And the three ball is already coming togetherNesmith gives so much energy out there. He's wild to watch. How good can he be if all he adds is some better footwork on D and a respectable 3 ball?
And the three ball is already coming togetherNesmith gives so much energy out there. He's wild to watch. How good can he be if all he adds is some better footwork on D and a respectable 3 ball?
His 3 may already be. We don't really have much of a sample size. He's not afraid to let it fly though.Nesmith gives so much energy out there. He's wild to watch. How good can he be if all he adds is some better footwork on D and a respectable 3 ball?
his D isn't nearly as bad as his rep (regardless of his footwork).Nesmith gives so much energy out there. He's wild to watch. How good can he be if all he adds is some better footwork on D and a respectable 3 ball?
I asked that thinking his D is already pretty decent. Plus 3+D guy from 14 would be huge for this team with Smart's contract coming up and the Tatum max kicking in.his D isn't nearly as bad as his rep (regardless of his footwork).
He rotates, rebounds, and challenges shots with his length
Yeah his shot looks great. Effortless. Pleased that he's grabbing those minutes.And the three ball is already coming together
shooters need shots/minutes, he's finally getting them.I asked that thinking his D is already pretty decent. Plus 3+D guy from 14 would be huge for this team with Smart's contract coming up and the Tatum max kicking in.
I think everyone is pretty surprised by his athleticism. I've been surprised on the downside by how awkward his setup is on spot-up 3s, but I'm willing to attribute that to being the focal point of the offense at Vandy and shooting a ton on the move.I used Wesley Matthews as my comp here before the season, but he seems more explosive than Matthews.
I think at least part of it is/was lack of confidence, you can see him overthink and hesitate on quite a few open looks.I think everyone is pretty surprised by his athleticism. I've been surprised on the downside by how awkward his setup is on spot-up 3s, but I'm willing to attribute that to being the focal point of the offense at Vandy and shooting a ton on the move.
And the three ball is already coming together
This is the first game when I have seen the combination of flawless form and quick release of the three-point shot that his pre-draft write-ups promised.Yeah his shot looks great. Effortless. Pleased that he's grabbing those minutes.
I agree, the juxtaposition between Nesmith the last couple games and Semi/Grant/Romeo in those situations is jarring.The balls to the wall hustle plays obviously pop off the screen, but that's the kind of stuff you want to see no matter what. It is the calm, collected, smooth plays that will see him hit his ceiling.
Lightbulb....On!! Overnight this kid began playing with confidence and looking comfortable out there. He had one catch-and-shoot that you knew it was going down on his rise. First time I’ve seen this kid play with confidence. These next couple weeks will be interesting to see if he can sustain his energy from the last two games. Earlier in the year he slipped back quite a bit before being benched but he hadn’t ever shown the confidence he is now.2nd really good game for Nesmith in a row. He also played big minutes at the end of the game and showed up huge. Had a big steal that won the game.
Obviously the night was Tatum's, but Nesmith has shown a lot the last 2 games and is starting to look like a lottery pick.
There will likely be 2 steps forward, 1 step back kind of stuff, but you can't fake what he's been showing. I also love how big he plays, in the physical sense.Lightbulb....On!! Overnight this kid began playing with confidence and looking comfortable out there. He had one catch-and-shoot that you knew it was going down on his rise. First time I’ve seen this kid play with confidence. These next couple weeks will be interesting to see if he can sustain his energy from the last two games. Earlier in the year he slipped back quite a bit before being benched but he hadn’t ever shown the confidence he is now.
He did a good job identifying the shooter after a couple doubles to X out and close to the right guy. Might see Brad do some more frenetic defensive schemes with Nesmith on the court.With Tristan Thompson in shape, and Nesmith big enough to pressure checks, the cs were doiong what Brad likes on D, lots of switching, shocking the ballscreen, Nesmith was both he double guy, and the guy finding checks. He is long enough, and aggressive enough to be the guy going to double, allowing the more experienced guys to direct traffic, find shooters. Most encouirging was after he closed people out he kept then in front. Scal hit the nail on the head that the Spurs vaunted passing didn't happen once the Cs controlled drives.
That (lightbulb) was my thought watching him play tonight. Something clicked for him and he looks like a different player now.Lightbulb....On!! Overnight this kid began playing with confidence and looking comfortable out there. He had one catch-and-shoot that you knew it was going down on his rise. First time I’ve seen this kid play with confidence. These next couple weeks will be interesting to see if he can sustain his energy from the last two games. Earlier in the year he slipped back quite a bit before being benched but he hadn’t ever shown the confidence he is now.
Worth noting, BTW, that Nesmith picked up his 5th foul at the halfway mark in the 4th quarter last night. He played the rest of the game (11 minutes) with 5 fouls and still managed to stay in the game and make key plays on both ends.2nd really good game for Nesmith in a row. He also played big minutes at the end of the game and showed up huge. Had a big steal that won the game.
Obviously the night was Tatum's, but Nesmith has shown a lot the last 2 games and is starting to look like a lottery pick.
