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celtics534 · 5 years

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Covert Love: Gorgeous

I wanted to thank everyone for all the excited comments on the first chapter! I’m so glad everyone is loving this story so far. I’ve personally become addicted to writing it so it makes me so happy to read such kind comments. Also, if anyone was wondering the chapter titles are from songs that I love/ obsess over. This one happens to be from the magnificent Taylor Swift.

Also Read On: FF.net or AO3

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Ginny had to force her eyes back onto the diagrams she was meant to be studying. Instead, she’d been studying something else. Harry Potter’s fine arse in his quidditch trousers as he completed his stretches was that something else. Fuck! She couldn’t take her eyes away from him.

She’d hoped that after spending some time with him her little -- for a lack of a better word -- crush would go away. Of course, that wasn’t what happened! Rather, she’d become more enamored with the man, and not just for his looks anymore. Now she enjoyed his personality. Never before had there been someone she was willing to spend entire evenings, into mornings, talking with. That was until Harry fucking Potter entered stage right.

“Weasley?” Markus’ voice tore Ginny’s attention away from the center of the pitch. “Wanna come back from your daydream and focus on this new play?”

“Yeah! Sorry!” Ginny could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks. All her fellow chasers’ eyes were on her. She just hoped they hadn't noticed what she'd been staring at while daydreaming.

Ariel McKidd made eye contact with her before looking over at Harry's stretching form. When she looked back over at Ginny, McKidd winked. And there goes that hope.

"As I was saying," Coach Markus grunted. His Scottish accent coming in thick. "The Arrows are known for overpassing. We need to take advantage of this."

Ginny watched the diagrams Markus had created, focusing on the little redhead’s (who was supposed to represent her) movements. The chaser squad worked on the drills until well into the afternoon. Markus let them go for a long lunch, telling them to be ready for a full team run.

Deciding she was craving a good sandwich, Ginny went to the locker room to change into some muggle clothes. As she pulled on her jacket, McKidd and Caron leaned against the lockers beside her.

“So, Weasley,” McKidd drawled. “Care to share what’s going on with you and Potter?”

Ginny had known this was coming. She knew Ariel would drag Prue over to discuss what Ginny had dubbed the staring incident. McKidd, Caron, and Ginny were the only females on the team in a mainly male profession, so it was normal for them to be close and talk about the... appeal... of the men in the sport. However, normally it was over a bottle of wine at Caron’s flat and junk food they’d work off the next day at practice, not in the locker room where any of said men could hear.

“I - I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ginny closed her locker door with more gusto than she’d intended.

“Don’t play the fool with us,” Caron scolded, her French tongue still somewhat noticeable after three years in Ireland. “Ariel said you couldn’t take your eyes off him.”

Ginny licked her lips, as she weighed her options. They wouldn’t drop it until they got their answer, but there was no way in hell she was talking about her thing for Harry arse where he could hear about it. Well, it wasn’t just his bum… it was all of him. His messy hair, mesmerizing green eyes, the dimple that formed over his lip when he laughed, his laugh, humor… Fuck! Ginny could be there all-day writing a list of everything she found attractive about Harry Potter.

She sighed. “Fine, do you lot wanna go to lunch with me?”

Her friends smiled wickedly. “I thought you’d never ask,” McKidd said as she reached for her jumper. “Where are we going?”

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“Damn, girl,” Ariel sighed. “You’ve got it real bad.”

Ginny closed her eyes as she threw her head back. “I know!”

“I guess the question is, what are you gonna do about it?”

“What am I -” Ginny dropped her chin and looked at her friends. They both stared at her, waiting. “What do you mean, what am I gonna do?”

Prue smiled incredulously. “I thought that was rather obvious. We mean, what are you going to do so you and Potter get together?”

Ginny ran a hand through her hair. “I - I’m no good at this kind of shit.”

"Oh, we know." A wicked grin slid into Ariel's lips. "Remember the Finn stories?"

"Or Michael," Prue supplied ticking off fingers, "Dean, Ni -"

"All right." Ginny held up a hand. "There are plenty of examples of my failure to flirt and date."

"My personal favorite was Ian." Ariel laughed. "Didn't you judo flip him because he snuck up behind you and hugged you?"

"I don't need to dignify that with an answer."

"She did!" Prue positively cackled. "And he cried like a petite garce."

"Okay, well in all fairness..." She rubbed the back of her burning neck. "I had pressed my knee really hard into his chest… he said it he was crying because of the pain."

"When was that?" Ariel's brow scrunched together. "Two years ago? No! Three years. And come to think of it…" Her jaw dropped in horror. "Weasley, was that the last time you got any?"

Ginny could feel the heat intensifying on her cheeks. "Ian and I never actually did anything more than snog."

"What!" Her teammates leaned forward. Ariel did some quick maths. "So that would mean the last time you had a shag was with Nick."

“Nerdy Nick.” Prue rolled her eyes. “I swear I was gonna kill him if he mentioned his dungeons and dragons alliance one more time.”

“Prue,” Ariel scolded, “you’re missing the point! She dated Nick when she was a rookie… which was five years ago.”

It took a moment for Prue to understand McKidd’s meaning when she did her jaw drop comically. “No!”

Ginny knew her cheeks must match her hair, but there was nothing for it. “Listen -”

“Has there at least been some satisfying one-nighters?” Ariel asked, her hand coming across the table to grip Ginny’s.

“I mean...” In all honesty, there hadn’t been many since she and Ian had broken up. All the hurtful and cruel things Ian had said as he walked away from her had been holding her back from trying to find anything sustainable, and hookups had never really been her thing. “Some, yeah.”

Prue pursed her lips. “Well, then this is all the more reason to get with Potter. From the way you talk about him -”

Ariel nodded vigorously. "She's right, Ginny. He seems like a decent bloke that would want to treat you right."

"He seems like the doting type," Prue included.

Ginny sighed. "Harry is a great guy. It's just…" she couldn't find the words, but Ariel seemed to understand.

"You're afraid you'll fuck it up."

"Yeah." Ginny folded her arms on the table before laying placing her head on top of them. "I always seem to fuck it up."

Prue reached across the table and lifted Ginny's head, making eye contact. "That's because none of those blokes were right for you. From what you’ve said Dean was too old fashion, Nick was needy, and Ian, well, he was afraid of strong women. But Harry… he doesn’t seem like the type to scare easy."

"I saw you two chatting after practice a few days ago," Ariel smiled at her. "You’re always good with people but there is something about you and Harry."

"So, what should I do?" Ginny asked, looking between her friends.

“Hmm.” Prue laced her fingers together over her forgotten lunch. “He’s taking you on his motorbike this weekend, right?”

Ginny nodded.

“So snuggle up to him. ”

“Yeah!” Ariel clapped her hands. “It’s a prime opportunity to get all close and personal with him. You know, as your riding down the road lean forward and get real cozy with his neck.”

“You don’t think that’s a little, I don’t know, forward.” Ginny had never been one for making such blatant moves.

“Here’s the thing, if he gets defensive and asks what you’re doing you can just say you were cold.” Ariel grinned wickedly. “That way you can get an idea about where his mind is.”

Prue nodded enthusiastically. “Oui! Though, I’m rather sure he’s interested in you as well.”

“What gives you that idea?” Ginny asked, her stomach performing a rather impressive series of flips.

“Oh, he’s so obvious.” Ariel waved a dismissive hand. “The way he looks at you when you’re talking to him. Not to mention, the way he looks at you when you’re not talking to him”

Ginny felt heat reappear on her cheek, but the idea made her happy. “Really?”

Her friends just grinned. “The boy’s got it real bad.”

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“I’ve just gotta grab my jacket,” Ginny told Harry as she made her way to her bedroom. “Back in a moment.” She was so glad she’d forgotten her jacket in her room last night because she needed the walk to cool down her raging hormones. Harry in that perfectly cut leather jacket… and those nice jeans… Hot damn! She hadn’t thought Harry could get any fitter, but bloody hell he had outdone himself today.

She needed to compose herself if she had any intentions of following through with her plan… well, Ariel and Prue’s plan. Ginny was supposed to, as Ariel put it, charm the fuck out of Harry, but how could she do that when her brain shut down when he walked into a room?

“Gin?” Harry’s muffled voice came through the door she’d closed behind her. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah!” She took a deep breath, hoping to calm the butterflies flapping in her gut. “Be out in a second."

Fucking hell! She needed to woman up and not let this crush affect her so much. There was no way she would be a blushing blithering buffoon. She was a strong, witty woman and an attractive man would not change her!

Taking a few final calming breaths, Ginny walked out of her room mentality prepared for Harry’s sexy biker look. He was sitting on her sofa, flicking through one of the quidditch magazines she’d left on the small coffee table.

“Ready to go?” Ginny asked, refusing to acknowledge how his shirt had ridden up revealing a very toned section of skin. Nope, She didn’t care about that little bit of hair that trailed down lower. Not a single care…

Harry started, nearly dropping his reading material. “Oh - yeah!” He jumped from the cushion as if it burned him. “You look…” She could see his Adam’s Apple bob as he swallowed. “Great.”

Ginny ignored the way the butterflies in her gut fluttered like they were in a wind storm at his words. Instead, she sent him what she hoped to be a cheeky smile. “You don’t look too bad yourself.” She moved over so she was standing directly in front of him. His scent was headly, some sort of mint mixed with something else she couldn’t place. She resisted the urge to just stand there and smell him by taking the collar of his jacket and straightening a non-existent crease. “Now you’re perfect. Let’s go.”

The motorbike was just as Ginny imagined based on the photos from her muggle studies books. Big, built, and badass. Harry had placed two helmets on the seat, just waiting for them to go.

“You ever wear one of these before?” Harry asked, picking up the headgear. Ginny shook her head. “Okay, well they are really simple.” He took the helmet and hovered it over her head. “Er -- wanna hold your hair back so it won’t be in your face?”

“Oh, sure.” Ginny did as she was instructed. Pulling her hair into a loose ponytail, she watched Harry’s face as he slowly lowered the helmet onto her head. His tongue stuck out at the corner of his mouth in concentration. His eyes focused solely on her face as if he were trying to memorize each freckle on her cheeks. When the headgear was firmly on her head, his hands drifted down towards her neck. At first Ginny thought, more hoped, that he was going to cup her jaw. Instead, his fingers fumbled with the strap that was attached to the headpiece, knotting it under her chin. He lingered, toying with the band, his eyes focused on her lips.

If he were to lean in and kiss her right then, she wouldn’t mind at all. Hell, she would take off the bulky headgear as to give herself better access. Instead, his body jerked slightly, then he backed away with a contrite smile. “You’re all set now. Safety first and all that.”

