In less than 36 minutes in the first 3 preseason games, he has 19 assists. Since I have not been able to watch , I would be interested in the observations from those who have watched him to break down the strengths and minuses of his game, offensive and defensive. Obligatory - yes I know its a small sample size in mostly garbage time of the preseason. For the 012ers who want to discuss Lin, please take it to one of the many threads already discussing him. Thanks.
He can push the tempo and seems to make good passes on breaks. I'm not sure about his defensive skills -- I think that's an issue -- but he strikes me as a very good value pickup. It will all depend on what they do with Shaun Livingston, but I could see him making the team as a third PG.
He is very very good in transition. If he is running the break with one good athlete on the wing, u can pretty much guarantee an easy dunk or layup. Defense didnt really seem to be there at all. plays very small. He will make the roster at 3rd pg spot bc of his pure point ability, but to make the next step he needs to do 2 things. 1, commit himself on the defensive end. 2, knock down open shots mid to long range. He looked like an ok shooter in Summer League, but hasnt translated to Pre-season.
excellent court vision, handles, and passing. below average defense and shooting. what he has you can't teach, and what he doesn't have can be taught. I think he's worth keeping.
A lot of the positives have already been stated. I like the kid only thing that bothers me is that he doesn't give enough effort on the defensive end as it appears. I am also wondering if he will be able to make these highlight passes in actual NBA games. But he is a solid pick up.Tony D has a bit of a groin issue apparently so we may see some more scott today against Dallas.
Yes, he's got a bunch of assists. And I like him. However, at this point, I do not see starter potential in him. In addition to the fact that he is a big zero on the defensive end right now, on the offensive end in halfcourt sets, Machado will make this team very inefficient. He's too easy to defend. All the defenders have to do is fade back into a semizone and dare/bait him into taking the jumper. The only positive thing in Machado's game right now is his ability to steamroll down the floor and find guys while peddling 100 mph. That's it. Everything else about his game is a huge questionmark right now. I do not see him ever becoming a quality starter in the NBA. I do not think he'll ever be better than Lin. Because he lacks length, and he lacks the ability to create his own offense in the halfcourt. I do see him being able to become a quality backup along the lines of Earl Boykins in his prime, a more dimunitive point guard with quicks and speed to burn that you can play in spurts in a speedball lineup to create the break on some team that is playing some old vets.
Yes, he's collected alot of assists in the time he's played, but those minutes really haven't been quality minutes. Most of them are in the last 10 minutes of the game where its just a free for all. We've seen a nice ability to push the ball uptempo, but we really haven't seen him run the half court unit much at all. I think he will be ok at it eventually, but right now I just dont know if he can be relied on to run the offense effectively. Defensively, its a work in progress. He has the physical ability so I think it will come in time. -His shooting has been better than advertised. It was pointed out as a major weakness in his game, but he held back on shooting shots he knows he cannot make consistently, and when he sets his feet, he looks to have pretty good form in his shot. All-in-all I see a ton of Kyle Lowry in Machado when they first came into the league. Machado might be a slightly better passer, but their overall game is very similar. I can see him making the team, but spending alot of time in the D-League to get more work on running the offense they are using in the big leagues, and once injuries take a toll he should get a call up. Im rooting for Shaun Livingston to make a comeback, but so far he seems like the odd man out along with Brockman who has yet to make an appearance. I do think Machado will end up making the team.
I think he looks good. He actually is very aggressive on defense yesterday. However, his lack of height and short wingspan don't help. Yesterday he's better than I expected. He's ok defensively and appears to be strong and fast on the break. He has great instincts passing on the fastbreak, and it fits our style well. He maybe a starter someday, but most likely a good backup if he develops well.
He'll tear it up in the D-league. At least he's 10x better than Fortson (that's not saying much though)
Sorry guys but it really doesn't matter if you think Machado is a starting PG or not. What matters is he is currently out playing our starting PG. In half the time.
Pros: 1. Great court vision. 2. Can pass well. 3. Hmmmmmm......nope, there's no 3. Cons: 1. Can't play D 2. Not giving full effort in D 3. Can't shoot
if it comes down to a decsion betweek Machado and Livingston, it's easy. release Livingston, keep Machado and send him to D-league for the year. If he's any good he'll be available to us next year. Livingston has no value to a rebuilding team.
I was pleasantly surprised with his ability to find the right open man. Often when watching on tv (or even in person from an elevated position) it is easy to see what the right pass would be even though it clearly isn't as obvious on the court. Machado is making that pass, and a few times is even making a better pass - instead of passing to the first open guy, who the defense is starting to rotate to cover, Machado himself already makes the skip pass to the corner or whatnot. It's a really strong and useful skillset. As noted though, the kid has to add to it by either becoming a much better defender or a much better outside shooter. I prefer he concentrate a ton on shooting, and then just put in effort on defense. Except for the rare few, being a lock down perimeter defender in the NBA is impossible, especially against point guards - they are too good and quick and the rules too much in their favor. Just try harder there - rotate a little better, box out your man a little more, etc. But really focus on that outside shot. If he can hit that with any consistency, he will have a solid NBA career.