Slash & Splash | What makes Zach LaVine an All-Star?
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- čas přidán 5. 05. 2024
- Just how good is Zach LaVine now? He's quietly become one of the best scorers in the league, but was he a worthy All-Star in 2021? How he has become so effective on offense? What are his limitations there? And how good is his defense? This detailed film room analysis looks at the Bulls All-Star guard, incorporating data and stats to understand how good he might be.
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Book: www.amazon.com/Thinking-Baske...
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Website: www.backpicks.com
Twitter: @elgee35
Ben Taylor is the author of Thinking Basketball, a Nylon Calculus contributor, creator of the Backpicks Top 40 series & host of the Thinking Basketball podcast.
Stats courtesy:
www.pbpstats.com @bballport
www.basketball-reference.com
stats.nba.com
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Footage in this video is owned by the NBA and its partners. It is intended for critique and education.
Music by csus (instrumental)
#ThinkingBasketball - Sport
I really think playing on the Olympic team helped grill into Lavine's head that defense is going to win him games. He looks way more focused on that end since.
i think its more that he doesnt need to generate as much offence so he's able to 100% lock in on D with better offensive talent around him
He was honestly playing better on defense even before the Olympic Games. But no doubt playing with all that knowledge around him probably helped even more
@@sophiawilliams8650 that is usually the case for players who don't have to shoulder all those offensive responsibilities. AK (Bulls VP) made that a mission to realize that goal by getting more players who can help the load off LaVine on offense but also let him play his focused role on defense. Sadly Patrick Williams is who I thought is the ideal defensive anchor for the Bulls this season so everyone has to chip in more on defense.
plus defense in general is a lot better this year
The Draymond yelling at you 24/7 for 6 weeks would do that to you too
Glad to see you posting more. The Bulls are absolutely must-watch basketball this year. Such an exciting team.
Definitely one of my random night league pass teams for a great watch.
agreed, overall the entire bulls team has some great play-making and facilitating going on with lavine, lonzo, derozan, vuc as well as caruso coming off of the bench
Love to see it. Someone get MJ out of retirement
Content depicting the archetype of scoring shooting guards like Beal, Mitchell, Booker and LaVine would be interesting. These players are especially interesting because of the unique situations they are in.
The unique situation is that you can't win a title with these types. Simply not good enough on defense, often inefficient in high stake games and ultimately not enough size to break up playoff defenses.
@@innerparty1 yeah I think if you want to win a ring as a guard and as the main guy, you'd need to be superstar-level on at least two of the three: scoring, passing, defense. Ik Book got Ayton and CP3 to help him so he can focus on cooking teams with his scoring, but I'm pretty sure that's not gonna be enough.
@Aravind Narayanan facts
@@innerparty1 You can definitely win a title with these types as long as they have the proper team around them. Having one average to below average defensive player especially at the guard spots really won’t effect much as long as the defensive scheme is good and there isn’t a specific bad matchup that targets them. Curry and Kyrie come to mind
@@yungtago9161 100%. I really feel like people just use stats way too much to justify those weird claims.
Ben drops nothing but bangers. I'd love to see a video on Mobley, Miles Bridges, or the effect the foul rule changes has had on some of the most prolific scorers.
Da fouls one would be elite
@@noivern1380 not many rookies in this channel but mobley would be interesting. PS Ben is in the upper echelon of YT basketball
He's DEFINITELY doing Mobley and/or Scottie Barnes. He always does at least one rookie and these 2 are dripping with potential
@@giom3248 he did plenty of videos on rookies a while back
@@chuckbarkley2755 Yh but i think you ahould wait till Allstar to pass that judgment. Who knows how they might change/tweak things gradually so that the subjective calls (as they are called by the league) become more defined and understood. Also most teams still figuring stuff out so its hard to extract the noise from the little data there is.
He's got one of the most aesthetically pleasing looking jumpers in the league. Devin Booker, Devonte' Graham, & Paul George all also comes to mind. Alan Houston also had a great looking jumper.
Klay Thompson as well.
carmelo anthony has one smoothest ever
It's my absolute favorite shot. I'm not saying it's the BEST so hopefully no one attacks me thinking I'm hating on Curry or anything. Everything just looks so smooth and effortless. Not even just his form but his jump..which is impressive for how high gets on his jump shot.
