Breakdown:
Here are some things I’ve picked up on about Scottie. Not from just this game, but his play so far in general.
1. Well, I noticed this kid was 2 assists away from being the youngest player to record a TD in the playoffs. It was his first game, would have been above Magic Johnson & LeBron on the list.
2. This game specifically, Scottie was really good at targeting matchups. Philly kept trying different matchups on him all game, because they didn’t really know what to do. His size & versatility is going to be a pain in the ass for many NBA defenses. When you face a 6’9” guy that can see over your players heads, blow by your big guys, and destroy your little guys, it’s a problem.
3. Another thing, he’s really confident. This was his first playoff game ever. He’s had a handful of missed game winners last season but that’s not a bad thing. This kid is not scared of the moment at all. He does not crack down under pressure.
4. He had MANY many ball handling duties this game and he honestly looked just fine. Yes, Scottie can run point guard. He’s done it multiple times last season, and was even trusted in his playoff debut 2 years ago to handle the ball a bit. I don’t think people understand how impressive this really was with his size as a rookie. His handle looked solid this game.
5. Had some excellent reads. One thing about Scottie, is he always adjusts his game to how the defense plays him. That’s why you see him shoot a bunch of pull up jumpers in some games. In other games he’s dominating the post, or running back door, or even making easy passes. If he develops a consistent pull up jumper at the very least I truly think he is going to be a major issue for NBA defenses. He’s really unselfish and will do what’s best for the team.
6. Barnes gets a lot of Webber comparisons but he’s sooooo, so much faster, athletic than Webber ever was. He plays like Webber in the low post, but in transition & the half court he reminds me a lot more of Ben Simmons if he had a bit of shooting ability.
7. I have zero doubts that he can run an NBA offense as a point. He’s been doing it for us already and you know he’s working over the summer. The question is can he do it on a legit winning team? I think so…. but he also has to have good teammates to win games. This was a really fun game to go back and visit.
8. He’s going to absolutely flourish with a bit more freedom. It’s pretty upsetting to see people already have concerns that he’ll be a role player. I think some of you also need to do some revisiting. He’s a willing learner, has no problem with expanding his game, and I hate to be corny but he really does have that dog in him. He isn’t scared of anything.
by mxgicjohnson
6 Comments
Man he’s has so much potential. And I’ve got faith in him. The thing I love most? He seems like one of those guys who gets better as the stakes get higher.
I know this gets a lot of hate every time it’s said, but this game he looked a lot like young Magic Johnson. His ability to get inside and score, the crazy vision, coming down with defensive boards and running the floor pushing the pace.
I’m not saying he’s as good as Magic or will be as good as Magic, but the play style there is incredibly similar.
We’re a 20+ ppg center away from being the Showtime Raptors. Who should we get?
He played well but issue is the rest of the roster. We couldnt contain Maxey and were down 20 pretty much all game after the first half
Fred’s reaction at 2:36 when Scottie waves him off to bring the ball up lol
He looked like he’s one of those players that have an extra gear to them.