Not really. Parker is a big, Nesmith and Langford are wings. Parker was getting minutes while Time Lord was hurt, but not so much after his return. Nesmith/Langford get minutes from other Celtics wings or Walker (with Smart sliding over to the point).The point of getting Parker was to eat up the pathetic minutes of Nesmith and Langford.
It's a much better outcome long term for Nesmith to eat up the pathetic minutes of Langford and Parker .
TT did a very good job switching on the backline.With Tristan Thompson in shape, and Nesmith big enough to pressure checks, the cs were doiong what Brad likes on D, lots of switching, shocking the ballscreen, Nesmith was both he double guy, and the guy finding checks. He is long enough, and aggressive enough to be the guy going to double, allowing the more experienced guys to direct traffic, find shooters. Most encouirging was after he closed people out he kept then in front. Scal hit the nail on the head that the Spurs vaunted passing didn't happen once the Cs controlled drives.
You can't really underestimate his length/reach combined with his ability to rotate, strength to switch on anybody, and challenge shots. It makes up for his awkward/rookie footworkThere will likely be 2 steps forward, 1 step back kind of stuff, but you can't fake what he's been showing. I also love how big he plays, in the physical sense.
I love how his length plays even with a Romeo on the court too. There's a lot of overlap in size, but I think that the latter will be the smaller, quicker version and potential combo ballhandler type. Nesmith will be able to handle bigger guys. Both bring the motor, which is really awesome to watch.The idea for the future is to get Romeo (next season's business probably) to be a better version than Nesmith on D. Have waves of long, stretchy wings running all over the court getting into passing lanes. In hindsight, Grant + Carsen for Thybulle doesn't feel too clever.
Yes! There was a play towards the end where Jaylen drove to the hoop and Nesmith perfectly timed a cut that had him wide open but it being Jaylen he didn't spot the pass in time and went for the layup. Nesmith ended up getting the putback but the cut was fantastic.The thing that stood out for me offensively was that he was cutting hard to the basket so frequently. His teammates didn’t find him but that’ll come in time. What did happen is it out him in position for some put backs or loose balls on missed shots that were really critical. There are more times he won’t get those balls and will be out of position but he runs so hard that I think he’ll recover back on defense better than most to make up for it.
Meh, Langford should spend the offseason learning to play PG and improving his offense. If his O doesn't improve, he's not really playable. At least not every night.The idea for the future is to get Romeo (next season's business probably) to be a better version than Nesmith on D.
Yeah the game has slowed down materially for him. You're right--he might have whiffed on that shot earlier. He was rushing everything.I was down on Nesmith, mostly because he was billed as a sniper, but mostly looked like he had no idea how to put the ball in the basket.
He seems like a different offensive player the past few games, shooting the ball definitively. The right baseline 10 footer he made in the comeback win really impressed me. Any other time this season, he airmails that shot.
A high energy wing who can play scrappy defense and put up opportunity points is exactly what this team needs. Hopefully Aaron can keep it up. He will have to show that he can heat up quickly off the bench if he’s going to be a factor in he playoffs, where every possession is important
He did have that one air ball after the good deke. It didn't effect him at all though. I think that was vs OKC.Yeah the game has slowed down materially for him. You're right--he might have whiffed on that shot earlier. He was rushing everything.
It's a real thing. It's also possible that he is in the midst of a good stretch that rookies have and he goes back to sucking for a bit. He still should have been playing until the lightbulb went off, assuming it did. We are still waiting for the lightbulb to go on for Grant Williams and Semi and it didn't prevent them from getting minutes.Someone mentioned up thread that Nesmith in an 8 game stretch (in mid-Feb) where he averaged ~20mpg was a net positive in 7/8 of those contests (yea SSS). BUT then Aaron inexplicably followed that up with 6 DNPs and 8 mins of garbage time vs. Houston.
I'm skeptical of the "Lightbulb/on" theory, it's more like Nesmith is finally getting minutes. The highest MPG happened over the last 2 games.
The last 2 games Nesmith look like a legit 30 minute rotation player contributing on both ends. Looking at Langford, you can see his ceiling/potential, but as of now the only thing he has shown in game is that he can be a mid bench guy for 15 minutes in a defensive role. His clock is ticking too.Nesmith's offense has already flashed far better than anything Romeo has shown in his 2 abbreviated years. I've been pleasantly surprised with his overall D as well (hustle, size, length, athleticism, rotations). Still sometimes looks like a rookie out there, but not a total liability.
In the Romeo/Nesmith comparison, is Romeo's defense really that much better? I am willing to say Romeo has the edge, but to me seems fairly close so far.
And if their D is even remotely close, Nesmith overall seems a lot more exciting to me.
Not really.It’s two games, but at the moment he is outplaying Fournier. When Kemba comes back, Brad will have some decisions to make.
Yeah, the top 7 are set in stone. After that, it's a free for all with PP the heavy favorite at 8 and AN maybe emerging as the 9. It will still be somewhat based on match ups though. I just don't see many match ups that favor Semi, Grant, Romeo and Parker and that's really why they haven't been playing lately.Not really.
