Player The blessed howl's moving Castle of Stephon Javonte

[SpursBills]

Just anecdotal, but I feel like Castle goes through these stretches every once in a while where he goes through multiple games where his shot looks terrible and he has to take a couple days off (presumably to put up a thousand shots) and then returns with an improved percentage. Like last year when they were delayed by the LA wildfires and he hired a personal trainer. Or this year when he had to take some time off from his hip flexor injury. Maybe he just needs to take a game or two off and go back in the gym to recharge his shooting bank by putting up another thousand shots.

Long term, and this applies to both Castle and Harper, but our rebounding and struggles against physicality are directly tied to how much their shot improves. With as much as Mitch values spacing, I feel like the more gravity Castle/Harper have, the more willing he is to play a 4 that sacrifices some shooting in favor of rebounding and secondary rim protection (i.e. a PJ Washington type vs Harrison Barnes). If they continue to be 30% shooters on low-medium volume, Mitch is probably going to want to continue to roll with a wing at the 4 spot, and the Spurs are always going to have problems against teams with bigger or more physical frontcourts. Ultimately, while rim pressure and elite ball handling and above average size are essential, having below average shooting from both your backcourt guys puts a ton of pressure on your frontcourt to shoot, and that's not very efficient economically. It's way less expensive and more economical to have a smaller guard that can shoot and a big forward that can protect the rim and rebound than it is to have a big guard that can't shoot but can rebound and defend with a small wing that can shoot but is a below average defender/rebounder. In order to take full advantage of being big, our guards also can't give up the advantages that traditional guards have over them.

 

[PanameSpur]

I won't claim to be Steph's number one fan, but I believe I'm in the top 5 here since about his 1st week of his rookie season, I've believed in him ever since, but even I am starting to waver on his shooting now. It's not looking good. He can't hit anything and I'm starting to believe (just looking at his misses) he might not have any feel at all for shooting the ball. His mechanics look OK with decent ball rotation and he seems to be shooting with confidence (which are both great things), but this past week or two, I'm now starting to think that he just has no feel for shooting and I don't believe players can improve if that don't have at least a tiny bit of feel. To me, it doesn't matter how good you are mechanically and technically with your form, and also shoot if with confidence, it's still not enough if you don't have any feel for shooting, you're still likely to not improve your shooting. I've believed he has a little bit of feel and I thought with his work rate, he'll get there due to how hard he works on his game.

Every time he misses one now, I'm starting to get dejected for him and I hang my head just watching a miss. I keep thinking to myself please make one (just for his own confidence), Air-balling shots inside the free throw line is also not a good sign. He's even starting to miss free throws now too.

Do not "waver" (thx did know that word), hold tight.

It's only year 2 and shooting isn't his sole focus of development, it's his first season leading the team and PG is the most complicated position. The shooting takes time and players with a good form always get better when known for their work ethic.

Even Lebron became a decent shooter ^^

Castle is having a very good sophomore season but is in a slump right now, that's all.

 

[Exstatic]

Just anecdotal, but I feel like Castle goes through these stretches every once in a while where he goes through multiple games where his shot looks terrible and he has to take a couple days off (presumably to put up a thousand shots) and then returns with an improved percentage. Like last year when they were delayed by the LA wildfires and he hired a personal trainer. Or this year when he had to take some time off from his hip flexor injury. Maybe he just needs to take a game or two off and go back in the gym to recharge his shooting bank by putting up another thousand shots.

Long term, and this applies to both Castle and Harper, but our rebounding and struggles against physicality are directly tied to how much their shot improves. With as much as Mitch values spacing, I feel like the more gravity Castle/Harper have, the more willing he is to play a 4 that sacrifices some shooting in favor of rebounding and secondary rim protection (i.e. a PJ Washington type vs Harrison Barnes). If they continue to be 30% shooters on low-medium volume, Mitch is probably going to want to continue to roll with a wing at the 4 spot, and the Spurs are always going to have problems against teams with bigger or more physical frontcourts. Ultimately, while rim pressure and elite ball handling and above average size are essential, having below average shooting from both your backcourt guys puts a ton of pressure on your frontcourt to shoot, and that's not very efficient economically. It's way less expensive and more economical to have a smaller guard that can shoot and a big forward that can protect the rim and rebound than it is to have a big guard that can't shoot but can rebound and defend with a small wing that can shoot but is a below average defender/rebounder. In order to take full advantage of being big, our guards also can't give up the advantages that traditional guards have over them.

Neither one of our young guards is a below average defender, nor are they the rebounding culprits. The player you are describing is Harrison Barnes, sub par in both defense and rebounding.

