But for someone who had a teammate (THJr) just score 34 points and another had 18, yet somehow KP did not end up with any assists... it's almost mindblowing.

He's the focal point of the offense, you'd think he'd be able to average more than 1 assist per game, especially now that double teams are coming. A double team means 1 guy is open - and there's no one in the NBA that can bother him seeing the court.

Some notable big men black holes in NBA history (some more recent than others):
Chris Gatling: 19.7mpg, 10+ppg, .7apg
Shawn Bradley: 23.5mpg, 8.1ppg, .7apg
Olowokandi: 26.3mpg, 8.3ppg, .7apg
Eddy Curry: 24.9mpg, 12.9ppg, .5apg

Sam Dalembert: 24.4mpg, 7.7ppg, .5apg

Al Jefferson: 29.3mpg, 16.0ppg, 1.5apg
Zach Randolph: 31.3mpg, 16.7ppg, 1.8apg

We're comparing him to Larry Bird, Dirk, Garnett, the Greek Freak, KAT. Skipping to their career assist averages:
Larry Bird: 6.3apg - averaged 4.5 in his age 23 (rookie) season
Dirk: 2.5apg - averaged 2.5 in his age 21 (2nd) season
KG: 3.7apg - averaged 4.2apg in his age 21 (3rd) season
Giannis: 3.6apg - averaged 4.3 in his age 21 (3rd) season
KAT: 2.4apg - averaged 2.6 in his age 21 (2nd) season
Pau Gasol: 3.2apg - averaged 2.7 in his age 21 (rookie) season
Ewing: 1.9apg - averaged 2.0 apg in his age 23 (rookie) season

Our guy:
KP: 1.4apg - averaged 1.5 in his age 21 (2nd) season

technomaster wrote:Let's preface this with: YES, KP can get better as a passer (for assists). He's still young. Blah blah. But many of his key comparisons averaged many more assists at the same age.

But for someone who had a teammate (THJr) just score 34 points and another had 18, yet somehow KP did not end up with any assists... it's almost mindblowing.

He's the focal point of the offense, you'd think he'd be able to average more than 1 assist per game, especially now that double teams are coming. A double team means 1 guy is open - and there's no one in the NBA that can bother him seeing the court.

Some notable big men black holes in NBA history (some more recent than others):
Chris Gatling: 19.7mpg, 10+ppg, .7apg
Shawn Bradley: 23.5mpg, 8.1ppg, .7apg
Olowokandi: 26.3mpg, 8.3ppg, .7apg
Eddy Curry: 24.9mpg, 12.9ppg, .5apg

Sam Dalembert: 24.4mpg, 7.7ppg, .5apg

Al Jefferson: 29.3mpg, 16.0ppg, 1.5apg
Zach Randolph: 31.3mpg, 16.7ppg, 1.8apg

We're comparing him to Larry Bird, Dirk, Garnett, the Greek Freak, KAT. Skipping to their career assist averages:
Larry Bird: 6.3apg - averaged 4.5 in his age 23 (rookie) season
Dirk: 2.5apg - averaged 2.5 in his age 21 (2nd) season
KG: 3.7apg - averaged 4.2apg in his age 21 (3rd) season
Giannis: 3.6apg - averaged 4.3 in his age 21 (3rd) season
KAT: 2.4apg - averaged 2.6 in his age 21 (2nd) season
Pau Gasol: 3.2apg - averaged 2.7 in his age 21 (rookie) season
Ewing: 1.9apg - averaged 2.0 apg in his age 23 (rookie) season

Our guy:
KP: 1.4apg - averaged 1.5 in his age 21 (2nd) season

With the exponential growth in KP's game we've seen in just a few games. Are you really obsessing on assists? If Porzingis was forcing his shots, if he wasnt playing D, if he wasnt doing things no other Knick has done this early in the season, I might get your point. Talk about high maintenance.

Bonn1997 wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:As soon as I saw the title, I was thinking, "yeah if you multiply KP's assists by 15!" But KP's scoring is looking great.

I am shock to see you post this when KPs TS% is 54.8. What have you done with the real Bonn imposter

LOL, well that is above average (I think - not sure the average for this year so far). I'm assuming his 3s will improve. The strange thing is that the team has been playing better with him off the court though. It's just a few games and probably random.