@@odonnellcaleb It's my favorite jump shot form as well. Devin Booker is a close second.
Curry is the GOAT shooter, but that doesn't mean he has the best "looking" jumper. It looks good, but I prefer a higher lift with more sway.
@@Christopher_D_Morgan unpopular opinion, but I don't know if I'd call Klay's jumper "pretty". He has a wide base, and his off-the-dribble form looks stiff. Especially when he's driving right for a pull-up.
Effective, but not silky smooth per se.
Finally a Zach LaVine video... I have been waiting for such a long time. Easily my favourite player and has been going under the radar for years now. Thank you for this, Thinking Basketball.
That's why Lonzo is a perfect complement of Zach, on defense, on play making.
Lonzo works well with most people ever since he learned how to shoot better
Lonzo is a good but not great play maker at this point , he just needs to be more aggressive which could happen throughout the year
That’s why I really wanted lonzo in Phoenix with booker too.
Funny enough both Lonzo AND DeRozan are interesting solutions to trying to maximize LaVines off-ball offensive efficiency. Lonzo's impact is also felt when he can be the dime dropper for the 2nd unit which boasts Caruso, White (the scorer) and other high flyers who can run up and down to put baskets in fast.
Lonzo is a good passer, especially in transition, but he isn't much of a playmaker. DeRozen is much better.
Would love to see an addendum to this showcasing more of his improved defense and playmaking.
I've seen a lot of interesting points you've made about defense weaknesses for pnr ball handler defense. Could you make a video about the best pnr defenders in the game and how much they add to winning when compared to high level offensive talent.
I think offensive talent adds much more to winning than defensive talent, especially as a guard/point of attack defender. He kinda touches on this in the Marcus Smart defensive profile, where defensive guards aren’t as valuable (generally) than defensive bigs. Obviously the level of talent matters but as a rule offense > defense
Check out the Bucks (Giannis) defense last year with Bledsoe, and Smart's video. I have another this year I'd like to get to as well.
@@ThinkingBasketball hi Ben. Do you think you could do Robert Covington? I feel like he’s more of a team defender than an on-ball defender, which could be interesting to analyze. Also, nurkic could be interesting. Is he really a good defender? Does his playmaking make up for his bad finishing?
@@gabeyarris5978 Ben's editor Mike de la Rosa did a really good breakdown on Covington if you're interested czcams.com/video/wxCdI_MUIKE/video.html
It is crazy just how high he goes on those jump shots.
Beautiful movement and elevation.
Could Zach be a throwback to the high volume scoring wing in the mold of Michael Jordan? I certainly think so, the key as outlined so well in this video is to level up as a playmaker while continuing to exert rim pressure with his combination of his incredible first step and the threat of the jumper. We shall be watching your career with great interest Lavine.
I've been saying this since last year: you give LaVine a good team, he's a guaranteed all-NBA guard. This is the year that hypothesis is going to be proven.
I remember watching him play live while he was on MIN. He's come a long way, and it's safe to say he's the most complete out of the Wiggins, KAT, LaVine trio despite having the least hype. Very impressive game. Hopefully playing with more skilled passers like Lonzo and Vucevic improves his reads. As it stands rn, his playmaking won't get it done in the playoffs. Defenses will stuff the paint on PnR, capitalizing on his limited lefty playmaking and conventional passing.
I love Zach but KAT is still better. Wolves will have a great year if everyone remains healthy
KAT>Lavine
@@owethunala2632 KAT is not better.
Big men's growth in the NBA is a little more different because they rely more on dedicated structure than wing players to consistently do their thing. Embiid is an elite player but the Sixers org is still trying to build a roster around him to maximize his presence. Jokic on the other hand from his emergence as an offensive hub laid out the blueprint to maximize him so the Nuggets just have to be smart getting good pieces that work around him. KAT has shown the ability to play like an offensive hub with his passing (big passing bigs are always good as history has shown) and punish opponents for being a tall ass sniper from beyond the arc. However his vision and shot creation isn't at the level of Jokic's so he needs better shooters/cutters around him to take advantage of his passing so the team can cash in.
