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#FreeDedmon
somebody forward this to Pop
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...s-more-minutes
Dewayne Dedmon, C, San Antonio Spurs
2 OF 5
Russ Isabella-USA TODAY SportsAge: 27
Postseason Per-Game Stats: 2.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.1 steals, 0.4 blocks
Postseason Advanced Metrics: 20.0 PER, 71.7 TS%, 0.183 WS/48, 4.41 TPA
Illnesses and altercations haven't been the only scenarios forcing Dewayne Dedmon out of the San Antonio Spurs' lineup. Head coach Gregg Popovich has also been strangely hesitant to put him on the court, holding him to just 7.7 minutes per game. Even in his three starts against the Memphis Grizzlies during the opening round, he totaled just 38 minutes of run.
Questioning Popovich isn't usually a good strategy—especially if you're a television reporter tasked with sideline interviews between quarters. But it's worth wondering why the future Hall of Famer has so seldom turned to his 27-year-old big in spite of his excellent per-minute play.
Dedmon's efficiency in the playoffs shouldn't come as a surprise. He was fantastic throughout the regular season, thriving as a finisher around the rim and excelling on defense. As Dan Favale explained for NBA Math, his rim protection gave the Spurs' stopping unit a new element:
"Rim protection is Dedmon's bread and butter, like basically every other San Antonio big ever. Opponents are shooting 45.1 percent against him at the iron—the sixth-best mark among the 94 players who've defended 200 or more point-blank looks. He trails only Kristaps Porzingis, Draymond Green, Rudy Gobert, LaMarcus Aldridge and Joel Embiid.
"And yet, this doesn't do Dedmon's interior presence justice. He's not just a protector; he's an actual deterrent. Ball-handlers pull-up for more long-twos when he's on the floor, and offenses in general don't get to the bucket as readily—an effect none of the other Spurs' bigs share."
This should be ideal against Houston, even if his presence didn't fit as well against Memphis. Given his foes' predilection for three-point buckets and around-the-rim finishes while eschewing mid-range jumpers, Dedmon's athleticism and instincts around the hoop could help deter some penetration and force Houston to play outside its comfort zone.
It's usually James Harden who forces people outside that aforementioned zone, and turning the tables—even by a marginal amount—could go a long way in a tight series.
#FreeDedmon
No more TOSB's. Time to go small and fast (Kyle defends Dekker)
Dedmon/Aldridge
Bertans/Anderson
Leonard
Green/Simmons
Murray/Mills
Kawhi needs to play 40minutes min.
gotta rest him for that team trip to cancun
That starting lineup
That starting lineup
Not sure why Dedmon isn't getting more time for the very reasons the article states. Maybe he cursed Pop when he got ejected. For whatever reason, he seems to be in Pop's doghouse.
We need to realize everytime the general consensus is that Pop should do a certain thing, he does the opposite, even if it means losing...And if he wins, he looks brilliant...
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