He turned away to put on his own helmet, placing his glasses on the bike seat until after he had his knot tied. Ginny watched as he threw one leg over the seat and straddled the machine. When he looked over his shoulder at her, the term knicker dropper came to mind.

“Hop on.”

It took her more time then she’d want to admit for her mind and body to associate with each other again. “Oh -- yeah, sure.” She threw her leg over the back end of the bike, careful not to knee Harry in the back. The seat was comfier than she’d expected.

“So you’re gonna want to hold on to me.” Harry’s voice was muffled by the helmet, yet it still enough to send a shiver down her spine.

Prue’s words replayed in her mind. Steeling herself for the rejection, she slid her body closer to his, her arms coming to wrap around his middle. “Like this?”

She could feel Harry’s sharp intake of breath, and he waited for the count of three before he released it. “Yeah, that’s perfect.”

Harry lifted up his right leg and kicked something up off the ground, at the same time turning the engine. The bike roared to life, vibrating under Ginny.

“Woah!” Ginny hadn’t meant to show her surprise. “It’s like a more extreme broom.”

She could feel Harry’s chuckle more than hear it. “Just wait until we make a turn. Just -- just keep your arms around me, alright.”

“You don’t have to convince me.”

Harry revved the engine before merging onto the road. Watching the houses and signs fly by her was incredible. The wind flew all around her, just like when she was high in the sky, driving the quaffle towards the opposing keeper. However, there was more to worry about on muggle streets than at Ballycastle Stadium. The first time a car drove past them on the opposite side of the road, Ginny couldn’t help but flinch. And when Harry was forced to suddenly stop for a distracted muggle crossing the street… Ginny’s heart had jumped into her throat.

After half an hour, though, Ginny was in love with it all. The way the wind stung her exposed face, the sights, and of course the way Harry’s muscles felt against her as he shifted to make turns.

Harry took them past roaming green hills that were used on postcards. Then over onto thinning roads along the coast, that made sea breeze combined with the wind. Harry wasn’t in a hurry as he made seemingly random turns, his only purpose to give her the best view.

As they passed a cluster of grazing sheep, Ginny rested her head on Harry’s shoulder. He tensed for a second before relaxing to her touch. Her lungs filled with his scent. Cedarwood, she realized as they banked left. Cedarwood was the scent that mixed so perfectly with that mint and it appeared prominently on his neck.

It was like she’d found her own nirvana. Every single cell in her body was awake and alive in the best way. When Harry pulled off to the side, into a small deserted car parking area, disappointment coursed through her.

Harry steady the bike, knocking down the kickstand before killing the engine. “You should get off first.”

“Right.” Ginny had been so content that the idea of stopping had never crossed her mind. She put her right leg down on the gravel before lifting her left. Fuck! She was sore, much more than she’d expected.

Harry gave her a sympathetic look as he got off the machine. “Takes some getting used to.” He moved stiffly, which made Ginny feel better about her bandy-legged walk. “You can take the helmet off if you want.”

Ginny’s fingers came up to touch the cool plastic headgear. “I’d forgotten I had it on.”

Harry laughed as he untied his strap. “At first it’s such a weird sensation like someone engorged your head, but then you get used to it.”

“My brothers always said I should have a bigger head, with my temper and cheek.” Ginny tried to undo the knot Harry had tied earlier, but her fingers were numb from the cold air.

Harry put his helmet down on the seat, a warm smile spreading across his lips as he saw her struggle. “Here, let me.”

For the second time that day, his fingers brushed against her skin. Though his fingers were chilled, heat spread from every spot he touched.

“There you go.” Harry lifted the helmet off her head.

Ginny could feel the static generated from her hair and knew she must look a fright. She brought her fingers up to comb through the mess. “Well, now, I think you just made me wear that thing so someone’s hair would be as untidy as yours.”

Harry laughed as he put her helmet beside his. “You caught me. I used safety as an excuse to make someone match my look. You’re too clever for your own good.”

“Just remember that in the future. You can’t fool a Weasley.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Harry turned back towards her, his lips twisted in amusement. “But what else should I know about dealing with a Weasley?”

They started walking up the well-worn path towards the ruins at the top of the hill.“Oh you know, the usual.” Ginny started ticking off fingers. “Never leave a Weasley unattended with a niffler, never challenge a Weasley and expect to win, always make sure your Weasley is well-fed, and of course, never get a Weasley wet if you can’t handle the consequences. ”

Harry tripped over his own feet. “ Uh -- wet?”

Ginny laughed. “Yeah, I’m a master in water wars. My twin brothers bought some muggle toys that are basically like -”

In a sudden moment of clarity, Ginny realized what she had said, and why it had tripped Harry up. “Oh!” She could feel heat spreading across her cheeks, but instead of giving in to the urge to jump off the nearby cliff, Ginny gave Harry’s shoulder a little push. Because he hadn’t been expecting her attack, Harry stumbled sideways before recovering. He turned to look at her. “I wasn’t referring to that, you dirty man.”

Harry blushed matched her hair. “Right.”

Ginny then did something that surprised even her. She ran her finger along his arm. “But either way, the statement stands if you want to find out the consequences.”

Harry’s jaw dropped as his blush deepened. “W - I -”

Laughing, Ginny pointed up to the old ruin on the hill. “So have you been here before, or are you as lost as I am?”

“I -” He cleared his throat. “I’ve been here a few times. It’s somewhere I like to come and think.”

“And yet you’ve brought me?”

“Well, I figured, if it’s a good place to sit and think that it might be the perfect place to sit and chat.”

“And what, pray tell, did you want to talk about?”

Harry’s hand came up to rub the back of his neck. “Uh - I didn’t have an agenda or something. I just really like talking with you.”

Ginny sent him a devious smile. “Why Potter, are you flirting with me?”

He lowered his hand, stopping beside the old stonewall fence that surrounded the building. She watched his eyes, a mixture of emotions and thoughts seemed to be crossing his mind. “I -” A shy grin came to his lips. “And if I was? What would you do about it?”

“Well, now, is that a challenge?” She moved in close, bringing her hand up to cup the back of his head, letting her fingers thread through those messy locks she was obsessed with. Cedarwood, which was quickly becoming one of her favorite scents, filled her lungs again.

His Adam’s Apple bobbed as his breath hitched “Maybe I was.”

She leaned up onto her toes, bringing their eyes, and lips, level. “Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” In a quick motion that would have made an auror proud, Ginny drew her wand and cast a silent Aguamenti. The cold spray hit him right in the gut. Harry yelped in surprise, falling backward onto the grass.

“I told you never to challenge a Weasley.” Ginny laughed at the flabbergasted look on his face.

“Really?” Harry’s shock looked shifted to amusement. “Well, I learned my lesson.” He held up a hand. “Care to lend me a hand?”

The moment their hands connect, Ginny realized her mistake. Harry held her palm tight, as he pulled her down beside him. She landed on the grass, her knee connecting with a rock.

“Ow!” She rolled onto her back.

Harry was instantly hoving over you. “Fuck! Did I hurt you?” His eyes scanned across her body as if looking for a broken limb or gushing blood. His body heat made the pleasant spring air like it was mid-July. Ginny couldn’t seem to get enough air, at least air that wasn’t overpowered with his intoxicating scent.

“I -- I’m fine,” Ginny grunted “Though I am having a hard time breathing now. Could you get off of me?”

“Hard time brea - Oh shit!” Harry scrambled to his feet. “Sorry, Ginny. Here.” He extended his hand for the second time.

Ginny studied it with comedic caution. “Why should I trust you this time?”

Harry rolled his eyes. “I can’t pull you to the ground when you’re already there, now can I?”

“Good point.” Ginny took his offering. She knew he was strong, but she hadn’t realized just how much upper body strength he had. He pulled her right to her feet with enough power that she flew into his chest. She had seen him shirtless in the locker room after practice, so she knew he was well-toned, but to feel it up close and personal was different. The urge to run her hands all across his chest was nearly impossible to ignore.

But she managed to disregard the temptation, instead, pulling away from his body. His hands, which had repositioned to her hips when she crashed landed into him, ran across her jacket hem before flopping to his side. “I - sorry.” When he spoke this time, it was more of a husky whisper.

“I’m not.” The words slipped out of her mouth before her mind could catch up. Instantly she knew her cheeks had changed color to match her hair. She forced a laugh through her embarrassment “I mean, how often does a girl get a bloke to sweep her up like that.”

“Well, are you sure you’re okay?” Harry asked, his eyes roaming across her body again.

Ginny held her arms out wide. “Do I look okay?” Harry mumbled something Ginny couldn’t hear. “What was that, Harry?”

“I said you’re looking incredible, not just okay,” Harry muttered the words only slightly louder this time, his cheeks changing to light pink.

“Well, now.” Ginny smirked, her arms falling back to her sides. “Nothing to worry about then, but just in case.” His words had encouraged her to follow her friend’s instructions about staying close and personal. She moved in so she could hook her arm around his. “I’ll stay close so you can keep an eye on me.”

Harry’s mouth fell open for only a moment before he snapped his jaw closed and smiled. “Safety first.”

“That’s right. So lead the way, Potter.”

#hinny #hinny fanfic #hinny fic #Harry Potter #harry potter fanfiction #harry X ginny #harry potter fan fiction #Covert Love Chapter 2

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stevenuniversallyreviews · 5 years

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Episode 123: Room for Ruby

“It's sunny now, but it can always rain later.”

Catch and Release really did change everything. I’ve already discussed it as a paradigm shift, transforming the concept of what the Crystal Gems are: before, a quartet with Steven as the rookie, and after, a fluid group where Steven has some seniority. We’re in an era where Connie, a full-fledged human, is a Crystal Gem. Bismuth, who already was a Crystal Gem but got reintroduced and then left behind, will return as a member of the modern iteration. And two former enemies, Peridot and Lapis, have joined the group (the latter unofficially). So who’s to say a ruby soldier wouldn’t fit in?

Granted, Charlyne Yi’s performs a ruby that’s a little too forgiving, and power combo Raven Molisee (of the highly expressive Molisee’n’Villeco) and Jesse Zuke (of the barnmaster duo Zuke’n’Florido) exaggerate her face and words to the point where it’s at least a little suspicious from the start. But Navy, cleverly named for the gem on her navel just as Army is named for her arm gem, has always been friendly and chipper compared to the other rubies in her squad. It’s believable, despite us never witnessing it, that the other rubies are mean to her for this attitude. And because this is a ridiculous character, it was always possible that her ridiculously jolly attitude was sincere.

That Navy is lying the whole time is irrelevant to the wonder of a show that makes us believe that she might join up. Her betrayal might be predictable, but our status quo is as capable of change as the planet our heroes love; it’s a similar sensation to Alone at Sea, where even though nothing drastic happens there’s a real possibility that Lapis might relapse and go back to Malachite. It’s so much better than an episode where we know from the start that the character-of-the-week will depart by the end of the story.

