stuporman wrote:Jalen Bluntson wrote:stuporman wrote:This match up has to be one of the most minimizing of OG's impact that there is. Maxey is one of the few players that OG has trouble with so he can't really do his thing with ball pressure and the Knicks don't really want him on Embiid all the time either, that messes up other match ups on the floor.
The Sixers don't have that dynamic high scoring wing which he would he take away so he's spending most of his time guarding Harris, Oubre and Batum who aren't main offensive cogs for them so OG's value is often left to being a helper, which he is elite at so he impacts as he can.
Luckily for the Knicks they have one of the few guys in the league who can disrupt Embiid in Mitch so as long as he stays disciplined and not foul it will make his life tough. Also, I want to see Deuce mirroring Maxey's mins as much as possible, he's the best the Knicks have against him.
It really is a good problem to have. Just unleash Deuce/Mitch on Maxey/Embiid and let OG/Hart keep the other scrubs from going SOTN. Let DDV/iHart cook with the bench unit more. Seems like the best plan defensively.
Deuce's emergence as a legitimate offensive threat, a 3 level scorer, is so crucial for the Knicks because if he was just a defensive stopper with no to little offensive impact his mins on the floor still might be a net negative. He may not be able to run an offense that well yet but he's providing offensive energy that is important if he's going to be in the playoff rotation.
I also don't think Thibs should be meddling with the starting line ups as so many are knee jerk reacting with. Let the players stay comfortable in their roles but adjust the floor time to account for the preferred match ups. For one, Mitch is still getting himself into game shape so no need to expose him to extended mins or foul trouble and I like Deuce's change of pace and energy off the bench.
Idc if he starts them or not but, match up the minutes as much as possible. Mitch frustrates Joel and Deuce is literally the only player on the team who can keep up with Maxey. That's the head and tail of the snake for them.