Everything OG Anunoby

[golden]

Pascal's 112 on 35% so far meets your golden rule (and if his turnovers drop a bit he might even approach Kawhi's numbers), but obviously doesn't quite have the same impact as Kawhi's ridiculous efficiency just yet. The team will almost certainly not be quite as great offensively as last year's team in any case. But Fred and Lowry both in the 116-117 range with 20% usages is a good sign too.

Pascal is doing a terrific job developing into a reasonable facsimile of Kawhi. If he continues with that, then the problem becomes how do you replace Pascal USG (20%) at super-high efficiency (120 ORTG) from last year? That doesn't look like it's possible. We were just spoiled last year with a collection of really high efficiency scorers in the starting lineup.

The answer probably needs to come from the bench (hello, Matt Thomas!). Last year's bench was pretty much non-existent last year after JV got injured. If not, we're going to have to crank the defense up another notch, which is also going to be tough with 2 elite wing defenders gone.

[DanH]

Pascal is doing a terrific job developing into a reasonable facsimile of Kawhi. If he continues with that, then the problem becomes how do you replace Pascal USG (20%) at super-high efficiency (120 ORTG) from last year? That doesn't look like it's possible. We were just spoiled last year with a collection of really high efficiency scorers in the starting lineup.

The answer probably needs to come from the bench (hello, Matt Thomas!). Last year's bench was pretty much non-existent last year after JV got injured. If not, we're going to have to crank the defense up another notch, which is also going to be tough with 2 elite wing defenders gone.

I also think it's just a reality that this year's team is not as good as last year's team. But last year's team should probably have been the favourite to win the chip going into the playoffs (non-GSW with a healthy Durant division). There was always going to be a step back. FVV's 116 ORTG on 20% usage is a reasonable facsimile of what Pascal was last year, just a small step down. All told the team has looked way closer to last year's offence than I had any reason to hope heading into the season. Obviously very early and that might not hold up. But the early returns have been fantastic. The team looks like they could really challenge for a top 3 spot in the East, which was a best case (realistic) scenario heading in.

[LJ2]

OG's usage is still only a measly 13.6%, but his 117 ORTG is very good efficiency. Danny was 14% @ 119 ORTG last year, so he's effectively plug & play into Green's spot, with "potentially" better defense... although Green was elite.

They are using OG perfectly this year, by surrounding him with 4 playmakers, so he doesn't have to dribble too much (which would increase his USG, but lower his efficiency, i.e. turnovers). I wouldn't call him an "option" on offense yet.... which is a label more reserved for shot creators, but he's been an excellent "outlet", with the ball finding him in the flow of the offense. He's making really smart reads and spacing the floor. For now, OG's offense is all 3's and dunks/layups, mostly from cuts.... textbook Morey-ball. We should be really happy with that.

The key is how do we replace Kawhi's 30% USG @ 119 ORTG (which is insane), especially with Gasol getting even more passive. The early indication is that it's going to be: FVV, Lowry & Ibaka each picking up a little bit of the slack.

All they can do to replace Kawhi's usage is to distribute more shots among the starters. Starting FVV alongside Lowry will help to create more open shots for Gasol, Ibaka and Siakam as well as for each other. Gasol probably just missed the memo while competing for Spain over the summer. He'll start taking them as the season goes on.

[SkywalkerAC]

Nurse's system and style seems pretty able to compensate when top usage guys are out. We saw that last year with all the success sans Kawhi. Ball movement ticks up, guys step up, and bob's your uncle. The only question is whether that's good enough against top teams and playoff D. Ball-sharing systems need pressure-release finishers and OG is showing he can be just that.

I think he's also showing he is showing some growth making the right facilitation-reads as well.

[MixxAOR]

He's on his way of becoming PJ Tucker type. Awesome to see

[KeonClark]

All they can do to replace Kawhi's usage is to distribute more shots among the starters. Starting FVV alongside Lowry will help to create more open shots for Gasol, Ibaka and Siakam as well as for each other. Gasol probably just missed the memo while competing for Spain over the summer. He'll start taking them as the season goes on.

Gasols not gonna start shooting. I think we've seen enough, he's played 53 games with us and his regular season last year was about the same as his playoff, 7.4ish shot per game. This year he's taking 6.4, so maybe he'll take another shot.

[007]

He's on his way of becoming PJ Tucker type. Awesome to see

PJ Tucker with better offence would be a fantastic outcome for OG

[SkywalkerAC]

oh my, MIP is in play.

[S.R.]

Love this guy, missed him last year.

[MixxAOR]

Defensively he's been great so far.

[Puffer]

Defensively he's been great so far.

41.7% from 3. eFG% 66.1%
Offensively he has been great as well.

[MixxAOR]

41.7% from 3. eFG% 66.1%
Offensively he has been great as well.

He's doing similar thing that he was doing in his rookie year offensively but defensively he's been very impressive to me. Feels like a whole new level defensively.

[inthepaint]

Looking like first team all-defence right now. Incredibly quick laterally, and outstanding timing around the rim and on the perimeter. You can see how difficult it has become for opposing guards, wings and bigs to get around him. Another thing you can notice if you really geek-out and put some opponent pick and roll possessions on slow-mo, is that he almost invariably mucks it up.

PNR has a lot of minutiae; to defend it well you gotta know when to drop, when to close in, when to switch, when to focus on the opposing big, when to focus on their guard etc.. At only 22 It feels like he has a lot advanced knowledge of that already (that he brought some from college and the Raptors development program perfected it). He's combining that positional knowledge/spacial awareness with a lot of athleticism and quickness, so that's been tough on opponents.

It's like Ibaka alluded to earlier, when you got him, OG and Siakam at the same time on the floor, they'll typically provide an elite level of team defence that will buffer the team from offensive scoring draughts and help them win a lot of games this year

[007]

He's doing similar thing that he was doing in his rookie year offensively but defensively he's been very impressive to me. Feels like a whole new level defensively.

I agree, some of his steals were straight-up bullying the Orlando ball-handler. And his blocks the last couple games speak for themselves.

On offence, I feel like he's more in control when he's driving, though obviously he can still improve in that area

[Truth Teller]

PJ Tucker with better offence would be a fantastic outcome for OG

He will be better on defense too. PJ was severely overrated as a defender. Didn't even make Lebron sweat. I don't even recall PJ's defense being a factor in any of his playoff series. OG has the size and length to be better. Honestly I can see OG being a better Luol Deng. Expecting Kawhi 2.0 is unfair (defense he could reach that - but hes not a good ball handler compare to Kawhi so his offense will never get to that level), but a better Luol Deng as the horizon is achievable.