Navy’s chipper behavior is variably cute and questionable, but I love the massive hint that is the rain sequence. Gems become Crystal Gems when exposed to water, so Navy gets her own little baptism as part of the orientation. But because she’s a false convert, we get artificial rain for her artificial reaction. Yi sells absurd joy as well as absurd frustration, but there’s a cloud hanging over this moment that becomes clearer on rewatch.

Despite beginning with Steven and Garnet, then bringing Navy along for the ride, Room for Ruby becomes a Lapis Lazuli episode as soon as we head back to the barn. Navy is as one-dimensional as it gets before the reveal, blithely accepting everything that comes her way and seeming incapable of feeling negative emotions, so she needs an external opponent if we want this episode to have a plot. Yes, it’d be fun to see this goofball being a goofball for eleven minutes, but thankfully Steven Universe is willing to go deeper.

Peridot’s bossiness and desire to impress makes her an excellent candidate to teach Navy the ropes, and both can bond with fellow shorty Steven over a shared go-get’em mindset. So it makes sense that our wet blanket is Lapis, who first distrusts Navy and then gets fed up with how easy everything is for her. She’s trying, but seeing another foe-turned-friend have such a smooth go of it isn’t easy, and exploring those emotions of jealousy and inadequacy allows for a wonderful last hurrah before Lapis abandons Earth in Raising the Barn.

Lapis has a tricky role to play here, as she’s straddling the line between protagonist and antagonist depending on how much you trust Navy. Our hero/villain is portrayed sympathetically, as we’re reminded of her traumas and her slow but steady recovery process; she might come across as petty, but it’s understandable pettiness when Navy breezes by in areas where Lapis has struggled. And it helps that unlike fellow Ornery Lapis episode Barn Mates, Navy doesn’t seem to get upset at the negativity; this isn’t Peridot trying to win over a stubborn holdout, it’s a spacy ruby who ignores the venom. But at the same time, Lapis is the only protester in the Navy Parade, and her clash with Steven’s goal of bringing in a new friend makes her a huge bummer.

Which is why I love this episode’s lesson so much: that it’s sometimes okay to be a huge bummer.

It’s okay because everyone’s going through the world at their own pace, and whether you’re clinically depressed, a survivor of trauma, or you’re just plain sad, it doesn’t make you less worthy than folks in a happier mood. Lapis attempts patience and understanding despite her annoyance, and only snaps when Navy’s attitude turns sickly sweet; feelings of inferiority are hard to work through, but it doesn’t make it okay to be a jerk the whole time. Even after the outburst, Lapis is quick to reassure Navy, acknowledging that it’s an internal problem and apologizing. She wants to like the newcomer, but as soon as she senses the forced perkiness it’s hard for her not to notice that something’s off.

A good twist is something that makes you rethink the plot, but a great twist does this duty while being enjoyable as a plot point on its own merits. The execution of Navy’s betrayal is marvelous, even as it becomes more and more obvious that it’s coming. After spending the whole episode geeking out about Earth stuff, Navy not-so-subtly suggests that she wants to go back to her ship. Steven not only falls for it, but is down to press a huge button without asking follow-up questions; it may seem inconsistent with his growing maturity, but it makes sense that an excitable kid is lost in the joy of making a new friend. The stranger area for me is his exclamation that the Crystal Gems “finally” have a pilot, as if Pearl hasn’t been successfully navigating spaceships this whole time, but again, he’s caught up in the moment.

The twist-within-a-twist is that while Navy has been plotting against our heroes this whole time, her demeanor isn’t part of the act. Yi's transition from earnest giddiness on land versus manic giddiness post-betrayal is worth the price of admission, especially as she merrily explains that she opted not to just steal the ship because she wanted to watch the Crystal Gems suffer.

And of course, this brings about Lapis’s triumphant laughter at being proven right. Jennifer Paz is awesome throughout the episode, restraining herself when necessary for big bursts of energy to hit home, and it culminates in the sheer joy that comes from righteous vindication. We could’ve gotten a somber moment of Steven’s anguish at being tricked, similar to what we got after Peridot’s duplicity in Message Received, but Lapis allows us a sense of relief despite things going horribly.

In an episode featuring a character as unsubtle as Navy (being tricky doesn’t stop her from being loud and hammy), I love the quieter story we get from Garnet. We only get a nudge that Navy’s story appeals to Ruby and Sapphire, but we don’t need more than that, so I’m glad we don’t get more. Yes, it would be fun to see Ruby hanging out with Navy, but the episode’s focus is elsewhere and we don’t indulge in fanservice that would take away from the plot. The two balloons Garnet brings at the end are color-coded for convenience, so we don’t need anyone to tell us that the optimistic red message is Ruby’s hopes and the apologetic blue message is Sapphire’s realism. It’s not a novel observation that Steven Universe respects the audience enough to not hold our hands, but it’s still appreciated.

(Also appreciated is a soft moment of Garnet bonding with Steven independent of the plot as they make wishes; Steven may be growing up fast, but he’s still allowed to be a kid sometimes instead of spending every episode in teen angst mode.)

In terms of criticisms, I’m a little torn about the pacing: Room for Ruby meanders a bit in that second act, even though I understand its purpose. Lapis needs to have her tolerance for Navy strained to a breaking point so she’s not throwing a tantrum out of nowhere, so we need multiple examples of frustrating glee. But it does get a little boring on rewatch to have the point driven home again and again that Navy is a perfect little angel, even if it’s all building up to the twist that she’s anything but.

Still, I can’t help but enjoy the nostalgia this structure provides, because major plot points aside, the episode fits right in with classic Season 1. We get a simple story that primes us for an obvious conclusion. Steven will find an unusual solution in his cheeseburger backpack. Steven will learn patience when Pearl takes a while to reform. Steven’s beach party with the Gems and the Pizzas will teach the Gems to respect civilians more. Lapis will grow to accept Navy’s differences. But instead, Steven’s improvisation only goes so far, and he’s impatient again as soon as Pearl returns, and the Gems still don’t care about Fish Stew Pizza, and Lapis’s negative outlook was correct. Steven Universe first made its mark by toying with the conventions of episodes with straightforward morals, and it’s nice to see that legacy continue so late in the series.

The implications of Navy’s actions are soon made clear, as the loss of the Crystal Gems’ only means of space travel (stolen from the very barn where Steven, Greg, and Pearl first experimented with space travel!) makes Steven’s imminent sacrifice that much weightier. But before that shoe drops, we can enjoy one last glimpse of our favorite little ruby.

(I’m kidding of course, our Ruby is the best ruby.)

We’re the one, we’re the ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!

Charlyne Yi hamming it up and Lapis’s grouchiness paying off? What’s not to love?

Top Twenty

Steven and the Stevens

Hit the Diamond

Mirror Gem

Lion 3: Straight to Video

Alone Together

Last One Out of Beach City

The Return

Jailbreak

The Answer

Mindful Education

Sworn to the Sword

Rose’s Scabbard

Earthlings

Mr. Greg

Coach Steven

Giant Woman

Beach City Drift

Winter Forecast

Bismuth

Steven’s Dream

Love ‘em

Laser Light Cannon

Bubble Buddies

Tiger Millionaire

Lion 2: The Movie

Rose’s Room

An Indirect Kiss

Ocean Gem

Space Race

Garnet’s Universe

Warp Tour

The Test

Future Vision

On the Run

Maximum Capacity

Marble Madness

Political Power

Full Disclosure

Joy Ride

Keeping It Together

We Need to Talk

Chille Tid

Cry for Help

Keystone Motel

Catch and Release

When It Rains

Back to the Barn

Steven’s Birthday

It Could’ve Been Great

Message Received

Log Date 7 15 2

Same Old World

The New Lars

Monster Reunion

Alone at Sea

Crack the Whip

Beta

Back to the Moon

Kindergarten Kid

Buddy’s Book

Gem Harvest

Three Gems and a Baby

That Will Be All

The New Crystal Gems

Storm in the Room

Room for Ruby

Like ‘em

Gem Glow

Frybo

Arcade Mania

So Many Birthdays

Lars and the Cool Kids

Onion Trade

Steven the Sword Fighter

Beach Party

Monster Buddies

Keep Beach City Weird

Watermelon Steven

The Message

Open Book

Story for Steven

Shirt Club

Love Letters

Reformed

Rising Tides, Crashing Tides

Onion Friend

Historical Friction

Friend Ship

Nightmare Hospital

Too Far

Barn Mates

Steven Floats

Drop Beat Dad

Too Short to Ride

Restaurant Wars

Kiki’s Pizza Delivery Service

Greg the Babysitter

Gem Hunt

Steven vs. Amethyst

Bubbled

Adventures in Light Distortion

Gem Heist

The Zoo

Rocknaldo

Enh

Cheeseburger Backpack

Together Breakfast

Cat Fingers

Serious Steven

Steven’s Lion

Joking Victim

Secret Team

Say Uncle

Super Watermelon Island

Gem Drill

Know Your Fusion

Future Boy Zoltron

Tiger Philanthropist

No Thanks!

6. Horror Club 5. Fusion Cuisine 4. House Guest 3. Onion Gang 2. Sadie’s Song 1. Island Adventure

#room for ruby #steven universe #su #steven universally #review

24 notes · View notes

the-kings-tail-fin · 7 years

Note

Short fic on Strip and Chick's first time meeting each other? Maybe Strip tries to be nice to the new rookie but Chick is being his typical rude self and Strip ain't having none of that? 😂

My boy ain’t got time to deal with inconsiderate jerks. Especially aggressive ones.

This one went waaaaaay longer than I anticipated.

The season was nearly over. Only two weeks left until the 1986 Dinoco 400. Strip had a really good shot at winning the championship that year, and everyone knew it.

But it wasn’t just because he was good at racing. It was partly that, and partly because the field of experienced racers had thinned out dramatically that year. The number of crashes had risen exponentially from past years, and a lot of the seasoned racers were unable to finish the season as they were stuck repairing extensive damage. Their sponsors had all brought in temporary replacements, but they weren’t much of a threat to him and the few other racers in his league that were still left standing.

But why was everyone wrecking? All evidence pointed toward one of the new rookies, Chick Hicks. The Buick was not only one of the faster new kids, but also unafraid to play dirty on the track. If there wasn’t room for him to pass another racer, he’d make room. If there was someone in his way, they weren’t there for long. He’d singlehandedly dispatched more intentional violence on the track in the past year than anyone else had in an entire career.

Strip had him in his sights with only twenty laps to go. He’d never actually talked to the kid, but maybe he needed to, if for nothing else than to at least try and knock some sense into him. Racing was a competitive sport, but not one that begged violence. He’d watched a lot of his friends get hurt that year.

