Luka's Historic 73, Merrill's 3-Point Blitz, Old School Centers' Revival & New School NBA Ready

Welcome to the NBA Librarian Weekly, where we curate and summarize the best NBA content of the week.

In today's edition:

1. Why Rookies are Smarter Than Ever

2. You’re Missing One of the Wildest Shooting Seasons …

3. Are old school centers coming back into style?

4. NBA Schedules and Back to Backs

5. The Real Reason Adrian Griffin was Fired

6. Luka’s 73 points examined

7. New NBA Stat Query Search

8. Timberwolves have a 4th-quarter problem that needs …

Why Rookies are Smarter Than Ever

This is a great video exploring whether rookies are more impactful in today's NBA than ever before. Ben highlights how the incorporation of more European styles and NBA-like play into lower levels of coaching has played a significant role in this analysis.

Young players now have unprecedented access to information, training, and preparation. They're starting their training regimes earlier, some as early as middle school, with practices that include spaced-out NBA-style offenses, Spain pick-and-rolls, patience, and the strategic use of angles and mismatches. They're learning to read defenders' positions and to exploit known weaknesses.

The video covers a wide array of plays that have been popularized by younger players, who have grown up in an era of more open play and are thus more attuned to the game's nuances. Towards the end, there’s a great graphic indicating that younger players are contributing more positively to their respective teams than at any previous point in NBA history.

Definitely my top pick for viewing this week!

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You’re Missing One of the Wildest Shooting Seasons in NBA History

Despite losing starters Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, the Cavs have impressively gone 14-4 in their last 18 games, including a notable win over the red-hot Clippers in Mobley's return last night. A significant, yet unheralded, reason for this success is the play of Sam Merrill.

Here are some key takeaways:

1. Since Merrill began receiving minutes in mid-December, the Cavs have advanced from a middle-of-the-pack three-point shooting team to the top of the league.

2. They boast an 11-1 record when Merrill plays 20+ minutes.

3. Merrill is attempting 17.7 three-pointers per 100 possessions this season, setting a record for the highest mark by any player who has logged at least 300 minutes in a season, surpassing even Curry and Harden.

Danny points out that Merrill has also been a positive defender, which could be invaluable in the postseason where teams often target the "good shooter-bad defender" trope.

The analysis includes much more, such as video evidence of role players creating space for star players (in this case, Donovan Mitchell and his best playmaking stretch of the season), Merrill's comprehensive offensive game, quotes from coaches about his defense, and comparisons of his role to other elite role-playing shooters on different teams.

Are old school centers coming back into style?

Great read - I enjoy these types of analyses that look back on history and forecast potential trends for the NBA moving forward.

Highlights:

1. Basketball trends, much like fashion and music, are cyclical, and the NBA is currently witnessing a resurgence of traditional, larger centers reminiscent of the 1990s and 2000s.

2. This shift marks a departure from the 2010s' emphasis on smaller, more agile centers, epitomized by the small ball era, back to a preference for heavier, more physically imposing players in the center position.

3. A statistical analysis, focusing on the average weight of centers from 1996-97 to the present, reveals that while the overall average weight of centers has slightly decreased, the top 10 centers in the league have returned to the heavier weights observed in the late 1990s.

This change underscores the NBA's cyclical nature and highlights that, despite the game's evolution and the increased skill level of players, the value of traditional center attributes is once again on the rise. Read more inside!

NBA Schedules and Back to Backs

Here's a fun graphic that highlights how the schedule could potentially be impacting teams, showing that the schedule isn't necessarily created equal for all. It's interesting to see which teams appear in all three categories: the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers.

The Real Reason Adrian Griffin was Fired

This video offers a basketball-centric analysis amidst the drama surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo's alleged dissatisfaction with Adrian Griffin.

A deeper look into the Bucks gameplay indicates more complex issues than the off-court drama that led to Griffin’s firing, notably in pick-and-roll defense, resulting in increased opponent three-pointers.

Key points include:

1. Despite plans to shift from Brook Lopez's traditional drop coverage, its continued use led to defensive gaps and player frustration, particularly from Lopez.

2. Griffin's changes aimed at addressing defensive shortcomings, like reducing help from the corner, ended up confusing the team and worsening their three-point and paint defense vulnerabilities.

3. On offense, the Bucks had a high rating but faced spacing issues and struggled to integrate new tactics, especially with Lillard's arrival.

4. Griffin's top assistant's early departure hinted at deeper issues within the coaching staff and team dynamics. The later involvement of Doc Rivers suggested a need for seasoned leadership to guide the team's strategy and communication.

With Rivers at the helm, known for inconsistent defensive tactics and playoff outcomes, the Bucks' future, particularly in defense refinement and offensive maintenance for playoff contention, remains uncertain.

Luka’s 73 points examined

I clearly just couldn't get enough of BBALL Breakdown this week. Highlighting Luka's astonishing 73-point game was a must, and he did an exceptional job covering every single play in meticulous detail, including Luka's strategies for getting open and creating opportunities for himself or his teammates.

For me, it felt like being in a coaches study room, with the breakdown also showcasing how Luka uses the same clever techniques against various teams and defenders, honing his craft to become nearly unstoppable on offense.

New NBA Stat Query Search

I'm always eager to showcase any new NBA apps that catch my eye. Here's @Sravan on Twitter once again, introducing a new application. He's doing an exceptional job of providing apps that are both entertaining, like his pickup style app featured here, and now, highly functional.

Basketball-Reference has been a staple for me, especially their Stathead tools, which offer comprehensive, filterable insights into all sorts of NBA data. Back in the day this used to be free (I’m exposing my age here) — but nowadays, accessing Stathead requires a subscription, so Sravan has aimed to develop a free alternative with a user-friendly interface.

The tweet on the right comes from the tool showing the instances of 60 point/10 rebound games since 1970. It’s wild how the first 7 out of 15 total occurrences on the list have happened in just the last 5 years!

Definitely go play around with the tool!

Timberwolves have a 4th-quarter problem that needs solving

Note: Despite winning a close game against the Thunder last night and securing the top spot in the Western Conference, the Timberwolves' ability to close out games, especially in playoffs against seasoned teams, remains questionable. Here are the concise takeaways:

1. The Timberwolves are struggling in the fourth quarter, notably illustrated by a 113-112 loss to the Spurs where they lost a 10-point lead.

2. In the last five games, their net rating dropped to minus-44.4, with a significant decrease in offensive efficiency and a spike in defensive rating during the fourth quarter.

3. Recent defeats against lower-ranked teams like the Wizards, Spurs, and a starless Nets squad highlight a concerning lack of maturity and focus in crucial moments.

4. Coach Chris Finch's lineup decisions in key game moments have faced criticism, with players such as Shake Milton and Kyle Anderson underperforming, thereby affecting the team's overall performance.

Definitely something to keep an eye out for as the season progresses.

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