Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 27, 2015 9:10:07 GMT -5
NBA All-Underrated Team
OKC's Morrow among undervalued players serving pivotal roles this season
Originally Published: January 22, 2015
By Amin Elhassan | ESPN Insider
9K4COMMENTS19EMAILPRINT
Anthony Morrow
Layne Murdoch/Getty Images
The Thunder's Anthony Morrow is an excellent shooter with a well-rounded offensive game.
The All-Star Game starters are set to be announced Thursday; by definition, they represent some of the most popular players in the NBA, by virtue of the fan vote.
In some cases, it's deserved: Stephen Curry, the leading vote-getter in the West, is also one of the leading candidates for MVP honors this season. In other cases, it's the product of massive staying popularity: Kobe Bryant, despite shooting 37 percent from the field, likely will snag the West's other starting backcourt position. The coaches will vote for the reserves, and while these players are more likely to be deserving picks, there still will be an element of "brand recognition" that goes into their selection. Where does that leave players such as Golden State's Draymond Green, a do-it-all versatile combo forward who has been a huge part of the Warriors' success this season?
Luckily, here at Insider Daily, we look out for the downtrodden, the undervalued and underappreciated. Green is on everyone's radar now, emerging as a League Pass darling for his spirited play, but here are some other players performing in pivotal roles for their teams -- they make up the "All-Underrated Team."
Tucker
P.J. Tucker | Phoenix Suns
Tucker has played a vital role for Phoenix the past couple of seasons as a tough, physical, one-on-one defender. He's got good size and anticipation, and plays with a nonstop motor and a competitive fire that allow him to hound opposing wings and be a general nuisance, taking opponents out of their comfort zone. Admittedly, that can get him into some trouble in his capacity as a help defender in a team concept, but the Suns can sic him onto volume-scoring wings or high-usage post-up bigs, and that can neutralize that effect to some degree by virtue of him being nearest to the offensive focal point.
Last season, Tucker unveiled his 3-point range, and while most of his attempts came from the corners (166 attempts versus only 23 above the break), he was able to convert at a high efficiency (38 percent). This season, he's expanded his range to include above-the-break 3s, where the majority of his attempts have come from, and is shooting 37 percent overall from beyond the arc. It's this newfound shooting ability that makes him valuable, along with his career-high defensive rebounding percentage (a hair under 19 percent), which gives the Suns a ton of flexibility in small-ball lineups.
Morrow
Anthony Morrow | Oklahoma City Thunder
A sharpshooter who has bounced around the league, Morrow has long been one of my favorite specialists in the league. In his seven seasons in the NBA, he has never shot worse than 37 percent from 3-point range, and he packs a ton of volume in the time he's on the floor, averaging just over four attempts in about 24 minutes a night (almost nine attempts per 100 possessions, according to basketball-reference.com). Additionally, he's a criminally underrated scorer in the in-between game, with a nice array of runners, floaters and pull-up shots that he's extremely efficient at when he's not able to explode all the way to the basket or finish over length. Given a shooter with his reputation, it's easy to see how important it is to develop that kind of counter in order to combat hard closeouts by aggressive defenders.
In "butter" situations (less than 5 seconds on the shot clock), Morrow has been a terrific safety valve for the Thunder this season, shooting 38 percent on 21 attempts from downtown. The only way to stop Morrow is to guard him closely without giving up space -- he's shooting only 2-of-14 on 3s and 27-of-73 overall when a defender is within 3 feet of him (according to NBAsavant.com), but if your only recourse is to stay attached to him, he has already done his job, as any defender pulled in by Morrow's gravity is one fewer help defender Russell Westbrook or Kevin Durant have to worry about.
Dudley
Jared Dudley | Milwaukee Bucks
A big part of the resurgence of the Bucks this season has been the play of Dudley, who has brought his trademark accurate shooting and veteran savvy to a young Milwaukee team searching for guidance. After a disappointing season in his sole campaign with the Clippers, he has found a niche with the Bucks coming off the bench as a spacer, shooting 39 percent from 3-point range, much closer in line to his numbers in Phoenix, where he averaged 41 percent 3-point shooting in 4½ seasons. He also has managed to maintain his excellent clip from long 2-point range (51 percent), and is shooting a career-high 74 percent in the restricted area.
But the biggest area of resurgence for Dudley has been on the defensive end, where he actually has posted the highest defensive real plus-minus among all shooting guards in the league (plus-3.30). Despite not being an athlete, Dudley has great anticipation and quick hands, and is a smart and active help defender (albeit a gambling one). That's not to say he's the best defending wing in the league, but it bears mentioning that he's having a profound impact on the defensive end for the second-best defense in the league.
This is especially interesting when you consider the shortsighted decision by Clippers coach Doc Rivers to dump him (not to mention a 2017 lottery-protected first-rounder) in exchange for the eventually waived contracts of Miroslav Raduljica and Carlos Delfino.
Zeller
Gobert
Rudy Gobert | Utah Jazz
Tyler Zeller | Boston Celtics
While the first few players I mentioned are all on teams in the thick of the playoff race, I wanted to give some acknowledgment to a couple of guys whose vacation plans come April are already booked.