Catching up to Hicks wasn’t a problem. He wasn’t that fast. But Strip knew he had to be careful getting around him or else he’d be pushed into the wall like so many others. He had time, though, and with only one other car in front of the rookie, he didn’t need to hurry. He hung back for a moment and analyzed his options.

“Hey man.” Tori pulled up next to Strip as they came out of turn four. “I wouldn’t normally suggest teaming up like this, but we need to teach this kid a lesson. He can’t get us both.”

“A distraction?” Strip asked, considering it.

“Exactly. I’ll go high if you go low next straightaway.” Tori offered. “He won’t know what to do.”

“Worth a shot.” Strip agreed.

Coming out of turn two, Hicks drifted towards the middle of the track, giving the older racers the opportunity they were looking for. They gained on him quickly. As they passed him, Chick panicked. He had a shot at winning that race, but if they both got past him, that chance would be gone.

Going into turn three, Strip kept close to the line to pull further away. It worked, but Tori was still caught in the outside. Chick saw his chance and took it. He pushed Tori’s rear end out from under him, sending him spinning towards the inside. Sideways as the rest of the pack entered the turn, Tori took a full hit from another racer. The pileup escalated from there.

Strip heard the wreck behind him, and looked back to see just how bad it was. He saw Tori’s golden body fly and tumble into the infield, and several others hit the wall and collided with each other. But Chick was doing perfectly fine and right behind him.

The race officials stopped the race to clean up the wreckage. Strip sat in the pits, fuming with rage. He didn’t anger easily, but this had crossed the line. Only about a dozen racers were left to finish the remaining eighteen laps. His best friend was taken to the infield hospital for further examination. No one knew if Tori’d be okay.

Chick was going to pay. Strip saw him five pit crews ahead of him, laughing it up with his crew. Of the five spaces between them, only one other racer was present. It wasn’t right.

Strip managed to restart the race in second place, right behind the rookie. The flag dropped and they were off again. Strip gained the speed back as quickly as he possibly could and waited. Everyone else was well behind him, allowing him to concentrate on how he was going to beat this kid.

Strip would never wreck anyone on purpose, as tempting as it was at that point. He wasn’t about to lower himself to that level. No, he was going to humiliate Chick the way he knew best, by winning.

They crossed the line going into the final lap, Chick and Strip were a good four car lengths ahead of the remaining racers. It was time. Strip started to put pressure on him as they went around the first two turns. Chick noticed and started to drift away from his line in order to block the older racer. Strip acted like he was letting off, fooling Chick into thinking he’d scared him away.

The moment they came out of turn four, Strip turned every last ounce of his anger into speed and blew past Chick on the outside, taking the checkered flag by nearly a full car length. He heard the Buick shout as he passed him, but whether it was in surprise or anger, he didn’t stick around to find out.

He didn’t even take a victory lap or do a burnout to celebrate the fact he’d just won the race. The roaring crowd was the last thing on his mind. He pulled right off the track and quickly made his way to the infield hospital where they were treating the injured. Victory Lane could wait.

The medical staff let him in, as they’d already ensured everyone’s stability. Strip knew that most of the field had been rendered not race-worthy, but he didn’t realize so many had taken on damage this serious. A lot of them were young kids.

“Did you win?” he heard a tired voice ahead of him and to the left. “Please tell me you won.”

“Hey there, Tor.” Strip drove up to face his injured friend. “Yeah. Yeah I guess I did.”

“Good.” Tori let out a ragged sigh of relief.

He looked terrible. Pieces of him were just flat out missing, and it was obvious his frame was bent. The medical staff had him hooked up to two different machines. Strip didn’t even know what they were for.

“How you feelin’?” he turned the attention back to Tori. “You’re lookin’ pretty rough.”

“Is that all?” Tori tried to laugh, but winced at the effort and grew more serious. “I know what death looks like, Strip. I didn’t know I was so scared of it ‘til now.”

Strip wasn’t used to his friend speaking like that. Tori was always the lighthearted one that pulled all the pranks. The one that always had the punchline to the joke.

“You’re gonna be alright, Tori.” he told him. “They’ll get you fixed up and back out there in no time.”

Tori looked down at the ground. “I don’t know. I think I might be done, man.”

“What?” Strip rolled back a few inches, shocked. “Done? But you’re still one of the best!”

Tori managed to crack a smile, but the look in his eyes was still sad. “I didn’t wanna believe it either, but if this is what the sport has turned into, then I don’t wanna be a part of it. I’m not going to sit back and watch all these innocent kids be led to the slaughterhouse because the race officials won’t restrict the actions this new guy’s taking.”

“But- what if they do?” Strip asked, not wanting one of his closest comrades to quit so young. “Maybe next year they’ll make a rule that things like this can’t be intentional, or somethin’.”

“Then it’ll be that much better for everyone else.” Tori explained calmly. “I’ve had a good run. I can’t complain.”

Strip frowned. He knew Tori had made up his mind, and he respected it, despite how much it disappointed him. Things were about to be a lot different.

“Now, don’t you have a trophy or something to go claim?” Tori asked, trying to lighten the mood a little. “Get out there. I’m not going anywhere. You can come back when you’re done.”

“Alright.” Strip backed away and turned to go back through the entrance. “You take care of yourself.”

He passed the rows of injured bodies on his way out of the building and felt the anger start to rise again. This was all Chick’s fault. Strip was going to go give the kid a piece of his mind.

The media was swarming Victory Lane, wondering where he’d gone. Strip approached the area from behind so as to not have to fight his way through the reporters as he made his way to the stage. It was a podium finish, and Chick and the third place racer were already on their stands, talking to the media. Before Strip made his appearance, he heard Chick talking to a crowd of reporters, and so he stopped to listen.

“What these guys?” Chick responded to an unheard question. “The racers we saw today are nothing. They’re either old and outdated or young and completely inexperienced. Neither belong on the track, not if they can’t handle the racing tactics of today.”

Strip narrowed his eyes. So that was how Chick saw the world. Strip had seen this kind of attitude before, and every racer that had those traits either didn’t last long or didn’t win a lot. They weren’t about to change their ways via a little constructive criticism. Chick was a prime example of how lust for fame can destroy someone. Only time would show it.

No. He wasn’t going to talk to him. Chick wasn’t worth his time. His words would mean nothing to someone like that. You want to wreck my friends and try to start a new era of racing? Go ahead. We’ll see how far that gets you.

Strip emerged and took the top pedestal, putting on a smile for the cameras that suddenly all focused on him.

“Well look who finally showed up.” Chick muttered, as suddenly no one wanted to talk to him.

Strip didn’t give an inclination that he’d heard him. The race officials gave him the trophy and then it was time for him to give his winning speech. Normally he’d dedicate it to his wife and his sponsor, but if today was going to be about the winds of change, then he could go along with that.

He dedicated that win to those that couldn’t race, that couldn’t finish the season. To those that had their careers cut short. He emphasized that racing was a competition among cohorts, and that friendly competition was the root of the sport.

It stung Chick. Despite being so eager to win and doing everything within his power to do so, he’d grown up watching Strip race. He knew he was one of the best around, and even respected him for it. But now he felt like he was subtly and indirectly being outed in front of a crowd for his racing tactics. He refused to believe he was in the wrong, responsible for things that had gone wrong that season. He suddenly felt inadequate, and he blamed Strip.

From that day on, there was a silent, but strong rivalry between them. Chick took the hint and stopped being the root cause of so many wrecks, but he wasn’t afraid to take action when it meant it would get him a win. Strip adapted to the change of tactics and became a better racer because of it.

#strip weathers #chick hicks #my oc #tori

18 notes · View notes

flauntpage · 6 years

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The Outlet Pass: Jim Boylen is a Legend

The Case for Jim Boylen

The Jim Boylen Show is one of those classic NBA subplots that began as a cracked carnival ride, but—not so much including Wednesday night’s need for introspection—may be maturing into a situation that’s slightly more intriguing than pitiful. Boylen is a retrograde disciplinarian who’s extremely stubborn and passionate to the point of exhaustion. As someone literally coaching for his job, who knows how long the odds of him ever getting another opportunity this high up the food chain are, each game is its own battle. (Long-term gains are nice, but mainly accessible as the byproduct of decisions made with that night’s result in mind.)

The aftermath of Boylen’s initial roar for knuckle push-ups and inane suicide sprints was a pseudo-mutiny and the birth of a leadership committee. It was embarrassing for everyone involved. (Boylen’s response? “I’m juiced, man. I’m jacked up about it.”) But there are still nights when the Bulls appear to be take hazy steps in the right direction.

What’s bad is extraordinarily bad—Chicago is dead last in offense by a wide margin, and the only team since Fred Hoiberg was fired to average fewer than one point per possession; they’re pigs rolling in mud—but what’s not bad deserves recognition. Since Boylen took over on December 3, the Bulls have the ninth-best defense in the NBA. Before, they were 22nd. Eliminate transition from the equation, and before Wednesday night’s loss, only the Indiana Pacers had been more stout in the half court, per Cleaning the Glass. B.B.B. (Before Boylen Ball) they ranked 21st in the half court.

These stats include Chicago’s historic 56-point loss against the Boston Celtics, and two games against the Oklahoma City Thunder in which they allowed 233 total points. That is kind of impressive! Even with a schedule that’s gifted them the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic (three times!), Chicago’s effort, hair-on-fire aggression, and tight rotations are sustainable to a degree against teams that aren’t expecting it. One month in, it’s too early to call this fully sustainable. But given all their injuries and ill-equipped personnel, it’s also impressive. (They stifled the red-hot San Antonio Spurs and held the Toronto Raptors to a 40-point half, too.)

Boylen’s priorities are clear. Chicago’s pace has gone from average to a trickle. Jabari Parker is M.I.A. Defense is the universe. And even when he chooses to impersonate Byron Scott by punishing first and second-year players who, you know, make mistakes, in an otherwise lost season there’s serious value in thrusting important defensive principles onto impressionable prospects. They consistently execute a game-plan that will sometimes change from quarter to quarter, and is based on opposing personnel more than anything.

Depending on which of their bigs is involved, when up against a ball-handler who can shoot, Boylen wants the screener’s man to either stay level or show and recover, forcing a pass towards back-line defenders who’re ready to secure the paint. An example can be seen below: As Wendell Carter Jr. extends himself 35 feet from the rim, Chandler Hutchison has already introduced himself to a rolling Ian Mahinmi, who immediately whips the ball out of bounds.

It’s a beatable strategy against those that see it coming (like the Magic on Wednesday night), but by engaging all five guys on most possessions—forcing communication, quick rotations, and an understanding of where to be—it suits a young team nicely. Here’s Robin Lopez up to prevent Bradley Beal from getting a clean look. Before the pass even comes, Lauri Markkanen is already in the paint, positioned to swat Thomas Bryant’s shot.

