2013 CB Draft: Central Division Press Conferences

[KGs Knee]

Last point; either way, there still will only be one defender in the paint (or a barrage of 3's).  My backcourt/wings can expose that.

Good night folks.

[rondoallaturca]

Last point; either way, there still will only be one defender in the paint (or a barrage of 3's).  My backcourt/wings can expose that.

Good night folks.

It's unfortunate Cleveland has some pretty solid perimeter defenders to counter your guards/wings. So can the Lakers.

In fact, looking over the rosters, it's sort of crazy how similar Cleveland's defense will be compared to the Lakers'.

[AB_Celtic]

Last point; either way, there still will only be one defender in the paint (or a barrage of 3's).  My backcourt/wings can expose that.

Good night folks.

If your guards can "expose" my guards then my bigs can "expose" your bigs.

Oh, and your guards can't expose mine. Mine are all solid defenders. Paul George? He's one of those elite SFs I mentioned in my presser. Wallace will be covering him for good chunks of the game. Tony Allen will have no problem staying with Redick. Same with Lawson (super speedy) and Conley.

[ronaldo943]

I think Garnett is going to have a fairly big drop-off next year. I am expecting him to average like 12ppg and 7rpg for the Brooklyn Nets.

1. I need some kind of argument to support this, otherwise it's just an unbased wild statement. KG has never played a season with the minutes and B2B restriction he's going to have next year. For all we know, he could improve from last year because of this added rest.
2. Even if he does drop off, there isn't a shred of doubt in my mind that he'll still show up huge in the playoffs like he did last year.

KG will definitely drop off I mean the guy average 14 points, but now he has Lopez, Johnson, and Williams.

He did pretty good rebounding wise, but only averaged 12 points per game.

[AB_Celtic]

I think Garnett is going to have a fairly big drop-off next year. I am expecting him to average like 12ppg and 7rpg for the Brooklyn Nets.

1. I need some kind of argument to support this, otherwise it's just an unbased wild statement. KG has never played a season with the minutes and B2B restriction he's going to have next year. For all we know, he could improve from last year because of this added rest.
2. Even if he does drop off, there isn't a shred of doubt in my mind that he'll still show up huge in the playoffs like he did last year.

KG will definitely drop off I mean the guy average 14 points, but now he has Lopez, Johnson, and Williams.

He did pretty good rebounding wise, but only averaged 12 points per game.

If you're saying he'll have a drop-off purely because there are other guys to score, I am perfectly fine with that. That means he still has the ability to score and rebound, and doesn't have to. If he has that ability, then he can put it to use on the CB Cavs.

And again, he will be more rested this season than last season or any season prior.

[Who]

I think Garnett is going to have a fairly big drop-off next year. I am expecting him to average like 12ppg and 7rpg for the Brooklyn Nets.

1. I need some kind of argument to support this, otherwise it's just an unbased wild statement. KG has never played a season with the minutes and B2B restriction he's going to have next year. For all we know, he could improve from last year because of this added rest.
2. Even if he does drop off, there isn't a shred of doubt in my mind that he'll still show up huge in the playoffs like he did last year.

It is not entirely relevant to your team. It is specific to the Brooklyn Nets. Different team, different role. Partially relevant I suppose.

(1) Playing most of his minutes at PF
(2) I think KG's defense will drop-off considerably at four. I thought there was a fair bit of decline last season and it'll really show up now that he has to defend fours again. Doesn't have enough quickness.
(3) Offensively, he'll be playing alongside three high usage offensive players in Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson. Oh and Pierce. Forgot Pierce.
(4) Defending PFs will leave KG further away from the rim on rebounds and I don't think he has the physical capacity to rebound outside of his area anymore so I think he'll get less rebounds per game too.

On your team,

(1) He'll play both PF/C. Mostly center on defense to avoid areas where he is more vulnerable. He'll play center when C.Landry is in the game on both ends. Playing center on defense will help him a lot both on defense and in terms of rebounding.
(2) A more balanced offensive outlook mainly out of necessity because you don't have the shot-creators that Brooklyn have but that means KG will be more involved with his high post play a focal point of your team.
(3) Horford is a much better fit offensively next to KG than B.Lopez. Horford is much more mobile (v.important) and has a better high post game on offense. Lopez more of a plodder. Stays closer to the hoop. More stagnant offense. Less ball movement. Much easier to defend. Equals less good percentage FGAs for KG in Brooklyn. More and better quality attempts in Cleveland.

