If at the base, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was mostly used by Frank Vogel for his defense, the back has proven since the start of these playoffs that he can be used for many other things, in particular by putting shots from far allowing really to rule out the game for players like Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
It is important. Having spacing is always good for your offense and that’s what describes players of this type. Even if they don’t put out their shots, the mere fact that they’re on the pitch means you have to respect them. ” Frank Vogel
And when they put on their shoot, it’s worse! KCP runs at 45% success behind the line since the start of the playoffs, quite exceptional figures which inevitably contribute significantly to the success of the team.
When the outdoor shoots come in, it creates so much space for everyone. […] When Miami is defending in a zone, shooting is the best way to throw them off balance when you can’t access the racket. If KCP had not put in his two shots at the end of the 1st quarter, the rest of the match could have been very different. We trust him. He has confidence in himself. We know that every night he will arrive concentrated and ready to draw to put big shots for us. This is the key. We’re going to need this for the rest of the series. ” Anthony Davis
The interesting part is that while Caldwell-Pope’s outside address benefits players like AD, the presence of dominant players like Davis and LeBron also makes life easier for a shooter like KCP. The circle therefore seems to have come full circle.
They attract a lot of attention from the defenses on the floor. Bron and AD put such pressure on the circle. We as shooters have to find the openings and then we just have to be ready to shoot and try to keep our pace. ” Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Then, what is important is that Caldwell-Pope does not forget the defense, he who forms a duo of full-backs with Alex Caruso.
KCP and Alex accept the challenge of defending on the best player on the perimeter or the best opposing shooter in each match. They did a good job on Duncan Robinson the other night. Tyler Herro was good to him at first, then afterwards they focused on him. They took it personally. They don’t want opponents to tag them over the head. ” Anthony Davis
Like what, the adage is real. You never win a title alone. And even when in his team, we have a duo of superstars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis, role players are of paramount importance. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope showed it in Game 1 and if he continues to put in as he did on Wednesday night for the rest of the series, Miami may again experience great difficulties to return to this final .
Cia NBA.com
The last video of the 6th man
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