Donovan Mitchell Would Not Start for Either Finals Team

[Hekate]

One play? Dude you are so weird lmao.

View: https://twitter.com/CrumpledJumper/status/1497436785873330177?t=aF3X0O9Qi-UoLBoM1UBOsg&s=19

 

[MT Steve]

Players isolate so rarely against Gobert that I can't help but wonder what people are watching sometimes when they bring up the myth that teams are getting Gobert out of the paint for the purpose of isolating against him on the perimeter.

If it was such a winning formula, you'd think the Mavs would have tried it more than literally two times per game. For some reason, they found it to be a better option to get Gobert out on the perimeter so that other players could win their matchup without any fear of getting filtered into Gobert.

When Gobert left the perimeter to help in order to prevent the easy layup, bam, kick out, wide open 3. You can blame Quin for a lot of this, but blaming Gobert is insane.

 

[MT Steve]

I will also say this in Mitchell's defense (no pun intended).

He's spent his entire career being taught to defend a certain way (running perimeter players off the 3 pt line, not worrying about getting blown by because Gobert's inside). Of course when teams get Gobert out of the paint it's not going to be so simple for him to suddenly diverge from what he's been doing his entire career.

He could be better sure, but asking him and other perimeter defenders to defend in a totally non-habitual way for them on the fly was always doomed to fail.

 

[fishonjazz]

Beg him? Get on their hands and knees? You're creating a mythical version of Donovan that plays defense. He does not play defense.

They arent taking Wiggins out, a guy who D's up when the opposing team has Brown/Tatum out there. They already have to hide Steph to an extent, they arent going to be able to do that with Steph and Donovan. It's common sense. Donovan has no place in the NBA Finals.

Lol. His strength entering the league was defense silly. We were all gushing about his defense the first time we saw him in a jazz uniform. In fact my fondest early memories of Donovan were of him shutting Jason Tatum down.

 

[Elizah Huge]

Players isolate so rarely against Gobert that I can't help but wonder what people are watching sometimes when they bring up the myth that teams are getting Gobert out of the paint for the purpose of isolating against him on the perimeter.

If it was such a winning formula, you'd think the Mavs would have tried it more than literally two times per game. For some reason, they found it to be a better option to get Gobert out on the perimeter so that other players could win their matchup without any fear of getting filtered into Gobert.

When Gobert left the perimeter to help in order to prevent the easy layup, bam, kick out, wide open 3. You can blame Quin for a lot of this, but blaming Gobert is insane.

He was isolated more than Mitchell in the playoffs and a total of 20 more times than him since Donovan was drafted in the playoffs.

 

[MT Steve]

He was isolated more than Mitchell in the playoffs and a total of 20 more times than him since Donovan was drafted in the playoffs.

I feel like you're arguing against a point I'm not making.

 

[Elizah Huge]

I feel like you're arguing against a point I'm not making.

Maybe not you but that’s the narrative around here.

 

[Hekate]

Players isolate so rarely against Gobert that I can't help but wonder what people are watching sometimes when they bring up the myth that teams are getting Gobert out of the paint for the purpose of isolating against him on the perimeter.

If it was such a winning formula, you'd think the Mavs would have tried it more than literally two times per game. For some reason, they found it to be a better option to get Gobert out on the perimeter so that other players could win their matchup without any fear of getting filtered into Gobert.

When Gobert left the perimeter to help in order to prevent the easy layup, bam, kick out, wide open 3. You can blame Quin for a lot of this, but blaming Gobert is insane.

Kawhi went through something similar in the playoffs as well, it's crazy. They would camp the guy he is guarding in the corner and go 4 on 4. It was so effective that Spurs had better defensive numbers when Kawhi was off the floor and that was his DPOY years. The situation is not that unique.

Now, the guy in the corner was often the best player but they also had Tim Duncan to protect the rim. Quin didn't allow Gobert to get completely taken out of the equation like Kawhi but that meant the team had to execute rotations and we all know how that went.

