JV comparable big man production in the modern NBA

[JawsGT]

People keep bringing up his performances in the playoffs......And for the record I agree he played really well.

However, lets remember the following:

(The Pacers) didn't even have a real Center. They were starting Ian Mihinmi and playing a rookie (Miles Turner) as their Center in crunch time most of the time. That was a matchup JV was supposed to dominate!

(The Heat) Whiteside was hobbled the whole time and they had no one else (Haslem and Stoudemire - lol) so JV was supposed to dominate there as well.

Are we really surprised he dominated, given the matchups/competition at the Center position?

Maybe, maybe not, but it was clear he elevated his game in the playoffs. Playoff JV was much better than regular season JV. He deserves credit for that if for no other reason than he was perhaps the only player on the roster that actually did it.

[planetmars]

Maybe, maybe not, but it was clear he elevated his game in the playoffs. Playoff JV was much better than regular season JV. He deserves credit for that if for no other reason than he was perhaps the only player on the roster that actually did it.

JV was the only player that had a better WS/48 in the playoffs than in the regular season. Although he only played 12 games compared to the 20 everyone else practically played. It's really too bad that he got hurt.

[JawsGT]

JV was the only player that had a better WS/48 in the playoffs than in the regular season. Although he only played 12 games compared to the 20 everyone else practically played. It's really too bad that he got hurt.

exactly. And something else JV might not get enough credit for is that he helps create space by demanding more attention as the roll man than most of our other bigs. The easy lob passes to Bebe and even Biz last year are not as available to JV as they are to those guys. Even in situations where JV's defender attempts to pressure the ball handler there is usually a 3rd defender that cheats into the lane to deter a pass to a rolling JV. That often opens up the corner 3, but then the onus is on Lowry to get a pass to the corner while dealing with the length of 2 pressuring defenders. And him being smaller than most other guys makes it difficult for him to commit to making that pass. And for Demar, the split second decision making necessary to decide to either dump to JV or fire a bullet pass to the corner is a little outside his skillset right now as he still has some tunnel vision and needs more growth as a playmaker before we should expect him to make a play like that consistently.

In any event, the attention that JV draws as a roll man in the PnR should not be overlooked in helping Demar and Lowry get decent scoring chances.

[Jangles]

People keep bringing up his performances in the playoffs......And for the record I agree he played really well.

However, lets remember the following:

(The Pacers) didn't even have a real Center. They were starting Ian Mihinmi and playing a rookie (Miles Turner) as their Center in crunch time most of the time. That was a matchup JV was supposed to dominate!

(The Heat) Whiteside was hobbled the whole time and they had no one else (Haslem and Stoudemire - lol) so JV was supposed to dominate there as well.

Are we really surprised he dominated, given the matchups/competition at the Center position?

His defence surprised the most. He was challenging shots well at the rim and was generally being disruptive to all players driving in the paint. On the play he went down on, he challenged a Wade layup well. Best stretch of defence I recall him playing.

[BrydenB]

JV is a screen-assist machine too...

[S.R.]

The idea of trading JV is melding into all his different threads, but I'd like to just quickly point out that trading JV for a PF is not likely... at least not an all-star caliber PF. Most teams that have an all-star caliber PF don't need a center. Howard, Jordan, Gobert, Vucevic/Biz, Gasol, etc.. There is always the option of bringing in a 3rd team, but that just then makes it complicated.

Personally I just don't see Masai trading away JV. He's good in his role even if its limited. And he's been crazy good in the playoffs. It's not like his salary is getting in the way of anything either.

This is the franchise that just let Biyombo walk for nothing because they have JV locked up. After two Biyombo-esque games from Bebe I'm surprised at how many fans are getting high on the JV trade potential idea. I think the franchise (and the coach) actually do value JV more than his 26-28 mpg suggest. I don't think anybody has forgotten how he dominatedlast spring against two other very promising young EC centres. I think Casey has already determined this is a guard-heavy offence (most of the NBA has, too) that JV will have to fit in with and that sometimes pulling other tools out of the tool belt is going to cut into JV's minutes. But if the team is winning, who can argue with that? JV's minutes and usage are too low? Another big is not going to join this team and get 20 FGA, and if they do it's going to be because of offensive redundancy.

This team is better off continuing to develop on their current trend and hoping to peak for the playoffs. Everything Masai has done to this point suggest that's the path he'll take, anyway.

[lewro]

Re: jv in the playoffs.
Last yr it was Kyle's team and he is so-so at hitting the roll man. This yr it is demar team and he is not good at it. Kyle can play inside out with jv, demar can't (although apparently he hits 3s now!? So stay tuned).
Jv can be used on offense but let's see if Casey commits to it (how many yrs has it been?).
One thing for certain, he must be used on defence and that's the rub. We have two good front line defenders, one of which is 220lbs and 325 or so career mins. I'm discounting Sully and yak for now.
Anyway, our guards/wings can score in different ways. They do allow penetration to varying degrees (except norm). Nice to have biz or bebe back there imo.

[Kuh]

JV is an interesting all-round center.

1. Above average rebounding: you have the rebounding all-stars who score 21-22 rebounds/48 minutes playing time: Andre Drummond, Tyson Chandler, Hassan Whiteside and Dwight Howard. JV is part of the second tier of solid rebounders who do 17 rebounds/48.