One of the big picture takeaways in Boylen’s first month has been the effectiveness of Markkanen and Carter Jr. as a frontcourt duo. Offensively, it’s definitely fair to say he’s holding them back (these two are compatible and too talented not to eventually thrive on that end). But on defense, in a 275-minute sample size, Chicago has a top-five defense when they share the floor. Markkanen isn’t able to switch out onto guards, but he’s quick enough to contain the ball 25 feet from the rim, prevent a guard from turning the corner, and then scamper back to his man. Meanwhile, Carter Jr. (who Boylen benched on Wednesday night for no discernible reason) is good enough to suck the oxygen out of your lungs by momentarily transforming into prime Kevin Garnett.

Rookies are not supposed to do everything Carter Jr. does on that play. Like a 10-year vet, his brain is on auto-pilot, correctly analyzing then reacting to the offense. There’s no margin for hesitation and so Carter Jr. doesn’t hesitate. Since Boylen took over, opponents are shooting just 51.9 percent at the rim when he defends it. This type of effort illustrates why:

On the whole, Boylen’s coaching style is Full Metal Jacket as a one-man show. It’s maddening, comical, and, at times, deranged. In response to a random Lopez hook shot, he’ll violently pump his fist and howl towards the rafters. Boylen lives and dies on every possession with a level of enthusiasm that no cardiologist would recommend. It’s Tom Thibodeau clutching a megaphone, blowtorch, and empty bottle of adderall. (When Sam Dekker got away with a travel during a recent Bulls win over the Washington Wizards, Boylen turned to rookie ref Ashley Moyer-Gleich and shouted “Ashley! He took six steps!” The man is a legend.)

But, in some areas, the man is getting results. The Bulls rotate on a string and fly all over the court, deflecting over three more balls per 48 minutes under Boylen than they did with Hoiberg—a leap from average to fourth-best in the league. This team is rabid, physical, and following orders. They bump cutters, help the helper, know when to switch, and hold their own in spite of an offense (constructed by Boylen) that provides zero favors.

It’s unclear how much of Chicago’s defensive success will continue under a coach who micromanages every speck of each possession, with no sign of him abandoning roots that have already started to rot. Boylen’s attitude isn’t one to shepherd a very good team to the Finals, but he may be a logical exorcist for some of Chicago’s bad habits. Until the inevitable day comes when this young core is passed onto more delicate hands (think Mark Jackson to Steve Kerr), Boylen deserves some credit for what he’s done to a defense most expected to be epically horrendous all year.

Draymond Green’s Sort-of-Impossible Box Out Stats

One of the more subtle reasons Draymond Green is an irreplaceable defender comes after the opponent’s shot goes up, when he wheels his body in front of whoever’s nearby, dislodges them out of position, and dramatically increases the odds of a Golden State Warrior grabbing the rebound.

Last year he finished fifth with 6.6 defensive box outs per game. Right now, he’s fourth, with 8.0. This is impressive when you compare his role to that of others who box out as frequently as he does. Green is not a traditional drop big who can just spin around and throw his ass into whoever’s nearby. His defensive responsibilities run the gamut. He switches out on the perimeter and perpetually exists as a help-side safety net—flying around, putting out fires that are nowhere near his original assignment. For him to also place near the top of the league in a category like this is sort of amazing, especially when you consider the impact it’s had on Golden State’s defense when he’s at the five.

Not nothing: opponents are grabbing a measly 22 percent of their own missed shots when Green plays center, a truly impressive number that’s far lower than it’s ever been since the Warriors became the Warriors. (When Green played center last year that number was 30.5 percent. The year before that? 31.9 percent.) For all the worry about his disintegrating outside shot (he’ll probably make nine threes in Game 1 of the Finals, and eight of them will be assisted by DeMarcus Cousins), Green’s effort in this area is as commendable as ever.

Point Guard Don(cic)

It’s been a little over two weeks since Sacramento Kings head coach Dave Joerger had this to say about everyone’s favorite wunderkind, Luka Doncic: “Perhaps there was an idea that there was a ceiling on him. I don't see it, unfortunately for us.” The statement was received as a searing subtweet aimed towards Kings assistant general manager Brandon Williams. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t. But more important, to me, was what it summoned: an interesting and ever-relevant debate about fit and context pertaining to prospects and the teams that draft them. Generally speaking, it’s silly to pass over a generational talent because he’d be limited in your system or on your roster. If that’s how you feel, change your system and/or your roster.

Doncic is good enough to transcend any environment he occupies, but like every other player on Earth, he’s also influenced by what his teammates can/can’t do, and his hypothetical role in Sacramento, next to a blurry pick-and-roll roadrunner like De’Aaron Fox, is different than his actual reality in Dallas. That’s OK. But it’s also fair and natural to consider how Doncic’s game might be limited there. Based on everything we’ve seen, Doncic, Fox, and the Kings would be perfectly fine, but it’d also rob us (and Doncic?) of maximizing the most exciting and beneficial area of his skill-set.

Doncic doesn’t need the ball in his hands to positively impact a game, but like so many great playmakers before him, it makes sense to let him influence a majority of his team’s on-court decisions. Before Dennis Smith Jr.’s return, we witnessed a few lineups that let Doncic literally stand alone as his team’s point guard. No J.J. Barea, DSJ, Devin Harris, or Jalen Brunson. When Dallas is healthy those lineups won’t see the floor, and there’s been mixed results in the limited time we saw them play, but those minutes offered a glimpse towards how the Mavs may want to build around their franchise player.

(I absolutely love DSJ and am not one to give up on the compatibility of any two players as young and talented as him and Doncic, but—an uptick in three-point shooting aside—nobody should be surprised if/when Dallas makes a trade; the Mavericks score 110.9 points per 100 possessions when Doncic is on the floor without Smith Jr. and 100 points per 100 possessions when they both play.)

Even though Doncic’s usage rate and True Shooting percentage are actually higher with Smith Jr. on the court than without, just look at the cool stuff he can do when operating in space beside teammates who naturally complement his profound ability to make the defense feel like it’s hallucinating.

Everything falls into place when Doncic is surrounded by wings and bigs who provide enough space and defensive versatility. They unlock his best attributes and will eventually let Dallas discover its best self. There are parallels here to how Brett Brown decided to use Ben Simmons last year (a move that wasn’t obvious at the time). Doncic’s skill-set gives a much longer rope and no pressure to go all-in down one road, but there’s a future where his assist rate is consistently over 35 percent on a top-five offense. (Right now he’s one of six 19-year-old rookies in league history to assist at least 25 percent of his team’s baskets while logging over 1,000 total minutes.)

Related: The Mavericks shouldn’t be shy about throwing a lot of money at Malcolm Brogdon this summer. He’s a low-usage cog who can defend point guards while quietly posting 50/40/90 splits. The perfect partner for someone like Doncic once the Mavs start putting the ball in his hands way more than they already are.

Kevin Knox is Starting to Show What He Can Be

It’s still too early to make any firm declarations about Kevin Knox’s future. But for someone who won’t celebrate his 20th birthday until August, it’s impossible not to look at his production since David Fizdale made him a full-time starter on December 12th and not feel bullish.

Since, he’s averaging 37.6 minutes, 17.9 points, and 5.2 rebounds while making 38.1 percent of his threes (of which he launches many). The Knicks are bad and some of Knox’s overall inefficiency comes from being 19 with a flashing green light, but there are aspects of his game—particularly off the ball—that make it feel like whenever New York acquires a star (whoever it may be), Knox won’t have any problem finding ways to impact the game.

The quick-trigger three-ball is fun, as is enough size and length to eventually guard three positions with ease. But the most impressive part of Knox’s game so far might be how aggressively (and intelligently) he attacks closeouts. Watch below, where he doesn’t wait for the ball to hit his hands before he curves into the paint.

It’s an instruction smart teams (the Spurs and Jazz, most notably) give their wings in an effort to get a step past their defender. And here’s Knox showing enough confidence to take Paul Millsap off the bounce (something the four-time All-Star clearly didn’t expect) before an and-1 finish at the rim.

Knox still doesn’t know how to pass on the move and is only shooting 40 percent on drives since he entered the starting lineup. He ranks 471st out of 472 players in Real Plus-Minus. But the silhouette of a useful player is drawn. The Knicks needed to hit this pick and they didn’t screw it up! Good for them!

Jamal Crawford’s Late-Career Transformation

Jamal Crawford will always be known for his ability to get buckets off the bench. That’s his DNA and the first line of his basketball obituary. But this year has been different. It’s not an evolutionary change, per se, but Crawford, at 38, has spent almost all his minutes as Phoenix’s de facto backup point guard, setting teammates up, throwing lobs, and rewarding cutters. His assist rate is the highest it’s ever been—second only to Devin Booker on the team—and his shots per 100 possessions were only lower during his rookie season.

During the month of December, he averaged about five assists per game, including a career-high 14 at Madison Square Garden. Crawford goes out of his way to feed youngsters like Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges, incentivizing them to cut hard, sprint the floor, and dive into the paint.

Crawford was paid to be “selfish” earlier in his career. He took (and made) tough shots even when a more satisfying option presented itself. Now, he’ll swing it to an open man without hesitation. (More than once I’ve had to rewind and double-check to make sure it was him who threw the pass.) When a defender races out to run him off the three-point line, Crawford will forgo a one-dribble pull-up and circulate the ball around the perimeter.

In three fewer minutes per game compared to last season, when he was on the Minnesota Timberwolves, he’s averaging five more passes. On high pick-and-rolls, Crawford’s head is up, canvassing the baseline for teammates, trying to do more than settle for the jumper he can turn to whenever he wants.

The play below would never happen five years ago. If the screener’s man dropped that far, Crawford would use the sliver of space provided by Ayton’s screen to pull up. Instead, he lets him attack an off-balance DeAndre Jordan, who clearly wasn’t expecting a pass.

The Suns are extremely bad, but Crawford’s readiness to tilt his role towards that of a playmaker has made life (slightly) easier for a young core that would otherwise have no stability whatsoever at such a crucial position.

The Outlet Pass: Jim Boylen is a Legend published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

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leehaws · 6 years

Text

The Outlet Pass: Jim Boylen is a Legend

The Case for Jim Boylen

Draymond Green’s Sort-of-Impossible Box Out Stats

Point Guard Don(cic)

It’s been a little over two weeks since Sacramento Kings head coach Dave Joerger had this to say about everyone’s favorite wunderkind, Luka Doncic: “Perhaps there was an idea that there was a ceiling on him. I don’t see it, unfortunately for us.” The statement was received as a searing subtweet aimed towards Kings assistant general manager Brandon Williams. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t. But more important, to me, was what it summoned: an interesting and ever-relevant debate about fit and context pertaining to prospects and the teams that draft them. Generally speaking, it’s silly to pass over a generational talent because he’d be limited in your system or on your roster. If that’s how you feel, change your system and/or your roster.

