Ball & Ingram were mostly no-shows.
Zion couldn't guard Randle at all; Z also stumbled around and lost the ball a ton, not sure how he only has 2 recorded turnovers, seemed closer to 8.
James Johnson was significantly better guarding Julius, But JJ couldn't put ball in basket.
Zion is a mofo on the O-boards, but handling the ball outside as he did on about half the possessions was just a total waste of time. He doesn't have a reliable 3-shot, doesn't drive from that far out, and his passing was perfunctory at best. In other words, he's no Julius Randle, who has the skill-set to unleash multiple options when he handles far out.
Reg Bullox was a hero. Scored a few key baskets when Randle sat and NYK offense was shaky mid-game. Had one terrible late game long 3 in transition which he rushed and was an airball, but redeemed himself with that game-tying 3.
Terrible defensive blunder from ZoBall. In the huddle SVG should have repeated over and over "Guard the 3 point line, let them get a 2 if they want, Guard the 3-point line". And yet Zo gets suckered towards the lane by Rose's drive and closes out late. If he just stuck with Reg, the pass wouldn't be there and Rose would have to go for the layup, or make a tough pass elsewhere.
Kiid again living the context-free life. Thibs actually was somewhat careful with Randle's minutes and gave Julius a mid-1Q 3-min breather and again mid/late 3Q.
So 1Q & 3Q, Randle got a 3 blow, 2-3 minutes back on and then the quarter break.
If ObiT did anything he might have gotten some limited 2Q run. But the 4Q was too tight -- tied or with Knix down -- to take Randle out / put ObiT in. 47 mins is a lot for any human, but if you need to scratch out an OT W, that's what you do.
Again, some of this is on ObiT. Show something in your time out there. Play some decent D, pose an O threat, make more than move-it-along type passes.
Anyway, Reg Rose Randle were keys. Rose, like reg, made timely key hoops.
Randle was struggling a bit, and then abused Zion. Zion with the wrong approach. He would give Randle some space (including too much for 3's), and then body Randle after 2 or 3 dribbles before a shot. Body Randle early, fight for every inch and don't let him get near the paint, then backoff when Julius goes to shoot from mid-range. Zion too small to actually bother Julius' shot. Bodying Randle late just made for fouls, with Randle already within range.
Found it funny when Knox faked a 3 and drove on Zion, then tried to bump Zion who doesn't budge and Knox got blocked as he stumble-shoots.
As for Zion, one of then least impressive 34/9/5 games I've seen. You've got Ball and Bledsoe, why does SVG have Zion with the ball way out doing nada? Run some PnR's with Zion setting some bigass screens, or have Zion post. Make folks stop Zion down low. Have Adams screen for Zion inside and Zion catch passes on the move where he's an absolute freight train. Zion 25' out with a live dribble is useless.
Was a game of runs, but Pels choked away the game.
Where was Ingram? Isn't he supposed ot be good?
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