I'm watching the Cavs & Pistons' first pre-season game. I know it's preseason, but it doesn't look good for either team. Both teams barely know what they're trying to do. It's helter-skelter, and neither has a full-team worth of talent. Brandon Knight and Kyrie Irving are matched up. Here are a few things I'm noticing:
- Brandon Knight is not really a true PG. He's more of a combo. He's quick enough and he can more or less get where he wants on the floor, but he doesn't seem to run an offense at this stage. He can shoot from NBA range, and he looks for his own offense quite often. It looks like he's going to put up a bunch of points. He can get into the lane, although he doesn't seem able to get all the way to the rim. He's got a green light, and it looks like he's already becoming the leader of the Pistons' team. I wouldn't be surprised if he has the highest scoring average of the rookies. I can see the young-Jason Terry comparisons.
- Kyrie Irving is more composed and a bit slower up the floor. He's always looking to make a pass and isn't forcing his own shot. He's having a hard time getting by Knight and other guards without a pick. He's a heady player, but he does look a bit small out there. Both teams are running some attempt at a Princeton-style motion offense, so it's not guard-dominated play, but Irving approaches the game like a floor general.
- Jan Vesely and the Wizards are playing the Sixers. Vesely is really tall and long. He's playing the PF. He's got good mobility for a PF, while he's not really quick enough to play SF. (My guess is that Perry Jones will be similar.) Vesely can pop or roll to the rim off the pick-and-roll. He likes to attack from out on the floor with one or two dribbles and a bank shot if he can't get to the rim. He doesn't seem to have much in the way of post skills, but he's got the length advantage to develop some. Expect to see some alley-oop plays to him reaching over the top from the weak side of the floor. He's an interesting, but not really impressive player. His whole game is based on length right now.
- Brandon Knight is not really a true PG. He's more of a combo. He's quick enough and he can more or less get where he wants on the floor, but he doesn't seem to run an offense at this stage. He can shoot from NBA range, and he looks for his own offense quite often. It looks like he's going to put up a bunch of points. He can get into the lane, although he doesn't seem able to get all the way to the rim. He's got a green light, and it looks like he's already becoming the leader of the Pistons' team. I wouldn't be surprised if he has the highest scoring average of the rookies. I can see the young-Jason Terry comparisons.
- Kyrie Irving is more composed and a bit slower up the floor. He's always looking to make a pass and isn't forcing his own shot. He's having a hard time getting by Knight and other guards without a pick. He's a heady player, but he does look a bit small out there. Both teams are running some attempt at a Princeton-style motion offense, so it's not guard-dominated play, but Irving approaches the game like a floor general.
- Jan Vesely and the Wizards are playing the Sixers. Vesely is really tall and long. He's playing the PF. He's got good mobility for a PF, while he's not really quick enough to play SF. (My guess is that Perry Jones will be similar.) Vesely can pop or roll to the rim off the pick-and-roll. He likes to attack from out on the floor with one or two dribbles and a bank shot if he can't get to the rim. He doesn't seem to have much in the way of post skills, but he's got the length advantage to develop some. Expect to see some alley-oop plays to him reaching over the top from the weak side of the floor. He's an interesting, but not really impressive player. His whole game is based on length right now.
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