Coach Spins' Clipboard: The Streaking Magic, Dyson Daniels & Point Guard Play
Plus some thoughts on Darius Garland, the Knicks rotation, and the importance of defense when your shot isn't falling
Basketball season is busy, man.
The high school season is in full swing, taking me away from the daily routines I get into for watching film and keeping up to date with college and pro basketball. As such, the clipboard this past weekend was filled with plays for our own team as we participated in an eight-team tournament (that we hosted) and played three games in as many days.
High school basketball is pretty simple at times. The team that takes care of the ball and makes more shots tends to win the game. Self-inflicted wounds lose games, made shots win them. Guard play goes a long way in making both happen. Good guards who break pressure, steady the offense, defend at the point of attack and speed up opponents make a world of difference.
Inspired by the need to show film of good guard play to our own guys, this week’s clipboard (a few days late, but here nonetheless) looks at some of the more impactful things we’ve seen from NBA guards — and a few areas where they can improve.
Those Dang Magic!
Don’t look now but the Orlando Magic have won six of their last seven! They’ve beaten the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors — twice each — in that span, and now have as many wins as the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. Paolo Banchero looks every bit of the superstar we believed he’d be, and his play over the win streak has propelled them to this run. Over their six wins, Paolo has averaged 22.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 46.7% from 3.
Banchero is far from the only difference-maker. Markelle Fultz’s return to the lineup has buoyed their success, with several great performances as their starting point guard. Fultz went for 16-7-9-4 against the Atlanta Hawks last week, then 24-6-9 against them last night (even though they lost, Fultz was fantastic). He’s a pest on the offensive glass, but has provided an important stabilizing creation presence to get guys like Banchero and Franz Wagner some easier buckets.
Both have benefitted from getting easy catch-and-shoot looks thanks to the amount that Fultz can collapse defenses as a credible driving threat.
In addition, Fultz has this awesome sweeping hook shot he utilizes. It’s great when he drives across the lane and blows past some players, but it’s even better when he uses it with a Nash dribble. This one against the Boston Celtics caught my eye:
This is a point guard being defended by Grant Williams and he takes him into the post for an old-fashioned hook shot! Fultz is so funky and fun, it’s been great to see him healthy and playing well. He’s a meaningful contributor to Orlando’s success and a great addition to a streaky young team.
Break up the Magic!
Darius Garland’s Lack of Rim Attempts
Let’s separate the what from the why for a second. The ‘what’ is clear: Darius Garland doesn’t get to the rim enough. Per Synergy Sports Tech, only 28.3% of his attempts come at the rim; he’s taken 68 runners and 96 layups this year.
The runner is a good shot for him. As a smaller, more slender guard, Garland needs to shoot a good amount of them to save his body from the beating it could take by bulldozing his way into giants down low. But there’s a balance to be struck. Garland is a career 88% free throw shooter, so contact should be his friend if it results in free throws. Runners don’t often translate to free throw attempts, and while he’s averaging a career-high 4.7 attempts per game from the stripe, it still doesn’t feel high enough.
Because Garland is good at them, the eradication of the floater isn’t an issue. He just is going to struggle to generate good, easy looks for himself if he’s bailing out and taking the runner as soon as a bigger body is within sight. There are times when the runner is a good shot, like when he’s balanced, loads up into it, and recognizes a helper in position to alter his shot should he probe further:
There are also times when Garland is a tad off-balance and bails out early to take the floater. You can see avenues where the rim is open — and where he’d get to the free throw line or an ‘and-one’ opportunity — if he sought out contact a little bit more.
The Cavaliers are a legitimate playoff contender now with their offensive balance and star power. Part of getting to the next level as a team is unlocking slight improvements for each guy on the team. To us, this is Garland’s missing piece on offense. A few more rim attempts (and free throws) will open up the runner even more and get the Cavaliers some easier points.
Dyson Daniels & The Benefit of Being Solid
Rookie Dyson Daniels is only averaging 5.7 points per game, but he’s playing a vital role for the upshot New Orleans Pelicans.