night against the Chicago Sky is indicative of McDonald's persistence as an offensive presence.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/90zg0p" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Even though she misses the attempt at the rim, her lack of indecisiveness and ability to make plays with quickness gives her and the Dream an advantage. The defense takes a half-second to breath after the initial stop. McDonald erases that half-second stoppage to make the most of her skill set. She puts awesome velocity on passes, often throws well into the shooting pocket and has very good awareness of where her outlets are.</p>
<p>A few possessions later, Aari finds herself in a late-clock situation without the ball. AD gets a ball screen from Cheyenne Parker and the Sky late switch to neutralize the action. But wait! There's an open Aari McDonald in the slot!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/70po5s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Replacing/relocating to the perimeter on a drive or roll is a great way to catch a defender napping, and McDonald executes it with guile.</p>
<p>Toggling on and off the ball with efficacy makes it that much harder to guard you (cough cough, Kelsey Plum this season). Adding in movement off the ball along with considerable on-ball creation leads to swelling gravity as defenses account for her as a shooter.</p>
<p>The Dream are third in the WNBA in pace, according to Her Hoop Stats, and McDonald plays a significant part in that. To say that Aari flies down the court to push the break would be an understatement. She constantly looks for ways to put the defense on their heels.</p>
<p>Advantage maintenance is arguably as important as advantage creation, and McDonald embodies that perspective.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y1st0r" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She has such a good first step, taking Allie Quigley off the dribble without a screen and generating a clean paint touch before the quick flip to Parker.</p>
<p>If McDonald just jogs to the perimeter to respace and set herself, then this is likely not a shot as Quigley reconnects and keeps Aari in front. The constant movement and readiness keeps the initial advantage open.</p>
<p>Her continued flashes of synergy with Rhyne Howard should have Dream fans excited about the future of the organization.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Aari McDonald to Rhyne Howard connection is showing some dope flashes<br /><br />It sucks that Erica is out, but cool to see Aari with some more run. Got into the paint like crazy in this game and Rhyne's off-ball movement syncs so well with that <a href="https://t.co/xd8JYkDs7T">pic.twitter.com/xd8JYkDs7T</a></p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1536705163397939200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The way she collapses the paint and constantly scans the floor meshed with Howard's fluid off-ball movement and shooting prowess (she's already one of the best shooters in the league as a rookie) is so tantalizing when contemplating how this team is constructed.</p>
<p>Howard has the makings of an elite shot creator, but she has limitations as a an initial bender of the defense. She doesn't have the blend of handle and burst to break down defenses and set it into rotation consistently yet. Pairing with McDonald, who can toggle on and off the ball, push the pace and relocate, is about as ideal a running mate as you can imagine for Howard.</p>
<p>Atlanta has most utilized Howard out of screens and flowing off the ball into on-the-ball actions (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-out-sabrina-ionescu-playmaking-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similarly to Sabrina Ionescu in June</a>), and McDonald is perhaps the best guard on the team in terms of creating the paint touches to draw the defense the most.</p>
<p>As Howard continues to work toward high levels of shot creation, surrounding her with secondary shot creators is paramount. One of the best ways to open up a creator is to force the defense to deal with another!</p>
<p>The Dream have a much brighter future compared to what it may have seemed last season. Organizational overhaul deserves due credit, as does Howard's immediate emergence as a star. But be sure to keep note of Aari McDonald's play and improvements, as she's played a significant part in Atlanta's 2022 stability while also providing more reason for optimism of the team's future.</p>
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Second-year guard Aari McDonald is finding a rhythm with the Atlanta Dream and her potential is shining bright.

Aari McDonald's uninterrupted persistence for the Atlanta Dream

<p>The 2022 WNBA rookie class has continually impressed on a multitude of fronts a third of the way through the season.</p>
<p>Atypical rookies like Kristy Wallace and Rebekah Gardner, who entered the league with a wealth of overseas play, are already playing a fundamental role on playoff teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Aisha Sheppard (Las Vegas), Jasmine Dickey (Dallas), Evina Westbrook (Minnesota), and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (Los Angeles) have all shown glimpses as second- and third-round picks to varying degrees.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Indiana Fever superclass has been electric. NaLyssa Smith looks like someone who could grow into one of the best scorers in the league. Queen Egbo has impressed me greatly, blowing away rookie-year expectations with her stellar defense. Destanni Henderson should have been a first-round pick (and I'll die on that hill!). Emily Engstler has some of the most intriguing flashes and upside in the class, and I have no idea what to project her as going forward. Lexie Hull's minutes have been inconsistent, but the idea of what she can be in the league is clear as day.</p>
<p>Veronica Burton's defense has been fantastic for a Wings team trying to establish an aggressive scheme and mentality. The flashes she has shown as a steady hand in the halfcourt have been impressive as well, and her scoring and shooting are coming along too (she has as many threes in the past two games as she had in the first 11!).</p>
<p>There are multiple first-rounders whom we haven't even seen in extended minutes due to rotation crunches (Kierstan Bell) and injuries (Rae Burrell and Nyara Sabally).</p>
<p>Atlanta Dream forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rhyne Howard</a> has taken the league by storm, already cementing herself as one of the better perimeter players in the WNBA. She could make the All-Star team or All-Defensive team as a rookie and I wouldn't bat an eye.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Building our foundation for this season AND next.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllAboardToTheFuture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllAboardToTheFuture</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/Amtrak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@amtrak</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Fge9u77j7">pic.twitter.com/6Fge9u77j7</a></p>
&mdash; Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1511796682215800840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
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<p>Based on the way Howard and No. 3 overall pick Shakira Austin have played thus far, this is a trade we're going to retrospectively debate for years to come.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Howard has been sensational for the Dream, and while Austin's box score isn't as gaudy and she doesn't create offense in the same way, her impact has arguably been as strong for the Mystics. I'm not interested in pitting the two against one another and going "____ won the trade because ____ is better than _____!"</p>
<p>We are not even a full year into their careers! It's too early for that! But it's important to note that while Howard is rightfully a runaway for Rookie of the Year at the moment, Austin has been vital for a team in contention, earning a starting role and showing bright flashes of her offensive upside as well.</p>
<p>On/off stats are imperfect. They shouldn't be taken at face value, but they're a notable point of reference when considering state of play. Among players who have played at least 200 minutes in the 2022 WNBA season, only six players have an on/off swing of +22 or higher: A'ja Wilson, Ariel Atkins, Brianna Turner, Chelsea Gray, Sabrina Ionescu and Shakira Austin. That's pretty incredible company!</p>
<p>The Mystics' offense (+16.67) and defense (+12.44) perform substantially better with Austin on the court, per PBP Stats.</p>
<p>As she showcased last night against the Phoenix Mercury, she's adept at flowing within the offense. Her screening and rolling along with intuitive cutting make her a remarkably effective spacer in spite of not being a shooter out to the arc. Quick decisions and intuitive decisions that work within the offense are arguably as impactful as shooting, especially when a player with Austin's size and fluidity is making them.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nl3va6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Austin makes some fantastic connective passes within the offense, an incredibly important aspect for someone functioning primarily as an offensive outlet.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Her face-up drives both off the catch and from a standstill have impressed. Her ball control and strides at her size make her a difficult cover for bigger 5s, but her strength to mash a smaller defender provides an equal challenge for defenses. Her footwork is already incredibly advanced as a rookie, both on the roll and in the post. Her coordination at 6-foot-5 is kind of insane!</p>
<p>Send a blitz at Natasha Cloud or Ariel Atkins, and Shakira can slip and cover that ground to the rim just as quickly as you took it away.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3c0u4v" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She's made some stellar live-dribble passes on the roll and on drives that make me extremely excited about her playmaking potential as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Austin's defense has been equally adept. Off rip, the shot-blocking and rim protection has translated (7th in the league in total blocks per Her Hoop Stats), but her pick and roll defense has been huge for a team built on the back of it's ability to contain the ball. She already has shown good feel for showing and recovering, playing near the level of the screen, and particularly roaming weak-side.</p>
<p>Watch the first stab playing close to the level against Courtney Vandersloot in pick and roll. Her hand activity keeps improving and her reaction time and recovery tools give her top notch margin for error.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zp2ks0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Most of her fouls have come from overaggression, or general timing on late contests, largely on switches or against smaller wings and guards. Austin has shown the ability to switch in a pinch and ride out drivers to the rim, but honign that aggression will be huge in developing that versatility.</p>
<p>What Shakira Austin has brought the Mystics from day one as a rookie cannot be understated. She's played even better defense than former first team All-Defense member Elizabeth Williams (who has been very good in her own right!) and solidifed a starting spot. The sky is the limit on what she can be, and although she's been in a more contained role in DC, it's clear that there's a great deal of untapped potential that continues to be excavated game by game. Shakira Austin is already a problem in the league, and her culmination of skills, size, aptitude, and demeanor make her one of the most exciting prospects and young players in the WNBA.</p>

<p>The 2022 WNBA rookie class has continually impressed on a multitude of fronts a third of the way through the season.</p>
<p>Atypical rookies like Kristy Wallace and Rebekah Gardner, who entered the league with a wealth of overseas play, are already playing a fundamental role on playoff teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Aisha Sheppard (Las Vegas), Jasmine Dickey (Dallas), Evina Westbrook (Minnesota), and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (Los Angeles) have all shown glimpses as second- and third-round picks to varying degrees.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Indiana Fever superclass has been electric. NaLyssa Smith looks like someone who could grow into one of the best scorers in the league. Queen Egbo has impressed me greatly, blowing away rookie-year expectations with her stellar defense. Destanni Henderson should have been a first-round pick (and I'll die on that hill!). Emily Engstler has some of the most intriguing flashes and upside in the class, and I have no idea what to project her as going forward. Lexie Hull's minutes have been inconsistent, but the idea of what she can be in the league is clear as day.</p>
<p>Veronica Burton's defense has been fantastic for a Wings team trying to establish an aggressive scheme and mentality. The flashes she has shown as a steady hand in the halfcourt have been impressive as well, and her scoring and shooting are coming along too (she has as many threes in the past two games as she had in the first 11!).</p>
<p>There are multiple first-rounders whom we haven't even seen in extended minutes due to rotation crunches (Kierstan Bell) and injuries (Rae Burrell and Nyara Sabally).</p>
<p>Atlanta Dream forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rhyne Howard</a> has taken the league by storm, already cementing herself as one of the better perimeter players in the WNBA. She could make the All-Star team or All-Defensive team as a rookie and I wouldn't bat an eye.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Building our foundation for this season AND next.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllAboardToTheFuture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllAboardToTheFuture</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/Amtrak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@amtrak</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Fge9u77j7">pic.twitter.com/6Fge9u77j7</a></p>
&mdash; Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1511796682215800840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Based on the way Howard and No. 3 overall pick Shakira Austin have played thus far, this is a trade we're going to retrospectively debate for years to come.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Howard has been sensational for the Dream, and while Austin's box score isn't as gaudy and she doesn't create offense in the same way, her impact has arguably been as strong for the Mystics. I'm not interested in pitting the two against one another and going "____ won the trade because ____ is better than _____!"</p>
<p>We are not even a full year into their careers! It's too early for that! But it's important to note that while Howard is rightfully a runaway for Rookie of the Year at the moment, Austin has been vital for a team in contention, earning a starting role and showing bright flashes of her offensive upside as well.</p>
<p>On/off stats are imperfect. They shouldn't be taken at face value, but they're a notable point of reference when considering state of play. Among players who have played at least 200 minutes in the 2022 WNBA season, only six players have an on/off swing of +22 or higher: A'ja Wilson, Ariel Atkins, Brianna Turner, Chelsea Gray, Sabrina Ionescu and Shakira Austin. That's pretty incredible company!</p>
<p>The Mystics' offense (+16.67) and defense (+12.44) perform substantially better with Austin on the court, per PBP Stats.</p>
<p>As she showcased last night against the Phoenix Mercury, she's adept at flowing within the offense. Her screening and rolling along with intuitive cutting make her a remarkably effective spacer in spite of not being a shooter out to the arc. Quick decisions and intuitive decisions that work within the offense are arguably as impactful as shooting, especially when a player with Austin's size and fluidity is making them.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nl3va6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Austin makes some fantastic connective passes within the offense, an incredibly important aspect for someone functioning primarily as an offensive outlet.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Her face-up drives both off the catch and from a standstill have impressed. Her ball control and strides at her size make her a difficult cover for bigger 5s, but her strength to mash a smaller defender provides an equal challenge for defenses. Her footwork is already incredibly advanced as a rookie, both on the roll and in the post. Her coordination at 6-foot-5 is kind of insane!</p>
<p>Send a blitz at Natasha Cloud or Ariel Atkins, and Shakira can slip and cover that ground to the rim just as quickly as you took it away.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3c0u4v" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She's made some stellar live-dribble passes on the roll and on drives that make me extremely excited about her playmaking potential as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Austin's defense has been equally adept. Off rip, the shot-blocking and rim protection has translated (seventh in the league in total blocks, per Her Hoop Stats), but her pick and roll defense has been huge for a team built on the back of it's ability to contain the ball. She already has shown good feel for showing and recovering, playing near the level of the screen, and particularly roaming weak-side.</p>
<p>Watch the first stab playing close to the level against Courtney Vandersloot in pick and roll. Her hand activity keeps improving and her reaction time and recovery tools give her top notch margin for error.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zp2ks0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Most of her fouls have come from overaggression, or general timing on late contests, largely on switches or against smaller wings and guards. Austin has shown the ability to switch in a pinch and ride out drivers to the rim, but honign that aggression will be huge in developing that versatility.</p>
<p>What Shakira Austin has brought the Mystics from day one as a rookie cannot be understated. She's played even better defense than former first team All-Defense member Elizabeth Williams (who has been very good in her own right!) and solidifed a starting spot. The sky is the limit on what she can be, and although she's been in a more contained role in DC, it's clear that there's a great deal of untapped potential that continues to be excavated game by game. Shakira Austin is already a problem in the league, and her culmination of skills, size, aptitude, and demeanor make her one of the most exciting prospects and young players in the WNBA.</p>

<p>The 2022 WNBA rookie class has continually impressed on a multitude of fronts a third of the way through the season.</p>
<p>Atypical rookies like Kristy Wallace and Rebekah Gardner, who entered the league with a wealth of overseas play, are already playing a fundamental role on playoff teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Aisha Sheppard (Las Vegas), Jasmine Dickey (Dallas), Evina Westbrook (Minnesota), and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (Los Angeles) have all shown glimpses as second- and third-round picks to varying degrees.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Indiana Fever superclass has been electric. NaLyssa Smith looks like someone who could grow into one of the best scorers in the league. Queen Egbo has impressed me greatly, blowing away rookie-year expectations with her stellar defense. Destanni Henderson should have been a first-round pick (and I'll die on that hill!). Emily Engstler has some of the most intriguing flashes and upside in the class, and I have no idea what to project her as going forward. Lexie Hull's minutes have been inconsistent, but the idea of what she can be in the league is clear as day.</p>
<p>Veronica Burton's defense has been fantastic for a Wings team trying to establish an aggressive scheme and mentality. The flashes she has shown as a steady hand in the halfcourt have been impressive as well, and her scoring and shooting are coming along too (she has as many threes in the past two games as she had in the first 11!).</p>
<p>There are multiple first-rounders whom we haven't even seen in extended minutes due to rotation crunches (Kierstan Bell) and injuries (Rae Burrell and Nyara Sabally).</p>
<p>Atlanta Dream forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rhyne Howard</a> has taken the league by storm, already cementing herself as one of the better perimeter players in the WNBA. She could make the All-Star team or All-Defensive team as a rookie and I wouldn't bat an eye.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Building our foundation for this season AND next.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllAboardToTheFuture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllAboardToTheFuture</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/Amtrak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@amtrak</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Fge9u77j7">pic.twitter.com/6Fge9u77j7</a></p>
&mdash; Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1511796682215800840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Based on the way Howard and No. 3 overall pick Shakira Austin have played thus far, this is a trade we're going to retrospectively debate for years to come.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Howard has been sensational for the Dream, and while Austin's box score isn't as gaudy and she doesn't create offense in the same way, her impact has arguably been as strong for the Mystics. I'm not interested in pitting the two against one another and going "____ won the trade because ____ is better than _____!"</p>
<p>We are not even a full year into their careers! It's too early for that! But it's important to note that while Howard is rightfully a runaway for Rookie of the Year at the moment, Austin has been vital for a team in contention, earning a starting role and showing bright flashes of her offensive upside as well.</p>
<p>On/off stats are imperfect. They shouldn't be taken at face value, but they're a notable point of reference when considering state of play. Among players who have played at least 200 minutes in the 2022 WNBA season, only six players have an on/off swing of +22 or higher: A'ja Wilson, Ariel Atkins, Brianna Turner, Chelsea Gray, Sabrina Ionescu and Shakira Austin. That's pretty incredible company!</p>
<p>The Mystics' offense (+16.67) and defense (+12.44) perform substantially better with Austin on the court, per PBP Stats.</p>
<p>As she showcased last night against the Phoenix Mercury, she's adept at flowing within the offense. Her screening and rolling along with intuitive cutting make her a remarkably effective spacer in spite of not being a shooter out to the arc. Quick decisions and intuitive decisions that work within the offense are arguably as impactful as shooting, especially when a player with Austin's size and fluidity is making them.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nl3va6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Austin makes some fantastic connective passes within the offense, an incredibly important aspect for someone functioning primarily as an offensive outlet.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Her face-up drives both off the catch and from a standstill have impressed. Her ball control and strides at her size make her a difficult cover for bigger 5s, but her strength to mash a smaller defender provides an equal challenge for defenses. Her footwork is already incredibly advanced as a rookie, both on the roll and in the post. Her coordination at 6-foot-5 is kind of insane!</p>
<p>Send a blitz at Natasha Cloud or Ariel Atkins, and Shakira can slip and cover that ground to the rim just as quickly as you took it away.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3c0u4v" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She's made some stellar live-dribble passes on the roll and on drives that make me extremely excited about her playmaking potential as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Austin's defense has been equally adept. Off rip, the shot-blocking and rim protection has translated (seventh in the league in total blocks, per Her Hoop Stats), but her pick-and-roll defense has been huge for a team built on the back of it's ability to contain the ball. She already has shown good feel for showing and recovering, playing near the level of the screen, and particularly roaming weak-side.</p>
<p>Watch the first stab playing close to the level against Courtney Vandersloot in pick-and-roll. Her hand activity keeps improving, and her reaction time and recovery tools give her top notch margin for error.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zp2ks0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Most of her fouls have come from overaggression, or general timing on late contests, largely on switches or against smaller wings and guards. Austin has shown the ability to switch in a pinch and ride out drivers to the rim, but honign that aggression will be huge in developing that versatility.</p>
<p>What Shakira Austin has brought the Mystics from day one as a rookie cannot be understated. She's played even better defense than former first team All-Defense member Elizabeth Williams (who has been very good in her own right!) and solidifed a starting spot. The sky is the limit on what she can be, and although she's been in a more contained role in DC, it's clear that there's a great deal of untapped potential that continues to be excavated game by game. Shakira Austin is already a problem in the league, and her culmination of skills, size, aptitude, and demeanor make her one of the most exciting prospects and young players in the WNBA.</p>

<p>The 2022 WNBA rookie class has continually impressed on a multitude of fronts a third of the way through the season.</p>
<p>Atypical rookies like Kristy Wallace and Rebekah Gardner, who entered the league with a wealth of overseas play, are already playing a fundamental role on playoff teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Aisha Sheppard (Las Vegas), Jasmine Dickey (Dallas), Evina Westbrook (Minnesota), and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (Los Angeles) have all shown glimpses as second- and third-round picks to varying degrees.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Indiana Fever superclass has been electric. NaLyssa Smith looks like someone who could grow into one of the best scorers in the league. Queen Egbo has impressed me greatly, blowing away rookie-year expectations with her stellar defense. Destanni Henderson should have been a first-round pick (and I'll die on that hill!). Emily Engstler has some of the most intriguing flashes and upside in the class, and I have no idea what to project her as going forward. Lexie Hull's minutes have been inconsistent, but the idea of what she can be in the league is clear as day.</p>
<p>Veronica Burton's defense has been fantastic for a Wings team trying to establish an aggressive scheme and mentality. The flashes she has shown as a steady hand in the halfcourt have been impressive as well, and her scoring and shooting are coming along too (she has as many threes in the past two games as she had in the first 11!).</p>
<p>There are multiple first-rounders whom we haven't even seen in extended minutes due to rotation crunches (Kierstan Bell) and injuries (Rae Burrell and Nyara Sabally).</p>
<p>Atlanta Dream forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rhyne Howard</a> has taken the league by storm, already cementing herself as one of the better perimeter players in the WNBA. She could make the All-Star team or All-Defensive team as a rookie and I wouldn't bat an eye.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Building our foundation for this season AND next.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllAboardToTheFuture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllAboardToTheFuture</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/Amtrak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@amtrak</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Fge9u77j7">pic.twitter.com/6Fge9u77j7</a></p>
&mdash; Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1511796682215800840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Based on the way Howard and No. 3 overall pick Shakira Austin have played thus far, this is a trade we're going to retrospectively debate for years to come.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Howard has been sensational for the Dream, and while Austin's box score isn't as gaudy and she doesn't create offense in the same way, her impact has arguably been as strong for the Mystics. I'm not interested in pitting the two against one another and going "____ won the trade because ____ is better than _____!"</p>
<p>We are not even a full year into their careers! It's too early for that! But it's important to note that while Howard is rightfully a runaway for Rookie of the Year at the moment, Austin has been vital for a team in contention, earning a starting role and showing bright flashes of her offensive upside as well.</p>
<p>On/off stats are imperfect. They shouldn't be taken at face value, but they're a notable point of reference when considering state of play. Among players who have played at least 200 minutes in the 2022 WNBA season, only six players have an on/off swing of +22 or higher: A'ja Wilson, Ariel Atkins, Brianna Turner, Chelsea Gray, Sabrina Ionescu and Shakira Austin. That's pretty incredible company!</p>
<p>The Mystics' offense (+16.67) and defense (+12.44) perform substantially better with Austin on the court, per PBP Stats.</p>
<p>As she showcased last night against the Phoenix Mercury, she's adept at flowing within the offense. Her screening and rolling along with intuitive cutting make her a remarkably effective spacer in spite of not being a shooter out to the arc. Quick decisions and intuitive decisions that work within the offense are arguably as impactful as shooting, especially when a player with Austin's size and fluidity is making them.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nl3va6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Austin makes some fantastic connective passes within the offense, an incredibly important aspect for someone functioning primarily as an offensive outlet.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Her face-up drives both off the catch and from a standstill have impressed. Her ball control and strides at her size make her a difficult cover for bigger 5s, but her strength to mash a smaller defender provides an equal challenge for defenses. Her footwork is already incredibly advanced as a rookie, both on the roll and in the post. Her coordination at 6-foot-5 is kind of insane!</p>
<p>Send a blitz at Natasha Cloud or Ariel Atkins, and Shakira can slip and cover that ground to the rim just as quickly as you took it away.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3c0u4v" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She's made some stellar live-dribble passes on the roll and on drives that make me extremely excited about her playmaking potential as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Austin's defense has been equally adept. Off rip, the shot-blocking and rim protection has translated (seventh in the league in total blocks, per Her Hoop Stats), but her pick-and-roll defense has been huge for a team built on the back of it's ability to contain the ball. She already has shown good feel for showing and recovering, playing near the level of the screen, and particularly roaming weak-side.</p>
<p>Watch the first stab playing close to the level against Courtney Vandersloot in pick-and-roll. Her hand activity keeps improving, and her reaction time and recovery tools give her top-notch margin for error.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zp2ks0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Most of her fouls have come from overaggression or general timing on late contests, largely on switches or against smaller wings and guards. Austin has shown the ability to switch in a pinch and ride out drivers to the rim, but honign that aggression will be huge in developing that versatility.</p>
<p>What Shakira Austin has brought the Mystics from day one as a rookie cannot be understated. She's played even better defense than former first team All-Defense member Elizabeth Williams (who has been very good in her own right!) and solidifed a starting spot. The sky is the limit on what she can be, and although she's been in a more contained role in DC, it's clear that there's a great deal of untapped potential that continues to be excavated game by game. Shakira Austin is already a problem in the league, and her culmination of skills, size, aptitude, and demeanor make her one of the most exciting prospects and young players in the WNBA.</p>

<p>The 2022 WNBA rookie class has continually impressed on a multitude of fronts a third of the way through the season.</p>
<p>Atypical rookies like Kristy Wallace and Rebekah Gardner, who entered the league with a wealth of overseas play, are already playing a fundamental role on playoff teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Aisha Sheppard (Las Vegas), Jasmine Dickey (Dallas), Evina Westbrook (Minnesota), and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (Los Angeles) have all shown glimpses as second- and third-round picks to varying degrees.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Indiana Fever superclass has been electric. NaLyssa Smith looks like someone who could grow into one of the best scorers in the league. Queen Egbo has impressed me greatly, blowing away rookie-year expectations with her stellar defense. Destanni Henderson should have been a first-round pick (and I'll die on that hill!). Emily Engstler has some of the most intriguing flashes and upside in the class, and I have no idea what to project her as going forward. Lexie Hull's minutes have been inconsistent, but the idea of what she can be in the league is clear as day.</p>
<p>Veronica Burton's defense has been fantastic for a Wings team trying to establish an aggressive scheme and mentality. The flashes she has shown as a steady hand in the halfcourt have been impressive as well, and her scoring and shooting are coming along too (she has as many threes in the past two games as she had in the first 11!).</p>
<p>There are multiple first-rounders whom we haven't even seen in extended minutes due to rotation crunches (Kierstan Bell) and injuries (Rae Burrell and Nyara Sabally).</p>
<p>Atlanta Dream forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rhyne Howard</a> has taken the league by storm, already cementing herself as one of the better perimeter players in the WNBA. She could make the All-Star team or All-Defensive team as a rookie and I wouldn't bat an eye.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Building our foundation for this season AND next.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllAboardToTheFuture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllAboardToTheFuture</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/Amtrak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@amtrak</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Fge9u77j7">pic.twitter.com/6Fge9u77j7</a></p>
&mdash; Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1511796682215800840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Based on the way Howard and No. 3 overall pick Shakira Austin have played thus far, this is a trade we're going to retrospectively debate for years to come.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Howard has been sensational for the Dream, and while Austin's box score isn't as gaudy and she doesn't create offense in the same way, her impact has arguably been as strong for the Mystics. I'm not interested in pitting the two against one another and going "____ won the trade because ____ is better than _____!"</p>
<p>We are not even a full year into their careers! It's too early for that! But it's important to note that while Howard is rightfully a runaway for Rookie of the Year at the moment, Austin has been vital for a team in contention, earning a starting role and showing bright flashes of her offensive upside as well.</p>
<p>On/off stats are imperfect. They shouldn't be taken at face value, but they're a notable point of reference when considering state of play. Among players who have played at least 200 minutes in the 2022 WNBA season, only six players have an on/off swing of +22 or higher: A'ja Wilson, Ariel Atkins, Brianna Turner, Chelsea Gray, Sabrina Ionescu and Shakira Austin. That's pretty incredible company!</p>
<p>The Mystics' offense (+16.67) and defense (+12.44) perform substantially better with Austin on the court, per PBP Stats.</p>
<p>As she showcased last night against the Phoenix Mercury, she's adept at flowing within the offense. Her screening and rolling along with intuitive cutting make her a remarkably effective spacer in spite of not being a shooter out to the arc. Quick decisions and intuitive decisions that work within the offense are arguably as impactful as shooting, especially when a player with Austin's size and fluidity is making them.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nl3va6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Austin makes some fantastic connective passes within the offense, an incredibly important aspect for someone functioning primarily as an offensive outlet.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Her face-up drives both off the catch and from a standstill have impressed. Her ball control and strides at her size make her a difficult cover for bigger 5s, but her strength to mash a smaller defender provides an equal challenge for defenses. Her footwork is already incredibly advanced as a rookie, both on the roll and in the post. Her coordination at 6-foot-5 is kind of insane!</p>
<p>Send a blitz at Natasha Cloud or Ariel Atkins, and Shakira can slip and cover that ground to the rim just as quickly as you took it away.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3c0u4v" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She's made some stellar live-dribble passes on the roll and on drives that make me extremely excited about her playmaking potential as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Austin's defense has been equally adept. Off rip, the shot-blocking and rim protection has translated (seventh in the league in total blocks, per Her Hoop Stats), but her pick-and-roll defense has been huge for a team built on the back of it's ability to contain the ball. She already has shown good feel for showing and recovering, playing near the level of the screen, and particularly roaming weak-side.</p>
<p>Watch the first stab playing close to the level against Courtney Vandersloot in pick-and-roll. Her hand activity keeps improving, and her reaction time and recovery tools give her top-notch margin for error.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zp2ks0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Most of her fouls have come from overaggression or general timing on late contests, largely on switches or against smaller wings and guards. Austin has shown the ability to switch in a pinch and ride out drivers to the rim, but honing that aggression will be huge in developing that versatility.</p>
<p>What Austin has brought the Mystics from day one as a rookie cannot be understated. She's played even better defense than former First Team All-Defensive member Elizabeth Williams (who has been very good in her own right!) and solidifed a starting spot. The sky is the limit on what she can be, and although she's been in a more contained role in DC, it's clear that there's a great deal of untapped potential that continues to be excavated game by game.</p>
<p>Shakira Austin is already a problem in the league, and her culmination of skills, size, aptitude, and demeanor make her one of the most exciting prospects and young players in the WNBA.</p>

<p>The 2022 WNBA rookie class has continually impressed on a multitude of fronts a third of the way through the season.</p>
<p>Atypical rookies like Kristy Wallace and Rebekah Gardner, who entered the league with a wealth of overseas play, are already playing a fundamental role on playoff teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Aisha Sheppard (Las Vegas), Jasmine Dickey (Dallas), Evina Westbrook (Minnesota), and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (Los Angeles) have all shown glimpses as second- and third-round picks to varying degrees.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Indiana Fever superclass has been electric. NaLyssa Smith looks like someone who could grow into one of the best scorers in the league. Queen Egbo has impressed me greatly, blowing away rookie-year expectations with her stellar defense. Destanni Henderson should have been a first-round pick (and I'll die on that hill!). Emily Engstler has some of the most intriguing flashes and upside in the class, and I have no idea what to project her as going forward. Lexie Hull's minutes have been inconsistent, but the idea of what she can be in the league is clear as day.</p>
<p>Veronica Burton's defense has been fantastic for a Wings team trying to establish an aggressive scheme and mentality. The flashes she has shown as a steady hand in the halfcourt have been impressive as well, and her scoring and shooting are coming along too (she has as many threes in the past two games as she had in the first 11!).</p>
<p>There are multiple first-rounders whom we haven't even seen in extended minutes due to rotation crunches (Kierstan Bell) and injuries (Rae Burrell and Nyara Sabally).</p>
<p>Atlanta Dream forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rhyne Howard</a> has taken the league by storm, already cementing herself as one of the better perimeter players in the WNBA. She could make the All-Star team or All-Defensive team as a rookie and I wouldn't bat an eye.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Building our foundation for this season AND next.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllAboardToTheFuture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllAboardToTheFuture</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/Amtrak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@amtrak</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Fge9u77j7">pic.twitter.com/6Fge9u77j7</a></p>
&mdash; Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1511796682215800840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Based on the way Howard and No. 3 overall pick Shakira Austin have played thus far, this is a trade we're going to retrospectively debate for years to come.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Howard has been sensational for the Dream, and while Austin's box score isn't as gaudy and she doesn't create offense in the same way, her impact has arguably been as strong for the Mystics. I'm not interested in pitting the two against one another and going "____ won the trade because ____ is better than _____!"</p>
<p>We are not even a full year into their careers! It's too early for that! But it's important to note that while Howard is rightfully a runaway for Rookie of the Year at the moment, Austin has been vital for a team in contention, earning a starting role and showing bright flashes of her offensive upside as well.</p>
<p>On/off stats are imperfect. They shouldn't be taken at face value, but they're a notable point of reference when considering state of play. Among players who have played at least 200 minutes in the 2022 WNBA season, only six players have an on/off swing of +22 or higher: A'ja Wilson, Ariel Atkins, Brianna Turner, Chelsea Gray, Sabrina Ionescu and Shakira Austin. That's pretty incredible company!</p>
<p>The Mystics' offense (+16.67) and defense (+12.44) perform substantially better with Austin on the court, per PBP Stats.</p>
<p>As she showcased last night against the Phoenix Mercury, she's adept at flowing within the offense. Her screening and rolling along with intuitive cutting make her a remarkably effective spacer in spite of not being a shooter out to the arc. Quick decisions and intuitive decisions that work within the offense are arguably as impactful as shooting, especially when a player with Austin's size and fluidity is making them.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nl3va6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Austin makes some fantastic connective passes within the offense, an incredibly important aspect for someone functioning primarily as an offensive outlet.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Her face-up drives both off the catch and from a standstill have impressed. Her ball control and strides at her size make her a difficult cover for bigger 5s, but her strength to mash a smaller defender provides an equal challenge for defenses. Her footwork is already incredibly advanced as a rookie, both on the roll and in the post. Her coordination at 6-foot-5 is kind of insane!</p>
<p>Send a blitz at Natasha Cloud or Ariel Atkins, and Shakira can slip and cover that ground to the rim just as quickly as you took it away.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3c0u4v" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She's made some stellar live-dribble passes on the roll and on drives that make me extremely excited about her playmaking potential as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Austin's defense has been equally adept. Off rip, the shot-blocking and rim protection has translated (seventh in the league in total blocks, per Her Hoop Stats), but her pick-and-roll defense has been huge for a team built on the back of it's ability to contain the ball. She already has shown good feel for showing and recovering, playing near the level of the screen, and particularly roaming weak-side.</p>
<p>Watch the first stab playing close to the level against Courtney Vandersloot in pick-and-roll. Her hand activity keeps improving, and her reaction time and recovery tools give her top-notch margin for error.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zp2ks0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Most of her fouls have come from overaggression or general timing on late contests, largely on switches or against smaller wings and guards. Austin has shown the ability to switch in a pinch and ride out drivers to the rim, but honing that aggression will be huge in developing that versatility.</p>
<p>What Austin has brought the Mystics from day one as a rookie cannot be understated. She's played even better defense than former First Team All-Defensive member Elizabeth Williams (who has been very good in her own right!) and solidifed a starting spot. The sky is the limit on what she can be, and although she's been in a more contained role in DC, it's clear that there's a great deal of untapped potential that continues to be excavated game by game.</p>
<p>Shakira Austin is already a problem in the league, and her culmination of skills, size, aptitude and demeanor make her one of the most exciting prospects and young players in the WNBA.</p>

<p>The 2022 WNBA rookie class has continually impressed on a multitude of fronts a third of the way through the season.</p>
<p>Atypical rookies like Kristy Wallace and Rebekah Gardner, who entered the league with a wealth of overseas play, are already playing a fundamental role on playoff teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Aisha Sheppard (Las Vegas), Jasmine Dickey (Dallas), Evina Westbrook (Minnesota), and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (Los Angeles) have all shown glimpses as second- and third-round picks to varying degrees.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Indiana Fever superclass has been electric. NaLyssa Smith looks like someone who could grow into one of the best scorers in the league. Queen Egbo has impressed me greatly, blowing away rookie-year expectations with her stellar defense. Destanni Henderson should have been a first-round pick (and I'll die on that hill!). Emily Engstler has some of the most intriguing flashes and upside in the class, and I have no idea what to project her as going forward. Lexie Hull's minutes have been inconsistent, but the idea of what she can be in the league is clear as day.</p>
<p>Veronica Burton's defense has been fantastic for a Wings team trying to establish an aggressive scheme and mentality. The flashes she has shown as a steady hand in the halfcourt have been impressive as well, and her scoring and shooting are coming along too (she has as many threes in the past two games as she had in the first 11!).</p>
<p>There are multiple first-rounders whom we haven't even seen in extended minutes due to rotation crunches (Kierstan Bell) and injuries (Rae Burrell and Nyara Sabally).</p>
<p>Atlanta Dream forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rhyne Howard</a> has taken the league by storm, already cementing herself as one of the better perimeter players in the WNBA. She could make the All-Star team or All-Defensive team as a rookie and I wouldn't bat an eye.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Building our foundation for this season AND next.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllAboardToTheFuture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllAboardToTheFuture</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/Amtrak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@amtrak</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Fge9u77j7">pic.twitter.com/6Fge9u77j7</a></p>
&mdash; Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1511796682215800840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Based on the way Howard and No. 3 overall pick Shakira Austin have played thus far, this is a trade we're going to retrospectively debate for years to come.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Howard has been sensational for the Dream, and while Austin's box score isn't as gaudy and she doesn't create offense in the same way, her impact has arguably been as strong for the Mystics. I'm not interested in pitting the two against one another and going "____ won the trade because ____ is better than _____!"</p>
<p>We are not even a full year into their careers! It's too early for that! But it's important to note that while Howard is rightfully a runaway for Rookie of the Year at the moment, Austin has been vital for a team in contention, earning a starting role and showing bright flashes of her offensive upside as well.</p>
<p>On/off stats are imperfect. They shouldn't be taken at face value, but they're a notable point of reference when considering state of play. Among players who have played at least 200 minutes in the 2022 WNBA season, only six players have an on/off swing of +22 or higher: A'ja Wilson, Ariel Atkins, Brianna Turner, Chelsea Gray, Sabrina Ionescu and Shakira Austin. That's pretty incredible company!</p>
<p>The Mystics' offense (+16.67) and defense (+12.44) perform substantially better with Austin on the court, per PBP Stats.</p>
<p>As she showcased last night against the Phoenix Mercury, she's adept at flowing within the offense. Her screening and rolling along with intuitive cutting make her a remarkably effective spacer in spite of not being a shooter out to the arc. Quick decisions and intuitive decisions that work within the offense are arguably as impactful as shooting, especially when a player with Austin's size and fluidity is making them.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nl3va6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Austin makes some fantastic connective passes within the offense, an incredibly important aspect for someone functioning primarily as an offensive outlet.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Her face-up drives both off the catch and from a standstill have impressed. Her ball control and strides at her size make her a difficult cover for bigger 5s, but her strength to mash a smaller defender provides an equal challenge for defenses. Her footwork is already incredibly advanced as a rookie, both on the roll and in the post. Her coordination at 6-foot-5 is kind of insane!</p>
<p>Send a blitz at Natasha Cloud or Ariel Atkins, and Shakira can slip and cover that ground to the rim just as quickly as you took it away.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3c0u4v" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She's made some stellar live-dribble passes on the roll and on drives that make me extremely excited about her playmaking potential as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Austin's defense has been equally adept. Off rip, the shot-blocking and rim protection has translated (seventh in the league in total blocks, per Her Hoop Stats), but her pick-and-roll defense has been huge for a team built on the back of it's ability to contain the ball. She already has shown good feel for showing and recovering, playing near the level of the screen, and particularly roaming weak-side.</p>
<p>Watch the first stab playing close to the level against Courtney Vandersloot in pick-and-roll. Her hand activity keeps improving, and her reaction time and recovery tools give her top-notch margin for error.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zp2ks0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Most of her fouls have come from overaggression or general timing on late contests, largely on switches or against smaller wings and guards. Austin has shown the ability to switch in a pinch and ride out drivers to the rim, but honing that aggression will be huge in developing that versatility.</p>
<p>What Austin has brought the Mystics from day one as a rookie cannot be understated. She's played even better defense than former First Team All-Defensive member Elizabeth Williams (who has been very good in her own right!) and solidifed a starting spot. The sky is the limit on what she can be, and although she's been in a more contained role in DC, it's clear that there's a great deal of untapped potential that continues to be excavated game by game.</p>
<p>Shakira Austin is already a problem in the league, and her culmination of skills, size, aptitude and demeanor make her one of the most exciting prospects and young players in the WNBA.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 2022 WNBA rookie class has continually impressed on a multitude of fronts a third of the way through the season.</p>
<p>Atypical rookies like Kristy Wallace and Rebekah Gardner, who entered the league with a wealth of overseas play, are already playing a fundamental role on playoff teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Aisha Sheppard (Las Vegas), Jasmine Dickey (Dallas), Evina Westbrook (Minnesota), and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (Los Angeles) have all shown glimpses as second- and third-round picks to varying degrees.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Indiana Fever superclass has been electric. NaLyssa Smith looks like someone who could grow into one of the best scorers in the league. Queen Egbo has impressed me greatly, blowing away rookie-year expectations with her stellar defense. Destanni Henderson should have been a first-round pick (and I'll die on that hill!). Emily Engstler has some of the most intriguing flashes and upside in the class, and I have no idea what to project her as going forward. Lexie Hull's minutes have been inconsistent, but the idea of what she can be in the league is clear as day.</p>
<p>Veronica Burton's defense has been fantastic for a Wings team trying to establish an aggressive scheme and mentality. The flashes she has shown as a steady hand in the halfcourt have been impressive as well, and her scoring and shooting are coming along too (she has as many threes in the past two games as she had in the first 11!).</p>
<p>There are multiple first-rounders whom we haven't even seen in extended minutes due to rotation crunches (Kierstan Bell) and injuries (Rae Burrell and Nyara Sabally).</p>
<p>Atlanta Dream forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rhyne Howard</a> has taken the league by storm, already cementing herself as one of the better perimeter players in the WNBA. She could make the All-Star team or All-Defensive team as a rookie and I wouldn't bat an eye.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Building our foundation for this season AND next.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllAboardToTheFuture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllAboardToTheFuture</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/Amtrak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@amtrak</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Fge9u77j7">pic.twitter.com/6Fge9u77j7</a></p>
&mdash; Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1511796682215800840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Based on the way Howard and No. 3 overall pick Shakira Austin have played thus far, this is a trade we're going to retrospectively debate for years to come.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Howard has been sensational for the Dream, and while Austin's box score isn't as gaudy and she doesn't create offense in the same way, her impact has arguably been as strong for the Mystics. I'm not interested in pitting the two against one another and going "____ won the trade because ____ is better than _____!"</p>
<p>We are not even a full year into their careers! It's too early for that! But it's important to note that while Howard is rightfully a runaway for Rookie of the Year at the moment, Austin has been vital for a team in contention, earning a starting role and showing bright flashes of her offensive upside as well.</p>
<p>On/off stats are imperfect. They shouldn't be taken at face value, but they're a notable point of reference when considering state of play. Among players who have played at least 200 minutes in the 2022 WNBA season, only six players have an on/off swing of +22 or higher: A'ja Wilson, Ariel Atkins, Brianna Turner, Chelsea Gray, Sabrina Ionescu and Shakira Austin. That's pretty incredible company!</p>
<p>The Mystics' offense (+16.67) and defense (+12.44) perform substantially better with Austin on the court, per PBP Stats.</p>
<p>As she showcased last night against the Phoenix Mercury, she's adept at flowing within the offense. Her screening and rolling along with intuitive cutting make her a remarkably effective spacer in spite of not being a shooter out to the arc. Quick decisions and intuitive decisions that work within the offense are arguably as impactful as shooting, especially when a player with Austin's size and fluidity is making them.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nl3va6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Austin makes some fantastic connective passes within the offense, an incredibly important aspect for someone functioning primarily as an offensive outlet.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Her face-up drives both off the catch and from a standstill have impressed. Her ball control and strides at her size make her a difficult cover for bigger 5s, but her strength to mash a smaller defender provides an equal challenge for defenses. Her footwork is already incredibly advanced as a rookie, both on the roll and in the post. Her coordination at 6-foot-5 is kind of insane!</p>
<p>Send a blitz at Natasha Cloud or Ariel Atkins, and Shakira can slip and cover that ground to the rim just as quickly as you took it away.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3c0u4v" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She's made some stellar live-dribble passes on the roll and on drives that make me extremely excited about her playmaking potential as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Austin's defense has been equally adept. Off rip, the shot-blocking and rim protection has translated (seventh in the league in total blocks, per Her Hoop Stats), but her pick-and-roll defense has been huge for a team built on the back of it's ability to contain the ball. She already has shown good feel for showing and recovering, playing near the level of the screen, and particularly roaming weak-side.</p>
<p>Watch the first stab playing close to the level against Courtney Vandersloot in pick-and-roll. Her hand activity keeps improving, and her reaction time and recovery tools give her top-notch margin for error.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zp2ks0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Most of her fouls have come from overaggression or general timing on late contests, largely on switches or against smaller wings and guards. Austin has shown the ability to switch in a pinch and ride out drivers to the rim, but honing that aggression will be huge in developing that versatility.</p>
<p>What Austin has brought the Mystics from day one as a rookie cannot be understated. She's played even better defense than former First Team All-Defensive member Elizabeth Williams (who has been very good in her own right!) and solidifed a starting spot. The sky is the limit on what she can be, and although she's been in a more contained role in DC, it's clear that there's a great deal of untapped potential that continues to be excavated game by game.</p>
<p>Shakira Austin is already a problem in the league, and her culmination of skills, size, aptitude and demeanor make her one of the most exciting young players in the WNBA.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 2022 WNBA rookie class has continually impressed on a multitude of fronts a third of the way through the season.</p>
<p>Atypical rookies like Kristy Wallace and Rebekah Gardner, who entered the league with a wealth of overseas play, are already playing a fundamental role on playoff teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Aisha Sheppard (Las Vegas), Jasmine Dickey (Dallas), Evina Westbrook (Minnesota), and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (Los Angeles) have all shown glimpses as second- and third-round picks to varying degrees.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Indiana Fever superclass has been electric. NaLyssa Smith looks like someone who could grow into one of the best scorers in the league. Queen Egbo has impressed me greatly, blowing away rookie-year expectations with her stellar defense. Destanni Henderson should have been a first-round pick (and I'll die on that hill!). Emily Engstler has some of the most intriguing flashes and upside in the class, and I have no idea what to project her as going forward. Lexie Hull's minutes have been inconsistent, but the idea of what she can be in the league is clear as day.</p>
<p>Veronica Burton's defense has been fantastic for a Wings team trying to establish an aggressive scheme and mentality. The flashes she has shown as a steady hand in the halfcourt have been impressive as well, and her scoring and shooting are coming along too (she has as many threes in the past two games as she had in the first 11!).</p>
<p>There are multiple first-rounders whom we haven't even seen in extended minutes due to rotation crunches (Kierstan Bell) and injuries (Rae Burrell and Nyara Sabally).</p>
<p>Atlanta Dream forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rhyne Howard</a> has taken the league by storm, already cementing herself as one of the better perimeter players in the WNBA. She could make the All-Star team or All-Defensive team as a rookie and I wouldn't bat an eye.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Building our foundation for this season AND next.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllAboardToTheFuture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllAboardToTheFuture</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/Amtrak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@amtrak</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Fge9u77j7">pic.twitter.com/6Fge9u77j7</a></p>
&mdash; Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1511796682215800840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Based on the way Howard and No. 3 overall pick Shakira Austin have played thus far, this is a trade we're going to retrospectively debate for years to come.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Howard has been sensational for the Dream, and while Austin's box score isn't as gaudy and she doesn't create offense in the same way, her impact has arguably been as strong for the Mystics. I'm not interested in pitting the two against one another and going "____ won the trade because ____ is better than _____!"</p>
<p>We are not even a full year into their careers! It's too early for that! But it's important to note that while Howard is rightfully a runaway for Rookie of the Year at the moment, Austin has been vital for a team in contention, earning a starting role and showing bright flashes of her offensive upside as well.</p>
<p>On/off stats are imperfect. They shouldn't be taken at face value, but they're a notable point of reference when considering state of play. Among players who have played at least 200 minutes in the 2022 WNBA season, only six players have an on/off swing of +22 or higher: A'ja Wilson, Ariel Atkins, Brianna Turner, Chelsea Gray, Sabrina Ionescu and Shakira Austin. That's pretty incredible company!</p>
<p>The Mystics' offense (+16.67) and defense (+12.44) perform substantially better with Austin on the court, per PBP Stats.</p>
<p>As she showcased last night against the Phoenix Mercury, she's adept at flowing within the offense. Her screening and rolling along with intuitive cutting make her a remarkably effective spacer in spite of not being a shooter out to the arc. Quick decisions and intuitive decisions that work within the offense are arguably as impactful as shooting, especially when a player with Austin's size and fluidity is making them.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nl3va6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Austin makes some fantastic connective passes within the offense, an incredibly important aspect for someone functioning primarily as an offensive outlet.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Her face-up drives both off the catch and from a standstill have impressed. Her ball control and strides at her size make her a difficult cover for bigger 5s, but her strength to mash a smaller defender provides an equal challenge for defenses. Her footwork is already incredibly advanced as a rookie, both on the roll and in the post. Her coordination at 6-foot-5 is kind of insane!</p>
<p>Send a blitz at Natasha Cloud or Ariel Atkins, and Shakira can slip and cover that ground to the rim just as quickly as you took it away.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3c0u4v" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She's made some stellar live-dribble passes on the roll and on drives that make me extremely excited about her playmaking potential as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Austin's defense has been equally adept. Off rip, the shot-blocking and rim protection has translated (seventh in the league in total blocks, per Her Hoop Stats), but her pick-and-roll defense has been huge for a team built on the back of it's ability to contain the ball. She already has shown good feel for showing and recovering, playing near the level of the screen, and particularly roaming weak-side.</p>
<p>Watch the first stab playing close to the level against Courtney Vandersloot in pick-and-roll. Her hand activity keeps improving, and her reaction time and recovery tools give her top-notch margin for error.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zp2ks0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Most of her fouls have come from overaggression or general timing on late contests, largely on switches or against smaller wings and guards. Austin has shown the ability to switch in a pinch and ride out drivers to the rim, but honing that aggression will be huge in developing that versatility.</p>
<p>What Austin has brought the Mystics from day one as a rookie cannot be understated. She's played even better defense than former First Team All-Defensive member Elizabeth Williams (who has been very good in her own right!) and solidifed a starting spot. The sky is the limit on what she can be, and although she's been in a more contained role in DC, it's clear that there's a great deal of untapped potential that continues to be excavated game by game.</p>
<p>Shakira Austin is already a problem in the league, and her culmination of skills, size, aptitude and demeanor make her one of the most exciting young players in the WNBA.</p>
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<p>The 2022 WNBA rookie class has continually impressed on a multitude of fronts a third of the way through the season.</p>
<p>Atypical rookies like Kristy Wallace and Rebekah Gardner, who entered the league with a wealth of overseas play, are already playing a fundamental role on playoff teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Aisha Sheppard (Las Vegas), Jasmine Dickey (Dallas), Evina Westbrook (Minnesota), and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (Los Angeles) have all shown glimpses as second- and third-round picks to varying degrees.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Indiana Fever superclass has been electric. NaLyssa Smith looks like someone who could grow into one of the best scorers in the league. Queen Egbo has impressed me greatly, blowing away rookie-year expectations with her stellar defense. Destanni Henderson should have been a first-round pick (and I'll die on that hill!). Emily Engstler has some of the most intriguing flashes and upside in the class, and I have no idea what to project her as going forward. Lexie Hull's minutes have been inconsistent, but the idea of what she can be in the league is clear as day.</p>
<p>Veronica Burton's defense has been fantastic for a Wings team trying to establish an aggressive scheme and mentality. The flashes she has shown as a steady hand in the halfcourt have been impressive as well, and her scoring and shooting are coming along too (she has as many threes in the past two games as she had in the first 11!).</p>
<p>There are multiple first-rounders whom we haven't even seen in extended minutes due to rotation crunches (Kierstan Bell) and injuries (Rae Burrell and Nyara Sabally).</p>
<p>Atlanta Dream forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rhyne Howard</a> has taken the league by storm, already cementing herself as one of the better perimeter players in the WNBA. She could make the All-Star team or All-Defensive team as a rookie and I wouldn't bat an eye.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Building our foundation for this season AND next.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllAboardToTheFuture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllAboardToTheFuture</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/Amtrak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@amtrak</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Fge9u77j7">pic.twitter.com/6Fge9u77j7</a></p>
&mdash; Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1511796682215800840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Based on the way Howard and No. 3 overall pick Shakira Austin have played thus far, this is a trade we're going to retrospectively debate for years to come.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Howard has been sensational for the Dream, and while Austin's box score isn't as gaudy and she doesn't create offense in the same way, her impact has arguably been as strong for the Mystics. I'm not interested in pitting the two against one another and going "____ won the trade because ____ is better than _____!"</p>
<p>We are not even a full year into their careers! It's too early for that! But it's important to note that while Howard is rightfully a runaway for Rookie of the Year at the moment, Austin has been vital for a team in contention, earning a starting role and showing bright flashes of her offensive upside as well.</p>
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<p>On/off stats are imperfect. They shouldn't be taken at face value, but they're a notable point of reference when considering state of play. Among players who have played at least 200 minutes in the 2022 WNBA season, only six players have an on/off swing of +22 or higher: A'ja Wilson, Ariel Atkins, Brianna Turner, Chelsea Gray, Sabrina Ionescu and Shakira Austin. That's pretty incredible company!</p>
<p>The Mystics' offense (+16.67) and defense (+12.44) perform substantially better with Austin on the court, per PBP Stats.</p>
<p>As she showcased last night against the Phoenix Mercury, she's adept at flowing within the offense. Her screening and rolling along with intuitive cutting make her a remarkably effective spacer in spite of not being a shooter out to the arc. Quick decisions and intuitive decisions that work within the offense are arguably as impactful as shooting, especially when a player with Austin's size and fluidity is making them.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nl3va6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Austin makes some fantastic connective passes within the offense, an incredibly important aspect for someone functioning primarily as an offensive outlet.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Her face-up drives both off the catch and from a standstill have impressed. Her ball control and strides at her size make her a difficult cover for bigger 5s, but her strength to mash a smaller defender provides an equal challenge for defenses. Her footwork is already incredibly advanced as a rookie, both on the roll and in the post. Her coordination at 6-foot-5 is kind of insane!</p>
<p>Send a blitz at Natasha Cloud or Ariel Atkins, and Shakira can slip and cover that ground to the rim just as quickly as you took it away.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3c0u4v" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>She's made some stellar live-dribble passes on the roll and on drives that make me extremely excited about her playmaking potential as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Austin's defense has been equally adept. Off rip, the shot-blocking and rim protection has translated (seventh in the league in total blocks, per Her Hoop Stats), but her pick-and-roll defense has been huge for a team built on the back of it's ability to contain the ball. She already has shown good feel for showing and recovering, playing near the level of the screen, and particularly roaming weak-side.</p>
<p>Watch the first stab playing close to the level against Courtney Vandersloot in pick-and-roll. Her hand activity keeps improving, and her reaction time and recovery tools give her top-notch margin for error.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zp2ks0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Most of her fouls have come from overaggression or general timing on late contests, largely on switches or against smaller wings and guards. Austin has shown the ability to switch in a pinch and ride out drivers to the rim, but honing that aggression will be huge in developing that versatility.</p>
<p>What Austin has brought the Mystics from day one as a rookie cannot be understated. She's played even better defense than former First Team All-Defensive member Elizabeth Williams (who has been very good in her own right!) and solidifed a starting spot. The sky is the limit on what she can be, and although she's been in a more contained role in DC, it's clear that there's a great deal of untapped potential that continues to be excavated game by game.</p>
<p>Shakira Austin is already a problem in the league, and her culmination of skills, size, aptitude and demeanor make her one of the most exciting young players in the WNBA.</p>
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Shakira Austin's play continues to impress in the present while showing promising glimpses of what she can be in the future.

