[Viking_Guy]

I've said it before, I'll say it again: Dwight Powell is a 6'11" guy who wants to play like he is a 6'5" shooting guard.  Couple that with not so great hands, and the glitter of his size, wingspan and quickness fades a bit.  Watching him, I'm always aware of the balls tipped away as he drives, and the rebounds he gets but can't hang onto.  What combination of innate ability and coaching is at fault for that is not clear.

The zone is an interesting project, but when you have Nastic at the center of it, every team simply tries to work the ball into the corner for a three (overloading the wing player and forcing Nastic to try to close out).  One running comment that I thought was telling from the Northwestern game - the color guy was pointing out how high the two guards were playing, leaving that wing defender really vulnerable by leaving them to cover both the wing and the corner.

More generally, we have two solid on-ball defenders - Huestis and Randle.  Everyone else needs help - Bright is too vulnerable to picks and physical drivers, Nastic to quickness, and Powell to reaching and picking up silly fouls.

Now that I think of it, the zone could also be an attempted response to the new foul "emphases" - they seem particularly designed to limit defenders' ability to defend the drive and fight through or hedge on screens.

VG

[Viking_Guy]

I've said it before, I'll say it again: Dwight Powell is a 6'11" guy who wants to play like he is a 6'5" shooting guard.  Couple that with not so great hands, and the glitter of his size, wingspan and quickness fades a bit.  Watching him, I'm always aware of the balls tipped away as he drives, and the rebounds he gets but can't hang onto.  What combination of innate ability and coaching is at fault for that is not clear.

The zone is an interesting project, but when you have Nastic at the center of it, every team simply tries to work the ball into the corner for a three (overloading the wing player and forcing Nastic to try to close out).  One running comment that I thought was telling from the Northwestern game - the color guy was pointing out how high the two guards were playing, leaving that wing defender really vulnerable by leaving them to cover both the wing and the corner.

More generally, we have two solid on-ball defenders - Huestis and Randle.  Everyone else needs help - Bright is too vulnerable to picks and physical drivers, Nastic to quickness, and Powell to reaching and picking up silly fouls.

Now that I think of it, the zone could also be an attempted response to the new foul "emphases" - they seem particularly designed to limit defenders' ability to defend the drive and fight through or hedge on screens.

VG