Why Casspi don't get more minutes?

I believe DMo is a 27.5% 3-point shooter and a poor defender. I believe those are the 2 things we need most on this team in that order:

1. shooting the 3-ball effectively

2. defend


DMo need get lots better.

 

b/c he is awful. if you ask me he should not even get any minutes at all. he is a defensive liability , and his offense has regressed.

 

DMo's shot has gotten SO MUCH better the last couple weeks. He's not reliable yet, but he's improving and that's all we need to see right now.

And he's a better defender than TJones right now. I wouldn't call him a poor defender. he gets anxious when he hedges, but I've been loving his Post and Paint D.

 

I dunno, Casspi is one of those players that is not good at anything, but not terrible at anything either. The only flaw I would say he has is severe tunnel vision.

 

DMo has gotten better in the sense than he is able to hold his ground and stay vertical instead of jumping in the air for each fake his man throws at him. Moreover, his hedges' timing has gotten MUCH better and he is able to foul less (though his foul rate is very high by all standards).

He's been incredibly solid playing post D this season and I would like to see some stats (anyone who can do this in Synergy? I would be grateful).

Now, back to the topic. Casspi commits turnovers by shooting the ball like Rudy Gay in Toronto...impossible shots only Kobe would make. He probably thinks too highly of his 1-on-1 offensive prowess. McHale doesn't like that attitude and is willing to yank players when they do that (see TJones against Golden State - an atrocious game where his decision-making was God-awful - J after J, none went in). Casspi should know his role better. I cringed every time Delfino put it on the floor last year. We only needed him to get open on the perimeter and shoot the 3. Casspi is a vastly inferior player and should stick to the same.

 

last 15 Casspi 3FG% 31.6%
last 15 Dmo 3FG% 39.1%

And Dmo is playing for his defense, not his shooting.

 

Dmo isn't a poor defender, and you know that the 3 point stats don't mean much, because he has been shooting better since he has been getting consistent playing time.

I know all year long you have been down on the Rockets pf position but Dmo is playing well. It's time to give this young player credit for his good play.

 

You obviously haven't been watching games recently. It's clear that his defense has been much better lately. And he's certainly doing better playing as PF next to Asik instead of masquerading as a center like he used to do.

 

Since his hot start, Casspi is shooting 30% (40% overall) over his last 36 games.

D-mo has been shooting 40% from 3 (51% overall) in the 18 games since he started playing. D-Mo is actually a big man, so he has a huge advantage to begin with. It's really no contest.

Lin gets most of the backup 2 minutes, and although he's been garbage over the last 4 games, he's been much better than Casspi overall. All that's left is backup 3 minutes.

 

I watch every game. His defense has improved. And he's playing better than TJones right now. Much better than TJones as a matter of fact.

However, his defense being improved does not mean he is playing good defense. It simply means he has gone from god awful to improving. IF you watch the games then you know he still turns his head and gets back doored constantly.

DMo is not there and he's not going to be there this season.

As for his 3-point shooting....yes, he's gotten hot the last couple weeks. I'd start him if I were McHale right now over Jones simply for that fact, and see if he can ride it out. However, I see no major adjustments to his stroke. So I think he'll wind up reverting back to his career average of around 30% from the 3-point line. A couple weeks does not a shooter make.

 

Dude seriously?

 

I don't think his stroke was the problem. It's just confidence. Same reason why he's shooting better from the FT line recently. Same reason why Dwight can shoot 80+% FT's in practice. I do agree with your last sentence however.

 

We have a winner!

 

Well confidence is part of it. But DMo has a problem with flat shot trajectory. He uses way too much arm and not enough leg. Pretty simple really. But it makes his shot flat.

Hey nobody is hoping more than me that he keeps banging them down. I'm all for it. I just don't trust it. I've played, coached, and watched basketball for over 35 years of my life. I don't believe his stroke is there. I think he'll revert back. But I hope I'm dead wrong.

 

D-mo is a better screener, rebounder, team defender, and paint defender. Shooting is supposed to be the only thing Casspi has on D-mo, and D-mo is even doing that better right now.

Even if D-mo's shooting regresses, he's still much more valuable than Casspi as a 4.

 

Do you have a statistic that shows him finishing contested drives to the basket? Off the dribble or in fast break situations? Those are the ones that he seems to blow. He finishes shots in the paint overall just fine, but when he is moving he looks out of control to me. I don't want to say uncoordinated, but almost. Too many times I have seen him just throw some hot garnbage towards the rim. Granted, you may be right even taking those things into consideration, but there is no doubt that his productivity overall has declined. I was fine with him in the beginning of the year, but he has really tapered off. Looking at his advanced stats, he is still putting up career numbers or close across the board and yet still pretty underwhelming in almost every way for a PF, but you think he should start? No thanks.

Casspi is barely a rotational bench palyer. No way he should start. He doesn't do anything well enough to justify it. I honestly wouldn't care if that was the best lineup for the team, but obviously the coaches feel the same way as they now see him as the 3rd best option at that position. Without a legit stretch 4 option, the offense seems to be clicking well enough to the tune of 106.5 points per game which is third in the NBA and a 110.2 offensive rating which is 5th. I don't understand why you're always making comments about the offense needing a stretch 4. It's like you've become obsessed with it, but Ryan Anderson isn't walking through that door. Casspi is no Ryan Anderson. If it was really that important to them they would just go ahead and start Casspi and they haven't all year and yet the offense has been one of the top units in the NBA and especially so since Jones entered the starting lineup. Defense from that position is more of a reason to be concerned than the offense.

Also Casspi has horrible shot selection, doesn't make nearly enough to justify it, and doesn't pass to open teammates. That is reason enough to be on the end of the bench right there.

 

Dmo defense is not good ... He has improved though ... I am not a contributing person so i can't find a post of MMMMM after Mavs and Spurs games ... Inside his post was exactly the reasons why D-mo isn't a good enough defender for a play-off team ... Also when the opponent goes in the middle there is Howard for help defense but when they are one on one with a simple move/dribble he is lost and he probably makes a foul.

 

U do realize that Dmo is playing a majority of his minutes against the 2nd team PF, except in the 4th Qtr when he has been balling. We all knew Tjones would slump at some point, however, when the team is focusing on getting him the ball around the rim he is a much better finisher than Dmo.

Thank GOD for Jordan Hamilton, last night that layup attempt wouldve never been blocked by Casspi who I don't think can dunk anymore, his last dunk attempt was blocked by the rim. ROFL!!

 

Someone will slump and he'll get another opportunity. He needs to be more than a shot chucker.