Roberson is still the weak link and now it seems he's forgot how to play defense. Dipo just ate him up. He really should not be starting on this team. He's a situational player off the bench IMO.

Wait so roberson was guarding dipo when he dropped 30 on us? Sheesh.....

35, but that's besides the point. Team defense is significantly more important than individual, and with Melo being on a contender we can only hope that the help defense the team brings is better than what it was.

Did a quick Comparison not Analysis

Well pulling ex-OKC bench players from the last three years and comparing them to only OKC's current bench minus Patrick Patterson is likely to provide a pretty one-sided comparison. Also, context adds a lot too.

If we're just comparing the benches from this season and last (which is still problematic since OKC's big three will play way more with the bench), here you go:
rookie Abrines < second-year Abrines
Domas Sabonis < Patrick Patterson
3rd year Jerami Grant < 4th year Jerami Grant
Semaj Christon < Raymond Felton
Kanter > Huestis (meaningful in regular season, not in playoffs as none of these guys might play)
McDermott = Ferguson (neither have shown much yet, but I'd definitely take Ferguson's upside)
Singler = Singler (this is the intersection of basketball nothingness and an abyss)

Roberson is still the weak link and now it seems he's forgot how to play defense. Dipo just ate him up. He really should not be starting on this team. He's a situational player off the bench IMO.


Wait so roberson was guarding dipo when he dropped 30 on us? Sheesh.....

This is the basketball equivalent of Inhofe saying a snowball means global warming is a myth. Roberson has not forgotten how to play basketball. The best defensive players in the league don't shut guys down night in and out. But great defensive players tip the scale in their teams favor over time. Roberson has looked fine defensively this season and is a major difference maker still.

Listen I won't debate with you anymore.....the way you feel about Robertson is the way I feel about my guy Steven Adams. Every year he gets better in scoring and he has always been a good defender. With more space on the floor he will continue to dominate as the best center in the league.

Listen I won't debate with you anymore.....the way you feel about Robertson is the way I feel about my guy Steven Adams. Every year he gets better in scoring and he has always been a good defender. With more space on the floor he will continue to dominate as the best center in the league.

I get frustrated like everyone else with Roberson's inability to shoot. And, there's been some suggestions, that maybe he had some kind of injection from which he may still be recovering, which may be why he hasn't looked great to start the season. But, my pet peeve, is that we as fans in general don't value parts of the game that are not obvious (e.g., defense, screen setting, off ball activity). Everyone loved Kanter because he scored, but hates Roberson because he can't. But Roberson helps the Thunder win games, especially meaningful ones, more than Kanter. I defend Roberson because hardly anyone else does even though he's a pretty decent player because of his defense. And, in the end, the numbers mostly back that up. If there's a good sample size of data that suggests that he does not help the Thunder win then I'll be calling for him to be benched too. Anyway, I'm a bit of a contrarian by nature so when everyone is bashing Robes it makes me want to defend him. I enjoy the debate.

Oh, and we agree about Steven Adams. He looks great this season. Beyond his efficient scoring, he does a lot of little things to help this team win. He's been amazing. Probably OKC's second best player so far this season.

Donovan has been consistent with having a Westbrook, George or Anthony in with the reserves while two of the big 3 rests. Bench will be stronger than last season; also, impressed with the progress Felton, Abrines, Grant & Huestis have made since opening night. Especially, Felton's knowledge for the game.

I get frustrated like everyone else with Roberson's inability to shoot. And, there's been some suggestions, that maybe he had some kind of injection from which he may still be recovering, which may be why he hasn't looked great to start the season. But, my pet peeve, is that we as fans in general don't value parts of the game that are not obvious (e.g., defense, screen setting, off ball activity). Everyone loved Kanter because he scored, but hates Roberson because he can't. But Roberson helps the Thunder win games, especially meaningful ones, more than Kanter. I defend Roberson because hardly anyone else does even though he's a pretty decent player because of his defense. And, in the end, the numbers mostly back that up. If there's a good sample size of data that suggests that he does not help the Thunder win then I'll be calling for him to be benched too. Anyway, I'm a bit of a contrarian by nature so when everyone is bashing Robes it makes me want to defend him. I enjoy the debate.

Oh, and we agree about Steven Adams. He looks great this season. Beyond his efficient scoring, he does a lot of little things to help this team win. He's been amazing. Probably OKC's second best player so far this season.

And I agree with most of the things you post in the threads Dankrukta but I think you misunderstand me if you presume I dot know or value the defensive impact that Robertson brings. Kanter is a good example. I liked him a ton. But the same footwork he employed on offense wasnt transferable to defense. It doesn't make you anti-Kanter because you acknowledge that. I don't think Robertson is an elite defender guarding the 2 position. Elite defenders-kawhi Leonard, klay Thompson, Raymond green, Rudy gobert, etc- they don't give up 2 games of almost 30 points back to back very often.

So, although I love robersons grit and determination, and tenacity, and defensive prowess.....he isn't and elite defender. But to me, that's up for debate. What shouldn't be up for debate is playing a guy like roberson when he handicaps the half-court offense instead of a guy like huestis who can score and shoot and defend too.