2. Above average scoring: Then you have the scoring all-stars who get 30+ points/48 minutes: Joel Embiid, DeMarcus Cousins, Brook Lopez, Enes Kanter. JV is part of the second tier of solid scorers who get 22 points/48, along with people like Andre Drummond.

3. Stunning free throw shooting: JV is a complete standout when it comes to free throws. I can't find a comparable centre: even an Enes Kanter only shoots 75% to JV's 85%. Others are typically around 60%. And JV gets to the line at a comparable rate.

So here are some comparables. JV is like a cross between Drummond (not as good a rebounder), Gobert (not as good a rim protector) and Kanter (doesn't shoot as much), only with better free throw shooting.

[hotfuzz]

People keep bringing up his performances in the playoffs......And for the record I agree he played really well.

However, lets remember the following:

(The Pacers) didn't even have a real Center. They were starting Ian Mihinmi and playing a rookie (Miles Turner) as their Center in crunch time most of the time. That was a matchup JV was supposed to dominate!

(The Heat) Whiteside was hobbled the whole time and they had no one else (Haslem and Stoudemire - lol) so JV was supposed to dominate there as well.

Are we really surprised he dominated, given the matchups/competition at the Center position?

excuses excuses.

If your boy Demar had done that, you'd be tooting his horn from the rooftops.

[special1]

excuses excuses.

If your boy Demar had done that, you'd be tooting his horn from the rooftops.

My boy Demar is killing it! The best player on our team....Like I said he would be. He's on his way to being an all-star (again).... You're supposed to be happy, but you hate hearing "I told you so" from the few of us who believed.

Demar is playing like Jordan right now.......Take that in.

We're still waiting for JV to break out. He's a Raptor so I'm rooting for him. But last year's playoffs is last season.....Excuses excuses.

[Axel]

Super random post bump I know, but I was watching the Pels-Griz game tonight (and drinking) and it got me thinking about the whole JV career path. I really think that the big man has been so minimalized in the modern game, that it's truely hard for a big man to impact the box score enough for most fans to notice. JV has certainly carved out a solid NBA career, and feels like a success compared to many big men chosen in the lottery of the draft over the years, but the NBA really seems to be more and more focus on perimeter players. Guys like Ja Morant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, Steph Curry, they are the drivers of the league, with the real exceptions of Jokic and (maybe) Embiid, most bigs are relegated to tertiary status. Even super talented guys like KAT don't seem to be difference makers anymore compared to perimeter guys.

Will the NBA act like a pendulum and we see the resurgence of inside bigs, or is the evolution of the NBA really pushing further away from the hoop and perhaps the next big leap is if the NBA adopts a 4 point spot (NBA Jam style)? It's a mind boggling problem that NBA execs and the coaches of today and future must ponder.

So what will be the next "thing" in NBA?

I would love to see a defensive resurgence, but I doubt the NBA is going to open up rules enough for that since dunks and 3s make for better highlights than closeouts and boxouts on rotation. What is next and what would you like to see as next?

[TrueTorontoFan]

Super random post bump I know, but I was watching the Pels-Griz game tonight (and drinking) and it got me thinking about the whole JV career path. I really think that the big man has been so minimalized in the modern game, that it's truely hard for a big man to impact the box score enough for most fans to notice. JV has certainly carved out a solid NBA career, and feels like a success compared to many big men chosen in the lottery of the draft over the years, but the NBA really seems to be more and more focus on perimeter players. Guys like Ja Morant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, Steph Curry, they are the drivers of the league, with the real exceptions of Jokic and (maybe) Embiid, most bigs are relegated to tertiary status. Even super talented guys like KAT don't seem to be difference makers anymore compared to perimeter guys.

Will the NBA act like a pendulum and we see the resurgence of inside bigs, or is the evolution of the NBA really pushing further away from the hoop and perhaps the next big leap is if the NBA adopts a 4 point spot (NBA Jam style)? It's a mind boggling problem that NBA execs and the coaches of today and future must ponder.

So what will be the next "thing" in NBA?

I would love to see a defensive resurgence, but I doubt the NBA is going to open up rules enough for that since dunks and 3s make for better highlights than closeouts and boxouts on rotation. What is next and what would you like to see as next?

wemby or it will just turn into a wings league

[Kagemusha]

Super random post bump I know, but I was watching the Pels-Griz game tonight (and drinking) and it got me thinking about the whole JV career path. I really think that the big man has been so minimalized in the modern game, that it's truely hard for a big man to impact the box score enough for most fans to notice. JV has certainly carved out a solid NBA career, and feels like a success compared to many big men chosen in the lottery of the draft over the years, but the NBA really seems to be more and more focus on perimeter players. Guys like Ja Morant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, Steph Curry, they are the drivers of the league, with the real exceptions of Jokic and (maybe) Embiid, most bigs are relegated to tertiary status. Even super talented guys like KAT don't seem to be difference makers anymore compared to perimeter guys.

Will the NBA act like a pendulum and we see the resurgence of inside bigs, or is the evolution of the NBA really pushing further away from the hoop and perhaps the next big leap is if the NBA adopts a 4 point spot (NBA Jam style)? It's a mind boggling problem that NBA execs and the coaches of today and future must ponder.

So what will be the next "thing" in NBA?

I would love to see a defensive resurgence, but I doubt the NBA is going to open up rules enough for that since dunks and 3s make for better highlights than closeouts and boxouts on rotation. What is next and what would you like to see as next?

All 6'9" lineup

[Yuri Gagarin]

4 pt line?