EdMonix11
All-Star
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2012
- Messages
- 5,029
- Reaction score
- 5,777
- Points
- 113
I do think he improved.
Example: His 3pt FG is good. But in regular season, I remember him missing a lot of open 3 pointers that actually mattered, at important moments of the game. He used to make lots of them in garbage time.
On these playoffs, he's constantly hitting 3 points at crucial times. He hit one today, at the end of the 1st quarter.
Also, based only on eye test, I have a feeling he's finding open guys at more ease than during the regular season. And he does seem to be more confident.
Also this perception is due to an injured Kyrie. When he replaced Kyrie in the regular season the level dropped instantly. But now, with Kyrie injured, he's actually improving the team going in. I don't remember seeing that a lot in the regular season. Also silly mistakes are reduced.
Delly is shooting worse in the playoffs than he did in the regular season so.....
Anyways, Delly has improved as the season has progressed but it has nothing to do with his shooting at all. His biggest improvement is his ball handling and confidence in running the offense. LeBron isn't afraid to lay into him, and he's done it multiple times in the Playoffs in a very public manner. It's always about the same thing-- Delly dribbling away from the pick-n-roll or waving it off. He's needed that kick in the ass to have the confidence to dribble the ball in tight spaces with confidence and help impact the team in ways other than just a spot-up three-point shooter and pesky defender. Good back-up PG's are worth their weight in gold in the playoffs and a bad one is almost a sure way to get bounced early.