Darius Kinnard Garland

[Los216]

After not playing for 9 months, can we at least give the team and the player 12-16 real regular season NBA games (still far too small a sample size) before going straight to the broad sweeping and severe reaction about the team as a whole, individual players, and the long term outlook?

No.

I haven't looked but what's our SOS looking like?

 

[mds]

No.

I haven't looked but what's our SOS looking like?

Every team we play is better than us?

 

[Cavatt]

After not playing for 9 months, can we at least give the team and the player 12-16 real regular season NBA games (still far too small a sample size) before going straight to the broad sweeping and severe reaction about the team as a whole, individual players, and the long term outlook?

This makes a lot of sense. The thing that worried me was that after having a good defense for 3 games, suddenly the Knicks got everything they wanted in game 4.

Now was that the Zone? They played it a lot that last game and that was why Knox got so many wide open 3s in the corner. Was it Drummond not playing and Robinson getting everything he wanted and dominating the paint? I'm concerned it was our starting backcourt. Just looked exactly like last year when the defense was on it's heels from the tip.

If it's that last one, they simply have to do something. There are too many guys that deserve to play to start 2 guys that essentially ruin your defense and have you playing catch up every game

 

[Los216]

Every team we play is better than us?

I was hoping we could catch a few teams slipping at the beginning of the season but we might not be ready for that.

 

[MirORich]

This makes a lot of sense. The thing that worried me was that after having a good defense for 3 games, suddenly the Knicks got everything they wanted in game 4.

Now was that the Zone? They played it a lot that last game and that was why Knox got so many wide open 3s in the corner. Was it Drummond not playing and Robinson getting everything he wanted and dominating the paint? I'm concerned it was our starting backcourt. Just looked exactly like last year when the defense was on it's heels from the tip.

If it's that last one, they simply have to do something. There are too many guys that deserve to play to start 2 guys that essentially ruin your defense and have you playing catch up every game

You’re talking about a game that was the final exhibition game and we played without Love, Drummond, Nance, and Exum and in which Sexton and McGee played for the very first time.

I just would not put any thought into it or takeaway into it. And I’d say that about most of the positive things from the first three games as well.

Need at least 18-24 games to even begin to get a sense for how things are looking from an individual standpoint, team/fit standpoint, development standpoint, and coaching standpoint.

I fully expect that we’ll have plenty of hot takes starting in game one and continuing every single game after that.

 

[Joe Henderson]

After not playing for 9 months, can we at least give the team and the player 12-16 real regular season NBA games (still far too small a sample size) before going straight to the broad sweeping and severe reaction about the team as a whole, individual players, and the long term outlook?

This. All well and good for someone to just come in and grab that starting job from Garland, but nobody’s done that yet - and it’s only fair to give the kid a chance to defend it.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

I have nothing against Garland and couldn't care less about his agent. It's a tad bit defensive to suggest that anyone who can't obviously see him as the future at PG for this team must have ulterior motives. If he's going to be our full time PG playmaker I want to see it on the court. IMO he hasn't come anywhere near showing that yet. He's going to get his chance to start this season so we'll see.

Yeah, the presumption of ulterior motive is insulting. I didn't like drafting Garland because I didn't like the idea of a Garland/Sexton backcourt, and still don't. Sexton had shown a work ethic and consistent improvement sufficient to convice me he's an NBA starter, and deserved focus for developing as a distributor.

Instead, we essentially consigned him long term to the bench when we drafted Garland, because that pairing won't work.

I didn't even remember that Rich Paul was Garland's agent until it was just mentioned by at @Los216 .

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

And you think it's fair to expect him to be our full time playmaker at PG while playing him next to an undersized scoring guard?

This is what I don't understand with people who are critical of Darius Garland. Is he supposed to just overcome playing next to Colin Sexton?

Actually, I think it's Sexton who has to overcome playing next to Garland.