Shakira Austin is showing out for the Washington Mystics

<p>During the NBA Finals, it's easy to be so invested in the task at hand that we forget all of the history and events leading up to this moment. Sure, the Finals are the pinnacle of the season, a resting place in basketball lore, and an ultimate decider in legacy. But it always strikes me how much weight we put on these seven games.</p>
<p>For instance, the Boston Celtics put together an incredible defensive performance last night in Game 4... and it just didn&rsquo;t matter to an extent because Stephen Curry had an all-time performance, putting up 43 points in a Herculean effort to equalize the series. Boston&rsquo;s offense floundered late as the Warriors constricted driving lanes and walled off the glass, a substantial improvement from the previous game.</p>
<p>While we can try and take away as much as possible philosophically from this game, I want to appreciate it instead. The journey to get here, 20-plus games deep into the postseason, months after an October start to the season. There are certainly things that we can take away from the series, but how we got here feels much more indicative and worth noting to me.</p>
<p>There are a million lenses we can search through. Al Horford was winning his second of back-to-back national titles at the University of Florida in 2007 and now he&rsquo;s participating in his first NBA Finals at age-36. There was a time early in Steph Curry&rsquo;s NBA career when there were viable questions about his longevity in the league given countless injuries. &ldquo;Andrew Wiggins revitalized his career,&rdquo; is doing a bit much for me (he wasn&rsquo;t a bust!), but he&rsquo;s legitimately improved as an all-around player and become a vital part of Golden State&rsquo;s core.</p>
<p>The other day when watching Game 3, I kept thinking to myself, &ldquo;Look at Jaylen Brown, man.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Brown is averaging 22.3 points per game in the Finals on 54.5% True Shooting, which is impressive considering how good the defense has been through four games. He&rsquo;s been Boston&rsquo;s most consistent offensive outlet throughout the playoffs.</p>
<p>Of course, box scores don&rsquo;t capture everything. Brown&rsquo;s decision-making can be head-scratching. His defense waxes and wanes, particularly off the ball. But, man, going back and rewinding to see who Brown was prior to entering the league is fascinating and awe-inspiring. Before he was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, he was the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2015 high-school class (according to RSCI), which paints the picture that he&rsquo;s always been this guy.</p>
<p>Not so fast!</p>
<p>Brown shot 48.2% on twos at Cal and 54.4% on twos during the 2021-22 regular season. He's shooting 37.9% from deep on 8.8 threes per 100 possessions during the playoffs compared to 29.4% on 6.4 three-point attempts per 100 in college. He's shot 75% at the line over the past three NBA seasons compared to 65.8% his first three years, in line with his 65.4% at Cal. Perhaps the best descriptor: Brown shot 30.2% on 116 far twos during his one-and-done season, according to Barttorvik, a massive contrast from the 46% he shot on long twos in the NBA this season, per Cleaning the Glass.</p>
<p>Going back through Brown's tape at Cal, it's worth noting how he's left open when he's behind the arc. His hestiancy as a shooter stands out as well.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qejwzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>It was jarring watching this game back and remembering how different Brown was defended then compared to now. He has become a vastly different player.</p>
<p>His shot was all over the place. He didn't have much versatility in it. The touch from anywhere on the floor felt uncertain and indicative of a player who would struggle to find a consistent form of a jumper in the league.</p>
<p>Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress and ESPN put it best back in 2016.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Timing his release differently shot-to-shot whether he's pulling up off the bounce under pressure or shooting catch and shoot jumpers in space, Brown's mechanics are not particularly reliable at this stage. He casually fades away on some attempts unnecessarily, sometimes holding the ball longer than others at the top of his shot.</em> - Source:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/">http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/</a>&nbsp;&copy;DraftExpress</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Just look at how different these two shots are.</p>
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<p>In the first shot, he's bringing the ball across his body whereas on the second shot, he's still dipping but going straight up. There's less of a sideways sway or fade in his shot as well. The base is stronger and he seems much more compact.</p>
<p>Compact is a wonderful way to describe Jaylen's growth in general. He's tightened up so many aspects of his game in order to get the most out of it.</p>
<p>You can see shades of the same powerful strides, the outside mechanical dribbles, but notice how high up he was on drives.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/m98i8k" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Jaylen has always had an incredible first step, but his handle at the time really limited his ability to get the most out of it. Getting to the paint wasn't a problem, as he was such an overwhelming athlete, but stringing together his handle and drives into actual finishes in the paint was a struggle. He felt a bit disjointed with his body capable of moving much faster than his handle would let him go, sort of like someone who just bought a stick-shift Camaro, but they've never driven stick before.</p>
<p>His finishes felt rushed almost, moving on two different planes. Watch this. It's actually a pretty solid display of handle and maneuverability in tight space &mdash; his biggest area of concern outside of his jumper at Cal. However, it's super choppy. He feels sped up.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hpsggo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His pacing and tempo have improved astronomically since then. He can certainly fall into tunnel vision as a scorer, but it's without the level of erraticism that existed at Cal. Every game, there are a multitude of looks that bring out a "no, no, no, NO, YES?!" type of reaction from me. He has Neo-controlling-the-Matrix type stretches as a shotmaker where you could put an army of 8-foot tall Mr. Smiths in front of him and he'd still hit his shots.</p>
<p>Now, watch this drive from last night.</p>
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<p>Brown's ability to take like-sized wings off the dribble and generate an advantage is miles better than could be envisioned at the time.</p>
<p>Most importantly, and perhaps my favorite attribute that Jaylen has greatly improved, is his ability to adjust to and finish through contact. He hangs in the air endlessly, something he benefits from considering that he still has that slight hold at the top of his shot. He rises over any and everyone in the mid-range and at the rim and his strength, particularly in his core, allows him to really pop.</p>
<p>His implementation of Euros and greatly expanded craft as a finisher take the cake. This stunt at the nail causes a turnover or halted possession at Cal. Not today!&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jhf56n" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A late-clock isolation on a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, driving into nail help from a borderline All-Defensive-Team guard, and then getting into a nasty self-created shot from eight feet that rattles the rim and slides in. I'm not sure any play could better embody the type of player Brown is at this point.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jaylen Brown's improvements are staggering when you look back at his pre-NBA film as a prospect. I don't want to get hasty and say he's got one of the greatest development tracks of all time, but it doesn't feel far off! So often we see a player with physical tools and size and the bones of a potential scoring game. Brown's remarkable strides shouldn't be used as a measuring stick for others, rather admired for how impressive his growth has been. We just don't see this type of outlier success with regularity.</p>
<p>Brown's play has been substantial for the Celtics, and will be for the remainder of the series as the Celtics look to win their first championship in over a decade. A retrospective look as to how far he's come as a player and prospect gives an even greater appreciation for what he's doing today.</p>

<p>During the NBA Finals, it's easy to be so invested in the task at hand that we forget all of the history and events leading up to this moment. Sure, the Finals are the pinnacle of the season, a resting place in basketball lore, and an ultimate decider in legacy. But it always strikes me how much weight we put on these seven games.</p>
<p>For instance, the Boston Celtics put together an incredible defensive performance last night in Game 4... and it just didn&rsquo;t matter to an extent because Stephen Curry had an all-time performance, putting up 43 points in a Herculean effort to equalize the series. Boston&rsquo;s offense floundered late as the Warriors constricted driving lanes and walled off the glass, a substantial improvement from the previous game.</p>
<p>While we can try and take away as much as possible philosophically from this game, I want to appreciate it instead. The journey to get here, 20-plus games deep into the postseason, months after an October start to the season. There are certainly things that we can take away from the series, but how we got here feels much more indicative and worth noting to me.</p>
<p>There are a million lenses we can search through. Al Horford was winning his second of back-to-back national titles at the University of Florida in 2007 and now he&rsquo;s participating in his first NBA Finals at age-36. There was a time early in Steph Curry&rsquo;s NBA career when there were viable questions about his longevity in the league given countless injuries. &ldquo;Andrew Wiggins revitalized his career,&rdquo; is doing a bit much for me (he wasn&rsquo;t a bust!), but he&rsquo;s legitimately improved as an all-around player and become a vital part of Golden State&rsquo;s core.</p>
<p>The other day when watching Game 3, I kept thinking to myself, &ldquo;Look at Jaylen Brown, man.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Brown is averaging 22.3 points per game in the Finals on 54.5% True Shooting, which is impressive considering how good the defense has been through four games. He&rsquo;s been Boston&rsquo;s most consistent offensive outlet throughout the playoffs.</p>
<p>Of course, box scores don&rsquo;t capture everything. Brown&rsquo;s decision-making can be head-scratching. His defense waxes and wanes, particularly off the ball. But, man, going back and rewinding to see who Brown was prior to entering the league is fascinating and awe-inspiring. Before he was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, he was the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2015 high-school class (according to RSCI), which paints the picture that he&rsquo;s always been this guy.</p>
<p>Not so fast!</p>
<p>Brown shot 48.2% on twos at Cal and 54.4% on twos during the 2021-22 regular season. He's shooting 37.9% from deep on 8.8 threes per 100 possessions during the playoffs compared to 29.4% on 6.4 three-point attempts per 100 in college. He's shot 75% at the line over the past three NBA seasons compared to 65.8% his first three years, in line with his 65.4% at Cal. Perhaps the best descriptor: Brown shot 30.2% on 116 far twos during his one-and-done season, according to Barttorvik, a massive contrast from the 46% he shot on long twos in the NBA this season, per Cleaning the Glass.</p>
<p>Going back through Brown's tape at Cal, it's worth noting how he's left open when he's behind the arc. His hestiancy as a shooter stands out as well.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qejwzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>It was jarring watching this game back and remembering how different Brown was defended then compared to now. He has become a vastly different player.</p>
<p>His shot was all over the place. He didn't have much versatility in it. The touch from anywhere on the floor felt uncertain and indicative of a player who would struggle to find a consistent form of a jumper in the league.</p>
<p>Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress and ESPN put it best back in 2016.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Timing his release differently shot-to-shot whether he's pulling up off the bounce under pressure or shooting catch and shoot jumpers in space, Brown's mechanics are not particularly reliable at this stage. He casually fades away on some attempts unnecessarily, sometimes holding the ball longer than others at the top of his shot.</em> - Source:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/">http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/</a>&nbsp;&copy;DraftExpress</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Just look at how different these two shots are.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/6e6o2w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first shot, he's bringing the ball across his body whereas on the second shot, he's still dipping but going straight up. There's less of a sideways sway or fade in his shot as well. The base is stronger and he seems much more compact.</p>
<p>Compact is a wonderful way to describe Jaylen's growth in general. He's tightened up so many aspects of his game in order to get the most out of it.</p>
<p>You can see shades of the same powerful strides, the outside mechanical dribbles, but notice how high up he was on drives.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/m98i8k" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Jaylen has always had an incredible first step, but his handle at the time really limited his ability to get the most out of it. Getting to the paint wasn't a problem, as he was such an overwhelming athlete, but stringing together his handle and drives into actual finishes in the paint was a struggle. He felt a bit disjointed with his body capable of moving much faster than his handle would let him go, sort of like someone who just bought a stick-shift Camaro, but they've never driven stick before.</p>
<p>His finishes felt rushed almost, moving on two different planes. Watch this. It's actually a pretty solid display of handle and maneuverability in tight space &mdash; his biggest area of concern outside of his jumper at Cal. However, it's super choppy. He feels sped up.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hpsggo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His pacing and tempo have improved astronomically since then. He can certainly fall into tunnel vision as a scorer, but it's without the level of erraticism that existed at Cal. Every game, there are a multitude of looks that bring out a "no, no, no, NO, YES?!" type of reaction from me. He has Neo-controlling-the-Matrix type stretches as a shotmaker where you could put an army of 8-foot tall Mr. Smiths in front of him and he'd still hit his shots.</p>
<p>Now, watch this drive from last night.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/w9huvc" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Brown's ability to take like-sized wings off the dribble and generate an advantage is miles better than could be envisioned at the time.</p>
<p>Most importantly, and perhaps my favorite attribute that Jaylen has greatly improved, is his ability to adjust to and finish through contact. He hangs in the air endlessly, something he benefits from considering that he still has that slight hold at the top of his shot. He rises over any and everyone in the mid-range and at the rim and his strength, particularly in his core, allows him to really pop.</p>
<p>His implementation of Euros and greatly expanded craft as a finisher take the cake. This stunt at the nail causes a turnover or halted possession at Cal. Not today!&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jhf56n" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A late-clock isolation on a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, driving into nail help from a borderline All-Defensive-Team guard, and then getting into a nasty self-created shot from eight feet that rattles the rim and slides in. I'm not sure any play could better embody the type of player Brown is at this point.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jaylen Brown's improvements are staggering when you look back at his pre-NBA film. I don't want to get hasty and say he's got one of the greatest development tracks of all time, but it doesn't feel far off! So often we see a player with physical tools and size and the bones of a potential scoring game. Brown's remarkable strides shouldn't be used as a measuring stick for others, rather admired for how impressive his growth has been. We just don't see this type of outlier success with regularity.</p>
<p>Brown's play has been substantial for the Celtics, and will be for the remainder of the series as the Celtics look to win their first championship in over a decade. A retrospective look as to how far he's come as a player and prospect gives an even greater appreciation for what he's doing today.</p>

<p>During the NBA Finals, it's easy to be so invested in the task at hand that we forget all of the history and events leading up to this moment. Sure, the Finals are the pinnacle of the season, a resting place in basketball lore, and an ultimate decider in legacy. But it always strikes me how much weight we put on these seven games.</p>
<p>For instance, the Boston Celtics put together an incredible defensive performance last night in Game 4... and it just didn&rsquo;t matter to an extent because Stephen Curry had an all-time performance, putting up 43 points in a Herculean effort to equalize the series. Boston&rsquo;s offense floundered late as the Warriors constricted driving lanes and walled off the glass, a substantial improvement from the previous game.</p>
<p>While we can try and take away as much as possible philosophically from this game, I want to appreciate it instead. The journey to get here, 20-plus games deep into the postseason, months after an October start to the season. There are certainly things that we can take away from the series, but how we got here feels much more indicative and worth noting to me.</p>
<p>There are a million lenses we can search through. Al Horford was winning his second of back-to-back national titles at the University of Florida in 2007 and now he&rsquo;s participating in his first NBA Finals at age-36. There was a time early in Steph Curry&rsquo;s NBA career when there were viable questions about his longevity in the league given countless injuries. &ldquo;Andrew Wiggins revitalized his career,&rdquo; is doing a bit much for me (he wasn&rsquo;t a bust!), but he&rsquo;s legitimately improved as an all-around player and become a vital part of Golden State&rsquo;s core.</p>
<p>The other day when watching Game 3, I kept thinking to myself, &ldquo;Look at Jaylen Brown, man.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Brown is averaging 22.3 points per game in the Finals on 54.5% True Shooting, which is impressive considering how good the defense has been through four games. He&rsquo;s been Boston&rsquo;s most consistent offensive outlet throughout the playoffs.</p>
<p>Of course, box scores don&rsquo;t capture everything. Brown&rsquo;s decision-making can be head-scratching. His defense waxes and wanes, particularly off the ball. But, man, going back and rewinding to see who Brown was prior to entering the league is fascinating and awe-inspiring. Before he was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, he was the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2015 high-school class (according to RSCI), which paints the picture that he&rsquo;s always been this guy.</p>
<p>Not so fast!</p>
<p>Brown shot 48.2% on twos at Cal and 54.4% on twos during the 2021-22 regular season. He's shooting 37.9% from deep on 8.8 threes per 100 possessions during the playoffs compared to 29.4% on 6.4 three-point attempts per 100 in college. He's shot 75% at the line over the past three NBA seasons compared to 65.8% his first three years, in line with his 65.4% at Cal. Perhaps the best descriptor: Brown shot 30.2% on 116 far twos during his one-and-done season, according to Barttorvik, a massive contrast from the 46% he shot on long twos in the NBA this season, per Cleaning the Glass.</p>
<p>Going back through Brown's tape at Cal, it's worth noting how he's left open when he's behind the arc. His hestiancy as a shooter stands out as well.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qejwzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>It was jarring watching this game back and remembering how different Brown was defended then compared to now. He has become a vastly different player.</p>
<p>His shot was all over the place. He didn't have much versatility in it. The touch from anywhere on the floor felt uncertain and indicative of a player who would struggle to find a consistent form of a jumper in the league.</p>
<p>Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress and ESPN put it best back in 2016.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Timing his release differently shot-to-shot whether he's pulling up off the bounce under pressure or shooting catch and shoot jumpers in space, Brown's mechanics are not particularly reliable at this stage. He casually fades away on some attempts unnecessarily, sometimes holding the ball longer than others at the top of his shot.</em> - Source:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/">http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/</a>&nbsp;&copy;DraftExpress</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Just look at how different these two shots are.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/6e6o2w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first shot, he's bringing the ball across his body whereas on the second shot, he's still dipping but going straight up. There's less of a sideways sway or fade in his shot as well. The base is stronger and he seems much more compact.</p>
<p>Compact is a wonderful way to describe Jaylen's growth in general. He's tightened up so many aspects of his game in order to get the most out of it.</p>
<p>You can see shades of the same powerful strides, the outside mechanical dribbles, but notice how high up he was on drives.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/m98i8k" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Jaylen has always had an incredible first step, but his handle at the time really limited his ability to get the most out of it. Getting to the paint wasn't a problem, as he was such an overwhelming athlete, but stringing together his handle and drives into actual finishes in the paint was a struggle. He felt a bit disjointed with his body capable of moving much faster than his handle would let him go, sort of like someone who just bought a stick-shift Camaro, but they've never driven stick before.</p>
<p>His finishes felt rushed almost, moving on two different planes. Watch this. It's actually a pretty solid display of handle and maneuverability in tight space &mdash; his biggest area of concern outside of his jumper at Cal. However, it's super choppy. He feels sped up.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hpsggo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His pacing and tempo have improved astronomically since then. He can certainly fall into tunnel vision as a scorer, but it's without the level of erraticism that existed at Cal. Every game, there are a multitude of looks that bring out a "no, no, no, NO, YES?!" type of reaction from me. He has Neo-controlling-the-Matrix type stretches as a shotmaker where you could put an army of 8-foot tall Mr. Smiths in front of him and he'd still hit his shots.</p>
<p>Now, watch this drive from last night.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/w9huvc" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Brown's ability to take like-sized wings off the dribble and generate an advantage is miles better than could be envisioned at the time.</p>
<p>Most importantly, and perhaps my favorite attribute that Jaylen has greatly improved, is his ability to adjust to and finish through contact. He hangs in the air endlessly, something he benefits from considering that he still has that slight hold at the top of his shot. He rises over any and everyone in the mid-range and at the rim and his strength, particularly in his core, allows him to really pop.</p>
<p>His implementation of Euros and greatly expanded craft as a finisher take the cake. This stunt at the nail causes a turnover or halted possession at Cal. Not today!&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jhf56n" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A late-clock isolation on a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, driving into nail help from a borderline All-Defensive-Team guard, and then getting into a nasty self-created shot from eight feet that rattles the rim and slides in. I'm not sure any play could better embody the type of player Brown is at this point.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jaylen Brown's improvements are staggering when you compare his current skillset to his pre-NBA self. I don't want to get hasty and say he's got one of the greatest development tracks of all time, but it doesn't feel far off! So often we see a player with physical tools and size and the bones of a potential scoring game. Brown's remarkable strides shouldn't be used as a measuring stick for others, rather admired for how impressive his growth has been. We just don't see this type of outlier success with regularity.</p>
<p>Brown's play has been substantial for the Celtics, and will be for the remainder of the series as the Celtics look to win their first championship in over a decade. A retrospective look as to how far he's come as a player and prospect gives an even greater appreciation for what he's doing today.</p>

<p>During the NBA Finals, it's easy to be so invested in the task at hand that we forget all of the history and events leading up to this moment. Sure, the Finals are the pinnacle of the season, a resting place in basketball lore, and an ultimate decider in legacy. But it always strikes me how much weight we put on these seven games.</p>
<p>For instance, the Boston Celtics put together an incredible defensive performance last night in Game 4... and it just didn&rsquo;t matter to an extent because Stephen Curry had an all-time performance, putting up 43 points in a Herculean effort to equalize the series. Boston&rsquo;s offense floundered late as the Warriors constricted driving lanes and walled off the glass, a substantial improvement from the previous game.</p>
<p>While we can try and take away as much as possible philosophically from this game, I want to appreciate it instead. The journey to get here, 20-plus games deep into the postseason, months after an October start to the season. There are certainly things that we can take away from the series, but how we got here feels much more indicative and worth noting to me.</p>
<p>There are a million lenses we can search through. Al Horford was winning his second of back-to-back national titles at the University of Florida in 2007 and now he&rsquo;s participating in his first NBA Finals at age-36. There was a time early in Steph Curry&rsquo;s NBA career when there were viable questions about his longevity in the league given countless injuries. &ldquo;Andrew Wiggins revitalized his career,&rdquo; is doing a bit much for me (he wasn&rsquo;t a bust!), but he&rsquo;s legitimately improved as an all-around player and become a vital part of Golden State&rsquo;s core.</p>
<p>The other day when watching Game 3, I kept thinking to myself, &ldquo;Look at Jaylen Brown, man.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Brown is averaging 22.3 points per game in the Finals on 54.5% True Shooting, which is impressive considering how good the defense has been through four games. He&rsquo;s been Boston&rsquo;s most consistent offensive outlet throughout the playoffs.</p>
<p>Of course, box scores don&rsquo;t capture everything. Brown&rsquo;s decision-making can be head-scratching. His defense waxes and wanes, particularly off the ball. But, man, going back and rewinding to see who Brown was prior to entering the league is fascinating and awe-inspiring. Before he was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, he was the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2015 high-school class (according to RSCI), which paints the picture that he&rsquo;s always been this guy.</p>
<p>Not so fast!</p>
<p>Brown shot 48.2% on twos at Cal and 54.4% on twos during the 2021-22 regular season. He's shooting 37.9% from deep on 8.8 threes per 100 possessions during the playoffs compared to 29.4% on 6.4 three-point attempts per 100 in college. He's shot 75% at the line over the past three NBA seasons compared to 65.8% his first three years, in line with his 65.4% at Cal. Perhaps the best descriptor: Brown shot 30.2% on 116 far twos during his one-and-done season, according to Barttorvik, a massive contrast from the 46% he shot on long twos in the NBA this season, per Cleaning the Glass.</p>
<p>Going back through Brown's tape at Cal, it's worth noting how he's left open when he's behind the arc. His hestiancy as a shooter stands out as well.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qejwzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>It was jarring watching this game back and remembering how different Brown was defended then compared to now. He has become a vastly different player.</p>
<p>His shot was all over the place. He didn't have much versatility in it. The touch from anywhere on the floor felt uncertain and indicative of a player who would struggle to find a consistent form of a jumper in the league.</p>
<p>Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress and ESPN put it best back in 2016.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Timing his release differently shot-to-shot whether he's pulling up off the bounce under pressure or shooting catch and shoot jumpers in space, Brown's mechanics are not particularly reliable at this stage. He casually fades away on some attempts unnecessarily, sometimes holding the ball longer than others at the top of his shot.</em> - Source:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/">http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/</a>&nbsp;&copy;DraftExpress</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Just look at how different these two shots are.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/6e6o2w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first shot, he's bringing the ball across his body whereas on the second shot, he's still dipping but going straight up. There's less of a sideways sway or fade in his shot as well. The base is stronger and he seems much more compact.</p>
<p>Compact is a wonderful way to describe Jaylen's growth in general. He's tightened up so many aspects of his game in order to get the most out of it.</p>
<p>You can see shades of the same powerful strides, the outside mechanical dribbles, but notice how high up he was on drives.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/m98i8k" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Jaylen has always had an incredible first step, but his handle at the time really limited his ability to get the most out of it. Getting to the paint wasn't a problem, as he was such an overwhelming athlete, but stringing together his handle and drives into actual finishes in the paint was a struggle. He felt a bit disjointed with his body capable of moving much faster than his handle would let him go, sort of like someone who just bought a stick-shift Camaro, but they've never driven stick before.</p>
<p>His finishes felt rushed almost, moving on two different planes. Watch this. It's actually a pretty solid display of handle and maneuverability in tight space &mdash; his biggest area of concern outside of his jumper at Cal. However, it's super choppy. He feels sped up.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hpsggo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His pacing and tempo have improved astronomically since then. He can certainly fall into tunnel vision as a scorer, but it's without the level of erraticism that existed at Cal. Every game, there are a multitude of looks that bring out a "no, no, no, NO, YES?!" type of reaction from me. He has Neo-controlling-the-Matrix type stretches as a shotmaker where you could put an army of 8-foot tall Mr. Smiths in front of him and he'd still hit his shots.</p>
<p>Now, watch this drive from last night.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/w9huvc" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Brown's ability to take like-sized wings off the dribble and generate an advantage is miles better than could be envisioned at the time.</p>
<p>Most importantly, and perhaps my favorite attribute that Jaylen has greatly improved, is his ability to adjust to and finish through contact. He hangs in the air endlessly, something he benefits from considering that he still has that slight hold at the top of his shot. He rises over any and everyone in the mid-range and at the rim and his strength, particularly in his core, allows him to really pop.</p>
<p>His implementation of Euros and greatly expanded craft as a finisher take the cake. This stunt at the nail causes a turnover or halted possession at Cal. Not today!&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jhf56n" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A late-clock isolation on a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, driving into nail help from a borderline All-Defensive-Team guard, and then getting into a nasty self-created shot from eight feet that rattles the rim and slides in. I'm not sure any play could better embody the type of player Brown is at this point.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jaylen Brown's improvements are staggering when you compare his current skillset to his pre-NBA self. I don't want to get hasty and say he's got one of the greatest development tracks of all-time, but it doesn't feel far off! So often we see a player with physical tools and size and the bones of a potential scoring game. Brown's remarkable strides shouldn't be used as a measuring stick for others, but rather they should be admired for how impressive his growth has been. We just don't see this type of outlier success with regularity.</p>
<p>Brown's play has been substantial for the Celtics, and will be for the remainder of the series as the Celtics look to win their first championship in over a decade. A retrospective look as to how far he's come as a player and prospect gives an even greater appreciation for what he's doing today.</p>

<p>During the NBA Finals, it's easy to be so invested in the task at hand that we forget all of the history and events leading up to this moment. Sure, the Finals are the pinnacle of the season, a resting place in basketball lore, and an ultimate decider in legacy. But it always strikes me how much weight we put on these seven games.</p>
<p>For instance, the Boston Celtics put together an incredible defensive performance last night in Game 4... and it just didn&rsquo;t matter to an extent because Stephen Curry had an all-time performance, putting up 43 points in a Herculean effort to equalize the series. Boston&rsquo;s offense floundered late as the Warriors constricted driving lanes and walled off the glass, a substantial improvement from the previous game.</p>
<p>While we can try and take away as much as possible philosophically from this game, I want to appreciate it instead. The journey to get here, 20-plus games deep into the postseason, months after an October start to the season. There are certainly things that we can take away from the series, but how we got here feels much more indicative and worth noting to me.</p>
<p>There are a million lenses we can search through. Al Horford was winning his second of back-to-back national titles at the University of Florida in 2007 and now he&rsquo;s participating in his first NBA Finals at age-36. There was a time early in Steph Curry&rsquo;s NBA career when there were viable questions about his longevity in the league given countless injuries. &ldquo;Andrew Wiggins revitalized his career,&rdquo; is doing a bit much for me (he wasn&rsquo;t a bust!), but he&rsquo;s legitimately improved as an all-around player and become a vital part of Golden State&rsquo;s core.</p>
<p>The other day when watching Game 3, I kept thinking to myself, &ldquo;Look at Jaylen Brown, man.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Brown is averaging 22.3 points per game in the Finals on 54.5% True Shooting, which is impressive considering how good the defense has been through four games. He&rsquo;s been Boston&rsquo;s most consistent offensive outlet throughout the playoffs.</p>
<p>Of course, box scores don&rsquo;t capture everything. Brown&rsquo;s decision-making can be head-scratching. His defense waxes and wanes, particularly off the ball. But, man, going back and rewinding to see who Brown was prior to entering the league is fascinating and awe-inspiring. Before he was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, he was the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2015 high-school class (according to RSCI), which paints the picture that he&rsquo;s always been this guy.</p>
<p>Not so fast!</p>
<p>Brown shot 48.2% on twos at Cal and 54.4% on twos during the 2021-22 regular season. He's shooting 37.9% from deep on 8.8 threes per 100 possessions during the playoffs compared to 29.4% on 6.4 three-point attempts per 100 in college. He's shot 75% at the line over the past three NBA seasons compared to 65.8% his first three years, in line with his 65.4% at Cal. Perhaps the best descriptor: Brown shot 30.2% on 116 far twos during his one-and-done season, according to Barttorvik, a massive contrast from the 46% he shot on long twos in the NBA this season, per Cleaning the Glass.</p>
<p>Going back through Brown's tape at Cal, it's worth noting how he's left open when he's behind the arc. His hestiancy as a shooter stands out as well.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qejwzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>It was jarring watching this game back and remembering how different Brown was defended then compared to now. He has become a vastly different player.</p>
<p>His shot was all over the place. He didn't have much versatility in it. The touch from anywhere on the floor felt uncertain and indicative of a player who would struggle to find a consistent form of a jumper in the league.</p>
<p>Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress and ESPN put it best back in 2016.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Timing his release differently shot-to-shot whether he's pulling up off the bounce under pressure or shooting catch and shoot jumpers in space, Brown's mechanics are not particularly reliable at this stage. He casually fades away on some attempts unnecessarily, sometimes holding the ball longer than others at the top of his shot.</em> - Source:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/">http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/</a>&nbsp;&copy;DraftExpress</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Just look at how different these two shots are.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/6e6o2w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first shot, he's bringing the ball across his body whereas on the second shot, he's still dipping but going straight up. There's less of a sideways sway or fade in his shot as well. The base is stronger and he seems much more compact.</p>
<p>Compact is a wonderful way to describe Jaylen's growth in general. He's tightened up so many aspects of his game in order to get the most out of it.</p>
<p>You can see shades of the same powerful strides, the outside mechanical dribbles, but notice how high up he was on drives.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/m98i8k" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Jaylen has always had an incredible first step, but his handle at the time really limited his ability to get the most out of it. Getting to the paint wasn't a problem, as he was such an overwhelming athlete, but stringing together his handle and drives into actual finishes in the paint was a struggle. He felt a bit disjointed with his body capable of moving much faster than his handle would let him go, sort of like someone who just bought a stick-shift Camaro, but they've never driven stick before.</p>
<p>His finishes felt rushed almost, moving on two different planes. Watch this. It's actually a pretty solid display of handle and maneuverability in tight space &mdash; his biggest area of concern outside of his jumper at Cal. However, it's super choppy. He feels sped up.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hpsggo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His pacing and tempo have improved astronomically since then. He can certainly fall into tunnel vision as a scorer, but it's without the level of erraticism that existed at Cal. Every game, there are a multitude of looks that bring out a "no, no, no, NO, YES?!" type of reaction from me. He has Neo-controlling-the-Matrix type stretches as a shotmaker where you could put an army of 8-foot tall Mr. Smiths in front of him and he'd still hit his shots.</p>
<p>Now, watch this drive from last night.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/w9huvc" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Brown's ability to take like-sized wings off the dribble and generate an advantage is miles better than could be envisioned at the time.</p>
<p>Most importantly, and perhaps my favorite attribute that Jaylen has greatly improved, is his ability to adjust to and finish through contact. He hangs in the air endlessly, something he benefits from considering that he still has that slight hold at the top of his shot. He rises over any and everyone in the mid-range and at the rim and his strength, particularly in his core, allows him to really pop.</p>
<p>His implementation of Euros and greatly expanded craft as a finisher take the cake. This stunt at the nail causes a turnover or halted possession at Cal. Not today!&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jhf56n" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A late-clock isolation on a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, driving into nail help from a borderline All-Defensive-Team guard, and then getting into a nasty self-created shot from eight feet that rattles the rim and slides in. I'm not sure any play could better embody the type of player Brown is at this point.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jaylen Brown's improvements are staggering when you compare his current skillset to his pre-NBA self. I don't want to get hasty and say he's got one of the greatest development tracks of all-time, but it doesn't feel far off! So often we see a player with physical tools and size and the bones of a potential scoring game. Brown's remarkable strides shouldn't be used as a measuring stick for others, but they should be admired for how impressive his growth has been. We just don't see this type of outlier success with regularity.</p>
<p>Brown's play has been substantial for the Celtics, and will be for the remainder of the series as the Celtics look to win their first championship in over a decade. A retrospective look as to how far he's come as a player and prospect gives an even greater appreciation for what he's doing today.</p>

<p>During the NBA Finals, it's easy to be so invested in the task at hand that we forget all of the history and events leading up to this moment. Sure, the Finals are the pinnacle of the season, a resting place in basketball lore, and an ultimate decider in legacy. But it always strikes me how much weight we put on these seven games.</p>
<p>For instance, the Boston Celtics put together an incredible defensive performance last night in Game 4... and it just didn&rsquo;t matter to an extent because Stephen Curry had an all-time performance, putting up 43 points in a Herculean effort to equalize the series. Boston&rsquo;s offense floundered late as the Warriors constricted driving lanes and walled off the glass, a substantial improvement from the previous game.</p>
<p>While we can try and take away as much as possible philosophically from this game, I want to appreciate it instead. The journey to get here, 20-plus games deep into the postseason, months after an October start to the season. There are certainly things that we can take away from the series, but how we got here feels much more indicative and worth noting to me.</p>
<p>There are a million lenses we can search through. Al Horford was winning his second of back-to-back national titles at the University of Florida in 2007 and now he&rsquo;s participating in his first NBA Finals at age-36. There was a time early in Steph Curry&rsquo;s NBA career when there were viable questions about his longevity in the league given countless injuries. &ldquo;Andrew Wiggins revitalized his career,&rdquo; is doing a bit much for me (he wasn&rsquo;t a bust!), but he&rsquo;s legitimately improved as an all-around player and become a vital part of Golden State&rsquo;s core.</p>
<p>The other day when watching Game 3, I kept thinking to myself, &ldquo;Look at Jaylen Brown, man.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Brown is averaging 22.3 points per game in the Finals on 54.5% True Shooting, which is impressive considering how good the defense has been through four games. He&rsquo;s been Boston&rsquo;s most consistent offensive outlet throughout the playoffs.</p>
<p>Of course, box scores don&rsquo;t capture everything. Brown&rsquo;s decision-making can be head-scratching. His defense waxes and wanes, particularly off the ball. But, man, going back and rewinding to see who Brown was prior to entering the league is fascinating and awe-inspiring. Before he was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, he was the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2015 high-school class (according to RSCI), which paints the picture that he&rsquo;s always been this guy.</p>
<p>Not so fast!</p>
<p>Brown shot 48.2% on twos at Cal and 54.4% on twos during the 2021-22 regular season. He's shooting 37.9% from deep on 8.8 threes per 100 possessions during the playoffs compared to 29.4% on 6.4 three-point attempts per 100 in college. He's shot 75% at the line over the past three NBA seasons compared to 65.8% his first three years, in line with his 65.4% at Cal. Perhaps the best descriptor: Brown shot 30.2% on 116 far twos during his one-and-done season, according to Barttorvik, a massive contrast from the 46% he shot on long twos in the NBA this season, per Cleaning the Glass.</p>
<p>Going back through Brown's tape at Cal, it's worth noting how he's left open when he's behind the arc. His hestiancy as a shooter stands out as well.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qejwzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>It was jarring watching this game back and remembering how different Brown was defended then compared to now. He has become a vastly different player.</p>
<p>His shot was all over the place. He didn't have much versatility in it. The touch from anywhere on the floor felt uncertain and indicative of a player who would struggle to find a consistent form of a jumper in the league.</p>
<p>Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress and ESPN put it best back in 2016.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Timing his release differently shot-to-shot whether he's pulling up off the bounce under pressure or shooting catch and shoot jumpers in space, Brown's mechanics are not particularly reliable at this stage. He casually fades away on some attempts unnecessarily, sometimes holding the ball longer than others at the top of his shot.</em> - Source:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/">http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/</a>&nbsp;&copy;DraftExpress</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Just look at how different these two shots are.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/6e6o2w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first shot, he's bringing the ball across his body whereas on the second shot, he's still dipping but going straight up. There's less of a sideways sway or fade in his shot as well. The base is stronger and he seems much more compact.</p>
<p>Compact is a wonderful way to describe Jaylen's growth in general. He's tightened up so many aspects of his game in order to get the most out of it.</p>
<p>You can see shades of the same powerful strides, the outside mechanical dribbles, but notice how high up he was on drives.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/m98i8k" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Jaylen has always had an incredible first step, but his handle at the time really limited his ability to get the most out of it. Getting to the paint wasn't a problem, as he was such an overwhelming athlete, but stringing together his handle and drives into actual finishes in the paint was a struggle. He felt a bit disjointed with his body capable of moving much faster than his handle would let him go, sort of like someone who just bought a stick-shift Camaro, but they've never driven stick before.</p>
<p>His finishes felt rushed almost, moving on two different planes. Watch this. It's actually a pretty solid display of handle and maneuverability in tight space &mdash; his biggest area of concern outside of his jumper at Cal. However, it's super choppy. He feels sped up.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hpsggo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His pacing and tempo have improved astronomically since then. He can certainly fall into tunnel vision as a scorer, but it's without the level of erraticism that existed at Cal. Every game, there are a multitude of looks that bring out a "no, no, no, NO, YES?!" type of reaction from me. He has Neo-controlling-the-Matrix type stretches as a shotmaker where you could put an army of 8-foot tall Mr. Smiths in front of him and he'd still hit his shots.</p>
<p>Now, watch this drive from last night.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/w9huvc" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Brown's ability to take like-sized wings off the dribble and generate an advantage is miles better than could be envisioned at the time.</p>
<p>Most importantly, and perhaps my favorite attribute that Jaylen has greatly improved, is his ability to adjust to and finish through contact. He hangs in the air endlessly, something he benefits from considering that he still has that slight hold at the top of his shot. He rises over any and everyone in the mid-range and at the rim and his strength, particularly in his core, allows him to really pop.</p>
<p>His implementation of Euros and greatly expanded craft as a finisher take the cake. This stunt at the nail causes a turnover or halted possession at Cal. Not today!&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jhf56n" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A late-clock isolation on a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, driving into nail help from a borderline All-Defensive-Team guard, and then getting into a nasty self-created shot from eight feet that rattles the rim and slides in. I'm not sure any play could better embody the type of player Brown is at this point.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jaylen Brown's improvements are staggering when you compare his current skillset to his pre-NBA self. I don't want to get hasty and say he's got one of the greatest development tracks of all-time, but it doesn't feel far off! So often we see a player with physical tools and size and the bones of a potential scoring game. Brown's remarkable strides shouldn't be used as a measuring stick for others, but they should be admired. We just don't see this type of outlier success with regularity.</p>
<p>Brown's play has been substantial for the Celtics, and will be for the remainder of the series as the Celtics look to win their first championship in over a decade. A retrospective look as to how far he's come as a player and prospect gives an even greater appreciation for what he's doing today.</p>

<p>During the NBA Finals, it's easy to be so invested in the task at hand that we forget all of the history and events leading up to this moment. Sure, the Finals are the pinnacle of the season, a resting place in basketball lore, and an ultimate decider in legacy. But it always strikes me how much weight we put on these seven games.</p>
<p>For instance, the Boston Celtics put together an incredible defensive performance last night in Game 4... and it just didn&rsquo;t matter to an extent because Stephen Curry had an all-time performance, putting up 43 points in a Herculean effort to equalize the series. Boston&rsquo;s offense floundered late as the Warriors constricted driving lanes and walled off the glass, a substantial improvement from the previous game.</p>
<p>While we can try and take away as much as possible philosophically from this game, I want to appreciate it instead. The journey to get here, 20-plus games deep into the postseason, months after an October start to the season. There are certainly things that we can take away from the series, but how we got here feels much more indicative and worth noting to me.</p>
<p>There are a million lenses we can search through. Al Horford was winning his second of back-to-back national titles at the University of Florida in 2007 and now he&rsquo;s participating in his first NBA Finals at age-36. There was a time early in Steph Curry&rsquo;s NBA career when there were viable questions about his longevity in the league given countless injuries. &ldquo;Andrew Wiggins revitalized his career,&rdquo; is doing a bit much for me (he wasn&rsquo;t a bust!), but he&rsquo;s legitimately improved as an all-around player and become a vital part of Golden State&rsquo;s core.</p>
<p>The other day when watching Game 3, I kept thinking to myself, &ldquo;Look at Jaylen Brown, man.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Brown is averaging 22.3 points per game in the Finals on 54.5% True Shooting, which is impressive considering how good the defense has been through four games. He&rsquo;s been Boston&rsquo;s most consistent offensive outlet throughout the playoffs.</p>
<p>Of course, box scores don&rsquo;t capture everything. Brown&rsquo;s decision-making can be head-scratching. His defense waxes and wanes, particularly off the ball. But, man, going back and rewinding to see who Brown was prior to entering the league is fascinating and awe-inspiring. Before he was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, he was the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2015 high-school class (according to RSCI), which paints the picture that he&rsquo;s always been this guy.</p>
<p>Not so fast!</p>
<p>Brown shot 48.2% on twos at Cal and 54.4% on twos during the 2021-22 regular season. He's shooting 37.9% from deep on 8.8 threes per 100 possessions during the playoffs compared to 29.4% on 6.4 three-point attempts per 100 in college. He's shot 75% at the line over the past three NBA seasons compared to 65.8% his first three years, in line with his 65.4% at Cal. Perhaps the best descriptor: Brown shot 30.2% on 116 far twos during his one-and-done season, according to Barttorvik, a massive contrast from the 46% he shot on long twos in the NBA this season, per Cleaning the Glass.</p>
<p>Going back through Brown's tape at Cal, it's worth noting how he's left open when he's behind the arc. His hestiancy as a shooter stands out as well.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qejwzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>It was jarring watching this game back and remembering how different Brown was defended then compared to now. He has become a vastly different player.</p>
<p>His shot was all over the place. He didn't have much versatility in it. The touch from anywhere on the floor felt uncertain and indicative of a player who would struggle to find a consistent form of a jumper in the league.</p>
<p>Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress and ESPN put it best back in 2016.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Timing his release differently shot-to-shot whether he's pulling up off the bounce under pressure or shooting catch and shoot jumpers in space, Brown's mechanics are not particularly reliable at this stage. He casually fades away on some attempts unnecessarily, sometimes holding the ball longer than others at the top of his shot.</em> - Source:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/">http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/</a>&nbsp;&copy;DraftExpress</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Just look at how different these two shots are.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/6e6o2w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first shot, he's bringing the ball across his body whereas on the second shot, he's still dipping but going straight up. There's less of a sideways sway or fade in his shot as well. The base is stronger and he seems much more compact.</p>
<p>Compact is a wonderful way to describe Jaylen's growth in general. He's tightened up so many aspects of his game in order to get the most out of it.</p>
<p>You can see shades of the same powerful strides, the outside mechanical dribbles, but notice how high up he was on drives.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/m98i8k" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Jaylen has always had an incredible first step, but his handle at the time really limited his ability to get the most out of it. Getting to the paint wasn't a problem, as he was such an overwhelming athlete, but stringing together his handle and drives into actual finishes in the paint was a struggle. He felt a bit disjointed with his body capable of moving much faster than his handle would let him go, sort of like someone who just bought a stick-shift Camaro, but they've never driven stick before.</p>
<p>His finishes felt rushed almost, moving on two different planes. Watch this. It's actually a pretty solid display of handle and maneuverability in tight space &mdash; his biggest area of concern outside of his jumper at Cal. However, it's super choppy. He feels sped up.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hpsggo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His pacing and tempo have improved astronomically since then. He can certainly fall into tunnel vision as a scorer, but it's without the level of erraticism that existed at Cal. Every game, there are a multitude of looks that bring out a "no, no, no, NO, YES?!" type of reaction from me. He has Neo-controlling-the-Matrix type stretches as a shotmaker where you could put an army of 8-foot tall Mr. Smiths in front of him and he'd still hit his shots.</p>
<p>Now, watch this drive from last night.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/w9huvc" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Brown's ability to take like-sized wings off the dribble and generate an advantage is miles better than could be envisioned at the time.</p>
<p>Most importantly, and perhaps my favorite attribute that Jaylen has greatly improved, is his ability to adjust to and finish through contact. He hangs in the air endlessly, something he benefits from considering that he still has that slight hold at the top of his shot. He rises over any and everyone in the mid-range and at the rim and his strength, particularly in his core, allows him to really pop.</p>
<p>His implementation of Euros and greatly expanded craft as a finisher take the cake. This stunt at the nail causes a turnover or halted possession at Cal. Not today!&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jhf56n" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A late-clock isolation on a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, driving into nail help from a borderline All-Defensive-Team guard, and then getting into a nasty self-created shot from eight feet that rattles the rim and slides in. I'm not sure any play could better embody the type of player Brown is at this point.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jaylen Brown's improvements are staggering when you compare his current skillset to his pre-NBA self. I don't want to get hasty and say he's got one of the greatest development tracks of all-time, but it doesn't feel far off! So often we see a player with physical tools and size and the bones of a potential scoring game. Brown's remarkable strides shouldn't be used as a measuring stick for others, but they should be admired. He has drastically improved and we just don't see this type of outlier success regularly.</p>
<p>Brown's play has been substantial for the Celtics, and will be for the remainder of the series as the Celtics look to win their first championship in over a decade. A retrospective look as to how far he's come as a player and prospect gives an even greater appreciation for what he's doing today.</p>

<p>During the NBA Finals, it's easy to be so invested in the task at hand that we forget all of the history and events leading up to this moment. Sure, the Finals are the pinnacle of the season, a resting place in basketball lore, and an ultimate decider in legacy. But it always strikes me how much weight we put on these seven games.</p>
<p>For instance, the Boston Celtics put together an incredible defensive performance last night in Game 4... and it just didn&rsquo;t matter to an extent because Stephen Curry had an all-time performance, putting up 43 points in a Herculean effort to equalize the series. Boston&rsquo;s offense floundered late as the Warriors constricted driving lanes and walled off the glass, a substantial improvement from the previous game.</p>
<p>While we can try and take away as much as possible philosophically from this game, I want to appreciate it instead. The journey to get here, 20-plus games deep into the postseason, months after an October start to the season. There are certainly things that we can take away from the series, but how we got here feels much more indicative and worth noting to me.</p>
<p>There are a million lenses we can search through. Al Horford was winning his second of back-to-back national titles at the University of Florida in 2007 and now he&rsquo;s participating in his first NBA Finals at age-36. There was a time early in Steph Curry&rsquo;s NBA career when there were viable questions about his longevity in the league given countless injuries. &ldquo;Andrew Wiggins revitalized his career,&rdquo; is doing a bit much for me (he wasn&rsquo;t a bust!), but he&rsquo;s legitimately improved as an all-around player and become a vital part of Golden State&rsquo;s core.</p>
<p>The other day when watching Game 3, I kept thinking to myself, &ldquo;Look at Jaylen Brown, man.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Brown is averaging 22.3 points per game in the Finals on 54.5% True Shooting, which is impressive considering how good the defense has been through four games. He&rsquo;s been Boston&rsquo;s most consistent offensive outlet throughout the playoffs.</p>
<p>Of course, box scores don&rsquo;t capture everything. Brown&rsquo;s decision-making can be head-scratching. His defense waxes and wanes, particularly off the ball. But, man, going back and rewinding to see who Brown was prior to entering the league is fascinating and awe-inspiring. Before he was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, he was the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2015 high-school class (according to RSCI), which paints the picture that he&rsquo;s always been this guy.</p>
<p>Not so fast!</p>
<p>Brown shot 48.2% on twos at Cal and 54.4% on twos during the 2021-22 regular season. He's shooting 37.9% from deep on 8.8 threes per 100 possessions during the playoffs compared to 29.4% on 6.4 three-point attempts per 100 in college. He's shot 75% at the line over the past three NBA seasons compared to 65.8% his first three years, in line with his 65.4% at Cal. Perhaps the best descriptor: Brown shot 30.2% on 116 far twos during his one-and-done season, according to Barttorvik, a massive contrast from the 46% he shot on long twos in the NBA this season, per Cleaning the Glass.</p>
<p>Going back through Brown's tape at Cal, it's worth noting how he's left open when he's behind the arc. His hestiancy as a shooter stands out as well.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qejwzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>It was jarring watching this game back and remembering how different Brown was defended then compared to now. He has become a vastly different player.</p>
<p>His shot was all over the place. He didn't have much versatility in it. The touch from anywhere on the floor felt uncertain and indicative of a player who would struggle to find a consistent form of a jumper in the league.</p>
<p>Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress and ESPN put it best back in 2016.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Timing his release differently shot-to-shot whether he's pulling up off the bounce under pressure or shooting catch and shoot jumpers in space, Brown's mechanics are not particularly reliable at this stage. He casually fades away on some attempts unnecessarily, sometimes holding the ball longer than others at the top of his shot.</em> - Source:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/">http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/</a>&nbsp;&copy;DraftExpress</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Just look at how different these two shots are.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/6e6o2w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first shot, he's bringing the ball across his body whereas on the second shot, he's still dipping but going straight up. There's less of a sideways sway or fade in his shot as well. The base is stronger and he seems much more compact.</p>
<p>Compact is a wonderful way to describe Jaylen's growth in general. He's tightened up so many aspects of his game in order to get the most out of it.</p>
<p>You can see shades of the same powerful strides, the outside mechanical dribbles, but notice how high up he was on drives.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/m98i8k" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Jaylen has always had an incredible first step, but his handle at the time really limited his ability to get the most out of it. Getting to the paint wasn't a problem, as he was such an overwhelming athlete, but stringing together his handle and drives into actual finishes in the paint was a struggle. He felt a bit disjointed with his body capable of moving much faster than his handle would let him go, sort of like someone who just bought a stick-shift Camaro, but they've never driven stick before.</p>
<p>His finishes felt rushed almost, moving on two different planes. Watch this. It's actually a pretty solid display of handle and maneuverability in tight space &mdash; his biggest area of concern outside of his jumper at Cal. However, it's super choppy. He feels sped up.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hpsggo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His pacing and tempo have improved astronomically since then. He can certainly fall into tunnel vision as a scorer, but it's without the level of erraticism that existed at Cal. Every game, there are a multitude of looks that bring out a "no, no, no, NO, YES?!" type of reaction from me. He has Neo-controlling-the-Matrix type stretches as a shotmaker where you could put an army of 8-foot tall Mr. Smiths in front of him and he'd still hit his shots.</p>
<p>Now, watch this drive from last night.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/w9huvc" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Brown's ability to take like-sized wings off the dribble and generate an advantage is miles better than could be envisioned at the time.</p>
<p>Most importantly, and perhaps my favorite attribute that Jaylen has greatly improved, is his ability to adjust to and finish through contact. He hangs in the air endlessly, something he benefits from considering that he still has that slight hold at the top of his shot. He rises over any and everyone in the mid-range and at the rim and his strength, particularly in his core, allows him to really pop.</p>
<p>His implementation of Euros and greatly expanded craft as a finisher take the cake. This stunt at the nail causes a turnover or halted possession at Cal. Not today!&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jhf56n" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A late-clock isolation on a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, driving into nail help from a borderline All-Defensive-Team guard, and then getting into a nasty self-created shot from eight feet that rattles the rim and slides in. I'm not sure any play could better embody the type of player Brown is at this point.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jaylen Brown's improvements are staggering when you compare his current skillset to his pre-NBA self. I don't want to get hasty and say he's got one of the greatest development tracks of all-time, but it doesn't feel far off! So often we see a player with physical tools and size and the bones of a potential scoring game. Brown's remarkable strides shouldn't be used as a measuring stick for others, but they should be admired. He has drastically improved and we just don't see this type of outlier success regularly.</p>
<p>Brown's play has been substantial for the Celtics, and will be for the remainder of the series as Boston looks to win their first championship in over a decade. A retrospective look as to how far he's come as a player and prospect gives an even greater appreciation for what he's doing today.</p>

<p>During the NBA Finals, it's easy to be so invested in the task at hand that we forget all of the history and events leading up to this moment. Sure, the Finals are the pinnacle of the season, a resting place in basketball lore, and an ultimate decider in legacy. But it always strikes me how much weight we put on these seven games.</p>
<p>For instance, the Boston Celtics put together an incredible defensive performance last night in Game 4... and it just didn&rsquo;t matter to an extent because Stephen Curry had an all-time performance, putting up 43 points in a Herculean effort to equalize the series. Boston&rsquo;s offense floundered late as the Warriors constricted driving lanes and walled off the glass, a substantial improvement from the previous game.</p>
<p>While we can try and take away as much as possible philosophically from this game, I want to appreciate it instead. The journey to get here, 20-plus games deep into the postseason, months after an October start to the season. There are certainly things that we can take away from the series, but how we got here feels much more indicative and worth noting to me.</p>
<p>There are a million lenses we can search through. Al Horford was winning his second of back-to-back national titles at the University of Florida in 2007 and now he&rsquo;s participating in his first NBA Finals at age-36. There was a time early in Steph Curry&rsquo;s NBA career when there were viable questions about his longevity in the league given countless injuries. &ldquo;Andrew Wiggins revitalized his career,&rdquo; is doing a bit much for me (he wasn&rsquo;t a bust!), but he&rsquo;s legitimately improved as an all-around player and become a vital part of Golden State&rsquo;s core.</p>
<p>The other day when watching Game 3, I kept thinking to myself, &ldquo;Look at Jaylen Brown, man.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Brown is averaging 22.3 points per game in the Finals on 54.5% True Shooting, which is impressive considering how good the defense has been through four games. He&rsquo;s been Boston&rsquo;s most consistent offensive outlet throughout the playoffs.</p>
<p>Of course, box scores don&rsquo;t capture everything. Brown&rsquo;s decision-making can be head-scratching. His defense waxes and wanes, particularly off the ball. But, man, going back and rewinding to see who Brown was prior to entering the league is fascinating and awe-inspiring. Before he was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, he was the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2015 high-school class (according to RSCI), which paints the picture that he&rsquo;s always been this guy.</p>
<p>Not so fast!</p>
<p>Brown shot 48.2% on twos at Cal and 54.4% on twos during the 2021-22 regular season. He's shooting 37.9% from deep on 8.8 threes per 100 possessions during the playoffs compared to 29.4% on 6.4 three-point attempts per 100 in college. He's shot 75% at the line over the past three NBA seasons compared to 65.8% his first three years, in line with his 65.4% at Cal. Perhaps the best descriptor: Brown shot 30.2% on 116 far twos during his one-and-done season, according to Barttorvik, a massive contrast from the 46% he shot on long twos in the NBA this season, per Cleaning the Glass.</p>
<p>Going back through Brown's tape at Cal, it's worth noting how he's left open when he's behind the arc. His hestiancy as a shooter stands out as well.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qejwzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>It was jarring watching this game back and remembering how different Brown was defended then compared to now. He has become a vastly different player.</p>
<p>His shot was all over the place. He didn't have much versatility in it. The touch from anywhere on the floor felt uncertain and indicative of a player who would struggle to find a consistent form of a jumper in the league.</p>
<p>Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress and ESPN put it best back in 2016.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Timing his release differently shot-to-shot whether he's pulling up off the bounce under pressure or shooting catch and shoot jumpers in space, Brown's mechanics are not particularly reliable at this stage. He casually fades away on some attempts unnecessarily, sometimes holding the ball longer than others at the top of his shot.</em> - Source:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/">http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/</a>&nbsp;&copy;DraftExpress</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Just look at how different these two shots are.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/6e6o2w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first shot, he's bringing the ball across his body whereas on the second shot, he's still dipping but going straight up. There's less of a sideways sway or fade in his shot as well. The base is stronger and he seems much more compact.</p>
<p>Compact is a wonderful way to describe Jaylen's growth in general. He's tightened up so many aspects of his game in order to get the most out of it.</p>
<p>You can see shades of the same powerful strides, the outside mechanical dribbles, but notice how high up he was on drives.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/m98i8k" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Jaylen has always had an incredible first step, but his handle at the time really limited his ability to get the most out of it. Getting to the paint wasn't a problem, as he was such an overwhelming athlete, but stringing together his handle and drives into actual finishes in the paint was a struggle. He felt a bit disjointed with his body capable of moving much faster than his handle would let him go, sort of like someone who just bought a stick-shift Camaro, but they've never driven stick before.</p>
<p>His finishes felt rushed almost, moving on two different planes. Watch this. It's actually a pretty solid display of handle and maneuverability in tight space &mdash; his biggest area of concern outside of his jumper at Cal. However, it's super choppy. He feels sped up.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hpsggo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His pacing and tempo have improved astronomically since then. He can certainly fall into tunnel vision as a scorer, but it's without the level of erraticism that existed at Cal. Every game, there are a multitude of looks that bring out a "no, no, no, NO, YES?!" type of reaction from me. He has Neo-controlling-the-Matrix type stretches as a shotmaker where you could put an army of 8-foot tall Mr. Smiths in front of him and he'd still hit his shots.</p>
<p>Now, watch this drive from last night.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/w9huvc" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Brown's ability to take like-sized wings off the dribble and generate an advantage is miles better than could be envisioned at the time.</p>
<p>Most importantly, and perhaps my favorite attribute that Jaylen has greatly improved, is his ability to adjust to and finish through contact. He hangs in the air endlessly, something he benefits from considering that he still has that slight hold at the top of his shot. He rises over any and everyone in the mid-range and at the rim and his strength, particularly in his core, allows him to really pop.</p>
<p>His implementation of Euros and greatly expanded craft as a finisher take the cake. This stunt at the nail causes a turnover or halted possession at Cal. Not today!&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jhf56n" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A late-clock isolation on a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, driving into nail help from a borderline All-Defensive-Team guard, and then getting into a nasty self-created shot from eight feet that rattles the rim and slides in. I'm not sure any play could better embody the type of player Brown is at this point.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jaylen Brown's improvements are staggering when you compare his current skillset to his pre-NBA self. I don't want to get hasty and say he's got one of the greatest development tracks of all-time, but it doesn't feel far off! So often we see a player with physical tools and size and the bones of a potential scoring game. Brown's remarkable strides shouldn't be used as a measuring stick for others, but they should be admired. He has drastically improved and we just don't see this type of outlier success regularly.</p>
<p>Brown's play has been substantial for the Celtics, and will be for the remainder of the series as Boston looks to win their first championship in over a decade. A retrospective look as to how far he's come as a player gives an even greater appreciation for what he's doing today.</p>

<p>During the NBA Finals, it's easy to be so invested in the task at hand that we forget all of the history and events leading up to this moment. Sure, the Finals are the pinnacle of the season, a resting place in basketball lore, and an ultimate decider in legacy. But it always strikes me how much weight we put on these seven games.</p>
<p>For instance, the Boston Celtics put together an incredible defensive performance last night in Game 4... and it just didn&rsquo;t matter to an extent because Stephen Curry had an all-time performance, putting up 43 points in a Herculean effort to equalize the series. Boston&rsquo;s offense floundered late as the Warriors constricted driving lanes and walled off the glass, a substantial improvement from the previous game.</p>
<p>While we can try and take away as much as possible philosophically from this game, I want to appreciate it instead. The journey to get here, 20-plus games deep into the postseason, months after an October start to the season. There are certainly things that we can take away from the series, but how we got here feels much more indicative and worth noting to me.</p>
<p>There are a million lenses we can search through. Al Horford was winning his second of back-to-back national titles at the University of Florida in 2007 and now he&rsquo;s participating in his first NBA Finals at age-36. There was a time early in Steph Curry&rsquo;s NBA career when there were viable questions about his longevity in the league given countless injuries. &ldquo;Andrew Wiggins revitalized his career,&rdquo; is doing a bit much for me (he wasn&rsquo;t a bust!), but he&rsquo;s legitimately improved as an all-around player and become a vital part of Golden State&rsquo;s core.</p>
<p>The other day when watching Game 3, I kept thinking to myself, &ldquo;Look at Jaylen Brown, man.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Brown is averaging 22.3 points per game in the Finals on 54.5% True Shooting, which is impressive considering how good the defense has been through four games. He&rsquo;s been Boston&rsquo;s most consistent offensive outlet throughout the playoffs.</p>
<p>Of course, box scores don&rsquo;t capture everything. Brown&rsquo;s decision-making can be head-scratching. His defense waxes and wanes, particularly off the ball. But, man, going back and rewinding to see who Brown was prior to entering the league is fascinating and awe-inspiring. Before he was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, he was the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2015 high-school class (according to RSCI), which paints the picture that he&rsquo;s always been this guy.</p>
<p>Not so fast!</p>
<p>Brown shot 48.2% on twos at Cal and 54.4% on twos during the 2021-22 regular season. He's shooting 37.9% from deep on 8.8 threes per 100 possessions during the playoffs compared to 29.4% on 6.4 three-point attempts per 100 in college. He's shot 75% at the line over the past three NBA seasons compared to 65.8% his first three years, in line with his 65.4% at Cal. Perhaps the best descriptor: Brown shot 30.2% on 116 far twos during his one-and-done season, according to Barttorvik, a massive contrast from the 46% he shot on long twos in the NBA this season, per Cleaning the Glass.</p>
<p>Going back through Brown's tape at Cal, it's worth noting how he's left open when he's behind the arc. His hestiancy as a shooter stands out as well.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qejwzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>It was jarring watching this game back and remembering how different Brown was defended then compared to now. He has become a vastly different player.</p>
<p>His shot was all over the place. He didn't have much versatility in it. The touch from anywhere on the floor felt uncertain and indicative of a player who would struggle to find a consistent form of a jumper in the league.</p>
<p>Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress and ESPN put it best back in 2016.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Timing his release differently shot-to-shot whether he's pulling up off the bounce under pressure or shooting catch and shoot jumpers in space, Brown's mechanics are not particularly reliable at this stage. He casually fades away on some attempts unnecessarily, sometimes holding the ball longer than others at the top of his shot.</em> - Source:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/">http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/</a>&nbsp;&copy;DraftExpress</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Just look at how different these two shots are.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/6e6o2w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first shot, he's bringing the ball across his body whereas on the second shot, he's still dipping but going straight up. There's less of a sideways sway or fade in his shot as well. The base is stronger and he seems much more compact.</p>
<p>Compact is a wonderful way to describe Jaylen's growth in general. He's tightened up so many aspects of his game in order to get the most out of it.</p>
<p>You can see shades of the same powerful strides, the outside mechanical dribbles, but notice how high up he was on drives.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/m98i8k" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Jaylen has always had an incredible first step, but his handle at the time really limited his ability to get the most out of it. Getting to the paint wasn't a problem, as he was such an overwhelming athlete, but stringing together his handle and drives into actual finishes in the paint was a struggle. He felt a bit disjointed with his body capable of moving much faster than his handle would let him go, sort of like someone who just bought a stick-shift Camaro, but they've never driven stick before.</p>
<p>His finishes felt rushed almost, moving on two different planes. Watch this. It's actually a pretty solid display of handle and maneuverability in tight space &mdash; his biggest area of concern outside of his jumper at Cal. However, it's super choppy. He feels sped up.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hpsggo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His pacing and tempo have improved astronomically since then. He can certainly fall into tunnel vision as a scorer, but it's without the level of erraticism that existed at Cal. Every game, there are a multitude of looks that bring out a "no, no, no, NO, YES?!" type of reaction from me. He has Neo-controlling-the-Matrix type stretches as a shotmaker where you could put an army of 8-foot tall Mr. Smiths in front of him and he'd still hit his shots.</p>
<p>Now, watch this drive from last night.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/w9huvc" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Brown's ability to take like-sized wings off the dribble and generate an advantage is miles better than could be envisioned at the time.</p>
<p>Most importantly, and perhaps my favorite attribute that Jaylen has greatly improved, is his ability to adjust to and finish through contact. He hangs in the air endlessly, something he benefits from considering that he still has that slight hold at the top of his shot. He rises over any and everyone in the mid-range and at the rim and his strength, particularly in his core, allows him to really pop.</p>
<p>His implementation of Euros and greatly expanded craft as a finisher take the cake. This stunt at the nail causes a turnover or halted possession at Cal. Not today!&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jhf56n" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A late-clock isolation on a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, driving into nail help from a borderline All-Defensive-Team guard, and then getting into a nasty self-created shot from eight feet that rattles the rim and slides in. I'm not sure any play could better embody the type of player Brown is at this point.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jaylen Brown's improvements are staggering when you compare his current skillset to his pre-NBA self. I don't want to get hasty and say he's got one of the greatest development tracks of all-time, but it doesn't feel far off! So often we see a player with physical tools and size and the bones of a potential scoring game. Brown's remarkable strides shouldn't be used as a measuring stick for others, but they should be admired. He has drastically improved and we just don't see this type of outlier success regularly.</p>
<p>Brown's play has been substantial for the Celtics, and will be for the remainder of the series as Boston looks to win their first championship in over a decade. A retrospective look as to how far he's come as a player provides an even greater appreciation for what he's doing today.</p>

Jaylen Brown has arguably been Boston's most consistent offensive outlet, which is all the more incredible considering how he got here.