Gobert has been tremendous this season as a rim protector and above-the-rim finisher, a more under-control version of JaVale McGee, and he has drawn effusive praise from several writers on TV, including Zach Lowe on the "Grantland Basketball Hour" and ESPN Insider's Tom Haberstroh on "NBA Coast 2 Coast" (Haberstroh's kudos were so emphatic, it led analyst George Karl to remark: "I think he likes Gobert"). Gobert is holding opponents to 37 percent shooting at the rim and ranks third in defensive RPM among centers at plus-4.18, not to mention inhaling nearly a quarter of all available defensive rebounds when he's on the floor.
Meanwhile, Zeller has blossomed on the offensive end in Boston, where he has been able to take advantage of extra touches, particularly on the low block. When Zeller was at North Carolina, I admired his array of Antawn Jamison-esque unconventional flip shots around the basket, and he's used them to help him be an excellent finisher out of the pick-and-roll despite not having a ton of explosion or lift. He also has developed a nice free-throw-line-extended jumper, which can allow him to shallow roll and pull up for the open jumper.
News and notes
• On Wednesday night against the short-handed Blazers, Tucker showed how his rebounding comes in handy. He had a season-high 13 rebounds in the Suns' 118-113 victory, a game in which they lost a 25-point lead and were down five with 2:43 left before going on an Eric Bledsoe-fueled 13-3 run. Bledsoe dropped a career-high 33 points, which caught Blazers coach Terry Stotts off guard, as he remarked that you would have thought Bledsoe would have scored 33 in a game by now.
• The Suns desperately needed the win to maintain separation from hard-charging OKC, which won in overtime Wednesday night in Washington, D.C., after Westbrook broke free on a broken inbounds play to streak to an uncontested layup. A lot of blame has fallen on Bradley Beal for overcommitting defensively in the backcourt, but some credit should go to Westbrook, who pulled a vet move by tugging Beal toward him sharply before exploding. It reminded me of the layup LeBron James hit against the Pacers in Game 1 of the 2013 Eastern Conference finals, when he blew by an overcommitting Paul George; in actuality, he hit George sharply back, forcing the ensuing overcommit. Vet moves!
• Bryant may not be All-NBA anymore, but he's still perennial all-interview: "The reality is, I'm doing some pretty phenomenal things in 30 minutes. My body's not that f---ed up."
• Tweet of the week comes from Heat owner Micky Arison ... sort of. He retweeted (in succession) two tweets from Forbes magazine: one ranking the happiest place (city) to work in the country, then the unhappiest place to work. Coincidence? (Picture courtesy of USA Today.)
OKC's Morrow among undervalued players serving pivotal roles this season
Originally Published: January 22, 2015
By Amin Elhassan | ESPN Insider
9K4COMMENTS19EMAILPRINT
Anthony Morrow
Layne Murdoch/Getty Images
The Thunder's Anthony Morrow is an excellent shooter with a well-rounded offensive game.
The All-Star Game starters are set to be announced Thursday; by definition, they represent some of the most popular players in the NBA, by virtue of the fan vote.
In some cases, it's deserved: Stephen Curry, the leading vote-getter in the West, is also one of the leading candidates for MVP honors this season. In other cases, it's the product of massive staying popularity: Kobe Bryant, despite shooting 37 percent from the field, likely will snag the West's other starting backcourt position. The coaches will vote for the reserves, and while these players are more likely to be deserving picks, there still will be an element of "brand recognition" that goes into their selection. Where does that leave players such as Golden State's Draymond Green, a do-it-all versatile combo forward who has been a huge part of the Warriors' success this season?
Luckily, here at Insider Daily, we look out for the downtrodden, the undervalued and underappreciated. Green is on everyone's radar now, emerging as a League Pass darling for his spirited play, but here are some other players performing in pivotal roles for their teams -- they make up the "All-Underrated Team."
Tucker
P.J. Tucker | Phoenix Suns
Tucker has played a vital role for Phoenix the past couple of seasons as a tough, physical, one-on-one defender. He's got good size and anticipation, and plays with a nonstop motor and a competitive fire that allow him to hound opposing wings and be a general nuisance, taking opponents out of their comfort zone. Admittedly, that can get him into some trouble in his capacity as a help defender in a team concept, but the Suns can sic him onto volume-scoring wings or high-usage post-up bigs, and that can neutralize that effect to some degree by virtue of him being nearest to the offensive focal point.
Last season, Tucker unveiled his 3-point range, and while most of his attempts came from the corners (166 attempts versus only 23 above the break), he was able to convert at a high efficiency (38 percent). This season, he's expanded his range to include above-the-break 3s, where the majority of his attempts have come from, and is shooting 37 percent overall from beyond the arc. It's this newfound shooting ability that makes him valuable, along with his career-high defensive rebounding percentage (a hair under 19 percent), which gives the Suns a ton of flexibility in small-ball lineups.
