Anfernee Simons is unbelievable

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Since we all know that Jody is cheap. Will she much any offers for Simons after the season? How much should we give Simons?
 
e_blazer said:
The Suns are currently ranked #1 in most power rankings. The start a 6’0” PG and a 6’5” SG who is a well known defensive deficit player, particularly in defending P&Rs. Dame is 2” taller than CP3 and has a higher vertical. Ant is listed at just 1” shorter than Booker and has a 6” higher vertical. There’s nothing inherently wrong with a Dame/Ant pairing if they both work hard on defense. The fact that they can roll with the bigger Hart when needed makes this whole issue moot as far as I’m concerned.
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And hopefully they are willing to work. But despite CP3's size, he has long been considered to be one of the better PG's defensively. At 37, he's declining, but still 'pesky'. It's as much about attitude as it is size or vertical. Hopefully Dame can improve later in his career and under Chauncey, Ant gets off to a better start earlier in his career.
 
DDolla said:
Since we all know that Jody is cheap. Will she much any offers for Simons after the season? How much should we give Simons?
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Why do we think she is cheap? Because they needed to be under the repeater tax? Or are there other reasons I am missing?
Personally, I think she is doing what others tell her to do. She seems to be a hands-off owner which is not a bad thing assuming you have a good GM and coach.
I like having the full MLE as a tool to get better.
 
e_blazer said:
The Suns are currently ranked #1 in most power rankings. The start a 6’0” PG and a 6’5” SG who is a well known defensive deficit player, particularly in defending P&Rs. Dame is 2” taller than CP3 and has a higher vertical. Ant is listed at just 1” shorter than Booker and has a 6” higher vertical. There’s nothing inherently wrong with a Dame/Ant pairing if they both work hard on defense. The fact that they can roll with the bigger Hart when needed makes this whole issue moot as far as I’m concerned.
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But that 6’0” guy has been one of the best defensive PG’s in NBA history. According to EPM Booker is rated as an average defender while Ant is well below average. Together they are rated more than 5 points per 100 possessions better defensively than Ant and Dame. They are rated offensively somewhat better as well.
 
bobf said:
But that 6’0” guy has been one of the best defensive PG’s in NBA history. According to EPM Booker is rated as an average defender while Ant is well below average. Together they are rated more than 5 points per 100 possessions better defensively than Ant and Dame. They are rated offensively somewhat better as well.
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Yeah, CP3 is somewhat of an anomaly. He’s small, but makes up for it by being smarter and taking away his opponents angles, he also reads out what plays teams are running and disrupts it.

He also recently had a crazy streak of like 45 assists to 1 turnover. I knew he had a game that would translate good to being an older player. I’m not so sure Lillard will do the same.
 
bobf said:
But that 6’0” guy has been one of the best defensive PG’s in NBA history. According to EPM Booker is rated as an average defender while Ant is well below average. Together they are rated more than 5 points per 100 possessions better defensively than Ant and Dame. They are rated offensively somewhat better as well.
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You know what else is also true? Early in his career, Ant had one of the worst impact win analytics in the entire league. And look where he is now. He’s only 22 playing in his first season with meaningful consistent minutes. He’s already made astronomical leaps in a short period of time in his offensive game. Now he has a defensive minded coach to develop on the other side of the ball. And he’s already shown improvement on defense. I don’t have any doubt that he will develop into an above average defender.
 
bobf said:
But that 6’0” guy has been one of the best defensive PG’s in NBA history. According to EPM Booker is rated as an average defender while Ant is well below average. Together they are rated more than 5 points per 100 possessions better defensively than Ant and Dame. They are rated offensively somewhat better as well.
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I assume that the stats you’re giving are career stats? If so, I question whether they reflect how Ant has improved in his expanded role and under Billups’ coaching. I also question whether 36 years old CP3 is as much of a defensive menace as he once was. Booker has improved from the poor defender he was early on in his career, but Ant can’t improve?
 
I watched the 2nd half of the Bucks game from 6:00 left in the 3rd quarter to the end. There was some question somewhere in the forum if Morant was guarding Simons and vice versa, not sure if it was this thread. Anyway, Simons and Morant were not guarding each other.

The one time that Simons was guarding Morant, Morant ran behind Brandon Clarke on the right side line and Simons should have switched to Clarke and let Watford take Morant. Instead they were both standing in front of Morant, and Clarke ran to the hoop (and I think got the ball off a pass and took a shot).
When the Blazers were on offense Morant was over in the corner where Elleby was.
However in the Milwaukee game Simons was defending Jrue Holiday and did a good job.
 