Appreciating how far Jaylen Brown has come

<p>After an up and down start to the season, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu has greatly impressed since the start of June. Her recent play was encapsulated by a landmark performance against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, in which Ionescu scored 26 points... on 11 shots... while only playing in the first three quarters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In case you still needed confirmation on how wide the rims were for Ionescu last night, she hit <em>this.</em></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.922%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.137%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/evbkzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>The Liberty are 4-8, but three of those wins have come in the four games played thus far in June. Ionescu has scored 20 or more points in all four games after having accomplished the same task only seven times in 41 career WNBA games prior. She's been absolutely on fire.</p>
<p>Boasting 26.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists (vs. 2.5 turnovers) per game on .574/.469/1.00 shooting splits is bonkers; that's a 74.7% True Shooting percentage!</p>
<p>While noting that the Liberty have played only one team currently slated to make postseason play in this four-game run (Washington Mystics), this stretch is essential for the immediate future of the New York Liberty.</p>
<p>Another essential indicator: plus-15.83.</p>
<p>What is it? The difference in points scored per 100 possessions when Crystal Dangerfield plays the point guard position alongside Ionescu and when Dangerfield is off the court. Per PBP Stats, the Liberty have a 94.5 Offensive Rating without Dangerfield on the court and Ionescu on. With both on the court, that figure shoots up to 110.1.</p>
<p>When looking at the base Net Rating from Her Hoop Stats as a reference, that's a jump from the 10th-ranked offense in The W to the best. It's of course not a drag-and-drop equation, but the point remains: With Ionescu playing alongside another lead ball-handler, the Liberty offense is vastly better (and the defense remains roughly the same).</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>This is not an indictment of Ionescu, but rather a dimension of New York's roster. Ionescu isn't currently routinely able to create high-level looks without a ball-screen. With how good Ionescu is at creating out of pick-and-roll, she's commanded two defenders to the ball much of the season, which has negated much of her ability to put defenses in rotation.</p>
<p>Adding Dangerfield to the starting lineup (the biggest change in this four-game stretch) hasn't actually changed Ionescu's usage as you'd think; her usage in June is up <span style="font-weight: 400;">substantially </span>from the first eight games of the season from 22.1% to 28.75%.</p>
<p>While Ionescu has just shot better in general and is certainly in an outlier stretch (21% above league average TS is insane), her looks have been easier &mdash; even her tougher shots. She's been very aggressive, but she's getting more clean three point attempt looks by... not having the ball!</p>
<p>That sounds counterintuitive, but playing with Dangerfield creates the opportunities for easier looks when Ionescu isn't always tasked with intitiating sets. Even when she is taking those tougher looks contested in the mid-range, it's more on her terms and dictated by her pacing than it was earlier in the year.</p>
<p>Dangerfield is remarkably quick and so good at getting downhill, knifing into the paint. The threat of someone who can penetrate the paint outside of Ionescu does wonders for the Liberty. It seems small, but watch this set.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uye160" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The dribble continuity is awesome. Dangerfield puts things in motion and Ionescu is brought off of a screen up to the ball. The defense isn't dictating that possession when Ionescu isn't the player starting with the ball. Earlier in the season, she would get swarmed as soon as the screen came (watch that Sky game... MAN).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Again, speaking of the threat of another drive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mm9adk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In spite of how small this team is across the board, they lack many ball-handlers who can get downhill. That extra step of contemplation that Dangerfield draws from Sylvia Fowles which in turn opens Sabrina up for the deep shot, that wasn't there earlier this season.</p>
<p>Having a player to even open a set to have Ionescu then initiate after flowing off of the ball makes it that much simpler to find a rhythm.</p>
<p>Utilizing Ionescu off of screens or even as a screener herself opens up more ways to weaponize her shooting abilities, which in turn provides more versatility in attacking out of secondary pick and rolls.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/185d8s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Dangerfield scores here, but why?</p>
<p>There's a momentary miscommunication and hesitation on the switch between Kayla McBride and Evina Westbrook. Ionescu's threat as a shooter is likely the root cause! If this is properly switched or communicated, Stef Dolson is cleaning house with a solid screen and Dangerfield is likely finding Ionescu above the arc to flow into a secondary action.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Easier looks and less work to get into sets and shift the pieces on the chess board has made life simpler for Ionescu as a decision-maker and scorer. She can use her tempo and pacing to probe and attack now that those lanes exist with more regularity.</p>
<p>Does it matter if Sabrina Ionescu "is" a point guard? To me, not really. These poast 4 games have shown how good she can be and better apply her skills when she has another ball-handler alongside her. She certainly has limitations as a heliocentric creator, but that's partially on the roster as well. What she brings is remarkably value and hard to replicate at the highest levels. Putting her in better positions to succeed provides strands of hope for a season that looked headed for disaster. How she and the Liberty continue to grow and develop as the season goes on will be a key storyline as the year unfolds.</p>

<p>After an up and down start to the season, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu has greatly impressed since the start of June. Her recent play was encapsulated by a landmark performance against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, in which Ionescu scored 26 points... on 11 shots... while only playing in the first three quarters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In case you still needed confirmation on how wide the rims were for Ionescu last night, she hit <em>this.</em></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.922%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.137%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/evbkzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>The Liberty are 4-8, but three of those wins have come in the four games played thus far in June. Ionescu has scored 20 or more points in all four games after having accomplished the same task only seven times in 41 career WNBA games prior. She's been absolutely on fire.</p>
<p>Boasting 26.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists (vs. 2.5 turnovers) per game on .574/.469/1.00 shooting splits is bonkers; that's a 74.7% True Shooting percentage!</p>
<p>While noting that the Liberty have played only one team currently slated to make postseason play in this four-game run (Washington Mystics), this stretch is essential for the immediate future of the New York Liberty.</p>
<p>Another essential indicator: plus-15.83.</p>
<p>What is it? The difference in points scored per 100 possessions when Crystal Dangerfield plays the point guard position alongside Ionescu and when Dangerfield is off the court. Per PBP Stats, the Liberty have a 94.5 Offensive Rating without Dangerfield on the court and Ionescu on. With both on the court, that figure shoots up to 110.1.</p>
<p>When looking at the base Net Rating from Her Hoop Stats as a reference, that's a jump from the 10th-ranked offense in The W to the best. It's of course not a drag-and-drop equation, but the point remains: With Ionescu playing alongside another lead ball-handler, the Liberty offense is vastly better (and the defense remains roughly the same).</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>This is not an indictment of Ionescu, but rather a dimension of New York's roster. Ionescu isn't currently routinely able to create high-level looks without a ball-screen. With how good Ionescu is at creating out of pick-and-roll, she's commanded two defenders to the ball much of the season, which has negated much of her ability to put defenses in rotation.</p>
<p>Adding Dangerfield to the starting lineup (the biggest change in this four-game stretch) hasn't actually changed Ionescu's usage as you'd think; her usage in June is up <span style="font-weight: 400;">substantially </span>from the first eight games of the season from 22.1% to 28.75%.</p>
<p>While Ionescu has just shot better in general and is certainly in an outlier stretch (21% above league average TS is insane), her looks have been easier &mdash; even her tougher shots. She's been very aggressive, but she's getting more clean three point attempt looks by... not having the ball!</p>
<p>That sounds counterintuitive, but playing with Dangerfield creates the opportunities for easier looks when Ionescu isn't always tasked with intitiating sets. Even when she is taking those tougher looks contested in the mid-range, it's more on her terms and dictated by her pacing than it was earlier in the year.</p>
<p>Dangerfield is remarkably quick and so good at getting downhill, knifing into the paint. The threat of someone who can penetrate the paint outside of Ionescu does wonders for the Liberty. It seems small, but watch this set.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uye160" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The dribble continuity is awesome. Dangerfield puts things in motion and Ionescu is brought off of a screen up to the ball. The defense isn't dictating that possession when Ionescu isn't the player starting with the ball. Earlier in the season, she would get swarmed as soon as the screen came (watch that Sky game... MAN)</p>
<p>Again, speaking of the threat of another drive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mm9adk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In spite of how small this team is across the board, they lack many ball-handlers who can get downhill. That extra step of contemplation that Dangerfield draws from Sylvia Fowles which in turn opens Sabrina up for the deep shot, that wasn't there earlier this season.</p>
<p>Having a player to even open a set to have Ionescu then initiate after flowing off of the ball makes it that much simpler to find a rhythm.</p>
<p>Utilizing Ionescu off of screens or even as a screener herself opens up more ways to weaponize her shooting abilities, which in turn provides more versatility in attacking out of secondary pick and rolls.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/185d8s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Dangerfield scores here, but why?</p>
<p>There's a momentary miscommunication and hesitation on the switch between Kayla McBride and Evina Westbrook. Ionescu's threat as a shooter is likely the root cause! If this is properly switched or communicated, Stef Dolson is cleaning house with a solid screen and Dangerfield is likely finding Ionescu above the arc to flow into a secondary action.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Easier looks and less work to get into sets and shift the pieces on the chess board has made life simpler for Ionescu as a decision-maker and scorer. She can use her tempo and pacing to probe and attack now that those lanes exist with more regularity.</p>
<p>Does it matter if Sabrina Ionescu "is" a point guard? To me, not really. These poast 4 games have shown how good she can be and better apply her skills when she has another ball-handler alongside her. She certainly has limitations as a heliocentric creator, but that's partially on the roster as well. What she brings is remarkably value and hard to replicate at the highest levels. Putting her in better positions to succeed provides strands of hope for a season that looked headed for disaster. How she and the Liberty continue to grow and develop as the season goes on will be a key storyline as the year unfolds.</p>

<p>After an up and down start to the season, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu has greatly impressed since the start of June. Her recent play was encapsulated by a landmark performance against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, in which Ionescu scored 26 points... on 11 shots... while only playing in the first three quarters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In case you still needed confirmation on how wide the rims were for Ionescu last night, she hit <em>this.</em></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.922%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.137%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/evbkzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>The Liberty are 4-8, but three of those wins have come in the four games played thus far in June. Ionescu has scored 20 or more points in all four games after having accomplished the same task only seven times in 41 career WNBA games prior. She's been absolutely on fire.</p>
<p>Boasting 26.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists (vs. 2.5 turnovers) per game on .574/.469/1.00 shooting splits is bonkers; that's a 74.7% True Shooting percentage!</p>
<p>While noting that the Liberty have played only one team currently slated to make postseason play in this four-game run (Washington Mystics), this stretch is essential for the immediate future of the New York Liberty.</p>
<p>Another essential indicator: plus-15.83.</p>
<p>What is it? The difference in points scored per 100 possessions when Crystal Dangerfield plays the point guard position alongside Ionescu and when Dangerfield is off the court. Per PBP Stats, the Liberty have a 94.5 Offensive Rating without Dangerfield on the court and Ionescu on. With both on the court, that figure shoots up to 110.1.</p>
<p>When looking at the base Net Rating from Her Hoop Stats as a reference, that's a jump from the 10th-ranked offense in The W to the best. It's of course not a drag-and-drop equation, but the point remains: With Ionescu playing alongside another lead ball-handler, the Liberty offense is vastly better (and the defense remains roughly the same).</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>This is not an indictment of Ionescu, but rather a dimension of New York's roster. Ionescu isn't currently routinely able to create high-level looks without a ball-screen. With how good Ionescu is at creating out of pick-and-roll, she's commanded two defenders to the ball much of the season, which has negated much of her ability to put defenses in rotation.</p>
<p>Adding Dangerfield to the starting lineup (the biggest change in this four-game stretch) hasn't actually changed Ionescu's usage as you'd think; her usage in June is up <span style="font-weight: 400;">substantially </span>from the first eight games of the season from 22.1% to 28.75%.</p>
<p>While Ionescu has just shot better in general and is certainly in an outlier stretch (21% above league average TS is insane), her looks have been easier &mdash; even her tougher shots. She's been very aggressive, but she's getting more clean three point attempt looks by... not having the ball!</p>
<p>That sounds counterintuitive, but playing with Dangerfield creates the opportunities for easier looks when Ionescu isn't always tasked with intitiating sets. Even when she is taking those tougher looks contested in the mid-range, it's more on her terms and dictated by her pacing than it was earlier in the year.</p>
<p>Dangerfield is remarkably quick and so good at getting downhill, knifing into the paint. The threat of someone who can penetrate the paint outside of Ionescu does wonders for the Liberty. It seems small, but watch this set.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uye160" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The dribble continuity is awesome. Dangerfield puts things in motion and Ionescu is brought off of a screen up to the ball. The defense isn't dictating that possession when Ionescu isn't the player starting with the ball. Earlier in the season, she would get swarmed as soon as the screen came (watch that Sky game... MAN).</p>
<p>Again, speaking of the threat of another drive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mm9adk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In spite of how small this team is across the board, they lack many ball-handlers who can get downhill. That extra step of contemplation that Dangerfield draws from Sylvia Fowles which in turn opens Sabrina up for the deep shot, that wasn't there earlier this season.</p>
<p>Having a player to even open a set to have Ionescu then initiate after flowing off of the ball makes it that much simpler to find a rhythm.</p>
<p>Utilizing Ionescu off of screens or even as a screener herself opens up more ways to weaponize her shooting abilities, which in turn provides more versatility in attacking out of secondary pick and rolls.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/185d8s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Dangerfield scores here, but why?</p>
<p>There's a momentary miscommunication and hesitation on the switch between Kayla McBride and Evina Westbrook. Ionescu's threat as a shooter is likely the root cause! If this is properly switched or communicated, Stef Dolson is cleaning house with a solid screen and Dangerfield is likely finding Ionescu above the arc to flow into a secondary action.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Easier looks and less work to get into sets and shift the pieces on the chess board has made life simpler for Ionescu as a decision-maker and scorer. She can use her tempo and pacing to probe and attack now that those lanes exist with more regularity.</p>
<p>Does it matter if Sabrina Ionescu "is" a point guard? To me, not really. These poast 4 games have shown how good she can be and better apply her skills when she has another ball-handler alongside her. She certainly has limitations as a heliocentric creator, but that's partially on the roster as well. What she brings is remarkably value and hard to replicate at the highest levels. Putting her in better positions to succeed provides strands of hope for a season that looked headed for disaster. How she and the Liberty continue to grow and develop as the season goes on will be a key storyline as the year unfolds.</p>

<p>After an up and down start to the season, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu has greatly impressed since the start of June. Her recent play was encapsulated by a landmark performance against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, in which Ionescu scored 26 points... on 11 shots... while only playing in the first three quarters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In case you still needed confirmation on how wide the rims were for Ionescu last night, she hit <em>this.</em></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.922%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.137%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/evbkzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>The Liberty are 4-8, but three of those wins have come in the four games played thus far in June. Ionescu has scored 20 or more points in all four games after having accomplished the same task only seven times in 41 career WNBA games prior. She's been absolutely on fire.</p>
<p>Boasting 26.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists (vs. 2.5 turnovers) per game on .574/.469/1.00 shooting splits is bonkers; that's a 74.7% True Shooting percentage!</p>
<p>While noting that the Liberty have played only one team currently slated to make postseason play in this four-game run (Washington Mystics), this stretch is essential for the immediate future of the New York Liberty.</p>
<p>Another essential indicator: plus-15.83.</p>
<p>What is it? The difference in points scored per 100 possessions when Crystal Dangerfield plays the point guard position alongside Ionescu and when Dangerfield is off the court. Per PBP Stats, the Liberty have a 94.5 Offensive Rating without Dangerfield on the court and Ionescu on. With both on the court, that figure shoots up to 110.1.</p>
<p>When looking at the base Net Rating from Her Hoop Stats as a reference, that's a jump from the 10th-ranked offense in The W to the best. It's of course not a drag-and-drop equation, but the point remains: With Ionescu playing alongside another lead ball-handler, the Liberty offense is vastly better (and the defense remains roughly the same).</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>This is not an indictment of Ionescu, but rather a dimension of New York's roster. Ionescu isn't currently routinely able to create high-level looks without a ball-screen. With how good Ionescu is at creating out of pick-and-roll, she's commanded two defenders to the ball much of the season, which has negated much of her ability to put defenses in rotation.</p>
<p>Adding Dangerfield to the starting lineup (the biggest change in this four-game stretch) hasn't actually changed Ionescu's usage as you'd think; her usage in June is up <span style="font-weight: 400;">substantially </span>from the first eight games of the season from 22.1% to 28.75%.</p>
<p>While Ionescu has just shot better in general and is certainly in an outlier stretch (21% above league average TS is insane), her looks have been easier &mdash; even her tougher shots. She's been very aggressive, but she's getting more clean three point attempt looks by... not having the ball!</p>
<p>That sounds counterintuitive, but playing with Dangerfield creates the opportunities for easier looks when Ionescu isn't always tasked with intitiating sets. Even when she is taking those tougher looks contested in the mid-range, it's more on her terms and dictated by her pacing than it was earlier in the year.</p>
<p>Dangerfield is remarkably quick and so good at getting downhill, knifing into the paint. The threat of someone who can penetrate the paint outside of Ionescu does wonders for the Liberty. It seems small, but watch this set.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uye160" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The dribble continuity is awesome. Dangerfield puts things in motion and Ionescu is brought off of a screen up to the ball. The defense isn't dictating that possession when Ionescu isn't the player starting with the ball. Earlier in the season, she would get swarmed as soon as the screen came (watch that Sky game... MAN).</p>
<p>Again, speaking of the threat of another drive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mm9adk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In spite of how small this New York team is across the board, it lacks many ball-handlers who can get downhill. That extra step of contemplation that Dangerfield draws from Sylvia Fowles which in turn opens Sabrina up for the deep shot, that wasn't there earlier this season.</p>
<p>Having a player to even open a set to have Ionescu then initiate after flowing off of the ball makes it that much simpler to find a rhythm.</p>
<p>Utilizing Ionescu off of screens or even as a screener herself opens up more ways to weaponize her shooting abilities, which in turn provides more versatility in attacking out of secondary pick and rolls.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/185d8s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Dangerfield scores here, but why?</p>
<p>There's a momentary miscommunication and hesitation on the switch between Kayla McBride and Evina Westbrook. Ionescu's threat as a shooter is likely the root cause! If this is properly switched or communicated, Stef Dolson is cleaning house with a solid screen and Dangerfield is likely finding Ionescu above the arc to flow into a secondary action.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Easier looks and less work to get into sets and shift the pieces on the chess board has made life simpler for Ionescu as a decision-maker and scorer. She can use her tempo and pacing to probe and attack now that those lanes exist with more regularity.</p>
<p>Does it matter if Sabrina Ionescu "is" a point guard? To me, not really. These poast 4 games have shown how good she can be and better apply her skills when she has another ball-handler alongside her. She certainly has limitations as a heliocentric creator, but that's partially on the roster as well. What she brings is remarkably value and hard to replicate at the highest levels. Putting her in better positions to succeed provides strands of hope for a season that looked headed for disaster. How she and the Liberty continue to grow and develop as the season goes on will be a key storyline as the year unfolds.</p>

<p>After an up and down start to the season, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu has greatly impressed since the start of June. Her recent play was encapsulated by a landmark performance against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, in which Ionescu scored 26 points... on 11 shots... while only playing in the first three quarters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In case you still needed confirmation on how wide the rims were for Ionescu last night, she hit <em>this.</em></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.922%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.137%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/evbkzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>The Liberty are 4-8, but three of those wins have come in the four games played thus far in June. Ionescu has scored 20 or more points in all four games after having accomplished the same task only seven times in 41 career WNBA games prior. She's been absolutely on fire.</p>
<p>Boasting 26.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists (vs. 2.5 turnovers) per game on .574/.469/1.00 shooting splits is bonkers; that's a 74.7% True Shooting percentage!</p>
<p>While noting that the Liberty have played only one team currently slated to make postseason play in this four-game run (Washington Mystics), this stretch is essential for the immediate future of the New York Liberty.</p>
<p>Another essential indicator: plus-15.83.</p>
<p>What is it? The difference in points scored per 100 possessions when Crystal Dangerfield plays the point guard position alongside Ionescu and when Dangerfield is off the court. Per PBP Stats, the Liberty have a 94.5 Offensive Rating without Dangerfield on the court and Ionescu on. With both on the court, that figure shoots up to 110.1.</p>
<p>When looking at the base Net Rating from Her Hoop Stats as a reference, that's a jump from the 10th-ranked offense in The W to the best. It's of course not a drag-and-drop equation, but the point remains: With Ionescu playing alongside another lead ball-handler, the Liberty offense is vastly better (and the defense remains roughly the same).</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>This is not an indictment of Ionescu, but rather a dimension of New York's roster. Ionescu isn't currently routinely able to create high-level looks without a ball-screen. With how good Ionescu is at creating out of pick-and-roll, she's commanded two defenders to the ball much of the season, which has negated much of her ability to put defenses in rotation.</p>
<p>Adding Dangerfield to the starting lineup (the biggest change in this four-game stretch) hasn't actually changed Ionescu's usage as you'd think; her usage in June is up <span style="font-weight: 400;">substantially </span>from the first eight games of the season from 22.1% to 28.75%.</p>
<p>While Ionescu has just shot better in general and is certainly in an outlier stretch (21% above league average TS is insane), her looks have been easier &mdash; even her tougher shots. She's been very aggressive, but she's getting more clean three point attempt looks by... not having the ball!</p>
<p>That sounds counterintuitive, but playing with Dangerfield creates the opportunities for easier looks when Ionescu isn't always tasked with intitiating sets. Even when she is taking those tougher looks contested in the mid-range, it's more on her terms and dictated by her pacing than it was earlier in the year.</p>
<p>Dangerfield is remarkably quick and so good at getting downhill, knifing into the paint. The threat of someone who can penetrate the paint outside of Ionescu does wonders for the Liberty. It seems small, but watch this set.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uye160" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The dribble continuity is awesome. Dangerfield puts things in motion and Ionescu is brought off of a screen up to the ball. The defense isn't dictating that possession when Ionescu isn't the player starting with the ball. Earlier in the season, she would get swarmed as soon as the screen came (watch that Sky game... MAN).</p>
<p>Again, speaking of the threat of another drive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mm9adk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In spite of how small this New York team is across the board, it lacks many ball-handlers who can get downhill. The extra step of contemplation that Dangerfield draws from Sylvia Fowles, which in turn opens Sabrina up for the deep shot? That wasn't there earlier this season.</p>
<p>Having a player to even open a set for Ionescu to then initiate after flowing off of the ball makes it that much simpler to find a rhythm.</p>
<p>Utilizing Ionescu off of screens or even as a screener herself opens up more ways to weaponize her shooting abilities, which in turn provides more versatility in attacking out of secondary pick and rolls.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/185d8s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Dangerfield scores here, but why?</p>
<p>There's a momentary miscommunication and hesitation on the switch between Kayla McBride and Evina Westbrook. Ionescu's threat as a shooter is likely the root cause! If this is properly switched or communicated, Stef Dolson is cleaning house with a solid screen and Dangerfield is likely finding Ionescu above the arc to flow into a secondary action.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Easier looks and less work to get into sets and shift the pieces on the chess board has made life simpler for Ionescu as a decision-maker and scorer. She can use her tempo and pacing to probe and attack now that those lanes exist with more regularity.</p>
<p>Does it matter if Sabrina Ionescu "is" a point guard? To me, not really. These poast 4 games have shown how good she can be and better apply her skills when she has another ball-handler alongside her. She certainly has limitations as a heliocentric creator, but that's partially on the roster as well. What she brings is remarkably value and hard to replicate at the highest levels. Putting her in better positions to succeed provides strands of hope for a season that looked headed for disaster. How she and the Liberty continue to grow and develop as the season goes on will be a key storyline as the year unfolds.</p>

<p>After an up and down start to the season, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu has greatly impressed since the start of June. Her recent play was encapsulated by a landmark performance against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, in which Ionescu scored 26 points... on 11 shots... while only playing in the first three quarters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In case you still needed confirmation on how wide the rims were for Ionescu last night, she hit <em>this.</em></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.922%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.137%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/evbkzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>The Liberty are 4-8, but three of those wins have come in the four games played thus far in June. Ionescu has scored 20 or more points in all four games after having accomplished the same task only seven times in 41 career WNBA games prior. She's been absolutely on fire.</p>
<p>Boasting 26.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists (vs. 2.5 turnovers) per game on .574/.469/1.00 shooting splits is bonkers; that's a 74.7% True Shooting percentage!</p>
<p>While noting that the Liberty have played only one team currently slated to make postseason play in this four-game run (Washington Mystics), this stretch is essential for the immediate future of the New York Liberty.</p>
<p>Another essential indicator: plus-15.83.</p>
<p>What is it? The difference in points scored per 100 possessions when Crystal Dangerfield plays the point guard position alongside Ionescu and when Dangerfield is off the court. Per PBP Stats, the Liberty have a 94.5 Offensive Rating without Dangerfield on the court and Ionescu on. With both on the court, that figure shoots up to 110.1.</p>
<p>When looking at the base Net Rating from Her Hoop Stats as a reference, that's a jump from the 10th-ranked offense in The W to the best. It's of course not a drag-and-drop equation, but the point remains: With Ionescu playing alongside another lead ball-handler, the Liberty offense is vastly better (and the defense remains roughly the same).</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>This is not an indictment of Ionescu, but rather a dimension of New York's roster. Ionescu isn't currently routinely able to create high-level looks without a ball-screen. With how good Ionescu is at creating out of pick-and-roll, she's commanded two defenders to the ball much of the season, which has negated much of her ability to put defenses in rotation.</p>
<p>Adding Dangerfield to the starting lineup (the biggest change in this four-game stretch) hasn't actually changed Ionescu's usage as you'd think; her usage in June is up <span style="font-weight: 400;">substantially </span>from the first eight games of the season from 22.1% to 28.75%.</p>
<p>While Ionescu has just shot better in general and is certainly in an outlier stretch (21% above league average TS is insane), her looks have been easier &mdash; even her tougher shots. She's been very aggressive, but she's getting more clean three point attempt looks by... not having the ball!</p>
<p>That sounds counterintuitive, but playing with Dangerfield creates the opportunities for easier looks when Ionescu isn't always tasked with intitiating sets. Even when she is taking those tougher looks contested in the mid-range, it's more on her terms and dictated by her pacing than it was earlier in the year.</p>
<p>Dangerfield is remarkably quick and so good at getting downhill, knifing into the paint. The threat of someone who can penetrate the paint outside of Ionescu does wonders for the Liberty. It seems small, but watch this set.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uye160" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The dribble continuity is awesome. Dangerfield puts things in motion and Ionescu is brought off of a screen up to the ball. The defense isn't dictating that possession when Ionescu isn't the player starting with the ball. Earlier in the season, she would get swarmed as soon as the screen came (watch that Sky game... MAN).</p>
<p>Again, speaking of the threat of another drive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mm9adk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In spite of how small this New York team is across the board, it lacks many ball-handlers who can get downhill. The extra step of contemplation that Dangerfield draws from Sylvia Fowles, which in turn opens Sabrina up for the deep shot? That wasn't there earlier this season.</p>
<p>Having a player to even open a set for Ionescu to then initiate after flowing off of the ball makes it that much simpler to find a rhythm.</p>
<p>Utilizing Ionescu off of screens or even as a screener herself opens up more ways to weaponize her shooting abilities, which in turn provides more versatility in attacking out of secondary pick-and-rolls.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/185d8s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Dangerfield scores here, but why?</p>
<p>There's a momentary miscommunication and hesitation on the switch between Kayla McBride and Evina Westbrook. Ionescu's threat as a shooter is likely the root cause! If this is properly switched or communicated, Stef Dolson is cleaning house with a solid screen and Dangerfield is likely finding Ionescu above the arc to flow into a secondary action.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Easier looks and less work to get into sets and shift the pieces on the chess board has made life simpler for Ionescu as a decision-maker and scorer. She can use her tempo and pacing to probe and attack now that those lanes exist with more regularity.</p>
<p>Does it matter if Sabrina Ionescu "is" a point guard? To me, not really. These poast 4 games have shown how good she can be and better apply her skills when she has another ball-handler alongside her. She certainly has limitations as a heliocentric creator, but that's partially on the roster as well. What she brings is remarkably value and hard to replicate at the highest levels. Putting her in better positions to succeed provides strands of hope for a season that looked headed for disaster. How she and the Liberty continue to grow and develop as the season goes on will be a key storyline as the year unfolds.</p>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>After an up and down start to the season, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu has greatly impressed since the start of June. Her recent play was encapsulated by a landmark performance against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, in which Ionescu scored 26 points... on 11 shots... while only playing in the first three quarters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In case you still needed confirmation on how wide the rims were for Ionescu last night, she hit <em>this.</em></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.922%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.137%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/evbkzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>The Liberty are 4-8, but three of those wins have come in the four games played thus far in June. Ionescu has scored 20 or more points in all four games after having accomplished the same task only seven times in 41 career WNBA games prior. She's been absolutely on fire.</p>
<p>Boasting 26.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists (vs. 2.5 turnovers) per game on .574/.469/1.00 shooting splits is bonkers; that's a 74.7% True Shooting percentage!</p>
<p>While noting that the Liberty have played only one team currently slated to make postseason play in this four-game run (Washington Mystics), this stretch is essential for the immediate future of the New York Liberty.</p>
<p>Another essential indicator: plus-15.83.</p>
<p>What is it? The difference in points scored per 100 possessions when Crystal Dangerfield plays the point guard position alongside Ionescu and when Dangerfield is off the court. Per PBP Stats, the Liberty have a 94.5 Offensive Rating without Dangerfield on the court and Ionescu on. With both on the court, that figure shoots up to 110.1.</p>
<p>When looking at the base Net Rating from Her Hoop Stats as a reference, that's a jump from the 10th-ranked offense in The W to the best. It's of course not a drag-and-drop equation, but the point remains: With Ionescu playing alongside another lead ball-handler, the Liberty offense is vastly better (and the defense remains roughly the same).</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>This is not an indictment of Ionescu, but rather a dimension of New York's roster. Ionescu isn't currently routinely able to create high-level looks without a ball-screen. With how good Ionescu is at creating out of pick-and-roll, she's commanded two defenders to the ball much of the season, which has negated much of her ability to put defenses in rotation.</p>
<p>Adding Dangerfield to the starting lineup (the biggest change in this four-game stretch) hasn't actually changed Ionescu's usage as you'd think; her usage in June is up <span style="font-weight: 400;">substantially </span>from the first eight games of the season from 22.1% to 28.75%.</p>
<p>While Ionescu has just shot better in general and is certainly in an outlier stretch (21% above league average TS is insane), her looks have been easier &mdash; even her tougher shots. She's been very aggressive, but she's getting more clean three point attempt looks by... not having the ball!</p>
<p>That sounds counterintuitive, but playing with Dangerfield creates the opportunities for easier looks when Ionescu isn't always tasked with intitiating sets. Even when she is taking those tougher looks contested in the mid-range, it's more on her terms and dictated by her pacing than it was earlier in the year.</p>
<p>Dangerfield is remarkably quick and so good at getting downhill, knifing into the paint. The threat of someone who can penetrate the paint outside of Ionescu does wonders for the Liberty. It seems small, but watch this set.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uye160" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The dribble continuity is awesome. Dangerfield puts things in motion and Ionescu is brought off of a screen up to the ball. The defense isn't dictating that possession when Ionescu isn't the player starting with the ball. Earlier in the season, she would get swarmed as soon as the screen came (watch that Sky game... MAN).</p>
<p>Again, speaking of the threat of another drive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mm9adk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In spite of how small this New York team is across the board, it lacks many ball-handlers who can get downhill. The extra step of contemplation that Dangerfield draws from Sylvia Fowles, which in turn opens Sabrina up for the deep shot? That wasn't there earlier this season.</p>
<p>Having a player to even open a set for Ionescu to then initiate after flowing off of the ball makes it that much simpler to find a rhythm.</p>
<p>Utilizing Ionescu off of screens or even as a screener herself opens up more ways to weaponize her shooting abilities, which in turn provides more versatility in attacking out of secondary pick-and-rolls.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/185d8s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Dangerfield scores here, but why?</p>
<p>There's a momentary miscommunication and hesitation on the switch between Kayla McBride and Evina Westbrook. Ionescu's threat as a shooter is likely the root cause! If this is properly switched or communicated, Stef Dolson is cleaning house with a solid screen and Dangerfield is likely finding Ionescu above the arc to flow into a secondary action.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Easier looks and less work to get into sets and shift the pieces on the chess board has made life simpler for Ionescu as a decision-maker and scorer. She can use her tempo and pacing to probe and attack now that those lanes exist with more regularity.</p>
<p>Does it matter if Sabrina Ionescu "is" a point guard? To me, not really. These poast 4 games have shown how good she can be and better apply her skills when she has another ball-handler alongside her. She certainly has limitations as a heliocentric creator, but that's partially on the roster as well. What she brings is remarkably value and hard to replicate at the highest levels. Putting her in better positions to succeed provides strands of hope for a season that looked headed for disaster. How she and the Liberty continue to grow and develop as the season goes on will be a key storyline as the year unfolds.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>After an up and down start to the season, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu has greatly impressed since the start of June. Her recent play was encapsulated by a landmark performance against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, in which Ionescu scored 26 points... on 11 shots... while only playing in the first three quarters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In case you still needed confirmation on how wide the rims were for Ionescu last night, she hit <em>this.</em></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.922%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.137%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/evbkzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>The Liberty are 4-8, but three of those wins have come in the four games played thus far in June. Ionescu has scored 20 or more points in all four games after having accomplished the same task only seven times in 41 career WNBA games prior. She's been absolutely on fire.</p>
<p>Boasting 26.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists (vs. 2.5 turnovers) per game on .574/.469/1.00 shooting splits is bonkers; that's a 74.7% True Shooting percentage!</p>
<p>While noting that the Liberty have played only one team currently slated to make postseason play in this four-game run (Washington Mystics), this stretch is essential for the immediate future of the New York Liberty.</p>
<p>Another essential indicator: plus-15.83.</p>
<p>What is it? The difference in points scored per 100 possessions when Crystal Dangerfield plays the point guard position alongside Ionescu and when Dangerfield is off the court. Per PBP Stats, the Liberty have a 94.5 Offensive Rating without Dangerfield on the court and Ionescu on. With both on the court, that figure shoots up to 110.1.</p>
<p>When looking at the base Net Rating from Her Hoop Stats as a reference, that's a jump from the 10th-ranked offense in The W to the best. It's of course not a drag-and-drop equation, but the point remains: With Ionescu playing alongside another lead ball-handler, the Liberty offense is vastly better (and the defense remains roughly the same).</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>This is not an indictment of Ionescu, but rather a dimension of New York's roster. Ionescu isn't currently routinely able to create high-level looks without a ball-screen. With how good Ionescu is at creating out of pick-and-roll, she's commanded two defenders to the ball much of the season, which has negated much of her ability to put defenses in rotation.</p>
<p>Adding Dangerfield to the starting lineup (the biggest change in this four-game stretch) hasn't actually changed Ionescu's usage as you'd think; her usage in June is up <span style="font-weight: 400;">substantially </span>from the first eight games of the season from 22.1% to 28.75%.</p>
<p>While Ionescu has just shot better in general and is certainly in an outlier stretch (21% above league average TS is insane), her looks have been easier &mdash; even her tougher shots. She's been very aggressive, but she's getting more clean three point attempt looks by... not having the ball!</p>
<p>That sounds counterintuitive, but playing with Dangerfield creates the opportunities for easier looks when Ionescu isn't always tasked with intitiating sets. Even when she is taking those tougher looks contested in the mid-range, it's more on her terms and dictated by her pacing than it was earlier in the year.</p>
<p>Dangerfield is remarkably quick and so good at getting downhill, knifing into the paint. The threat of someone who can penetrate the paint outside of Ionescu does wonders for the Liberty. It seems small, but watch this set.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uye160" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The dribble continuity is awesome. Dangerfield puts things in motion and Ionescu is brought off of a screen up to the ball. The defense isn't dictating that possession when Ionescu isn't the player starting with the ball. Earlier in the season, she would get swarmed as soon as the screen came (watch that Sky game... MAN).</p>
<p>Again, speaking of the threat of another drive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mm9adk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In spite of how small this New York team is across the board, it lacks many ball-handlers who can get downhill. The extra step of contemplation that Dangerfield draws from Sylvia Fowles, which in turn opens Sabrina up for the deep shot? That wasn't there earlier this season.</p>
<p>Having a player to even open a set for Ionescu to then initiate after flowing off of the ball makes it that much simpler to find a rhythm.</p>
<p>Utilizing Ionescu off of screens or even as a screener herself opens up more ways to weaponize her shooting abilities, which in turn provides more versatility in attacking out of secondary pick-and-rolls.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/185d8s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Dangerfield scores here, but why?</p>
<p>There's a momentary miscommunication and hesitation on the switch between Kayla McBride and Evina Westbrook. Ionescu's threat as a shooter is likely the root cause! If this is properly switched or communicated, Stef Dolson is cleaning house with a solid screen and Dangerfield is likely finding Ionescu above the arc to flow into a secondary action.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Easier looks and less work to get into sets and shift the pieces on the chess board has made life simpler for Ionescu as a decision-maker and scorer. She can use her tempo and pacing to probe and attack now that those lanes exist with more regularity.</p>
<p>Does it matter if Sabrina Ionescu "is" a point guard? To me, not really. These past four games have shown how good she can be and better apply her skills when she has another ball-handler alongside her. She certainly has limitations as a heliocentric creator, but that's partially on the roster as well. What she brings is remarkably value and hard to replicate at the highest levels. Putting her in better positions to succeed provides strands of hope for a season that looked headed for disaster. How she and the Liberty continue to grow and develop as the season goes on will be a key storyline as the year unfolds.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>After an up and down start to the season, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu has greatly impressed since the start of June. Her recent play was encapsulated by a landmark performance against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, in which Ionescu scored 26 points... on 11 shots... while only playing in the first three quarters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In case you still needed confirmation on how wide the rims were for Ionescu last night, she hit <em>this.</em></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.922%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.137%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/evbkzg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>The Liberty are 4-8, but three of those wins have come in the four games played thus far in June. Ionescu has scored 20 or more points in all four games after having accomplished the same task only seven times in 41 career WNBA games prior. She's been absolutely on fire.</p>
<p>Boasting 26.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists (vs. 2.5 turnovers) per game on .574/.469/1.00 shooting splits is bonkers; that's a 74.7% True Shooting percentage!</p>
<p>While noting that the Liberty have played only one team currently slated to make postseason play in this four-game run (Washington Mystics), this stretch is essential for the immediate future of the New York Liberty.</p>
<p>Another essential indicator: plus-15.83.</p>
<p>What is it? The difference in points scored per 100 possessions when Crystal Dangerfield plays the point guard position alongside Ionescu and when Dangerfield is off the court. Per PBP Stats, the Liberty have a 94.5 Offensive Rating without Dangerfield on the court and Ionescu on. With both on the court, that figure shoots up to 110.1.</p>
<p>When looking at the base Net Rating from Her Hoop Stats as a reference, that's a jump from the 10th-ranked offense in The W to the best. It's of course not a drag-and-drop equation, but the point remains: With Ionescu playing alongside another lead ball-handler, the Liberty offense is vastly better (and the defense remains roughly the same).</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>This is not an indictment of Ionescu, but rather a dimension of New York's roster. Ionescu isn't currently routinely able to create high-level looks without a ball-screen. With how good Ionescu is at creating out of pick-and-roll, she's commanded two defenders to the ball much of the season, which has negated much of her ability to put defenses in rotation.</p>
<p>Adding Dangerfield to the starting lineup (the biggest change in this four-game stretch) hasn't actually changed Ionescu's usage as you'd think; her usage in June is up <span style="font-weight: 400;">substantially </span>from the first eight games of the season from 22.1% to 28.75%.</p>
<p>While Ionescu has just shot better in general and is certainly in an outlier stretch (21% above league average TS is insane), her looks have been easier &mdash; even her tougher shots. She's been very aggressive, but she's getting more clean three point attempt looks by... not having the ball!</p>
<p>That sounds counterintuitive, but playing with Dangerfield creates the opportunities for easier looks when Ionescu isn't always tasked with intitiating sets. Even when she is taking those tougher looks contested in the mid-range, it's more on her terms and dictated by her pacing than it was earlier in the year.</p>
<p>Dangerfield is remarkably quick and so good at getting downhill, knifing into the paint. The threat of someone who can penetrate the paint outside of Ionescu does wonders for the Liberty. It seems small, but watch this set.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uye160" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The dribble continuity is awesome. Dangerfield puts things in motion and Ionescu is brought off of a screen up to the ball. The defense isn't dictating that possession when Ionescu isn't the player starting with the ball. Earlier in the season, she would get swarmed as soon as the screen came (watch that Sky game... MAN).</p>
<p>Again, speaking of the threat of another drive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mm9adk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In spite of how small this New York team is across the board, it lacks many ball-handlers who can get downhill. The extra step of contemplation that Dangerfield draws from Sylvia Fowles, which in turn opens Sabrina up for the deep shot? That wasn't there earlier this season.</p>
<p>Having a player to even open a set for Ionescu to then initiate after flowing off of the ball makes it that much simpler to find a rhythm.</p>
<p>Utilizing Ionescu off of screens or even as a screener herself opens up more ways to weaponize her shooting abilities, which in turn provides more versatility in attacking out of secondary pick-and-rolls.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/185d8s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Dangerfield scores here, but why?</p>
<p>There's a momentary miscommunication and hesitation on the switch between Kayla McBride and Evina Westbrook. Ionescu's threat as a shooter is likely the root cause! If this is properly switched or communicated, Stef Dolson is cleaning house with a solid screen and Dangerfield is likely finding Ionescu above the arc to flow into a secondary action.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Easier looks and less work to get into sets and shift the pieces on the chess board has made life simpler for Ionescu as a decision-maker and scorer. She can use her tempo and pacing to probe and attack now that those lanes exist with more regularity.</p>
<p>Does it matter if Ionescu "is" a point guard? To me, not really. These past four games have shown how good she can be and better apply her skills when she has another ball-handler alongside her. She certainly has limitations as a heliocentric creator, but that's partially on the roster as well.</p>
<p>What brings is remarkably value and hard to replicate at the highest levels. Putting her in better positions to succeed provides strands of hope for a season that looked headed for disaster. How she and the Liberty continue to grow and develop as the season goes on will be a key storyline as the year unfolds.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>After an up and down start to the season, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu has greatly impressed since the start of June. Her recent play was encapsulated by a landmark performance against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, in which Ionescu scored 26 points... on 11 shots... while only playing in the first three quarters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In case you still needed confirmation on how wide the rims were for Ionescu last night, she hit <em>this.</em></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 49.922%;">
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</div>
<p>The Liberty are 4-8, but three of those wins have come in the four games played thus far in June. Ionescu has scored 20 or more points in all four games after having accomplished the same task only seven times in 41 career WNBA games prior. She's been absolutely on fire.</p>
<p>Boasting 26.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists (vs. 2.5 turnovers) per game on .574/.469/1.00 shooting splits is bonkers; that's a 74.7% True Shooting percentage!</p>
<p>While noting that the Liberty have played only one team currently slated to make postseason play in this four-game run (Washington Mystics), this stretch is essential for the immediate future of the New York Liberty.</p>
<p>Another essential indicator: plus-15.83.</p>
<p>What is it? The difference in points scored per 100 possessions when Crystal Dangerfield plays the point guard position alongside Ionescu and when Dangerfield is off the court. Per PBP Stats, the Liberty have a 94.5 Offensive Rating without Dangerfield on the court and Ionescu on. With both on the court, that figure shoots up to 110.1.</p>
<p>When looking at the base Net Rating from Her Hoop Stats as a reference, that's a jump from the 10th-ranked offense in The W to the best. It's of course not a drag-and-drop equation, but the point remains: With Ionescu playing alongside another lead ball-handler, the Liberty offense is vastly better (and the defense remains roughly the same).</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>This is not an indictment of Ionescu, but rather a dimension of New York's roster. Ionescu isn't currently routinely able to create high-level looks without a ball-screen. With how good Ionescu is at creating out of pick-and-roll, she's commanded two defenders to the ball much of the season, which has negated much of her ability to put defenses in rotation.</p>
<p>Adding Dangerfield to the starting lineup (the biggest change in this four-game stretch) hasn't actually changed Ionescu's usage as you'd think; her usage in June is up <span style="font-weight: 400;">substantially </span>from the first eight games of the season from 22.1% to 28.75%.</p>
<p>While Ionescu has just shot better in general and is certainly in an outlier stretch (21% above league average TS is insane), her looks have been easier &mdash; even her tougher shots. She's been very aggressive, but she's getting more clean three point attempt looks by... not having the ball!</p>
<p>That sounds counterintuitive, but playing with Dangerfield creates the opportunities for easier looks when Ionescu isn't always tasked with intitiating sets. Even when she is taking those tougher looks contested in the mid-range, it's more on her terms and dictated by her pacing than it was earlier in the year.</p>
<p>Dangerfield is remarkably quick and so good at getting downhill, knifing into the paint. The threat of someone who can penetrate the paint outside of Ionescu does wonders for the Liberty. It seems small, but watch this set.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uye160" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The dribble continuity is awesome. Dangerfield puts things in motion and Ionescu is brought off of a screen up to the ball. The defense isn't dictating that possession when Ionescu isn't the player starting with the ball. Earlier in the season, she would get swarmed as soon as the screen came (watch that Sky game... MAN).</p>
<p>Again, speaking of the threat of another drive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mm9adk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In spite of how small this New York team is across the board, it lacks many ball-handlers who can get downhill. The extra step of contemplation that Dangerfield draws from Sylvia Fowles, which in turn opens Sabrina up for the deep shot? That wasn't there earlier this season.</p>
<p>Having a player to even open a set for Ionescu to then initiate after flowing off of the ball makes it that much simpler to find a rhythm.</p>
<p>Utilizing Ionescu off of screens or even as a screener herself opens up more ways to weaponize her shooting abilities, which in turn provides more versatility in attacking out of secondary pick-and-rolls.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/185d8s" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Dangerfield scores here, but why?</p>
<p>There's a momentary miscommunication and hesitation on the switch between Kayla McBride and Evina Westbrook. Ionescu's threat as a shooter is likely the root cause! If this is properly switched or communicated, Stef Dolson is cleaning house with a solid screen and Dangerfield is likely finding Ionescu above the arc to flow into a secondary action.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Easier looks and less work to get into sets and shift the pieces on the chess board has made life simpler for Ionescu as a decision-maker and scorer. She can use her tempo and pacing to probe and attack now that those lanes exist with more regularity.</p>
<p>Does it matter if Ionescu "is" a point guard? To me, not really. These past four games have shown how good she can be and better apply her skills when she has another ball-handler alongside her. She certainly has limitations as a heliocentric creator, but that's partially on the roster as well.</p>
<p>What Sabrina Ionsecu brings is remarkably valuable and hard to replicate at the highest levels. Putting her in better positions to succeed provides strands of hope for a season that looked headed for disaster. How she and the Liberty continue to grow and develop as the season goes on will be a key storyline as the year unfolds.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

Sabrina Ionescu has found her footing in recent weeks, scoring efficiently and playmaking with guile. What's changed?