Morrow
Anthony Morrow | Oklahoma City Thunder
A sharpshooter who has bounced around the league, Morrow has long been one of my favorite specialists in the league. In his seven seasons in the NBA, he has never shot worse than 37 percent from 3-point range, and he packs a ton of volume in the time he's on the floor, averaging just over four attempts in about 24 minutes a night (almost nine attempts per 100 possessions, according to basketball-reference.com). Additionally, he's a criminally underrated scorer in the in-between game, with a nice array of runners, floaters and pull-up shots that he's extremely efficient at when he's not able to explode all the way to the basket or finish over length. Given a shooter with his reputation, it's easy to see how important it is to develop that kind of counter in order to combat hard closeouts by aggressive defenders.
In "butter" situations (less than 5 seconds on the shot clock), Morrow has been a terrific safety valve for the Thunder this season, shooting 38 percent on 21 attempts from downtown. The only way to stop Morrow is to guard him closely without giving up space -- he's shooting only 2-of-14 on 3s and 27-of-73 overall when a defender is within 3 feet of him (according to NBAsavant.com), but if your only recourse is to stay attached to him, he has already done his job, as any defender pulled in by Morrow's gravity is one fewer help defender Russell Westbrook or Kevin Durant have to worry about.
Dudley
Jared Dudley | Milwaukee Bucks
A big part of the resurgence of the Bucks this season has been the play of Dudley, who has brought his trademark accurate shooting and veteran savvy to a young Milwaukee team searching for guidance. After a disappointing season in his sole campaign with the Clippers, he has found a niche with the Bucks coming off the bench as a spacer, shooting 39 percent from 3-point range, much closer in line to his numbers in Phoenix, where he averaged 41 percent 3-point shooting in 4½ seasons. He also has managed to maintain his excellent clip from long 2-point range (51 percent), and is shooting a career-high 74 percent in the restricted area.
But the biggest area of resurgence for Dudley has been on the defensive end, where he actually has posted the highest defensive real plus-minus among all shooting guards in the league (plus-3.30). Despite not being an athlete, Dudley has great anticipation and quick hands, and is a smart and active help defender (albeit a gambling one). That's not to say he's the best defending wing in the league, but it bears mentioning that he's having a profound impact on the defensive end for the second-best defense in the league.
This is especially interesting when you consider the shortsighted decision by Clippers coach Doc Rivers to dump him (not to mention a 2017 lottery-protected first-rounder) in exchange for the eventually waived contracts of Miroslav Raduljica and Carlos Delfino.
Zeller
Gobert
Rudy Gobert | Utah Jazz
Tyler Zeller | Boston Celtics
While the first few players I mentioned are all on teams in the thick of the playoff race, I wanted to give some acknowledgment to a couple of guys whose vacation plans come April are already booked.
Gobert has been tremendous this season as a rim protector and above-the-rim finisher, a more under-control version of JaVale McGee, and he has drawn effusive praise from several writers on TV, including Zach Lowe on the "Grantland Basketball Hour" and ESPN Insider's Tom Haberstroh on "NBA Coast 2 Coast" (Haberstroh's kudos were so emphatic, it led analyst George Karl to remark: "I think he likes Gobert"). Gobert is holding opponents to 37 percent shooting at the rim and ranks third in defensive RPM among centers at plus-4.18, not to mention inhaling nearly a quarter of all available defensive rebounds when he's on the floor.
Meanwhile, Zeller has blossomed on the offensive end in Boston, where he has been able to take advantage of extra touches, particularly on the low block. When Zeller was at North Carolina, I admired his array of Antawn Jamison-esque unconventional flip shots around the basket, and he's used them to help him be an excellent finisher out of the pick-and-roll despite not having a ton of explosion or lift. He also has developed a nice free-throw-line-extended jumper, which can allow him to shallow roll and pull up for the open jumper.
News and notes
• On Wednesday night against the short-handed Blazers, Tucker showed how his rebounding comes in handy. He had a season-high 13 rebounds in the Suns' 118-113 victory, a game in which they lost a 25-point lead and were down five with 2:43 left before going on an Eric Bledsoe-fueled 13-3 run. Bledsoe dropped a career-high 33 points, which caught Blazers coach Terry Stotts off guard, as he remarked that you would have thought Bledsoe would have scored 33 in a game by now.
• The Suns desperately needed the win to maintain separation from hard-charging OKC, which won in overtime Wednesday night in Washington, D.C., after Westbrook broke free on a broken inbounds play to streak to an uncontested layup. A lot of blame has fallen on Bradley Beal for overcommitting defensively in the backcourt, but some credit should go to Westbrook, who pulled a vet move by tugging Beal toward him sharply before exploding. It reminded me of the layup LeBron James hit against the Pacers in Game 1 of the 2013 Eastern Conference finals, when he blew by an overcommitting Paul George; in actuality, he hit George sharply back, forcing the ensuing overcommit. Vet moves!
• Bryant may not be All-NBA anymore, but he's still perennial all-interview: "The reality is, I'm doing some pretty phenomenal things in 30 minutes. My body's not that f---ed up."
• Tweet of the week comes from Heat owner Micky Arison ... sort of. He retweeted (in succession) two tweets from Forbes magazine: one ranking the happiest place (city) to work in the country, then the unhappiest place to work. Coincidence? (Picture courtesy of USA Today.)
