NYKBocker wrote:However, I was not happy that KP got very limited minutes in the 2nd half. Fisher needs to learn how to manage KPs minutes when he is struggling. Benching him is not the answer. KP needs to learn how to adjust in game.

Not as black and white as that. Thomas played the better game. Doing what needs to be done to win a game is part of the NBA learning process too. Trusting your teammates, waiting for your opportunity, playing a role, dealing with a off-night is part of the process too, not just raw court time.

Hahn and Szerbiak praised him for sending the message no one besides the star 13 year vet gets automatic minutes and I tend to agree with them.

Being benched is learning too.

Big picture.

Andrew wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote:
0-7 in the 4th quarter.

1-6 according to the game log.

Good catch, he did make 1 bucket only.

mreinman wrote:

fishmike wrote:the problem is the only part of the coaching we are privy to is what we see on the floor.

We don’t know how he runs practice. We don’t know what is stressed. We don’t know who he rides and who he gives passes to. We know so little real info. We get tidbits from the players and media, and then get to filter through 90% of regurgitated fodder to speculate on the 10% of truth.

Let go with what we see…

Rotations: Good. Playing 13 guys last night before a b2b is good. He’s giving guys time and looks. You can see he’s got his guys he trusts and guys he wants to trust but need to prove. Benching Jose for Galloway down the stretch vs. Wash prob won us the game. KP needed to sit last night. Good call.

Player roles: Is he asking guys to do too much or putting them in a position to succeed? I would say the latter and he’s doing very well. We are 4-4 to start with a ton of new guys vs. mostly playoff teams. KP, Galloway and Grant are all playing rotation minutes. Melo is shooting less, playing more D and passing more for this coach than any other he’s played for. The young guys seem to be developing nicely and playing with confidence. Grant gets yanked around a bit but rookie PG with a PG coach.

Fisher is growing on me. The team is scrappy, deep and prepared. His trust in Lance Thomas, a guy most here were offended that he was even on the roster has paid huge dividends. He reminds me of Jerome Williams… the JYD.

Good thread. When the team doesn’t defend I have heard guys cry it’s the coach. Fisher looks good to me. Looking forward to more.

don't see Jerome Williams in Thomas. Thomas looks like he is really developing his finesse game. Bowen or Dan Marjele? Maybe even a touch of Shane Battier?

You dont want to play either too much, but run them out for 20ish mpg and usually good things happen. Regardless of who he reminds us of he's 100% been a great role player for us.

As for the KP benching he's a rookie. Being the future of the franchise doesnt mean we have to lose while he learns. He was having a terrible game and Lance looked great. Nothing wrong with going with the hot hand. KP was standing and cheering the 4th.

Another sick putback from KP... He and Rolo strike me as a great combo.

WaltLongmire wrote:

NYKBocker wrote:However, I was not happy that KP got very limited minutes in the 2nd half. Fisher needs to learn how to manage KPs minutes when he is struggling. Benching him is not the answer. KP needs to learn how to adjust in game.

Love KP, but also like to win. If Fisher felt that KP was not on...and he wasn't, why not go with the guy who is getting it done on that night.

Who knows what kind of coaching he will get and what advice will be given him after last night?

Thomas was, and has been, playing well...he has been a pleasant surprise, and has some versatility and toughness.

Not as sexy a player as Williams, but Fisher obviously feels good having him on the court.

Seems that Thomas is not a "you did well last year in a bad situation, here's a bone for this year, now sit down and be quiet while the big dogs do their thing" player. Looks like he has a rotational role on this team...folks have to deal with that if their favorite player has his minutes shortened now and then.

KP will emerge, and his offense will come around...just a matter of time, but why lose a game if you can win it while he sits and learns?

Nalod wrote:KP need to get his shot. He needs the space to penetrate. If he is losing confidence he needs to sit a bit.

Basically Fish was rotating him in for offense in the end and Lance for defense. It happened to work out they fouled Lance and going to the line kept KP out.
Its kool, KP getting plenty of playing time!

Toronto also went very small and LT was matched up on Derozan.

gunsnewing wrote:I hope all the lifting isn't messing up KP's shot. Thats what it looks like to me or is it simply a confidence thing? His shot has been way off leading me to think he's lifting too much

I think it's a confidence/rushed shot thing. You could see after a couple of 3pt misses, he hesitates and passes to someone else, because now he's thinking instead of acting instintively.

His stroke is fine, his free throws are usually money. Just needs more game repetition and to take his time. Success will breed success eventually for him.

One thing he sure doesn't lack in confidence thus far...

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/KicksDeals/status/664481214577922049

Blake who? Porzingis the Put back king!

gunsnewing wrote:I hope all the lifting isn't messing up KP's shot. Thats what it looks like to me or is it simply a confidence thing? His shot has been way off leading me to think he's lifting too much

KP will have plenty of games like this. Its all good and part of the learning. The fact that he still got 20 minutes in his worst game says a lot. What will be really interesting is how he bounces back tonight

bigbasketballs wrote:

fishmike wrote:

gunsnewing wrote:I hope all the lifting isn't messing up KP's shot. Thats what it looks like to me or is it simply a confidence thing? His shot has been way off leading me to think he's lifting too much

you can tell they have said to shoot it when he gets a good look. Problem is at 7'3 most looks are pretty good. So when your young and the scoring leader on your team has taken one shot and you have missed 5 your going to get tentative.

KP will have plenty of games like this. Its all good and part of the learning. The fact that he still got 20 minutes in his worst game says a lot. What will be really interesting is how he bounces back tonight

Yeah, people want him to be great and dispel all doubts definitively right away, normal struggles are going to be magnified. If we're lucky, he won't have reached his peak for YEARS.

I am enjoying the process.