His first year or two in the league I HATED him. (I'm a Bulls fan but I've always watched a bunch of games...even from "bad teams"). I remember watching a game where he got 3 (maybe 2) travels where he just took off without dribbling the ball. It was frustrating as hell. I wrote him off as "just a dunker" the next year I'm watching another Wolves game...and he looks so dramatically improved I literally changed my mind on him THAT DAY. Because that kind of improvement doesn't just happen...You KNEW he was putting in hours and hours of extra work. Then comes the Butler trade...I remember a whole lot of people were pissed off about it but I was telling everyone I could to calm down...Jimmy is better than anything we would get back but Lavine is the real deal. He's got the work ethic to be special. Then when we had to extend him..the media was KILLING us for how much money we were giving him...and again a bunch of Bulls fans were thinking we were overpaying and I said "I think this turns out to be a real bargain..I really do"... Zach Lavine has been the dude who has probably been my best "prediction", time and time again. We all know we have had our hits and misses on who we thought would be really good...but it feels really good to continue to be proven right about Zach. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is if Kira Lewis turns out to be good I'm going to get a little cocky. (But that's looking like a miss so far)
Finally!! I’ve been waiting a long time for an upload from the GOAT
DeBallZach is the best trio in nba
I'd take KD Harden and a bum from the YMCA
That's very disrespectful
Supposed comedy from the same school of thought that brought you the horrid Jonathan Kuminga nickname.
Lemme just say as a diehard Bulls fan, it's great that we're relevant and talented enough to finally get a TB video on one of our guys. It's a new era indeed. Da Bulls are back!😁💪🏾
Thank you for the content ben
Awesome video, coming from a Bulls fan I definitely feel the playmaking aspect, it drives me nuts seeing him miss wide open teammates, seeing how he's improved consistently every year in the league I believe he can improve there.
'He's sitting his weight back...his hips are stiff'... not saying this isn't valid, high level analysis but it's wild to me to pick apart a literal super athlete like that. Dude can touch the top of the backboard
Saw you made a video on LaVine and had to watch it immediately. It's been so fun to watch him as a bulls fan
Love the video, been a big fan of lavine ever since that first dunk contest and it’s great to see him playing with a better team around him this season
Man, you're the best. I hope you finally gain the recognition you deserve this season! Thanks for all of the great content over the years.
You are one of my favorite channels on all of CZcams!! Always so glad to see the videos, wish you all the best. Keep doing what you’re doing!!
I'd love to see you do a CORP analysis of a MyPlayer from 2K, just to see the ridiculously high stats such as RTS and Scoring Rate present.
Slash and splash is an excellent way to describe Zach LaVine's game. Its also a nice nickname for him. Insightful video with great production quality as usual.
So happy to have you back! Love your videos!
One of my favorite players in the league. Thanks for the video!
Would really love to see a Scottie Barnes video, I know it's early. Just love how you break down the games of players, it's so pragmatic and great to watch.
Great video as always! Can't wait to see a video about Mitchell
Fantastic analysis, great editing on video. Subscribed!
That music i love listen to you to talk over it. Its just so perfect. Great video. 🖤
Ayyy man! Good to have u back
Love your videos so much homie. keep doing player breakdowns, maybe you could start an annual series breaking down top rookies throughout the year
Incredible video, it's the first time i'm seeing what a phenomenal athlete he is, is jaw dropping. I'm with admiration and envy at the same time.
Future HOF! Really love watching him playing the game. Smart, effective and explosive. Hope he'll win a RING one day!
Amazing content bro, appreciate it!
Thank you for shining the light on zach, great video.
I love how you tell the pros and cons of everything. 💯👍🏾
As I predicted, if he gets a consistent long range bombs, he can be an enigma for any defender. If he get his post moves, he can prolong his career without getting his knees worn out.
Lot of ifs.
Hes back with the player videos!!! omg
I love these types of analysis of players who aren’t as main stream.
Always a good day when you post. Best basketball content on the platform by a mile.