Nesmith brings energy, shooting, chaotic defense, and a nice affinity for loose ball plays (garbage baskets, 50/50 balls, etc.). All good stuff, and stuff that this team needs.
Fournier brings shooting, but more importantly, he keeps the offensive flow. He's Hayward replacement. When Hayward was playing well, he would get other guys shots through his gravity or convert easy baskets when not swarmed. That type of guy really supports the alpha scorers by drawing some of his own attention and getting them the ball in rhythm. Smart kinda does that, but Fournier does it better (and 2 guys doing it is better than 1).
If Fournier continues to suck, yeah, he'll not get as many minutes for a while. But his role is way different and more important for this year than Nesmith's. And Brad will likely give him a long leash in order to hopefully work his way back into the Good Fournier pre-covid.
I agree. I think that Semi and Grant will be very specific matchup guys and will see a lot of DNP. I could see Parker when the offense is dead and could use a 2nd unit spark, but that should be limited.Yeah, the top 7 are set in stone. After that, it's a free for all with PP the heavy favorite at 8 and AN maybe emerging as the 9. It will still be somewhat based on match ups though. I just don't see many match ups that favor Semi, Grant, Romeo and Parker and that's really why they haven't been playing lately.
After quality shot creation, shooting is THE premium skill in the NBA, so being more excited by Nesmith is very rational.Nesmith's offense has already flashed far better than anything Romeo has shown in his 2 abbreviated years. I've been pleasantly surprised with his overall D as well (hustle, size, length, athleticism, rotations). Still sometimes looks like a rookie out there, but not a total liability.
In the Romeo/Nesmith comparison, is Romeo's defense really that much better? I am willing to say Romeo has the edge, but to me seems fairly close so far.
And if their D is even remotely close, Nesmith overall seems a lot more exciting to me.
The offense has been up and down (better recently of course) but I'm perhaps even more pleasantly surprised by the hustle and D.After quality shot creation, shooting is THE premium skill in the NBA, so being more excited by Nesmith is very rational.
A significant point in Romeo and Grant's favor is that their Year 1 and Year 2 don't really fit with anything we have seen in NBA history. Between the long layoff, the bubble, no summer league, and a shortened schedule... that's a really weird 2 years.While there are examples, players who don't really produce/improve in their first 2 years tend not to. The ones that do often are injured so he has that going for him. Even Terry Rozier had year 2 growth, despite being horrible. Not producing at all your rookie year doesn't mean much, but if you follow it up with little to no improvement in year 2.... it does. Grant Williams is also guilty of this but Grant Williams has had considerably more playing time and no injury exuse so I'm far more comfortable saying GW is all but gone in 2 more years if not traded away as filler.
Yeah, Grant has been given enough run that I think I'd be guilty of homer-ism/wishful thinking if I were positive on him at this point.A significant point in Romeo and Grant's favor is that their Year 1 and Year 2 don't really fit with anything we have seen in NBA history.Between the long layoff, the bubble, no summer league, and a shortened schedule... that's a really weird 2 years.
With Romeo especially, he has had the injury and had COVID, plus less college experience. Year 3 might be equivalent to Year 2.
Grant has had a pretty significant amount of playing time in 2 seasons and a lot more college experience, so might not apply to him as much.
I think at minimum, we should be willing to admit the error bars on Romeo are still quite large and overlap with a very useful player. Still think it's fair to be disappointed in what we have seen on offense so far.Yeah, Grant has been given enough run that I think I'd be guilty of homer-ism/wishful thinking if I were positive on him at this point.
Romeo is almost the opposite--given the circumstances and what he's shown, it feels analytically wrong/dishonest to be really low on him.
In 2 years, Langford has 45 games and 572 minutes played. Williams 125 games, 2057 minutes played.I think at minimum, we should be willing to admit the error bars on Romeo are still quite large and overlap with a very useful player. Still think it's fair to be disappointed in what we have seen on offense so far.
Grant....those error bars are shrinking and the top end possible results are looking less and less promising as we go.
You don't need to worry about the threeball. The shooting stroke is pure and they're going to fall as the game continues to slow down for him. The defensive footwork is absolutely the most important thing. If he cleans that up he can be an actual defensive asset, which makes him an elite 3&D wing.Nesmith gives so much energy out there. He's wild to watch. How good can he be if all he adds is some better footwork on D and a respectable 3 ball?
I mean he was pretty god awful in all but one of those final 4-5 games he played during that stretch once the energy wore off. I don’t know how those performances can be compared to him these last two nights.Someone mentioned up thread that Nesmith in an 8 game stretch (in mid-Feb) where he averaged ~20mpg was a net positive in 7/8 of those contests (yea SSS). BUT then Aaron inexplicably followed that up with 6 DNPs and 8 mins of garbage time vs. Houston.
I'm skeptical of the "Lightbulb/on" theory, it's more like Nesmith is finally getting minutes. The highest MPG happened over the last 2 games.
Nesmith was a +50 in 8 games when the team went 3-5 (the team was a -13)?I mean he was pretty god awful in all but one of those final 4-5 games he played during that stretch once the energy wore off. I don’t know how those performances can be compared to him these last two nights.