Kevin Knox is Starting to Show What He Can Be

Jamal Crawford’s Late-Career Transformation

The Outlet Pass: Jim Boylen is a Legend syndicated from https://justinbetreviews.wordpress.com/

0 notes

thrashermaxey · 6 years

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20 Fantasy Hockey Thoughts

Every Sunday, we'll share 20 Fantasy Thoughts from our writers at DobberHockey. These thoughts are curated from the past week's "Daily Ramblings".

Writers: Michael Clifford, Ian Gooding, Cam Robinson, and Dobber

1. Micheal Ferland has been a wrecking ball in Carolina. For example, last Sunday, he scored, added eight hits, and even had four faceoff wins, to help out those leagues that count that. Boy was I wrong about this guy. I had him trending the opposite way in the Guide. I should have read it better – the Hurricanes wanted sandpaper, they have a hard-working coach. So, of course they would give Ferland top billing. I miffed this one, just a poor read. Seems so obvious now. (oct15)

2. After years of being a source of many dominant fantasy hockey teams, the Red Wings don’t have much for fantasy owners to get excited about anymore. But one early sleeper from the Wings is rookie blueliner Dennis Cholowski, who leads the team in both power-play minutes and total minutes (21:48/GP). Cholowski scored a goal and added an assist while taking five shots on Saturday to give him five points in six games, including four power-play points. He could easily hit a rookie wall at some point, but he’s owned in just seven percent of Yahoo leagues. That’s surprisingly low ownership for a player earning first-unit power-play minutes, even if it is for a likely lottery-bound team. (oct20)

3. In case you hadn’t noticed, Anders Nilsson just recently enjoyed a three-game run, all wins, where he posted a 1.67 GAA and .943 SV%. Yes, I was as surprised as you are. Do remember, though, that after last season, he backstopped Sweden to a World Hockey Championship.

A long-term question is whether Nilsson will unseat Jacob Markstrom as the de facto number one in Van City. I’d say that Nilsson would need more consistency than we’re used to with him before I would proclaim that he will be the guy two months from now. He could also easily force a timeshare with Markstrom, which might be the more likely scenario here. The Canucks are playing well right now, but their defense is the envy of no team. So, over an entire season, I still wouldn’t consider either Nilsson or Markstrom to be a must-own. (oct17)

4. It’s finally happened, folks. Evgeni Kuznetsov is a superstar. We’ve been as patient as any sane human could ever hope for. Four years of KHL action that had Caps fans and fantasy junkies salivating at the prospect of him tearing it up in the Nation’s Capitol. It took nearly 100 games to push near the point-per-game mark, then a quick backslide and now, now it is here!

Sure, it’s only been six weeks, but all the magical ingredients are coming together. He’s 26-years-old and still in his statistical prime. He’s clicking on a heeeealthy 16.7 percent of his shots, all the while eating up the entirety of all-situations deployment next to the best finisher of all-time (Alex Ovechkin).

Speaking of time-on-ice, he’s getting a lot of it. Through seven games, he’s played 20:57. That’s more than three minutes above the mark he set last season – which represented a career-high at the time. His time-on-ice total places him firmly in the top 10 for forwards to begin the season. With over four minutes of that coming on the man-advantage, you can’t ask for better deployment. The scary thing is, he hasn’t even begun filling his apple basket by feeding Ovi for the patented one-timer. Of Kuzya’s six power-play points, four of them have been goals. That rate will dip, but the PPA’s should more than make up for it. He’s also shooting more than ever before, averaging 3.43 per game. His previous career-high was 2.35.

Last year, we had an unseasonable number of high-end scorers. Nine players cusped the 90-point threshold. Will anyone be surprised if Kuznetsov breaks that milestone this season? I don’t know about you, but I snuck a little preseason coin on him grabbing the Hart Trophy. At 82-1 odds I would’ve been stupid not to, right? Right? Right. (oct19)

5. Jeff Skinner entered Saturday afternoon’s game against LA with just one goal in his first seven games as a Sabre, mainly playing on a line with rookie Casey Mittelstadt and veteran Kyle Okposo. But on Saturday, Skinner found himself on a line with Jack Eichel and Jason Pominville and produced exactly what the Sabres hoped he would when they acquired him from Carolina, scoring three goals in a 5-1 win. In fact, his entire line combined for nine points in this game. Eichel recorded three assists, while Pominville scored a goal and added two assists.

Eichel’s previous linemates, Sam Reinhart and Conor Sheary, found themselves centered by Vladimir Sobotka, which is obviously a significant downgrade from Eichel. Reinhart has yet to score a goal in eight games, while both Reinhart and Sheary have been held without points in their last three games. Obviously, lines are constantly in a state of flux, but as an owner of both Reinhart and Sheary in separate leagues, I’m not thrilled about the deployment at least in the short term. (oct20)

6. Here's some more good news for Sabres' fans, they're not in the basement! It might not sound like much but for a team with such a storied history in the cellar, their 4-4 start must be considered a step forward. What's even more heartening is the play of their prospects in AHL Rochester. Victor Olofsson and his ridiculous release crossed over from the SHL this fall and has been terrorizing goaltenders in the AHL early and often. The 23-year-old led the SHL in goals last season and is leading the AHL in points (14) and sits tied for third in goals (5).

Fellow Swede and SHL import, Lawrence Pilut is second among AHL blueliners in points with 10 in six games. The most relieving start has to be from former eighth overall pick, Alex Nylander. The Sabres top pick from 2016 has struggled in two teenaged seasons in the American League. But, so far in 2018-19, he has produced eight points in eight games and looks ready to really knock the door down for a NHL gig. He hasn't been a passenger either. Of his eight total points, seven have been primary and five have come at even-strength. It's just him and Olli Juolevi who haven't cracked the NHL from the top 10 in 2016. The race is on to see who gets the call first. (oct19)

7. Ryan Suter has seven points in eight games. He looks none the worse after that nasty ankle break last spring. He’s playing over 25 minutes a contest, which is likely a better place for the 33-year-old than 27-29 range he’s lived in in the past. He may not be flashy, but Suter is as consistent as they come. He's played at or above a 40-point pace in eight consecutive years and nine of his 13 career seasons. (oct19)

8. Roope Hintz got a turn on the Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin line Friday. Hintz always been an interesting talent. He found good success in the Finnish Liiga but none more than his playoff run in 2016-17 with HIFK. He led the league in scoring that spring and that helped catapult him to a 20-goal rookie season in the American League last year. He's a young player to watch. The change-up was the result of an Alexander Radulov lower-body injury. Something to keep an eye on. (oct19)

9. Elias Lindholm sure looks like he's found his forever home. The talented Swedish forward has toyed with fantasy owners for years. He had the lofty draft slot, the silky skills and the promise of more production to come. However, over the course of his five NHL seasons, he'd never broke the 50-point barrier. That mark is certainly in danger this season.

A goal and an assist in Calgary's 5-3 loss Nashville on Friday brings him up to five goals eight points in seven games. That's all well and good, but what I like to see is the insanely juicy deployment. Lindholm is locked onto to Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan at even-strength and on the top power-play unit. He's skating over 19 minutes a night with 4:41 coming on the man-advantage. You can't ask for much better than that. The shooting percent is ridiculous (35%) and due for a fistful of a market correction, but this a player who has always appeared to have 60-plus point upside and he's trending nicely towards that this season.

Things haven't been as rosy for the other major forward addition in Calgary. James Neal has just two points in seven contests. With the Flames putting the Mikael Backlund-led 3M line back together, Neal is struggling to find much offense next to Sam Bennett and Mark Jankowski/Derek Ryan. The second unit power-play deployment isn't helping much either. To make matters worse, he has just 11 shots in seven games, five of which came in game two of the season. It's time to cut ties if you haven't already. (oct19)

10. The Predators have placed Pekka Rinne on injured reserve, which makes Juuse Saros a must-add if he’s still available in your league (47 percent owned in Yahoo leagues at the time of this writing). Saros has played in four games this season, and all have resulted in wins.

If Saros is still unowned in your league, I can’t stress enough how you need to go add him now. Go directly to the waiver wire. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. And even when Rinne returns, you should try to find a way to retain Saros given the Preds’ status as one of the league’s top teams. Remember that Rinne is on the final year of his contract, so a phase-in could be in the works. Even if Saros is pushed to the bench when Rinne returns, owning a strong backup is in many ways better for your fantasy team than owning a weak starter. (oct20)

11. How quickly things can change. In a recent Ramblings, I mentioned the solid play of Semyon Varlamov. Since then, coach Jared Bednar has decided to turn to Philipp Grubauer not once, but twice. Grubauer made Bednar’s decision look smart on Saturday, making 42 saves in a 3-1 win. This is shaping up to be an all-out competition in the Colorado net, with both goalies playing extremely well. Despite facing an average of 35 shots per game (one of the highest in the league), the Avalanche hold one of the league’s highest team save percentages. (oct20)

12. Has Keith Kinkaid earned the starting job for good? Even though Cory Schneider has the larger paycheque with the longer term, this job could be Kinkaid’s to lose. Either way, Kinkaid is the perfect third goalie to own right now. (oct17)

13. I mentioned that you should probably hold Kevin Shattenkirk in spite of his healthy scratch last week because of his 50-plus point upside on the blueline, but I’m not going to tell you to do the same with Brandon Saad. Unless you play in a very deep league, Saad is most likely replaceable given the number of available forward scoring options. Saad could very well become fantasy relevant again at some point, but it’s been a calendar year since he’s been able to produce at a 50-point pace. (oct17)

14. If you own Pavel Buchnevich and are wondering whether to drop him, it appears that his scratch this past week isn’t due to a lack of scoring. Buchnevich has scored two goals and added an assist in his six games, which isn’t drop-worthy on its own. In fact, Buchnevich could rebound from this and become a more complete player who competes harder, assuming the coach’s message gets through. If you’re in a league where every game played matters and there’s an equal or better option, then make the move. Otherwise, I’d be fine with holding here.

On a side note, if you’re a Shattenkirk and/or Buchnevich owner, you’ll know by now that coach David Quinn doesn’t care about your fantasy team. I say that facetiously, though. Sarcasm doesn’t translate well over the internet sometimes. (oct17)

15. When the Erik Karlsson trade was announced, the first thing that popped in my head was how this was going to affect the power play. For years, Brent Burns had been the focal point, ripping shots at will. That helped push him over 300 shots per season for three years. My assumption had been that Karlsson would be a facilitator on the PP with Burns retaining his shot-ripping role.

