mafra
Legend
Who should be the backup C?
Portis or Gibson?
Taj Gibson: How the little things can make a big difference
The vet has made a strong case to be the Knicks? backup center
By Knicks Nuance Nov 13, 2019, 2:30pm EST
Which brings us nicely onto Taj Gibson. The 34 year old, even in his prime with the Chicago Bulls, was never more than a high-end role player. Taj was molded by former Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau, in an ecosystem that demands a strict adherence to defensive fundamentals. Gibson will be making on-time weakside rotations well after he retires, through sheer force of habit.
It?s not news that Gibson is a significantly better defensive player than Portis, but he also has quiet offensive virtues that make him a neater fit in Fizdale?s system.
So far this season, the Knicks run the most off-ball screens in the league, but are 28th in the NBA in points per possession ? 0.75 ? off these plays (per NBA.com Synergy Advanced Stats). Screening is an under-appreciated and under-publicized NBA skill, and in a screen-heavy Knicks offense, elite screen-setters stand to have a big impact.
In limited minutes this season, Gibson has been a devastating screener. According to NBA.com hustle stats, the veteran is averaging an impressive 5.9 screen assists ? leading to 13.3 points ? per 36 minutes. This mark is by far the highest on the roster, notably dwarfs Portis? 2.2 screen assists ? good for five points ? per 36 minutes.
The Brooklyn native also ? whilst we?re on the subject of under-the-radar fundamentals ? leads the team in box-outs per 36 minutes at 8.7. Portis is right behind him, with 6.4 box-outs per 36 minutes. Good screens and consistent box-outs. Elbow jumpers and hard rolls to the rim. A general sense of industry, of calming competence, of hard-earned experience. These are the blue-collar specialties of Taj Gibson, the epitome of a steadying role player.
(Where art thou Kurt Thomas)
This is not (entirely) an indictment of Portis? game as much as a recognition of Gibson?s. There is value in finding him more minutes; for his fit on this roster, in Fizdale?s screen heavy system, paired up for the most part with a talented, but defensively-limited frontcourt partner in Julius Randle. The reality, with Portis, is that he?s a gunner. Capable of blink-quick scoring bursts, but also one-dimensional and inconsistent. On this Knick team, perhaps, Bobby is better utilized as an ad-hoc energizer, deployed sparingly.
Gibson is short of a great basketball player, or even at this stage of his career a very good one. His game will not raise the ceiling of this Knicks team, but it will raise the floor. Having started the season 2-8, and having been on the wrong end of some truly painful blowouts already, this team cannot turn down the opportunity at an incremental bump in collective competence.
Portis will win one in every ten games by himself, as we saw in his vengeful outburst against the Bulls earlier this season. Gibson will do the dirty work ? the little things ? to help his team win every night.
aj is at the tail end of a career spent in the NBA trenches. Gibson is battle-tested, and probably a little deaf after eight seasons of being berated by a gruff-baritone Thibodeau, whose heart beats for defensive minutia. One thing he doesn?t need is minutes on a rebuilding Knicks team to validate his 11 years in the NBA so far. There were, no doubt, 10 million other more persuasive reasons he chose New York in free agency this past summer.
Either way, the Knicks sure could do with utilizing another player who does the little things, that ? piled up over a quarter, a game, a season ? can make a big difference.
https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2019/11/13/20957605/taj-gibson-how-the-little-things-can-make-a-big-difference
Portis or Gibson?
Taj Gibson: How the little things can make a big difference
The vet has made a strong case to be the Knicks? backup center
By Knicks Nuance Nov 13, 2019, 2:30pm EST
Which brings us nicely onto Taj Gibson. The 34 year old, even in his prime with the Chicago Bulls, was never more than a high-end role player. Taj was molded by former Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau, in an ecosystem that demands a strict adherence to defensive fundamentals. Gibson will be making on-time weakside rotations well after he retires, through sheer force of habit.
It?s not news that Gibson is a significantly better defensive player than Portis, but he also has quiet offensive virtues that make him a neater fit in Fizdale?s system.
So far this season, the Knicks run the most off-ball screens in the league, but are 28th in the NBA in points per possession ? 0.75 ? off these plays (per NBA.com Synergy Advanced Stats). Screening is an under-appreciated and under-publicized NBA skill, and in a screen-heavy Knicks offense, elite screen-setters stand to have a big impact.
In limited minutes this season, Gibson has been a devastating screener. According to NBA.com hustle stats, the veteran is averaging an impressive 5.9 screen assists ? leading to 13.3 points ? per 36 minutes. This mark is by far the highest on the roster, notably dwarfs Portis? 2.2 screen assists ? good for five points ? per 36 minutes.
The Brooklyn native also ? whilst we?re on the subject of under-the-radar fundamentals ? leads the team in box-outs per 36 minutes at 8.7. Portis is right behind him, with 6.4 box-outs per 36 minutes. Good screens and consistent box-outs. Elbow jumpers and hard rolls to the rim. A general sense of industry, of calming competence, of hard-earned experience. These are the blue-collar specialties of Taj Gibson, the epitome of a steadying role player.
(Where art thou Kurt Thomas)
This is not (entirely) an indictment of Portis? game as much as a recognition of Gibson?s. There is value in finding him more minutes; for his fit on this roster, in Fizdale?s screen heavy system, paired up for the most part with a talented, but defensively-limited frontcourt partner in Julius Randle. The reality, with Portis, is that he?s a gunner. Capable of blink-quick scoring bursts, but also one-dimensional and inconsistent. On this Knick team, perhaps, Bobby is better utilized as an ad-hoc energizer, deployed sparingly.
Gibson is short of a great basketball player, or even at this stage of his career a very good one. His game will not raise the ceiling of this Knicks team, but it will raise the floor. Having started the season 2-8, and having been on the wrong end of some truly painful blowouts already, this team cannot turn down the opportunity at an incremental bump in collective competence.
Portis will win one in every ten games by himself, as we saw in his vengeful outburst against the Bulls earlier this season. Gibson will do the dirty work ? the little things ? to help his team win every night.
aj is at the tail end of a career spent in the NBA trenches. Gibson is battle-tested, and probably a little deaf after eight seasons of being berated by a gruff-baritone Thibodeau, whose heart beats for defensive minutia. One thing he doesn?t need is minutes on a rebuilding Knicks team to validate his 11 years in the NBA so far. There were, no doubt, 10 million other more persuasive reasons he chose New York in free agency this past summer.
Either way, the Knicks sure could do with utilizing another player who does the little things, that ? piled up over a quarter, a game, a season ? can make a big difference.
https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2019/11/13/20957605/taj-gibson-how-the-little-things-can-make-a-big-difference
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