Sabrina Ionescu's playmaking and efficiency guiding New York Liberty

<p>The WNBA is somehow already a month into the season, and the Chicago Sky have shown perhaps the most growth a quarter of the way through the season. They have had success tinkering with lineups and implementing new players while attempting to build upon last year's title. Chicago is still re-integrating Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, who just played her fifth game last night against the Atlanta Dream. In that game, she put forth her best showing of the season, finishing with 21 points. The Sky are still finding their offensive flow, but each game, their footing improves.</p>
<p>Defensively, the Sky are putting showing elite effort. Their offense clicking to the tenth degree was a large reason for their postseason success, yet their hyperactive defense deserved arguably as much focus. Through 9 games to start the year, Chicago is third in defensive rating per Her Hoops Stats.</p>
<p>They've given up 80 or more points just three times this season. Last night's 65-point output from the Dream is yet another feather in the cap of James Wade's aggressive scheme. The starting lineup of Courtney Vandersloot/Allie Quigley/Kahleah Copper/Candace Parker/Emma Meesseman pitched a no-hitter in essence, outscoring opposition by 18 points in the minutes they shared the court. Out of the 19 five-player lineups that have played at least 30 minutes in the W this season, only three have a higher net rating (+16).</p>
<p>This is Chicago's defense at its best: Active hands, ball pressure on screens, backline rotations, and timely recoveries to continually morph to each action.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mim9ju" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To start, Candace Parker angles herself so well on the trap, forcing Kirsty Wallce to backpedal and escape with a pass-out. Parker then recovers to Cheyenne Parker as Emma Meesseman peels back to the corner. Courtney Vandersloot is zoned up but slides back in front of Erica Wheeler. The defense is still in control, and Atlanta's first action is nullified.</p>
<p>Wheeler swings to Naz Hillmon in the corner to no advantage, so she kicks to Rhyne Howard sprinting up to the slot. Notice Allie Quigley actively track Wallace on the cut. It sounds minute, but this defense is so reliant on everyone being in sync and active. If one moving part falls asleep, the gaps open. Quigley takes away any sort of interior outlet for Hillmon.</p>
<p>Rhyne Howard sprints up to the slot and Rebekah Gardner gives chase. Howard dishes to Parker and cuts baseline for a pinch post action, but Gardner uses her length to negate that passing window. Now we're down to Cheyenne Parker taking Candace Parker one on one from the mid-post with minimal time on the shot clock.</p>
<p>This Sky team is adept at forcing offenses to work through progressions and into shots that are less ideal for an efficient and effective offense.</p>
<p>Parker, Meesseman and Azura Stevens all have the length and size to play the five, but it's the culmination of their skillsets that maximizes them defensively. Parker and Stevens are incredibly mobile and have great instincts in help. Meesseman also has good instincts and very good court vision and feel for where to be. She's always had active hands, but is sneakily 4th in the league in steals per game per Her Hoop Stats. She sniffs out plays moments before they happen and pounces.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p3uka6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Playing alongside other like-sized players who have the ability to cover ground makes Meesseman's defense even more effective.</p>
<p>Much like we saw with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season in the NBA, size, length and mobility across the board opens up the potential to greatly shrink the floor and squeeze the spacing of the offense. They're so good at knowing personnel and using it against opposition.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iu92d3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Cheyenne Parker pops to three after the screen for Howard, but Candace Parker still sags off and heavily plays the paint. Parker has been willing to shoot the ball this season, but why give up the interior drive when you can force the ball to a shaky shooter or force difficult passes, much like the one Wallace ends up turning over?</p>
<p>Even if that pass goes through, Copper is reconnecting after the hard screen and Meesseman has already rotated over low to cover the rim. There's just so much length in the lane.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Nia Coffey is typically a solid shooter, but she has struggled to find her consistency this season. Meesseman knows that.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/66i7x7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Copper presses Howard fullcourt (something the Sky did much of the game to any ball-handlers), and Meesseman cheats at the nail and Quigley zones up to make the weak side harder to manipulate.</p>
<p>The Dream opt for an empty ball-screen and a really hard set screen to try and force Meesseman into a one on one in space.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7nxckk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Meesseman presents her length on the peel switch to deny an open pull-up. Quigley works to reconnect on the back end, and Azura Stevens rotates low (a staple of an aggressive defense) to meet Monique Billings at the rim and send her packing. Notice too how Gardner fights down to boxout Kia Vaughn whom Stevens helps off of to close off the rim. Without Gardner's extra oomph, that's an offensive rebound and likely putback.</p>
<p>Have you noticed how often Rebekah Gardner's name has popped up in this piece?&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rookie of the Year frontrunner Rhyne Howard finished with 5 points on 2/12 shooting last night and Gardner was a prime aspect in her struggles. She's so quick on her feet and her defensive slides just never stop as her motor is always running red hot.&nbsp;</p>
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</div>
<p>Gardner sheds screens remarkably well, is so active at getting back in front in reconnection, and uses her length to blow up plays with her quickness. She's establishing herself as one of the best off-ball chasers in the league and an incredibly fiesty on-ball defender as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If she does misstep or make a minor mistake on the perimeter, she has the recovery tools to turn errors into turnovers.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i11d0w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As I <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1532877165670318088?s=20&amp;t=2Hc0cAryP9osyApoOMvGTA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned yesterday</a>, it'd be difficult to keep her off of All-Defense the way she's playing to start the year.</p>
<p>Sitting at 6-3 a quarter of the way through the year, the Sky aren't yet firing on all cylinders, and that's part of what makes the team so exciting. The moments of defensive dynamism where they absolutely shut the water off on opponents have flashed all year. Ousting the Washington Mystics in the late game during a primetime matchup and dragging the Dream in the mud on Friday night early in the game last night are the indicators you watch for throughout a season that make you go "hmmm," and stop to consider what the future may hold.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>The WNBA is somehow already a month into the season, and the Chicago Sky have shown perhaps the most growth a quarter of the way through the season. They have had success tinkering with lineups and implementing new players while attempting to build upon last year's title. Chicago is still re-integrating Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, who just played her fifth game last night against the Atlanta Dream. In that game, she put forth her best showing of the season, finishing with 21 points. The Sky are still finding their offensive flow, but each game, their footing improves.</p>
<p>Defensively, the Sky are putting showing elite effort. Their offense clicking to the tenth degree was a large reason for their postseason success, yet their hyperactive defense deserved arguably as much focus. Through 9 games to start the year, Chicago is third in defensive rating per Her Hoops Stats.</p>
<p>They've given up 80 or more points just three times this season. Last night's 65-point output from the Dream is yet another feather in the cap of James Wade's aggressive scheme. The starting lineup of Courtney Vandersloot/Allie Quigley/Kahleah Copper/Candace Parker/Emma Meesseman pitched a no-hitter in essence, outscoring opposition by 18 points in the minutes they shared the court. Out of the 19 five-player lineups that have played at least 30 minutes in the W this season, only three have a higher net rating (+16).</p>
<p>This is Chicago's defense at its best: Active hands, ball pressure on screens, backline rotations, and timely recoveries to continually morph to each action.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mim9ju" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To start, Candace Parker angles herself so well on the trap, forcing Kirsty Wallce to backpedal and escape with a pass-out. Parker then recovers to Cheyenne Parker as Emma Meesseman peels back to the corner. Courtney Vandersloot is zoned up but slides back in front of Erica Wheeler. The defense is still in control, and Atlanta's first action is nullified.</p>
<p>Wheeler swings to Naz Hillmon in the corner to no advantage, so she kicks to Rhyne Howard sprinting up to the slot. Notice Allie Quigley actively track Wallace on the cut. It sounds minute, but this defense is so reliant on everyone being in sync and active. If one moving part falls asleep, the gaps open. Quigley takes away any sort of interior outlet for Hillmon.</p>
<p>Rhyne Howard sprints up to the slot and Rebekah Gardner gives chase. Howard dishes to Parker and cuts baseline for a pinch post action, but Gardner uses her length to negate that passing window. Now we're down to Cheyenne Parker taking Candace Parker one on one from the mid-post with minimal time on the shot clock.</p>
<p>This Sky team is adept at forcing offenses to work through progressions and into shots that are less ideal for an efficient and effective offense.</p>
<p>Parker, Meesseman and Azura Stevens all have the length and size to play the five, but it's the culmination of their skillsets that maximizes them defensively. Parker and Stevens are incredibly mobile and have great instincts in help. Meesseman also has good instincts and very good court vision and feel for where to be. She's always had active hands, but is sneakily 4th in the league in steals per game per Her Hoop Stats. She sniffs out plays moments before they happen and pounces.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p3uka6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Playing alongside other like-sized players who have the ability to cover ground makes Meesseman's defense even more effective.</p>
<p>Much like we saw with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season in the NBA, size, length and mobility across the board opens up the potential to greatly shrink the floor and squeeze the spacing of the offense. They're so good at knowing personnel and using it against opposition.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iu92d3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Cheyenne Parker pops to three after the screen for Howard, but Candace Parker still sags off and heavily plays the paint. Parker has been willing to shoot the ball this season, but why give up the interior drive when you can force the ball to a shaky shooter or force difficult passes, much like the one Wallace ends up turning over?</p>
<p>Even if that pass goes through, Copper is reconnecting after the hard screen and Meesseman has already rotated over low to cover the rim. There's just so much length in the lane.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Nia Coffey is typically a solid shooter, but she has struggled to find her consistency this season. Meesseman knows that.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/66i7x7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Copper presses Howard fullcourt (something the Sky did much of the game to any ball-handlers), Meesseman cheats at the nail and Quigley zones up to make the weak side harder to manipulate.</p>
<p>The Dream opt for an empty ball-screen and a really hard set screen to try and force Meesseman into a one on one in space.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7nxckk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Meesseman presents her length on the peel switch to deny an open pull-up. Quigley works to reconnect on the back end, and Azura Stevens rotates low (a staple of an aggressive defense) to meet Monique Billings at the rim and send her packing. Notice too how Gardner fights down to boxout Kia Vaughn whom Stevens helps off of to close off the rim. Without Gardner's extra oomph, that's an offensive rebound and likely putback.</p>
<p>Have you noticed how often Rebekah Gardner's name has popped up in this piece?&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rookie of the Year frontrunner Rhyne Howard finished with 5 points on 2/12 shooting last night and Gardner was a prime aspect in her struggles. She's so quick on her feet and her defensive slides just never stop as her motor is always running red hot.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mx6c94" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>Gardner sheds screens remarkably well, is so active at getting back in front in reconnection, and uses her length to blow up plays with her quickness. She's establishing herself as one of the best off-ball chasers in the league and an incredibly fiesty on-ball defender as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If she does misstep or make a minor mistake on the perimeter, she has the recovery tools to turn errors into turnovers.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i11d0w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As I <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1532877165670318088?s=20&amp;t=2Hc0cAryP9osyApoOMvGTA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned yesterday</a>, it'd be difficult to keep her off of All-Defense the way she's playing to start the year.</p>
<p>Sitting at 6-3 a quarter of the way through the year, the Sky aren't yet firing on all cylinders, and that's part of what makes the team so exciting. The moments of defensive dynamism where they absolutely shut the water off on opponents have flashed all year. Ousting the Washington Mystics in the late game during a primetime matchup and dragging the Dream in the mud on Friday night early in the game last night are the indicators you watch for throughout a season that make you go "hmmm," and stop to consider what the future may hold.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>The WNBA is somehow already a month into the season, and the Chicago Sky have shown perhaps the most growth a quarter of the way through the season. They have had success tinkering with lineups and implementing new players while attempting to build upon last year's title. Chicago is still re-integrating Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, who just played her fifth game last night against the Atlanta Dream. In that game, she put forth her best showing of the season, finishing with 21 points. The Sky are still finding their offensive flow, but each game, their footing improves.</p>
<p>Defensively, the Sky are putting showing elite effort. Their offense clicking to the tenth degree was a large reason for their postseason success, yet their hyperactive defense deserved arguably as much focus. Through 9 games to start the year, Chicago is third in defensive rating per Her Hoops Stats.</p>
<p>They've given up 80 or more points just three times this season. Last night's 65-point output from the Dream is yet another feather in the cap of James Wade's aggressive scheme. The starting lineup of Courtney Vandersloot/Allie Quigley/Kahleah Copper/Candace Parker/Emma Meesseman pitched a no-hitter in essence, outscoring opposition by 18 points in the minutes they shared the court. Out of the 19 five-player lineups that have played at least 30 minutes in the W this season, only three have a higher net rating (+16).</p>
<p>This is Chicago's defense at its best: Active hands, ball pressure on screens, backline rotations, and timely recoveries to continually morph to each action.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mim9ju" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To start, Candace Parker angles herself so well on the trap, forcing Kirsty Wallce to backpedal and escape with a pass-out. Parker then recovers to Cheyenne Parker as Emma Meesseman peels back to the corner. Courtney Vandersloot is zoned up but slides back in front of Erica Wheeler. The defense is still in control, and Atlanta's first action is nullified.</p>
<p>Wheeler swings to Naz Hillmon in the corner to no advantage, so she kicks to Rhyne Howard sprinting up to the slot. Notice Allie Quigley actively track Wallace on the cut. It sounds minute, but this defense is so reliant on everyone being in sync and active. If one moving part falls asleep, the gaps open. Quigley takes away any sort of interior outlet for Hillmon.</p>
<p>Rhyne Howard sprints up to the slot and Rebekah Gardner gives chase. Howard dishes to Parker and cuts baseline for a pinch post action, but Gardner uses her length to negate that passing window. Now we're down to Cheyenne Parker taking Candace Parker one on one from the mid-post with minimal time on the shot clock.</p>
<p>This Sky team is adept at forcing offenses to work through progressions and into shots that are less ideal for an efficient and effective offense.</p>
<p>Parker, Meesseman and Azura Stevens all have the length and size to play the five, but it's the culmination of their skillsets that maximizes them defensively. Parker and Stevens are incredibly mobile and have great instincts in help. Meesseman also has good instincts and very good court vision and feel for where to be. She's always had active hands, but is sneakily 4th in the league in steals per game per Her Hoop Stats. She sniffs out plays moments before they happen and pounces.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p3uka6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Playing alongside other like-sized players who have the ability to cover ground makes Meesseman's defense even more effective.</p>
<p>Much like we saw with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season in the NBA, size, length and mobility across the board opens up the potential to greatly shrink the floor and squeeze the spacing of the offense. They're so good at knowing personnel and using it against opposition.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iu92d3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Cheyenne Parker pops to three after the screen for Howard, but Candace Parker still sags off and heavily plays the paint. Parker has been willing to shoot the ball this season, but why give up the interior drive when you can force the ball to a shaky shooter or force difficult passes, much like the one Wallace ends up turning over?</p>
<p>Even if that pass goes through, Copper is reconnecting after the hard screen and Meesseman has already rotated over low to cover the rim. There's just so much length in the lane.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Nia Coffey is typically a solid shooter, but she has struggled to find her consistency this season. Meesseman knows that.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/66i7x7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Copper presses Howard fullcourt (something the Sky did much of the game to any ball-handlers), Meesseman cheats at the nail and Quigley zones up to make the weak side harder to manipulate.</p>
<p>The Dream opt for an empty ball-screen and a really hard set screen to try and force Meesseman into a one on one in space.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7nxckk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Meesseman presents her length on the peel switch to deny an open pull-up. Quigley works to reconnect on the back end, and Azura Stevens rotates low (a staple of an aggressive defense) to meet Monique Billings at the rim and send her packing. Notice too how Gardner fights down to boxout Kia Vaughn whom Stevens helps off of to close off the rim. Without Gardner's extra oomph, that's an offensive rebound and likely putback.</p>
<p>Have you noticed how often Rebekah Gardner's name has popped up in this piece?&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rookie of the Year frontrunner Rhyne Howard finished with 5 points on 2/12 shooting last night and Gardner was a prime reason for her struggles. She's so quick on her feet and her defensive slides just never stop as her motor is always running red hot.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mx6c94" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>Gardner sheds screens remarkably well, is so active at getting back in front in reconnection, and uses her length to blow up plays with her quickness. She's establishing herself as one of the best off-ball chasers in the league and an incredibly fiesty on-ball defender as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If she does misstep or make a minor mistake on the perimeter, she has the recovery tools to turn errors into turnovers.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i11d0w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As I <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1532877165670318088?s=20&amp;t=2Hc0cAryP9osyApoOMvGTA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned yesterday</a>, it'd be difficult to keep her off of All-Defense the way she's playing to start the year.</p>
<p>Sitting at 6-3 a quarter of the way through the year, the Sky aren't yet firing on all cylinders, and that's part of what makes the team so exciting. The moments of defensive dynamism where they absolutely shut the water off on opponents have flashed all year. Ousting the Washington Mystics in the late game during a primetime matchup and dragging the Dream in the mud on Friday night early in the game last night are the indicators you watch for throughout a season that make you go "hmmm," and stop to consider what the future may hold.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>The WNBA is somehow already a month into the season, and the Chicago Sky have shown perhaps the most growth a quarter of the way through the season. They have had success tinkering with lineups and implementing new players while attempting to build upon last year's title. Chicago is still re-integrating Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, who just played her fifth game last night against the Atlanta Dream. In that game, she put forth her best showing of the season, finishing with 21 points. The Sky are still finding their offensive flow, but each game, their footing improves.</p>
<p>Defensively, the Sky are putting showing elite effort. Their offense clicking to the tenth degree was a large reason for their postseason success, yet their hyperactive defense deserved arguably as much focus. Through 9 games to start the year, Chicago is third in defensive rating per Her Hoops Stats.</p>
<p>They've given up 80 or more points just three times this season. Last night's 65-point output from the Dream is yet another feather in the cap of James Wade's aggressive scheme. The starting lineup of Courtney Vandersloot/Allie Quigley/Kahleah Copper/Candace Parker/Emma Meesseman pitched a no-hitter in essence, outscoring opposition by 18 points in the minutes they shared the court. Out of the 19 five-player lineups that have played at least 30 minutes in the W this season, only three have a higher net rating (+16).</p>
<p>This is Chicago's defense at its best: Active hands, ball pressure on screens, backline rotations, and timely recoveries to continually morph to each action.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mim9ju" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To start, Candace Parker angles herself so well on the trap, forcing Kirsty Wallce to backpedal and escape with a pass-out. Parker then recovers to Cheyenne Parker as Emma Meesseman peels back to the corner. Courtney Vandersloot is zoned up but slides back in front of Erica Wheeler. The defense is still in control, and Atlanta's first action is nullified.</p>
<p>Wheeler swings to Naz Hillmon in the corner to no advantage, so she kicks to Rhyne Howard sprinting up to the slot. Notice Allie Quigley actively track Wallace on the cut. It sounds minute, but this defense is so reliant on everyone being in sync and active. If one moving part falls asleep, the gaps open. Quigley takes away any sort of interior outlet for Hillmon.</p>
<p>Rhyne Howard sprints up to the slot and Rebekah Gardner gives chase. Howard dishes to Parker and cuts baseline for a pinch post action, but Gardner uses her length to negate that passing window. Now we're down to Cheyenne Parker taking Candace Parker one on one from the mid-post with minimal time on the shot clock.</p>
<p>This Sky team is adept at forcing offenses to work through progressions and into shots that are less ideal for an efficient and effective offense.</p>
<p>Parker, Meesseman and Azura Stevens all have the length and size to play the five, but it's the culmination of their skillsets that maximizes them defensively. Parker and Stevens are incredibly mobile and have great instincts in help. Meesseman also has good instincts and very good court vision and feel for where to be. She's always had active hands, but is sneakily 4th in the league in steals per game per Her Hoop Stats. She sniffs out plays moments before they happen and pounces.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p3uka6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Playing alongside other like-sized players who have the ability to cover ground makes Meesseman's defense even more effective.</p>
<p>Much like we saw with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season in the NBA, size, length and mobility across the board opens up the potential to greatly shrink the floor and squeeze the spacing of the offense. They're so good at knowing personnel and using it against opposition.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iu92d3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Cheyenne Parker pops to three after the screen for Howard, but Candace Parker still sags off and heavily plays the paint. Parker has been willing to shoot the ball this season, but why give up the interior drive when you can force the ball to a shaky shooter or force difficult passes, much like the one Wallace ends up turning over?</p>
<p>Even if that pass goes through, Copper is reconnecting after the hard screen and Meesseman has already rotated over low to cover the rim. There's just so much length in the lane.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Nia Coffey is typically a solid shooter, but she has struggled to find her consistency this season. Meesseman knows that.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/66i7x7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Copper presses Howard fullcourt (something the Sky did much of the game to any ball-handlers), Meesseman cheats at the nail and Quigley zones up to make the weak side harder to manipulate.</p>
<p>The Dream opt for an empty ball-screen and a really hard set screen to try and force Meesseman into a one on one in space.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7nxckk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Meesseman presents her length on the peel switch to deny an open pull-up. Quigley works to reconnect on the back end, and Azura Stevens rotates low (a staple of an aggressive defense) to meet Monique Billings at the rim and send her packing. Notice too how Gardner fights down to boxout Kia Vaughn whom Stevens helps off of to close off the rim. Without Gardner's extra oomph, that's an offensive rebound and likely putback.</p>
<p>Have you noticed how often Rebekah Gardner's name has popped up in this piece?&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rookie of the Year frontrunner Rhyne Howard finished with 5 points on 2/12 shooting last night and Gardner was a prime reason for her struggles. Gardner is so quick on her feet, and her defensive slides just never stop as her motor is always running red hot.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mx6c94" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>Gardner sheds screens remarkably well, is so active at getting back in front in reconnection, and uses her length to blow up plays with her quickness. She's establishing herself as one of the best off-ball chasers in the league and an incredibly fiesty on-ball defender as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If she does misstep or make a minor mistake on the perimeter, she has the recovery tools to turn errors into turnovers.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i11d0w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As I <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1532877165670318088?s=20&amp;t=2Hc0cAryP9osyApoOMvGTA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned yesterday</a>, it'd be difficult to keep her off of All-Defense the way she's playing to start the year.</p>
<p>Sitting at 6-3 a quarter of the way through the year, the Sky aren't yet firing on all cylinders, and that's part of what makes the team so exciting. The moments of defensive dynamism where they absolutely shut the water off on opponents have flashed all year. Ousting the Washington Mystics in the late game during a primetime matchup and dragging the Dream in the mud on Friday night early in the game last night are the indicators you watch for throughout a season that make you go "hmmm," and stop to consider what the future may hold.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>The WNBA is somehow already a month into the season, and the Chicago Sky have shown perhaps the most growth a quarter of the way through the season. They have had success tinkering with lineups and implementing new players while attempting to build upon last year's title. Chicago is still re-integrating Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, who just played her fifth game last night against the Atlanta Dream. In that game, she put forth her best showing of the season, finishing with 21 points. The Sky are still finding their offensive flow, but each game, their footing improves.</p>
<p>Defensively, the Sky are putting showing elite effort. Their offense clicking to the tenth degree was a large reason for their postseason success, yet their hyperactive defense deserved arguably as much focus. Through 9 games to start the year, Chicago is third in defensive rating per Her Hoops Stats.</p>
<p>They've given up 80 or more points just three times this season. Last night's 65-point output from the Dream is yet another feather in the cap of James Wade's aggressive scheme. The starting lineup of Courtney Vandersloot/Allie Quigley/Kahleah Copper/Candace Parker/Emma Meesseman pitched a no-hitter in essence, outscoring opposition by 18 points in the minutes they shared the court. Out of the 19 five-player lineups that have played at least 30 minutes in the W this season, only three have a higher net rating (+16).</p>
<p>This is Chicago's defense at its best: Active hands, ball pressure on screens, backline rotations, and timely recoveries to continually morph to each action.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mim9ju" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To start, Candace Parker angles herself so well on the trap, forcing Kirsty Wallce to backpedal and escape with a pass-out. Parker then recovers to Cheyenne Parker as Emma Meesseman peels back to the corner. Courtney Vandersloot is zoned up but slides back in front of Erica Wheeler. The defense is still in control, and Atlanta's first action is nullified.</p>
<p>Wheeler swings to Naz Hillmon in the corner to no advantage, so she kicks to Rhyne Howard sprinting up to the slot. Notice Allie Quigley actively track Wallace on the cut. It sounds minute, but this defense is so reliant on everyone being in sync and active. If one moving part falls asleep, the gaps open. Quigley takes away any sort of interior outlet for Hillmon.</p>
<p>Rhyne Howard sprints up to the slot and Rebekah Gardner gives chase. Howard dishes to Parker and cuts baseline for a pinch post action, but Gardner uses her length to negate that passing window. Now we're down to Cheyenne Parker taking Candace Parker one on one from the mid-post with minimal time on the shot clock.</p>
<p>This Sky team is adept at forcing offenses to work through progressions and into shots that are less ideal for an efficient and effective offense.</p>
<p>Parker, Meesseman and Azura Stevens all have the length and size to play the five, but it's the culmination of their skillsets that maximizes them defensively. Parker and Stevens are incredibly mobile and have great instincts in help. Meesseman also has good instincts and very good court vision and feel for where to be. She's always had active hands, but is sneakily 4th in the league in steals per game per Her Hoop Stats. She sniffs out plays moments before they happen and pounces.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p3uka6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Playing alongside other like-sized players who have the ability to cover ground makes Meesseman's defense even more effective.</p>
<p>Much like we saw with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season in the NBA, size, length and mobility across the board opens up the potential to greatly shrink the floor and squeeze the spacing of the offense. They're so good at knowing personnel and using it against opposition.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iu92d3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Cheyenne Parker pops to three after the screen for Howard, but Candace Parker still sags off and heavily plays the paint. Parker has been willing to shoot the ball this season, but why give up the interior drive when you can force the ball to a shaky shooter or force difficult passes, much like the one Wallace ends up turning over?</p>
<p>Even if that pass goes through, Copper is reconnecting after the hard screen and Meesseman has already rotated over low to cover the rim. There's just so much length in the lane.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Nia Coffey is typically a solid shooter, but she has struggled to find her consistency this season. Meesseman knows that.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/66i7x7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Copper presses Howard fullcourt (something the Sky did much of the game to any ball-handlers), Meesseman cheats at the nail and Quigley zones up to make the weak side harder to manipulate.</p>
<p>The Dream opt for an empty ball-screen and a really hard set screen to try and force Meesseman into a one on one in space.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7nxckk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Meesseman presents her length on the peel switch to deny an open pull-up. Quigley works to reconnect on the back end, and Azura Stevens rotates low (a staple of an aggressive defense) to meet Monique Billings at the rim and send her packing. Notice too how Gardner fights down to boxout Kia Vaughn whom Stevens helps off of to close off the rim. Without Gardner's extra oomph, that's an offensive rebound and likely putback.</p>
<p>Have you noticed how often Rebekah Gardner's name has popped up in this piece?&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rookie of the Year frontrunner Rhyne Howard finished with 5 points on 2/12 shooting last night and Gardner was a prime reason for her struggles. Gardner is so quick on her feet, and her defensive slides just never stop as her motor is always running red hot.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mx6c94" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>Gardner sheds screens remarkably well, is so active at getting back in front in reconnection and uses her length to blow up plays with her quickness. She's establishing herself as one of the best off-ball chasers in the league and an incredibly fiesty on-ball defender as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If she does misstep or make a minor mistake on the perimeter, she has the recovery tools to turn errors into turnovers.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i11d0w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As I <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1532877165670318088?s=20&amp;t=2Hc0cAryP9osyApoOMvGTA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned yesterday</a>, it'd be difficult to keep her off of All-Defense the way she's playing to start the year.</p>
<p>Sitting at 6-3 a quarter of the way through the year, the Sky aren't yet firing on all cylinders, and that's part of what makes the team so exciting. The moments of defensive dynamism where they absolutely shut the water off on opponents have flashed all year. Ousting the Washington Mystics in the late game during a primetime matchup and dragging the Dream in the mud on Friday night early in the game last night are the indicators you watch for throughout a season that make you go "hmmm," and stop to consider what the future may hold.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>The WNBA is somehow already a month into the season, and the Chicago Sky have shown perhaps the most growth a quarter of the way through the season. They have had success tinkering with lineups and implementing new players while attempting to build upon last year's title. Chicago is still re-integrating Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, who just played her fifth game last night against the Atlanta Dream. In that game, she put forth her best showing of the season, finishing with 21 points. The Sky are still finding their offensive flow, but each game, their footing improves.</p>
<p>Defensively, the Sky are putting showing elite effort. Their offense clicking to the tenth degree was a large reason for their postseason success, yet their hyperactive defense deserved arguably as much focus. Through 9 games to start the year, Chicago is third in defensive rating per Her Hoops Stats.</p>
<p>They've given up 80 or more points just three times this season. Last night's 65-point output from the Dream is yet another feather in the cap of James Wade's aggressive scheme. The starting lineup of Courtney Vandersloot/Allie Quigley/Kahleah Copper/Candace Parker/Emma Meesseman pitched a no-hitter in essence, outscoring opposition by 18 points in the minutes they shared the court. Out of the 19 five-player lineups that have played at least 30 minutes in the W this season, only three have a higher net rating (+16).</p>
<p>This is Chicago's defense at its best: Active hands, ball pressure on screens, backline rotations, and timely recoveries to continually morph to each action.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mim9ju" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To start, Candace Parker angles herself so well on the trap, forcing Kirsty Wallce to backpedal and escape with a pass-out. Parker then recovers to Cheyenne Parker as Emma Meesseman peels back to the corner. Courtney Vandersloot is zoned up but slides back in front of Erica Wheeler. The defense is still in control, and Atlanta's first action is nullified.</p>
<p>Wheeler swings to Naz Hillmon in the corner to no advantage, so she kicks to Rhyne Howard sprinting up to the slot. Notice Allie Quigley actively track Wallace on the cut. It sounds minute, but this defense is so reliant on everyone being in sync and active. If one moving part falls asleep, the gaps open. Quigley takes away any sort of interior outlet for Hillmon.</p>
<p>Rhyne Howard sprints up to the slot and Rebekah Gardner gives chase. Howard dishes to Parker and cuts baseline for a pinch post action, but Gardner uses her length to negate that passing window. Now we're down to Cheyenne Parker taking Candace Parker one on one from the mid-post with minimal time on the shot clock.</p>
<p>This Sky team is adept at forcing offenses to work through progressions and into shots that are less ideal for an efficient and effective offense.</p>
<p>Parker, Meesseman and Azura Stevens all have the length and size to play the five, but it's the culmination of their skillsets that maximizes them defensively. Parker and Stevens are incredibly mobile and have great instincts in help. Meesseman also has good instincts and very good court vision and feel for where to be. She's always had active hands, but is sneakily 4th in the league in steals per game per Her Hoop Stats. She sniffs out plays moments before they happen and pounces.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p3uka6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Playing alongside other like-sized players who have the ability to cover ground makes Meesseman's defense even more effective.</p>
<p>Much like we saw with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season in the NBA, size, length and mobility across the board opens up the potential to greatly shrink the floor and squeeze the spacing of the offense. They're so good at knowing personnel and using it against opposition.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iu92d3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Cheyenne Parker pops to three after the screen for Howard, but Candace Parker still sags off and heavily plays the paint. Parker has been willing to shoot the ball this season, but why give up the interior drive when you can force the ball to a shaky shooter or force difficult passes, much like the one Wallace ends up turning over?</p>
<p>Even if that pass goes through, Copper is reconnecting after the hard screen and Meesseman has already rotated over low to cover the rim. There's just so much length in the lane.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Nia Coffey is typically a solid shooter, but she has struggled to find her consistency this season. Meesseman knows that.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/66i7x7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Copper presses Howard fullcourt (something the Sky did much of the game to any ball-handlers), Meesseman cheats at the nail and Quigley zones up to make the weak side harder to manipulate.</p>
<p>The Dream opt for an empty ball-screen and a really hard set screen to try and force Meesseman into a one on one in space.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7nxckk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Meesseman presents her length on the peel switch to deny an open pull-up. Quigley works to reconnect on the back end, and Azura Stevens rotates low (a staple of an aggressive defense) to meet Monique Billings at the rim and send her packing. Notice too how Gardner fights down to boxout Kia Vaughn whom Stevens helps off of to close off the rim. Without Gardner's extra oomph, that's an offensive rebound and likely putback.</p>
<p>Have you noticed how often Rebekah Gardner's name has popped up in this piece?&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rookie of the Year frontrunner Rhyne Howard finished with 5 points on 2/12 shooting last night and Gardner was a prime reason for her struggles. Gardner is so quick on her feet, and her defensive slides just never stop as her motor is always running red hot.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mx6c94" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>Gardner sheds screens remarkably well, is so active at getting back in front in reconnection and uses her length to blow up plays with her quickness. She's establishing herself as one of the best off-ball chasers in the league and an incredibly fiesty on-ball defender as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If she does misstep or make a minor mistake on the perimeter, she has the recovery tools to turn errors into turnovers.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i11d0w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As I <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1532877165670318088?s=20&amp;t=2Hc0cAryP9osyApoOMvGTA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned yesterday</a>, it'd be difficult to keep her off of All-Defense the way she's playing to start the year.</p>
<p>With a record of 6-3 a quarter of the way through the year, the Sky aren't yet firing on all cylinders, and that's part of what makes the team so exciting. The moments of defensive dynamism where they absolutely shut the water off on opponents have flashed all year. Ousting the Washington Mystics in the late game during a primetime matchup and dragging the Dream in the mud on Friday night early in the game last night are the indicators you watch for throughout a season that make you go "hmmm," and stop to consider what the future may hold.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>The WNBA is somehow already a month into the season, and the Chicago Sky have shown perhaps the most growth a quarter of the way through the season. They have had success tinkering with lineups and implementing new players while attempting to build upon last year's title. Chicago is still re-integrating Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, who just played her fifth game last night against the Atlanta Dream. In that game, she put forth her best showing of the season, finishing with 21 points. The Sky are still finding their offensive flow, but each game, their footing improves.</p>
<p>Defensively, the Sky are putting showing elite effort. Their offense clicking to the tenth degree was a large reason for their postseason success, yet their hyperactive defense deserved arguably as much focus. Through 9 games to start the year, Chicago is third in defensive rating per Her Hoops Stats.</p>
<p>They've given up 80 or more points just three times this season. Last night's 65-point output from the Dream is yet another feather in the cap of James Wade's aggressive scheme. The starting lineup of Courtney Vandersloot/Allie Quigley/Kahleah Copper/Candace Parker/Emma Meesseman pitched a no-hitter in essence, outscoring opposition by 18 points in the minutes they shared the court. Out of the 19 five-player lineups that have played at least 30 minutes in the W this season, only three have a higher net rating (+16).</p>
<p>This is Chicago's defense at its best: Active hands, ball pressure on screens, backline rotations, and timely recoveries to continually morph to each action.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mim9ju" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To start, Candace Parker angles herself so well on the trap, forcing Kirsty Wallce to backpedal and escape with a pass-out. Parker then recovers to Cheyenne Parker as Emma Meesseman peels back to the corner. Courtney Vandersloot is zoned up but slides back in front of Erica Wheeler. The defense is still in control, and Atlanta's first action is nullified.</p>
<p>Wheeler swings to Naz Hillmon in the corner to no advantage, so she kicks to Rhyne Howard sprinting up to the slot. Notice Allie Quigley actively track Wallace on the cut. It sounds minute, but this defense is so reliant on everyone being in sync and active. If one moving part falls asleep, the gaps open. Quigley takes away any sort of interior outlet for Hillmon.</p>
<p>Rhyne Howard sprints up to the slot and Rebekah Gardner gives chase. Howard dishes to Parker and cuts baseline for a pinch post action, but Gardner uses her length to negate that passing window. Now we're down to Cheyenne Parker taking Candace Parker one on one from the mid-post with minimal time on the shot clock.</p>
<p>This Sky team is adept at forcing offenses to work through progressions and into shots that are less ideal for an efficient and effective offense.</p>
<p>Parker, Meesseman and Azura Stevens all have the length and size to play the five, but it's the culmination of their skillsets that maximizes them defensively. Parker and Stevens are incredibly mobile and have great instincts in help. Meesseman also has good instincts and very good court vision and feel for where to be. She's always had active hands, but is sneakily 4th in the league in steals per game per Her Hoop Stats. She sniffs out plays moments before they happen and pounces.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p3uka6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Playing alongside other like-sized players who have the ability to cover ground makes Meesseman's defense even more effective.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Much like we saw with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season in the NBA, size, length and mobility across the board opens up the potential to greatly shrink the floor and squeeze the spacing of the offense. They're so good at knowing personnel and using it against opposition.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iu92d3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Cheyenne Parker pops to three after the screen for Howard, but Candace Parker still sags off and heavily plays the paint. Parker has been willing to shoot the ball this season, but why give up the interior drive when you can force the ball to a shaky shooter or force difficult passes, much like the one Wallace ends up turning over?</p>
<p>Even if that pass goes through, Copper is reconnecting after the hard screen and Meesseman has already rotated over low to cover the rim. There's just so much length in the lane.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Nia Coffey is typically a solid shooter, but she has struggled to find her consistency this season. Meesseman knows that.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/66i7x7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Copper presses Howard fullcourt (something the Sky did much of the game to any ball-handlers), Meesseman cheats at the nail and Quigley zones up to make the weak side harder to manipulate.</p>
<p>The Dream opt for an empty ball-screen and a really hard set screen to try and force Meesseman into a one on one in space.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7nxckk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Meesseman presents her length on the peel switch to deny an open pull-up. Quigley works to reconnect on the back end, and Azura Stevens rotates low (a staple of an aggressive defense) to meet Monique Billings at the rim and send her packing. Notice too how Gardner fights down to boxout Kia Vaughn whom Stevens helps off of to close off the rim. Without Gardner's extra oomph, that's an offensive rebound and likely putback.</p>
<p>Have you noticed how often Rebekah Gardner's name has popped up in this piece?&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rookie of the Year frontrunner Rhyne Howard finished with 5 points on 2/12 shooting last night and Gardner was a prime reason for her struggles. Gardner is so quick on her feet, and her defensive slides just never stop as her motor is always running red hot.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mx6c94" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>Gardner sheds screens remarkably well, is so active at getting back in front in reconnection and uses her length to blow up plays with her quickness. She's establishing herself as one of the best off-ball chasers in the league and an incredibly fiesty on-ball defender as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If she does misstep or make a minor mistake on the perimeter, she has the recovery tools to turn errors into turnovers.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i11d0w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As I <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1532877165670318088?s=20&amp;t=2Hc0cAryP9osyApoOMvGTA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned yesterday</a>, it'd be difficult to keep her off of All-Defense the way she's playing to start the year.</p>
<p>With a record of 6-3 a quarter of the way through the year, the Sky aren't yet firing on all cylinders, and that's part of what makes the team so exciting. The moments of defensive dynamism where they absolutely shut the water off on opponents have flashed all year. Ousting the Washington Mystics in the late game during a primetime matchup and dragging the Dream in the mud on Friday night early in the game last night are the indicators you watch for throughout a season that make you go "hmmm," and stop to consider what the future may hold.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>The WNBA is somehow already a month into the season, and the Chicago Sky have shown perhaps the most growth a quarter of the way through the season. They have had success tinkering with lineups and implementing new players while attempting to build upon last year's title. Chicago is still re-integrating Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, who just played her fifth game last night against the Atlanta Dream. In that game, she put forth her best showing of the season, finishing with 21 points. The Sky are still finding their offensive flow, but each game, their footing improves.</p>
<p>Defensively, the Sky are showing elite effort. Their offense clicking to the tenth degree was a large reason for their postseason success, yet their hyperactive defense deserved arguably as much focus. Through 9 games to start the year, Chicago is third in defensive rating per Her Hoops Stats.</p>
<p>They've given up 80 or more points just three times this season. Last night's 65-point output from the Dream is yet another feather in the cap of James Wade's aggressive scheme. The starting lineup of Courtney Vandersloot/Allie Quigley/Kahleah Copper/Candace Parker/Emma Meesseman pitched a no-hitter in essence, outscoring opposition by 18 points in the minutes they shared the court. Out of the 19 five-player lineups that have played at least 30 minutes in the W this season, only three have a higher net rating (+16).</p>
<p>This is Chicago's defense at its best: Active hands, ball pressure on screens, backline rotations, and timely recoveries to continually morph to each action.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mim9ju" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To start, Candace Parker angles herself so well on the trap, forcing Kirsty Wallce to backpedal and escape with a pass-out. Parker then recovers to Cheyenne Parker as Emma Meesseman peels back to the corner. Courtney Vandersloot is zoned up but slides back in front of Erica Wheeler. The defense is still in control, and Atlanta's first action is nullified.</p>
<p>Wheeler swings to Naz Hillmon in the corner to no advantage, so she kicks to Rhyne Howard sprinting up to the slot. Notice Allie Quigley actively track Wallace on the cut. It sounds minute, but this defense is so reliant on everyone being in sync and active. If one moving part falls asleep, the gaps open. Quigley takes away any sort of interior outlet for Hillmon.</p>
<p>Rhyne Howard sprints up to the slot and Rebekah Gardner gives chase. Howard dishes to Parker and cuts baseline for a pinch post action, but Gardner uses her length to negate that passing window. Now we're down to Cheyenne Parker taking Candace Parker one on one from the mid-post with minimal time on the shot clock.</p>
<p>This Sky team is adept at forcing offenses to work through progressions and into shots that are less ideal for an efficient and effective offense.</p>
<p>Parker, Meesseman and Azura Stevens all have the length and size to play the five, but it's the culmination of their skillsets that maximizes them defensively. Parker and Stevens are incredibly mobile and have great instincts in help. Meesseman also has good instincts and very good court vision and feel for where to be. She's always had active hands, but is sneakily 4th in the league in steals per game per Her Hoop Stats. She sniffs out plays moments before they happen and pounces.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p3uka6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Playing alongside other like-sized players who have the ability to cover ground makes Meesseman's defense even more effective.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Much like we saw with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season in the NBA, size, length and mobility across the board opens up the potential to greatly shrink the floor and squeeze the spacing of the offense. They're so good at knowing personnel and using it against opposition.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iu92d3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Cheyenne Parker pops to three after the screen for Howard, but Candace Parker still sags off and heavily plays the paint. Parker has been willing to shoot the ball this season, but why give up the interior drive when you can force the ball to a shaky shooter or force difficult passes, much like the one Wallace ends up turning over?</p>
<p>Even if that pass goes through, Copper is reconnecting after the hard screen and Meesseman has already rotated over low to cover the rim. There's just so much length in the lane.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Nia Coffey is typically a solid shooter, but she has struggled to find her consistency this season. Meesseman knows that.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/66i7x7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Copper presses Howard fullcourt (something the Sky did much of the game to any ball-handlers), Meesseman cheats at the nail and Quigley zones up to make the weak side harder to manipulate.</p>
<p>The Dream opt for an empty ball-screen and a really hard set screen to try and force Meesseman into a one on one in space.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7nxckk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Meesseman presents her length on the peel switch to deny an open pull-up. Quigley works to reconnect on the back end, and Azura Stevens rotates low (a staple of an aggressive defense) to meet Monique Billings at the rim and send her packing. Notice too how Gardner fights down to boxout Kia Vaughn whom Stevens helps off of to close off the rim. Without Gardner's extra oomph, that's an offensive rebound and likely putback.</p>
<p>Have you noticed how often Rebekah Gardner's name has popped up in this piece?&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rookie of the Year frontrunner Rhyne Howard finished with 5 points on 2/12 shooting last night and Gardner was a prime reason for her struggles. Gardner is so quick on her feet, and her defensive slides just never stop as her motor is always running red hot.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mx6c94" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>Gardner sheds screens remarkably well, is so active at getting back in front in reconnection and uses her length to blow up plays with her quickness. She's establishing herself as one of the best off-ball chasers in the league and an incredibly fiesty on-ball defender as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If she does misstep or make a minor mistake on the perimeter, she has the recovery tools to turn errors into turnovers.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i11d0w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As I <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1532877165670318088?s=20&amp;t=2Hc0cAryP9osyApoOMvGTA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned yesterday</a>, it'd be difficult to keep her off of All-Defense the way she's playing to start the year.</p>
<p>With a record of 6-3 a quarter of the way through the year, the Sky aren't yet firing on all cylinders, and that's part of what makes the team so exciting. The moments of defensive dynamism where they absolutely shut the water off on opponents have flashed all year. Ousting the Washington Mystics in the late game during a primetime matchup and dragging the Dream in the mud on Friday night early in the game last night are the indicators you watch for throughout a season that make you go "hmmm," and stop to consider what the future may hold.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>The WNBA is somehow already a month into the season, and the Chicago Sky have shown perhaps the most growth a quarter of the way through the season. They have had success tinkering with lineups and implementing new players while attempting to build upon last year's title. Chicago is still re-integrating Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, who just played her fifth game last night against the Atlanta Dream. In that game, she put forth her best showing of the season, finishing with 21 points. The Sky are still finding their offensive flow, but each game, their footing improves.</p>
<p>Defensively, the Sky are showing elite defensive stretches. Their offense clicking to the tenth degree was a large reason for their postseason success, yet their hyperactive defense deserved arguably as much focus. Through 9 games to start the year, Chicago is third in defensive rating per Her Hoops Stats.</p>
<p>They've given up 80 or more points just three times this season. Last night's 65-point output from the Dream is yet another feather in the cap of James Wade's aggressive scheme. The starting lineup of Courtney Vandersloot/Allie Quigley/Kahleah Copper/Candace Parker/Emma Meesseman pitched a no-hitter in essence, outscoring opposition by 18 points in the minutes they shared the court. Out of the 19 five-player lineups that have played at least 30 minutes in the W this season, only three have a higher net rating (+16).</p>
<p>This is Chicago's defense at its best: Active hands, ball pressure on screens, backline rotations, and timely recoveries to continually morph to each action.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mim9ju" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To start, Candace Parker angles herself so well on the trap, forcing Kirsty Wallce to backpedal and escape with a pass-out. Parker then recovers to Cheyenne Parker as Emma Meesseman peels back to the corner. Courtney Vandersloot is zoned up but slides back in front of Erica Wheeler. The defense is still in control, and Atlanta's first action is nullified.</p>
<p>Wheeler swings to Naz Hillmon in the corner to no advantage, so she kicks to Rhyne Howard sprinting up to the slot. Notice Allie Quigley actively track Wallace on the cut. It sounds minute, but this defense is so reliant on everyone being in sync and active. If one moving part falls asleep, the gaps open. Quigley takes away any sort of interior outlet for Hillmon.</p>
<p>Rhyne Howard sprints up to the slot and Rebekah Gardner gives chase. Howard dishes to Parker and cuts baseline for a pinch post action, but Gardner uses her length to negate that passing window. Now we're down to Cheyenne Parker taking Candace Parker one on one from the mid-post with minimal time on the shot clock.</p>
<p>This Sky team is adept at forcing offenses to work through progressions and into shots that are less ideal for an efficient and effective offense.</p>
<p>Parker, Meesseman and Azura Stevens all have the length and size to play the five, but it's the culmination of their skillsets that maximizes them defensively. Parker and Stevens are incredibly mobile and have great instincts in help. Meesseman also has good instincts and very good court vision and feel for where to be. She's always had active hands, but is sneakily 4th in the league in steals per game per Her Hoop Stats. She sniffs out plays moments before they happen and pounces.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p3uka6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Playing alongside other like-sized players who have the ability to cover ground makes Meesseman's defense even more effective.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Much like we saw with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season in the NBA, size, length and mobility across the board opens up the potential to greatly shrink the floor and squeeze the spacing of the offense. They're so good at knowing personnel and using it against opposition.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iu92d3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Cheyenne Parker pops to three after the screen for Howard, but Candace Parker still sags off and heavily plays the paint. Parker has been willing to shoot the ball this season, but why give up the interior drive when you can force the ball to a shaky shooter or force difficult passes, much like the one Wallace ends up turning over?</p>
<p>Even if that pass goes through, Copper is reconnecting after the hard screen and Meesseman has already rotated over low to cover the rim. There's just so much length in the lane.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Nia Coffey is typically a solid shooter, but she has struggled to find her consistency this season. Meesseman knows that.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/66i7x7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Copper presses Howard fullcourt (something the Sky did much of the game to any ball-handlers), Meesseman cheats at the nail and Quigley zones up to make the weak side harder to manipulate.</p>
<p>The Dream opt for an empty ball-screen and a really hard set screen to try and force Meesseman into a one on one in space.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7nxckk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Meesseman presents her length on the peel switch to deny an open pull-up. Quigley works to reconnect on the back end, and Azura Stevens rotates low (a staple of an aggressive defense) to meet Monique Billings at the rim and send her packing. Notice too how Gardner fights down to boxout Kia Vaughn whom Stevens helps off of to close off the rim. Without Gardner's extra oomph, that's an offensive rebound and likely putback.</p>
<p>Have you noticed how often Rebekah Gardner's name has popped up in this piece?&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rookie of the Year frontrunner Rhyne Howard finished with 5 points on 2/12 shooting last night and Gardner was a prime reason for her struggles. Gardner is so quick on her feet, and her defensive slides just never stop as her motor is always running red hot.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mx6c94" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>Gardner sheds screens remarkably well, is so active at getting back in front in reconnection and uses her length to blow up plays with her quickness. She's establishing herself as one of the best off-ball chasers in the league and an incredibly fiesty on-ball defender as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If she does misstep or make a minor mistake on the perimeter, she has the recovery tools to turn errors into turnovers.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i11d0w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As I <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1532877165670318088?s=20&amp;t=2Hc0cAryP9osyApoOMvGTA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned yesterday</a>, it'd be difficult to keep her off of All-Defense the way she's playing to start the year.</p>
<p>With a record of 6-3 a quarter of the way through the year, the Sky aren't yet firing on all cylinders, and that's part of what makes the team so exciting. The moments of defensive dynamism where they absolutely shut the water off on opponents have flashed all year. Ousting the Washington Mystics in the late game during a primetime matchup and dragging the Dream in the mud on Friday night early in the game last night are the indicators you watch for throughout a season that make you go "hmmm," and stop to consider what the future may hold.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>The WNBA is somehow already a month into the season, and the Chicago Sky have shown perhaps the most growth a quarter of the way through the season. They have had success tinkering with lineups and implementing new players while attempting to build upon last year's title. Chicago is still re-integrating Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, who just played her fifth game last night against the Atlanta Dream. In that game, she put forth her best showing of the season, finishing with 21 points. The Sky are still finding their offensive flow, but each game, their footing improves.</p>
<p>Defensively, the Sky are putting together elite defensive stretches. Their offense clicking to the tenth degree was a large reason for their postseason success, yet their hyperactive defense deserved arguably as much focus. Through 9 games to start the year, Chicago is third in defensive rating per Her Hoops Stats.</p>
<p>They've given up 80 or more points just three times this season. Last night's 65-point output from the Dream is yet another feather in the cap of James Wade's aggressive scheme. The starting lineup of Courtney Vandersloot/Allie Quigley/Kahleah Copper/Candace Parker/Emma Meesseman pitched a no-hitter in essence, outscoring opposition by 18 points in the minutes they shared the court. Out of the 19 five-player lineups that have played at least 30 minutes in the W this season, only three have a higher net rating (+16).</p>
<p>This is Chicago's defense at its best: Active hands, ball pressure on screens, backline rotations, and timely recoveries to continually morph to each action.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mim9ju" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To start, Candace Parker angles herself so well on the trap, forcing Kirsty Wallce to backpedal and escape with a pass-out. Parker then recovers to Cheyenne Parker as Emma Meesseman peels back to the corner. Courtney Vandersloot is zoned up but slides back in front of Erica Wheeler. The defense is still in control, and Atlanta's first action is nullified.</p>
<p>Wheeler swings to Naz Hillmon in the corner to no advantage, so she kicks to Rhyne Howard sprinting up to the slot. Notice Allie Quigley actively track Wallace on the cut. It sounds minute, but this defense is so reliant on everyone being in sync and active. If one moving part falls asleep, the gaps open. Quigley takes away any sort of interior outlet for Hillmon.</p>
<p>Rhyne Howard sprints up to the slot and Rebekah Gardner gives chase. Howard dishes to Parker and cuts baseline for a pinch post action, but Gardner uses her length to negate that passing window. Now we're down to Cheyenne Parker taking Candace Parker one on one from the mid-post with minimal time on the shot clock.</p>
<p>This Sky team is adept at forcing offenses to work through progressions and into shots that are less ideal for an efficient and effective offense.</p>
<p>Parker, Meesseman and Azura Stevens all have the length and size to play the five, but it's the culmination of their skillsets that maximizes them defensively. Parker and Stevens are incredibly mobile and have great instincts in help. Meesseman also has good instincts and very good court vision and feel for where to be. She's always had active hands, but is sneakily 4th in the league in steals per game per Her Hoop Stats. She sniffs out plays moments before they happen and pounces.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p3uka6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Playing alongside other like-sized players who have the ability to cover ground makes Meesseman's defense even more effective.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Much like we saw with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season in the NBA, size, length and mobility across the board opens up the potential to greatly shrink the floor and squeeze the spacing of the offense. They're so good at knowing personnel and using it against opposition.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iu92d3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Cheyenne Parker pops to three after the screen for Howard, but Candace Parker still sags off and heavily plays the paint. Parker has been willing to shoot the ball this season, but why give up the interior drive when you can force the ball to a shaky shooter or force difficult passes, much like the one Wallace ends up turning over?</p>
<p>Even if that pass goes through, Copper is reconnecting after the hard screen and Meesseman has already rotated over low to cover the rim. There's just so much length in the lane.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Nia Coffey is typically a solid shooter, but she has struggled to find her consistency this season. Meesseman knows that.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/66i7x7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Copper presses Howard fullcourt (something the Sky did much of the game to any ball-handlers), Meesseman cheats at the nail and Quigley zones up to make the weak side harder to manipulate.</p>
<p>The Dream opt for an empty ball-screen and a really hard set screen to try and force Meesseman into a one on one in space.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7nxckk" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Meesseman presents her length on the peel switch to deny an open pull-up. Quigley works to reconnect on the back end, and Azura Stevens rotates low (a staple of an aggressive defense) to meet Monique Billings at the rim and send her packing. Notice too how Gardner fights down to boxout Kia Vaughn whom Stevens helps off of to close off the rim. Without Gardner's extra oomph, that's an offensive rebound and likely putback.</p>
<p>Have you noticed how often Rebekah Gardner's name has popped up in this piece?&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rookie of the Year frontrunner Rhyne Howard finished with 5 points on 2/12 shooting last night and Gardner was a prime reason for her struggles. Gardner is so quick on her feet, and her defensive slides just never stop as her motor is always running red hot.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mx6c94" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>Gardner sheds screens remarkably well, is so active at getting back in front in reconnection and uses her length to blow up plays with her quickness. She's establishing herself as one of the best off-ball chasers in the league and an incredibly fiesty on-ball defender as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If she does misstep or make a minor mistake on the perimeter, she has the recovery tools to turn errors into turnovers.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i11d0w" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As I <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1532877165670318088?s=20&amp;t=2Hc0cAryP9osyApoOMvGTA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned yesterday</a>, it'd be difficult to keep her off of All-Defense the way she's playing to start the year.</p>
<p>With a record of 6-3 a quarter of the way through the year, the Sky aren't yet firing on all cylinders, and that's part of what makes the team so exciting. The moments of defensive dynamism where they absolutely shut the water off on opponents have flashed all year. Ousting the Washington Mystics in the late game during a primetime matchup and dragging the Dream in the mud on Friday night early in the game last night are the indicators you watch for throughout a season that make you go "hmmm," and stop to consider what the future may hold.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

The Chicago Sky are finding their footing slowly but surely, and they are putting forth some dominant defensive stretches.

The Chicago Sky continue to cement their defense

<p>Truer words have never been formed in any medium. </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dudes can literally just sit around and name old sports players and just have the best time.</p>
&mdash; E.M. Hudson (@EMHudsonlives) <a href="https://twitter.com/EMHudsonlives/status/1415513767337762817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>I have a group chat that solely exists for this purpose, and it pops!</p>
<p>Part of what makes basketball so incredible is its growth and evolution across time. Not even a decade ago, the game looked quite different compared to what it is today on either end. Pick-and-roll offense was less prolific, ICE defense was en vogue and the utilization of space on the court was drastically different.</p>
<p>Understanding and appreciating the game today is even better achieved through grasping how we got here, what the pathways were, why and how they were taken, and the context surrounding each era. The spacing revolution didn't just happen. The seeds were set and nourished over decades, with gradual shifts and eventually an explosion in the 2010s.</p>
<p>Who from past years might be even better today? That's not to say that these players weren't good in their own time, but rather that they may have thrived to even greater heights in today's game. Why? Each player fits some semblance of the proliferation of today's game, whether it be through shooting, decision-making, ground coverage, switchability or a conglomeration of many skills.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So let's dig in to two perfect examples.</p>
<p><strong>Josh Smith</strong></p>
<p>It wasn't all that long ago that Josh Smith was in the league, and you may not remember that he last played on a 10-day for the Pelicans during the 2017-18 season!</p>
<p>He's such a difficult player to parse through, but I think he fits today's game much better than general thought may hold. As we know (as does Stan Van Gundy), Smith was a pretty rough shooter from just about anywhere on the court. I don't think it matters when looking at projection to today.</p>
<p>I don't think Smith would magically develop touch in 2022, but I also think it would be odd to ask him to. Would it be great if he was a shooter from deep on volume? Of course! But, he'd be utilized much more as a screener and roller today. Smith would be so dynamic making plays on the roll, hitting the corners, finding cutters and even tossing in lobs. He could be utilized in the post with split-cut actions similarly to what we see with Draymond Green in Golden State's offense.</p>
<p>One of the coolest parts about his expansion with the Houston Rockets after his Detroit Pistons tenure was seeing some shades of what he'd look like in today's game.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c6lW3B4oToc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>While he had an underwhelming game from the short mid-range (39.5% from 3-10 feet from 2008-13), Smith had a really good handle for his size that would make him even more difficult to play against defensively when attacking on the short roll. You could certainly try and play him into floaters and post-ups, but he was so athletic and coordinated that he could easily draw fouls or find easy at-rim attempts when he had momentum.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Lest we forget what Smith did to the rim when given even a sliver of space to leap.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTNjY1nI_H4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>With more opportunities to attack on the move and potentially more chances to play as a 5 in smaller lineups, Smith's athleticism could potentially be even better emphasized today. With more open lanes, the tomahawks would rain down supremely.</p>
<p>Smith was a borderline All-Star a little over a decade ago, and today's game arguably would benefit his skill set with a reigned-in shot selection and honed-in role.</p>
<p>It's actually criminal that Smith only made one All-Defensive team. He was an exceptional rover, blowing plays up from the weak side as a shot-blocker, disrupting in passing lanes and covering ground exceptionally. From 2007-2010, Smith averaged 3.9 combined steals and blocks per game. Smith was so incredible as a help defender, often leaking off of a spaced shooter to clean up looks at the rim.</p>
<p>His synergy with Al Horford was so fun, as Horford was a fantastic defender already at that point, stonewalling bigs in the post with Smith adding his verticality emphatically over top.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/gisgp6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Other than LeBron James, there was no more imposing chase-down shot-blocker in the NBA from the late 2000's into the early 2010's.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hekib6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Smith would be a star role player in the NBA today and greater appreciated for the things he excelled at a decade ago.</p>
<p><strong>Jamal Mashburn</strong></p>
<p>I would pay an exorbitant amount of money to see Monster Mash play his prime days today. (Be sure to check out his son Jamal Mashburn Jr. at New Mexico &mdash; fun player.) He had a fascinating career.</p>
<p>Jamal Mashburn started with a young and exciting Dallas Mavericks squad featuring Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson that flamed out. Then, he really began finding his stride with the Miami Heat as more of a role player for a few years. But after that, he ended up as an All-NBA player and had the best season of his pro life, leading the Charlotte Hornets as a big shot-making and playmaking wing/forward late in his career.</p>
<p>It's not often that a player downsizes his/her role after a huge usage start and then reverts back to high usage later down the road. Even less common is doing it with even greater efficacy.</p>
<p>Mash was a bit of a tweener, caught between the 3 and 4 for much of his career, although he'd be pretty cleanly a 4 today in my opinion. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Mashburn was ridiculously strong and powerful, operating a lot out of the mid-post. What I find most interesting about Mashburn is that he's someone I actually don't think would have to change his game to the amount you'd expect.</p>
<p>He might exchange a lot of his mid-range looks to opt for a greater deal of threes, but how he was able to operate from the middle of the floor is what I most enjoyed about his game. A solid enough mid-range shooter to make defenders care, you couldn't leave him open. Imagine him in some Triangle-akin actions in the corner, or out of Horns operating as a high-post playmaker. Drawing two with his scoring gravity and ability to generate a mismatch due to his mesh of size and skill would equate to many forced rotations and drawn double teams.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.596%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/a5qdxi" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He'd be so intriguing to me with how he could toggle on and off the ball to maximize his skill set and the abilities of his teammates. That's a large part of what made him so good in Charlotte/New Orleans. A 27.4% usage in his 2002-03 season is nothing to scoff at, but it wouldn't rank top-20 in the league in usage today. Playing alongside a young Baron Davis and veteran David Wesley, Mashburn showcased his ability to operate as a primary, but also make himself a tremendous outlet.</p>
<p>We'd see a lot more of this today!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.709%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3lrri9" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Mashburn had the chops to be a tough shot-maker, but the screening and versatility of his shooting and scoring profle make him so enticing as a player who could also dominate on the roll.</p>
<p>While he wasn't an above the rim athlete, with his strength, touch, and playmaking he was remarkably difficult to guard and I'd argue that modern spacing and offense could put him in even better positions more routinely.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Truer words have never been formed in any medium. </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dudes can literally just sit around and name old sports players and just have the best time.</p>
&mdash; E.M. Hudson (@EMHudsonlives) <a href="https://twitter.com/EMHudsonlives/status/1415513767337762817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>I have a group chat that solely exists for this purpose, and it pops!</p>
<p>Part of what makes basketball so incredible is its growth and evolution across time. Not even a decade ago, the game looked quite different compared to what it is today on either end. Pick-and-roll offense was less prolific, ICE defense was en vogue and the utilization of space on the court was drastically different.</p>
<p>Understanding and appreciating the game today is even better achieved through grasping how we got here, what the pathways were, why and how they were taken, and the context surrounding each era. The spacing revolution didn't just happen. The seeds were set and nourished over decades, with gradual shifts and eventually an explosion in the 2010s.</p>
<p>Who from past years might be even better today? That's not to say that these players weren't good in their own time, but rather that they may have thrived to even greater heights in today's game. Why? Each player fits some semblance of the proliferation of today's game, whether it be through shooting, decision-making, ground coverage, switchability or a conglomeration of many skills.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So let's dig in to two perfect examples.</p>
<p><strong>Josh Smith</strong></p>
<p>It wasn't all that long ago that Josh Smith was in the league, and you may not remember that he last played on a 10-day for the Pelicans during the 2017-18 season!</p>
<p>He's such a difficult player to parse through, but I think he fits today's game much better than general thought may hold. As we know (as does Stan Van Gundy), Smith was a pretty rough shooter from just about anywhere on the court. I don't think it matters when looking at projection to today.</p>
<p>I don't think Smith would magically develop touch in 2022, but I also think it would be odd to ask him to. Would it be great if he was a shooter from deep on volume? Of course! But, he'd be utilized much more as a screener and roller today. Smith would be so dynamic making plays on the roll, hitting the corners, finding cutters and even tossing in lobs. He could be utilized in the post with split-cut actions similarly to what we see with Draymond Green in Golden State's offense.</p>
<p>One of the coolest parts about his expansion with the Houston Rockets after his Detroit Pistons tenure was seeing some shades of what he'd look like in today's game.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c6lW3B4oToc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>While he had an underwhelming game from the short mid-range (39.5% from 3-10 feet from 2008-13), Smith had a really good handle for his size that would make him even more difficult to play against defensively when attacking on the short roll. You could certainly try and play him into floaters and post-ups, but he was so athletic and coordinated that he could easily draw fouls or find easy at-rim attempts when he had momentum.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Lest we forget what Smith did to the rim when given even a sliver of space to leap.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTNjY1nI_H4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>With more opportunities to attack on the move and potentially more chances to play as a 5 in smaller lineups, Smith's athleticism could potentially be even better emphasized today. With more open lanes, the tomahawks would rain down supremely.</p>
<p>Smith was a borderline All-Star a little over a decade ago, and today's game arguably would benefit his skill set with a reigned-in shot selection and honed-in role.</p>
<p>It's actually criminal that Smith only made one All-Defensive team. He was an exceptional rover, blowing plays up from the weak side as a shot-blocker, disrupting in passing lanes and covering ground exceptionally. From 2007-2010, Smith averaged 3.9 combined steals and blocks per game. Smith was so incredible as a help defender, often leaking off of a spaced shooter to clean up looks at the rim.</p>
<p>His synergy with Al Horford was so fun, as Horford was a fantastic defender already at that point, stonewalling bigs in the post with Smith adding his verticality emphatically over top.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/gisgp6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Other than LeBron James, there was no more imposing chase-down shot-blocker in the NBA from the late 2000's into the early 2010's.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hekib6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Smith would be a star role player in the NBA today and greater appreciated for the things he excelled at a decade ago.</p>
<p><strong>Jamal Mashburn</strong></p>
<p>I would pay an exorbitant amount of money to see Monster Mash play his prime days today. (Be sure to check out his son Jamal Mashburn Jr. at New Mexico &mdash; fun player.) He had a fascinating career.</p>
<p>Jamal Mashburn started with a young and exciting Dallas Mavericks squad featuring Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson that flamed out. Then, he really began finding his stride with the Miami Heat as more of a role player for a few years. But after that, he ended up as an All-NBA player and had the best season of his pro life, leading the Charlotte Hornets as a big shot-making and playmaking wing/forward late in his career.</p>
<p>It's not often that a player downsizes his/her role after a huge usage start and then reverts back to high usage later down the road. Even less common is doing it with even greater efficacy.</p>
<p>Mash was a bit of a tweener, caught between the 3 and 4 for much of his career, although he'd be pretty cleanly a 4 today in my opinion. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Mashburn was ridiculously strong and powerful, operating a lot out of the mid-post. What I find most interesting about Mashburn is that he's someone I actually don't think would have to change his game to the amount you'd expect.</p>
<p>He might exchange a lot of his mid-range looks to opt for a greater deal of threes, but how he was able to operate from the middle of the floor is what I most enjoyed about his game. A solid enough mid-range shooter to make defenders care, you couldn't leave him open. Imagine him in some Triangle-akin actions in the corner, or out of Horns operating as a high-post playmaker. Drawing two with his scoring gravity and ability to generate a mismatch due to his mesh of size and skill would equate to many forced rotations and drawn double teams.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.596%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/a5qdxi" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He'd be so intriguing to me with how he could toggle on and off the ball to maximize his skill set and the abilities of his teammates. That's a large part of what made him so good in Charlotte/New Orleans. A 27.4% usage in his 2002-03 season is nothing to scoff at, but it wouldn't rank top-20 in the league in usage today. Playing alongside a young Baron Davis and veteran David Wesley, Mashburn showcased his ability to operate as a primary, but also make himself a tremendous outlet.</p>
<p>We'd see a lot more of this today!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.709%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3lrri9" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Mashburn had the chops to be a tough shot-maker, but the screening and versatility of his shooting and scoring profle make him so enticing as a player who could also dominate on the roll.</p>
<p>While he wasn't an above-the-rim athlete, his strength, touch, and playmaking made him remarkably difficult to guard, and I'd argue that modern spacing and offense could put him in even better positions more routinely.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Truer words have never been formed in any medium. </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dudes can literally just sit around and name old sports players and just have the best time.</p>
&mdash; E.M. Hudson (@EMHudsonlives) <a href="https://twitter.com/EMHudsonlives/status/1415513767337762817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>I have a group chat that solely exists for this purpose, and it pops!</p>
<p>Part of what makes basketball so incredible is its growth and evolution across time. Not even a decade ago, the game looked quite different compared to what it is today on either end. Pick-and-roll offense was less prolific, ICE defense was en vogue and the utilization of space on the court was drastically different.</p>
<p>Understanding and appreciating the game today is even better achieved through grasping how we got here, what the pathways were, why and how they were taken, and the context surrounding each era. The spacing revolution didn't just happen. The seeds were set and nourished over decades, with gradual shifts and eventually an explosion in the 2010s.</p>
<p>Who from past years might be even better today? That's not to say that these players weren't good in their own time, but rather that they may have thrived to even greater heights in today's game. Why? Each player fits some semblance of the proliferation of today's game, whether it be through shooting, decision-making, ground coverage, switchability or a conglomeration of many skills.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So let's dig in to two perfect examples.</p>
<p><strong>Josh Smith</strong></p>
<p>It wasn't all that long ago that Josh Smith was in the league, and you may not remember that he last played on a 10-day for the Pelicans during the 2017-18 season!</p>
<p>He's such a difficult player to parse through, but I think he fits today's game much better than general thought may hold. As we know (as does Stan Van Gundy), Smith was a pretty rough shooter from just about anywhere on the court. I don't think it matters when looking at projection to today.</p>
<p>I don't think Smith would magically develop touch in 2022, but I also think it would be odd to ask him to. Would it be great if he was a shooter from deep on volume? Of course! But, he'd be utilized much more as a screener and roller today. Smith would be so dynamic making plays on the roll, hitting the corners, finding cutters and even tossing in lobs. He could be utilized in the post with split-cut actions similarly to what we see with Draymond Green in Golden State's offense.</p>
<p>One of the coolest parts about his expansion with the Houston Rockets after his Detroit Pistons tenure was seeing some shades of what he'd look like in today's game.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c6lW3B4oToc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>While he had an underwhelming game from the short mid-range (39.5% from 3-10 feet from 2008-13), Smith had a really good handle for his size that would make him even more difficult to play against defensively when attacking on the short roll. You could certainly try and play him into floaters and post-ups, but he was so athletic and coordinated that he could easily draw fouls or find easy at-rim attempts when he had momentum.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Lest we forget what Smith did to the rim when given even a sliver of space to leap.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTNjY1nI_H4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>With more opportunities to attack on the move and potentially more chances to play as a 5 in smaller lineups, Smith's athleticism could potentially be even better emphasized today. With more open lanes, the tomahawks would rain down supremely.</p>
<p>Smith was a borderline All-Star a little over a decade ago, and today's game arguably would benefit his skill set with a reigned-in shot selection and honed-in role.</p>
<p>It's actually criminal that Smith only made one All-Defensive team. He was an exceptional rover, blowing plays up from the weak side as a shot-blocker, disrupting in passing lanes and covering ground exceptionally. From 2007-2010, Smith averaged 3.9 combined steals and blocks per game. Smith was so incredible as a help defender, often leaking off of a spaced shooter to clean up looks at the rim.</p>
<p>His synergy with Al Horford was so fun, as Horford was a fantastic defender already at that point, stonewalling bigs in the post with Smith adding his verticality emphatically over top.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/gisgp6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Other than LeBron James, there was no more imposing chase-down shot-blocker in the NBA from the late 2000's into the early 2010's.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hekib6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Smith would be a star role player in the NBA today and greater appreciated for the things he excelled at a decade ago.</p>
<p><strong>Jamal Mashburn</strong></p>
<p>I would pay an exorbitant amount of money to see Monster Mash play his prime days today. (Be sure to check out his son Jamal Mashburn Jr. at New Mexico &mdash; fun player.) He had a fascinating career.</p>
<p>Jamal Mashburn started with a young and exciting Dallas Mavericks squad featuring Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson that flamed out. Then, he really began finding his stride with the Miami Heat as more of a role player for a few years. But after that, he ended up as an All-NBA player and had the best season of his pro life, leading the Charlotte Hornets as a big shot-making and playmaking wing/forward late in his career.</p>
<p>It's not often that a player downsizes his/her role after a huge usage start and then reverts back to high usage later down the road. Even less common is doing it with even greater efficacy.</p>
<p>Mash was a bit of a tweener, caught between the 3 and 4 for much of his career, although he'd be pretty cleanly a 4 today in my opinion. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Mashburn was ridiculously strong and powerful, operating a lot out of the mid-post. What I find most interesting about Mashburn is that he's someone I actually don't think would have to change his game to the amount you'd expect.</p>
<p>He might exchange a lot of his mid-range looks to opt for a greater deal of threes, but how he was able to operate from the middle of the floor is what I most enjoyed about his game. A solid enough mid-range shooter to make defenders care, you couldn't leave him open. Imagine him in some Triangle-akin actions in the corner, or out of Horns operating as a high-post playmaker. Drawing two with his scoring gravity and ability to generate a mismatch due to his mesh of size and skill would equate to many forced rotations and drawn double teams.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.596%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/a5qdxi" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He'd be so intriguing to me with how he could toggle on and off the ball to maximize his skill set and the abilities of his teammates. That's a large part of what made him so good in Charlotte/New Orleans. A 27.4% usage in his 2002-03 season is nothing to scoff at, but it wouldn't rank top-20 in the league in usage today. Playing alongside a young Baron Davis and veteran David Wesley, Mashburn showcased his ability to operate as a primary, but also make himself a tremendous outlet.</p>
<p>We'd see a lot more of this today!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.709%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3lrri9" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Mashburn had the chops to be a tough shot-maker, but the screening and versatility of his shooting and scoring profle make him so enticing as a player who could also dominate on the roll.</p>
<p>While he wasn't an above-the-rim athlete, his strength, touch, and playmaking made him remarkably difficult to guard, and I'd argue that modern spacing and offense could put him in even better positions more routinely.</p>
<p>Smith and Mashburn</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Truer words have never been formed in any medium. </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dudes can literally just sit around and name old sports players and just have the best time.</p>
&mdash; E.M. Hudson (@EMHudsonlives) <a href="https://twitter.com/EMHudsonlives/status/1415513767337762817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>I have a group chat that solely exists for this purpose, and it pops!</p>
<p>Part of what makes basketball so incredible is its growth and evolution across time. Not even a decade ago, the game looked quite different compared to what it is today on either end. Pick-and-roll offense was less prolific, ICE defense was en vogue and the utilization of space on the court was drastically different.</p>
<p>Understanding and appreciating the game today is even better achieved through grasping how we got here, what the pathways were, why and how they were taken, and the context surrounding each era. The spacing revolution didn't just happen. The seeds were set and nourished over decades, with gradual shifts and eventually an explosion in the 2010s.</p>
<p>Who from past years might be even better today? That's not to say that these players weren't good in their own time, but rather that they may have thrived to even greater heights in today's game. Why? Each player fits some semblance of the proliferation of today's game, whether it be through shooting, decision-making, ground coverage, switchability or a conglomeration of many skills.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So let's dig in to two perfect examples.</p>
<p><strong>Josh Smith</strong></p>
<p>It wasn't all that long ago that Josh Smith was in the league, and you may not remember that he last played on a 10-day for the Pelicans during the 2017-18 season!</p>
<p>He's such a difficult player to parse through, but I think he fits today's game much better than general thought may hold. As we know (as does Stan Van Gundy), Smith was a pretty rough shooter from just about anywhere on the court. I don't think it matters when looking at projection to today.</p>
<p>I don't think Smith would magically develop touch in 2022, but I also think it would be odd to ask him to. Would it be great if he was a shooter from deep on volume? Of course! But, he'd be utilized much more as a screener and roller today. Smith would be so dynamic making plays on the roll, hitting the corners, finding cutters and even tossing in lobs. He could be utilized in the post with split-cut actions similarly to what we see with Draymond Green in Golden State's offense.</p>
<p>One of the coolest parts about his expansion with the Houston Rockets after his Detroit Pistons tenure was seeing some shades of what he'd look like in today's game.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c6lW3B4oToc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>While he had an underwhelming game from the short mid-range (39.5% from 3-10 feet from 2008-13), Smith had a really good handle for his size that would make him even more difficult to play against defensively when attacking on the short roll. You could certainly try and play him into floaters and post-ups, but he was so athletic and coordinated that he could easily draw fouls or find easy at-rim attempts when he had momentum.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Lest we forget what Smith did to the rim when given even a sliver of space to leap.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTNjY1nI_H4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>With more opportunities to attack on the move and potentially more chances to play as a 5 in smaller lineups, Smith's athleticism could potentially be even better emphasized today. With more open lanes, the tomahawks would rain down supremely.</p>
<p>Smith was a borderline All-Star a little over a decade ago, and today's game arguably would benefit his skill set with a reigned-in shot selection and honed-in role.</p>
<p>It's actually criminal that Smith only made one All-Defensive team. He was an exceptional rover, blowing plays up from the weak side as a shot-blocker, disrupting in passing lanes and covering ground exceptionally. From 2007-2010, Smith averaged 3.9 combined steals and blocks per game. Smith was so incredible as a help defender, often leaking off of a spaced shooter to clean up looks at the rim.</p>
<p>His synergy with Al Horford was so fun, as Horford was a fantastic defender already at that point, stonewalling bigs in the post with Smith adding his verticality emphatically over top.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/gisgp6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Other than LeBron James, there was no more imposing chase-down shot-blocker in the NBA from the late 2000's into the early 2010's.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hekib6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Smith would be a star role player in the NBA today and greater appreciated for the things he excelled at a decade ago.</p>
<p><strong>Jamal Mashburn</strong></p>
<p>I would pay an exorbitant amount of money to see Monster Mash play his prime days today. (Be sure to check out his son Jamal Mashburn Jr. at New Mexico &mdash; fun player.) He had a fascinating career.</p>
<p>Jamal Mashburn started with a young and exciting Dallas Mavericks squad featuring Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson that flamed out. Then, he really began finding his stride with the Miami Heat as more of a role player for a few years. But after that, he ended up as an All-NBA player and had the best season of his pro life, leading the Charlotte Hornets as a big shot-making and playmaking wing/forward late in his career.</p>
<p>It's not often that a player downsizes his/her role after a huge usage start and then reverts back to high usage later down the road. Even less common is doing it with even greater efficacy.</p>
<p>Mash was a bit of a tweener, caught between the 3 and 4 for much of his career, although he'd be pretty cleanly a 4 today in my opinion. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Mashburn was ridiculously strong and powerful, operating a lot out of the mid-post. What I find most interesting about Mashburn is that he's someone I actually don't think would have to change his game to the amount you'd expect.</p>
<p>He might exchange a lot of his mid-range looks to opt for a greater deal of threes, but how he was able to operate from the middle of the floor is what I most enjoyed about his game. A solid enough mid-range shooter to make defenders care, you couldn't leave him open. Imagine him in some Triangle-akin actions in the corner, or out of Horns operating as a high-post playmaker. Drawing two with his scoring gravity and ability to generate a mismatch due to his mesh of size and skill would equate to many forced rotations and drawn double teams.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.596%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/a5qdxi" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He'd be so intriguing to me with how he could toggle on and off the ball to maximize his skill set and the abilities of his teammates. That's a large part of what made him so good in Charlotte/New Orleans. A 27.4% usage in his 2002-03 season is nothing to scoff at, but it wouldn't rank top-20 in the league in usage today. Playing alongside a young Baron Davis and veteran David Wesley, Mashburn showcased his ability to operate as a primary, but also make himself a tremendous outlet.</p>
<p>We'd see a lot more of this today!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.709%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3lrri9" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Mashburn had the chops to be a tough shot-maker, but the screening and versatility of his shooting and scoring profle make him so enticing as a player who could also dominate on the roll.</p>
<p>While he wasn't an above-the-rim athlete, his strength, touch, and playmaking made him remarkably difficult to guard, and I'd argue that modern spacing and offense could put him in even better positions more routinely.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Truer words have never been formed in any medium.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dudes can literally just sit around and name old sports players and just have the best time.</p>
&mdash; E.M. Hudson (@EMHudsonlives) <a href="https://twitter.com/EMHudsonlives/status/1415513767337762817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>I have a group chat that solely exists for this purpose, and it pops!</p>
<p>Part of what makes basketball so incredible is its growth and evolution across time. Not even a decade ago, the game looked quite different compared to what it is today on either end. Pick-and-roll offense was less prolific, ICE defense was en vogue and the utilization of space on the court was drastically different.</p>
<p>Understanding and appreciating the game today is even better achieved through grasping how we got here, what the pathways were, why and how they were taken, and the context surrounding each era. The spacing revolution didn't just happen. The seeds were set and nourished over decades, with gradual shifts and eventually an explosion in the 2010s.</p>
<p>Who from past years might be even better today? That's not to say that these players weren't good in their own time, but rather that they may have thrived to even greater heights in today's game. Why? Each player fits some semblance of the proliferation of today's game, whether it be through shooting, decision-making, ground coverage, switchability or a conglomeration of many skills.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So let's dig into two perfect examples.</p>
<p><strong>Josh Smith</strong></p>
<p>It wasn't all that long ago that Josh Smith was in the league, and you may not remember that he last played on a 10-day for the Pelicans during the 2017-18 season!</p>
<p>He's such a difficult player to parse through, but I think he fits today's game much better than general thought may hold. As we know (as does Stan Van Gundy), Smith was a pretty rough shooter from just about anywhere on the court. I don't think it matters when looking at projection to today.</p>
<p>I don't think Smith would magically develop touch in 2022, but I also think it would be odd to ask him to. Would it be great if he was a shooter from deep on volume? Of course! But, he'd be utilized much more as a screener and roller today. Smith would be so dynamic making plays on the roll, hitting the corners, finding cutters and even tossing in lobs. He could be utilized in the post with split-cut actions similarly to what we see with Draymond Green in Golden State's offense.</p>
<p>One of the coolest parts about his expansion with the Houston Rockets after his Detroit Pistons tenure was seeing some shades of what he'd look like in today's game.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c6lW3B4oToc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>While he had an underwhelming game from the short mid-range (39.5% from 3-10 feet from 2008-13), Smith had a really good handle for his size that would make him even more difficult to play against defensively when attacking on the short roll. You could certainly try and play him into floaters and post-ups, but he was so athletic and coordinated that he could easily draw fouls or find easy at-rim attempts when he had momentum.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Lest we forget what Smith did to the rim when given even a sliver of space to leap.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTNjY1nI_H4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>With more opportunities to attack on the move and potentially more chances to play as a 5 in smaller lineups, Smith's athleticism could potentially be even better emphasized today. With more open lanes, the tomahawks would rain down supremely.</p>
<p>Smith was a borderline All-Star a little over a decade ago, and today's game arguably would benefit his skill set with a reigned-in shot selection and honed-in role.</p>
<p>It's actually criminal that Smith only made one All-Defensive team. He was an exceptional rover, blowing plays up from the weak side as a shot-blocker, disrupting in passing lanes and covering ground exceptionally. From 2007-2010, Smith averaged 3.9 combined steals and blocks per game. Smith was so incredible as a help defender, often leaking off of a spaced shooter to clean up looks at the rim.</p>
<p>His synergy with Al Horford was so fun, as Horford was a fantastic defender already at that point, stonewalling bigs in the post with Smith adding his verticality emphatically over top.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/gisgp6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Other than LeBron James, there was no more imposing chase-down shot-blocker in the NBA from the late 2000's into the early 2010's.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hekib6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Smith would be a star role player in the NBA today and greater appreciated for the things he excelled at a decade ago.</p>
<p><strong>Jamal Mashburn</strong></p>
<p>I would pay an exorbitant amount of money to see Monster Mash play his prime days today. (Be sure to check out his son Jamal Mashburn Jr. at New Mexico &mdash; fun player.) He had a fascinating career.</p>
<p>Jamal Mashburn started with a young and exciting Dallas Mavericks squad featuring Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson that flamed out. Then, he really began finding his stride with the Miami Heat as more of a role player for a few years. But after that, he ended up as an All-NBA player and had the best season of his pro life, leading the Charlotte Hornets as a big shot-making and playmaking wing/forward late in his career.</p>
<p>It's not often that a player downsizes his/her role after a huge usage start and then reverts back to high usage later down the road. Even less common is doing it with even greater efficacy.</p>
<p>Mash was a bit of a tweener, caught between the 3 and 4 for much of his career, although he'd be pretty cleanly a 4 today in my opinion. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Mashburn was ridiculously strong and powerful, operating a lot out of the mid-post. What I find most interesting about Mashburn is that he's someone I actually don't think would have to change his game to the amount you'd expect.</p>
<p>He might exchange a lot of his mid-range looks to opt for a greater deal of threes, but how he was able to operate from the middle of the floor is what I most enjoyed about his game. A solid enough mid-range shooter to make defenders care, you couldn't leave him open. Imagine him in some Triangle-akin actions in the corner, or out of Horns operating as a high-post playmaker. Drawing two with his scoring gravity and ability to generate a mismatch due to his mesh of size and skill would equate to many forced rotations and drawn double teams.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.596%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/a5qdxi" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He'd be so intriguing to me with how he could toggle on and off the ball to maximize his skill set and the abilities of his teammates. That's a large part of what made him so good in Charlotte/New Orleans. A 27.4% usage in his 2002-03 season is nothing to scoff at, but it wouldn't rank top-20 in the league in usage today. Playing alongside a young Baron Davis and veteran David Wesley, Mashburn showcased his ability to operate as a primary, but also make himself a tremendous outlet.</p>
<p>We'd see a lot more of this today!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.709%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3lrri9" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Mashburn had the chops to be a tough shot-maker, but the screening and versatility of his shooting and scoring profle make him so enticing as a player who could also dominate on the roll.</p>
<p>While he wasn't an above-the-rim athlete, his strength, touch, and playmaking made him remarkably difficult to guard, and I'd argue that modern spacing and offense could put him in even better positions more routinely.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Truer words have never been formed in any medium.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dudes can literally just sit around and name old sports players and just have the best time.</p>
&mdash; E.M. Hudson (@EMHudsonlives) <a href="https://twitter.com/EMHudsonlives/status/1415513767337762817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>I have a group chat that solely exists for this purpose, and it pops!</p>
<p>Part of what makes basketball so incredible is its growth and evolution across time. Not even a decade ago, the game looked quite different compared to what it is today on either end. Pick-and-roll offense was less prolific, ICE defense was en vogue and the utilization of space on the court was drastically different.</p>
<p>Understanding and appreciating the game today is even better achieved through grasping how we got here, what the pathways were, why and how they were taken, and the context surrounding each era. The spacing revolution didn't just happen. The seeds were set and nourished over decades, with gradual shifts and eventually an explosion in the 2010s.</p>
<p>Who from past years might be even better today? That's not to say that these players weren't good in their own time, but rather that they may have thrived to even greater heights in today's game. Why? Each player fits some semblance of the proliferation of today's game, whether it be through shooting, decision-making, ground coverage, switchability or a conglomeration of many skills.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So let's dig into two perfect examples.</p>
<p><strong>Josh Smith</strong></p>
<p>It wasn't all that long ago that Josh Smith was in the league, and you may not remember that he last played on a 10-day for the Pelicans during the 2017-18 season!</p>
<p>He's such a difficult player to parse through, but I think he fits today's game much better than general thought may hold. As we know (as does Stan Van Gundy), Smith was a pretty rough shooter from just about anywhere on the court. I don't think it matters when looking at projection to today.</p>
<p>I don't think Smith would magically develop touch in 2022, but I also think it would be odd to ask him to. Would it be great if he was a shooter from deep on volume? Of course! But, he'd be utilized much more as a screener and roller today. Smith would be so dynamic making plays on the roll, hitting the corners, finding cutters and even tossing in lobs. He could be utilized in the post with split-cut actions similarly to what we see with Draymond Green in Golden State's offense.</p>
<p>One of the coolest parts about his expansion with the Houston Rockets after his Detroit Pistons tenure was seeing some shades of what he'd look like in today's game.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c6lW3B4oToc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>While he had an underwhelming game from the short mid-range (39.5% from 3-10 feet from 2008-13), Smith had a really good handle for his size that would make him even more difficult to play against defensively when attacking on the short roll. You could certainly try and play him into floaters and post-ups, but he was so athletic and coordinated that he could easily draw fouls or find easy at-rim attempts when he had momentum.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Lest we forget what Smith did to the rim when given even a sliver of space to leap.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTNjY1nI_H4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>With more opportunities to attack on the move and potentially more chances to play as a 5 in smaller lineups, Smith's athleticism could potentially be even better emphasized today. With more open lanes, the tomahawks would rain down supremely.</p>
<p>Smith was a borderline All-Star a little over a decade ago, and today's game arguably would benefit his skill set with a reigned-in shot selection and honed-in role.</p>
<p>It's actually criminal that Smith only made one All-Defensive team. He was an exceptional rover, blowing plays up from the weak side as a shot-blocker, disrupting in passing lanes and covering ground exceptionally. From 2007-2010, Smith averaged 3.9 combined steals and blocks per game. Smith was so incredible as a help defender, often leaking off of a spaced shooter to clean up looks at the rim.</p>
<p>His synergy with Al Horford was so fun, as Horford was a fantastic defender already at that point, stonewalling bigs in the post with Smith adding his verticality emphatically over top.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/gisgp6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Other than LeBron James, there was no more imposing chase-down shot-blocker in the NBA from the late 2000's into the early 2010's.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hekib6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Smith would be a star role player in the NBA today and greater appreciated for the things he excelled at a decade ago.</p>
<p><strong>Jamal Mashburn</strong></p>
<p>I would pay an exorbitant amount of money to see Monster Mash play his prime days today. (Be sure to check out his son Jamal Mashburn Jr. at New Mexico &mdash; fun player.) He had a fascinating career.</p>
<p>Jamal Mashburn started with a young and exciting Dallas Mavericks squad featuring Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson that flamed out. Then, he really began finding his stride with the Miami Heat as more of a role player for a few years. But after that, he ended up as an All-NBA player and had the best season of his pro life, leading the Charlotte Hornets as a big shot-making and playmaking wing/forward late in his career.</p>
<p>It's not often that a player downsizes his/her role after a huge usage start and then reverts back to high usage later down the road. Even less common is doing it with even greater efficacy.</p>
<p>Mash was a bit of a tweener, caught between the 3 and 4 for much of his career, although he'd be pretty cleanly a 4 today in my opinion. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Mashburn was ridiculously strong and powerful, operating a lot out of the mid-post. What I find most interesting about Mashburn is that he's someone I actually don't think would have to change his game to the amount you'd expect.</p>
<p>He might exchange a lot of his mid-range looks to opt for a greater deal of threes, but how he was able to operate from the middle of the floor is what I most enjoyed about his game. A solid enough mid-range shooter to make defenders care, you couldn't leave him open. Imagine him in some Triangle-akin actions in the corner, or out of Horns operating as a high-post playmaker. Drawing two with his scoring gravity and ability to generate a mismatch due to his mesh of size and skill would equate to many forced rotations and drawn double teams.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.596%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/a5qdxi" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He'd be so intriguing to me with how he could toggle on and off the ball to maximize his skill set and the abilities of his teammates. That's a large part of what made him so good in Charlotte/New Orleans. A 27.4% usage in his 2002-03 season is nothing to scoff at, but it wouldn't rank top-20 in the league in usage today. Playing alongside a young Baron Davis and veteran David Wesley, Mashburn showcased his ability to operate as a primary, but also make himself a tremendous outlet.</p>
<p>We'd see a lot more of this today!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.709%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3lrri9" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Mashburn had the chops to be a tough shot-maker, but the screening and versatility of his shooting and scoring profle make him so enticing as a player who could also dominate on the roll.</p>
<p>While he wasn't an above-the-rim athlete, his strength, touch and playmaking made him remarkably difficult to guard, and I'd argue that modern spacing and offense could put him in even better positions more routinely.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Truer words have never been formed in any medium.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dudes can literally just sit around and name old sports players and just have the best time.</p>
&mdash; E.M. Hudson (@EMHudsonlives) <a href="https://twitter.com/EMHudsonlives/status/1415513767337762817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>I have a group chat that solely exists for this purpose, and it pops!</p>
<p>Part of what makes basketball so incredible is its growth and evolution across time. Not even a decade ago, the game looked quite different compared to what it is today on either end. Pick-and-roll offense was less prolific, ICE defense was en vogue and the utilization of space on the court was drastically different.</p>
<p>Understanding and appreciating the game today is even better achieved through grasping how we got here, what the pathways were, why and how they were taken, and the context surrounding each era. The spacing revolution didn't just happen. The seeds were set and nourished over decades, with gradual shifts and eventually an explosion in the 2010s.</p>
<p>Who from past years might be even better today? That's not to say that these players weren't good in their own time, but rather that they may have thrived to even greater heights in today's game. Why? Each player fits some semblance of the proliferation of today's game, whether it be through shooting, decision-making, ground coverage, switchability or a conglomeration of many skills.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So let's dig into two perfect examples.</p>
<p><strong>Josh Smith</strong></p>
<p>It wasn't all that long ago that Josh Smith was in the league, and you may not remember that he last played on a 10-day for the Pelicans during the 2017-18 season!</p>
<p>He's such a difficult player to parse through, but I think he fits today's game much better than general thought may hold. As we know (as does Stan Van Gundy), Smith was a pretty rough shooter from just about anywhere on the court. I don't think it matters when looking at projection to today.</p>
<p>I don't think Smith would magically develop touch in 2022, but I also think it would be odd to ask him to. Would it be great if he was a shooter from deep on volume? Of course! But, he'd be utilized much more as a screener and roller today. Smith would be so dynamic making plays on the roll, hitting the corners, finding cutters and even tossing in lobs. He could be utilized in the post with split-cut actions similarly to what we see with Draymond Green in Golden State's offense.</p>
<p>One of the coolest parts about his expansion with the Houston Rockets after his Detroit Pistons tenure was seeing some shades of what he'd look like in today's game.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c6lW3B4oToc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>While he had an underwhelming game from the short mid-range (39.5% from 3-10 feet from 2008-13), Smith had a really good handle for his size that would make him even more difficult to play against defensively when attacking on the short roll. You could certainly try and play him into floaters and post-ups, but he was so athletic and coordinated that he could easily draw fouls or find easy at-rim attempts when he had momentum.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Lest we forget what Smith did to the rim when given even a sliver of space to leap.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTNjY1nI_H4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>With more opportunities to attack on the move and potentially more chances to play as a 5 in smaller lineups, Smith's athleticism could potentially be even better emphasized today. With more open lanes, the tomahawks would rain down supremely.</p>
<p>Smith was a borderline All-Star a little over a decade ago, and today's game arguably would benefit his skill set with a reigned-in shot selection and honed-in role.</p>
<p>It's actually criminal that Smith only made one All-Defensive team. He was an exceptional rover, blowing plays up from the weak side as a shot-blocker, disrupting in passing lanes and covering ground exceptionally. From 2007-2010, Smith averaged 3.9 combined steals and blocks per game. Smith was so incredible as a help defender, often leaking off of a spaced shooter to clean up looks at the rim.</p>
<p>His synergy with Al Horford was so fun, as Horford was a fantastic defender already at that point, stonewalling bigs in the post with Smith adding his verticality emphatically over top.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/gisgp6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Other than LeBron James, there was no more imposing chase-down shot-blocker in the NBA from the late 2000's into the early 2010's.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hekib6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Smith would be a star role player in the NBA today and greater appreciated for the things he excelled at a decade ago.</p>
<p><strong>Jamal Mashburn</strong></p>
<p>I would pay an exorbitant amount of money to see Monster Mash play his prime days today. (Be sure to check out his son Jamal Mashburn Jr. at New Mexico &mdash; fun player.) He had a fascinating career.</p>
<p>Jamal Mashburn started with a young and exciting Dallas Mavericks squad featuring Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson that flamed out. Then, he really began finding his stride with the Miami Heat as more of a role player for a few years. But after that, he ended up as an All-NBA player and had the best season of his pro life, leading the Charlotte Hornets as a big shot-making and playmaking wing/forward late in his career.</p>
<p>It's not often that a player downsizes his/her role after a huge usage start and then reverts back to high usage later down the road. Even less common is doing it with even greater efficacy.</p>
<p>Mash was a bit of a tweener, caught between the 3 and 4 for much of his career, although he'd be pretty cleanly a 4 today in my opinion. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Mashburn was ridiculously strong and powerful, operating a lot out of the mid-post. What I find most interesting about Mashburn is that he's someone I actually don't think would have to change his game to the amount you'd expect.</p>
<p>He might exchange a lot of his mid-range looks to opt for a greater deal of threes, but how he was able to operate from the middle of the floor is what I most enjoyed about his game. A solid enough mid-range shooter to make defenders care, you couldn't leave him open. Imagine him in some Triangle-akin actions in the corner, or out of Horns operating as a high-post playmaker. Drawing two with his scoring gravity and ability to generate a mismatch due to his mesh of size and skill would equate to many forced rotations and drawn double teams.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.596%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/a5qdxi" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He'd be so intriguing to me with how he could toggle on and off the ball to maximize his skill set and the abilities of his teammates. That's a large part of what made him so good in Charlotte/New Orleans. A 27.4% usage in his 2002-03 season is nothing to scoff at, but it wouldn't rank top-20 in the league in usage today. Playing alongside a young Baron Davis and veteran David Wesley, Mashburn showcased his ability to operate as a primary, but also make himself a tremendous outlet.</p>
<p>We'd see a lot more of this today!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.709%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3lrri9" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Mashburn had the chops to be a tough shot-maker, but the screening and versatility of his shooting and scoring profle make him so enticing as a player who could also dominate on the roll.</p>
<p>While he wasn't an above-the-rim athlete, his strength, touch and playmaking made him remarkably difficult to guard, and I'd argue that modern spacing and offense could put him in even better positions more routinely.</p>
<p>Both Josh Smith and Jamal Mashburn exhibited skill sets ahead of their time, and it's fun to think about how they would've utilized them in</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Truer words have never been formed in any medium.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dudes can literally just sit around and name old sports players and just have the best time.</p>
&mdash; E.M. Hudson (@EMHudsonlives) <a href="https://twitter.com/EMHudsonlives/status/1415513767337762817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>I have a group chat that solely exists for this purpose, and it pops!</p>
<p>Part of what makes basketball so incredible is its growth and evolution across time. Not even a decade ago, the game looked quite different compared to what it is today on either end. Pick-and-roll offense was less prolific, ICE defense was en vogue and the utilization of space on the court was drastically different.</p>
<p>Understanding and appreciating the game today is even better achieved through grasping how we got here, what the pathways were, why and how they were taken, and the context surrounding each era. The spacing revolution didn't just happen. The seeds were set and nourished over decades, with gradual shifts and eventually an explosion in the 2010s.</p>
<p>Who from past years might be even better today? That's not to say that these players weren't good in their own time, but rather that they may have thrived to even greater heights in today's game. Why? Each player fits some semblance of the proliferation of today's game, whether it be through shooting, decision-making, ground coverage, switchability or a conglomeration of many skills.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So let's dig into two perfect examples.</p>
<p><strong>Josh Smith</strong></p>
<p>It wasn't all that long ago that Josh Smith was in the league, and you may not remember that he last played on a 10-day for the Pelicans during the 2017-18 season!</p>
<p>He's such a difficult player to parse through, but I think he fits today's game much better than general thought may hold. As we know (as does Stan Van Gundy), Smith was a pretty rough shooter from just about anywhere on the court. I don't think it matters when looking at projection to today.</p>
<p>I don't think Smith would magically develop touch in 2022, but I also think it would be odd to ask him to. Would it be great if he was a shooter from deep on volume? Of course! But, he'd be utilized much more as a screener and roller today. Smith would be so dynamic making plays on the roll, hitting the corners, finding cutters and even tossing in lobs. He could be utilized in the post with split-cut actions similarly to what we see with Draymond Green in Golden State's offense.</p>
<p>One of the coolest parts about his expansion with the Houston Rockets after his Detroit Pistons tenure was seeing some shades of what he'd look like in today's game.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c6lW3B4oToc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>While he had an underwhelming game from the short mid-range (39.5% from 3-10 feet from 2008-13), Smith had a really good handle for his size that would make him even more difficult to play against defensively when attacking on the short roll. You could certainly try and play him into floaters and post-ups, but he was so athletic and coordinated that he could easily draw fouls or find easy at-rim attempts when he had momentum.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Lest we forget what Smith did to the rim when given even a sliver of space to leap.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTNjY1nI_H4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>With more opportunities to attack on the move and potentially more chances to play as a 5 in smaller lineups, Smith's athleticism could potentially be even better emphasized today. With more open lanes, the tomahawks would rain down supremely.</p>
<p>Smith was a borderline All-Star a little over a decade ago, and today's game arguably would benefit his skill set with a reigned-in shot selection and honed-in role.</p>
<p>It's actually criminal that Smith only made one All-Defensive team. He was an exceptional rover, blowing plays up from the weak side as a shot-blocker, disrupting in passing lanes and covering ground exceptionally. From 2007-2010, Smith averaged 3.9 combined steals and blocks per game. Smith was so incredible as a help defender, often leaking off of a spaced shooter to clean up looks at the rim.</p>
<p>His synergy with Al Horford was so fun, as Horford was a fantastic defender already at that point, stonewalling bigs in the post with Smith adding his verticality emphatically over top.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/gisgp6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Other than LeBron James, there was no more imposing chase-down shot-blocker in the NBA from the late 2000's into the early 2010's.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hekib6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Smith would be a star role player in the NBA today and greater appreciated for the things he excelled at a decade ago.</p>
<p><strong>Jamal Mashburn</strong></p>
<p>I would pay an exorbitant amount of money to see Monster Mash play his prime days today. (Be sure to check out his son Jamal Mashburn Jr. at New Mexico &mdash; fun player.) He had a fascinating career.</p>
<p>Jamal Mashburn started with a young and exciting Dallas Mavericks squad featuring Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson that flamed out. Then, he really began finding his stride with the Miami Heat as more of a role player for a few years. But after that, he ended up as an All-NBA player and had the best season of his pro life, leading the Charlotte Hornets as a big shot-making and playmaking wing/forward late in his career.</p>
<p>It's not often that a player downsizes his/her role after a huge usage start and then reverts back to high usage later down the road. Even less common is doing it with even greater efficacy.</p>
<p>Mash was a bit of a tweener, caught between the 3 and 4 for much of his career, although he'd be pretty cleanly a 4 today in my opinion. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Mashburn was ridiculously strong and powerful, operating a lot out of the mid-post. What I find most interesting about Mashburn is that he's someone I actually don't think would have to change his game to the amount you'd expect.</p>
<p>He might exchange a lot of his mid-range looks to opt for a greater deal of threes, but how he was able to operate from the middle of the floor is what I most enjoyed about his game. A solid enough mid-range shooter to make defenders care, you couldn't leave him open. Imagine him in some Triangle-akin actions in the corner, or out of Horns operating as a high-post playmaker. Drawing two with his scoring gravity and ability to generate a mismatch due to his mesh of size and skill would equate to many forced rotations and drawn double teams.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.596%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/a5qdxi" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He'd be so intriguing to me with how he could toggle on and off the ball to maximize his skill set and the abilities of his teammates. That's a large part of what made him so good in Charlotte/New Orleans. A 27.4% usage in his 2002-03 season is nothing to scoff at, but it wouldn't rank top-20 in the league in usage today. Playing alongside a young Baron Davis and veteran David Wesley, Mashburn showcased his ability to operate as a primary, but also make himself a tremendous outlet.</p>
<p>We'd see a lot more of this today!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.709%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3lrri9" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Mashburn had the chops to be a tough shot-maker, but the screening and versatility of his shooting and scoring profle make him so enticing as a player who could also dominate on the roll.</p>
<p>While he wasn't an above-the-rim athlete, his strength, touch and playmaking made him remarkably difficult to guard, and I'd argue that modern spacing and offense could put him in even better positions more routinely.</p>
<p>Both Josh Smith and Jamal Mashburn exhibited skill sets ahead of their time, and it's fun to think about how they would've utilized them in our growing game</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Truer words have never been formed in any medium.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dudes can literally just sit around and name old sports players and just have the best time.</p>
&mdash; E.M. Hudson (@EMHudsonlives) <a href="https://twitter.com/EMHudsonlives/status/1415513767337762817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>I have a group chat that solely exists for this purpose, and it pops!</p>
<p>Part of what makes basketball so incredible is its growth and evolution across time. Not even a decade ago, the game looked quite different compared to what it is today on either end. Pick-and-roll offense was less prolific, ICE defense was en vogue and the utilization of space on the court was drastically different.</p>
<p>Understanding and appreciating the game today is even better achieved through grasping how we got here, what the pathways were, why and how they were taken, and the context surrounding each era. The spacing revolution didn't just happen. The seeds were set and nourished over decades, with gradual shifts and eventually an explosion in the 2010s.</p>
<p>Who from past years might be even better today? That's not to say that these players weren't good in their own time, but rather that they may have thrived to even greater heights in today's game. Why? Each player fits some semblance of the proliferation of today's game, whether it be through shooting, decision-making, ground coverage, switchability or a conglomeration of many skills.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So let's dig into two perfect examples.</p>
<p><strong>Josh Smith</strong></p>
<p>It wasn't all that long ago that Josh Smith was in the league, and you may not remember that he last played on a 10-day for the Pelicans during the 2017-18 season!</p>
<p>He's such a difficult player to parse through, but I think he fits today's game much better than general thought may hold. As we know (as does Stan Van Gundy), Smith was a pretty rough shooter from just about anywhere on the court. I don't think it matters when looking at projection to today.</p>
<p>I don't think Smith would magically develop touch in 2022, but I also think it would be odd to ask him to. Would it be great if he was a shooter from deep on volume? Of course! But, he'd be utilized much more as a screener and roller today. Smith would be so dynamic making plays on the roll, hitting the corners, finding cutters and even tossing in lobs. He could be utilized in the post with split-cut actions similarly to what we see with Draymond Green in Golden State's offense.</p>
<p>One of the coolest parts about his expansion with the Houston Rockets after his Detroit Pistons tenure was seeing some shades of what he'd look like in today's game.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c6lW3B4oToc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>While he had an underwhelming game from the short mid-range (39.5% from 3-10 feet from 2008-13), Smith had a really good handle for his size that would make him even more difficult to play against defensively when attacking on the short roll. You could certainly try and play him into floaters and post-ups, but he was so athletic and coordinated that he could easily draw fouls or find easy at-rim attempts when he had momentum.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Lest we forget what Smith did to the rim when given even a sliver of space to leap.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTNjY1nI_H4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>With more opportunities to attack on the move and potentially more chances to play as a 5 in smaller lineups, Smith's athleticism could potentially be even better emphasized today. With more open lanes, the tomahawks would rain down supremely.</p>
<p>Smith was a borderline All-Star a little over a decade ago, and today's game arguably would benefit his skill set with a reigned-in shot selection and honed-in role.</p>
<p>It's actually criminal that Smith only made one All-Defensive team. He was an exceptional rover, blowing plays up from the weak side as a shot-blocker, disrupting in passing lanes and covering ground exceptionally. From 2007-2010, Smith averaged 3.9 combined steals and blocks per game. Smith was so incredible as a help defender, often leaking off of a spaced shooter to clean up looks at the rim.</p>
<p>His synergy with Al Horford was so fun, as Horford was a fantastic defender already at that point, stonewalling bigs in the post with Smith adding his verticality emphatically over top.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/gisgp6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Other than LeBron James, there was no more imposing chase-down shot-blocker in the NBA from the late 2000's into the early 2010's.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hekib6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Smith would be a star role player in the NBA today and greater appreciated for the things he excelled at a decade ago.</p>
<p><strong>Jamal Mashburn</strong></p>
<p>I would pay an exorbitant amount of money to see Monster Mash play his prime days today. (Be sure to check out his son Jamal Mashburn Jr. at New Mexico &mdash; fun player.) He had a fascinating career.</p>
<p>Jamal Mashburn started with a young and exciting Dallas Mavericks squad featuring Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson that flamed out. Then, he really began finding his stride with the Miami Heat as more of a role player for a few years. But after that, he ended up as an All-NBA player and had the best season of his pro life, leading the Charlotte Hornets as a big shot-making and playmaking wing/forward late in his career.</p>
<p>It's not often that a player downsizes his/her role after a huge usage start and then reverts back to high usage later down the road. Even less common is doing it with even greater efficacy.</p>
<p>Mash was a bit of a tweener, caught between the 3 and 4 for much of his career, although he'd be pretty cleanly a 4 today in my opinion. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Mashburn was ridiculously strong and powerful, operating a lot out of the mid-post. What I find most interesting about Mashburn is that he's someone I actually don't think would have to change his game to the amount you'd expect.</p>
<p>He might exchange a lot of his mid-range looks to opt for a greater deal of threes, but how he was able to operate from the middle of the floor is what I most enjoyed about his game. A solid enough mid-range shooter to make defenders care, you couldn't leave him open. Imagine him in some Triangle-akin actions in the corner, or out of Horns operating as a high-post playmaker. Drawing two with his scoring gravity and ability to generate a mismatch due to his mesh of size and skill would equate to many forced rotations and drawn double teams.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.596%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/a5qdxi" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He'd be so intriguing to me with how he could toggle on and off the ball to maximize his skill set and the abilities of his teammates. That's a large part of what made him so good in Charlotte/New Orleans. A 27.4% usage in his 2002-03 season is nothing to scoff at, but it wouldn't rank top-20 in the league in usage today. Playing alongside a young Baron Davis and veteran David Wesley, Mashburn showcased his ability to operate as a primary, but also make himself a tremendous outlet.</p>
<p>We'd see a lot more of this today!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.709%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3lrri9" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Mashburn had the chops to be a tough shot-maker, but the screening and versatility of his shooting and scoring profle make him so enticing as a player who could also dominate on the roll.</p>
<p>While he wasn't an above-the-rim athlete, his strength, touch and playmaking made him remarkably difficult to guard, and I'd argue that modern spacing and offense could put him in even better positions more routinely.</p>
<p>Both Josh Smith and Jamal Mashburn exhibited skill sets ahead of their time, and it's fun to think about how they would've utilized them in our growing game.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Truer words have never been formed in any medium.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dudes can literally just sit around and name old sports players and just have the best time.</p>
&mdash; E.M. Hudson (@EMHudsonlives) <a href="https://twitter.com/EMHudsonlives/status/1415513767337762817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>I have a group chat that solely exists for this purpose, and it pops!</p>
<p>Part of what makes basketball so incredible is its growth and evolution across time. Not even a decade ago, the game looked quite different compared to what it is today on either end. Pick-and-roll offense was less prolific, ICE defense was en vogue and the utilization of space on the court was drastically different.</p>
<p>Understanding and appreciating the game today is even better achieved through grasping how we got here, what the pathways were, why and how they were taken, and the context surrounding each era. The spacing revolution didn't just happen. The seeds were set and nourished over decades, with gradual shifts and eventually an explosion in the 2010s.</p>
<p>Who from past years might be even better today? That's not to say that these players weren't good in their own time, but rather that they may have thrived to even greater heights in today's game. Why? Each player fits some semblance of the proliferation of today's game, whether it be through shooting, decision-making, ground coverage, switchability or a conglomeration of many skills.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So let's dig into two perfect examples.</p>
<p><strong>Josh Smith</strong></p>
<p>It wasn't all that long ago that Josh Smith was in the league, and you may not remember that he last played on a 10-day for the Pelicans during the 2017-18 season!</p>
<p>He's such a difficult player to parse through, but I think he fits today's game much better than general thought may hold. As we know (as does Stan Van Gundy), Smith was a pretty rough shooter from just about anywhere on the court. I don't think it matters when looking at projection to today.</p>
<p>I don't think Smith would magically develop touch in 2022, but I also think it would be odd to ask him to. Would it be great if he was a shooter from deep on volume? Of course! But, he'd be utilized much more as a screener and roller today. Smith would be so dynamic making plays on the roll, hitting the corners, finding cutters and even tossing in lobs. He could be utilized in the post with split-cut actions similarly to what we see with Draymond Green in Golden State's offense.</p>
<p>One of the coolest parts about his expansion with the Houston Rockets after his Detroit Pistons tenure was seeing some shades of what he'd look like in today's game.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c6lW3B4oToc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>While he had an underwhelming game from the short mid-range (39.5% from 3-10 feet from 2008-13), Smith had a really good handle for his size that would make him even more difficult to play against defensively when attacking on the short roll. You could certainly try and play him into floaters and post-ups, but he was so athletic and coordinated that he could easily draw fouls or find easy at-rim attempts when he had momentum.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Lest we forget what Smith did to the rim when given even a sliver of space to leap.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTNjY1nI_H4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>With more opportunities to attack on the move and potentially more chances to play as a 5 in smaller lineups, Smith's athleticism could potentially be even better emphasized today. With more open lanes, the tomahawks would rain down supremely.</p>
<p>Smith was a borderline All-Star a little over a decade ago, and today's game arguably would benefit his skill set with a reigned-in shot selection and honed-in role.</p>
<p>It's actually criminal that Smith only made one All-Defensive team. He was an exceptional rover, blowing plays up from the weak side as a shot-blocker, disrupting in passing lanes and covering ground exceptionally. From 2007-2010, Smith averaged 3.9 combined steals and blocks per game. Smith was so incredible as a help defender, often leaking off of a spaced shooter to clean up looks at the rim.</p>
<p>His synergy with Al Horford was so fun, as Horford was a fantastic defender already at that point, stonewalling bigs in the post with Smith adding his verticality emphatically over top.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/gisgp6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Other than LeBron James, there was no more imposing chase-down shot-blocker in the NBA from the late 2000's into the early 2010's.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/hekib6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Smith would be a star role player in the NBA today and greater appreciated for the things he excelled at a decade ago.</p>
<p><strong>Jamal Mashburn</strong></p>
<p>I would pay an exorbitant amount of money to see Monster Mash play his prime days today. (Be sure to check out his son Jamal Mashburn Jr. at New Mexico &mdash; fun player.) He had a fascinating career.</p>
<p>Jamal Mashburn started with a young and exciting Dallas Mavericks squad featuring Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson that flamed out. Then, he really began finding his stride with the Miami Heat as more of a role player for a few years. But after that, he ended up as an All-NBA player and had the best season of his pro life, leading the Charlotte Hornets as a big shot-making and playmaking wing/forward late in his career.</p>
<p>It's not often that a player downsizes his/her role after a huge usage start and then reverts back to high usage later down the road. Even less common is doing it with even greater efficacy.</p>
<p>Mash was a bit of a tweener, caught between the 3 and 4 for much of his career, although he'd be pretty cleanly a 4 today in my opinion. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Mashburn was ridiculously strong and powerful, operating a lot out of the mid-post. What I find most interesting about Mashburn is that he's someone I actually don't think would have to change his game to the amount you'd expect.</p>
<p>He might exchange a lot of his mid-range looks to opt for a greater deal of threes, but how he was able to operate from the middle of the floor is what I most enjoyed about his game. A solid enough mid-range shooter to make defenders care, you couldn't leave him open. Imagine him in some Triangle-akin actions in the corner, or out of Horns operating as a high-post playmaker. Drawing two with his scoring gravity and ability to generate a mismatch due to his mesh of size and skill would equate to many forced rotations and drawn double teams.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.596%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/a5qdxi" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He'd be so intriguing to me with how he could toggle on and off the ball to maximize his skill set and the abilities of his teammates. That's a large part of what made him so good in Charlotte/New Orleans. A 27.4% usage in his 2002-03 season is nothing to scoff at, but it wouldn't rank top-20 in the league in usage today. Playing alongside a young Baron Davis and veteran David Wesley, Mashburn showcased his ability to operate as a primary, but also make himself a tremendous outlet.</p>
<p>We'd see a lot more of this today!</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 76.709%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3lrri9" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Mashburn had the chops to be a tough shot-maker, but the screening and versatility of his shooting and scoring profle make him so enticing as a player who could also dominate on the roll.</p>
<p>While he wasn't an above-the-rim athlete, his strength, touch and playmaking made him remarkably difficult to guard, and I'd argue that modern spacing and offense could put him in even better positions more routinely.</p>
<p>While both Josh Smith and Jamal Mashburn were excellent players in their own time, it's tantalizing to envision them playing today. The skill sets they possessed were valuable at the time, but have only grown in commodity in recent years. If you can extrapolate or minimize space, you have a place in the NBA today.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