It hasn’t quite worked that way. And there is cause for concern here. Burns’s shot rate on the PP is his lowest in a decade, about 25 percent lower than last year, and he’s lost about three minutes per game at five-on-five (which I did not anticipate). The latter could lead to a loss of six or seven points alone. Unless that production is made up on the power play, this could be a very down year from what we had been expecting from him. (oct16)

16. In an effort to maximize the odds that Jake Allen will pan out, the Blues put all their eggs into that basket. To give him confidence and remove any competition for his job. But now, we’re seeing the downside to that. Chad Johnson has been decent but is not going to bail this team out the way Carter Hutton did last year. It’s Allen or bust. Mike Yeo could be the first coach fired this year. (oct15)

17. I have this ‘breakout’ vibe on Jakob Silfverberg, a la Josh Bailey (last year) or Brad Marchand (three years ago). That’s how good he’s been looking. That’s why it’s such a shame that he left last Sunday’s contest with an upper-body injury in the third. Back in August, I mused that Silfverberg was the perfect Bailey/Marchand situation template: Has more offensive talent than he’s shown, has solidified his production window in around that 50-point range, and it’s now at the point where we don’t expect more (just as it was with Marchand and Bailey). And then ‘whoa’, he gets 65 points out of the blue. So far Silf has seven points in six games so let’s hope he returns soon. (oct15)

18. I talked about Silfverberg and the Bailey breakouts but Kyle Palmieri is also a suitable candidate. He’s 27 and we have very firm expectations for him and what he can do, as it’s been very stable and reliable in that range. He also plays with Taylor Hall, which can’t hurt. The big Devils’ line (Palmieri, Hall, Nico Hischier) is also the first PP unit. (oct15)

19. It was a real shame seeing Elias Pettersson go down like that last week. As far as players go, and my early impressions at that point in the season, it’s Pettersson and Auston Matthews. Pettersson is an elite player and I had no idea just how elite until watching two of his games in the NHL. I feel like he’s gonna do what Mathew Barzal did last season, production-wise. It would be a shame if this injury has any long-term implications on his health (i.e. susceptibility to concussion). (oct15)

20. Matthews has been on another planet. You don’t need me to tell you that. But it’s as if adding John Tavares on another line has freed things up for Matthews to the point where he’s just toying with the poor suckers that the opposition trots out there to try to stop him. I had always considered him a Patrick Kane-type of talent, but now I wonder if he’s a Sidney Crosby-type of generational talent. I don’t use that label very easily. (oct15)

Have a good week, folks!!

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-home/20-fantasy-hockey-thoughts/20-fantasy-hockey-thoughts-46/

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amtushinfosolutionspage · 7 years

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The Los Angeles Lakers Will Miss Kentavious Caldwell-Pope When He’s Gone

Players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are both essential and unspectacular in the exact kind of way that allows them to be taken for granted. After the Detroit Pistons renounced his rights back in July—rejecting an opportunity to surrender over $100 million for their former lottery pick’s service—Caldwell-Pope hit the open market with an agreeable game that snugly fits into the NBA’s own tactical trajectory.

He’s a shutdown wing who launches more than half his shots behind the arc. (After a slow start, Caldwell-Pope has nailed just over 40 percent of his threes over his past 10 games and is at a career-best 36.1 percent this season.) What’s not to admire? Weaknesses exist—including an offensive rigidity that prohibits him from being much more than a tepid playmaker, at best—but they’re embraced warmly enough thanks to all the thankless tasks he provides elsewhere.

Caldwell-Pope is now on the Los Angeles Lakers, where he signed a one-year, $17.7 million deal. It feels like an uncomfortable stasis for a player in his fifth season, enduring his second contract year in a row. But the 24-year-old has yet to test the shortcomings of his game for the sake of his own individual growth or production, at the cost of his team’s success. Instead, he’s solely focused on finding ways to move L.A.’s needle in a positive way. His teammates respect that, understand how important he is, and recognize the partnership could end sooner than anyone wants it to.

“If I put myself in his shoes, it’d just be tough to embrace everybody and kind of get into the whole team aspect knowing that next summer is another free agent year,” Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. told VICE Sports. “But he’s done a terrific job of being selfless and looking out for others.”

Even though he’s been integral in helping turn L.A.’s defense around—from a three-year stretch where they ranked either last or second to last in defensive rating to the top-10 unit they own today—Caldwell-Pope is understandably overlooked on a rebuilding roster that includes two of the NBA’s last three second-overall picks and a mythological Almighty named Kyle Kuzma. He ranks seventh on the Lakers in usage, with a role that never calls attention to itself, for a team that currently has a 14 percent chance of making the playoffs.

“When we made this deal, me and my agent, we discussed it multiple times,” Caldwell-Pope told VICE Sports. “We knew the risk we were taking. Nine times out of 10 I’d like to bet on myself. That’s what we did. It’s a one-year deal, and so far this season it’s been going well.”

This is far from basketball purgatory, but it’s also not an obvious home. Caldwell-Pope doesn’t have a lot of time to fit in; for reasons we’ll get into later on, it’s more likely than not he’ll be in a different city next season. “There’s no benefit [to a one-year deal]. I’m up again next year,” he said. “I could be here, or be wherever I land.”

The good news for both the Lakers and Caldwell-Pope is that his skill-set is seamlessly transferable. He defends multiple positions extremely well, doesn’t need the ball (but can do a little bit with it, if necessary), and levels off as a fine three-point shooter who’s accurate enough to space the floor.

“Obviously it’s always a challenge when you’re coming to a new team on a one-year deal, and I think he’s done a really nice job of playing the way that we want him to play,” Lakers head coach Luke Walton said. “It’s not like he’s learning an entire new offense or anything like that. It’s more just what we’re looking for, what we’re valuing…you learn your teammate’s strengths and weaknesses and where you can help them out and where they can help you out. All that stuff just takes time.”

Caldwell-Pope has helped simplify the first two months of Lonzo Ball’s career—as a reliable target on throw-aheads and someone who’ll happily assume the stress caused by wading through the league’s wave of obscene point guard talent every night—and is an ideal chip for one of the league’s fastest offenses.

Last season, Detroit’s pace was 97.6 with Caldwell-Pope on the floor. Right now, in Los Angeles, he’s on a team that’s averaging 105.2 possessions per 48 minutes. No team in basketball is faster.

“He’s a big player for our team, man,” Ball said. “Plays on both ends of the court. He can score with the best of them, and he makes my job a lot easier, just because he can run the lane and guard the guards.”

It doesn’t take a genius to deduce that he might be finding more of his offense in the open floor than last year. And guess what? He is! According to Synergy Sports, only two players (Elfrid Payton and Darren Collison) who’ve logged at least 50 transition possessions have a higher percentage of their individual offense coming from that play type.

Caldwell-Pope gallops the floor off missed shots and turnovers, perpetually looking to cash in against a retreating, unbalanced defense. “Luke made an emphasis on that this year. He wanted to play fast,” Caldwell-Pope said. “He wanted to get the ball up and down the court—see if we got [a good look], if not get it back to Zo and then just run a play. But mostly we want to get out in transition.”

Even though his core responsibilities haven’t changed, Caldwell-Pope has been asked to create less offense for himself and others. The percentage of his possessions that have come as a pick-and-roll ball-handler have dropped 10.5 percent. He’s been effective coming off screens and more of his baskets are assisted than before, but unlike a stiff catch-and-shoot wing, Caldwell-Pope is still able to wiggle into satisfactory results when opponents take away what the Lakers want to do.

Here’s an example from a recent win against the Charlotte Hornets. It’s an “elevators” action that attempts to free KCP up for a three by zipper cutting through a double-doors screen set by Kuzma and Brook Lopez.

Marvin Williams recognizes what’s happening and switches out to contest, so Caldwell-Pope puts the ball on the floor, gets to the elbow, and rises up to knock down a mid-range jumper. It’s that ability to improvise that puts him a nose ahead of comparable players like Danny Green. (Here’s how “elevators” looks against a defense that isn’t prepared to stop it.)

At 6’5” and 200 pounds, he’s an occasional victim of L.A.’s switch-happy defensive strategy that invites mismatches on the block as a means to neuter the offense’s ball movement and invite inefficient two pointers. Caldwell-Pope ranks dead last as a post defender, according to Synergy Sports, allowing 32 points on 21 possessions despite fighting for position before and after the catch.

But he’s polished on the perimeter, a master of the NBA’s dark arts defending on and off the ball. He knows how to elude screens, lock onto his man’s hip, and transform into his shadow. “He gives me tips and pointers,” Lakers rookie Josh Hart told VICE Sports. “He’s talked to me just about how to guard shooters off down screens…how to just be attached and go over the top so you don’t lose that separation and get torched for threes.”

Nance Jr. added: “Whether it be Kemba, or Chris Paul, James Harden, Steph, every single night there’s some kind of guard that we play that has go-off potential, and he’s done a really nice job of slowing them down thus far.”

Caldwell-Pope hasn’t made any noticeable statistical strides and his True Shooting percentage is still below league average, but he plays hard within his own limitations. Given the dearth of wings who check off the boxes he does on a nightly basis, how increasingly integral spacers who can also defend have become, and the fact that he’s yet to enter his prime, Caldwell-Pope should be in line for a massive raise this summer. (He’ll enter a marketplace that could also include Trevor Ariza, Avery Bradley, and Danny Green.)

Caldwell-Pope is best-suited on a team that’s ready to win now, but also able to aid a less-experienced roster and help shove them in the right direction (just like he’s doing right now with the Lakers).

But unless he’s willing to sign another one-year deal (unlikely!), the Lakers probably won’t keep him beyond this season. Even if they strike out on Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins, LeBron James, etc. in free agency, L.A.’s President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson is all about preserving max space for the summer of 2019. The organization appreciates all KCP is doing, but would prefer to fill their cap sheet with All-Stars. So if not Los Angeles, where will Caldwell-Pope be next season?

Photo by Kelvin Kuo – USA TODAY Sports

A few intriguing candidates could elbow their way into the hunt—the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Brooklyn Nets make sense—but my favorite destination is one that wasn’t on anybody’s radar even a month ago: the Indiana Pacers. When you’re good, young, and have a ton of cap space, doors that were once closed start to creak open.

The fit is almost too perfect. Caldwell-Pope would be sublime beside Victor Oladipo, able to defend opposing point guards, spot up on the wing, and prey in transition. This could be the Pacers’ starting backcourt until Myles Turner’s prime. For a franchise that hasn’t traditionally been able to take advantage of free agency, the Pacers have money to spend, an exciting core, and boast an attractive playing style.

“That’s what I do,” Caldwell-Pope told VICE Sports when asked how he’s enjoying L.A.’s quicker cadence. “I run the floor, I run the wing. Either get easy layups or transition threes.”