 

[ryanf]

A lot of garland apologists here. In 4 preseason games, he has had more turnovers than assists. In the one game that sexton played, he has almost out-assisted garland's total assist numbers in 4 games.

It's ok if you see potential in garland, but he hasn't proven anything yet and has been given the starting job just because he's a high pick. Time to take that priviledge back and make him earn it. If he pushes sexton to the bench because he's playing so well, then congrats for living to his potential.

 

[Cavatt]

You’re talking about a game that was the final exhibition game and we played without Love, Drummond, Nance, and Exum and in which Sexton and McGee played for the very first time.

I just would not put any thought into it or takeaway into it. And I’d say that about most of the positive things from the first three games as well.

Need at least 18-24 games to even begin to get a sense for how things are looking from an individual standpoint, team/fit standpoint, development standpoint, and coaching standpoint.

I fully expect that we’ll have plenty of hot takes starting in game one and continuing every single game after that.

I'm aware of all the caveats. I am concerned because I saw lots of lineups before that last game that played good d, and then just guys going unopposed to the basket. Okoro started at the 4 and that's was more than he could handle, but even so it was quite concerning.

 

[Cavs100]

Start Exum he's played much better than garland in preseason. You start 2 small players in garland and Sexton other teams are going to destroy them.

 

[Muffinalt]

I'm aware of all the caveats. I am concerned because I saw lots of lineups before that last game that played good d, and then just guys going unopposed to the basket. Okoro started at the 4 and that's was more than he could handle, but even so it was quite concerning.

All the cavatts?

I agree with you. Doesnt matter if it was a preseason game, there was a clear change that game in the defensive effectiveness.

I think it was a combo of things though: SexLand back together + Cedi, Okoro at the 4 against Randle, no Drummond (McGee is fine but he isn't actively clogging the lane like Drummond).

I don't know which one factor is the biggest culprit, but it's most likely the small backcourt again. JBB went away from it after the rough start (although I fear it was just coz he gave rest to Garland instead of some punishment) but it was too late.

 

[Man Called X]

Yeah, the presumption of ulterior motive is insulting. I didn't like drafting Garland because I didn't like the idea of a Garland/Sexton backcourt, and still don't. Sexton had shown a work ethic and consistent improvement sufficient to convice me he's an NBA starter, and deserved focus for developing as a distributor.

Instead, we essentially consigned him long term to the bench when we drafted Garland, because that pairing won't work.

I didn't even remember that Rich Paul was Garland's agent until it was just mentioned by at @Los216 .

Don't worry. I'll always be around to remind people not to keep Klutch clients on the roster.

 

[guitarguy]

I can't say I feel good about Garland at this point, I'm willing to admit that possibly if the balls would have dropped for him a little more often, we'd probably be happier now after preseason, but really, his assist/TO was horrible. Basically everyone else on the team did a lot better.

Also, not to be too pessimistic, but when I look around the league, the great players all played amazing in the preseason, they didn't look this rusty or giving up 10s of TOs... many were putting up crazy numbers, because it was easier than regular season.

It's hard for me to imagine a scenario where we're winning and didn't have to trade Sexton or Garland, and this point Garland has basically zero trade value. I hope he turns it around.

 

[inliner311]

I stated earlier how I would just name Sexton, Love, and Drummond as starters then make the other 2 spots as on going float spots that are based on match up and who is playing best.

I actually don't see this as a negative for Garland's development. It would be a less of a emphasis on him and Sexton as a pairing to allow everyone to figure out lineups that work. It would also help to develop KPJ, Windler, Okoro, and Cedi better because they get more chances and are less likely to have to play out of position to get minutes.

The best thing for both Sexton and Garland is both be able to hold down the PG duties. If they both end up our top players I think that's when you start both of them and figure out the rest. At this stage though, I don't think Garland has proven he is a starting quality guard and it will hold back his development as well as the wing players to keep him full time in the starting unit.