With how the game has continued to evolve, Mark Schindler breaks down a pair of players who would've worked well in the current NBA.

Analyzing 2 tweener forwards who would have thrived in today's NBA

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What happens is the crux of any conversation. Results spur on ideology and conjecture. Wins, losses, box scores and stat lines invite slander and celebration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why?&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Results are important for measuring goals, gauging success and resetting priorities or strategies. Why those results occur is what I find fascinating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2002 Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics have been difficult to parse through, akin to a redux of the 2004 series between the Pistons and Pacers; Only 4 of the players who played 10 minutes per game or more in that series shot 40% or better from the floor.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A series defined by restrained offense and amplified defense is rooted in the <em>why</em>. Yes, both the Heat and Celtics have exchanged slogging moments. Turnovers have been in abundance. There have been many free throws, as the physicality is ratcheted up to the tenth degree.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Miami Heat&rsquo;s offense is predicated on movement, screening, handoffs and maximizing their pressure points through shooting gravity to open up looks with their collective passing and intuitive play. Miami was 14th in the league in three point attempts per game, but first in three-point percentage (37.9%). What made them more impressive was how those shots got off.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Heat are chock-full of movement shooters with Max Strus, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent and Kyle Lowry all capable of hitting shots off of a variety of movements and even self-created with their handles to varying degrees. Miami shot 42.9% from deep in Game 6, a far cry from the 29.2% (52/178) over the previous five games. Jimmy Butler hit four shots from distance after only hitting two all series. Tough shots fell in volume.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7w789c" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To equate Miami&rsquo;s victory and invigorated offense strictly to shot variance would be unfair. Miami has thrived on those tough threes off movement or pull-ups all season, but they haven&rsquo;t hit the same. It&rsquo;s difficult to project another game like last night for Miami&rsquo;s shot-making, although one game throws sample size to the wind. Again, the <em>why </em>is so crucial here.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Miami&rsquo;s offense has been stuck in the mud much of the series as our own Nekias Duncan </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-heat-have-a-bigbig-problem-on-their-hands"><span style="font-weight: 400;">recently wrote</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Boston&rsquo;s bigs have stifled the Heat in the paint and through their ability to toggle between the paint and perimeter. Stopping shots at the second and third level has been a large reason for Boston&rsquo;s defensive success. Miami,&nbsp; 27th in rim frequency during the regular season per Cleaning the Glass, is dependent on their ability to attack the gaps created by their shooting gravity.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They&rsquo;ve been constricted by their own shot profile at times this series, but mainly due to how Boston has been able shut off the release valves. Most of Miami&rsquo;s aforementioned premier spacing core, particularly the shooters off screens, has struggled throughout the series. We know the shots haven&rsquo;t fallen, but it&rsquo;s not simply a collective slump. Boston&rsquo;s defense as a whole has been swarming, but why have Miami&rsquo;s movement shooters struggled the most?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Through the lens of the Eastern Conference Finals and the league at large, few players epitomize the<em> why</em> quite like Derrick White. The results haven&rsquo;t always been there for White during the playoffs, although the post-baby bump has been real (congrats again to Derrick and his family).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, so often when watching White, whether with the Spurs or Celtics, the <em>why</em> is consistently there. The consistency in process matters so much more than the consistency in production. That sounds counterintuitive, but it&rsquo;s strikingly true in basketball. There&rsquo;s a line in the sand that wavers among the grains, and White often has crossed the line in spite of his production simply due to his persistent process.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White has routinely neutralized Miami&rsquo;s release valves and shut off the water entirely for stretches. It&rsquo;s been like watching a naturally-rich land dry up after a dam is built up stream. That dam is Derrick White, and the Heat have employed any number and variety of players to try to take White out of the picture to free up shooters.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play from Game 5 stood out.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/plsipo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Notice the quick flip and pushoff from P.J. Tucker in a screening action that was masked with Oladipo setting up as a second screener. White immediately takes Oladipo, and Horford takes Tucker after Jaylen Brown switches onto Duncan Robinson. Brown navigates the screen well enough for the action to die out, and would you look at that... Derrick White <em>still</em> makes a play on the back side.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Already 4 games and roughly 10 minutes into the series, the Heat are throwing the kitchen sink and an off-ball chaser to free up their shooters. Whatever it takes to force switches, including some semi-illegal&nbsp; screens. Again, <em>why?</em></span></p>
<p>Well, White immediately made his presence felt on Max Strus.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nrp9d5" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He always shifts his body, scans the floor constantly, and his slight movements are impeccable. So often, chasers get beat off the ball because of too big a stride or a wrong step. White rarely crosses his feet up, and he can appear choppy at times, but it's because he's always on his toes, minimizing space given and maximizing his margins for error. Even with the majority of hard screens, White is making his recovery plays and finding his way back into the picture.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If he does get beat when running a shooter off the line, he's one of the best in the league with backtaps and strips.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ym304b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Press up that hard on a shooter, and the opposing team will try to use that against you as a pressure point. Lo and behold, Erik Spoelstra dialed up just that, using Duncan Robinson as a screener with White stapled to him, hoping to cause an error on the perimeter.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7suo8" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White shoots that gap absurdly well. Not just well, like Julius Peppers is smiling somewhere watching that. White dips his shoulder back around Bam Adebayo's screen and is back in front of Herro by the free throw line. It's a ridiculous possession.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To say Max Strus hasn't had a fun series would be an understatement. Watch the way White starts to angle himself, immediately prepping to lock and trail as soon as he knew the movement was en route.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwi2cw" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White seemingly always has at least one hand on the man he's trailing, making it that much harder to gain separation.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play is a pinnacle "What else am I supposed to do?" moment. Strus hits White with a swim move, sends him careening into the Tucker screen, and Tucker thuds White. So clearly, Strus should be open, right? Right?</span></p>
<p>Once again, White comes flying around the screen and reattaches to Strus' hip without being overly physical or fouling, funneling him into the looming Horford.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xywgt9" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That consistency has been unreal. While White isn&rsquo;t necessarily the player finishing possessions defensively (although he still forces his fair share of turnovers), the quietness is what stands out.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White&rsquo;s giving his best Darrelle Revis impression, shutting off options, isolated against the best deep threats in the game. You see Jimmy Butler struggling to find an opening, wading in the mid-range, but the why? Max Strus can&rsquo;t get separation. White&rsquo;s been glued to Duncan Robinson. Gabe Vincent is always seeing a rear contest on pull-up 2&rsquo;s. Nothing is coming easy for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Derrick White has put on a masterclass of screen shedding and route mirroring. His off-ball defense and ability to make things difficult <em>always&nbsp;</em>is a large reason for why Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank, and I had <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/defensive-awards-and-a-celebration-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White making an All-Defense team</a>. It's not hyperbole to say that White is amongst the most consistent defensive players in basketball, something that tends to go underappreciated. Regardless of whether or not the Celtics win Game 7 tomorrow and make their first NBA Finals since 2010, Derrick White's consistent ability to make things difficult deserves shine.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What happens is the crux of any conversation. Results spur on ideology and conjecture. Wins, losses, box scores and stat lines invite slander and celebration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why?&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Results are important for measuring goals, gauging success and resetting priorities or strategies. Why those results occur is what I find fascinating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2002 Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics have been difficult to parse through, akin to a redux of the 2004 series between the Pistons and Pacers; Only 4 of the players who played 10 minutes per game or more in that series shot 40% or better from the floor.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A series defined by restrained offense and amplified defense is rooted in the <em>why</em>. Yes, both the Heat and Celtics have exchanged slogging moments. Turnovers have been in abundance. There have been many free throws, as the physicality is ratcheted up to the tenth degree.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Miami Heat&rsquo;s offense is predicated on movement, screening, handoffs and maximizing their pressure points through shooting gravity to open up looks with their collective passing and intuitive play. Miami was 14th in the league in three point attempts per game, but first in three-point percentage (37.9%). What made them more impressive was how those shots got off.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Heat are chock-full of movement shooters with Max Strus, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent and Kyle Lowry all capable of hitting shots off of a variety of movements and even self-created with their handles to varying degrees. Miami shot 42.9% from deep in Game 6, a far cry from the 29.2% (52/178) over the previous five games. Jimmy Butler hit four shots from distance after only hitting two all series. Tough shots fell in volume.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7w789c" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To equate Miami&rsquo;s victory and invigorated offense strictly to shot variance would be unfair. Miami has thrived on those tough threes off movement or pull-ups all season, but they haven&rsquo;t hit the same. It&rsquo;s difficult to project another game like last night for Miami&rsquo;s shot-making, although one game throws sample size to the wind. Again, the <em>why </em>is so crucial here.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Miami&rsquo;s offense has been stuck in the mud much of the series as our own Nekias Duncan </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-heat-have-a-bigbig-problem-on-their-hands"><span style="font-weight: 400;">recently wrote</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Boston&rsquo;s bigs have stifled the Heat in the paint and through their ability to toggle between the paint and perimeter. Stopping shots at the second and third level has been a large reason for Boston&rsquo;s defensive success. Miami,&nbsp; 27th in rim frequency during the regular season per Cleaning the Glass, is dependent on their ability to attack the gaps created by their shooting gravity.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They&rsquo;ve been constricted by their own shot profile at times this series, but mainly due to how Boston has been able shut off the release valves. Most of Miami&rsquo;s aforementioned premier spacing core, particularly the shooters off screens, has struggled throughout the series. We know the shots haven&rsquo;t fallen, but it&rsquo;s not simply a collective slump. Boston&rsquo;s defense as a whole has been swarming, but why have Miami&rsquo;s movement shooters struggled the most?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Through the lens of the Eastern Conference Finals and the league at large, few players epitomize the<em> why</em> quite like Derrick White. The results haven&rsquo;t always been there for White during the playoffs, although the post-baby bump has been real (congrats again to Derrick and his family).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, so often when watching White, whether with the Spurs or Celtics, the <em>why</em> is consistently there. The consistency in process matters so much more than the consistency in production. That sounds counterintuitive, but it&rsquo;s strikingly true in basketball. There&rsquo;s a line in the sand that wavers among the grains, and White often has crossed the line in spite of his production simply due to his persistent process.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White has routinely neutralized Miami&rsquo;s release valves and shut off the water entirely for stretches. It&rsquo;s been like watching a naturally-rich land dry up after a dam is built up stream. That dam is Derrick White, and the Heat have employed any number and variety of players to try to take White out of the picture to free up shooters.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play from Game 5 stood out.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/plsipo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Notice the quick flip and pushoff from P.J. Tucker in a screening action that was masked with Oladipo setting up as a second screener. White immediately takes Oladipo, and Horford takes Tucker after Jaylen Brown switches onto Duncan Robinson. Brown navigates the screen well enough for the action to die out, and would you look at that... Derrick White <em>still</em> makes a play on the back side.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Already 4 games and roughly 10 minutes into the series, the Heat are throwing the kitchen sink and an off-ball chaser to free up their shooters. Whatever it takes to force switches, including some semi-illegal&nbsp; screens. Again, <em>why?</em></span></p>
<p>Well, White immediately made his presence felt on Max Strus.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nrp9d5" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He always shifts his body, scans the floor constantly, and his slight movements are impeccable. So often, chasers get beat off the ball because of too big a stride or a wrong step. White rarely crosses his feet up, and he can appear choppy at times, but it's because he's always on his toes, minimizing space given and maximizing his margins for error. Even with the majority of hard screens, White is making his recovery plays and finding his way back into the picture.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If he does get beat when running a shooter off the line, he's one of the best in the league with backtaps and strips.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ym304b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Press up that hard on a shooter, and the opposing team will try to use that against you as a pressure point. Lo and behold, Erik Spoelstra dialed up just that, using Duncan Robinson as a screener with White stapled to him, hoping to cause an error on the perimeter.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7suo8" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White shoots that gap absurdly well. Not just well, like Julius Peppers is smiling somewhere watching that. White dips his shoulder back around Bam Adebayo's screen and is back in front of Herro by the free throw line. It's a ridiculous possession.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To say Max Strus hasn't had a fun series would be an understatement. Watch the way White starts to angle himself, immediately prepping to lock and trail as soon as he knew the movement was en route.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwi2cw" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White seemingly always has at least one hand on the man he's trailing, making it that much harder to gain separation.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play is a pinnacle "What else am I supposed to do?" moment. Strus hits White with a swim move, sends him careening into the Tucker screen, and Tucker thuds White. So clearly, Strus should be open, right? Right?</span></p>
<p>Once again, White comes flying around the screen and reattaches to Strus' hip without being overly physical or fouling, funneling him into the looming Horford.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xywgt9" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That consistency has been unreal. While White isn&rsquo;t necessarily the player finishing possessions defensively (although he still forces his fair share of turnovers), the quietness is what stands out.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White&rsquo;s giving his best Darrelle Revis impression, shutting off options, isolated against the best deep threats in the game. You see Jimmy Butler struggling to find an opening, wading in the mid-range, but the why? Max Strus can&rsquo;t get separation. White&rsquo;s been glued to Duncan Robinson. Gabe Vincent is always seeing a rear contest on pull-up 2&rsquo;s. Nothing is coming easy for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Derrick White has put on a masterclass of screen shedding and route mirroring. His off-ball defense and ability to make things difficult <em>always&nbsp;</em>is a large reason for why Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank and I had <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/defensive-awards-and-a-celebration-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White making an All-Defense team</a>. It's not hyperbole to say that White is amongst the most consistent defensive players in basketball, something that tends to go underappreciated. Regardless of whether or not the Celtics win Game 7 tomorrow and make their first NBA Finals since 2010, Derrick White's consistent ability to make things difficult deserves shine.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What happens is the crux of any conversation. Results spur on ideology and conjecture. Wins, losses, box scores and stat lines invite slander and celebration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why?&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Results are important for measuring goals, gauging success and resetting priorities or strategies. Why those results occur is what I find fascinating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2002 Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics have been difficult to parse through, akin to a redux of the 2004 series between the Pistons and Pacers; Only 4 of the players who played 10 minutes per game or more in that series shot 40% or better from the floor.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A series defined by restrained offense and amplified defense is rooted in the <em>why</em>. Yes, both the Heat and Celtics have exchanged slogging moments. Turnovers have been in abundance. There have been many free throws, as the physicality is ratcheted up to the tenth degree.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Miami Heat&rsquo;s offense is predicated on movement, screening, handoffs and maximizing their pressure points through shooting gravity to open up looks with their collective passing and intuitive play. Miami was 14th in the league in three point attempts per game, but first in three-point percentage (37.9%). What made them more impressive was how those shots got off.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Heat are chock-full of movement shooters with Max Strus, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent and Kyle Lowry all capable of hitting shots off of a variety of movements and even self-created with their handles to varying degrees. Miami shot 42.9% from deep in Game 6, a far cry from the 29.2% (52/178) over the previous five games. Jimmy Butler hit four shots from distance after only hitting two all series. Tough shots fell in volume.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7w789c" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To equate Miami&rsquo;s victory and invigorated offense strictly to shot variance would be unfair. Miami has thrived on those tough threes off movement or pull-ups all season, but they haven&rsquo;t hit the same. It&rsquo;s difficult to project another game like last night for Miami&rsquo;s shot-making, although one game throws sample size to the wind. Again, the <em>why </em>is so crucial here.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Miami&rsquo;s offense has been stuck in the mud much of the series as our own Nekias Duncan </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-heat-have-a-bigbig-problem-on-their-hands"><span style="font-weight: 400;">recently wrote</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Boston&rsquo;s bigs have stifled the Heat in the paint and through their ability to toggle between the paint and perimeter. Stopping shots at the second and third level has been a large reason for Boston&rsquo;s defensive success. Miami,&nbsp; 27th in rim frequency during the regular season per Cleaning the Glass, is dependent on their ability to attack the gaps created by their shooting gravity.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They&rsquo;ve been constricted by their own shot profile at times this series, but mainly due to how Boston has been able shut off the release valves. Most of Miami&rsquo;s aforementioned premier spacing core, particularly the shooters off screens, has struggled throughout the series. We know the shots haven&rsquo;t fallen, but it&rsquo;s not simply a collective slump. Boston&rsquo;s defense as a whole has been swarming, but why have Miami&rsquo;s movement shooters struggled the most?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Through the lens of the Eastern Conference Finals and the league at large, few players epitomize the<em> why</em> quite like Derrick White. The results haven&rsquo;t always been there for White during the playoffs, although the post-baby bump has been real (congrats again to Derrick and his family).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, so often when watching White, whether with the Spurs or Celtics, the <em>why</em> is consistently there. The consistency in process matters so much more than the consistency in production. That sounds counterintuitive, but it&rsquo;s strikingly true in basketball. There&rsquo;s a line in the sand that wavers among the grains, and White often has crossed the line in spite of his production simply due to his persistent process.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White has routinely neutralized Miami&rsquo;s release valves and shut off the water entirely for stretches. It&rsquo;s been like watching a naturally-rich land dry up after a dam is built up stream. That dam is Derrick White, and the Heat have employed any number and variety of players to try to take White out of the picture to free up shooters.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play from Game 5 stood out.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/plsipo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Notice the quick flip and pushoff from P.J. Tucker in a screening action that was masked with Oladipo setting up as a second screener. White immediately takes Oladipo, and Horford takes Tucker after Jaylen Brown switches onto Duncan Robinson. Brown navigates the screen well enough for the action to die out, and would you look at that... Derrick White <em>still</em> makes a play on the back side.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Already 4 games and roughly 10 minutes into the series, the Heat are throwing the kitchen sink and an off-ball chaser to free up their shooters. Whatever it takes to force switches, including some semi-illegal&nbsp; screens. Again, <em>why?</em></span></p>
<p>Well, White immediately made his presence felt on Max Strus.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nrp9d5" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He always shifts his body, scans the floor constantly, and his slight movements are impeccable. So often, chasers get beat off the ball because of too big a stride or a wrong step. White rarely crosses his feet up, and he can appear choppy at times, but it's because he's always on his toes, minimizing space given and maximizing his margins for error. Even with the majority of hard screens, White is making his recovery plays and finding his way back into the picture.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If he does get beat when running a shooter off the line, he's one of the best in the league with backtaps and strips.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ym304b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Press up that hard on a shooter, and the opposing team will try to use that against you as a pressure point. Lo and behold, Erik Spoelstra dialed up just that, using Duncan Robinson as a screener with White stapled to him, hoping to cause an error on the perimeter.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7suo8" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White shoots that gap absurdly well. Not just well, like Julius Peppers is smiling somewhere watching that. White dips his shoulder back around Bam Adebayo's screen and is back in front of Herro by the free throw line. It's a ridiculous possession.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To say Max Strus hasn't had a fun series would be an understatement. Watch the way White starts to angle himself, immediately prepping to lock and trail as soon as he knew the movement was en route.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwi2cw" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White seemingly always has at least one hand on the man he's trailing, making it that much harder to gain separation.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play is a pinnacle "What else am I supposed to do?" moment. Strus hits White with a swim move, sends him careening into the Tucker screen, and Tucker thuds White. So clearly, Strus should be open, right? Right?</span></p>
<p>Once again, White comes flying around the screen and reattaches to Strus' hip without being overly physical or fouling, funneling him into the looming Horford.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xywgt9" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That consistency has been unreal. While White isn&rsquo;t necessarily the player finishing possessions defensively (although he still forces his fair share of turnovers), the quietness is what stands out.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White&rsquo;s giving his best Darrelle Revis impression, shutting off options, isolated against the best deep threats in the game. You see Jimmy Butler struggling to find an opening, wading in the mid-range, but the why? Max Strus can&rsquo;t get separation. White&rsquo;s been glued to Duncan Robinson. Gabe Vincent is always seeing a rear contest on pull-up 2&rsquo;s. Nothing is coming easy for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Derrick White has put on a masterclass of screen shedding and route mirroring. His off-ball defense and ability to make things difficult <em>always&nbsp;</em>is a large reason for why Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank and I had <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/defensive-awards-and-a-celebration-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White making an All-Defense team</a>. It's not hyperbole to say that White is among the most consistent defensive players in basketball, something that tends to go underappreciated. Regardless of whether or not the Celtics win Game 7 tomorrow and make their first NBA Finals since 2010, Derrick White's consistent ability to make things difficult deserves shine.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What happens is the crux of any conversation. Results spur on ideology and conjecture. Wins, losses, box scores and stat lines invite slander and celebration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why?&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Results are important for measuring goals, gauging success and resetting priorities or strategies. Why those results occur is what I find fascinating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2022 Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics have been difficult to parse through, akin to a redux of the 2004 series between the Pistons and Pacers; Only 4 of the players who played 10 minutes per game or more in that series shot 40% or better from the floor.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A series defined by restrained offense and amplified defense is rooted in the <em>why</em>. Yes, both the Heat and Celtics have exchanged slogging moments. Turnovers have been in abundance. There have been many free throws, as the physicality is ratcheted up to the tenth degree.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Miami Heat&rsquo;s offense is predicated on movement, screening, handoffs and maximizing their pressure points through shooting gravity to open up looks with their collective passing and intuitive play. Miami was 14th in the league in three point attempts per game, but first in three-point percentage (37.9%). What made them more impressive was how those shots got off.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Heat are chock-full of movement shooters with Max Strus, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent and Kyle Lowry all capable of hitting shots off of a variety of movements and even self-created with their handles to varying degrees. Miami shot 42.9% from deep in Game 6, a far cry from the 29.2% (52/178) over the previous five games. Jimmy Butler hit four shots from distance after only hitting two all series. Tough shots fell in volume.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7w789c" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To equate Miami&rsquo;s victory and invigorated offense strictly to shot variance would be unfair. Miami has thrived on those tough threes off movement or pull-ups all season, but they haven&rsquo;t hit the same. It&rsquo;s difficult to project another game like last night for Miami&rsquo;s shot-making, although one game throws sample size to the wind. Again, the <em>why </em>is so crucial here.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Miami&rsquo;s offense has been stuck in the mud much of the series as our own Nekias Duncan </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-heat-have-a-bigbig-problem-on-their-hands"><span style="font-weight: 400;">recently wrote</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Boston&rsquo;s bigs have stifled the Heat in the paint and through their ability to toggle between the paint and perimeter. Stopping shots at the second and third level has been a large reason for Boston&rsquo;s defensive success. Miami,&nbsp; 27th in rim frequency during the regular season per Cleaning the Glass, is dependent on their ability to attack the gaps created by their shooting gravity.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They&rsquo;ve been constricted by their own shot profile at times this series, but mainly due to how Boston has been able shut off the release valves. Most of Miami&rsquo;s aforementioned premier spacing core, particularly the shooters off screens, has struggled throughout the series. We know the shots haven&rsquo;t fallen, but it&rsquo;s not simply a collective slump. Boston&rsquo;s defense as a whole has been swarming, but why have Miami&rsquo;s movement shooters struggled the most?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Through the lens of the Eastern Conference Finals and the league at large, few players epitomize the<em> why</em> quite like Derrick White. The results haven&rsquo;t always been there for White during the playoffs, although the post-baby bump has been real (congrats again to Derrick and his family).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, so often when watching White, whether with the Spurs or Celtics, the <em>why</em> is consistently there. The consistency in process matters so much more than the consistency in production. That sounds counterintuitive, but it&rsquo;s strikingly true in basketball. There&rsquo;s a line in the sand that wavers among the grains, and White often has crossed the line in spite of his production simply due to his persistent process.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White has routinely neutralized Miami&rsquo;s release valves and shut off the water entirely for stretches. It&rsquo;s been like watching a naturally-rich land dry up after a dam is built up stream. That dam is Derrick White, and the Heat have employed any number and variety of players to try to take White out of the picture to free up shooters.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play from Game 5 stood out.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/plsipo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Notice the quick flip and pushoff from P.J. Tucker in a screening action that was masked with Oladipo setting up as a second screener. White immediately takes Oladipo, and Horford takes Tucker after Jaylen Brown switches onto Duncan Robinson. Brown navigates the screen well enough for the action to die out, and would you look at that... Derrick White <em>still</em> makes a play on the back side.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Already 4 games and roughly 10 minutes into the series, the Heat are throwing the kitchen sink and an off-ball chaser to free up their shooters. Whatever it takes to force switches, including some semi-illegal&nbsp; screens. Again, <em>why?</em></span></p>
<p>Well, White immediately made his presence felt on Max Strus.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nrp9d5" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He always shifts his body, scans the floor constantly, and his slight movements are impeccable. So often, chasers get beat off the ball because of too big a stride or a wrong step. White rarely crosses his feet up, and he can appear choppy at times, but it's because he's always on his toes, minimizing space given and maximizing his margins for error. Even with the majority of hard screens, White is making his recovery plays and finding his way back into the picture.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If he does get beat when running a shooter off the line, he's one of the best in the league with backtaps and strips.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ym304b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Press up that hard on a shooter, and the opposing team will try to use that against you as a pressure point. Lo and behold, Erik Spoelstra dialed up just that, using Duncan Robinson as a screener with White stapled to him, hoping to cause an error on the perimeter.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7suo8" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White shoots that gap absurdly well. Not just well, like Julius Peppers is smiling somewhere watching that. White dips his shoulder back around Bam Adebayo's screen and is back in front of Herro by the free throw line. It's a ridiculous possession.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To say Max Strus hasn't had a fun series would be an understatement. Watch the way White starts to angle himself, immediately prepping to lock and trail as soon as he knew the movement was en route.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwi2cw" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White seemingly always has at least one hand on the man he's trailing, making it that much harder to gain separation.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play is a pinnacle "What else am I supposed to do?" moment. Strus hits White with a swim move, sends him careening into the Tucker screen, and Tucker thuds White. So clearly, Strus should be open, right? Right?</span></p>
<p>Once again, White comes flying around the screen and reattaches to Strus' hip without being overly physical or fouling, funneling him into the looming Horford.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xywgt9" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That consistency has been unreal. While White isn&rsquo;t necessarily the player finishing possessions defensively (although he still forces his fair share of turnovers), the quietness is what stands out.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White&rsquo;s giving his best Darrelle Revis impression, shutting off options, isolated against the best deep threats in the game. You see Jimmy Butler struggling to find an opening, wading in the mid-range, but the why? Max Strus can&rsquo;t get separation. White&rsquo;s been glued to Duncan Robinson. Gabe Vincent is always seeing a rear contest on pull-up 2&rsquo;s. Nothing is coming easy for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Derrick White has put on a masterclass of screen shedding and route mirroring. His off-ball defense and ability to make things difficult <em>always&nbsp;</em>is a large reason for why Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank and I had <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/defensive-awards-and-a-celebration-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White making an All-Defense team</a>. It's not hyperbole to say that White is among the most consistent defensive players in basketball, something that tends to go underappreciated. Regardless of whether or not the Celtics win Game 7 tomorrow and make their first NBA Finals since 2010, Derrick White's consistent ability to make things difficult deserves shine.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What happens is the crux of any conversation. Results spur on ideology and conjecture. Wins, losses, box scores and stat lines invite slander and celebration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why?&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Results are important for measuring goals, gauging success and resetting priorities or strategies. Why those results occur is what I find fascinating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2022 Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics have been difficult to parse through, akin to a redux of the 2004 series between the Pistons and Pacers; Only 4 of the players who played 10 minutes per game or more in that series shot 40% or better from the floor.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A series defined by restrained offense and amplified defense is rooted in the <em>why</em>. Yes, both the Heat and Celtics have exchanged slogging moments. Turnovers have been in abundance. There have been many free throws, as the physicality is ratcheted up to the tenth degree.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Miami Heat&rsquo;s offense is predicated on movement, screening, handoffs and maximizing their pressure points through shooting gravity to open up looks with their collective passing and intuitive play. Miami was 14th in the league in three point attempts per game, but first in three-point percentage (37.9%). What made them more impressive was how those shots got off.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Heat are chock-full of movement shooters with Max Strus, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent and Kyle Lowry all capable of hitting shots off of a variety of movements and even self-created with their handles to varying degrees. Miami shot 42.9% from deep in Game 6, a far cry from the 29.2% (52/178) over the previous five games. Jimmy Butler hit four shots from distance after only hitting two all series. Tough shots fell in volume.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7w789c" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To equate Miami&rsquo;s victory and invigorated offense strictly to shot variance would be unfair. Miami has thrived on those tough threes off movement or pull-ups all season, but they haven&rsquo;t hit the same. It&rsquo;s difficult to project another game like last night for Miami&rsquo;s shot-making, although one game throws sample size to the wind. Again, the <em>why </em>is so crucial here.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Miami&rsquo;s offense has been stuck in the mud much of the series as our own Nekias Duncan </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-heat-have-a-bigbig-problem-on-their-hands"><span style="font-weight: 400;">recently wrote</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Boston&rsquo;s bigs have stifled the Heat in the paint and through their ability to toggle between the paint and perimeter. Stopping shots at the second and third level has been a large reason for Boston&rsquo;s defensive success. Miami,&nbsp; 27th in rim frequency during the regular season per Cleaning the Glass, is dependent on their ability to attack the gaps created by their shooting gravity.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They&rsquo;ve been constricted by their own shot profile at times this series, but mainly due to how Boston has been able shut off the release valves. Most of Miami&rsquo;s aforementioned premier spacing core, particularly the shooters off screens, has struggled throughout the series. We know the shots haven&rsquo;t fallen, but it&rsquo;s not simply a collective slump. Boston&rsquo;s defense as a whole has been swarming, but why have Miami&rsquo;s movement shooters struggled the most?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Through the lens of the Eastern Conference Finals and the league at large, few players epitomize the<em> why</em> quite like Derrick White. The results haven&rsquo;t always been there for White during the playoffs, although the post-baby bump has been real (congrats again to Derrick and his family).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, so often when watching White, whether with the Spurs or Celtics, the <em>why</em> is consistently there. The consistency in process matters so much more than the consistency in production. That sounds counterintuitive, but it&rsquo;s strikingly true in basketball. There&rsquo;s a line in the sand that wavers among the grains, and White often has crossed the line in spite of his production simply due to his persistent process.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White has routinely neutralized Miami&rsquo;s release valves and shut off the water entirely for stretches. It&rsquo;s been like watching a naturally-rich land dry up after a dam is built up stream. That dam is Derrick White, and the Heat have employed any number and variety of players to try to take White out of the picture to free up shooters.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play from Game 5 stood out.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/plsipo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Notice the quick flip and pushoff from P.J. Tucker in a screening action that was masked with Oladipo setting up as a second screener. White immediately takes Oladipo, and Horford takes Tucker after Jaylen Brown switches onto Duncan Robinson. Brown navigates the screen well enough for the action to die out, and would you look at that... Derrick White <em>still</em> makes a play on the back side.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Already 4 games and roughly 10 minutes into the series, the Heat are throwing the kitchen sink at an off-ball chaser to free up their shooters. Whatever it takes to force switches, including some semi-illegal&nbsp; screens. Again, <em>why?</em></span></p>
<p>Well, White immediately made his presence felt on Max Strus.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nrp9d5" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He always shifts his body, scans the floor constantly, and his slight movements are impeccable. So often, chasers get beat off the ball because of too big a stride or a wrong step. White rarely crosses his feet up, and he can appear choppy at times, but it's because he's always on his toes, minimizing space given and maximizing his margins for error. Even with the majority of hard screens, White is making his recovery plays and finding his way back into the picture.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If he does get beat when running a shooter off the line, he's one of the best in the league with backtaps and strips.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ym304b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Press up that hard on a shooter, and the opposing team will try to use that against you as a pressure point. Lo and behold, Erik Spoelstra dialed up just that, using Duncan Robinson as a screener with White stapled to him, hoping to cause an error on the perimeter.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7suo8" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White shoots that gap absurdly well. Not just well, like Julius Peppers is smiling somewhere watching that. White dips his shoulder back around Bam Adebayo's screen and is back in front of Herro by the free throw line. It's a ridiculous possession.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To say Max Strus hasn't had a fun series would be an understatement. Watch the way White starts to angle himself, immediately prepping to lock and trail as soon as he knew the movement was en route.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwi2cw" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White seemingly always has at least one hand on the man he's trailing, making it that much harder to gain separation.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play is a pinnacle "What else am I supposed to do?" moment. Strus hits White with a swim move, sends him careening into the Tucker screen, and Tucker thuds White. So clearly, Strus should be open, right? Right?</span></p>
<p>Once again, White comes flying around the screen and reattaches to Strus' hip without being overly physical or fouling, funneling him into the looming Horford.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xywgt9" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That consistency has been unreal. While White isn&rsquo;t necessarily the player finishing possessions defensively (although he still forces his fair share of turnovers), the quietness is what stands out.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White&rsquo;s giving his best Darrelle Revis impression, shutting off options, isolated against the best deep threats in the game. You see Jimmy Butler struggling to find an opening, wading in the mid-range, but the why? Max Strus can&rsquo;t get separation. White&rsquo;s been glued to Duncan Robinson. Gabe Vincent is always seeing a rear contest on pull-up 2&rsquo;s. Nothing is coming easy for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Derrick White has put on a masterclass of screen shedding and route mirroring. His off-ball defense and ability to make things difficult <em>always&nbsp;</em>is a large reason for why Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank and I had <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/defensive-awards-and-a-celebration-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White making an All-Defense team</a>. It's not hyperbole to say that White is among the most consistent defensive players in basketball, something that tends to go underappreciated. Regardless of whether or not the Celtics win Game 7 tomorrow and make their first NBA Finals since 2010, Derrick White's consistent ability to make things difficult deserves shine.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What happens is the crux of any conversation. Results spur on ideology and conjecture. Wins, losses, box scores and stat lines invite slander and celebration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why?&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Results are important for measuring goals, gauging success and resetting priorities or strategies. Why those results occur is what I find fascinating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2022 Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics have been difficult to parse through, akin to a redux of the 2004 series between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers; Only 4 of the players who played 10 minutes per game or more in that series shot 40% or better from the floor.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A series defined by restrained offense and amplified defense is rooted in the <em>why</em>. Yes, both the Heat and Celtics have exchanged slogging moments. Turnovers have been in abundance. There have been many free throws, as the physicality is ratcheted up to the tenth degree.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Miami Heat&rsquo;s offense is predicated on movement, screening, handoffs and maximizing their pressure points through shooting gravity to open up looks with their collective passing and intuitive play. Miami was 14th in the league in three point attempts per game, but first in three-point percentage (37.9%). What made them more impressive was how those shots got off.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Heat are chock-full of movement shooters with Max Strus, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent and Kyle Lowry all capable of hitting shots off of a variety of movements and even self-created with their handles to varying degrees. Miami shot 42.9% from deep in Game 6, a far cry from the 29.2% (52/178) over the previous five games. Jimmy Butler hit four shots from distance after only hitting two all series. Tough shots fell in volume.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7w789c" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To equate Miami&rsquo;s victory and invigorated offense strictly to shot variance would be unfair. Miami has thrived on those tough threes off movement or pull-ups all season, but they haven&rsquo;t hit the same. It&rsquo;s difficult to project another game like last night for Miami&rsquo;s shot-making, although one game throws sample size to the wind. Again, the <em>why </em>is so crucial here.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Miami&rsquo;s offense has been stuck in the mud much of the series as our own Nekias Duncan </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-heat-have-a-bigbig-problem-on-their-hands"><span style="font-weight: 400;">recently wrote</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Boston&rsquo;s bigs have stifled the Heat in the paint and through their ability to toggle between the paint and perimeter. Stopping shots at the second and third level has been a large reason for Boston&rsquo;s defensive success. Miami,&nbsp; 27th in rim frequency during the regular season per Cleaning the Glass, is dependent on their ability to attack the gaps created by their shooting gravity.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They&rsquo;ve been constricted by their own shot profile at times this series, but mainly due to how Boston has been able shut off the release valves. Most of Miami&rsquo;s aforementioned premier spacing core, particularly the shooters off screens, has struggled throughout the series. We know the shots haven&rsquo;t fallen, but it&rsquo;s not simply a collective slump. Boston&rsquo;s defense as a whole has been swarming, but why have Miami&rsquo;s movement shooters struggled the most?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Through the lens of the Eastern Conference Finals and the league at large, few players epitomize the<em> why</em> quite like Derrick White. The results haven&rsquo;t always been there for White during the playoffs, although the post-baby bump has been real (congrats again to Derrick and his family).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, so often when watching White, whether with the Spurs or Celtics, the <em>why</em> is consistently there. The consistency in process matters so much more than the consistency in production. That sounds counterintuitive, but it&rsquo;s strikingly true in basketball. There&rsquo;s a line in the sand that wavers among the grains, and White often has crossed the line in spite of his production simply due to his persistent process.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White has routinely neutralized Miami&rsquo;s release valves and shut off the water entirely for stretches. It&rsquo;s been like watching a naturally-rich land dry up after a dam is built up stream. That dam is Derrick White, and the Heat have employed any number and variety of players to try to take White out of the picture to free up shooters.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play from Game 5 stood out.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/plsipo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Notice the quick flip and pushoff from P.J. Tucker in a screening action that was masked with Oladipo setting up as a second screener. White immediately takes Oladipo, and Horford takes Tucker after Jaylen Brown switches onto Duncan Robinson. Brown navigates the screen well enough for the action to die out, and would you look at that... Derrick White <em>still</em> makes a play on the back side.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Already 4 games and roughly 10 minutes into the series, the Heat are throwing the kitchen sink at an off-ball chaser to free up their shooters. Whatever it takes to force switches, including some semi-illegal&nbsp; screens. Again, <em>why?</em></span></p>
<p>Well, White immediately made his presence felt on Max Strus.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nrp9d5" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He always shifts his body, scans the floor constantly, and his slight movements are impeccable. So often, chasers get beat off the ball because of too big a stride or a wrong step. White rarely crosses his feet up, and he can appear choppy at times, but it's because he's always on his toes, minimizing space given and maximizing his margins for error. Even with the majority of hard screens, White is making his recovery plays and finding his way back into the picture.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If he does get beat when running a shooter off the line, he's one of the best in the league with backtaps and strips.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ym304b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Press up that hard on a shooter, and the opposing team will try to use that against you as a pressure point. Lo and behold, Erik Spoelstra dialed up just that, using Duncan Robinson as a screener with White stapled to him, hoping to cause an error on the perimeter.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7suo8" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White shoots that gap absurdly well. Not just well, like Julius Peppers is smiling somewhere watching that. White dips his shoulder back around Bam Adebayo's screen and is back in front of Herro by the free throw line. It's a ridiculous possession.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To say Max Strus hasn't had a fun series would be an understatement. Watch the way White starts to angle himself, immediately prepping to lock and trail as soon as he knew the movement was en route.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwi2cw" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White seemingly always has at least one hand on the man he's trailing, making it that much harder to gain separation.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play is a pinnacle "What else am I supposed to do?" moment. Strus hits White with a swim move, sends him careening into the Tucker screen, and Tucker thuds White. So clearly, Strus should be open, right? Right?</span></p>
<p>Once again, White comes flying around the screen and reattaches to Strus' hip without being overly physical or fouling, funneling him into the looming Horford.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xywgt9" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That consistency has been unreal. While White isn&rsquo;t necessarily the player finishing possessions defensively (although he still forces his fair share of turnovers), the quietness is what stands out.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White&rsquo;s giving his best Darrelle Revis impression, shutting off options, isolated against the best deep threats in the game. You see Jimmy Butler struggling to find an opening, wading in the mid-range, but the why? Max Strus can&rsquo;t get separation. White&rsquo;s been glued to Duncan Robinson. Gabe Vincent is always seeing a rear contest on pull-up 2&rsquo;s. Nothing is coming easy for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Derrick White has put on a masterclass of screen shedding and route mirroring. His off-ball defense and ability to make things difficult <em>always&nbsp;</em>is a large reason for why Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank and I had <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/defensive-awards-and-a-celebration-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White making an All-Defense team</a>. It's not hyperbole to say that White is among the most consistent defensive players in basketball, something that tends to go underappreciated. Regardless of whether or not the Celtics win Game 7 tomorrow and make their first NBA Finals since 2010, Derrick White's consistent ability to make things difficult deserves shine.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What happens is the crux of any conversation. Results spur on ideology and conjecture. Wins, losses, box scores and stat lines invite slander and celebration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why?&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Results are important for measuring goals, gauging success and resetting priorities or strategies. Why those results occur is what I find fascinating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2022 Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics have been difficult to parse through, akin to a redux of the 2004 series between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers. Only four of the players who played 10 minutes per game or more in that series shot 40% or better from the floor.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A series defined by restrained offense and amplified defense is rooted in the <em>why</em>. Yes, both the Heat and Celtics have exchanged slogging moments. Turnovers have been in abundance. There have been many free throws, as the physicality is ratcheted up to the tenth degree.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Miami Heat&rsquo;s offense is predicated on movement, screening, handoffs and maximizing their pressure points through shooting gravity to open up looks with their collective passing and intuitive play. Miami was 14th in the league in three point attempts per game, but first in three-point percentage (37.9%). What made them more impressive was how those shots got off.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Heat are chock-full of movement shooters with Max Strus, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent and Kyle Lowry all capable of hitting shots off of a variety of movements and even self-created with their handles to varying degrees. Miami shot 42.9% from deep in Game 6, a far cry from the 29.2% (52/178) over the previous five games. Jimmy Butler hit four shots from distance after only hitting two all series. Tough shots fell in volume.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7w789c" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To equate Miami&rsquo;s victory and invigorated offense strictly to shot variance would be unfair. Miami has thrived on those tough threes off movement or pull-ups all season, but they haven&rsquo;t hit the same. It&rsquo;s difficult to project another game like last night for Miami&rsquo;s shot-making, although one game throws sample size to the wind. Again, the <em>why </em>is so crucial here.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Miami&rsquo;s offense has been stuck in the mud much of the series as our own Nekias Duncan </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-heat-have-a-bigbig-problem-on-their-hands"><span style="font-weight: 400;">recently wrote</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Boston&rsquo;s bigs have stifled the Heat in the paint and through their ability to toggle between the paint and perimeter. Stopping shots at the second and third level has been a large reason for Boston&rsquo;s defensive success. Miami,&nbsp; 27th in rim frequency during the regular season per Cleaning the Glass, is dependent on their ability to attack the gaps created by their shooting gravity.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They&rsquo;ve been constricted by their own shot profile at times this series, but mainly due to how Boston has been able shut off the release valves. Most of Miami&rsquo;s aforementioned premier spacing core, particularly the shooters off screens, has struggled throughout the series. We know the shots haven&rsquo;t fallen, but it&rsquo;s not simply a collective slump. Boston&rsquo;s defense as a whole has been swarming, but why have Miami&rsquo;s movement shooters struggled the most?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Through the lens of the Eastern Conference Finals and the league at large, few players epitomize the<em> why</em> quite like Derrick White. The results haven&rsquo;t always been there for White during the playoffs, although the post-baby bump has been real (congrats again to Derrick and his family).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, so often when watching White, whether with the Spurs or Celtics, the <em>why</em> is consistently there. The consistency in process matters so much more than the consistency in production. That sounds counterintuitive, but it&rsquo;s strikingly true in basketball. There&rsquo;s a line in the sand that wavers among the grains, and White often has crossed the line in spite of his production simply due to his persistent process.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White has routinely neutralized Miami&rsquo;s release valves and shut off the water entirely for stretches. It&rsquo;s been like watching a naturally-rich land dry up after a dam is built up stream. That dam is Derrick White, and the Heat have employed any number and variety of players to try to take White out of the picture to free up shooters.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play from Game 5 stood out.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/plsipo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Notice the quick flip and pushoff from P.J. Tucker in a screening action that was masked with Oladipo setting up as a second screener. White immediately takes Oladipo, and Horford takes Tucker after Jaylen Brown switches onto Duncan Robinson. Brown navigates the screen well enough for the action to die out, and would you look at that... Derrick White <em>still</em> makes a play on the back side.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Already 4 games and roughly 10 minutes into the series, the Heat are throwing the kitchen sink at an off-ball chaser to free up their shooters. Whatever it takes to force switches, including some semi-illegal&nbsp; screens. Again, <em>why?</em></span></p>
<p>Well, White immediately made his presence felt on Max Strus.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nrp9d5" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He always shifts his body, scans the floor constantly, and his slight movements are impeccable. So often, chasers get beat off the ball because of too big a stride or a wrong step. White rarely crosses his feet up, and he can appear choppy at times, but it's because he's always on his toes, minimizing space given and maximizing his margins for error. Even with the majority of hard screens, White is making his recovery plays and finding his way back into the picture.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If he does get beat when running a shooter off the line, he's one of the best in the league with backtaps and strips.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ym304b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Press up that hard on a shooter, and the opposing team will try to use that against you as a pressure point. Lo and behold, Erik Spoelstra dialed up just that, using Duncan Robinson as a screener with White stapled to him, hoping to cause an error on the perimeter.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7suo8" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White shoots that gap absurdly well. Not just well, like Julius Peppers is smiling somewhere watching that. White dips his shoulder back around Bam Adebayo's screen and is back in front of Herro by the free throw line. It's a ridiculous possession.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To say Max Strus hasn't had a fun series would be an understatement. Watch the way White starts to angle himself, immediately prepping to lock and trail as soon as he knew the movement was en route.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwi2cw" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White seemingly always has at least one hand on the man he's trailing, making it that much harder to gain separation.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play is a pinnacle "What else am I supposed to do?" moment. Strus hits White with a swim move, sends him careening into the Tucker screen, and Tucker thuds White. So clearly, Strus should be open, right? Right?</span></p>
<p>Once again, White comes flying around the screen and reattaches to Strus' hip without being overly physical or fouling, funneling him into the looming Horford.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xywgt9" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That consistency has been unreal. While White isn&rsquo;t necessarily the player finishing possessions defensively (although he still forces his fair share of turnovers), the quietness is what stands out.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White&rsquo;s giving his best Darrelle Revis impression, shutting off options, isolated against the best deep threats in the game. You see Jimmy Butler struggling to find an opening, wading in the mid-range, but the why? Max Strus can&rsquo;t get separation. White&rsquo;s been glued to Duncan Robinson. Gabe Vincent is always seeing a rear contest on pull-up 2&rsquo;s. Nothing is coming easy for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Derrick White has put on a masterclass of screen shedding and route mirroring. His off-ball defense and ability to make things difficult <em>always&nbsp;</em>is a large reason for why Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank and I had <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/defensive-awards-and-a-celebration-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White making an All-Defense team</a>. It's not hyperbole to say that White is among the most consistent defensive players in basketball, something that tends to go underappreciated. Regardless of whether or not the Celtics win Game 7 tomorrow and make their first NBA Finals since 2010, Derrick White's consistent ability to make things difficult deserves shine.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What happens is the crux of any conversation. Results spur on ideology and conjecture. Wins, losses, box scores and stat lines invite slander and celebration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why?&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Results are important for measuring goals, gauging success and resetting priorities or strategies. Why those results occur is what I find fascinating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2022 Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics have been difficult to parse through, akin to a redux of the 2004 series between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers. Only four of the players who played 10 minutes per game or more in that series shot 40% or better from the floor.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A series defined by restrained offense and amplified defense is rooted in the <em>why</em>. Yes, both the Heat and Celtics have exchanged slogging moments. Turnovers have been in abundance. There have been many free throws, as the physicality is ratcheted up to the 10th degree.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Heat&rsquo;s offense is predicated on movement, screening, handoffs and maximizing their pressure points through shooting gravity to open up looks with their collective passing and intuitive play. Miami was 14th in the league in three point attempts per game, but first in three-point percentage (37.9%). What made them more impressive was how those shots got off.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Heat are chock-full of movement shooters with Max Strus, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent and Kyle Lowry all capable of hitting shots off of a variety of movements and even self-created with their handles to varying degrees. Miami shot 42.9% from deep in Game 6, a far cry from the 29.2% (52/178) over the previous five games. Jimmy Butler hit four shots from distance after only hitting two all series. Tough shots fell in volume.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7w789c" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To equate Miami&rsquo;s victory and invigorated offense strictly to shot variance would be unfair. Miami has thrived on those tough threes off movement or pull-ups all season, but they haven&rsquo;t hit the same. It&rsquo;s difficult to project another game like last night for Miami&rsquo;s shot-making, although one game throws sample size to the wind. Again, the <em>why </em>is so crucial here.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Miami&rsquo;s offense has been stuck in the mud much of the series as our own Nekias Duncan </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-heat-have-a-bigbig-problem-on-their-hands"><span style="font-weight: 400;">recently wrote</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Boston&rsquo;s bigs have stifled the Heat in the paint and through their ability to toggle between the paint and perimeter. Stopping shots at the second and third level has been a large reason for Boston&rsquo;s defensive success. Miami,&nbsp; 27th in rim frequency during the regular season per Cleaning the Glass, is dependent on their ability to attack the gaps created by their shooting gravity.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They&rsquo;ve been constricted by their own shot profile at times this series, but mainly due to how Boston has been able shut off the release valves. Most of Miami&rsquo;s aforementioned premier spacing core, particularly the shooters off screens, has struggled throughout the series. We know the shots haven&rsquo;t fallen, but it&rsquo;s not simply a collective slump. Boston&rsquo;s defense as a whole has been swarming, but why have Miami&rsquo;s movement shooters struggled the most?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Through the lens of the Eastern Conference Finals and the league at large, few players epitomize the<em> why</em> quite like Derrick White. The results haven&rsquo;t always been there for White during the playoffs, although the post-baby bump has been real (congrats again to Derrick and his family).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, so often when watching White, whether with the Spurs or Celtics, the <em>why</em> is consistently there. The consistency in process matters so much more than the consistency in production. That sounds counterintuitive, but it&rsquo;s strikingly true in basketball. There&rsquo;s a line in the sand that wavers among the grains, and White often has crossed the line in spite of his production simply due to his persistent process.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White has routinely neutralized Miami&rsquo;s release valves and shut off the water entirely for stretches. It&rsquo;s been like watching a naturally-rich land dry up after a dam is built up stream. That dam is Derrick White, and the Heat have employed any number and variety of players to try to take White out of the picture to free up shooters.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play from Game 5 stood out.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/plsipo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Notice the quick flip and pushoff from P.J. Tucker in a screening action that was masked with Oladipo setting up as a second screener. White immediately takes Oladipo, and Horford takes Tucker after Jaylen Brown switches onto Duncan Robinson. Brown navigates the screen well enough for the action to die out, and would you look at that... Derrick White <em>still</em> makes a play on the back side.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Already 4 games and roughly 10 minutes into the series, the Heat are throwing the kitchen sink at an off-ball chaser to free up their shooters. Whatever it takes to force switches, including some semi-illegal&nbsp; screens. Again, <em>why?</em></span></p>
<p>Well, White immediately made his presence felt on Max Strus.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nrp9d5" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He always shifts his body, scans the floor constantly, and his slight movements are impeccable. So often, chasers get beat off the ball because of too big a stride or a wrong step. White rarely crosses his feet up, and he can appear choppy at times, but it's because he's always on his toes, minimizing space given and maximizing his margins for error. Even with the majority of hard screens, White is making his recovery plays and finding his way back into the picture.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If he does get beat when running a shooter off the line, he's one of the best in the league with backtaps and strips.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ym304b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Press up that hard on a shooter, and the opposing team will try to use that against you as a pressure point. Lo and behold, Erik Spoelstra dialed up just that, using Duncan Robinson as a screener with White stapled to him, hoping to cause an error on the perimeter.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7suo8" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White shoots that gap absurdly well. Not just well, like Julius Peppers is smiling somewhere watching that. White dips his shoulder back around Bam Adebayo's screen and is back in front of Herro by the free throw line. It's a ridiculous possession.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To say Max Strus hasn't had a fun series would be an understatement. Watch the way White starts to angle himself, immediately prepping to lock and trail as soon as he knew the movement was en route.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwi2cw" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White seemingly always has at least one hand on the man he's trailing, making it that much harder to gain separation.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play is a pinnacle "What else am I supposed to do?" moment. Strus hits White with a swim move, sends him careening into the Tucker screen, and Tucker thuds White. So clearly, Strus should be open, right? Right?</span></p>
<p>Once again, White comes flying around the screen and reattaches to Strus' hip without being overly physical or fouling, funneling him into the looming Horford.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xywgt9" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That consistency has been unreal. While White isn&rsquo;t necessarily the player finishing possessions defensively (although he still forces his fair share of turnovers), the quietness is what stands out.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White&rsquo;s giving his best Darrelle Revis impression, shutting off options, isolated against the best deep threats in the game. You see Jimmy Butler struggling to find an opening, wading in the mid-range, but the why? Max Strus can&rsquo;t get separation. White&rsquo;s been glued to Duncan Robinson. Gabe Vincent is always seeing a rear contest on pull-up 2&rsquo;s. Nothing is coming easy for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Derrick White has put on a masterclass of screen shedding and route mirroring. His off-ball defense and ability to make things difficult <em>always&nbsp;</em>is a large reason for why Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank and I had <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/defensive-awards-and-a-celebration-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White making an All-Defense team</a>. It's not hyperbole to say that White is among the most consistent defensive players in basketball, something that tends to go underappreciated. Regardless of whether or not the Celtics win Game 7 tomorrow and make their first NBA Finals since 2010, Derrick White's consistent ability to make things difficult deserves shine.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What happens is the crux of any conversation. Results spur on ideology and conjecture. Wins, losses, box scores and stat lines invite slander and celebration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why?&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Results are important for measuring goals, gauging success and resetting priorities or strategies. Why those results occur is what I find fascinating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2022 Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics have been difficult to parse through, akin to a redux of the 2004 series between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers. Only four of the players who played 10 minutes per game or more in that series shot 40% or better from the floor.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A series defined by restrained offense and amplified defense is rooted in the <em>why</em>. Yes, both the Heat and Celtics have exchanged slogging moments. Turnovers have been in abundance. There have been many free throws, as the physicality is ratcheted up to the 10th degree.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Heat&rsquo;s offense is predicated on movement, screening, handoffs and maximizing their pressure points through shooting gravity to open up looks with their collective passing and intuitive play. Miami was 14th in the league in three-point attempts per game, but first in three-point percentage (37.9%). What made them more impressive was how those shots got off.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Heat are chock-full of movement shooters with Max Strus, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent and Kyle Lowry all capable of hitting shots off of a variety of movements and even self-created with their handles to varying degrees. Miami shot 42.9% from deep in Game 6, a far cry from the 29.2% (52/178) over the previous five games. Jimmy Butler hit four shots from distance after only hitting two all series. Tough shots fell in volume.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7w789c" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To equate Miami&rsquo;s victory and invigorated offense strictly to shot variance would be unfair. Miami has thrived on those tough threes off movement or pull-ups all season, but they haven&rsquo;t hit the same. It&rsquo;s difficult to project another game like last night for Miami&rsquo;s shot-making, although one game throws sample size to the wind. Again, the <em>why </em>is so crucial here.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Miami&rsquo;s offense has been stuck in the mud much of the series as our own Nekias Duncan </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-heat-have-a-bigbig-problem-on-their-hands"><span style="font-weight: 400;">recently wrote</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Boston&rsquo;s bigs have stifled the Heat in the paint and through their ability to toggle between the paint and perimeter. Stopping shots at the second and third level has been a large reason for Boston&rsquo;s defensive success. Miami,&nbsp; 27th in rim frequency during the regular season per Cleaning the Glass, is dependent on their ability to attack the gaps created by their shooting gravity.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They&rsquo;ve been constricted by their own shot profile at times this series, but mainly due to how Boston has been able shut off the release valves. Most of Miami&rsquo;s aforementioned premier spacing core, particularly the shooters off screens, has struggled throughout the series. We know the shots haven&rsquo;t fallen, but it&rsquo;s not simply a collective slump. Boston&rsquo;s defense as a whole has been swarming, but why have Miami&rsquo;s movement shooters struggled the most?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Through the lens of the Eastern Conference Finals and the league at large, few players epitomize the<em> why</em> quite like Derrick White. The results haven&rsquo;t always been there for White during the playoffs, although the post-baby bump has been real (congrats again to Derrick and his family).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, so often when watching White, whether with the Spurs or Celtics, the <em>why</em> is consistently there. The consistency in process matters so much more than the consistency in production. That sounds counterintuitive, but it&rsquo;s strikingly true in basketball. There&rsquo;s a line in the sand that wavers among the grains, and White often has crossed the line in spite of his production simply due to his persistent process.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White has routinely neutralized Miami&rsquo;s release valves and shut off the water entirely for stretches. It&rsquo;s been like watching a naturally-rich land dry up after a dam is built up stream. That dam is Derrick White, and the Heat have employed any number and variety of players to try to take White out of the picture to free up shooters.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play from Game 5 stood out.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/plsipo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Notice the quick flip and pushoff from P.J. Tucker in a screening action that was masked with Oladipo setting up as a second screener. White immediately takes Oladipo, and Horford takes Tucker after Jaylen Brown switches onto Duncan Robinson. Brown navigates the screen well enough for the action to die out, and would you look at that... Derrick White <em>still</em> makes a play on the back side.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Already four games and roughly 10 minutes into the series, the Heat are throwing the kitchen sink at an off-ball chaser to free up their shooters. Whatever it takes to force switches, including some semi-illegal&nbsp; screens. Again, <em>why?</em></span></p>
<p>Well, White immediately made his presence felt on Max Strus.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nrp9d5" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He always shifts his body, scans the floor constantly, and his slight movements are impeccable. So often, chasers get beat off the ball because of too big a stride or a wrong step. White rarely crosses his feet up, and he can appear choppy at times, but it's because he's always on his toes, minimizing space given and maximizing his margins for error. Even with the majority of hard screens, White is making his recovery plays and finding his way back into the picture.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If he does get beat when running a shooter off the line, he's one of the best in the league with backtaps and strips.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ym304b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Press up that hard on a shooter, and the opposing team will try to use that against you as a pressure point. Lo and behold, Erik Spoelstra dialed up just that, using Duncan Robinson as a screener with White stapled to him, hoping to cause an error on the perimeter.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7suo8" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White shoots that gap absurdly well. Not just well, like Julius Peppers is smiling somewhere watching that. White dips his shoulder back around Bam Adebayo's screen and is back in front of Herro by the free throw line. It's a ridiculous possession.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To say Max Strus hasn't had a fun series would be an understatement. Watch the way White starts to angle himself, immediately prepping to lock and trail as soon as he knew the movement was en route.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwi2cw" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White seemingly always has at least one hand on the man he's trailing, making it that much harder to gain separation.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play is a pinnacle "What else am I supposed to do?" moment. Strus hits White with a swim move, sends him careening into the Tucker screen, and Tucker thuds White. So clearly, Strus should be open, right? Right?</span></p>
<p>Once again, White comes flying around the screen and reattaches to Strus' hip without being overly physical or fouling, funneling him into the looming Horford.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xywgt9" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That consistency has been unreal. While White isn&rsquo;t necessarily the player finishing possessions defensively (although he still forces his fair share of turnovers), the quietness is what stands out.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White&rsquo;s giving his best Darrelle Revis impression, shutting off options, isolated against the best deep threats in the game. You see Jimmy Butler struggling to find an opening, wading in the mid-range, but the why? Max Strus can&rsquo;t get separation. White&rsquo;s been glued to Duncan Robinson. Gabe Vincent is always seeing a rear contest on pull-up 2&rsquo;s. Nothing is coming easy for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Derrick White has put on a masterclass of screen shedding and route mirroring. His off-ball defense and ability to make things difficult <em>always&nbsp;</em>is a large reason for why Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank and I had <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/defensive-awards-and-a-celebration-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White making an All-Defense team</a>. It's not hyperbole to say that White is among the most consistent defensive players in basketball, something that tends to go underappreciated. Regardless of whether or not the Celtics win Game 7 tomorrow and make their first NBA Finals since 2010, Derrick White's consistent ability to make things difficult deserves shine.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What happens is the crux of any conversation. Results spur on ideology and conjecture. Wins, losses, box scores and stat lines invite slander and celebration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why?&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Results are important for measuring goals, gauging success and resetting priorities or strategies. Why those results occur is what I find fascinating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2022 Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics have been difficult to parse through, akin to a redux of the 2004 series between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers. Only four of the players who played 10 minutes per game or more in that series shot 40% or better from the floor.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A series defined by restrained offense and amplified defense is rooted in the <em>why</em>. Yes, both the Heat and Celtics have exchanged slogging moments. Turnovers have been in abundance. There have been many free throws, as the physicality is ratcheted up to the 10th degree.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Heat&rsquo;s offense is predicated on movement, screening, handoffs and maximizing their pressure points through shooting gravity to open up looks with their collective passing and intuitive play. Miami was 14th in the league in three-point attempts per game, but first in three-point percentage (37.9%). What made them more impressive was how those shots got off.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Heat are chock-full of movement shooters with Max Strus, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent and Kyle Lowry all capable of hitting shots off of a variety of movements and even self-created with their handles to varying degrees. Miami shot 42.9% from deep in Game 6, a far cry from the 29.2% (52/178) over the previous five games. Jimmy Butler hit four shots from distance after only hitting two all series. Tough shots fell in volume.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7w789c" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To equate Miami&rsquo;s victory and invigorated offense strictly to shot variance would be unfair. Miami has thrived on those tough threes off movement or pull-ups all season, but they haven&rsquo;t hit the same. It&rsquo;s difficult to project another game like last night for Miami&rsquo;s shot-making, although one game throws sample size to the wind. Again, the <em>why </em>is so crucial here.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Miami&rsquo;s offense has been stuck in the mud much of the series as our own Nekias Duncan </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-heat-have-a-bigbig-problem-on-their-hands"><span style="font-weight: 400;">recently wrote</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Boston&rsquo;s bigs have stifled the Heat in the paint and through their ability to toggle between the paint and perimeter. Stopping shots at the second and third level has been a large reason for Boston&rsquo;s defensive success. Miami,&nbsp; 27th in rim frequency during the regular season per Cleaning the Glass, is dependent on their ability to attack the gaps created by their shooting gravity.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They&rsquo;ve been constricted by their own shot profile at times this series, but mainly due to how Boston has been able shut off the release valves. Most of Miami&rsquo;s aforementioned premier spacing core, particularly the shooters off screens, has struggled throughout the series. We know the shots haven&rsquo;t fallen, but it&rsquo;s not simply a collective slump. Boston&rsquo;s defense as a whole has been swarming, but why have Miami&rsquo;s movement shooters struggled the most?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Through the lens of the Eastern Conference Finals and the league at large, few players epitomize the<em> why</em> quite like Derrick White. The results haven&rsquo;t always been there for White during the playoffs, although the post-baby bump has been real (congrats again to Derrick and his family).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, so often when watching White, whether with the Spurs or Celtics, the <em>why</em> is consistently there. The consistency in process matters so much more than the consistency in production. That sounds counterintuitive, but it&rsquo;s strikingly true in basketball. There&rsquo;s a line in the sand that wavers among the grains, and White often has crossed the line in spite of his production simply due to his persistent process.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White has routinely neutralized Miami&rsquo;s release valves and shut off the water entirely for stretches. It&rsquo;s been like watching a naturally-rich land dry up after a dam is built up stream. That dam is Derrick White, and the Heat have employed any number and variety of players to try to take White out of the picture to free up shooters.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play from Game 5 stood out.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/plsipo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Notice the quick flip and pushoff from P.J. Tucker in a screening action that was masked with Oladipo setting up as a second screener. White immediately takes Oladipo, and Horford takes Tucker after Jaylen Brown switches onto Duncan Robinson. Brown navigates the screen well enough for the action to die out, and would you look at that... Derrick White <em>still</em> makes a play on the back side.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Already four games and roughly 10 minutes into the series, the Heat are throwing the kitchen sink at an off-ball chaser to free up their shooters. Whatever it takes to force switches, including some semi-illegal&nbsp; screens. Again, <em>why?</em></span></p>
<p>Well, White immediately made his presence felt on Max Strus.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nrp9d5" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He always shifts his body, scans the floor constantly, and his slight movements are impeccable. So often, chasers get beat off the ball because of too big a stride or a wrong step. White rarely crosses his feet up, and he can appear choppy at times, but it's because he's always on his toes, minimizing space given and maximizing his margins for error. Even with the majority of hard screens, White is making his recovery plays and finding his way back into the picture.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If he does get beat when running a shooter off the line, he's one of the best in the league with backtaps and strips.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ym304b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Press up that hard on a shooter, and the opposing team will try to use that against you as a pressure point. Lo and behold, Erik Spoelstra dialed up just that, using Duncan Robinson as a screener with White stapled to him, hoping to cause an error on the perimeter.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7suo8" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White shoots that gap absurdly well. Not just well, like Julius Peppers is smiling somewhere watching that. White dips his shoulder back around Bam Adebayo's screen and is back in front of Herro by the free throw line. It's a ridiculous possession.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To say Max Strus hasn't had a fun series would be an understatement. Watch the way White starts to angle himself, immediately prepping to lock and trail as soon as he knew the movement was en route.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwi2cw" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White seemingly always has at least one hand on the man he's trailing, making it that much harder to gain separation.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This play is a pinnacle "What else am I supposed to do?" moment. Strus hits White with a swim move, sends him careening into the Tucker screen, and Tucker thuds White. So clearly, Strus should be open, right? Right?</span></p>
<p>Once again, White comes flying around the screen and reattaches to Strus' hip without being overly physical or fouling, funneling him into the looming Horford.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xywgt9" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That consistency has been unreal. While White isn&rsquo;t necessarily the player finishing possessions defensively (although he still forces his fair share of turnovers), the quietness is what stands out.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White&rsquo;s giving his best Darrelle Revis impression, shutting off options, isolated against the best deep threats in the game. You see Jimmy Butler struggling to find an opening, wading in the mid-range, but the why? Max Strus can&rsquo;t get separation. White&rsquo;s been glued to Duncan Robinson. Gabe Vincent is always seeing a rear contest on pull-up twos. Nothing is coming easy for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Derrick White has put on a masterclass of screen shedding and route mirroring. His off-ball defense and ability to make things difficult <em>always&nbsp;</em>is a large reason for why Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank and I had <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/defensive-awards-and-a-celebration-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White making an All-Defense team</a>. It's not hyperbole to say that White is among the most consistent defensive players in basketball, something that tends to go underappreciated. Regardless of whether or not the Celtics win Game 7 tomorrow and make their first NBA Finals since 2010, Derrick White's consistent ability to make things difficult deserves shine.</span></p>