There’s also the possibility Los Angeles moves him before the trade deadline to a team that’s looking to make a playoff push, but that feels unlikely for a few reasons. To start, whichever team traded for Caldwell-Pope would only receive his non-Bird Rights. Long story short, that means they’d likely need cap space to re-sign him over the summer, as the exception only allows four year deals up to 120 percent of the previous season’s salary with a five percent annual increase.

Crazier things have happened, but it’s highly unlikely Caldwell-Pope’s market value won’t be higher, strengthening the likelihood of him being a mid-season rental more than a long-term investment. He also has a 15 percent trade kicker.

Are there any teams that believe half a season of Caldwell-Pope’s service is worth a first-round pick? The Minnesota Timberwolves would almost definitely fit this description, but they already owe a lottery-protected first to the Atlanta Hawks. The New Orleans Pelicans also fall in line, but lack enough salary in expiring contracts to execute a deal; a three-team transaction is always possible but incredibly difficult to pull off assuming the Lakers and Mystery Team X both want draft picks in the deal.

Caldwell-Pope is an ideal accessory for LeBron in his eternal quest to dethrone the Golden State Warriors—the two employ Rich Paul as an agent—but even though the Cleveland Cavaliers can cobble together a sensical trade package (something like Iman Shumpert, Channing Frye, and a lottery-protected first-round pick in 2021), it’s really hard to see the Lakers go out of their way to nudge James closer to a championship.

If they don’t trade him, Los Angeles will probably lose Caldwell-Pope for nothing. They knew what this was the moment they signed him, but that still doesn’t make it any easier to accept. He’ll likely stay in the Lakers’ starting lineup for the rest of the season and continue to instill winning habits in a culture that hasn’t enjoyed a player like him in over half a decade. Beyond that, the only thing we know for sure is whichever team does sign Caldwell-Pope for the long haul won’t be disappointed.

The Los Angeles Lakers Will Miss Kentavious Caldwell-Pope When He’s Gone syndicated from http://ift.tt/2ug2Ns6

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flauntpage · 6 years

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The Outlet Pass: Jim Boylen is a Legend

The Case for Jim Boylen

Draymond Green’s Sort-of-Impossible Box Out Stats

Point Guard Don(cic)

Kevin Knox is Starting to Show What He Can Be

Jamal Crawford’s Late-Career Transformation

The Outlet Pass: Jim Boylen is a Legend published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

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flauntpage · 7 years

Text

The Los Angeles Lakers Will Miss Kentavious Caldwell-Pope When He's Gone

Players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are both essential and unspectacular in the exact kind of way that allows them to be taken for granted. After the Detroit Pistons renounced his rights back in July—rejecting an opportunity to surrender over $100 million for their former lottery pick's service—Caldwell-Pope hit the open market with an agreeable game that snugly fits into the NBA’s own tactical trajectory.

Caldwell-Pope is now on the Los Angeles Lakers, where he signed a one-year, $17.7 million deal. It feels like an uncomfortable stasis for a player in his fifth season, enduring his second contract year in a row. But the 24-year-old has yet to test the shortcomings of his game for the sake of his own individual growth or production, at the cost of his team's success. Instead, he's solely focused on finding ways to move L.A.'s needle in a positive way. His teammates respect that, understand how important he is, and recognize the partnership could end sooner than anyone wants it to.

"If I put myself in his shoes, it’d just be tough to embrace everybody and kind of get into the whole team aspect knowing that next summer is another free agent year," Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. told VICE Sports. "But he’s done a terrific job of being selfless and looking out for others."

Even though he’s been integral in helping turn L.A.’s defense around—from a three-year stretch where they ranked either last or second to last in defensive rating to the top-10 unit they own today—Caldwell-Pope is understandably overlooked on a rebuilding roster that includes two of the NBA's last three second-overall picks and a mythological Almighty named Kyle Kuzma. He ranks seventh on the Lakers in usage, with a role that never calls attention to itself, for a team that currently has a 14 percent chance of making the playoffs.

This is far from basketball purgatory, but it’s also not an obvious home. Caldwell-Pope doesn’t have a lot of time to fit in; for reasons we'll get into later on, it’s more likely than not he’ll be in a different city next season. “There’s no benefit [to a one-year deal]. I’m up again next year,” he said. “I could be here, or be wherever I land.”

“Obviously it’s always a challenge when you’re coming to a new team on a one-year deal, and I think he’s done a really nice job of playing the way that we want him to play,” Lakers head coach Luke Walton said. “It’s not like he’s learning an entire new offense or anything like that. It’s more just what we’re looking for, what we’re valuing...you learn your teammate's strengths and weaknesses and where you can help them out and where they can help you out. All that stuff just takes time.”

Even though his core responsibilities haven't changed, Caldwell-Pope has been asked to create less offense for himself and others. The percentage of his possessions that have come as a pick-and-roll ball-handler have dropped 10.5 percent. He’s been effective coming off screens and more of his baskets are assisted than before, but unlike a stiff catch-and-shoot wing, Caldwell-Pope is still able to wiggle into satisfactory results when opponents take away what the Lakers want to do.

Here’s an example from a recent win against the Charlotte Hornets. It’s an "elevators" action that attempts to free KCP up for a three by zipper cutting through a double-doors screen set by Kuzma and Brook Lopez.

Marvin Williams recognizes what’s happening and switches out to contest, so Caldwell-Pope puts the ball on the floor, gets to the elbow, and rises up to knock down a mid-range jumper. It’s that ability to improvise that puts him a nose ahead of comparable players like Danny Green. (Here’s how "elevators" looks against a defense that isn’t prepared to stop it.)

At 6’5” and 200 pounds, he's an occasional victim of L.A.’s switch-happy defensive strategy that invites mismatches on the block as a means to neuter the offense’s ball movement and invite inefficient two pointers. Caldwell-Pope ranks dead last as a post defender, according to Synergy Sports, allowing 32 points on 21 possessions despite fighting for position before and after the catch.

But he's polished on the perimeter, a master of the NBA's dark arts defending on and off the ball. He knows how to elude screens, lock onto his man's hip, and transform into his shadow. "He gives me tips and pointers," Lakers rookie Josh Hart told VICE Sports. "He’s talked to me just about how to guard shooters off down screens...how to just be attached and go over the top so you don’t lose that separation and get torched for threes."

Nance Jr. added: "Whether it be Kemba, or Chris Paul, James Harden, Steph, every single night there’s some kind of guard that we play that has go-off potential, and he’s done a really nice job of slowing them down thus far."

Caldwell-Pope hasn’t made any noticeable statistical strides and his True Shooting percentage is still below league average, but he plays hard within his own limitations. Given the dearth of wings who check off the boxes he does on a nightly basis, how increasingly integral spacers who can also defend have become, and the fact that he's yet to enter his prime, Caldwell-Pope should be in line for a massive raise this summer. (He'll enter a marketplace that could also include Trevor Ariza, Avery Bradley, and Danny Green.)

But unless he's willing to sign another one-year deal (unlikely!), the Lakers probably won’t keep him beyond this season. Even if they strike out on Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins, LeBron James, etc. in free agency, L.A.’s President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson is all about preserving max space for the summer of 2019. The organization appreciates all KCP is doing, but would prefer to fill their cap sheet with All-Stars. So if not Los Angeles, where will Caldwell-Pope be next season?

Photo by Kelvin Kuo - USA TODAY Sports

“That’s what I do,” Caldwell-Pope told VICE Sports when asked how he’s enjoying L.A.'s quicker cadence. “I run the floor, I run the wing. Either get easy layups or transition threes.”

If they don't trade him, Los Angeles will probably lose Caldwell-Pope for nothing. They knew what this was the moment they signed him, but that still doesn't make it any easier to accept. He'll likely stay in the Lakers' starting lineup for the rest of the season and continue to instill winning habits in a culture that hasn't enjoyed a player like him in over half a decade. Beyond that, the only thing we know for sure is whichever team does sign Caldwell-Pope for the long haul won't be disappointed.

The Los Angeles Lakers Will Miss Kentavious Caldwell-Pope When He's Gone published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

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flauntpage · 7 years

Text

The Los Angeles Lakers Will Miss Kentavious Caldwell-Pope When He's Gone

Players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are both essential and unspectacular in the exact kind of way that allows them to be taken for granted. After the Detroit Pistons renounced his rights back in July—rejecting an opportunity to surrender over $100 million for their former lottery pick's service—Caldwell-Pope hit the open market with an agreeable game that snugly fits into the NBA’s own tactical trajectory.

Caldwell-Pope is now on the Los Angeles Lakers, where he signed a one-year, $17.7 million deal. It feels like an uncomfortable stasis for a player in his fifth season, enduring his second contract year in a row. But the 24-year-old has yet to test the shortcomings of his game for the sake of his own individual growth or production, at the cost of his team's success. Instead, he's solely focused on finding ways to move L.A.'s needle in a positive way. His teammates respect that, understand how important he is, and recognize the partnership could end sooner than anyone wants it to.

Even though he’s been integral in helping turn L.A.’s defense around—from a three-year stretch where they ranked either last or second to last in defensive rating to the top-10 unit they own today—Caldwell-Pope is understandably overlooked on a rebuilding roster that includes two of the NBA's last three second-overall picks and a mythological Almighty named Kyle Kuzma. He ranks seventh on the Lakers in usage, with a role that never calls attention to itself, for a team that currently has a 14 percent chance of making the playoffs.

“Obviously it’s always a challenge when you’re coming to a new team on a one-year deal, and I think he’s done a really nice job of playing the way that we want him to play,” Lakers head coach Luke Walton said. “It’s not like he’s learning an entire new offense or anything like that. It’s more just what we’re looking for, what we’re valuing...you learn your teammate's strengths and weaknesses and where you can help them out and where they can help you out. All that stuff just takes time.”

Marvin Williams recognizes what’s happening and switches out to contest, so Caldwell-Pope puts the ball on the floor, gets to the elbow, and rises up to knock down a mid-range jumper. It’s that ability to improvise that puts him a nose ahead of comparable players like Danny Green. (Here’s how "elevators" looks against a defense that isn’t prepared to stop it.)

Caldwell-Pope hasn’t made any noticeable statistical strides and his True Shooting percentage is still below league average, but he plays hard within his own limitations. Given the dearth of wings who check off the boxes he does on a nightly basis, how increasingly integral spacers who can also defend have become, and the fact that he's yet to enter his prime, Caldwell-Pope should be in line for a massive raise this summer. (He'll enter a marketplace that could also include Trevor Ariza, Avery Bradley, and Danny Green.)

Photo by Kelvin Kuo - USA TODAY Sports

“That’s what I do,” Caldwell-Pope told VICE Sports when asked how he’s enjoying L.A.'s quicker cadence. “I run the floor, I run the wing. Either get easy layups or transition threes.”

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