I can see Melo reading this shaking his head saying " You never made that argument for me."

yellowboy90 wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:As soon as I saw the title, I was thinking, "yeah if you multiply KP's assists by 15!" But KP's scoring is looking great.

I am shock to see you post this when KPs TS% is 54.8. What have you done with the real Bonn imposter

LOL, well that is above average (I think - not sure the average for this year so far). I'm assuming his 3s will improve. The strange thing is that the team has been playing better with him off the court though. It's just a few games and probably random.

I can see Melo reading this shaking his head saying " You never made that argument for me."

BigRedDog wrote:How many guys that are posting actually saw Bird play his whole career? As a senior in college he took 4 nobodys to the NCAA finals against big bad Michigan with Magic. Incredible. I was up in Boston at the time. The year before he was drafted Boston won like 28 games, 5th place. With basically the same team his rookie season, Boston won 61 games, all because of Bird. I understand Bird was older than KP, but KP has a LONG way to go to be Bird. Bird was a great, great player who also made everyone on his team much better.

WaltLongmire wrote:

BigRedDog wrote:How many guys that are posting actually saw Bird play his whole career? As a senior in college he took 4 nobodys to the NCAA finals against big bad Michigan with Magic. Incredible. I was up in Boston at the time. The year before he was drafted Boston won like 28 games, 5th place. With basically the same team his rookie season, Boston won 61 games, all because of Bird. I understand Bird was older than KP, but KP has a LONG way to go to be Bird. Bird was a great, great player who also made everyone on his team much better.

Rooted for Bird against Magic in college...David vs Goliath thing for me... support the underdog unless it is my team.

Yup...Bird was more of a "makes people around him better guy" on the offensive end, and smart on the defensive end.

KP has not shown himself to be that kind of player on offense, but he can be a force as a shot blocker and intimidator, something Bird never was.

BigRedDog wrote:How many guys that are posting actually saw Bird play his whole career? As a senior in college he took 4 nobodys to the NCAA finals against big bad Michigan with Magic. Incredible. I was up in Boston at the time. The year before he was drafted Boston won like 28 games, 5th place. With basically the same team his rookie season, Boston won 61 games, all because of Bird. I understand Bird was older than KP, but KP has a LONG way to go to be Bird. Bird was a great, great player who also made everyone on his team much better.

Old enough to remember it was Michigan State not Michigan

BRIGGS wrote:

BigRedDog wrote:How many guys that are posting actually saw Bird play his whole career? As a senior in college he took 4 nobodys to the NCAA finals against big bad Michigan with Magic. Incredible. I was up in Boston at the time. The year before he was drafted Boston won like 28 games, 5th place. With basically the same team his rookie season, Boston won 61 games, all because of Bird. I understand Bird was older than KP, but KP has a LONG way to go to be Bird. Bird was a great, great player who also made everyone on his team much better.

Old enough to remember it was Michigan State not Michigan

Of course. My bad

blkexec wrote:The only comparison I see between KP and Bird is that they are both fair skin.

I see more Garnet and Dirk mixed together than Bird. Bird is in a class of his own. But I don't think KP has the same offense or jumper as Bird. And I don't think Bird has the rim protection or offensive rebound dunker type player KP is.

I've done this before and sometimes I have to catch myself. I used to find players of the same race to compare another player to, because that's easy. But if you ignore race or color, KP is actually similar to different people to me, and not just one person.

Dirk
Garnet
Greek Freak
Camby
Sampson

To me, when one player has qualities of different players, you have to put them in their own category. I believe if KP stays at PF, and excels.....He will develop the lateral quickness to guard 4 positions.....and sometimes 5 depending on the player.

I don't think anybody saw Bird and thought unicorn. KP was given that title by another player, for a reason. Putting KP in a category is similar to what people tried to do with Lebron. These guys are placed in their own special category, due to their natural talents and physical tools.

Have we ever seen a 7'3 player with guard like crossovers / handles and protects the rim like a center?

Bird might be setting the bar low....KP is the bar!

I'm not sure if anyone can say Larry Bird is setting the bar low-- I'd say that you must not have seen him play. However kp has been an absolute monster and he does it with relative ease. He's a better young version of Dirk right now --through 6 games he's nba first team right now -- take out boston game and he's MVP through 6