 

[Sugus]

I love Castle on many levels but his atrocious shooting is the kind of thing that will get targeted in a playoff matchup and be an even bigger liability in that setting.
Our recent success means teams are scouting us more than usual and making specific adjustments for our strengths and weaknesses.
The 3 guards have worked in large part because Fox has shot well from 3. Without that we’d be in trouble.

Not that you're wrong, but that was always THE big question mark surrounding the 3 guard "hydra offense" - at least one of them had to be able to stretch the floor for it to work.

Castle's shot looks "an off-season away" still, but better than last year. I'm glad it was a big focus of his summer because it's quite likely the only thing standing between him and stardom right now.

 

[Mugen]

His form still isn't great tbh. Brings the ball too low and the motion is too slow. Too much time between catch and release for something mechanical to alter the shot.

 

[Exstatic]

Not that you're wrong, but that was always THE big question mark surrounding the 3 guard "hydra offense" - at least one of them had to be able to stretch the floor for it to work.

Castle's shot looks "an off-season away" still, but better than last year. I'm glad it was a big focus of his summer because it's quite likely the only thing standing between him and stardom right now.

Fox is the floor stretcher right now, which is why usually one of the young guards is running the offense.

 

[Sugus]

Fox is the floor stretcher right now, which is why usually one of the young guards is running the offense.

You just pointed out the very issue with Fox being the delegated floor stretcher: it limits his role to be the floor-stretcher. Not the best investment of nearly 60 million dollars if that's the role we'll be assigning him to moving forward, tbh...

But that's not the biggest issue I see with Castle and Harper's shooting woes still; every single modern All-Star guard has some form of reliable 3pt moves that they can pull, and generate gravity from, or shooting threat off the dribble, to keep defenses honest.

At the current rate, Castle's defenders will be going under on screens maybe even in our 1st round playoff matchup, and Fox standing on the wing for a C&S is not nearly enough to compensate for this factor. If Castle wants to be a star, he needs to be a dependable shooter from deep, sadly. I don't need the Tatum side-step 3's, just the pull-up to drag defenders out.

 

[rjv]

i would be tempted to blame his poor shooting in the knicks game on his thumb but he was pretty bad in the cavs and jazz game as well. he may just be struggling with teams when they clog the paint the way they have these past few games. and when he tries to force his way between defenders, this is when he commits those costly turnovers. the same thing is happening to harper, but because he's a rookie, dylan seems to be struggling even more so.

 

[Seventyniner]

Castle takes a bunch of his threes from 3 feet behind the line. That lack of consistency in distance could be messing with his results.

 

[Exstatic]

You just pointed out the very issue with Fox being the delegated floor stretcher: it limits his role to be the floor-stretcher. Not the best investment of nearly 60 million dollars if that's the role we'll be assigning him to moving forward, tbh...

But that's not the biggest issue I see with Castle and Harper's shooting woes still; every single modern All-Star guard has some form of reliable 3pt moves that they can pull, and generate gravity from, or shooting threat off the dribble, to keep defenses honest.

At the current rate, Castle's defenders will be going under on screens maybe even in our 1st round playoff matchup, and Fox standing on the wing for a C&S is not nearly enough to compensate for this factor. If Castle wants to be a star, he needs to be a dependable shooter from deep, sadly. I don't need the Tatum side-step 3's, just the pull-up to drag defenders out.

No, that’s only one of his roles. He playmakes when necessary, especially late. Floor stretcher early opens our offense. When Castle goes out, and Devin Or Champagnie comes in, he switches roles seamlessly. THAT’S what we’re paying the big bucks for, and why a mono role like Trae would never work here.

 

[SpursBills]

Neither one of our young guards is a below average defender, nor are they the rebounding culprits. The player you are describing is Harrison Barnes, sub par in both defense and rebounding.

I'm confused, where did I say that our young guards are below average defenders or bad rebounders?

 

[RC_Drunkford]

I think his ceiling is pretty limited and he should be held more accountable for his turnovers and bad mid range chucking

I wouldn't call shooting over 50% from midrange "bad chucking" tbh

Teams are starting to put their bigger wings on Castle and have them go under the screen, like the Cavs did with Dean Wade. Luckily Castle is so good at navigating screens and manipulating the defense that he finds ways to get to his spots anyway. He'll just have to adjust some depending on the match up.

 

[Exstatic]

I'm confused, where did I say that our young guards are below average defenders or bad rebounders?

Long post that i misinterpreted. My bad

It would be helpful that if you’re talking about player on our roster that you name them, instead of using their skill sets which are wildly interpretive from person to person.

 

[BatManu20]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2007223377619005632

 

[scott]

My boy Ajay