@caleblesko.bsky.social
🏀 NBA Draft • WNBA • Digital Marketer • Formerly @CalebOnTheBlock • Subscribe to my Substack for free: https://tinyurl.com/mrc9jt8d
Had less time in this draft cycle to scout prospects, but here’s my top 30 big board on #nbadraft night: 1. AJ Dybantsa 2. Cam Boozer 3. Darryn Peterson 4. Caleb Wilson 5. Keaton Wagler 6. Kingston Flemings 7. Mikel Brown Jr 8. Darius Acuff 9. Brayden Burries 10. Yaxel Lendeborg
At some point the Knicks will have to draw something up offensively that isn’t just a Brunson ISO into a miss.
Pretty shocked to see Harper coming off for Fox, especially after seeing Shamet as his matchup 3 of the last 4 possessions.
If I had a dollar for every Gortat-screen I’ve seen from Mitchell Robinson on Wembanyama tonight, I’d have no less than $2.
Looks to me like this translated pretty well…
@caleblesko.bsky.social · 10mo agoI said the other day that I thought Dylan Harper was getting to the rim at will, so I wanted to pull some stats to see if my eyes were telling the truth... Boy are they. Historically, getting to the rim in college is often translatable to the NBA, and Harper has that ability in spades.
Towns has been huge for the Knicks through 3 quarters. Focal point of every positive possession in this 2nd half. 18/10/4 with a block and has had his hands all over this one.
Free throws into a deflected inbounds pass into a Mabrey 3 moves the @tempobasketball.bsky.social up 1 late. Coca-Cola Coliseum is bumping. Going to be a tough place for opponents all year. #WNBA
@tempobasketball.bsky.social down 7 at the half (WSH 37, TOR 30). Mixed results in the first half of existence. A few defensive switching issues early, but to be expected. We’ve driven to the basket and drawn fouls well, but going to need to hit some shots soon. 26% from the floor at the half.
Tough way to finish the year, but there’s plenty to be excited about (and worried about) for the Raptors. 📈 Barnes, CMB, Walter 📉 Ingram, Poeltl, Dick Full debrief tomorrow.
Plenty of sloppy turnovers and mistakes from the Raptors in the 3Q. Scottie Barnes with 5 fouls. No challenges left for Darko. Sun is beginning to set here.
Horrendous challenge by Darko there. That would’ve only been foul #2 on CMB, and you have 19 minutes left in a close game 7.
4 fouls on both Barnes & Mobley now. Tough decisions for Darko incoming here.
Yet another rough end of a quarter for the Raptors, seems like they have one or two of those very game. Mamu ISO into a fast break 2 for Mobley. Just like Darko drew it up, I’m sure.
Underrated improvement all year for Scottie Barnes: face up offense. He’s been consistently hitting shots in the post when facing up the defense which has pulled in the help, enabling him to be a better playmaker from the elbow. Really big development spot for him this year.
It’s been an issue all year, but the playoffs have really illuminated a glaring issue for these Raptors: free throw shooting. So far in the serious they’re shooting just 71% from the line (92/128). For context, this would put them firmly in last in the NBA during the regular season.
I have to commend him for coming back as soon as he did, but Embiid as a poor-defending shooter is not an effective strategy. He’s an efficiency black hole at the moment, and needs to be closer to the basket on offense. Even if just for rebound support and to throw into the post once in a while.
From “Jamahl Mosley may be out the door” to up 2-1 against the #1 seed Pistons is a major turnaround for the Magic in the last 2 weeks.
So does this Bam game pass the torch from Jalen Rose onto Alex Sarr?
More than anything else, depth is the Thunder’s superpower. When Holmgren, J Dub, and Caruso are pre-occupied elsewhere, your 12th man - Kenrich Williams - is good enough to be serviceable against the most unguardable player in the league. Crazy.
I said the other day that I thought Dylan Harper was getting to the rim at will, so I wanted to pull some stats to see if my eyes were telling the truth... Boy are they. Historically, getting to the rim in college is often translatable to the NBA, and Harper has that ability in spades.
I mean, Spurs/Thunder is absolutely appointment tv. And we’ll see them again: - December 23rd - December 25th - January 13th. Hell yeah.
I haven’t looked at the stats at all, but Dylan Harper gets to the rim more than any rookie guard I can remember in years. Gets there at will, like a vet.
With the win tonight, the Raptors are into the NBA Cup Quarterfinals. Great nights for all the starters + Mamu, but extra shoutout to Ja’Kobe Walter and Jamal Shead. Walter was a great connective piece and is such a ball hound. For Shead, he was a dog on D and 10 assists in 19mins is cracked.
If you had to guess, which player would lead the NBA in FG% at the rim (within 5ft or less) - minimum 25mpg? Seriously, who would you guess?
Seems as if I may have accidentally jinxed the Cavs with my previous thread...
What makes the Cavaliers so great thru 19 games? Balance ⚖️ They’re dominating teams on offense. They rank top 5 in Pts/100, point differential, turnovers, and Eff FG%. They’re taking quality looks at the rim and from 3 more than anyone - Atkinson has moved the GS strategy east…
a basketball player wearing a cavs jersey celebrates a basket
ALT: a basketball player wearing a cavs jersey celebrates a basket
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