Brilliant video and breakdown of a polarising player. I’d love to see a video on Domantas Sabonis at some point, really don’t know how he would go as a number 1/2 on a good team
Eyy early noti gang i love ur content bro been waiting for more of these, this is my most favorite content from ur channel although everything is good but i like this more:)
Awesome video! My favorite player!
Such great analysis. I'd love for you to do a video on some of the rookies, namely Barnes and Mobley.
Thanks for the vid
Amazing as always
Great content. Seriously. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Great video! I’d love to see one Fred Vanvleet and how he craft, skill, footwork to overcome his physical shortcomings. Keep up the great work
This is by far the best basketball content on youtube
This was great! Thanks!
Beautiful vid
Lavine getting a video from TB is more than enough to make my day
Commenting for the algorithm. Good stuff as always
keep them coming 🐐
Great video, would love to see a breakdown of the Raptors defense this season
Another great video!
Zach has some weaknesses in his game but his upside is huge. LaVine is an all-star level player that is next level exciting in the air at the hoop and is an excellent shooter. He's still developing as a player so I's expect him to continue to improve in most areas. Chicago is thrilled to have Zach!
He is on his way to being something really special.
This is an honest and fair review! I would love to see how he plays with Steph XD
Nice vid Ben it would be nice if you did a bael or kyrie player breakdown i be interested lol
If I was in the NBA I’d be watching this guys videos to know what I need to work on. Just good coaching from someone who is a neutral party and really understands basketball
My favourite basketball channel on CZcams!
You gotta love this guy after watching him take over game after game.
Les go new uploadddd
These videos are literally a god send. He don’t miss🤦🏾♂️
NEW TB VID LETS GO
Great video
fantastic analysis
Your voice only can make me like all the vids and your style of montage and illustrations
Love your content !! Have you considered doing an analysis of prime d rose ?
The best nba basketball youtuber finally uploaded again
simply love watching Lavine play love his skillset
Good to see the classics back again!
Great vid, love the anime eyes in the thumbnail
Great stuff
Please more player breakdown vids!
My favorite CZcams doing a video on my favorite player, nice day
A shocker going Lavine for the first profile of the season! Doesn't matter; Ben kills it as usual. Great work.
Really want a Thinking Basketball piece on Alex Caruso, as he seemingly has superstar level impact numbers, and it would be amazing to have Ben break those down
Agreed
really hoping for a profile on evan mobley he's been great to watch but it would be great to see a detailed breakdown of his defensive and offensive impact
The Ball Zach duo go crazy!!!
Barnes coast to coast highlight in the outro 🔥
Perhaps a future video on rookies? There are several standouts, but if you were to focus on one thing, I'd choose Evan Mobley's defense or Scottie Barnes' midrange
LFGGGGG! FINALLY A VID ON ZACH LAGOAT I LOVE U BEN
Feel like I'm watching a leak from Bulls coaching staff. Great in-depth work
HE'S BACK
the GOAT has uploaded again
my mans can do everything
Yes he’s posting!!!!!
the shot creating slasher every one wants to be on 2k so inspirational
The king has returned!
I just love how he brings steph into a zach's video.
Goat vid from the goat video creator
should do a slash & splash vid of lavine and derozan
I think Ben got a new mic or setup; he sounds different on this video.
Anyways great work as always!
Agree on those points. LaVine isn't the ideal offense centerpiece but currently he is an ideal PIECE to pair with bona fide offensive engine ala Jokic/Doncic/etc. Which may sound like a slight to Lavine fans but trust me, I feel that unlocks 200% of his strength on offense and hides his shortcomings on defense that way. He can use his jets as an open cutter, rim finisher or buzz all around the half court for catch and shoot opportunities. Also when a play breaks down he is a solid ISO option with his first step and his one way tricks to put up a shot. Also defensively he is ideal just hounding smaller players at the perimeter and being a ball hawk. So he is also best paired with an already existing defensive anchor piece who can play all the important spots at half court. Overall he is def worth that low end All-Star money and I do hope the Bulls keep him while cycling through their assets to get the ideal offensive engine with him.
Thats my favorite player right there
Zach's jumper is so smooth.
Do you think you can do a video where you analyze great passing plays, good, ok, and bad ones too?