Joseph Kony
11-15-2019, 05:04 PM
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28067196/ten-nba-things-like-including-supercharged-celtics
Part of a larger article on various topics but here is the tidbit about SA:
Imagine throwing this apparently harmless entry pass, and realizing as it is in midair that the long-limbed blur who was just harassing you is trying to steal it -- and damn well might get there?
https://media.video-cdn.espn.com/gifs/mp4/819_813_2Q_SAS_MEM_11_11_Murray_2gif.mp4
Most guys deny entry passes by sagging way off ball handlers. Some hop back and forth in a cat-and-mouse game. Point guards can digest all of that stuff. They can't read Murray's intentions because he doesn't telegraph them. He's in your face, and then, like some sort of ghost, he's intercepting your pass. He races the ball:
https://media.video-cdn.espn.com/gifs/mp4/921_915_2Q_SAS_MEM_11_11_Murray_2gif.mp4
He is, almost literally, in two places at once.
Murray is a threat to invade any nearby passing lane. When opposing point guards scoot ahead of him on the pick-and-roll, he's long enough to swat their shot from behind. He's second overall in deflections, and averages 3.0 stocks per 36 minutes. His ability to defend all three perimeter positions allows Gregg Popovich to deploy his guards in almost any three-man combination. (Even so, he won't play Murray and Derrick White (http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3078576/derrick-white) together. Come on, Pop! Give the people what they want!)
Murray is a gambler, which always triggers delicious tension in San Antonio. Popovich yanked Murray against Memphis on Monday after one gamble gone bad. Popovich will eventually accept that Murray's roving mostly pays off. In that sense, perhaps Murray is the true Spursian heir to Manu Ginobili.
Murray does not bring Ginobili's derring-do on offense. He is gun-shy; Murray has attempted only 10 3s, and has barely busted out the improved midrange jumper everyone raved about a year ago. The Spurs' starting lineup could use some scoring punch. (Stop me if you've heard this before, but the Spurs are getting walloped with DeMar DeRozan (https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3978/demar-derozan) and LaMarcus Aldridge (http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2983/lamarcus-aldridge) on the floor. If Popovich has any desire to extend DeRozan's contract, the rest of the front office should confiscate all his computers, phones, and pens.) It bequeaths deficits upon the bench -- a big reason the 5-6 Spurs are reeling a bit.
Hopefully Murray grows more assertive with time.
Part of a larger article on various topics but here is the tidbit about SA:
Imagine throwing this apparently harmless entry pass, and realizing as it is in midair that the long-limbed blur who was just harassing you is trying to steal it -- and damn well might get there?
https://media.video-cdn.espn.com/gifs/mp4/819_813_2Q_SAS_MEM_11_11_Murray_2gif.mp4
Most guys deny entry passes by sagging way off ball handlers. Some hop back and forth in a cat-and-mouse game. Point guards can digest all of that stuff. They can't read Murray's intentions because he doesn't telegraph them. He's in your face, and then, like some sort of ghost, he's intercepting your pass. He races the ball:
https://media.video-cdn.espn.com/gifs/mp4/921_915_2Q_SAS_MEM_11_11_Murray_2gif.mp4
He is, almost literally, in two places at once.
Murray is a threat to invade any nearby passing lane. When opposing point guards scoot ahead of him on the pick-and-roll, he's long enough to swat their shot from behind. He's second overall in deflections, and averages 3.0 stocks per 36 minutes. His ability to defend all three perimeter positions allows Gregg Popovich to deploy his guards in almost any three-man combination. (Even so, he won't play Murray and Derrick White (http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3078576/derrick-white) together. Come on, Pop! Give the people what they want!)
Murray is a gambler, which always triggers delicious tension in San Antonio. Popovich yanked Murray against Memphis on Monday after one gamble gone bad. Popovich will eventually accept that Murray's roving mostly pays off. In that sense, perhaps Murray is the true Spursian heir to Manu Ginobili.
Murray does not bring Ginobili's derring-do on offense. He is gun-shy; Murray has attempted only 10 3s, and has barely busted out the improved midrange jumper everyone raved about a year ago. The Spurs' starting lineup could use some scoring punch. (Stop me if you've heard this before, but the Spurs are getting walloped with DeMar DeRozan (https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3978/demar-derozan) and LaMarcus Aldridge (http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2983/lamarcus-aldridge) on the floor. If Popovich has any desire to extend DeRozan's contract, the rest of the front office should confiscate all his computers, phones, and pens.) It bequeaths deficits upon the bench -- a big reason the 5-6 Spurs are reeling a bit.
Hopefully Murray grows more assertive with time.