Derrick White has put on a defensive masterclass during the Conference Finals, shutting down Miami's shooters.

Derrick White: Eliminating release valves and shutting off the water

<p>With a win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Dallas Wings recorded their first victory over the Sun in 1,064 days and snapped a seven-game losing streak against them in the process.</p>
<p>The Wings have put together solid games already this season, splitting a pair of games with the Washington Mystics and getting out to their best start of the season (4-2 prior to Tuesday) since 2015.</p>
<p>I had this matchup circled for the past week. Every Wings game this season has provided bright flashes and glimpses of what they can be. Yet, outside of the two games with the Mystics, the Wings hadn&rsquo;t quite faced one of the elite tests in the league, and Connecticut provided that and then some.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We&rsquo;ve seen intrigue and enticement from this young roster for a few seasons now, and often the flashes have been ousted. Dallas was the youngest team in the league last season, and it often played out that way with exuberant highs and dreary lows.</p>
<p>Down 39-27 at the half with the offense stuck in the mud, I contemplated whether or not this Wings team would be much the same as last year. Dallas went on to outscore the Sun 58-38 in the second half, including a remarkable run late in the third quarter with Arike Ogunbowale on the bench.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">WNBA average roster age (Multiple games played, still on roster, 10 mpg or more)<br /><br />SEA - 30.2<br />PHX - 29.78<br />CHI - 28.77<br />CON - 28.3<br />MIN - 27.6<br />LV - 27.6<br />WAS - 27.45<br />NYL - 26.1<br />ATL - 25.9<br />LAS - 25.64<br />IND - 24.8<br />DAL - 24.4</p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1529467131066298368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</span></p>
<p>They&rsquo;re the youngest team yet again this season, but things <em>feel</em> different.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That second half was indicative of a team that finally was able to turn the page and cast aside some of the demons that plagued it last year. They didn&rsquo;t fold when they presented with perhaps their most difficult moment this year; down double-digits, on the road, against one of the best teams in the league.</p>
<p>Wings head coach Vickie Johnson echoed similar sentiments during her postgame availability.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The last five minutes, we are valuing the basketball more," Johnson said. "We have the patience to run our sets, to get good looks, we are not one pass, shot, like before. We have the patience to move the basketball and give up a good shot for a better shot. And now, we are knocking down open shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Wings currently have the third-lowest turnover rate in the WNBA, per HerHoopStats. Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey were dynamic Tuesday night by getting into their pull-up games out of pick-and-roll, but also blending their ability to get into the paint and collapse the defense.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wb1nln" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>This play was huge last night and speaks greatly to what Coach Johnson discussed after the game. Not that this pass wasn&rsquo;t made last season, but it feels like trust is there more. This could have been a contested layup, and heck, Arike may have hit it because she&rsquo;s that nice. But to fully collapse the defense and then make them pay with the wide-open three was an awesome process.</p>
<p>On that aforementioned third-quarter run (with Arike on the bench), Johnson went to a lineup of Mabrey-Allisha Gray-Kayla Thornton-Satou Sabally-Isabelle Harrison, and it outscored the Sun by 8 points in a five-and-a-half-minute stretch, per InStat.</p>
<p>The Harrison-Sabally frontcourt has really impressed since the latter returned from overseas play. Per PBP Stats, in the 18 minutes the duo has shared the court, the Wings have a 35.3 Net Rating, absolutely blitzing opponents on offense and stifling them on defense. They both have intriguing skills and coordination off the bounce. They can run dribble handoffs and make quick passes.</p>
<p>Harrison&rsquo;s confidence and aggression has her top-20 in the league in free-throw attempts per game, and 12th in makes at the line on the season.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Playing for AU (Athletes Unlimited) in Vegas helped her to become more of a leader, to think through the game a little more&hellip; I expect a lot from her. I put a lot of pressure on her and she is doing an amazing job," Johnson said of Harrison.</p>
<p>"She&rsquo;s getting to her spots and finishing in the paint and... In the first half she took three jump shots, and I ripped her kind of hard because they don&rsquo;t fear her outside the lane, they fear you when you get to the lane and make your move. She is one of the players who has multiple moves inside, so now she just has to use it and not settle for jump shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Harrison and Sabally got to the line seven times in that third-quarter stretch, and their mobility and quickness really gave Brionna Jones and the Sun's frontcourt problems. Catching on the perimeter or out to the high post gave them enough space to slice to the interior and draw fouls or finish at the rim.</p>
<p>The defense of this unit was the icing on the cake, however.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/51bbz0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Just bask in and admire that activity. This Dallas team relies heavily on timely and proper peel switches, along with activity and mobility from the bigs playing the screen. They shrink the court to minimize interior penetration.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3llzik" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The Sun go to empty pick-and-roll, and Jones pops after the screen for Williams. Harrison stunts and shows to stop a drive, Mabrey gets back in front and the ball is contained.</p>
<p>Note how Sabally also steps in on the back end to contain a potential drive from Jonquel Jones. Harrison then recovers out, and Jones takes the shot. It's not perfectly contested, but that's also part of the point; don't give up the middle.</p>
<p>Speaking of that peel switching, watch this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mcdbyj" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Alyssa Thomas sets a back screen on Harrison as Jones wheels to the opposite corner. Harrison calls for the peel switch, Mabrey takes Jones and Harrison takes Mabrey's assignment in Courtney Williams. The play with multiple back screens flattens out, but the Sun get the switch they're looking for with Jones on the much smaller Mabrey. Gray rotates over to help, forcing the rotation as the ball gets kicked to Natisha Hiedeman.</p>
<p>Harrison is already peeling to Hiedeman, and Williams relocates to the slot while DeWanna Bonner sinks to the corner and gets the ball on a skip. Sabally avoids the Thomas pin-in, closes to Bonner and stays in front, and Gray has already recovered back across the court to take Williams. Jonquel still has Mabrey isolated, and as soon as she gets the post-entry pass, the Wings sink in to help (probably a slight overhelp off of Thomas, part of why the rebound gets into her hands) and Gray zones up on the back end as the Wings end up forcing a turnover.</p>
<p>That is a stellar defensive possession. The amount of things going on in unison and as the play develops highlights how in sync this Wings team has been on that end. They certainly can still make mistakes, but they're becoming less frequent, and when it mattered most last night, they put together a dominant defensive stand.</p>
<p>Gray is coming for an All-Defensive Team, both in her own mission expressed this season and with her play. She's been forceful pressuring on the ball, developing into Dallas' go-to stopper. Her recovery skills have been arguably as, if not more, impressive. She took the primary assignment of an All-Star forward in Bonner, and, in spite of a sizable height disparity, Gray routinely forced her into awkward shots and contested her well.</p>
<p>She's 4th in the W in blocks per game (1.9), a ridiculous number considering every player in the top ten besides her plays the four or five.</p>
<p>Johnson called Gray "probably the best two-way player in the W right now," and while I can't quite get there, she's making a case for certain as she puts together her best all around season.</p>
<p>Everything is clicking, everyone is finding some sort of footing in the rotation, and the Wings are out to a great start. It's early in the season to be sure, but this Dallas team has a different verve and readiness in year two under Vickie Johnson, with last night fully emblematic of such.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>With a win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Dallas Wings recorded their first victory over the Sun in 1,064 days and snapped a seven-game losing streak against them in the process.</p>
<p>The Wings have put together solid games already this season, splitting a pair of games with the Washington Mystics and getting out to their best start of the season (4-2 prior to Tuesday) since 2015.</p>
<p>I had this matchup circled for the past week. Every Wings game this season has provided bright flashes and glimpses of what they can be. Yet, outside of the two games with the Mystics, the Wings hadn&rsquo;t quite faced one of the elite tests in the league, and Connecticut provided that and then some.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We&rsquo;ve seen intrigue and enticement from this young roster for a few seasons now, and often the flashes have been ousted. Dallas was the youngest team in the league last season, and it often played out that way with exuberant highs and dreary lows.</p>
<p>Down 39-27 at the half with the offense stuck in the mud, I contemplated whether or not this Wings team would be much the same as last year. Dallas went on to outscore the Sun 58-38 in the second half, including a remarkable run late in the third quarter with Arike Ogunbowale on the bench.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">WNBA average roster age (Multiple games played, still on roster, 10 mpg or more)<br /><br />SEA - 30.2<br />PHX - 29.78<br />CHI - 28.77<br />CON - 28.3<br />MIN - 27.6<br />LV - 27.6<br />WAS - 27.45<br />NYL - 26.1<br />ATL - 25.9<br />LAS - 25.64<br />IND - 24.8<br />DAL - 24.4</p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1529467131066298368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</span></p>
<p>They&rsquo;re the youngest team yet again this season, but things <em>feel</em> different.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That second half was indicative of a team that finally was able to turn the page and cast aside some of the demons that plagued it last year. They didn&rsquo;t fold when they presented with perhaps their most difficult moment this year; down double-digits, on the road, against one of the best teams in the league.</p>
<p>Wings head coach Vickie Johnson echoed similar sentiments during her postgame availability.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The last five minutes, we are valuing the basketball more," Johnson said. "We have the patience to run our sets, to get good looks, we are not one pass, shot, like before. We have the patience to move the basketball and give up a good shot for a better shot. And now, we are knocking down open shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Wings currently have the third-lowest turnover rate in the WNBA, per HerHoopStats. Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey were dynamic Tuesday night by getting into their pull-up games out of pick-and-roll, but also blending their ability to get into the paint and collapse the defense.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wb1nln" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>This play was huge last night and speaks greatly to what Coach Johnson discussed after the game. Not that this pass wasn&rsquo;t made last season, but it feels like trust is there more. This could have been a contested layup, and heck, Arike may have hit it because she&rsquo;s that nice. But to fully collapse the defense and then make them pay with the wide-open three was an awesome process.</p>
<p>On that aforementioned third-quarter run (with Arike on the bench), Johnson went to a lineup of Mabrey-Allisha Gray-Kayla Thornton-Satou Sabally-Isabelle Harrison, and it outscored the Sun by 8 points in a five-and-a-half-minute stretch, per InStat.</p>
<p>The Harrison-Sabally frontcourt has really impressed since the latter returned from overseas play. Per PBP Stats, in the 18 minutes the duo has shared the court, the Wings have a 35.3 Net Rating, absolutely blitzing opponents on offense and stifling them on defense. They both have intriguing skills and coordination off the bounce. They can run dribble handoffs and make quick passes.</p>
<p>Harrison&rsquo;s confidence and aggression has her top-20 in the league in free-throw attempts per game, and 12th in makes at the line on the season.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Playing for AU (Athletes Unlimited) in Vegas helped her to become more of a leader, to think through the game a little more&hellip; I expect a lot from her. I put a lot of pressure on her and she is doing an amazing job," Johnson said of Harrison.</p>
<p>"She&rsquo;s getting to her spots and finishing in the paint and... In the first half she took three jump shots, and I ripped her kind of hard because they don&rsquo;t fear her outside the lane, they fear you when you get to the lane and make your move. She is one of the players who has multiple moves inside, so now she just has to use it and not settle for jump shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Harrison and Sabally got to the line seven times in that third-quarter stretch, and their mobility and quickness really gave Brionna Jones and the Sun's frontcourt problems. Catching on the perimeter or out to the high post gave them enough space to slice to the interior and draw fouls or finish at the rim.</p>
<p>The defense of this unit was the icing on the cake, however.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/51bbz0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Just bask in and admire that activity. This Dallas team relies heavily on timely and proper peel switches, along with activity and mobility from the bigs playing the screen. They shrink the court to minimize interior penetration.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3llzik" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The Sun go to empty pick-and-roll, and Jones pops after the screen for Williams. Harrison stunts and shows to stop a drive, Mabrey gets back in front and the ball is contained.</p>
<p>Note how Sabally also steps in on the back end to contain a potential drive from Jonquel Jones. Harrison then recovers out, and Jones takes the shot. It's not perfectly contested, but that's also part of the point; don't give up the middle.</p>
<p>Speaking of that peel switching, watch this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mcdbyj" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Alyssa Thomas sets a back screen on Harrison as Jones wheels to the opposite corner. Harrison calls for the peel switch, Mabrey takes Jones and Harrison takes Mabrey's assignment in Courtney Williams. The play with multiple back screens flattens out, but the Sun get the switch they're looking for with Jones on the much smaller Mabrey. Gray rotates over to help, forcing the rotation as the ball gets kicked to Natisha Hiedeman.</p>
<p>Harrison is already peeling to Hiedeman, and Williams relocates to the slot while DeWanna Bonner sinks to the corner and gets the ball on a skip. Sabally avoids the Thomas pin-in, closes to Bonner and stays in front, and Gray has already recovered back across the court to take Williams. Jonquel still has Mabrey isolated, and as soon as she gets the post-entry pass, the Wings sink in to help (probably a slight overhelp off of Thomas, part of why the rebound gets into her hands) and Gray zones up on the back end as the Wings end up forcing a turnover.</p>
<p>That is a stellar defensive possession. The amount of things going on in unison and as the play develops highlights how in sync this Wings team has been on that end. They certainly can still make mistakes, but they're becoming less frequent, and when it mattered most last night, they put together a dominant defensive stand.</p>
<p>Gray is coming for an All-Defensive Team, both in her own mission expressed this season and with her play. She's been forceful pressuring on the ball, developing into Dallas' go-to stopper. Her recovery skills have been arguably as, if not more, impressive. She took the primary assignment of an All-Star forward in Bonner, and, in spite of a sizable height disparity, routinely forced her into awkward shots and contested her well.</p>
<p>She's 4th in the W in blocks per game (1.9), a ridiculous number considering every player in the top ten besides her plays the four or five.</p>
<p>Johnson called Gray "probably the best two-way player in the W right now," and while I can't quite get there, she's making a case for certain as she puts together her best all around season.</p>
<p>Everything is clicking, everyone is finding some sort of footing in the rotation, and the Wings are out to a great start. It's early in the season to be sure, but this Dallas team has a different verve and readiness in year two under Vickie Johnson, with last night fully emblematic of such.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>With a win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Dallas Wings recorded their first victory over the Sun in 1,064 days and snapped a seven-game losing streak against them in the process.</p>
<p>The Wings have put together solid games already this season, splitting a pair of games with the Washington Mystics and getting out to their best start of the season (4-2 prior to Tuesday) since 2015.</p>
<p>I had this matchup circled for the past week. Every Wings game this season has provided bright flashes and glimpses of what they can be. Yet, outside of the two games with the Mystics, the Wings hadn&rsquo;t quite faced one of the elite tests in the league, and Connecticut provided that and then some.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We&rsquo;ve seen intrigue and enticement from this young roster for a few seasons now, and often the flashes have been ousted. Dallas was the youngest team in the league last season, and it often played out that way with exuberant highs and dreary lows.</p>
<p>Down 39-27 at the half with the offense stuck in the mud, I contemplated whether or not this Wings team would be much the same as last year. Dallas went on to outscore the Sun 58-38 in the second half, including a remarkable run late in the third quarter with Arike Ogunbowale on the bench.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">WNBA average roster age (Multiple games played, still on roster, 10 mpg or more)<br /><br />SEA - 30.2<br />PHX - 29.78<br />CHI - 28.77<br />CON - 28.3<br />MIN - 27.6<br />LV - 27.6<br />WAS - 27.45<br />NYL - 26.1<br />ATL - 25.9<br />LAS - 25.64<br />IND - 24.8<br />DAL - 24.4</p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1529467131066298368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</span></p>
<p>They&rsquo;re the youngest team yet again this season, but things <em>feel</em> different.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That second half was indicative of a team that finally was able to turn the page and cast aside some of the demons that plagued it last year. They didn&rsquo;t fold when they presented with perhaps their most difficult moment this year; down double-digits, on the road, against one of the best teams in the league.</p>
<p>Wings head coach Vickie Johnson echoed similar sentiments during her postgame availability.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The last five minutes, we are valuing the basketball more," Johnson said. "We have the patience to run our sets, to get good looks, we are not one pass, shot, like before. We have the patience to move the basketball and give up a good shot for a better shot. And now, we are knocking down open shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Wings currently have the third-lowest turnover rate in the WNBA, per HerHoopStats. Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey were dynamic Tuesday night by getting into their pull-up games out of pick-and-roll, but also blending their ability to get into the paint and collapse the defense.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wb1nln" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>This play was huge last night and speaks greatly to what Coach Johnson discussed after the game. Not that this pass wasn&rsquo;t made last season, but it feels like trust is there more. This could have been a contested layup, and heck, Arike may have hit it because she&rsquo;s that nice. But to fully collapse the defense and then make them pay with the wide-open three was an awesome process.</p>
<p>On that aforementioned third-quarter run (with Arike on the bench), Johnson went to a lineup of Mabrey-Allisha Gray-Kayla Thornton-Satou Sabally-Isabelle Harrison, and it outscored the Sun by 8 points in a five-and-a-half-minute stretch, per InStat.</p>
<p>The Harrison-Sabally frontcourt has really impressed since the latter returned from overseas play. Per PBP Stats, in the 18 minutes the duo has shared the court, the Wings have a 35.3 Net Rating, absolutely blitzing opponents on offense and stifling them on defense. They both have intriguing skills and coordination off the bounce. They can run dribble handoffs and make quick passes.</p>
<p>Harrison&rsquo;s confidence and aggression has her top-20 in the league in free-throw attempts per game, and 12th in makes at the line on the season.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Playing for AU (Athletes Unlimited) in Vegas helped her to become more of a leader, to think through the game a little more&hellip; I expect a lot from her. I put a lot of pressure on her and she is doing an amazing job," Johnson said of Harrison.</p>
<p>"She&rsquo;s getting to her spots and finishing in the paint and... In the first half she took three jump shots, and I ripped her kind of hard because they don&rsquo;t fear her outside the lane, they fear you when you get to the lane and make your move. She is one of the players who has multiple moves inside, so now she just has to use it and not settle for jump shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Harrison and Sabally got to the line seven times in that third-quarter stretch, and their mobility and quickness really gave Brionna Jones and the Sun's frontcourt problems. Catching on the perimeter or out to the high post gave them enough space to slice to the interior and draw fouls or finish at the rim.</p>
<p>The defense of this unit was the icing on the cake, however.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/51bbz0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Just bask in and admire that activity. This Dallas team relies heavily on timely and proper peel switches, along with activity and mobility from the bigs playing the screen. They shrink the court to minimize interior penetration.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3llzik" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The Sun go to empty pick-and-roll, and Jones pops after the screen for Williams. Harrison stunts and shows to stop a drive, Mabrey gets back in front and the ball is contained.</p>
<p>Note how Sabally also steps in on the back end to contain a potential drive from Jonquel Jones. Harrison then recovers out, and Jones takes the shot. It's not perfectly contested, but that's also part of the point; don't give up the middle.</p>
<p>Speaking of that peel switching, watch this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mcdbyj" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Alyssa Thomas sets a back screen on Harrison as Jones wheels to the opposite corner. Harrison calls for the peel switch, Mabrey takes Jones and Harrison takes Mabrey's assignment in Courtney Williams. The play with multiple back screens flattens out, but the Sun get the switch they're looking for with Jones on the much smaller Mabrey. Gray rotates over to help, forcing the rotation as the ball gets kicked to Natisha Hiedeman.</p>
<p>Harrison is already peeling to Hiedeman, and Williams relocates to the slot while DeWanna Bonner sinks to the corner and gets the ball on a skip. Sabally avoids the Thomas pin-in, closes to Bonner and stays in front, and Gray has already recovered back across the court to take Williams. Jonquel still has Mabrey isolated, and as soon as she gets the post-entry pass, the Wings sink in to help (probably a slight overhelp off of Thomas, part of why the rebound gets into her hands) and Gray zones up on the back end as the Wings end up forcing a turnover.</p>
<p>That is a stellar defensive possession. The amount of things going on in unison and as the play develops highlights how in sync this Wings team has been on that end. They certainly can still make mistakes, but they're becoming less frequent, and when it mattered most last night, they put together a dominant defensive stand.</p>
<p>Gray is coming for an All-Defensive Team, both in her own mission expressed this season and with her play. She's been forceful pressuring on the ball, developing into Dallas' go-to stopper. Her recovery skills have been arguably as, if not more, impressive. She took the primary assignment of an All-Star forward in Bonner, and, in spite of a sizable height disparity, routinely forced her into awkward shots and contested her well.</p>
<p>Gray is 4th in the W in blocks per game (1.9), a ridiculous number considering every player in the top ten besides her plays the four or five.</p>
<p>Johnson called Gray "probably the best two-way player in the W right now," and while I can't quite get there, she's making a case for certain as she puts together her best all around season.</p>
<p>Everything is clicking, everyone is finding some sort of footing in the rotation, and the Wings are out to a great start. It's early in the season to be sure, but this Dallas team has a different verve and readiness in year two under Vickie Johnson, with last night fully emblematic of such.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>With a win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Dallas Wings recorded their first victory over the Sun in 1,064 days and snapped a seven-game losing streak against them in the process.</p>
<p>The Wings have put together solid games already this season, splitting a pair of games with the Washington Mystics and getting out to their best start of the season (4-2 prior to Tuesday) since 2015.</p>
<p>I had this matchup circled for the past week. Every Wings game this season has provided bright flashes and glimpses of what they can be. Yet, outside of the two games with the Mystics, the Wings hadn&rsquo;t quite faced one of the elite tests in the league, and Connecticut provided that and then some.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We&rsquo;ve seen intrigue and enticement from this young roster for a few seasons now, and often the flashes have been ousted. Dallas was the youngest team in the league last season, and it often played out that way with exuberant highs and dreary lows.</p>
<p>Down 39-27 at the half with the offense stuck in the mud, I contemplated whether or not this Wings team would be much the same as last year. Dallas went on to outscore the Sun 58-38 in the second half, including a remarkable run late in the third quarter with Arike Ogunbowale on the bench.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">WNBA average roster age (Multiple games played, still on roster, 10 mpg or more)<br /><br />SEA - 30.2<br />PHX - 29.78<br />CHI - 28.77<br />CON - 28.3<br />MIN - 27.6<br />LV - 27.6<br />WAS - 27.45<br />NYL - 26.1<br />ATL - 25.9<br />LAS - 25.64<br />IND - 24.8<br />DAL - 24.4</p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1529467131066298368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</span></p>
<p>They&rsquo;re the youngest team yet again this season, but things <em>feel</em> different.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That second half was indicative of a team that finally was able to turn the page and cast aside some of the demons that plagued it last year. They didn&rsquo;t fold when they presented with perhaps their most difficult moment this year; down double-digits, on the road, against one of the best teams in the league.</p>
<p>Wings head coach Vickie Johnson echoed similar sentiments during her postgame availability.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The last five minutes, we are valuing the basketball more," Johnson said. "We have the patience to run our sets, to get good looks, we are not one pass, shot, like before. We have the patience to move the basketball and give up a good shot for a better shot. And now, we are knocking down open shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Wings currently have the third-lowest turnover rate in the WNBA, per HerHoopStats. Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey were dynamic Tuesday night by getting into their pull-up games out of pick-and-roll, but also blending their ability to get into the paint and collapse the defense.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wb1nln" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>This play was huge last night and speaks greatly to what Coach Johnson discussed after the game. Not that this pass wasn&rsquo;t made last season, but it feels like trust is there more. This could have been a contested layup, and heck, Arike may have hit it because she&rsquo;s that nice. But to fully collapse the defense and then make them pay with the wide-open three was an awesome process.</p>
<p>On that aforementioned third-quarter run (with Arike on the bench), Johnson went to a lineup of Mabrey-Allisha Gray-Kayla Thornton-Satou Sabally-Isabelle Harrison, and it outscored the Sun by 8 points in a five-and-a-half-minute stretch, per InStat.</p>
<p>The Harrison-Sabally frontcourt has really impressed since the latter returned from overseas play. Per PBP Stats, in the 18 minutes the duo has shared the court, the Wings have a 35.3 Net Rating, absolutely blitzing opponents on offense and stifling them on defense. They both have intriguing skills and coordination off the bounce. They can run dribble handoffs and make quick passes.</p>
<p>Harrison&rsquo;s confidence and aggression has her top-20 in the league in free-throw attempts per game, and 12th in makes at the line on the season.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Playing for AU (Athletes Unlimited) in Vegas helped her to become more of a leader, to think through the game a little more&hellip; I expect a lot from her. I put a lot of pressure on her and she is doing an amazing job," Johnson said of Harrison.</p>
<p>"She&rsquo;s getting to her spots and finishing in the paint and... In the first half she took three jump shots, and I ripped her kind of hard because they don&rsquo;t fear her outside the lane, they fear you when you get to the lane and make your move. She is one of the players who has multiple moves inside, so now she just has to use it and not settle for jump shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Harrison and Sabally got to the line seven times in that third-quarter stretch, and their mobility and quickness really gave Brionna Jones and the Sun's frontcourt problems. Catching on the perimeter or out to the high post gave them enough space to slice to the interior and draw fouls or finish at the rim.</p>
<p>The defense of this unit was the icing on the cake, however.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/51bbz0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Just bask in and admire that activity. This Dallas team relies heavily on timely and proper peel switches, along with activity and mobility from the bigs playing the screen. They shrink the court to minimize interior penetration.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3llzik" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The Sun go to empty pick-and-roll, and Jones pops after the screen for Williams. Harrison stunts and shows to stop a drive, Mabrey gets back in front and the ball is contained.</p>
<p>Note how Sabally also steps in on the back end to contain a potential drive from Jonquel Jones. Harrison then recovers out, and Jones takes the shot. It's not perfectly contested, but that's also part of the point; don't give up the middle.</p>
<p>Speaking of that peel switching, watch this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mcdbyj" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Alyssa Thomas sets a back screen on Harrison as Jones wheels to the opposite corner. Harrison calls for the peel switch, Mabrey takes Jones and Harrison takes Mabrey's assignment in Courtney Williams. The play with multiple back screens flattens out, but the Sun get the switch they're looking for with Jones on the much smaller Mabrey. Gray rotates over to help, forcing the rotation as the ball gets kicked to Natisha Hiedeman.</p>
<p>Harrison is already peeling to Hiedeman, and Williams relocates to the slot while DeWanna Bonner sinks to the corner and gets the ball on a skip. Sabally avoids the Thomas pin-in, closes to Bonner and stays in front, and Gray has already recovered back across the court to take Williams. Jonquel still has Mabrey isolated, and as soon as she gets the post-entry pass, the Wings sink in to help (probably a slight overhelp off of Thomas, part of why the rebound gets into her hands) and Gray zones up on the back end as the Wings end up forcing a turnover.</p>
<p>That is a stellar defensive possession. The amount of things going on in unison and as the play develops highlights how in sync this Wings team has been on that end. They certainly can still make mistakes, but they're becoming less frequent, and when it mattered most last night, they put together a dominant defensive stand.</p>
<p>Gray is coming for an All-Defensive Team, both in her own mission expressed this season and with her play. She's been forceful pressuring on the ball, developing into Dallas' go-to stopper. Her recovery skills have been arguably as, if not more, impressive. She took the primary assignment of an All-Star forward in Bonner, and, in spite of a sizable height disparity, routinely forced her into awkward shots and contested her well.</p>
<p>Gray is 4th in The W in blocks per game (1.9), a ridiculous number considering every player in the top 10 besides her plays the four or five.</p>
<p>Johnson called Gray "probably the best two-way player in the W right now," and while I can't quite get there, she's making a case for certain as she puts together her best all around season.</p>
<p>Everything is clicking, everyone is finding some sort of footing in the rotation, and the Wings are out to a great start. It's early in the season to be sure, but this Dallas team has a different verve and readiness in year two under Vickie Johnson, with last night fully emblematic of such.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>With a win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Dallas Wings recorded their first victory over the Sun in 1,064 days and snapped a seven-game losing streak against them in the process.</p>
<p>The Wings have put together solid games already this season, splitting a pair of games with the Washington Mystics and getting out to their best start of the season (4-2 prior to Tuesday) since 2015.</p>
<p>I had this matchup circled for the past week. Every Wings game this season has provided bright flashes and glimpses of what they can be. Yet, outside of the two games with the Mystics, the Wings hadn&rsquo;t quite faced one of the elite tests in the league, and Connecticut provided that and then some.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We&rsquo;ve seen intrigue and enticement from this young roster for a few seasons now, and often the flashes have been ousted. Dallas was the youngest team in the league last season, and it often played out that way with exuberant highs and dreary lows.</p>
<p>Down 39-27 at the half with the offense stuck in the mud, I contemplated whether or not this Wings team would be much the same as last year. Dallas went on to outscore the Sun 58-38 in the second half, including a remarkable run late in the third quarter with Arike Ogunbowale on the bench.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">WNBA average roster age (Multiple games played, still on roster, 10 mpg or more)<br /><br />SEA - 30.2<br />PHX - 29.78<br />CHI - 28.77<br />CON - 28.3<br />MIN - 27.6<br />LV - 27.6<br />WAS - 27.45<br />NYL - 26.1<br />ATL - 25.9<br />LAS - 25.64<br />IND - 24.8<br />DAL - 24.4</p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1529467131066298368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</span></p>
<p>They&rsquo;re the youngest team yet again this season, but things <em>feel</em> different.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That second half was indicative of a team that finally was able to turn the page and cast aside some of the demons that plagued it last year. They didn&rsquo;t fold when they presented with perhaps their most difficult moment this year; down double-digits, on the road, against one of the best teams in the league.</p>
<p>Wings head coach Vickie Johnson echoed similar sentiments during her postgame availability.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The last five minutes, we are valuing the basketball more," Johnson said. "We have the patience to run our sets, to get good looks, we are not one pass, shot, like before. We have the patience to move the basketball and give up a good shot for a better shot. And now, we are knocking down open shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Wings currently have the third-lowest turnover rate in the WNBA, per HerHoopStats. Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey were dynamic Tuesday night by getting into their pull-up games out of pick-and-roll, but also blending their ability to get into the paint and collapse the defense.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wb1nln" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>This play was huge last night and speaks greatly to what Coach Johnson discussed after the game. Not that this pass wasn&rsquo;t made last season, but it feels like trust is there more. This could have been a contested layup, and heck, Arike may have hit it because she&rsquo;s that nice. But to fully collapse the defense and then make them pay with the wide-open three was an awesome process.</p>
<p>On that aforementioned third-quarter run (with Arike on the bench), Johnson went to a lineup of Mabrey-Allisha Gray-Kayla Thornton-Satou Sabally-Isabelle Harrison, and it outscored the Sun by 8 points in a five-and-a-half-minute stretch, per InStat.</p>
<p>The Harrison-Sabally frontcourt has really impressed since the latter returned from overseas play. Per PBP Stats, in the 18 minutes the duo has shared the court, the Wings have a 35.3 Net Rating, absolutely blitzing opponents on offense and stifling them on defense. They both have intriguing skills and coordination off the bounce. They can run dribble handoffs and make quick passes.</p>
<p>Harrison&rsquo;s confidence and aggression has her top-20 in the league in free-throw attempts per game, and 12th in makes at the line on the season.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Playing for AU (Athletes Unlimited) in Vegas helped her to become more of a leader, to think through the game a little more&hellip; I expect a lot from her. I put a lot of pressure on her and she is doing an amazing job," Johnson said of Harrison.</p>
<p>"She&rsquo;s getting to her spots and finishing in the paint and... In the first half she took three jump shots, and I ripped her kind of hard because they don&rsquo;t fear her outside the lane, they fear you when you get to the lane and make your move. She is one of the players who has multiple moves inside, so now she just has to use it and not settle for jump shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Harrison and Sabally got to the line seven times in that third-quarter stretch, and their mobility and quickness really gave Brionna Jones and the Sun's frontcourt problems. Catching on the perimeter or out to the high post gave them enough space to slice to the interior and draw fouls or finish at the rim.</p>
<p>The defense of this unit was the icing on the cake, however.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/51bbz0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Just bask in and admire that activity. This Dallas team relies heavily on timely and proper peel switches, along with activity and mobility from the bigs playing the screen. They shrink the court to minimize interior penetration.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3llzik" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The Sun go to empty pick-and-roll, and Jones pops after the screen for Williams. Harrison stunts and shows to stop a drive, Mabrey gets back in front and the ball is contained.</p>
<p>Note how Sabally also steps in on the back end to contain a potential drive from Jonquel Jones. Harrison then recovers out, and Jones takes the shot. It's not perfectly contested, but that's also part of the point; don't give up the middle.</p>
<p>Speaking of that peel switching, watch this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mcdbyj" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Alyssa Thomas sets a back screen on Harrison as Jones wheels to the opposite corner. Harrison calls for the peel switch, Mabrey takes Jones and Harrison takes Mabrey's assignment in Courtney Williams. The play with multiple back screens flattens out, but the Sun get the switch they're looking for with Jones on the much smaller Mabrey. Gray rotates over to help, forcing the rotation as the ball gets kicked to Natisha Hiedeman.</p>
<p>Harrison is already peeling to Hiedeman, and Williams relocates to the slot while DeWanna Bonner sinks to the corner and gets the ball on a skip. Sabally avoids the Thomas pin-in, closes to Bonner and stays in front, and Gray has already recovered back across the court to take Williams. Jonquel still has Mabrey isolated, and as soon as she gets the post-entry pass, the Wings sink in to help (probably a slight overhelp off of Thomas, part of why the rebound gets into her hands) and Gray zones up on the back end as the Wings end up forcing a turnover.</p>
<p>That is a stellar defensive possession. The amount of things going on in unison and as the play develops highlights how in sync this Wings team has been on that end. They certainly can still make mistakes, but they're becoming less frequent, and when it mattered most last night, they put together a dominant defensive stand.</p>
<p>Gray is coming for an All-Defensive Team, both in her own mission expressed this season and with her play. She's been forceful pressuring on the ball, developing into Dallas' go-to stopper. Her recovery skills have been arguably as, if not more, impressive. She took the primary assignment of an All-Star forward in Bonner, and, in spite of a sizable height disparity, routinely forced her into awkward shots and contested her well.</p>
<p>Gray is 4th in The W in blocks per game (1.9), a ridiculous number considering every player in the top 10 besides her plays the 4 or 5.</p>
<p>Johnson called Gray "probably the best two-way player in the W right now," and while I can't quite get there, she's making a case for certain as she puts together her best all around season.</p>
<p>Everything is clicking, everyone is finding some sort of footing in the rotation, and the Wings are out to a great start. It's early in the season to be sure, but this Dallas team has a different verve and readiness in year two under Vickie Johnson, with last night fully emblematic of such.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>With a win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Dallas Wings recorded their first victory over the Sun in 1,064 days and snapped a seven-game losing streak against them in the process.</p>
<p>The Wings have put together solid games already this season, splitting a pair of games with the Washington Mystics and getting out to their best start of the season (4-2 prior to Tuesday) since 2015.</p>
<p>I had this matchup circled for the past week. Every Wings game this season has provided bright flashes and glimpses of what they can be. Yet, outside of the two games with the Mystics, the Wings hadn&rsquo;t quite faced one of the elite tests in the league, and Connecticut provided that and then some.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We&rsquo;ve seen intrigue and enticement from this young roster for a few seasons now, and often the flashes have been ousted. Dallas was the youngest team in the league last season, and it often played out that way with exuberant highs and dreary lows.</p>
<p>Down 39-27 at the half with the offense stuck in the mud, I contemplated whether or not this Wings team would be much the same as last year. Dallas went on to outscore the Sun 58-38 in the second half, including a remarkable run late in the third quarter with Arike Ogunbowale on the bench.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">WNBA average roster age (Multiple games played, still on roster, 10 mpg or more)<br /><br />SEA - 30.2<br />PHX - 29.78<br />CHI - 28.77<br />CON - 28.3<br />MIN - 27.6<br />LV - 27.6<br />WAS - 27.45<br />NYL - 26.1<br />ATL - 25.9<br />LAS - 25.64<br />IND - 24.8<br />DAL - 24.4</p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1529467131066298368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</span></p>
<p>They&rsquo;re the youngest team yet again this season, but things <em>feel</em> different.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That second half was indicative of a team that finally was able to turn the page and cast aside some of the demons that plagued it last year. They didn&rsquo;t fold when they presented with perhaps their most difficult moment this year; down double-digits, on the road, against one of the best teams in the league.</p>
<p>Wings head coach Vickie Johnson echoed similar sentiments during her postgame availability.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The last five minutes, we are valuing the basketball more," Johnson said. "We have the patience to run our sets, to get good looks, we are not one pass, shot, like before. We have the patience to move the basketball and give up a good shot for a better shot. And now, we are knocking down open shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Wings currently have the third-lowest turnover rate in the WNBA, per HerHoopStats. Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey were dynamic Tuesday night by getting into their pull-up games out of pick-and-roll, but also blending their ability to get into the paint and collapse the defense.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wb1nln" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>This play was huge last night and speaks greatly to what Coach Johnson discussed after the game. Not that this pass wasn&rsquo;t made last season, but it feels like trust is there more. This could have been a contested layup, and heck, Arike may have hit it because she&rsquo;s that nice. But to fully collapse the defense and then make them pay with the wide-open three was an awesome process.</p>
<p>On that aforementioned third-quarter run (with Arike on the bench), Johnson went to a lineup of Mabrey-Allisha Gray-Kayla Thornton-Satou Sabally-Isabelle Harrison, and it outscored the Sun by 8 points in a five-and-a-half-minute stretch, per InStat.</p>
<p>The Harrison-Sabally frontcourt has really impressed since the latter returned from overseas play. Per PBP Stats, in the 18 minutes the duo has shared the court, the Wings have a 35.3 Net Rating, absolutely blitzing opponents on offense and stifling them on defense. They both have intriguing skills and coordination off the bounce. They can run dribble handoffs and make quick passes.</p>
<p>Harrison&rsquo;s confidence and aggression has her top-20 in the league in free-throw attempts per game, and 12th in makes at the line on the season.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Playing for AU (Athletes Unlimited) in Vegas helped her to become more of a leader, to think through the game a little more&hellip; I expect a lot from her. I put a lot of pressure on her and she is doing an amazing job," Johnson said of Harrison.</p>
<p>"She&rsquo;s getting to her spots and finishing in the paint and... In the first half she took three jump shots, and I ripped her kind of hard because they don&rsquo;t fear her outside the lane, they fear you when you get to the lane and make your move. She is one of the players who has multiple moves inside, so now she just has to use it and not settle for jump shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Harrison and Sabally got to the line seven times in that third-quarter stretch, and their mobility and quickness really gave Brionna Jones and the Sun's frontcourt problems. Catching on the perimeter or out to the high post gave them enough space to slice to the interior and draw fouls or finish at the rim.</p>
<p>The defense of this unit was the icing on the cake, however.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/51bbz0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Just bask in and admire that activity. This Dallas team relies heavily on timely and proper peel switches, along with activity and mobility from the bigs playing the screen. They shrink the court to minimize interior penetration.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3llzik" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The Sun go to empty pick-and-roll, and Jones pops after the screen for Williams. Harrison stunts and shows to stop a drive, Mabrey gets back in front and the ball is contained.</p>
<p>Note how Sabally also steps in on the back end to contain a potential drive from Jonquel Jones. Harrison then recovers out, and Jones takes the shot. It's not perfectly contested, but that's also part of the point; don't give up the middle.</p>
<p>Speaking of that peel switching, watch this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mcdbyj" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Alyssa Thomas sets a back screen on Harrison as Jones wheels to the opposite corner. Harrison calls for the peel switch, Mabrey takes Jones and Harrison takes Mabrey's assignment in Courtney Williams. The play with multiple back screens flattens out, but the Sun get the switch they're looking for with Jones on the much smaller Mabrey. Gray rotates over to help, forcing the rotation as the ball gets kicked to Natisha Hiedeman.</p>
<p>Harrison is already peeling to Hiedeman, and Williams relocates to the slot while DeWanna Bonner sinks to the corner and gets the ball on a skip. Sabally avoids the Thomas pin-in, closes to Bonner and stays in front, and Gray has already recovered back across the court to take Williams. Jonquel still has Mabrey isolated, and as soon as she gets the post-entry pass, the Wings sink in to help (probably a slight overhelp off of Thomas, part of why the rebound gets into her hands) and Gray zones up on the back end as the Wings end up forcing a turnover.</p>
<p>That is a stellar defensive possession. The amount of things going on in unison and as the play develops highlights how in sync this Wings team has been on that end. They certainly can still make mistakes, but they're becoming less frequent, and when it mattered most last night, they put together a dominant defensive stand.</p>
<p>Gray is coming for an All-Defensive Team, both in her own mission expressed this season and with her play. She's been forceful pressuring on the ball, developing into Dallas' go-to stopper. Her recovery skills have been arguably as, if not more, impressive. She took the primary assignment of an All-Star forward in Bonner, and, in spite of a sizable height disparity, routinely forced her into awkward shots and contested her well.</p>
<p>Gray is 4th in The W in blocks per game (1.9), a ridiculous number considering every player in the top 10 besides her plays the 4 or 5.</p>
<p>Johnson called Gray "probably the best two-way player in The W right now," and while I can't quite get there, she's making a case for certain as she puts together her best all-around season.</p>
<p>Everything is clicking, everyone is finding some sort of footing in the rotation and the Wings are out to a great start. It's early in the season to be sure, but this Dallas team has a different verve and readiness in year two under Vickie Johnson, with last night fully emblematic of such.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>With a win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Dallas Wings recorded their first victory over the Sun in 1,064 days and snapped a seven-game losing streak against them in the process.</p>
<p>The Wings have put together solid games already this season, splitting a pair of games with the Washington Mystics and getting out to their best start of the season (4-2 prior to Tuesday) since 2015.</p>
<p>I had this matchup circled for the past week. Every Wings game this season has provided bright flashes and glimpses of what they can be. Yet, outside of the two games with the Mystics, the Wings hadn&rsquo;t quite faced one of the elite tests in the league, and Connecticut provided that and then some.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We&rsquo;ve seen intrigue and enticement from this young roster for a few seasons now, and often the flashes have been ousted. Dallas was the youngest team in the league last season, and it often played out that way with exuberant highs and dreary lows.</p>
<p>Down 39-27 at the half with the offense stuck in the mud, I contemplated whether or not this Wings team would be much the same as last year. Dallas went on to outscore the Sun 58-38 in the second half, including a remarkable run late in the third quarter with Arike Ogunbowale on the bench.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">WNBA average roster age (Multiple games played, still on roster, 10 mpg or more)<br /><br />SEA - 30.2<br />PHX - 29.78<br />CHI - 28.77<br />CON - 28.3<br />MIN - 27.6<br />LV - 27.6<br />WAS - 27.45<br />NYL - 26.1<br />ATL - 25.9<br />LAS - 25.64<br />IND - 24.8<br />DAL - 24.4</p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1529467131066298368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</span></p>
<p>They&rsquo;re the youngest team yet again this season, but things <em>feel</em> different.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That second half was indicative of a team that finally was able to turn the page and cast aside some of the demons that plagued it last year. They didn&rsquo;t fold when they presented with perhaps their most difficult moment this year; down double-digits, on the road, against one of the best teams in the league.</p>
<p>Wings head coach Vickie Johnson echoed similar sentiments during her postgame availability.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The last five minutes, we are valuing the basketball more," Johnson said. "We have the patience to run our sets, to get good looks, we are not one pass, shot, like before. We have the patience to move the basketball and give up a good shot for a better shot. And now, we are knocking down open shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Wings currently have the third-lowest turnover rate in the WNBA, per HerHoopStats. Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey were dynamic Tuesday night by getting into their pull-up games out of pick-and-roll, but also blending their ability to get into the paint and collapse the defense.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wb1nln" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>This play was huge last night and speaks greatly to what Coach Johnson discussed after the game. Not that this pass wasn&rsquo;t made last season, but it feels like trust is there more. This could have been a contested layup, and heck, Arike may have hit it because she&rsquo;s that nice. But to fully collapse the defense and then make them pay with the wide-open three was an awesome process.</p>
<p>On that aforementioned third-quarter run (with Arike on the bench), Johnson went to a lineup of Mabrey-Allisha Gray-Kayla Thornton-Satou Sabally-Isabelle Harrison, and it outscored the Sun by 8 points in a five-and-a-half-minute stretch, per InStat.</p>
<p>The Harrison-Sabally frontcourt has really impressed since the latter returned from overseas play. Per PBP Stats, in the 18 minutes the duo has shared the court, the Wings have a 35.3 Net Rating, absolutely blitzing opponents on offense and stifling them on defense. They both have intriguing skills and coordination off the bounce. They can run dribble handoffs and make quick passes.</p>
<p>Harrison&rsquo;s confidence and aggression has her top-20 in the league in free-throw attempts per game, and 12th in makes at the line on the season.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Playing for AU (Athletes Unlimited) in Vegas helped her to become more of a leader, to think through the game a little more&hellip; I expect a lot from her. I put a lot of pressure on her and she is doing an amazing job," Johnson said of Harrison.</p>
<p>"She&rsquo;s getting to her spots and finishing in the paint and... In the first half she took three jump shots, and I ripped her kind of hard because they don&rsquo;t fear her outside the lane, they fear you when you get to the lane and make your move. She is one of the players who has multiple moves inside, so now she just has to use it and not settle for jump shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Harrison and Sabally got to the line seven times in that third-quarter stretch, and their mobility and quickness really gave Brionna Jones and the Sun's frontcourt problems. Catching on the perimeter or out to the high post gave them enough space to slice to the interior and draw fouls or finish at the rim.</p>
<p>The defense of this unit was the icing on the cake, however.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/51bbz0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Just bask in and admire that activity. This Dallas team relies heavily on timely and proper peel switches, along with activity and mobility from the bigs playing the screen. They shrink the court to minimize interior penetration.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3llzik" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The Sun go to empty pick-and-roll, and Jones pops after the screen for Williams. Harrison stunts and shows to stop a drive, Mabrey gets back in front and the ball is contained.</p>
<p>Note how Sabally also steps in on the back end to contain a potential drive from Jonquel Jones. Harrison then recovers out, and Jones takes the shot. It's not perfectly contested, but that's also part of the point; don't give up the middle.</p>
<p>Speaking of that peel switching, watch this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mcdbyj" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Alyssa Thomas sets a back screen on Harrison as Jones wheels to the opposite corner. Harrison calls for the peel switch, Mabrey takes Jones and Harrison takes Mabrey's assignment in Courtney Williams. The play with multiple back screens flattens out, but the Sun get the switch they're looking for with Jones on the much smaller Mabrey. Gray rotates over to help, forcing the rotation as the ball gets kicked to Natisha Hiedeman.</p>
<p>Harrison is already peeling to Hiedeman, and Williams relocates to the slot while DeWanna Bonner sinks to the corner and gets the ball on a skip. Sabally avoids the Thomas pin-in, closes to Bonner and stays in front, and Gray has already recovered back across the court to take Williams. Jonquel still has Mabrey isolated, and as soon as she gets the post-entry pass, the Wings sink in to help (probably a slight overhelp off of Thomas, part of why the rebound gets into her hands) and Gray zones up on the back end as the Wings end up forcing a turnover.</p>
<p>That is a stellar defensive possession. The amount of things going on in unison and as the play develops highlights how in sync this Wings team has been on that end. They certainly can still make mistakes, but they're becoming less frequent, and when it mattered most last night, they put together a dominant defensive stand.</p>
<p>Gray is coming for an All-Defensive Team, both in her own mission expressed this season and with her play. She's been forceful pressuring on the ball, developing into Dallas' go-to stopper. Her recovery skills have been arguably as, if not more, impressive. She took the primary assignment of an All-Star forward in Bonner, and, in spite of a sizable height disparity, routinely forced her into awkward shots and contested her well.</p>
<p>Gray is 4th in The W in blocks per game (1.9), a ridiculous number considering every player in the top 10 besides her plays the 4 or 5.</p>
<p>Johnson called Gray "probably the best two-way player in The W right now," and while I can't quite get there, she's making a case for certain as she puts together her best all-around season.</p>
<p>Everything is clicking, everyone is finding some sort of footing in the rotation, and the Wings are out to a great start.</p>
<p>It's early in the season to be sure, but this Dallas team has a different verve and readiness in year two under Vickie Johnson, with last night fully emblematic of such.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>With a win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Dallas Wings recorded their first victory over the Sun in 1,064 days and snapped a seven-game losing streak against them in the process.</p>
<p>The Wings have put together solid games already this season, splitting a pair of games with the Washington Mystics and getting out to their best start of the season (4-2 prior to Tuesday) since 2015.</p>
<p>I had this matchup circled for the past week. Every Wings game this season has provided bright flashes and glimpses of what they can be. Yet, outside of the two games with the Mystics, the Wings hadn&rsquo;t quite faced one of the elite tests in the league, and Connecticut provided that and then some.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We&rsquo;ve seen intrigue and enticement from this young roster for a few seasons now, and often the flashes have been ousted. Dallas was the youngest team in the league last season, and it often played out that way with exuberant highs and dreary lows.</p>
<p>Down 39-27 at the half with the offense stuck in the mud, I contemplated whether or not this Wings team would be much the same as last year. Dallas went on to outscore the Sun 58-38 in the second half, including a remarkable run late in the third quarter with Arike Ogunbowale on the bench.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">WNBA average roster age (Multiple games played, still on roster, 10 mpg or more)<br /><br />SEA - 30.2<br />PHX - 29.78<br />CHI - 28.77<br />CON - 28.3<br />MIN - 27.6<br />LV - 27.6<br />WAS - 27.45<br />NYL - 26.1<br />ATL - 25.9<br />LAS - 25.64<br />IND - 24.8<br />DAL - 24.4</p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1529467131066298368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</span></p>
<p>They&rsquo;re the youngest team yet again this season, but things <em>feel</em> different.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That second half was indicative of a team that finally was able to turn the page and cast aside some of the demons that plagued it last year. They didn&rsquo;t fold when they presented with perhaps their most difficult moment this year; down double-digits, on the road, against one of the best teams in the league.</p>
<p>Wings head coach Vickie Johnson echoed similar sentiments during her postgame availability.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The last five minutes, we are valuing the basketball more," Johnson said. "We have the patience to run our sets, to get good looks, we are not one pass, shot, like before. We have the patience to move the basketball and give up a good shot for a better shot. And now, we are knocking down open shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Wings currently have the third-lowest turnover rate in the WNBA, per HerHoopStats. Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey were dynamic Tuesday night by getting into their pull-up games out of pick-and-roll, but also blending their ability to get into the paint and collapse the defense.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wb1nln" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>This play was huge last night and speaks greatly to what Coach Johnson discussed after the game. Not that this pass wasn&rsquo;t made last season, but it feels like trust is there more. This could have been a contested layup, and heck, Arike may have hit it because she&rsquo;s that nice. But to fully collapse the defense and then make them pay with the wide-open three was an awesome process.</p>
<p>On that aforementioned third-quarter run (with Arike on the bench), Johnson went to a lineup of Mabrey-Allisha Gray-Kayla Thornton-Satou Sabally-Isabelle Harrison, and it outscored the Sun by 8 points in a five-and-a-half-minute stretch, per InStat.</p>
<p>The Harrison-Sabally frontcourt has really impressed since the latter returned from overseas play. Per PBP Stats, in the 18 minutes the duo has shared the court, the Wings have a 35.3 Net Rating, absolutely blitzing opponents on offense and stifling them on defense. They both have intriguing skills and coordination off the bounce. They can run dribble handoffs and make quick passes.</p>
<p>Harrison&rsquo;s confidence and aggression has her top-20 in the league in free-throw attempts per game, and 12th in makes at the line on the season.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Playing for AU (Athletes Unlimited) in Vegas helped her to become more of a leader, to think through the game a little more&hellip; I expect a lot from her. I put a lot of pressure on her and she is doing an amazing job," Johnson said of Harrison.</p>
<p>"She&rsquo;s getting to her spots and finishing in the paint and... In the first half she took three jump shots, and I ripped her kind of hard because they don&rsquo;t fear her outside the lane, they fear you when you get to the lane and make your move. She is one of the players who has multiple moves inside, so now she just has to use it and not settle for jump shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Harrison and Sabally got to the line seven times in that third-quarter stretch, and their mobility and quickness really gave Brionna Jones and the Sun's frontcourt problems. Catching on the perimeter or out to the high post gave them enough space to slice to the interior and draw fouls or finish at the rim.</p>
<p>The defense of this unit was the icing on the cake, however.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/51bbz0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Just bask in and admire that activity. This Dallas team relies heavily on timely and proper peel switches, along with activity and mobility from the bigs playing the screen. They shrink the court to minimize interior penetration.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3llzik" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The Sun go to empty pick-and-roll, and Jones pops after the screen for Williams. Harrison stunts and shows to stop a drive, Mabrey gets back in front and the ball is contained.</p>
<p>Note how Sabally also steps in on the back end to contain a potential drive from Jonquel Jones. Harrison then recovers out, and Jones takes the shot. It's not perfectly contested, but that's also part of the point; don't give up the middle.</p>
<p>Speaking of that peel switching, watch this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mcdbyj" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Alyssa Thomas sets a back screen on Harrison as Jones wheels to the opposite corner. Harrison calls for the peel switch, Mabrey takes Jones and Harrison takes Mabrey's assignment in Courtney Williams. The play with multiple back screens flattens out, but the Sun get the switch they're looking for with Jones on the much smaller Mabrey. Gray rotates over to help, forcing the rotation as the ball gets kicked to Natisha Hiedeman.</p>
<p>Harrison is already peeling to Hiedeman, and Williams relocates to the slot while DeWanna Bonner sinks to the corner and gets the ball on a skip. Sabally avoids the Thomas pin-in, closes to Bonner and stays in front, and Gray has already recovered back across the court to take Williams. Jonquel still has Mabrey isolated, and as soon as she gets the post-entry pass, the Wings sink in to help (probably a slight overhelp off of Thomas, part of why the rebound gets into her hands) and Gray zones up on the back end as the Wings end up forcing a turnover.</p>
<p>That is a stellar defensive possession. The amount of things going on in unison and as the play develops highlights how in sync this Wings team has been on that end. They certainly can still make mistakes, but they're becoming less frequent, and when it mattered most last night, they put together a dominant defensive stand.</p>
<p>Gray is coming for an All-Defensive Team, both in her own mission expressed this season and with her play. She's been forceful pressuring on the ball, developing into Dallas' go-to stopper. Her recovery skills have been arguably as, if not more, impressive. She took the primary assignment of an All-Star forward in Bonner, and, in spite of a sizable height disparity, routinely forced her into awkward shots and contested her well.</p>
<p>Gray is 4th in The W in blocks per game (1.9), a ridiculous number considering every player in the top 10 besides her plays the 4 or 5.</p>
<p>Johnson called Gray "probably the best two-way player in The W right now," and while I can't quite get there, she's making a case for certain as she puts together her best all-around season.</p>
<p>Everything is clicking, everyone is finding some sort of footing in the rotation, and the Wings are out to a great start.</p>
<p>It's early in the season to be sure, but this Dallas team has a different verve and readiness in Year 2 under Vickie Johnson, with last night fully emblematic of such.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>With a win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Dallas Wings recorded their first victory over the Sun in 1,064 days and snapped a seven-game losing streak against them in the process.</p>
<p>The Wings have put together solid games already this season, splitting a pair of games with the Washington Mystics and getting out to their best start of the season (4-2 prior to Tuesday) since 2015.</p>
<p>I had this matchup circled for the past week. Every Wings game this season has provided bright flashes and glimpses of what they can be. Yet, outside of the two games with the Mystics, the Wings hadn&rsquo;t quite faced one of the elite tests in the league, and Connecticut provided that and then some.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We&rsquo;ve seen intrigue and enticement from this young roster for a few seasons now, and often the flashes have been ousted. Dallas was the youngest team in the league last season, and it often played out that way with exuberant highs and dreary lows.</p>
<p>Down 39-27 at the half with the offense stuck in the mud, I contemplated whether or not this Wings team would be much the same as last year. Dallas went on to outscore the Sun 58-38 in the second half, including a remarkable run late in the third quarter with Arike Ogunbowale on the bench.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">WNBA average roster age (Multiple games played, still on roster, 10 mpg or more)<br /><br />SEA - 30.2<br />PHX - 29.78<br />CHI - 28.77<br />CON - 28.3<br />MIN - 27.6<br />LV - 27.6<br />WAS - 27.45<br />NYL - 26.1<br />ATL - 25.9<br />LAS - 25.64<br />IND - 24.8<br />DAL - 24.4</p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1529467131066298368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</span></p>
<p>They&rsquo;re the youngest team yet again this season, but things <em>feel</em> different.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That second half was indicative of a team that finally was able to turn the page and cast aside some of the demons that plagued it last year. They didn&rsquo;t fold when they presented with perhaps their most difficult moment this year; down double-digits, on the road, against one of the best teams in the league.</p>
<p>Wings head coach Vickie Johnson echoed similar sentiments during her postgame availability.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The last five minutes, we are valuing the basketball more," Johnson said. "We have the patience to run our sets, to get good looks, we are not one pass, shot, like before. We have the patience to move the basketball and give up a good shot for a better shot. And now, we are knocking down open shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Wings currently have the third-lowest turnover rate in the WNBA, per HerHoopStats. Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey were dynamic Tuesday night by getting into their pull-up games out of pick-and-roll, but also blending their ability to get into the paint and collapse the defense.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wb1nln" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>This play was huge last night and speaks greatly to what Coach Johnson discussed after the game. Not that this pass wasn&rsquo;t made last season, but it feels like trust is there more. This could have been a contested layup, and heck, Arike may have hit it because she&rsquo;s that nice. But to fully collapse the defense and then make them pay with the wide-open three was an awesome process.</p>
<p>On that aforementioned third-quarter run (with Arike on the bench), Johnson went to a lineup of Mabrey-Allisha Gray-Kayla Thornton-Satou Sabally-Isabelle Harrison, and it outscored the Sun by 8 points in a five-and-a-half-minute stretch, per InStat.</p>
<p>The Harrison-Sabally frontcourt has really impressed since the latter returned from overseas play. Per PBP Stats, in the 18 minutes the duo has shared the court, the Wings have a 35.3 Net Rating, absolutely blitzing opponents on offense and stifling them on defense. They both have intriguing skills and coordination off the bounce. They can run dribble handoffs and make quick passes.</p>
<p>Harrison&rsquo;s confidence and aggression has her top-20 in the league in free-throw attempts per game, and 12th in makes at the line on the season.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Playing for AU (Athletes Unlimited) in Vegas helped her to become more of a leader, to think through the game a little more&hellip; I expect a lot from her. I put a lot of pressure on her and she is doing an amazing job," Johnson said of Harrison.</p>
<p>"She&rsquo;s getting to her spots and finishing in the paint and... In the first half she took three jump shots, and I ripped her kind of hard because they don&rsquo;t fear her outside the lane, they fear you when you get to the lane and make your move. She is one of the players who has multiple moves inside, so now she just has to use it and not settle for jump shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Harrison and Sabally got to the line seven times in that third-quarter stretch, and their mobility and quickness really gave Brionna Jones and the Sun's frontcourt problems. Catching on the perimeter or out to the high post gave them enough space to slice to the interior and draw fouls or finish at the rim.</p>
<p>The defense of this unit was the icing on the cake, however.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/51bbz0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Just bask in and admire that activity. This Dallas team relies heavily on timely and proper peel switches, along with activity and mobility from the bigs playing the screen. They shrink the court to minimize interior penetration.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3llzik" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The Sun go to empty pick-and-roll, and Jones pops after the screen for Williams. Harrison stunts and shows to stop a drive, Mabrey gets back in front and the ball is contained.</p>
<p>Note how Sabally also steps in on the back end to contain a potential drive from Jonquel Jones. Harrison then recovers out, and Jones takes the shot. It's not perfectly contested, but that's also part of the point; don't give up the middle.</p>
<p>Speaking of that peel switching, watch this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mcdbyj" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Alyssa Thomas sets a back screen on Harrison as Jones wheels to the opposite corner. Harrison calls for the peel switch, Mabrey takes Jones and Harrison takes Mabrey's assignment in Courtney Williams. The play with multiple back screens flattens out, but the Sun get the switch they're looking for with Jones on the much smaller Mabrey. Gray rotates over to help, forcing the rotation as the ball gets kicked to Natisha Hiedeman.</p>
<p>Harrison is already peeling to Hiedeman, and Williams relocates to the slot while DeWanna Bonner sinks to the corner and gets the ball on a skip. Sabally avoids the Thomas pin-in, closes to Bonner and stays in front, and Gray has already recovered back across the court to take Williams. Jonquel still has Mabrey isolated, and as soon as she gets the post-entry pass, the Wings sink in to help (probably a slight overhelp off of Thomas, part of why the rebound gets into her hands) and Gray zones up on the back end as the Wings end up forcing a turnover.</p>
<p>That is a stellar defensive possession. The amount of things going on in unison and as the play develops highlights how in sync this Wings team has been on that end. They certainly can still make mistakes, but they're becoming less frequent, and when it mattered most last night, they put together a dominant defensive stand.</p>
<p>Gray is coming for an All-Defensive Team, both in her own mission expressed this season and with her play. She's been forceful pressuring on the ball, developing into Dallas' go-to stopper. Her recovery skills have been arguably as, if not more, impressive. She took the primary assignment of an All-Star forward in Bonner, and, in spite of a sizable height disparity, routinely forced her into awkward shots and contested her well.</p>
<p>Gray is 4th in The W in blocks per game (1.9), a ridiculous number considering every player in the top 10 besides her plays the 4 or 5.</p>
<p>Johnson called Gray "probably the best two-way player in The W right now," and while I can't quite get there, she's making a case for certain as she puts together her best all-around season.</p>
<p>Everything is clicking, everyone is finding some sort of footing in the rotation, and the Wings are out to a great start.</p>
<p>It's early in the season to be sure, but this Dallas team has a different verve and readiness in Year 2 under Vickie Johnson, with Tuesday night fully emblematic of such.</p>
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<p>With a win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Dallas Wings recorded their first victory over the Sun in 1,064 days and snapped a seven-game losing streak against them in the process.</p>
<p>The Wings have put together solid games already this season, splitting a pair of games with the Washington Mystics and getting out to their best start of the season (4-2 prior to Tuesday) since 2015.</p>
<p>I had this matchup circled for the past week. Every Wings game this season has provided bright flashes and glimpses of what they can be. Yet, outside of the two games with the Mystics, the Wings hadn&rsquo;t quite faced one of the elite tests in the league, and Connecticut provided that and then some.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We&rsquo;ve seen intrigue and enticement from this young roster for a few seasons now, and often the flashes have been ousted. Dallas was the youngest team in the league last season, and it often played out that way with exuberant highs and dreary lows.</p>
<p>Down 39-27 at the half with the offense stuck in the mud, I contemplated whether or not this Wings team would be much the same as last year. Dallas went on to outscore the Sun 58-38 in the second half, including a remarkable run late in the third quarter with Arike Ogunbowale on the bench.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">WNBA average roster age (Multiple games played, still on roster, 10 mpg or more)<br /><br />SEA - 30.2<br />PHX - 29.78<br />CHI - 28.77<br />CON - 28.3<br />MIN - 27.6<br />LV - 27.6<br />WAS - 27.45<br />NYL - 26.1<br />ATL - 25.9<br />LAS - 25.64<br />IND - 24.8<br />DAL - 24.4</p>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1529467131066298368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<p>They&rsquo;re the youngest team yet again this season, but things <em>feel</em> different.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That second half was indicative of a team that finally was able to turn the page and cast aside some of the demons that plagued it last year. They didn&rsquo;t fold when they presented with perhaps their most difficult moment this year; down double-digits, on the road, against one of the best teams in the league.</p>
<p>Wings head coach Vickie Johnson echoed similar sentiments during her postgame availability.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The last five minutes, we are valuing the basketball more," Johnson said. "We have the patience to run our sets, to get good looks, we are not one pass, shot, like before. We have the patience to move the basketball and give up a good shot for a better shot. And now, we are knocking down open shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Wings currently have the third-lowest turnover rate in the WNBA, per HerHoopStats. Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey were dynamic Tuesday night by getting into their pull-up games out of pick-and-roll, but also blending their ability to get into the paint and collapse the defense.</p>
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<p>This play was huge last night and speaks greatly to what Coach Johnson discussed after the game. Not that this pass wasn&rsquo;t made last season, but it feels like trust is there more. This could have been a contested layup, and heck, Arike may have hit it because she&rsquo;s that nice. But to fully collapse the defense and then make them pay with the wide-open three was an awesome process.</p>
<p>On that aforementioned third-quarter run (with Arike on the bench), Johnson went to a lineup of Mabrey-Allisha Gray-Kayla Thornton-Satou Sabally-Isabelle Harrison, and it outscored the Sun by 8 points in a five-and-a-half-minute stretch, per InStat.</p>
<p>The Harrison-Sabally frontcourt has really impressed since the latter returned from overseas play. Per PBP Stats, in the 18 minutes the duo has shared the court, the Wings have a 35.3 Net Rating, absolutely blitzing opponents on offense and stifling them on defense. They both have intriguing skills and coordination off the bounce. They can run dribble handoffs and make quick passes.</p>
<p>Harrison&rsquo;s confidence and aggression has her top-20 in the league in free-throw attempts per game, and 12th in makes at the line on the season.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Playing for AU (Athletes Unlimited) in Vegas helped her to become more of a leader, to think through the game a little more&hellip; I expect a lot from her. I put a lot of pressure on her and she is doing an amazing job," Johnson said of Harrison.</p>
<p>"She&rsquo;s getting to her spots and finishing in the paint and... In the first half she took three jump shots, and I ripped her kind of hard because they don&rsquo;t fear her outside the lane, they fear you when you get to the lane and make your move. She is one of the players who has multiple moves inside, so now she just has to use it and not settle for jump shots.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Harrison and Sabally got to the line seven times in that third-quarter stretch, and their mobility and quickness really gave Brionna Jones and the Sun's frontcourt problems. Catching on the perimeter or out to the high post gave them enough space to slice to the interior and draw fouls or finish at the rim.</p>
<p>The defense of this unit was the icing on the cake, however.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/51bbz0" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Just bask in and admire that activity. This Dallas team relies heavily on timely and proper peel switches, along with activity and mobility from the bigs playing the screen. They shrink the court to minimize interior penetration.</p>
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<p>The Sun go to empty pick-and-roll, and Jones pops after the screen for Williams. Harrison stunts and shows to stop a drive, Mabrey gets back in front and the ball is contained.</p>
<p>Note how Sabally also steps in on the back end to contain a potential drive from Jonquel Jones. Harrison then recovers out, and Jones takes the shot. It's not perfectly contested, but that's also part of the point; don't give up the middle.</p>
<p>Speaking of that peel switching, watch this.</p>
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<p>Alyssa Thomas sets a back screen on Harrison as Jones wheels to the opposite corner. Harrison calls for the peel switch, Mabrey takes Jones and Harrison takes Mabrey's assignment in Courtney Williams. The play with multiple back screens flattens out, but the Sun get the switch they're looking for with Jones on the much smaller Mabrey. Gray rotates over to help, forcing the rotation as the ball gets kicked to Natisha Hiedeman.</p>
<p>Harrison is already peeling to Hiedeman, and Williams relocates to the slot while DeWanna Bonner sinks to the corner and gets the ball on a skip. Sabally avoids the Thomas pin-in, closes to Bonner and stays in front, and Gray has already recovered back across the court to take Williams. Jonquel still has Mabrey isolated, and as soon as she gets the post-entry pass, the Wings sink in to help (probably a slight overhelp off of Thomas, part of why the rebound gets into her hands) and Gray zones up on the back end as the Wings end up forcing a turnover.</p>
<p>That is a stellar defensive possession. The amount of things going on in unison and as the play develops highlights how in sync this Wings team has been on that end. They certainly can still make mistakes, but they're becoming less frequent, and when it mattered most last night, they put together a dominant defensive stand.</p>
<p>Gray is coming for an All-Defensive Team, both in her own mission expressed this season and with her play. She's been forceful pressuring on the ball, developing into Dallas' go-to stopper. Her recovery skills have been arguably as, if not more, impressive. She took the primary assignment of an All-Star forward in Bonner, and, in spite of a sizable height disparity, routinely forced her into awkward shots and contested her well.</p>
<p>Gray is 4th in The W in blocks per game (1.9), a ridiculous number considering every player in the top 10 besides her plays the 4 or 5.</p>
<p>Johnson called Gray "probably the best two-way player in The W right now," and while I can't quite get there, she's making a case for certain as she puts together her best all-around season.</p>
<p>Everything is clicking, everyone is finding some sort of footing in the rotation, and the Wings are out to a great start.</p>
<p>It's early in the season to be sure, but this Dallas team has a different verve and readiness in Year 2 under Vickie Johnson, and Tuesday night was fully emblematic of it.</p>
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The Dallas WIngs are now 5-2 after a signature win over the Connecticut Sun. Mark Schindler analyzes their hot start.