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blazerfan11 said:
I watched the 2nd half of the Bucks game from 6:00 left in the 3rd quarter to the end. There was some question about if Morant was guarding Simons and vice versa, not sure if it was this thread, anyway, Simons and Morant were not guarding each other. The one time that Simons was guarding Morant,
Morant ran behind Brandon Clarke on the right side line and Simons should have switched to Clarke And let Watford take Morant. Instead they were both standing in front of Morant, and Clarke ran to the hoop (and I think got the ball off a pass and took a shot).
When the Blazers were on offense Morant was over in the corner where Elleby was.
However in the Milwaukee game Simons was defending Jrue Holiday and did a good job.
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Watched the last Pels game and it was obvious CJ was giving it his all on both ends of the court for his new team. But try as he might he couldn't keep his guy in front of him. Ant has much better lateral quickness and I don't see any reason why he can't become a passable defender unlike CJ who frankly relies on skill to overcome his athletic deficiencies.
 
e_blazer said:
I assume that the stats you’re giving are career stats? If so, I question whether they reflect how Ant has improved in his expanded role and under Billups’ coaching. I also question whether 36 years old CP3 is as much of a defensive menace as he once was. Booker has improved from the poor defender he was early on in his career, but Ant can’t improve?
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Those are 2022 EPM ratings which is supposedly the most accurate advanced stat.
https://dunksandthrees.com/epm

I’m not saying it can’t work just that there’s a big deficit at the defensive end right now. I expect Ant can improve defensively and also increase his free throw rate as he gets better at finishing.
 
bobf said:
Those are 2022 EPM ratings which is supposedly the most accurate advanced stat.
https://dunksandthrees.com/epm

I’m not saying it can’t work just that there’s a big deficit at the defensive end right now. I expect Ant can improve defensively and also increase his free throw rate as he gets better at finishing.
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Fair enough. I don't expect Ant and Dame to become defensive juggernauts, but I think that they can improve. I especially don't believe that the constant comment about size is a major factor in their ability to improve. But, as I have said before, I'm more in the "let's see how it works on the court" camp than making any prediction that they're going to work well together.
 
bobf said:
Those are 2022 EPM ratings which is supposedly the most accurate advanced stat.
https://dunksandthrees.com/epm

I’m not saying it can’t work just that there’s a big deficit at the defensive end right now. I expect Ant can improve defensively and also increase his free throw rate as he gets better at finishing.
Click to expand...
Great website. i love that UI. And it gives you percentiles-- terrific!
 
bobf said:
Those are 2022 EPM ratings which is supposedly the most accurate advanced stat.
https://dunksandthrees.com/epm

I’m not saying it can’t work just that there’s a big deficit at the defensive end right now. I expect Ant can improve defensively and also increase his free throw rate as he gets better at finishing.
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Nurk is pretty average it looks like. Slightly above average?
upload_2022-2-21_9-26-54.png

Simons is also fairly average or slightly above average.

upload_2022-2-21_9-29-20.png
 
Natebishop3 said:
Nurk is pretty average it looks like. Slightly above average?
View attachment 45509

Simons is also fairly average or slightly above average.

View attachment 45510
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I’ve always been a Nurk supporter and apologist. But it seems to me that his defense and rim protection has dropped off a lot since his injury. He used to be an elite defender. So his finishing problems on offense weren’t that big a deal. He only needed to be passable on offense. Now his offense has improved, if he were at his prior defensive level he’d be a near top 5 center. But alas it’s not.

As efficient as Ant is with his shooting it’s hard to be much above average if your are both a bad defender and you don’t get to the FT line. But I think the chance that he becomes a decent or even a good defender is far better than it was with CJ. Plus he is more versatile than CJ and more of a team player. He needs to learn how to finish at the rim in order to start drawing fouls. He’s getting better at it. I have high hopes.
 
I watched the 1st quarter of the Memphis game again and Anfernee Simons was guarding Ja Morant most of the first 6:00 and did a better job than anyone else defending him. On one possession (edit: with 3:45 left in the 1st quarter) Morans drove close to the hoop and Simons stripped the ball but it rolled out of bounds off Simons. On that same possession, Simons went under a screen near the 3-point line and Morant hit the 3-pointer. Those are the only points I've seen scored by Morant on Simons.

In the second 6:00 of the 1st quarter, Simons wasn't defending Morant (edit: as much) and that's when Morant started going off.
 
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