So, would anyone agree with me in saying that Kidd being out could be a good thing for Felton? At the end of the day, the ball is going to be his for the most part, so learning how to play more efficiently w/o Kidd babysitting him might force him to step up as a PG. I would also like to see a bit more of James White, hopefully he gets some of Kidd’s 2-guard minutes.

Two other things:

1. JR’s TS% has plummeted lately, so felton has to figure out a way to get him going. He had almost zero quality touches during the Nets game.

2. Camby is woefully out of NBA basketball shape. I wonder if Woody is irate with him because he feels that Camby reported out of shape and then pulled a calf muscle because of it, compounding the problem because with the sore calf, he only got more out of shape. The guy looked like an old, slow Anthony Randolph vs. the Nets. I remember reading that Camby was “shocked” that he was offered a long-term deal at this stage. He may be to us what Sheed was to the Celts a couple of years back, which is not a good thing. I hope not because we really need him!

I certainly understand the logic in thinking Felton would be better off learning to do without Kidd because Kidd is not always going to be there, but I just don’t think that I have much faith in Felton’s ability to change his game that dramatically at this point. He’s basically the same exact player we saw in 2010-11, isn’t he? And I mean that in both a bad way and a good way. 2010-11 Felton was a pretty good player. He just isn’t going to be a guy who’s ever really going to embrace being a Kidd-like point. It’s too bad, though, as I think he does have the skills to do it.

And absolutely yes to your other two points. JR is getting awful looks (although obviously he is to blame for that, as well – that gif from the Brooklyn game is hilariously awful) and there is little doubt that Woody is fuming at Camby’s conditioning.

JK47: Ray Ray just is who he is. He’s been in the league quite a long time. I don’t think he’s just going to learn how to play PG any better than he already can, whether or not Jason Kidd is there to “babysit” him.

Exactly. If playing without Jason Kidd was going to make him a better PG, what explains the last six years of his career?

Ray Ray just is who he is. He’s been in the league quite a long time. I don’t think he’s just going to learn how to play PG any better than he already can, whether or not Jason Kidd is there to “babysit” him.

Z-man:
So, would anyone agree with me in saying that Kidd being out could be a good thing for Felton? At the end of the day, the ball is going to be his for the most part, so learning how to play more efficiently w/o Kidd babysitting him might force him to step up as a PG. I would also like to see a bit more of James White, hopefully he gets some of Kidd’s 2-guard minutes.

Two other things:

1. JR’s TS% has plummeted lately, so felton has to figure out a way to get him going. He had almost zero quality touches during the Nets game.

2. Camby is woefully out of NBA basketball shape. I wonder if Woody is irate with him because he feels that Camby reported out of shape and then pulled a calf muscle because of it, compounding the problem because with the sore calf, he only got more out of shape. The guy looked like an old, slow Anthony Randolph vs. the Nets. I remember reading that Camby was “shocked” that he was offered a long-term deal at this stage. He may be to us what Sheed was to the Celts a couple of years back, which is not a good thing. I hope not because we really need him!

Crazy that the best big man acquisition this off season was Sheed. He last played 2 years ago and was far and away the worst of the 3 back then. Now after 2 years off from professional basketball, he’s playing better than he has in 5 years.

Two other things:

1. JR’s TS% has plummeted lately, so felton has to figure out a way to get him going. He had almost zero quality touches during the Nets game.

2. Camby is woefully out of NBA basketball shape. I wonder if Woody is irate with him because he feels that Camby reported out of shape and then pulled a calf muscle because of it, compounding the problem because with the sore calf, he only got more out of shape. The guy looked like an old, slow Anthony Randolph vs. the Nets. I remember reading that Camby was “shocked” that he was offered a long-term deal at this stage. He may be to us what Sheed was to the Celts a couple of years back, which is not a good thing. I hope not because we really need him!

yellowboy90: Last year when Melo would screen for Lin it almost always ended in a basket or a trip to the free throw line. I too wonder why Melo doesn’t run more PnRs up top with the Pgs.

The problem if you put ‘Melo into the PnR as the dive man is that teams will blitz the play by sending three defenders, challenging Chandler (or whoever is playing the 5) to make a jump shot from outside of the lane.

Juany8: I don’t think Melo will be as good a passer as Felton in the pick and roll, but if teams are staying on everyone else and daring Felton to shoot, it’s not like there’s going to be passing lanes open for him anyways. That being said, I thought they should run screens with Melo and JR/Felton. While Melo can’t set screens as well as Chandler or dive to the rim as effectively, he could pick and pop like a beast and can make any play from the high post. If teams try to corral the ball handler, they’ll either have to give Melo space or help big time off Chandler/one of the corners.

Even better, I’d like to see New York go full Dallas Mavericks mode and start running staggered screens with Felton/JR. Dallas ran this play to tremendous effect with Dirk, Chandler, and Terry, and while Melo isn’t the shooter Dirk is, he’s far more dynamic

Last year when Melo would screen for Lin it almost always ended in a basket or a trip to the free throw line. I too wonder why Melo doesn’t run more PnRs up top with the Pgs.

EB:
I would question Melo’s ability to see the floor and hit the open man if the other team ran a third defender at the pick and roll or hit Chandler with the consistency that a pg does.

I thought last year he could find the open man sometimes running the pick and roll but the pass would be a little wild and the open shooter would have trouble handling it and not get a good shot off. Of course this perception is influenced by the fact that Fields and Douglas were taking the majority of these shots.

Yeah they should give it a shot though.

I don’t think Melo will be as good a passer as Felton in the pick and roll, but if teams are staying on everyone else and daring Felton to shoot, it’s not like there’s going to be passing lanes open for him anyways. That being said, I thought they should run screens with Melo and JR/Felton. While Melo can’t set screens as well as Chandler or dive to the rim as effectively, he could pick and pop like a beast and can make any play from the high post. If teams try to corral the ball handler, they’ll either have to give Melo space or help big time off Chandler/one of the corners.

Even better, I’d like to see New York go full Dallas Mavericks mode and start running staggered screens with Felton/JR. Dallas ran this play to tremendous effect with Dirk, Chandler, and Terry, and while Melo isn’t the shooter Dirk is, he’s far more dynamic

I thought last year he could find the open man sometimes running the pick and roll but the pass would be a little wild and the open shooter would have trouble handling it and not get a good shot off. Of course this perception is influenced by the fact that Fields and Douglas were taking the majority of these shots.

Yeah they should give it a shot though.