Great start by young Dallas Wings signals improved readiness

Through two weeks of the WNBA season, where does each team stack up and what are some prime takeaways?

WNBA Power Rankings 5/22

<p>In a raucous Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat walked away with the first tally struck in the win column of the best-of-seven series.</p>
<p>Boston opened up shooting the lights out, taking a 62-54 halftime lead. Jayson Tatum was firing on all cylinders. Robert Williams III was cultivating a no-fly zone with his verticality. Derrick White had Max Strus running circles trying to get open.</p>
<p>Coming out of the locker room for the second half, it was a different story. The Heat cracked off a 22-2 run to start the third quarter. Butler finished the game with 41 points, and his physical drives battered the Celtics, particularly with Payton Pritchard seeing the court as much as he did due to Marcus Smart's injury. Butler's prowess is the main story last night, but as you can hear multiple times a week on The Dunker Spot<em>&nbsp;</em>(<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/young-man-the-three/id1547857052?i=1000561786139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">They just had JJ Redick on, go listen!</a>), good offenses require multiple pressure points &mdash; especially against a defense as good as Boston's.</p>
<p>Tyler Herro had it going off the bench last night and was a bastion for Miami's first-half offense. Victor Oladipo crafted some solid looks out of ball screens, but the finishing wasn't there.</p>
<p>And then, there was Gabe Vincent, who was exceptional in finding his groove in the first half as a tough shot-maker in pick-and-roll situations and off of screens. He also found his teammates well as a second-side operator in the offense.</p>
<p>Vincent finished with a +23 Tuesday night, second in the game only to Butler (+25), and while single-game plus-minus is a finicky metric at times, it was indicative of Miami's play. The best minutes the Heat put forth were with the duo on-court and working in tandem. After a stellar regular season that saw Vincent start 27 games, he struggled a great deal across the first two series from the floor, shooting 27.7% from three and registering a 49.5% True Shooting percentage; a far cry from his regular-season play.</p>
<p>17 points, 3 assists and gritty defense made for a grand return to form for Vincent in the series opener, and a return greatly needed for a Heat team still missing Kyle Lowry.</p>
<p>Vincent's first basket encapsulated much of what was essential in his Game 1; extremely tough and well-defended, and Butler screening (more on that later).</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/vmv1lp" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Ripping off a quick double drag with Butler rolling and PJ Tucker popping, Vincent gets a step or two on Jaylen Brown due to a crunching Tucker screen. Robert Williams III is lurking, already having rejected a similar play from Vincent in an empty side pick-and-roll with Tucker earlier in the first quarter.</p>
<p>Vincent goes up and Williams III magnetizes to the ball, but Vincent adjusts mid-air and gets a remarkable high-glass finish to fall.</p>
<p>With his only second-quarter shot attempt midway through the frame, Gabe hit a relocation three to draw Miami back within single digits.</p>
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<p>Shout out to Caleb Martin for the impromptu screen and calling for Vincent to move and open himself up for the Butler outlet. With how this game was going for Boston early, enough can't be said for how huge this possession was at the time and in retrospect.</p>
<p>Early in the third quarter, there were two huge back-to-back plays by Vincent that kick-started the Heat offense. First, a huge deep self-created three to bail out a stifled possession. To say it felt back-breaking in the moment seems egregious, but just watching that game live, it was like, "WOAH, okay this is happening. The Heat are here."</p>
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<p>There's going to be, and already has been, criticism for Tatum's defense here, but I'm not sure what else you're supposed to do. Play too tight, and Vincent is going for a drawn foul. Tatum looks at the shot clock momentarily and that's right when Vincent rises and fires. Huge shot, huge play; here comes the avalanche (Miamalanche???).</p>
<p>Off another stifled Boston possession, Vincent comes down with a high pick from Bam Adebayo, and tries a pull-up three with about 5.5 seconds off the shot clock. He misses, but the impact is sizable. Boston's defense isn't that set, and it's scrambling to be ready earlier. Butler does his ghostly ninja cut to catch&nbsp; Brown off guard as soon as the shot goes up and seals Jaylen, and the offensive rebound falls right into Butler's lap. Putback, Miami lead.</p>
<p>Here's where the fun wrinkle mentioned earlier starts to come in. Jimmy Butler: Super-screener.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Butler was utilized as a screener for much of the game by the Heat, partially to limit how often he was strictly spacing, but also to get him going towards the rim. With how Vincent started to gun from deep and operate as a handler late second and early third, the combining of pressure points was vital in tearing open the gap and bending the Boston defense in cruel ways.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/afw6wi" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Three Vincent-Butler pick-and-roll possessions, three fouls drawn! That's pretty good!</p>
<p>Miami did everything they could to put Payton Pritchard through the ringer. Case and point - this Butler/Vincent DHO.</p>
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<p>Make Pritchard run, get Vincent a half-step, make Tatum think and make a decision with the clearout. Vincent touches the paint, kick to Tucker, "BANG!"</p>
<p>The icing on the cake from Vincent was this sideline out of bounds play.</p>
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<p>Another Butler screen in a quick Chicago action for Vincent. Derrick White was legitimately everywhere defensively last night and yet he just was rendered null and void by Vincent here. That's a nutty shot regardless of who you are; East/West movement, late clock, pull-up going towards the sideline.</p>
<p>While it would be unreasonable to expect Gabe Vincent to replicate this performance for an entire series, the way he was able to play off of Butler and add in his own wrinkles to the offense as a shotmaker was vital in taking an early series lead. An awesome game from a former undrafted player who continues to ratchet up his play and appears even closer to becoming a future starter in the NBA.</p>
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<p>In a raucous Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat walked away with the first tally struck in the win column of the best-of-seven series.</p>
<p>Boston opened up shooting the lights out, taking a 62-54 halftime lead. Jayson Tatum was firing on all cylinders. Robert Williams III was cultivating a no-fly zone with his verticality. Derrick White had Max Strus running circles trying to get open.</p>
<p>Coming out of the locker room for the second half, it was a different story. The Heat cracked off a 22-2 run to start the third quarter. Butler finished the game with 41 points, and his physical drives battered the Celtics, particularly with Payton Pritchard seeing the court as much as he did due to Marcus Smart's injury. Butler's prowess is the main story last night, but as you can hear multiple times a week on The Dunker Spot<em>&nbsp;</em>(<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/young-man-the-three/id1547857052?i=1000561786139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">They just had JJ Redick on, go listen!</a>), good offenses require multiple pressure points &mdash; especially against a defense as good as Boston's.</p>
<p>Tyler Herro had it going off the bench last night and was a bastion for Miami's first-half offense. Victor Oladipo crafted some solid looks out of ball screens, but the finishing wasn't there.</p>
<p>And then, there was Gabe Vincent, who was exceptional in finding his groove in the first half as a tough shot-maker in pick-and-roll situations and off of screens. He also found his teammates well as a second-side operator in the offense.</p>
<p>Vincent finished with a +23 Tuesday night, second in the game only to Butler (+25), and while single-game plus-minus is a finicky metric at times, it was indicative of Miami's play. The best minutes the Heat put forth were with the duo on-court and working in tandem. After a stellar regular season that saw Vincent start 27 games, he struggled a great deal across the first two series from the floor, shooting 27.7% from three and registering a 49.5% True Shooting percentage; a far cry from his regular-season play.</p>
<p>17 points, 3 assists and gritty defense made for a grand return to form for Vincent in the series opener, and a return greatly needed for a Heat team still missing Kyle Lowry.</p>
<p>Vincent's first basket encapsulated much of what was essential in his Game 1; extremely tough and well-defended, and Butler screening (more on that later).</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/vmv1lp" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Ripping off a quick double drag with Butler rolling and PJ Tucker popping, Vincent gets a step or two on Jaylen Brown due to a crunching Tucker screen. Robert Williams III is lurking, already having rejected a similar play from Vincent in an empty side pick-and-roll with Tucker earlier in the first quarter.</p>
<p>Vincent goes up and Williams III magnetizes to the ball, but Vincent adjusts mid-air and gets a remarkable high-glass finish to fall.</p>
<p>With his only second-quarter shot attempt midway through the frame, Gabe hit a relocation three to draw Miami back within single digits.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ig46ue" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Shout out to Caleb Martin for the impromptu screen and calling for Vincent to move and open himself up for the Butler outlet. With how this game was going for Boston early, enough can't be said for how huge this possession was at the time and in retrospect.</p>
<p>Early in the third quarter, there were two huge back-to-back plays by Vincent that kick-started the Heat offense. First, a huge deep self-created three to bail out a stifled possession. To say it felt back-breaking in the moment seems egregious, but just watching that game live, it was like, "WOAH, okay this is happening. The Heat are here."</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7c0am" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>There's going to be, and already has been, criticism for Tatum's defense here, but I'm not sure what else you're supposed to do. Play too tight, and Vincent is going for a drawn foul. Tatum looks at the shot clock momentarily and that's right when Vincent rises and fires. Huge shot, huge play; here comes the avalanche (Miamalanche???).</p>
<p>Off another stifled Boston possession, Vincent comes down with a high pick from Bam Adebayo, and tries a pull-up three with about 5.5 seconds off the shot clock. He misses, but the impact is sizable. Boston's defense isn't that set, and it's scrambling to be ready earlier. Butler does his ghostly ninja cut to catch&nbsp; Brown off guard as soon as the shot goes up and seals Jaylen, and the offensive rebound falls right into Butler's lap. Putback, Miami lead.</p>
<p>Here's where the fun wrinkle mentioned earlier starts to come in. Jimmy Butler: Super-screener.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Butler was utilized as a screener for much of the game by the Heat, partially to limit how often he was strictly spacing, but also to get him going towards the rim. With how Vincent started to gun from deep and operate as a handler late second and early third, the combining of pressure points was vital in tearing open the gap and bending the Boston defense in cruel ways.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/afw6wi" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Three Vincent-Butler pick-and-roll possessions, three fouls drawn! That's pretty good!</p>
<p>Miami did everything they could to put Payton Pritchard through the ringer. Case in point: This Butler-Vincent dribble handoff.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/okuou3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Make Pritchard run, get Vincent a half-step, make Tatum think and make a decision with the clearout. Vincent touches the paint, kick to Tucker, "BANG!"</p>
<p>The icing on the cake from Vincent was this sideline out of bounds play.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/u8vclg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Another Butler screen in a quick Chicago action for Vincent. Derrick White was legitimately everywhere defensively last night and yet he just was rendered null and void by Vincent here. That's a nutty shot regardless of who you are; East/West movement, late clock, pull-up going towards the sideline.</p>
<p>While it would be unreasonable to expect Gabe Vincent to replicate this performance for an entire series, the way he was able to play off of Butler and add in his own wrinkles to the offense as a shotmaker was vital in taking an early series lead. An awesome game from a former undrafted player who continues to ratchet up his play and appears even closer to becoming a future starter in the NBA.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p>In a raucous Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat walked away with the first tally struck in the win column of the best-of-seven series.</p>
<p>Boston opened up shooting the lights out, taking a 62-54 halftime lead. Jayson Tatum was firing on all cylinders. Robert Williams III was cultivating a no-fly zone with his verticality. Derrick White had Max Strus running circles trying to get open.</p>
<p>Coming out of the locker room for the second half, it was a different story. The Heat cracked off a 22-2 run to start the third quarter. Butler finished the game with 41 points, and his physical drives battered the Celtics, particularly with Payton Pritchard seeing the court as much as he did due to Marcus Smart's injury. Butler's prowess is the main story last night, but as you can hear multiple times a week on The Dunker Spot<em>&nbsp;</em>(<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/young-man-the-three/id1547857052?i=1000561786139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">They just had JJ Redick on, go listen!</a>), good offenses require multiple pressure points &mdash; especially against a defense as good as Boston's.</p>
<p>Tyler Herro had it going off the bench last night and was a bastion for Miami's first-half offense. Victor Oladipo crafted some solid looks out of ball screens, but the finishing wasn't there.</p>
<p>And then, there was Gabe Vincent, who was exceptional in finding his groove in the first half as a tough shot-maker in pick-and-roll situations and off of screens. He also found his teammates well as a second-side operator in the offense.</p>
<p>Vincent finished with a +23 Tuesday night, second in the game only to Butler (+25), and while single-game plus-minus is a finicky metric at times, it was indicative of Miami's play. The best minutes the Heat put forth were with the duo on-court and working in tandem. After a stellar regular season that saw Vincent start 27 games, he struggled a great deal across the first two series from the floor, shooting 27.7% from three and registering a 49.5% True Shooting percentage; a far cry from his regular-season play.</p>
<p>17 points, 3 assists and gritty defense made for a grand return to form for Vincent in the series opener, and a return greatly needed for a Heat team still missing Kyle Lowry.</p>
<p>Vincent's first basket encapsulated much of what was essential in his Game 1; extremely tough and well-defended, and Butler screening (more on that later).</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/vmv1lp" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Ripping off a quick double drag with Butler rolling and PJ Tucker popping, Vincent gets a step or two on Jaylen Brown due to a crunching Tucker screen. Robert Williams III is lurking, already having rejected a similar play from Vincent in an empty side pick-and-roll with Tucker earlier in the first quarter.</p>
<p>Vincent goes up and Williams III magnetizes to the ball, but Vincent adjusts mid-air and gets a remarkable high-glass finish to fall.</p>
<p>With his only second-quarter shot attempt midway through the frame, Gabe hit a relocation three to draw Miami back within single digits.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ig46ue" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Shout out to Caleb Martin for the impromptu screen and calling for Vincent to move and open himself up for the Butler outlet. With how this game was going for Boston early, enough can't be said for how huge this possession was at the time and in retrospect.</p>
<p>Early in the third quarter, there were two huge back-to-back plays by Vincent that kick-started the Heat offense. First, a huge deep self-created three to bail out a stifled possession. To say it felt back-breaking in the moment seems egregious, but just watching that game live, it was like, "WOAH, okay this is happening. The Heat are here."</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7c0am" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>There's going to be, and already has been, criticism for Tatum's defense here, but I'm not sure what else you're supposed to do. Play too tight, and Vincent is going for a drawn foul. Tatum looks at the shot clock momentarily and that's right when Vincent rises and fires. Huge shot, huge play; here comes the avalanche (Miamalanche???).</p>
<p>Off another stifled Boston possession, Vincent comes down with a high pick from Bam Adebayo, and tries a pull-up three with about 5.5 seconds off the shot clock. He misses, but the impact is sizable. Boston's defense isn't that set, and it's scrambling to be ready earlier. Butler does his ghostly ninja cut to catch&nbsp; Brown off guard as soon as the shot goes up and seals Jaylen, and the offensive rebound falls right into Butler's lap. Putback, Miami lead.</p>
<p>Here's where the fun wrinkle mentioned earlier starts to come in. Jimmy Butler: Super-screener.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Butler was utilized as a screener for much of the game by the Heat, partially to limit how often he was strictly spacing, but also to get him going towards the rim. With how Vincent started to gun from deep and operate as a handler late second and early third, the combining of pressure points was vital in tearing open the gap and bending the Boston defense in cruel ways.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/afw6wi" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Three Vincent-Butler pick-and-roll possessions, three fouls drawn! That's pretty good!</p>
<p>Miami did everything they could to put Pritchard through the ringer. Case in point: This Butler-Vincent dribble handoff.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/okuou3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Make Pritchard run, get Vincent a half-step, make Tatum think and make a decision with the clearout. Vincent touches the paint, kick to Tucker, "BANG!"</p>
<p>The icing on the cake from Vincent was this sideline out of bounds play.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/u8vclg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Another Butler screen in a quick Chicago action for Vincent. Derrick White was legitimately everywhere defensively last night and yet he just was rendered null and void by Vincent here. That's a nutty shot regardless of who you are; East/West movement, late clock, pull-up going towards the sideline.</p>
<p>While it would be unreasonable to expect Gabe Vincent to replicate this performance for an entire series, the way he was able to play off of Butler and add in his own wrinkles to the offense as a shotmaker was vital in taking an early series lead. An awesome game from a former undrafted player who continues to ratchet up his play and appears even closer to becoming a future starter in the NBA.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>In a raucous Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat walked away with the first tally struck in the win column of the best-of-seven series.</p>
<p>Boston opened up shooting the lights out, taking a 62-54 halftime lead. Jayson Tatum was firing on all cylinders. Robert Williams III was cultivating a no-fly zone with his verticality. Derrick White had Max Strus running circles trying to get open.</p>
<p>Coming out of the locker room for the second half, it was a different story. The Heat cracked off a 22-2 run to start the third quarter. Butler finished the game with 41 points, and his physical drives battered the Celtics, particularly with Payton Pritchard seeing the court as much as he did due to Marcus Smart's injury. Butler's prowess is the main story last night, but as you can hear multiple times a week on The Dunker Spot<em>&nbsp;</em>(<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/young-man-the-three/id1547857052?i=1000561786139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">They just had JJ Redick on, go listen!</a>), good offenses require multiple pressure points &mdash; especially against a defense as good as Boston's.</p>
<p>Tyler Herro had it going off the bench last night and was a bastion for Miami's first-half offense. Victor Oladipo crafted some solid looks out of ball screens, but the finishing wasn't there.</p>
<p>And then, there was Gabe Vincent, who was exceptional in finding his groove in the first half as a tough shot-maker in pick-and-roll situations and off of screens. He also found his teammates well as a second-side operator in the offense.</p>
<p>Vincent finished with a +23 Tuesday night, second in the game only to Butler (+25), and while single-game plus-minus is a finicky metric at times, it was indicative of Miami's play. The best minutes the Heat put forth were with the duo on-court and working in tandem. After a stellar regular season that saw Vincent start 27 games, he struggled a great deal across the first two series from the floor, shooting 27.7% from three and registering a 49.5% True Shooting percentage; a far cry from his regular-season play.</p>
<p>17 points, 3 assists and gritty defense made for a grand return to form for Vincent in the series opener, and a return greatly needed for a Heat team still missing Kyle Lowry.</p>
<p>Vincent's first basket encapsulated much of what was essential in his Game 1; extremely tough and well-defended, and Butler screening (more on that later).</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/vmv1lp" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Ripping off a quick double drag with Butler rolling and PJ Tucker popping, Vincent gets a step or two on Jaylen Brown due to a crunching Tucker screen. Robert Williams III is lurking, already having rejected a similar play from Vincent in an empty side pick-and-roll with Tucker earlier in the first quarter.</p>
<p>Vincent goes up and Williams III magnetizes to the ball, but Vincent adjusts mid-air and gets a remarkable high-glass finish to fall.</p>
<p>With his only second-quarter shot attempt midway through the frame, Gabe hit a relocation three to draw Miami back within single digits.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ig46ue" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Shout out to Caleb Martin for the impromptu screen and calling for Vincent to move and open himself up for the Butler outlet. With how this game was going for Boston early, enough can't be said for how huge this possession was at the time and in retrospect.</p>
<p>Early in the third quarter, there were two huge back-to-back plays by Vincent that kick-started the Heat offense. First, a huge deep self-created three to bail out a stifled possession. To say it felt back-breaking in the moment seems egregious, but just watching that game live, it was like, "WOAH, okay this is happening. The Heat are here."</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7c0am" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>There's going to be, and already has been, criticism for Tatum's defense here, but I'm not sure what else you're supposed to do. Play too tight, and Vincent is going for a drawn foul. Tatum looks at the shot clock momentarily and that's right when Vincent rises and fires. Huge shot, huge play; here comes the avalanche (Miamalanche???).</p>
<p>Off another stifled Boston possession, Vincent comes down with a high pick from Bam Adebayo, and tries a pull-up three with about 5.5 seconds off the shot clock. He misses, but the impact is sizable. Boston's defense isn't that set, and it's scrambling to be ready earlier. Butler does his ghostly ninja cut to catch&nbsp; Brown off guard as soon as the shot goes up and seals Jaylen, and the offensive rebound falls right into Butler's lap. Putback, Miami lead.</p>
<p>Here's where the fun wrinkle mentioned earlier starts to come in. Jimmy Butler: Super-screener.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Butler was utilized as a screener for much of the game by the Heat, partially to limit how often he was strictly spacing, but also to get him going towards the rim. With how Vincent started to gun from deep and operate as a handler late second and early third, the combining of pressure points was vital in tearing open the gap and bending the Boston defense in cruel ways.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/afw6wi" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Three Vincent-Butler pick-and-roll possessions, three fouls drawn! That's pretty good!</p>
<p>Miami did everything they could to put Pritchard through the ringer. Case in point: This Butler-Vincent dribble handoff.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/okuou3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Make Pritchard run, get Vincent a half-step, make Tatum think and make a decision with the clear-out. Vincent touches the paint, kick to Tucker, "BANG!"</p>
<p>The icing on the cake from Vincent was this sideline out of bounds play.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/u8vclg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Another Butler screen in a quick Chicago action for Vincent. Derrick White was legitimately everywhere defensively last night and yet he just was rendered null and void by Vincent here. That's a nutty shot regardless of who you are; East/West movement, late clock, pull-up going towards the sideline.</p>
<p>While it would be unreasonable to expect Gabe Vincent to replicate this performance for an entire series, the way he was able to play off of Butler and add in his own wrinkles to the offense as a shotmaker was vital in taking an early series lead. An awesome game from a former undrafted player who continues to ratchet up his play and appears even closer to becoming a future starter in the NBA.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>In a raucous Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat walked away with the first tally struck in the win column of the best-of-seven series.</p>
<p>Boston opened up shooting the lights out, taking a 62-54 halftime lead. Jayson Tatum was firing on all cylinders. Robert Williams III was cultivating a no-fly zone with his verticality. Derrick White had Max Strus running circles trying to get open.</p>
<p>Coming out of the locker room for the second half, it was a different story. The Heat cracked off a 22-2 run to start the third quarter. Butler finished the game with 41 points, and his physical drives battered the Celtics, particularly with Payton Pritchard seeing the court as much as he did due to Marcus Smart's injury. Butler's prowess is the main story last night, but as you can hear multiple times a week on The Dunker Spot<em>&nbsp;</em>(<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/young-man-the-three/id1547857052?i=1000561786139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">They just had JJ Redick on, go listen!</a>), good offenses require multiple pressure points &mdash; especially against a defense as good as Boston's.</p>
<p>Tyler Herro had it going off the bench last night and was a bastion for Miami's first-half offense. Victor Oladipo crafted some solid looks out of ball screens, but the finishing wasn't there.</p>
<p>And then, there was Gabe Vincent, who was exceptional in finding his groove in the first half as a tough shot-maker in pick-and-roll situations and off of screens. He also found his teammates well as a second-side operator in the offense.</p>
<p>Vincent finished with a +23 Tuesday night, second in the game only to Butler (+25), and while single-game plus-minus is a finicky metric at times, it was indicative of Miami's play. The best minutes the Heat put forth were with the duo on-court and working in tandem. After a stellar regular season that saw Vincent start 27 games, he struggled a great deal across the first two series from the floor, shooting 27.7% from three and registering a 49.5% True Shooting percentage; a far cry from his regular-season play.</p>
<p>17 points, 3 assists and gritty defense made for a grand return to form for Vincent in the series opener, and a return greatly needed for a Heat team still missing Kyle Lowry.</p>
<p>Vincent's first basket encapsulated much of what was essential in his Game 1; extremely tough and well-defended, and Butler screening (more on that later).</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/vmv1lp" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Ripping off a quick double drag with Butler rolling and PJ Tucker popping, Vincent gets a step or two on Jaylen Brown due to a crunching Tucker screen. Robert Williams III is lurking, already having rejected a similar play from Vincent in an empty side pick-and-roll with Tucker earlier in the first quarter.</p>
<p>Vincent goes up and Williams III magnetizes to the ball, but Vincent adjusts mid-air and gets a remarkable high-glass finish to fall.</p>
<p>With his only second-quarter shot attempt midway through the frame, Gabe hit a relocation three to draw Miami back within single digits.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ig46ue" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Shout out to Caleb Martin for the impromptu screen and calling for Vincent to move and open himself up for the Butler outlet. With how this game was going for Boston early, enough can't be said for how huge this possession was at the time and in retrospect.</p>
<p>Early in the third quarter, there were two huge back-to-back plays by Vincent that kick-started the Heat offense. First, a huge deep self-created three to bail out a stifled possession. To say it felt back-breaking in the moment seems egregious, but just watching that game live, it was like, "WOAH, okay this is happening. The Heat are here."</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7c0am" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>There's going to be, and already has been, criticism for Tatum's defense here, but I'm not sure what else you're supposed to do. Play too tight, and Vincent is going for a drawn foul. Tatum looks at the shot clock momentarily and that's right when Vincent rises and fires. Huge shot, huge play; here comes the avalanche (Miamalanche???).</p>
<p>Off another stifled Boston possession, Vincent comes down with a high pick from Bam Adebayo, and tries a pull-up three with about 5.5 seconds off the shot clock. He misses, but the impact is sizable. Boston's defense isn't that set, and it's scrambling to be ready earlier. Butler does his ghostly ninja cut to catch&nbsp; Brown off guard as soon as the shot goes up and seals Jaylen, and the offensive rebound falls right into Butler's lap. Putback, Miami lead.</p>
<p>Here's where the fun wrinkle mentioned earlier starts to come in. Jimmy Butler: Super-screener.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Butler was utilized as a screener for much of the game by the Heat, partially to limit how often he was strictly spacing, but also to get him going towards the rim. With how Vincent started to gun from deep and operate as a handler late second and early third, the combining of pressure points was vital in tearing open the gap and bending the Boston defense in cruel ways.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/afw6wi" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Three Vincent-Butler pick-and-roll possessions, three fouls drawn! That's pretty good!</p>
<p>Miami did everything they could to put Pritchard through the ringer. Case in point: This Butler-Vincent dribble handoff.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/okuou3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Make Pritchard run, get Vincent a half-step, make Tatum think and make a decision with the clear-out. Vincent touches the paint and kicks to Tucker. "BANG!"</p>
<p>The icing on the cake from Vincent was this sideline out of bounds play.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/u8vclg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Another Butler screen in a quick Chicago action for Vincent. Derrick White was legitimately everywhere defensively last night and yet he just was rendered null and void by Vincent here. That's a nutty shot regardless of who you are; East/West movement, late clock, pull-up going towards the sideline.</p>
<p>While it would be unreasonable to expect Gabe Vincent to replicate this performance for an entire series, the way he was able to play off of Butler and add in his own wrinkles to the offense as a shotmaker was vital in taking an early series lead. An awesome game from a former undrafted player who continues to ratchet up his play and appears even closer to becoming a future starter in the NBA.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>In a raucous Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat walked away with the first tally struck in the win column of the best-of-seven series.</p>
<p>Boston opened up shooting the lights out, taking a 62-54 halftime lead. Jayson Tatum was firing on all cylinders. Robert Williams III was cultivating a no-fly zone with his verticality. Derrick White had Max Strus running circles trying to get open.</p>
<p>Coming out of the locker room for the second half, it was a different story. The Heat cracked off a 22-2 run to start the third quarter. Butler finished the game with 41 points, and his physical drives battered the Celtics, particularly with Payton Pritchard seeing the court as much as he did due to Marcus Smart's injury. Butler's prowess is the main story last night, but as you can hear multiple times a week on The Dunker Spot<em>&nbsp;</em>(<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/young-man-the-three/id1547857052?i=1000561786139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">They just had JJ Redick on, go listen!</a>), good offenses require multiple pressure points &mdash; especially against a defense as good as Boston's.</p>
<p>Tyler Herro had it going off the bench last night and was a bastion for Miami's first-half offense. Victor Oladipo crafted some solid looks out of ball screens, but the finishing wasn't there.</p>
<p>And then, there was Gabe Vincent, who was exceptional in finding his groove in the first half as a tough shot-maker in pick-and-roll situations and off of screens. He also found his teammates well as a second-side operator in the offense.</p>
<p>Vincent finished with a +23 Tuesday night, second in the game only to Butler (+25), and while single-game plus-minus is a finicky metric at times, it was indicative of Miami's play. The best minutes the Heat put forth were with the duo on-court and working in tandem. After a stellar regular season that saw Vincent start 27 games, he struggled a great deal across the first two series from the floor, shooting 27.7% from three and registering a 49.5% True Shooting percentage; a far cry from his regular-season play.</p>
<p>17 points, 3 assists and gritty defense made for a grand return to form for Vincent in the series opener, and a return greatly needed for a Heat team still missing Kyle Lowry.</p>
<p>Vincent's first basket encapsulated much of what was essential in his Game 1; extremely tough and well-defended, and Butler screening (more on that later).</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/vmv1lp" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Ripping off a quick double drag with Butler rolling and PJ Tucker popping, Vincent gets a step or two on Jaylen Brown due to a crunching Tucker screen. Robert Williams III is lurking, already having rejected a similar play from Vincent in an empty side pick-and-roll with Tucker earlier in the first quarter.</p>
<p>Vincent goes up and Williams III magnetizes to the ball, but Vincent adjusts mid-air and gets a remarkable high-glass finish to fall.</p>
<p>With his only second-quarter shot attempt midway through the frame, Gabe hit a relocation three to draw Miami back within single digits.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ig46ue" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Shout out to Caleb Martin for the impromptu screen and calling for Vincent to move and open himself up for the Butler outlet. With how this game was going for Boston early, enough can't be said for how huge this possession was at the time and in retrospect.</p>
<p>Early in the third quarter, there were two huge back-to-back plays by Vincent that kick-started the Heat offense. First, a huge deep self-created three to bail out a stifled possession. To say it felt back-breaking in the moment seems egregious, but just watching that game live, it was like, "WOAH, okay this is happening. The Heat are here."</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7c0am" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>There's going to be, and already has been, criticism for Tatum's defense here, but I'm not sure what else you're supposed to do. Play too tight, and Vincent is going for a drawn foul. Tatum looks at the shot clock momentarily and that's right when Vincent rises and fires. Huge shot, huge play; here comes the avalanche (Miamalanche???).</p>
<p>Off another stifled Boston possession, Vincent comes down with a high pick from Bam Adebayo, and tries a pull-up three with about 5.5 seconds off the shot clock. He misses, but the impact is sizable. Boston's defense isn't that set, and it's scrambling to be ready earlier. Butler does his ghostly ninja cut to catch&nbsp; Brown off guard as soon as the shot goes up and seals Jaylen, and the offensive rebound falls right into Butler's lap. Putback, Miami lead.</p>
<p>Here's where the fun wrinkle mentioned earlier starts to come in. Jimmy Butler: Super-screener.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Butler was utilized as a screener for much of the game by the Heat, partially to limit how often he was strictly spacing, but also to get him going towards the rim. With how Vincent started to gun from deep and operate as a handler late second and early third, the combining of pressure points was vital in tearing open the gap and bending the Boston defense in cruel ways.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/afw6wi" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Three Vincent-Butler pick-and-roll possessions, three fouls drawn! That's pretty good!</p>
<p>Miami did everything they could to put Pritchard through the ringer. Case in point: This Butler-Vincent dribble handoff.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/okuou3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Make Pritchard run, get Vincent a half-step, make Tatum think and make a decision with the clear-out. Vincent touches the paint and kicks to Tucker. "BANG!"</p>
<p>Vincent's icing on the cake was this sideline out of bounds play.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/u8vclg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Another Butler screen in a quick Chicago action for Vincent. Derrick White was legitimately everywhere defensively last night and yet he just was rendered null and void by Vincent here. That's a nutty shot regardless of who you are; East/West movement, late clock, pull-up going towards the sideline.</p>
<p>While it would be unreasonable to expect Gabe Vincent to replicate this performance for an entire series, the way he was able to play off of Butler and add in his own wrinkles to the offense as a shotmaker was vital in taking an early series lead. An awesome game from a former undrafted player who continues to ratchet up his play and appears even closer to becoming a future starter in the NBA.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>In a raucous Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat walked away with the first tally struck in the win column of the best-of-seven series.</p>
<p>Boston opened up shooting the lights out, taking a 62-54 halftime lead. Jayson Tatum was firing on all cylinders. Robert Williams III was cultivating a no-fly zone with his verticality. Derrick White had Max Strus running circles trying to get open.</p>
<p>Coming out of the locker room for the second half, it was a different story. The Heat cracked off a 22-2 run to start the third quarter. Butler finished the game with 41 points, and his physical drives battered the Celtics, particularly with Payton Pritchard seeing the court as much as he did due to Marcus Smart's injury. Butler's prowess is the main story last night, but as you can hear multiple times a week on The Dunker Spot<em>&nbsp;</em>(<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/young-man-the-three/id1547857052?i=1000561786139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">They just had JJ Redick on, go listen!</a>), good offenses require multiple pressure points &mdash; especially against a defense as good as Boston's.</p>
<p>Tyler Herro had it going off the bench last night and was a bastion for Miami's first-half offense. Victor Oladipo crafted some solid looks out of ball screens, but the finishing wasn't there.</p>
<p>And then, there was Gabe Vincent, who was exceptional in finding his groove in the first half as a tough shot-maker in pick-and-roll situations and off of screens. He also found his teammates well as a second-side operator in the offense.</p>
<p>Vincent finished with a +23 Tuesday night, second in the game only to Butler (+25), and while single-game plus-minus is a finicky metric at times, it was indicative of Miami's play. The best minutes the Heat put forth were with the duo on-court and working in tandem. After a stellar regular season that saw Vincent start 27 games, he struggled a great deal across the first two series from the floor, shooting 27.7% from three and registering a 49.5% True Shooting percentage; a far cry from his regular-season play.</p>
<p>17 points, 3 assists and gritty defense made for a grand return to form for Vincent in the series opener, and a return greatly needed for a Heat team still missing Kyle Lowry.</p>
<p>Vincent's first basket encapsulated much of what was essential in his Game 1; extremely tough and well-defended, and Butler screening (more on that later).</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/vmv1lp" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Ripping off a quick double drag with Butler rolling and PJ Tucker popping, Vincent gets a step or two on Jaylen Brown due to a crunching Tucker screen. Robert Williams III is lurking, already having rejected a similar play from Vincent in an empty side pick-and-roll with Tucker earlier in the first quarter.</p>
<p>Vincent goes up and Williams III magnetizes to the ball, but Vincent adjusts mid-air and gets a remarkable high-glass finish to fall.</p>
<p>With his only second-quarter shot attempt midway through the frame, Gabe hit a relocation three to draw Miami back within single digits.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ig46ue" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Shout out to Caleb Martin for the impromptu screen and calling for Vincent to move and open himself up for the Butler outlet. With how this game was going for Boston early, enough can't be said for how huge this possession was at the time and in retrospect.</p>
<p>Early in the third quarter, there were two huge back-to-back plays by Vincent that kick-started the Heat offense. First, a huge deep self-created three to bail out a stifled possession. To say it felt back-breaking in the moment seems egregious, but just watching that game live, it was like, "WOAH, okay this is happening. The Heat are here."</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7c0am" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>There's going to be, and already has been, criticism for Tatum's defense here, but I'm not sure what else you're supposed to do. Play too tight, and Vincent is going for a drawn foul. Tatum looks at the shot clock momentarily and that's right when Vincent rises and fires. Huge shot, huge play; here comes the avalanche (Miamalanche???).</p>
<p>Off another stifled Boston possession, Vincent comes down with a high pick from Bam Adebayo, and tries a pull-up three with about 5.5 seconds off the shot clock. He misses, but the impact is sizable. Boston's defense isn't that set, and it's scrambling to be ready earlier. Butler does his ghostly ninja cut to catch&nbsp; Brown off guard as soon as the shot goes up and seals Jaylen, and the offensive rebound falls right into Butler's lap. Putback, Miami lead.</p>
<p>Here's where the fun wrinkle mentioned earlier starts to come in. Jimmy Butler: Super-screener.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Butler was utilized as a screener for much of the game by the Heat, partially to limit how often he was strictly spacing, but also to get him going towards the rim. With how Vincent started to gun from deep and operate as a handler late second and early third, the combining of pressure points was vital in tearing open the gap and bending the Boston defense in cruel ways.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/afw6wi" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Three Vincent-Butler pick-and-roll possessions, three fouls drawn! That's pretty good!</p>
<p>Miami did everything they could to put Pritchard through the ringer. Case in point: This Butler-Vincent dribble handoff.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/okuou3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Make Pritchard run, get Vincent a half-step, make Tatum think and make a decision with the clear-out. Vincent touches the paint and kicks to Tucker. "BANG!"</p>
<p>Vincent's icing on the cake was this sideline out-of-bounds play.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/u8vclg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Another Butler screen in a quick Chicago action for Vincent. White was legitimately everywhere defensively last night and yet he just was rendered null and void by Vincent here. That's a nutty shot regardless of who you are; East/West movement, late clock, pull-up going towards the sideline.</p>
<p>While it would be unreasonable to expect Gabe Vincent to replicate this performance for an entire series, the way he was able to play off of Butler and add in his own wrinkles to the offense as a shotmaker was vital in taking an early series lead. An awesome game from a former undrafted player who continues to ratchet up his play and appears even closer to becoming a future starter in the NBA.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>In a raucous Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat walked away with the first tally struck in the win column of the best-of-seven series.</p>
<p>Boston opened up shooting the lights out, taking a 62-54 halftime lead. Jayson Tatum was firing on all cylinders. Robert Williams III was cultivating a no-fly zone with his verticality. Derrick White had Max Strus running circles trying to get open.</p>
<p>Coming out of the locker room for the second half, it was a different story. The Heat cracked off a 22-2 run to start the third quarter. Butler finished the game with 41 points, and his physical drives battered the Celtics, particularly with Payton Pritchard seeing the court as much as he did due to Marcus Smart's injury. Butler's prowess is the main story last night, but as you can hear multiple times a week on The Dunker Spot<em>&nbsp;</em>(<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/young-man-the-three/id1547857052?i=1000561786139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">They just had JJ Redick on, go listen!</a>), good offenses require multiple pressure points &mdash; especially against a defense as good as Boston's.</p>
<p>Tyler Herro had it going off the bench last night and was a bastion for Miami's first-half offense. Victor Oladipo crafted some solid looks out of ball screens, but the finishing wasn't there.</p>
<p>And then, there was Gabe Vincent, who was exceptional in finding his groove in the first half as a tough shot-maker in pick-and-roll situations and off of screens. He also found his teammates well as a second-side operator in the offense.</p>
<p>Vincent finished with a +23 Tuesday night, second in the game only to Butler (+25), and while single-game plus-minus is a finicky metric at times, it was indicative of Miami's play. The best minutes the Heat put forth were with the duo on-court and working in tandem. After a stellar regular season that saw Vincent start 27 games, he struggled a great deal across the first two series from the floor, shooting 27.7% from three and registering a 49.5% True Shooting percentage; a far cry from his regular-season play.</p>
<p>17 points, 3 assists and gritty defense made for a grand return to form for Vincent in the series opener, and a return greatly needed for a Heat team still missing Kyle Lowry.</p>
<p>Vincent's first basket encapsulated much of what was essential in his Game 1; extremely tough and well-defended, and Butler screening (more on that later).</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/vmv1lp" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Ripping off a quick double drag with Butler rolling and PJ Tucker popping, Vincent gets a step or two on Jaylen Brown due to a crunching Tucker screen. Robert Williams III is lurking, already having rejected a similar play from Vincent in an empty side pick-and-roll with Tucker earlier in the first quarter.</p>
<p>Vincent goes up and Williams III magnetizes to the ball, but Vincent adjusts mid-air and gets a remarkable high-glass finish to fall.</p>
<p>With his only second-quarter shot attempt midway through the frame, Gabe hit a relocation three to draw Miami back within single digits.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ig46ue" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Shout out to Caleb Martin for the impromptu screen and calling for Vincent to move and open himself up for the Butler outlet. With how this game was going for Boston early, enough can't be said for how huge this possession was at the time and in retrospect.</p>
<p>Early in the third quarter, there were two huge back-to-back plays by Vincent that kick-started the Heat offense. First, a huge deep self-created three to bail out a stifled possession. To say it felt back-breaking in the moment seems egregious, but just watching that game live, it was like, "WOAH, okay this is happening. The Heat are here."</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7c0am" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>There's going to be, and already has been, criticism for Tatum's defense here, but I'm not sure what else you're supposed to do. Play too tight, and Vincent is going for a drawn foul. Tatum looks at the shot clock momentarily and that's right when Vincent rises and fires. Huge shot, huge play; here comes the avalanche (Miamalanche???).</p>
<p>Off another stifled Boston possession, Vincent comes down with a high pick from Bam Adebayo, and tries a pull-up three with about 5.5 seconds off the shot clock. He misses, but the impact is sizable. Boston's defense isn't that set, and it's scrambling to be ready earlier. Butler does his ghostly ninja cut to catch&nbsp; Brown off guard as soon as the shot goes up and seals Jaylen, and the offensive rebound falls right into Butler's lap. Putback, Miami lead.</p>
<p>Here's where the fun wrinkle mentioned earlier starts to come in. Jimmy Butler: Super-screener.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Butler was utilized as a screener for much of the game by the Heat, partially to limit how often he was strictly spacing, but also to get him going towards the rim. With how Vincent started to gun from deep and operate as a handler late second and early third, the combining of pressure points was vital in tearing open the gap and bending the Boston defense in cruel ways.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/afw6wi" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Three Vincent-Butler pick-and-roll possessions, three fouls drawn! That's pretty good!</p>
<p>Miami did everything they could to put Pritchard through the ringer. Case in point: This Butler-Vincent dribble handoff.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/okuou3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Make Pritchard run, get Vincent a half-step, make Tatum think and make a decision with the clear-out. Vincent touches the paint and kicks to Tucker. "BANG!"</p>
<p>Vincent's icing on the cake was this sideline out-of-bounds play.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/u8vclg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Another Butler screen in a quick Chicago action for Vincent. White was legitimately everywhere defensively last night, and yet, he just was rendered null and void by Vincent here. That's a nutty shot regardless of who you are; East/West movement, late clock, pull-up going towards the sideline.</p>
<p>While it would be unreasonable to expect Gabe Vincent to replicate this performance for an entire series, the way he was able to play off of Butler and add in his own wrinkles to the offense as a shotmaker was vital in taking an early series lead. An awesome game from a former undrafted player who continues to ratchet up his play and appears even closer to becoming a future starter in the NBA.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>In a raucous Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat walked away with the first tally struck in the win column of the best-of-seven series.</p>
<p>Boston opened up shooting the lights out, taking a 62-54 halftime lead. Jayson Tatum was firing on all cylinders. Robert Williams III was cultivating a no-fly zone with his verticality. Derrick White had Max Strus running circles trying to get open.</p>
<p>Coming out of the locker room for the second half, it was a different story. The Heat cracked off a 22-2 run to start the third quarter. Butler finished the game with 41 points, and his physical drives battered the Celtics, particularly with Payton Pritchard seeing the court as much as he did due to Marcus Smart's injury. Butler's prowess is the main story last night, but as you can hear multiple times a week on The Dunker Spot<em>&nbsp;</em>(<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/young-man-the-three/id1547857052?i=1000561786139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">They just had JJ Redick on, go listen!</a>), good offenses require multiple pressure points &mdash; especially against a defense as good as Boston's.</p>
<p>Tyler Herro had it going off the bench last night and was a bastion for Miami's first-half offense. Victor Oladipo crafted some solid looks out of ball screens, but the finishing wasn't there.</p>
<p>And then, there was Gabe Vincent, who was exceptional in finding his groove in the first half as a tough shot-maker in pick-and-roll situations and off of screens. He also found his teammates well as a second-side operator in the offense.</p>
<p>Vincent finished with a +23 Tuesday night, second in the game only to Butler (+25), and while single-game plus-minus is a finicky metric at times, it was indicative of Miami's play. The best minutes the Heat put forth were with the duo on-court and working in tandem. After a stellar regular season that saw Vincent start 27 games, he struggled a great deal across the first two series from the floor, shooting 27.7% from three and registering a 49.5% True Shooting percentage; a far cry from his regular-season play.</p>
<p>17 points, 3 assists and gritty defense made for a grand return to form for Vincent in the series opener, and a return greatly needed for a Heat team still missing Kyle Lowry.</p>
<p>Vincent's first basket encapsulated much of what was essential in his Game 1; extremely tough and well-defended, and Butler screening (more on that later).</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/vmv1lp" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Ripping off a quick double drag with Butler rolling and PJ Tucker popping, Vincent gets a step or two on Jaylen Brown due to a crunching Tucker screen. Robert Williams III is lurking, already having rejected a similar play from Vincent in an empty side pick-and-roll with Tucker earlier in the first quarter.</p>
<p>Vincent goes up and Williams III magnetizes to the ball, but Vincent adjusts mid-air and gets a remarkable high-glass finish to fall.</p>
<p>With his only second-quarter shot attempt midway through the frame, Gabe hit a relocation three to draw Miami back within single digits.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ig46ue" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Shout out to Caleb Martin for the impromptu screen and calling for Vincent to move and open himself up for the Butler outlet. With how this game was going for Boston early, enough can't be said for how huge this possession was at the time and in retrospect.</p>
<p>Early in the third quarter, there were two huge back-to-back plays by Vincent that kick-started the Heat offense. First, a huge deep self-created three to bail out a stifled possession. To say it felt back-breaking in the moment seems egregious, but just watching that game live, it was like, "WOAH, okay this is happening. The Heat are here."</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j7c0am" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>There's going to be, and already has been, criticism for Tatum's defense here, but I'm not sure what else you're supposed to do. Play too tight, and Vincent is going for a drawn foul. Tatum looks at the shot clock momentarily and that's right when Vincent rises and fires. Huge shot, huge play; here comes the avalanche (Miamalanche???).</p>
<p>Off another stifled Boston possession, Vincent comes down with a high pick from Bam Adebayo, and tries a pull-up three with about 5.5 seconds off the shot clock. He misses, but the impact is sizable. Boston's defense isn't that set, and it's scrambling to be ready earlier. Butler does his ghostly ninja cut to catch&nbsp; Brown off guard as soon as the shot goes up and seals Jaylen, and the offensive rebound falls right into Butler's lap. Putback, Miami lead.</p>
<p>Here's where the fun wrinkle mentioned earlier starts to come in. Jimmy Butler: Super-screener.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Butler was utilized as a screener for much of the game by the Heat, partially to limit how often he was strictly spacing, but also to get him going towards the rim. With how Vincent started to gun from deep and operate as a handler late second and early third, the combining of pressure points was vital in tearing open the gap and bending the Boston defense in cruel ways.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/afw6wi" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Three Vincent-Butler pick-and-roll possessions, three fouls drawn! That's pretty good!</p>
<p>Miami did everything they could to put Pritchard through the ringer. Case in point: This Butler-Vincent dribble handoff.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/okuou3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Make Pritchard run, get Vincent a half-step, make Tatum think and make a decision with the clear-out. Vincent touches the paint and kicks to Tucker. "BANG!"</p>
<p>Vincent's icing on the cake was this sideline out-of-bounds play.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/u8vclg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Another Butler screen in a quick Chicago action for Vincent. White was legitimately everywhere defensively last night, and yet, he just was rendered null and void by Vincent here. That's a nutty shot regardless of who you are; east/west movement, late clock, pull-up going towards the sideline.</p>
<p>While it would be unreasonable to expect Gabe Vincent to replicate this performance for an entire series, the way he was able to play off of Butler and add in his own wrinkles to the offense as a shot-maker was vital in taking an early series lead. An awesome game from a former undrafted player who continues to ratchet up his play and appears even closer to becoming a future starter in the NBA.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p>In a raucous Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat walked away with the first tally struck in the win column of the best-of-seven series.</p>
<p>Boston opened up shooting the lights out, taking a 62-54 halftime lead. Jayson Tatum was firing on all cylinders. Robert Williams III was cultivating a no-fly zone with his verticality. Derrick White had Max Strus running circles trying to get open.</p>
<p>Coming out of the locker room for the second half, it was a different story. The Heat cracked off a 22-2 run to start the third quarter. Butler finished the game with 41 points, and his physical drives battered the Celtics, particularly with Payton Pritchard seeing the court as much as he did due to Marcus Smart's injury. Butler's prowess is the main story last night, but as you can hear multiple times a week on The Dunker Spot<em>&nbsp;</em>(<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/young-man-the-three/id1547857052?i=1000561786139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">They just had JJ Redick on, go listen!</a>), good offenses require multiple pressure points &mdash; especially against a defense as good as Boston's.</p>
<p>Tyler Herro had it going off the bench last night and was a bastion for Miami's first-half offense. Victor Oladipo crafted some solid looks out of ball screens, but the finishing wasn't there.</p>
<p>And then, there was Gabe Vincent, who was exceptional in finding his groove in the first half as a tough shot-maker in pick-and-roll situations and off of screens. He also found his teammates well as a second-side operator in the offense.</p>
<p>Vincent finished with a +23 Tuesday night, second in the game only to Butler (+25), and while single-game plus-minus is a finicky metric at times, it was indicative of Miami's play. The best minutes the Heat put forth were with the duo on-court and working in tandem. After a stellar regular season that saw Vincent start 27 games, he struggled a great deal across the first two series from the floor, shooting 27.7% from three and registering a 49.5% True Shooting percentage; a far cry from his regular-season play.</p>
<p>17 points, 3 assists and gritty defense made for a grand return to form for Vincent in the series opener, and a return greatly needed for a Heat team still missing Kyle Lowry.</p>
<p>Vincent's first basket encapsulated much of what was essential in his Game 1; extremely tough and well-defended, and Butler screening (more on that later).</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/vmv1lp" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Ripping off a quick double drag with Butler rolling and PJ Tucker popping, Vincent gets a step or two on Jaylen Brown due to a crunching Tucker screen. Robert Williams III is lurking, already having rejected a similar play from Vincent in an empty side pick-and-roll with Tucker earlier in the first quarter.</p>
<p>Vincent goes up and Williams III magnetizes to the ball, but Vincent adjusts mid-air and gets a remarkable high-glass finish to fall.</p>
<p>With his only second-quarter shot attempt midway through the frame, Gabe hit a relocation three to draw Miami back within single digits.</p>
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<p>Shout out to Caleb Martin for the impromptu screen and calling for Vincent to move and open himself up for the Butler outlet. With how this game was going for Boston early, enough can't be said for how huge this possession was at the time and in retrospect.</p>
<p>Early in the third quarter, there were two huge back-to-back plays by Vincent that kick-started the Heat offense. First, a huge deep self-created three to bail out a stifled possession. To say it felt back-breaking in the moment seems egregious, but just watching that game live, it was like, "WOAH, okay this is happening. The Heat are here."</p>
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<p>There's going to be, and already has been, criticism for Tatum's defense here, but I'm not sure what else you're supposed to do. Play too tight, and Vincent is going for a drawn foul. Tatum looks at the shot clock momentarily and that's right when Vincent rises and fires. Huge shot, huge play; here comes the avalanche (Miamalanche???).</p>
<p>Off another stifled Boston possession, Vincent comes down with a high pick from Bam Adebayo, and tries a pull-up three with about 5.5 seconds off the shot clock. He misses, but the impact is sizable. Boston's defense isn't that set, and it's scrambling to be ready earlier. Butler does his ghostly ninja cut to catch&nbsp; Brown off guard as soon as the shot goes up and seals Jaylen, and the offensive rebound falls right into Butler's lap. Putback, Miami lead.</p>
<p>Here's where the fun wrinkle mentioned earlier starts to come in. Jimmy Butler: Super-screener.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Butler was utilized as a screener for much of the game by the Heat, partially to limit how often he was strictly spacing, but also to get him going towards the rim. With how Vincent started to gun from deep and operate as a handler late second and early third, the combining of pressure points was vital in tearing open the gap and bending the Boston defense in cruel ways.</p>
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<p>Three Vincent-Butler pick-and-roll possessions, three fouls drawn! That's pretty good!</p>
<p>Miami did everything they could to put Pritchard through the ringer. Case in point: This Butler-Vincent dribble handoff.</p>
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<p>Make Pritchard run, get Vincent a half-step, make Tatum think and make a decision with the clear-out. Vincent touches the paint and kicks to Tucker. "BANG!"</p>
<p>Vincent's icing on the cake was this sideline out-of-bounds play.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/u8vclg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Another Butler screen in a quick Chicago action for Vincent. White was legitimately everywhere defensively last night, and yet, he just was rendered null and void by Vincent here. That's a nutty shot regardless of who you are; east/west movement, late clock, pull-up going towards the sideline.</p>
<p>While it would be unreasonable to expect Gabe Vincent to replicate this performance for an entire series, the way he was able to play off of Butler and add in his own wrinkles to the offense as a shot-maker was vital in taking an early series lead.</p>
<p>It was an awesome game from a former undrafted player who continues to ratchet up his play and appears even closer to becoming a future starter in the NBA.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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The Heat won Game 1 of the East Finals behind a remarkable Jimmy Butler performance and Gabe Vincent's stellar play.