I am thinking 14/8 for Cleveland which is pretty much the same as the 15/8 he did in Boston. Small drop-off defensively as KG slows down some more.

If you drop him to 25 minutes -- did you say that earlier in the thread? -- then more like 10ppg and 5rpg. 

[AB_Celtic]

All good points, Who, and ones that I can agree with. I just have one slight quibble. KG averaged 15 and 8 with the C's in 30 minutes last season. I hardly think a dropoff from 30 to 25 minutes will decrease him all the way to 10 and 5, especially considering he'll be much more rested during the season. I think we (the Cavs) can reasonably expect 13-14 points and 6-7 rebounds from KG in 25 minutes.

[Who]

I really didn't like what KG did in the playoffs for Boston last season.

He was outplayed badly in the first two games by New York's undersized PF turn C in Kenyon Martin. Garnett was unable to create his own shot regularly on offense. Reliant on his teammates to create open looks for him. And on defense, due to his declining quickness, KG couldn't step out on the PnR and recover in time to his check so he regularly left Raymond Felton wide open on the PnR who created havoc against Boston. 

The only thing KG did well in that series was rebounding the ball. And his rebounding numbers were inflated by his teammates lack of board work.

[Who]

All good points, Who, and ones that I can agree with. I just have one slight quibble. KG averaged 15 and 8 with the C's in 30 minutes last season. I hardly think a dropoff from 30 to 25 minutes will decrease him all the way to 10 and 5, especially considering he'll be much more rested during the season. I think we (the Cavs) can reasonably expect 13-14 points and 6-7 rebounds from KG in 25 minutes.

Yeah, 10ppg too little. 12 and 6 sounds right. For 25mpg.

[AB_Celtic]

I really didn't like what KG did in the playoffs for Boston last season.

Well, that makes one of us. As for the rest of your comments, it'll be an entirely different system, with more scorers than last year's C's and another All-Star big man presence in Horford. KG can focus more on his defense/rebounding, which we (and he) will be fine with.

Oh, and even if his rebounding numbers were due to his poor rebounding teammates, he played with those same teammates the whole year and averaged far less rebounds, so he clearly stepped up his game, at least in that aspect.

[Who]

How much will you play KG in the playoffs if only 25mpg in regular season?

A jump from 25mpg to 35mpg is very large. 40% more playing time. In terms of pacing yourself and knowing how much effort to put in where and when. In terms of KG himself. The adjustment he'd have to make. Then the rest of the team.

I think KG should stay at 28mpg for 34mpg in playoffs. Or if down at 25mpg in regular season, then up to 30-32mpg in playoffs. I think too large a fluctuation in minutes from regular season to playoffs can be difficult for a player to manage.

[ronaldo943]

I really didn't like what KG did in the playoffs for Boston last season.

He was outplayed badly in the first two games by New York's undersized PF turn C in Kenyon Martin. Garnett was unable to create his own shot regularly on offense. Reliant on his teammates to create open looks for him. And on defense, due to his declining quickness, KG couldn't step out on the PnR and recover in time to his check so he regularly left Raymond Felton wide open on the PnR who created havoc against Boston. 

The only thing KG did well in that series was rebounding the ball. And his rebounding numbers were inflated by his teammates lack of board work.

I agree the only thing that popped out was his rebounding from last season's playoff, but like you said that was inflated by his teammates lack of board work and now playing next to Horford and Wallace, I could see his boards declining even more.

[rondoallaturca]

I think KG should stay at 28mpg for 34mpg in playoffs. Or if down at 25mpg in regular season, then up to 30-32mpg in playoffs. I think too large a fluctuation in minutes from regular season to playoffs can be difficult for a player to manage.

For a veteran like him, Cleveland can gradually ramp up the minutes at the end of the season and he'd be good to go for 35 minutes in the postseason. That being said, I do agree that KG should stay at 28 minutes. You're already giving him days off when it's a b2b. He's not old to the point where you have to limit his minutes to just 25 a night on top of the rest.

[AB_Celtic]

Thanks for the advice on KG's minutes, Who and rondoallaturca. I think you both may be right. Maybe KG can handle 28 minutes in the regular season.