 

[rjfan]

I can see Mitchell starting on the Celtics, makes sense for me

For the Warriors, not so much, he and Curry don't convince me as a duo

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

How surprised would you guys be if I told you since Donovan came in the league that the difference between Rudy and Donovan’s points per possession allowed when playing isolation defense in the playoffs was a difference of only 0.14?

You understand over 100 possessions that's 14 points. So like the difference between a team scoring 86 vs 100 aka a huge difference

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

This thread is kind of silly because if either team had Mitchell, their roster construction would look different. His scoring is good enough to be the best offensive player on a title team.

Then they would not make the finals

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I’m waiting for the thread where Cy declares Donovan a solid G league player.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I’m waiting for the thread where Cy declares Donovan a solid G league player.

The G League Finals MVP would absolutely sauce Donovan

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I can see Mitchell starting on the Celtics, makes sense for me

For the Warriors, not so much, he and Curry don't convince me as a duo

Marcus Smart would make Donnie cry. Payton Pritchard got more clutch ability tbh

 

[Thee Idiotic Minivan K]

Donovan can play defense. We have all seen it.

It’s getting increasingly more difficult to have a conversation with you or, at least try and sound somewhat intelligent. Saying we’ve all seen Donovan play defense is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, because that’s far and few between all the rest of the highlights of watching his guy go right by or just standing there taking up space. The question isn’t whether he can play defense, the question is how often does he choose to play defense which is far and few between. I mean your come back really can’t be we’ve all seen him play defense. Is this thread a troll thread sure in a lot of ways it is, but there’s a lot of truth to what Cy says. These teams might actually be better off with Donovan on the bench as opposed to starting. Would he come off the bench for both of these teams probably not. As offense is valued more among NBA circles. But don’t come on here and defend Mitchell by saying he plays defense, That’s an insult to our intelligence

 

[Thee Idiotic Minivan K]

So, @UtahJazz32 doesn’t like the fact that Gobert is so good at iso defense. Awesome!!!

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

It’s getting increasingly more difficult to have a conversation with you or, at least try and sound somewhat intelligent. Saying we’ve all seen Donovan play defense is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, because that’s far and few between all the rest of the highlights of watching his guy go right by or just standing there taking up space. The question isn’t whether he can play defense, the question is how often does he choose to play defense which is far and few between. I mean your come back really can’t be we’ve all seen him play defense. Is this thread a troll thread sure in a lot of ways it is, but there’s a lot of truth to what Cy says. These teams might actually be better off with Donovan on the bench as opposed to starting. Would he come off the bench for both of these teams probably not. As offense is valued more among NBA circles. But don’t come on here and defend Mitchell by saying he plays defense, That’s an insult to our intelligence

Lol this is 100% not a troll thread. The last few post are trolling, but I sincerely think neither team would start Mitchell and both would start Gobert.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

It's also crazy that the Mitchell stans think Mitchell can play defense, but then are shocked by the fact Gobert is one of the best isolation defenders in the NBA.

They clearly don't even watch the Jazz play. It's sad. Everything I say about Mitchell is rooted in facts.

 

[Thee Idiotic Minivan K]

So, @UtahJazz32 doesn’t like the fact that Gobert is so good at iso defense. Awesome!!!

 

[Thee Idiotic Minivan K]

Lol this is 100% not a troll thread. The last few post are trolling, but I sincerely think neither team would start Mitchell and both would start Gobert.

It's also crazy that the Mitchell stans think Mitchell can play defense, but then are shocked by the fact Gobert is one of the best isolation defenders in the NBA.

They clearly don't even watch the Jazz play. It's sad. Everything I say about Mitchell is rooted in facts.

No, I believe you, but all these Don fans/ none jazz fans believe otherwise, and even if this was a troll thread there’s 100% viability to your argument. Sometimes you need to come at the idiots from other angles. For example LoPo defending Mitchell by saying something idiotic like we’ve all seen Don play defense as if that makes what DM does on defense ok.

But let’s be honest… this was a kill two birds with one stone, lol. Both truth and a troll job, because you fully know what this thread would do to LoPo. Haha