How Gabe Vincent helped Miami exacerbate pressure points in Game 1

<p>Las Vegas Aces point guard Kelsey Plum gave one teammate a ringing endorsement following the team's win on Friday night: "A'ja Wilson. Let's start the campaign now, people. Defensive Player of the Year."</p>
<p>The Atlanta Dream lept out to a surprising 2-0 start to the season, their best start since 2017, spurred on by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the play of rookie Rhyne Howard</a>. Their defense has been cohesive, transition play has sparked their offense and the veterans they brought in via trade and free agency in the off-season have provided a rock-solid foundation.</p>
<p>The Aces simply had other plans Friday night.</p>
<p>Vegas flattened out much of what the Dream wanted to do out of ball screens, switching the majority of actions not involving the five spot, something they've done routinely this year. With former starting center Liz Cambage now a member of the Los Angeles Sparks, the Aces have restructured and shifted to Wilson as a member of the starting five.</p>
<p>The Aces are certainly smaller, but they've made up for it with activity and aggression on ball screens. If Wilson is facing a good interior presence, the weak-side defender digs into the post, and the rest of the defense rotates accordingly. It's a more strenuous brand of basketball, but the Aces are embracing it, something head coach Becky Hammon pointed out after last night's win.</p>
<p>"We're small, [Wilson[ is at our five, so we gotta scrap, and they've all really bought into not making anything easy, especially post catches," Hammon said. "Her alertness as to what's going on in the paint has been sensational. I told her, she's gotta be Tim Duncan for us, she's gotta be Draymond Green for us, where she's talking constantly and sniffing out anything that comes through her paint, and she's bought in and done a fantastic job... she's been senasational</p>
<p>Wilson often plays up to the level on screens, making it difficult to dice up the defense from the middle of the floor. Seemingly half of Wilson's blocks have been on jump shot contests when she plays at the level.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ww7xr6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Through four games in 2022, Wilson has 15 blocks, a stellar mark, and the league leader by a longshot. She blocked 55 shots her rookie season in 2018, the most she has in her career, and she did that over 33 games. She's been expert not just at getting the rejections, but at keeping the ball in play. After going back through all her swats, roughly half of them directly resulted in a transition opportunity. It sounds minor, but it's a minute skill that can make a significant difference.</p>
<p>It would be unfair to expect her to keep up this pace all season, but the hot start is a notable and palpable change in her defensive approach. Hammon repeatedly has mentioned Wilson's "buy-in" on the defensive end. The activity is ratcheted up and setting the tone for the Aces.</p>
<p>"We've got to scrap. We're scrappers, and that's something we missed against DC (The Mystics)," said guard Kelsey Plum. "That was something that needed to be in the forefront tonight, so I was really proud initially when we came out. We had a ton of energy, we're rotating, boxing out, we're getting in transition, and that's when we're at our best."</p>
<p>They're getting out in transition and playing with pace often. Per HerHoopStats, the Aces are 7th in pace at 84.5 possessions per 40 minutes, right around average. Don't let that fool you, however, as the league-high pace in 2021 was 83.8 possessions per 40 minutes by the New York Liberty. That would rank only 9th this current year. It'll be interesting to see how that does or doesn't level out as the year goes on, because teams are flying.</p>
<p>The Aces' ability to get stops and create turnovers (they are 1st in blocks per game) has been essential in kickstarting their already potent offense.</p>
<p>This possession is such a great example of the Vegas defense and Wilson's impact. There aren't many bigs in the W who provide the coverage versatility and instincts that she does, allowing the Aces to get a little funky and aggressive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iv8ge3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A'ja shows and recovers on the first pick and roll, allowing Jackie Young to release from her high tag early to get back out to Sue Bird in the slot. First action and its' outlets denied!</p>
<p>Bird calls for the ball screen in an empty corner from Ezi Magbegor. Wilson angles herself well to both recover or contest the shot as Young chases overtop and Magbegor quickly rolls off the brief screen. Bird throws the pocket pass, Wilson recovers and gets the block with her off hand before taking the ball up in transition herself.</p>
<p>Pretty good!</p>
<p>In the event that a screen is more solid and it's harder to chase over for the point of attack defender, Wilson shows and recovers once the chaser regains connection, or will outright peel switch if it's called for. The communication from the Aces' in general has been extremely impressive.</p>
<p>While the offense of the Aces has taken the league by storm early, the defense is tethered to its success. How Vegas continues to mesh and workshop on that end will be fascinating to keep up with throughout the season. Can they keep playing such a small rotation with this frenetic play style? How will it hold up against more stout post presences? Right now, it's hard not to feel good about the state of the Aces' defense, in due part ot the improved defensive play of star A'ja Wilson.</p>

<p>Las Vegas Aces point guard Kelsey Plum gave one teammate a ringing endorsement following the team's win on Friday night: "A'ja Wilson. Let's start the campaign now, people. Defensive Player of the Year."</p>
<p>The Atlanta Dream lept out to a surprising 2-0 start to the season, their best start since 2017, spurred on by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the play of rookie Rhyne Howard</a>. Their defense has been cohesive, transition play has sparked their offense and the veterans they brought in via trade and free agency in the off-season have provided a rock-solid foundation.</p>
<p>The Aces simply had other plans Friday night.</p>
<p>Vegas flattened out much of what the Dream wanted to do out of ball screens, switching the majority of actions not involving the five spot, something they've done routinely this year. With former starting center Liz Cambage now a member of the Los Angeles Sparks, the Aces have restructured and shifted to Wilson as a member of the starting five.</p>
<p>The Aces are certainly smaller, but they've made up for it with activity and aggression on ball screens. If Wilson is facing a good interior presence, the weak-side defender digs into the post, and the rest of the defense rotates accordingly. It's a more strenuous brand of basketball, but the Aces are embracing it, something head coach Becky Hammon pointed out after last night's win.</p>
<p>"We're small, [Wilson[ is at our five, so we gotta scrap, and they've all really bought into not making anything easy, especially post catches," Hammon said. "Her alertness as to what's going on in the paint has been sensational. I told her, she's gotta be Tim Duncan for us, she's gotta be Draymond Green for us, where she's talking constantly and sniffing out anything that comes through her paint, and she's bought in and done a fantastic job... she's been senasational</p>
<p>Wilson often plays up to the level on screens, making it difficult to dice up the defense from the middle of the floor. Seemingly half of Wilson's blocks have been on jump shot contests when she plays at the level.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ww7xr6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Through four games in 2022, Wilson has 15 blocks, a stellar mark, and the league leader by a longshot. She blocked 55 shots her rookie season in 2018, the most she has in her career, and she did that over 33 games. She's been expert not just at getting the rejections, but at keeping the ball in play. After going back through all her swats, roughly half of them directly resulted in a transition opportunity. It sounds minor, but it's a minute skill that can make a significant difference.</p>
<p>It would be unfair to expect her to keep up this pace all season, but the hot start is a notable and palpable change in her defensive approach. Hammon repeatedly has mentioned Wilson's "buy-in" on the defensive end. The activity is ratcheted up and setting the tone for the Aces.</p>
<p>"We've got to scrap. We're scrappers, and that's something we missed against DC (The Mystics)," said guard Kelsey Plum. "That was something that needed to be in the forefront tonight, so I was really proud initially when we came out. We had a ton of energy, we're rotating, boxing out, we're getting in transition, and that's when we're at our best."</p>
<p>They're getting out in transition and playing with pace often. Per HerHoopStats, the Aces are 7th in pace at 84.5 possessions per 40 minutes, right around average. Don't let that fool you, however, as the league-high pace in 2021 was 83.8 possessions per 40 minutes by the New York Liberty. That would rank only 9th this current year. It'll be interesting to see how that does or doesn't level out as the year goes on, because teams are flying.</p>
<p>The Aces' ability to get stops and create turnovers (they are 1st in blocks per game) has been essential in kickstarting their already potent offense.</p>
<p>This possession is such a great example of the Vegas defense and Wilson's impact. There aren't many bigs in the W who provide the coverage versatility and instincts that she does, allowing the Aces to get a little funky and aggressive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iv8ge3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A'ja shows and recovers on the first pick and roll, allowing Jackie Young to release from her high tag early to get back out to Sue Bird in the slot. First action and its outlets denied</p>
<p>Bird calls for the ball screen in an empty corner from Ezi Magbegor. Wilson angles herself well to both recover or contest the shot as Young chases overtop and Magbegor quickly rolls off the brief screen. Bird throws the pocket pass, Wilson recovers and gets the block with her off hand before taking the ball up in transition herself.</p>
<p>Pretty good!</p>
<p>In the event that a screen is more solid and it's harder to chase over for the point of attack defender, Wilson shows and recovers once the chaser regains connection, or will outright peel switch if it's called for. The communication from the Aces' in general has been extremely impressive.</p>
<p>While the offense of the Aces has taken the league by storm early, the defense is tethered to its success. How Vegas continues to mesh and workshop on that end will be fascinating to keep up with throughout the season. Can they keep playing such a small rotation with this frenetic play style? How will it hold up against more stout post presences? Right now, it's hard not to feel good about the state of the Aces' defense, in due part ot the improved defensive play of star A'ja Wilson.</p>

<p>Las Vegas Aces point guard Kelsey Plum gave one teammate a ringing endorsement following the team's win on Friday night: "A'ja Wilson. Let's start the campaign now, people. Defensive Player of the Year."</p>
<p>The Atlanta Dream lept out to a surprising 2-0 start to the season, their best start since 2017, spurred on by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the play of rookie Rhyne Howard</a>. Their defense has been cohesive, transition play has sparked their offense and the veterans they brought in via trade and free agency in the off-season have provided a rock-solid foundation.</p>
<p>The Aces simply had other plans Friday night.</p>
<p>Vegas flattened out much of what the Dream wanted to do out of ball screens, switching the majority of actions not involving the five spot, something they've done routinely this year. With former starting center Liz Cambage now a member of the Los Angeles Sparks, the Aces have restructured and shifted to Wilson as a member of the starting five.</p>
<p>The Aces are certainly smaller, but they've made up for it with activity and aggression on ball screens. If Wilson is facing a good interior presence, the weak-side defender digs into the post, and the rest of the defense rotates accordingly. It's a more strenuous brand of basketball, but the Aces are embracing it, something head coach Becky Hammon pointed out after last night's win.</p>
<p>"We're small, [Wilson[ is at our five, so we gotta scrap, and they've all really bought into not making anything easy, especially post catches," Hammon said. "Her alertness as to what's going on in the paint has been sensational. I told her, she's gotta be Tim Duncan for us, she's gotta be Draymond Green for us, where she's talking constantly and sniffing out anything that comes through her paint, and she's bought in and done a fantastic job... she's been senasational</p>
<p>Wilson often plays up to the level on screens, making it difficult to dice up the defense from the middle of the floor. Seemingly half of Wilson's blocks have been on jump shot contests when she plays at the level.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ww7xr6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Through four games in 2022, Wilson has 15 blocks, a stellar mark, and the league leader by a longshot. She blocked 55 shots her rookie season in 2018, the most she has in her career, and she did that over 33 games. She's been expert not just at getting the rejections, but at keeping the ball in play. After going back through all her swats, roughly half of them directly resulted in a transition opportunity. It sounds minor, but it's a minute skill that can make a significant difference.</p>
<p>It would be unfair to expect her to keep up this pace all season, but the hot start is a notable and palpable change in her defensive approach. Hammon repeatedly has mentioned Wilson's "buy-in" on the defensive end. The activity is ratcheted up and setting the tone for the Aces.</p>
<p>"We've got to scrap. We're scrappers, and that's something we missed against DC (The Mystics)," said guard Kelsey Plum. "That was something that needed to be in the forefront tonight, so I was really proud initially when we came out. We had a ton of energy, we're rotating, boxing out, we're getting in transition, and that's when we're at our best."</p>
<p>They're getting out in transition and playing with pace often. Per HerHoopStats, the Aces are 7th in pace at 84.5 possessions per 40 minutes, right around average. Don't let that fool you, however, as the league-high pace in 2021 was 83.8 possessions per 40 minutes by the New York Liberty. That would rank only 9th this current year. It'll be interesting to see how that does or doesn't level out as the year goes on, because teams are flying.</p>
<p>The Aces' ability to get stops and create turnovers (they are 1st in blocks per game) has been essential in kickstarting their already potent offense.</p>
<p>This possession is such a great example of the Vegas defense and Wilson's impact. There aren't many bigs in the W who provide the coverage versatility and instincts that she does, allowing the Aces to get a little funky and aggressive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iv8ge3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A'ja shows and recovers on the first pick and roll, allowing Jackie Young to release from her high tag early to get back out to Sue Bird in the slot.&nbsp;Bird calls for the ball screen in an empty corner from Ezi Magbegor. Wilson angles herself well to both recover or contest the shot as Young chases overtop and Magbegor quickly rolls off the brief screen. Bird throws the pocket pass, Wilson recovers and gets the block with her off hand before taking the ball up in transition herself.</p>
<p>Pretty good!</p>
<p>In the event that a screen is more solid and it's harder to chase over for the point of attack defender, Wilson shows and recovers once the chaser regains connection, or will outright peel switch if it's called for. The communication from the Aces' in general has been extremely impressive.</p>
<p>While the offense of the Aces has taken the league by storm early, the defense is tethered to its success. How Vegas continues to mesh and workshop on that end will be fascinating to keep up with throughout the season. Can they keep playing such a small rotation with this frenetic play style? How will it hold up against more stout post presences? Right now, it's hard not to feel good about the state of the Aces' defense, in due part ot the improved defensive play of star A'ja Wilson.</p>

<p>Las Vegas Aces point guard Kelsey Plum gave one teammate a ringing endorsement following the team's win on Friday night: "A'ja Wilson. Let's start the campaign now, people. Defensive Player of the Year."</p>
<p>The Atlanta Dream lept out to a surprising 2-0 start to the season, their best start since 2017, spurred on by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the play of rookie Rhyne Howard</a>. Their defense has been cohesive, transition play has sparked their offense and the veterans they brought in via trade and free agency in the off-season have provided a rock-solid foundation.</p>
<p>The Aces simply had other plans Friday night.</p>
<p>Vegas flattened out much of what the Dream wanted to do out of ball screens, switching the majority of actions not involving the five spot, something they've done routinely this year. With former starting center Liz Cambage now a member of the Los Angeles Sparks, the Aces have restructured and shifted to Wilson as a member of the starting five.</p>
<p>The Aces are certainly smaller, but they've made up for it with activity and aggression on ball screens. If Wilson is facing a good interior presence, the weak-side defender digs into the post, and the rest of the defense rotates accordingly. It's a more strenuous brand of basketball, but the Aces are embracing it, something head coach Becky Hammon pointed out after last night's win.</p>
<p>"We're small, [Wilson[ is at our five, so we gotta scrap, and they've all really bought into not making anything easy, especially post catches," Hammon said. "Her alertness as to what's going on in the paint has been sensational. I told her, she's gotta be Tim Duncan for us, she's gotta be Draymond Green for us, where she's talking constantly and sniffing out anything that comes through her paint, and she's bought in and done a fantastic job... she's been senasational</p>
<p>Wilson often plays up to the level on screens, making it difficult to dice up the defense from the middle of the floor. Seemingly half of Wilson's blocks have been on jump shot contests when she plays at the level.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ww7xr6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Through four games in 2022, Wilson has 15 blocks, a stellar mark, and the league leader by a longshot. She blocked 55 shots her rookie season in 2018, the most she has in her career, and she did that over 33 games. She's been expert not just at getting the rejections, but at keeping the ball in play. After going back through all her swats, roughly half of them directly resulted in a transition opportunity. It sounds minor, but it's a minute skill that can make a significant difference.</p>
<p>It would be unfair to expect her to keep up this pace all season, but the hot start is a notable and palpable change in her defensive approach. Hammon repeatedly has mentioned Wilson's "buy-in" on the defensive end. The activity is ratcheted up and setting the tone for the Aces.</p>
<p>"We've got to scrap. We're scrappers, and that's something we missed against DC (The Mystics)," said guard Kelsey Plum. "That was something that needed to be in the forefront tonight, so I was really proud initially when we came out. We had a ton of energy, we're rotating, boxing out, we're getting in transition, and that's when we're at our best."</p>
<p>They're getting out in transition and playing with pace often. Per HerHoopStats, the Aces are 7th in pace at 84.5 possessions per 40 minutes, right around average. Don't let that fool you, however, as the league-high pace in 2021 was 83.8 possessions per 40 minutes by the New York Liberty. That would rank only 9th this current year. It'll be interesting to see how that does or doesn't level out as the year goes on, because teams are flying.</p>
<p>The Aces' ability to get stops and create turnovers (they are 1st in blocks per game) has been essential in kickstarting their already potent offense.</p>
<p>This possession is such a great example of the Vegas defense and Wilson's impact. There aren't many bigs in the W who provide the coverage versatility and instincts that she does, allowing the Aces to get a little funky and aggressive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iv8ge3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A'ja shows and recovers on the first pick and roll, allowing Jackie Young to release from her high tag early to get back out to Sue Bird in the slot.&nbsp;Bird calls for the ball screen in an empty corner from Ezi Magbegor. Wilson angles herself well to both recover or contest the shot as Young chases overtop and Magbegor quickly rolls off the brief screen. Bird throws the pocket pass, Wilson recovers and gets the block with her off hand before taking the ball up in transition herself.</p>
<p>In the event that a screen is more solid and it's harder to chase over for the point of attack defender, Wilson shows and recovers once the chaser regains connection, or will outright peel switch if it's called for. The communication from the Aces' in general has been extremely impressive.</p>
<p>While the offense of the Aces has taken the league by storm early, the defense is tethered to its success. How Vegas continues to mesh and workshop on that end will be fascinating to keep up with throughout the season. Can they keep playing such a small rotation with this frenetic play style? How will it hold up against more stout post presences? Right now, it's hard not to feel good about the state of the Aces' defense, in due part ot the improved defensive play of star A'ja Wilson.</p>

<p>Las Vegas Aces point guard Kelsey Plum gave one teammate a ringing endorsement following the team's win on Friday night: "A'ja Wilson. Let's start the campaign now, people. Defensive Player of the Year."</p>
<p>The Atlanta Dream lept out to a surprising 2-0 start to the season, their best start since 2017, spurred on by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the play of rookie Rhyne Howard</a>. Their defense has been cohesive, transition play has sparked their offense and the veterans they brought in via trade and free agency in the off-season have provided a rock-solid foundation.</p>
<p>The Aces simply had other plans Friday night.</p>
<p>Vegas flattened out much of what the Dream wanted to do out of ball screens, switching the majority of actions not involving the five spot, something they've done routinely this year. With former starting center Liz Cambage now a member of the Los Angeles Sparks, the Aces have restructured and shifted to Wilson as a member of the starting five.</p>
<p>The Aces are certainly smaller, but they've made up for it with activity and aggression on ball screens. If Wilson is facing a good interior presence, the weak-side defender digs into the post, and the rest of the defense rotates accordingly. It's a more strenuous brand of basketball, but the Aces are embracing it, something head coach Becky Hammon pointed out after last night's win.</p>
<p>"We're small, [Wilson[ is at our five, so we gotta scrap, and they've all really bought into not making anything easy, especially post catches," Hammon said. "Her alertness as to what's going on in the paint has been sensational. I told her, she's gotta be Tim Duncan for us, she's gotta be Draymond Green for us, where she's talking constantly and sniffing out anything that comes through her paint, and she's bought in and done a fantastic job... she's been senasational</p>
<p>Wilson often plays up to the level on screens, making it difficult to dice up the defense from the middle of the floor. Seemingly half of Wilson's blocks have been on jump shot contests when she plays at the level.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ww7xr6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Through four games in 2022, Wilson has 15 blocks, a stellar mark, and the league leader by a longshot. She blocked 55 shots her rookie season in 2018, the most she has in her career, and she did that over 33 games. She's been expert not just at getting the rejections, but at keeping the ball in play. After going back through all her swats, roughly half of them directly resulted in a transition opportunity. It sounds minor, but it's a minute skill that can make a significant difference.</p>
<p>It would be unfair to expect her to keep up this pace all season, but the hot start is a notable and palpable change in her defensive approach. Hammon repeatedly has mentioned Wilson's "buy-in" on the defensive end. The activity is ratcheted up and setting the tone for the Aces.</p>
<p>"We've got to scrap. We're scrappers, and that's something we missed against DC (The Mystics)," said guard Kelsey Plum. "That was something that needed to be in the forefront tonight, so I was really proud initially when we came out. We had a ton of energy, we're rotating, boxing out, we're getting in transition, and that's when we're at our best."</p>
<p>They're getting out in transition and playing with pace often. Per HerHoopStats, the Aces are 7th in pace at 84.5 possessions per 40 minutes, right around average. Don't let that fool you, however, as the league-high pace in 2021 was 83.8 possessions per 40 minutes by the New York Liberty. That would rank only 9th this current year. It'll be interesting to see how that does or doesn't level out as the year goes on, because teams are flying.</p>
<p>The Aces' ability to get stops and create turnovers (they are 1st in blocks per game) has been essential in kickstarting their already potent offense.</p>
<p>This possession is such a great example of the Vegas defense and Wilson's impact. There aren't many bigs in the W who provide the coverage versatility and instincts that she does, allowing the Aces to get a little funky and aggressive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iv8ge3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A'ja shows and recovers on the first pick and roll, allowing Jackie Young to release from her high tag early to get back out to Sue Bird in the slot.&nbsp;Bird calls for the ball screen in an empty corner from Ezi Magbegor. Wilson angles herself well to both recover or contest the shot as Young chases overtop and Magbegor quickly rolls off the brief screen. Bird throws the pocket pass, Wilson recovers and gets the block with her off hand before taking the ball up in transition herself.</p>
<p>In the event that a screen is more solid and it's harder to chase over for the point-of-attack defender, Wilson shows and recovers once the chaser regains connection, or she will outright peel switch if it's called for. The communication from the Aces' in general has been extremely impressive.</p>
<p>While the offense of the Aces has taken the league by storm early, the defense is tethered to its success. How Vegas continues to mesh and workshop on that end will be fascinating to keep up with throughout the season. Can they keep playing such a small rotation with this frenetic play style? How will it hold up against more stout post presences? Right now, it's hard not to feel good about the state of the Aces' defense, in due part ot the improved defensive play of star A'ja Wilson.</p>

<p>Las Vegas Aces point guard Kelsey Plum gave one teammate a ringing endorsement following the team's win on Friday night: "A'ja Wilson. Let's start the campaign now, people. Defensive Player of the Year."</p>
<p>The Atlanta Dream lept out to a surprising 2-0 start to the season, their best start since 2017, spurred on by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the play of rookie Rhyne Howard</a>. Their defense has been cohesive, transition play has sparked their offense and the veterans they brought in via trade and free agency in the off-season have provided a rock-solid foundation.</p>
<p>The Aces simply had other plans Friday night.</p>
<p>Vegas flattened out much of what the Dream wanted to do out of ball screens, switching the majority of actions not involving the five spot, something they've done routinely this year. With former starting center Liz Cambage now a member of the Los Angeles Sparks, the Aces have restructured and shifted to Wilson as a member of the starting five.</p>
<p>The Aces are certainly smaller, but they've made up for it with activity and aggression on ball screens. If Wilson is facing a good interior presence, the weak-side defender digs into the post, and the rest of the defense rotates accordingly. It's a more strenuous brand of basketball, but the Aces are embracing it, something head coach Becky Hammon pointed out after last night's win.</p>
<p>"We're small, [Wilson[ is at our five, so we gotta scrap, and they've all really bought into not making anything easy, especially post catches," Hammon said. "Her alertness as to what's going on in the paint has been sensational. I told her, she's gotta be Tim Duncan for us, she's gotta be Draymond Green for us, where she's talking constantly and sniffing out anything that comes through her paint, and she's bought in and done a fantastic job... she's been senasational</p>
<p>Wilson often plays up to the level on screens, making it difficult to dice up the defense from the middle of the floor. Seemingly half of Wilson's blocks have been on jump shot contests when she plays at the level.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ww7xr6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Through four games in 2022, Wilson has 15 blocks, a stellar mark, and the league leader by a longshot. She blocked 55 shots her rookie season in 2018, the most she has in her career, and she did that over 33 games. She's been expert not just at getting the rejections, but at keeping the ball in play. After going back through all her swats, roughly half of them directly resulted in a transition opportunity. It sounds minor, but it's a minute skill that can make a significant difference.</p>
<p>It would be unfair to expect her to keep up this pace all season, but the hot start is a notable and palpable change in her defensive approach. Hammon repeatedly has mentioned Wilson's "buy-in" on the defensive end. The activity is ratcheted up and setting the tone for the Aces.</p>
<p>"We've got to scrap. We're scrappers, and that's something we missed against DC (The Mystics)," said guard Kelsey Plum. "That was something that needed to be in the forefront tonight, so I was really proud initially when we came out. We had a ton of energy, we're rotating, boxing out, we're getting in transition, and that's when we're at our best."</p>
<p>They're getting out in transition and playing with pace often. Per HerHoopStats, the Aces are 7th in pace at 84.5 possessions per 40 minutes, right around average. Don't let that fool you, however, as the league-high pace in 2021 was 83.8 possessions per 40 minutes by the New York Liberty. That would rank only 9th this current year. It'll be interesting to see how that does or doesn't level out as the year goes on, because teams are flying.</p>
<p>The Aces' ability to get stops and create turnovers (they are 1st in blocks per game) has been essential in kickstarting their already potent offense.</p>
<p>This possession is such a great example of the Vegas defense and Wilson's impact. There aren't many bigs in the W who provide the coverage versatility and instincts that she does, allowing the Aces to get a little funky and aggressive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iv8ge3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A'ja shows and recovers on the first pick and roll, allowing Jackie Young to release from her high tag early to get back out to Sue Bird in the slot.&nbsp;Bird calls for the ball screen in an empty corner from Ezi Magbegor. Wilson angles herself well to both recover or contest the shot as Young chases overtop and Magbegor quickly rolls off the brief screen. Bird throws the pocket pass, Wilson recovers and gets the block with her off hand before taking the ball up in transition herself.</p>
<p>In the event that a screen is more solid and it's harder to chase over for the point-of-attack defender, Wilson shows and recovers once the chaser regains connection, or she will outright peel switch if it's called for. The communication from the Aces in general has been extremely impressive.</p>
<p>While the offense of the Aces has taken the league by storm early, the defense is tethered to its success. How Vegas continues to mesh and workshop on that end will be fascinating to keep up with throughout the season. Can they keep playing such a small rotation with this frenetic play style? How will it hold up against more stout post presences? Right now, it's hard not to feel good about the state of the Aces' defense, in due part ot the improved defensive play of star A'ja Wilson.</p>

<p>Las Vegas Aces point guard Kelsey Plum gave one teammate a ringing endorsement following the team's win on Friday night: "A'ja Wilson. Let's start the campaign now, people. Defensive Player of the Year."</p>
<p>The Atlanta Dream lept out to a surprising 2-0 start to the season, their best start since 2017, spurred on by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the play of rookie Rhyne Howard</a>. Their defense has been cohesive, transition play has sparked their offense and the veterans they brought in via trade and free agency in the off-season have provided a rock-solid foundation.</p>
<p>The Aces simply had other plans Friday night.</p>
<p>Vegas flattened out much of what the Dream wanted to do out of ball screens, switching the majority of actions not involving the five spot, something they've done routinely this year. With former starting center Liz Cambage now a member of the Los Angeles Sparks, the Aces have restructured and shifted to Wilson as a member of the starting five.</p>
<p>The Aces are certainly smaller, but they've made up for it with activity and aggression on ball screens. If Wilson is facing a good interior presence, the weak-side defender digs into the post, and the rest of the defense rotates accordingly. It's a more strenuous brand of basketball, but the Aces are embracing it, something head coach Becky Hammon pointed out after last night's win.</p>
<p>"We're small, [Wilson[ is at our five, so we gotta scrap, and they've all really bought into not making anything easy, especially post catches," Hammon said. "Her alertness as to what's going on in the paint has been sensational. I told her, she's gotta be Tim Duncan for us, she's gotta be Draymond Green for us, where she's talking constantly and sniffing out anything that comes through her paint, and she's bought in and done a fantastic job... she's been senasational</p>
<p>Wilson often plays up to the level on screens, making it difficult to dice up the defense from the middle of the floor. Seemingly half of Wilson's blocks have been on jump shot contests when she plays at the level.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ww7xr6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Through four games in 2022, Wilson has 15 blocks, a stellar mark, and the league leader by a longshot. She blocked 55 shots her rookie season in 2018, the most she has in her career, and she did that over 33 games. She's been expert not just at getting the rejections, but at keeping the ball in play. After going back through all her swats, roughly half of them directly resulted in a transition opportunity. It sounds minor, but it's a minute skill that can make a significant difference.</p>
<p>It would be unfair to expect her to keep up this pace all season, but the hot start is a notable and palpable change in her defensive approach. Hammon repeatedly has mentioned Wilson's "buy-in" on the defensive end. The activity is ratcheted up and setting the tone for the Aces.</p>
<p>"We've got to scrap. We're scrappers, and that's something we missed against DC (The Mystics)," said guard Kelsey Plum. "That was something that needed to be in the forefront tonight, so I was really proud initially when we came out. We had a ton of energy, we're rotating, boxing out, we're getting in transition, and that's when we're at our best."</p>
<p>They're getting out in transition and playing with pace often. Per HerHoopStats, the Aces are 7th in pace at 84.5 possessions per 40 minutes, right around average. Don't let that fool you, however, as the league-high pace in 2021 was 83.8 possessions per 40 minutes by the New York Liberty. That would rank only 9th this current year. It'll be interesting to see how that does or doesn't level out as the year goes on, because teams are flying.</p>
<p>The Aces' ability to get stops and create turnovers (they are 1st in blocks per game) has been essential in kickstarting their already potent offense.</p>
<p>This possession is such a great example of the Vegas defense and Wilson's impact. There aren't many bigs in the W who provide the coverage versatility and instincts that she does, allowing the Aces to get a little funky and aggressive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iv8ge3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A'ja shows and recovers on the first pick and roll, allowing Jackie Young to release from her high tag early to get back out to Sue Bird in the slot.&nbsp;Bird calls for the ball screen in an empty corner from Ezi Magbegor. Wilson angles herself well to both recover or contest the shot as Young chases overtop and Magbegor quickly rolls off the brief screen. Bird throws the pocket pass, Wilson recovers and gets the block with her off hand before taking the ball up in transition herself.</p>
<p>In the event that a screen is more solid and it's harder to chase over for the point-of-attack defender, Wilson shows and recovers once the chaser regains connection, or she will outright peel switch if it's called for. The communication from the Aces in general has been impressive.</p>
<p>While the offense of the Aces has taken the league by storm early, the defense is tethered to its success. How Vegas continues to mesh and workshop on that end will be fascinating to keep up with throughout the season. Can they keep playing such a small rotation with this frenetic play style? How will it hold up against more stout post presences? Right now, it's hard not to feel good about the state of the Aces' defense, in due part ot the improved defensive play of star A'ja Wilson.</p>

<p>Las Vegas Aces point guard Kelsey Plum gave one teammate a ringing endorsement following the team's win on Friday night: "A'ja Wilson. Let's start the campaign now, people. Defensive Player of the Year."</p>
<p>The Atlanta Dream lept out to a surprising 2-0 start to the season, their best start since 2017, spurred on by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the play of rookie Rhyne Howard</a>. Their defense has been cohesive, transition play has sparked their offense and the veterans they brought in via trade and free agency in the off-season have provided a rock-solid foundation.</p>
<p>The Aces simply had other plans Friday night.</p>
<p>Vegas flattened out much of what the Dream wanted to do out of ball screens, switching the majority of actions not involving the five spot, something they've done routinely this year. With former starting center Liz Cambage now a member of the Los Angeles Sparks, the Aces have restructured and shifted to Wilson as a member of the starting five.</p>
<p>The Aces are certainly smaller, but they've made up for it with activity and aggression on ball screens. If Wilson is facing a good interior presence, the weak-side defender digs into the post, and the rest of the defense rotates accordingly. It's a more strenuous brand of basketball, but the Aces are embracing it, something head coach Becky Hammon pointed out after last night's win.</p>
<p>"We're small, [Wilson[ is at our five, so we gotta scrap, and they've all really bought into not making anything easy, especially post catches," Hammon said. "Her alertness as to what's going on in the paint has been sensational. I told her, she's gotta be Tim Duncan for us, she's gotta be Draymond Green for us, where she's talking constantly and sniffing out anything that comes through her paint, and she's bought in and done a fantastic job... she's been senasational</p>
<p>Wilson often plays up to the level on screens, making it difficult to dice up the defense from the middle of the floor. Seemingly half of Wilson's blocks have been on jump shot contests when she plays at the level.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ww7xr6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Through four games in 2022, Wilson has 15 blocks, a stellar mark, and the league leader by a longshot. She blocked 55 shots her rookie season in 2018, the most she has in her career, and she did that over 33 games. She's been expert not just at getting the rejections, but at keeping the ball in play. After going back through all her swats, roughly half of them directly resulted in a transition opportunity. It sounds minor, but it's a minute skill that can make a significant difference.</p>
<p>It would be unfair to expect her to keep up this pace all season, but the hot start is a notable and palpable change in her defensive approach. Hammon repeatedly has mentioned Wilson's "buy-in" on the defensive end. The activity is ratcheted up and setting the tone for the Aces.</p>
<p>"We've got to scrap. We're scrappers, and that's something we missed against DC (The Mystics)," said guard Kelsey Plum. "That was something that needed to be in the forefront tonight, so I was really proud initially when we came out. We had a ton of energy, we're rotating, boxing out, we're getting in transition, and that's when we're at our best."</p>
<p>They're getting out in transition and playing with pace often. Per HerHoopStats, the Aces are 7th in pace at 84.5 possessions per 40 minutes, right around average. Don't let that fool you, however, as the league-high pace in 2021 was 83.8 possessions per 40 minutes by the New York Liberty. That would rank only 9th this current year. It'll be interesting to see how that does or doesn't level out as the year goes on, because teams are flying.</p>
<p>The Aces' ability to get stops and create turnovers (they are 1st in blocks per game) has been essential in kickstarting their already potent offense.</p>
<p>This possession is such a great example of the Vegas defense and Wilson's impact. There aren't many bigs in the W who provide the coverage versatility and instincts that she does, allowing the Aces to get a little funky and aggressive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iv8ge3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A'ja shows and recovers on the first pick and roll, allowing Jackie Young to release from her high tag early to get back out to Sue Bird in the slot.&nbsp;Bird calls for the ball screen in an empty corner from Ezi Magbegor. Wilson angles herself well to both recover or contest the shot as Young chases overtop and Magbegor quickly rolls off the brief screen. Bird throws the pocket pass, Wilson recovers and gets the block with her off hand before taking the ball up in transition herself.</p>
<p>In the event that a screen is more solid and it's harder to chase over for the point-of-attack defender, Wilson shows and recovers once the chaser regains connection, or she will outright peel switch if it's called for. The communication from the Aces in general has been impressive.</p>
<p>While the offense of the Aces has taken the league by storm early, the defense is tethered to its success. How Vegas continues to mesh and workshop on that end will be fascinating to keep up with throughout the season. Can they keep playing such a small rotation with this frenetic play style? How will it hold up against more stout post presences? Right now, it's hard not to feel good about the state of the Aces' defense, due in part to the improved defensive play of star A'ja Wilson.</p>
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<p>Las Vegas Aces point guard Kelsey Plum gave one teammate a ringing endorsement following the team's win on Friday night: "A'ja Wilson. Let's start the campaign now, people. Defensive Player of the Year."</p>
<p>The Atlanta Dream lept out to a surprising 2-0 start to the season, their best start since 2017, spurred on by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the play of rookie Rhyne Howard</a>. Their defense has been cohesive, transition play has sparked their offense and the veterans they brought in via trade and free agency in the off-season have provided a rock-solid foundation.</p>
<p>The Aces simply had other plans Friday night.</p>
<p>Vegas flattened out much of what the Dream wanted to do out of ball screens, switching the majority of actions not involving the five spot, something they've done routinely this year. With former starting center Liz Cambage now a member of the Los Angeles Sparks, the Aces have restructured and shifted to Wilson as a member of the starting five.</p>
<p>The Aces are certainly smaller, but they've made up for it with activity and aggression on ball screens. If Wilson is facing a good interior presence, the weak-side defender digs into the post, and the rest of the defense rotates accordingly. It's a more strenuous brand of basketball, but the Aces are embracing it, something head coach Becky Hammon pointed out after last night's win.</p>
<p>"We're small, [Wilson[ is at our five, so we gotta scrap, and they've all really bought into not making anything easy, especially post catches," Hammon said. "Her alertness as to what's going on in the paint has been sensational. I told her, she's gotta be Tim Duncan for us, she's gotta be Draymond Green for us, where she's talking constantly and sniffing out anything that comes through her paint, and she's bought in and done a fantastic job... she's been senasational</p>
<p>Wilson often plays up to the level on screens, making it difficult to dice up the defense from the middle of the floor. Seemingly half of Wilson's blocks have been on jump shot contests when she plays at the level.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ww7xr6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Through four games in 2022, Wilson has 15 blocks, a stellar mark, and the league leader by a longshot. She blocked 55 shots her rookie season in 2018, the most she has in her career, and she did that over 33 games. She's been expert not just at getting the rejections, but at keeping the ball in play. After going back through all her swats, roughly half of them directly resulted in a transition opportunity. It sounds minor, but it's a minute skill that can make a significant difference.</p>
<p>It would be unfair to expect her to keep up this pace all season, but the hot start is a notable and palpable change in her defensive approach. Hammon repeatedly has mentioned Wilson's "buy-in" on the defensive end. The activity is ratcheted up and setting the tone for the Aces.</p>
<p>"We've got to scrap. We're scrappers, and that's something we missed against DC (The Mystics)," said guard Kelsey Plum. "That was something that needed to be in the forefront tonight, so I was really proud initially when we came out. We had a ton of energy, we're rotating, boxing out, we're getting in transition, and that's when we're at our best."</p>
<p>They're getting out in transition and playing with pace often. Per HerHoopStats, the Aces are 7th in pace at 84.5 possessions per 40 minutes, right around average. Don't let that fool you, however, as the league-high pace in 2021 was 83.8 possessions per 40 minutes by the New York Liberty. That would rank only 9th this current year. It'll be interesting to see how that does or doesn't level out as the year goes on, because teams are flying.</p>
<p>The Aces' ability to get stops and create turnovers (they are 1st in blocks per game) has been essential in kickstarting their already potent offense.</p>
<p>This possession is such a great example of the Vegas defense and Wilson's impact. There aren't many bigs in the W who provide the coverage versatility and instincts that she does, allowing the Aces to get a little funky and aggressive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iv8ge3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A'ja shows and recovers on the first pick and roll, allowing Jackie Young to release from her high tag early to get back out to Sue Bird in the slot.&nbsp;Bird calls for the ball screen in an empty corner from Ezi Magbegor. Wilson angles herself well to both recover or contest the shot as Young chases overtop and Magbegor quickly rolls off the brief screen. Bird throws the pocket pass, Wilson recovers and gets the block with her off hand before taking the ball up in transition herself.</p>
<p>In the event that a screen is more solid and it's harder to chase over for the point-of-attack defender, Wilson shows and recovers once the chaser regains connection, or she will outright peel switch if it's called for. The communication from the Aces in general has been impressive.</p>
<p>While the offense of the Aces has taken the league by storm early, the defense is tethered to its success. How Vegas continues to mesh and workshop on that end will be fascinating to keep up with throughout the season. Can they keep playing such a small rotation with this frenetic play style? How will it hold up against more stout post presences? Right now, it's hard not to feel good about the state of the Aces' defense, due in part to the improved defensive play of star A'ja Wilson.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p>Las Vegas Aces point guard Kelsey Plum gave one teammate a ringing endorsement following the team's win on Friday night: "A'ja Wilson. Let's start the campaign now, people. Defensive Player of the Year."</p>
<p>The Atlanta Dream lept out to a surprising 2-0 start to the season, their best start since 2017, spurred on by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the play of rookie Rhyne Howard</a>. Their defense has been cohesive, transition play has sparked their offense and the veterans they brought in via trade and free agency in the off-season have provided a rock-solid foundation.</p>
<p>The Aces simply had other plans Friday night.</p>
<p>Vegas flattened out much of what the Dream wanted to do out of ball screens, switching the majority of actions not involving the five spot, something they've done routinely this year. With former starting center Liz Cambage now a member of the Los Angeles Sparks, the Aces have restructured and shifted to Wilson as a member of the starting five.</p>
<p>The Aces are certainly smaller, but they've made up for it with activity and aggression on ball screens. If Wilson is facing a good interior presence, the weak-side defender digs into the post, and the rest of the defense rotates accordingly. It's a more strenuous brand of basketball, but the Aces are embracing it, something head coach Becky Hammon pointed out after last night's win.</p>
<p>"We're small, [Wilson[ is at our five, so we gotta scrap, and they've all really bought into not making anything easy, especially post catches," Hammon said. "Her alertness as to what's going on in the paint has been sensational. I told her, she's gotta be Tim Duncan for us, she's gotta be Draymond Green for us, where she's talking constantly and sniffing out anything that comes through her paint, and she's bought in and done a fantastic job... she's been senasational</p>
<p>Wilson often plays up to the level on screens, making it difficult to dice up the defense from the middle of the floor. Seemingly half of Wilson's blocks have been on jump shot contests when she plays at the level.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ww7xr6" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Through four games in 2022, Wilson has 15 blocks, a stellar mark, and the league leader by a longshot. She blocked 55 shots her rookie season in 2018, the most she has in her career, and she did that over 33 games. She's been expert not just at getting the rejections, but at keeping the ball in play. After going back through all her swats, roughly half of them directly resulted in a transition opportunity. It sounds minor, but it's a minute skill that can make a significant difference.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>It would be unfair to expect her to keep up this pace all season, but the hot start is a notable and palpable change in her defensive approach. Hammon repeatedly has mentioned Wilson's "buy-in" on the defensive end. The activity is ratcheted up and setting the tone for the Aces.</p>
<p>"We've got to scrap. We're scrappers, and that's something we missed against DC (The Mystics)," said guard Kelsey Plum. "That was something that needed to be in the forefront tonight, so I was really proud initially when we came out. We had a ton of energy, we're rotating, boxing out, we're getting in transition, and that's when we're at our best."</p>
<p>They're getting out in transition and playing with pace often. Per HerHoopStats, the Aces are 7th in pace at 84.5 possessions per 40 minutes, right around average. Don't let that fool you, however, as the league-high pace in 2021 was 83.8 possessions per 40 minutes by the New York Liberty. That would rank only 9th this current year. It'll be interesting to see how that does or doesn't level out as the year goes on, because teams are flying.</p>
<p>The Aces' ability to get stops and create turnovers (they are 1st in blocks per game) has been essential in kickstarting their already potent offense.</p>
<p>This possession is such a great example of the Vegas defense and Wilson's impact. There aren't many bigs in the W who provide the coverage versatility and instincts that she does, allowing the Aces to get a little funky and aggressive.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iv8ge3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>A'ja shows and recovers on the first pick and roll, allowing Jackie Young to release from her high tag early to get back out to Sue Bird in the slot.&nbsp;Bird calls for the ball screen in an empty corner from Ezi Magbegor. Wilson angles herself well to both recover or contest the shot as Young chases overtop and Magbegor quickly rolls off the brief screen. Bird throws the pocket pass, Wilson recovers and gets the block with her off hand before taking the ball up in transition herself.</p>
<p>In the event that a screen is more solid and it's harder to chase over for the point-of-attack defender, Wilson shows and recovers once the chaser regains connection, or she will outright peel switch if it's called for. The communication from the Aces in general has been impressive.</p>
<p>While the offense of the Aces has taken the league by storm early, the defense is tethered to its success. How Vegas continues to mesh and workshop on that end will be fascinating to keep up with throughout the season. Can they keep playing such a small rotation with this frenetic play style? How will it hold up against more stout post presences? Right now, it's hard not to feel good about the state of the Aces' defense, due in part to the improved defensive play of star A'ja Wilson.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

The Las Vegas Aces smothered the Atlanta Dream on Friday night, highlighted by the stellar defensive play of A'ja Wilson.

A'ja Wilson's defense takes a step forward early in Aces' season

<p>Mark grew up in and is based out of the Cleveland, Ohio. He appreciates combo guards, sometimes too much, but someone has to. Mark covers the entire league with a focus on player development and progression, while also keeping up with college scouting and eyeing the NBA Draft. You can follow him on Twitter @MG_Schindler.</p>