Everything Valanciunas

[raptors999]

It's not overeating. It's you not getting my point. It was me saying if you're going to compare JV to any one of the greats to knock him down, Ewing is the worst choice. Ewing was not dominating with speed and grace in the post. He was an excellent finisher with a solid enough shot. He was physical and powered his way to his spots. Even his more explosive moves were often about going through his man rather than around, or using the power to knock his man off to clear space for a shot. He even wasn't a great passer.

Ewing was an elite big man in his day. His day was suited to that type of game though. Still, if Ewing were around today, you'd easily find a way yo work him in as a big major offensive piece. If we can even call JV a poor man's Ewing in a couple of years, that'd be great, and he has similar enough tools for that at least. He's an excellent finisher. He is physical down low. His shot isn't consistent, but it's not broken, so that something to watch. And Ewing was a decent shooter, but he was no sniper out there. He's not great defensively, but he's not as bad as some around here think, and most big men get better with age(this season he'll be the same age Ewing was as a rookie). He's still got lots of time to grow as a player. I mean if he can be a near elite scorer and rebounder (which he already is, but we need to see what he can do with more opportunity), and become a consistent above average or better defender, that's a pretty great player. Maybe not all time great, but still pretty great.

Guys with pretty post moves need them because they are undersized. Anytime a 7 footer is backing down, it doesnt have to be pretty. Get close and then dump it in.

[hotfuzz]

Along with his efficiency in the post he's a great finisher off the pick and roll too. The fact that the offense over the past few years has basically ignored his usefulness is annoying.

Still amazes me to this day. This was his strength coming in and we've never exploited that.

[white men can't jump]

Scola had a good season last year. It was his first season as a Pacer where he had a drop off. He actually out played West last year.

No he didn't. He got a bump in minutes and shots, and scored slightly more and pretty much worse shooting from everywhere outside of layup distance. He's much worse than his prime years, where he was one of the best post players in the league. He still has the savvy to be decently effective, but the simple fact of the matter is he struggles to put the ball in the basket as well as he used to.

[Puffer]

Scola had less possessions, a lower FG% and less points per possession than JV in the post, but Scola definitely has the higher bball IQ. So I'd say Jonas is the better finisher from the post, but Scola is the craftier one and has a better understanding of what to do in the post.

How fortunate that Scola is going to be with the Raps at least for this season and will be able to school JV in practices, watch tape with him and help him improve his game by showing him, step by step, how to improve his footwork. Cause that's what fellow teammates do.

[Chr1s1anL]

No he didn't. He got a bump in minutes and shots, and scored slightly more and pretty much worse shooting from everywhere outside of layup distance. He's much worse than his prime years, where he was one of the best post players in the league. He still has the savvy to be decently effective, but the simple fact of the matter is he struggles to put the ball in the basket as well as he used to.

What do his advance stats look like?

[rocwell]

What do his advance stats look like?

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...scolalu01.html

[A.I]

How fortunate that Scola is going to be with the Raps at least for this season and will be able to school JV in practices, watch tape with him and help him improve his game by showing him, step by step, how to improve his footwork. Cause that's what fellow teammates do.

I'm hoping JV learns from Scola. JV is already a good finisher, he just needs better awareness and better post game.

[A.I]

Guys with pretty post moves need them because they are undersized. Anytime a 7 footer is backing down, it doesnt have to be pretty. Get close and then dump it in.

Hakeem Olajuwon was 7'0, and has one of the best post games in NBA history. He probably is an exception though.

[Puffer]

Try watching this one. Ewing's more decisive, but he was also a seasoned post player when he came into the league. But his game certainly wasn't very pretty. Some of these moves look downright awkward. He's not exactly dancing circles around guys in the post. He pulls out an impressive move here or there, but the biggest factor is decisiveness. Catching the ball and quickly going into your move before the D reacts, even if your move is a back down. And it doesn't hurt that in those days, players had way more space to operate one on one in the post. Their games don't look exactly alike, but there's more than a few plays here that already resemble JV's game in terms of tools used or area of the court being exploited. *And JV's learning on the fly, as the lack of a post game was the biggest hole in his scoring game coming into the league.

Interesting that almost everything Ewing did resulted in him taking a jump shot. No scoops, no hook shots, almost no layups. Quick move, ball held high, jumpshot. JV could take a page from this book. And improve his offensive play.

[raptors999]

Hakeem Olajuwon was 7'0, and has one of the best post games in NBA history. He probably is an exception though.

Hakeem was 2-3" shorter than his listed heightf 7' next to Shaq at legit 7'1"Hakeem looked 6'9-10

[Scraptor]

How fortunate that Scola is going to be with the Raps at least for this season and will be able to school JV in practices, watch tape with him and help him improve his game by showing him, step by step, how to improve his footwork. Cause that's what fellow teammates do.

If JV has old man game by the time he's 25 he'll be a perennial all star. Still see him over thinking things out there unfortunately. Hopefully that goes away now that he's locked up and a clear part of the future.

[A.I]

If JV has old man game by the time he's 25 he'll be a perennial all star. Still see him over thinking things out there unfortunately. Hopefully that goes away now that he's locked up and a clear part of the future.

He is still 23. He'll stop the overthinking and become more decisive over time I think, Casey just needs to give him some more damn touches.

[SkywalkerAC]

I just want this team to start finding JV on the move. He's become a great post-up guy but his looks could be so much easier.

[Scraptor]

Val comes in at 21 in the top 25 under 25 per SI.

http://www.si.com/thecauldron/2015/1...aliers-wizards

[A.I]

That comes with ball movement. They need to first start to move the ball more, so it opens up opportunities for everyone, instead of giving the ball to Jonas in the post and leaving him on an island by himself to score or turn it over.