And I agree with most of the things you post in the threads Dankrukta but I think you misunderstand me if you presume I dot know or value the defensive impact that Robertson brings. Kanter is a good example. I liked him a ton. But the same footwork he employed on offense wasnt transferable to defense. It doesn't make you anti-Kanter because you acknowledge that. I don't think Robertson is an elite defender guarding the 2 position. Elite defenders-kawhi Leonard, klay Thompson, Raymond green, Rudy gobert, etc- they don't give up 2 games of almost 30 points back to back very often.

So, although I love robersons grit and determination, and tenacity, and defensive prowess.....he isn't and elite defender. But to me, that's up for debate. What shouldn't be up for debate is playing a guy like roberson when he handicaps the half-court offense instead of a guy like huestis who can score and shoot and defend too.

He was 2nd team all-defense last year....

Good point. ^^^

...But, my pet peeve, is that we as fans in general don't value parts of the game that are not obvious (e.g., defense, screen setting, off ball activity)...

This is precisely the reason I so doggedly defended Russ for so many years. Back when the Thunder first started there were few nationally-televised games, and a bunch of national media judged him based on a few clips each night that often included him clanking an ill-advised shot. They created this false narrative that he was "selfish," and it stuck. And they and most casual watchers failed to see that he had roughly zero other team scoring options for the first few years when KD was double and triple teamed (which very often) or having an off shooting night (which was also very often) or pouting and standing like a statue above the arc (which was all of the damned time). And once Harden emerged he was of course mostly on the floor when Russ was off of it. But from day one it was obvious to me that the amount of disruption he was causing would pay off if only his teammates improved, bought in, and rose to the occasion. Media and casual observers also conveniently forgot that somehow KD led the league in scoring three seasons while he was here.

Obviously Russ is a more mature and fully-developed player now and that helps, but his game is still largely the same and I'm super glad to see guys like Carmelo and PG appreciating the skill and leadership. Makes me incredibly optimistic, providing it continues. The point is that I agree that fans (and even media) get easily distracted by out-of-context stats or flashy parts of the game and miss other less-obvious elements a player brings.


...But Roberson helps the Thunder win games, especially meaningful ones, more than Kanter. I defend Roberson because hardly anyone else does even though he's a pretty decent player because of his defense...

And one of the things that is often not talked about when breaking down his stats is that he is generally going strait at the most elite players in the league, every night. As in, that is his assignment. So even comparing his defensive stats to even other players on his own team is pretty misleading. With the assignments he gets, simply having above average stats over the course of a season would be a massive achievement.

And I agree with most of the things you post in the threads Dankrukta but I think you misunderstand me if you presume I dot know or value the defensive impact that Robertson brings. Kanter is a good example. I liked him a ton. But the same footwork he employed on offense wasnt transferable to defense. It doesn't make you anti-Kanter because you acknowledge that. I don't think Robertson is an elite defender guarding the 2 position. Elite defenders-kawhi Leonard, klay Thompson, Raymond green, Rudy gobert, etc- they don't give up 2 games of almost 30 points back to back very often.

So, although I love robersons grit and determination, and tenacity, and defensive prowess.....he isn't and elite defender. But to me, that's up for debate. What shouldn't be up for debate is playing a guy like roberson when he handicaps the half-court offense instead of a guy like huestis who can score and shoot and defend too.

This is my point: I am not sure your claims are true. Are you sure those players you mentioned don't give up 30 point games? How do you know? Great defensive players generally don't shut down NBA players from scoring. They just cause a few more misses here and there, deny a couple passes, cause hesitancy. But I'm pretty sure all defenders, including the ones you mentioned, give up huge games. You think Kawhi stops Durant from scoring 30 all the time? Or other players? Also, did you break down who was the primary defender on Oladipo when he scored? It's easy to blame it all on Roberson, but do you know how many points Roberson actually gave up? He only played 21 minutes so other defenders likely gave up a lot of it too. I am fine with disagreeing. Just like to see some evidence or stats on the claims. It's like the suggestion that Avery Bradley is a better defender, but I looked it up and pretty much every stat showed Roberson as being significantly better. When you look at Roberson's stats, they show an elite defender. What evidence contradicts that? Now, maybe he's regressed so much as to make his defense not worth it, that's an interesting debate.

And one of the things that is often not talked about when breaking down his stats is that he is generally going strait at the most elite players in the league, every night. As in, that is his assignment. So even comparing his defensive stats to even other players on his own team is pretty misleading. With the assignments he gets, simply having above average stats over the course of a season would be a massive achievement.

There are some advanced stats that account for your competition level, which are useful.

Dankrukta

Like Thomas.vu said a while back. I think I have made a poor attempt at expressing my thought. So instead of drafting extensive paragraphs to expound on my thoughts lets keep it simple..... We can debate whether or not he is an elite defender or simply solid or even good. Nonetheless, I'm suggesting that maybe his offensive challenges handicap OUr half-court offense so much that it not only cancels but isn't even worth him playing. A solid defender who can contribute 15 points a game from the shooting guard position and will demand the opponent guarding him to not sag in the paint might be a better option!

That's as simple as I can state it.

By the way, my old statistics professor taught me that stats lie. 😏😏😏

Another tough loss.

The team hasn't been able to put together a full performance yet in this young season. There are times where aspects of their games are great. A quarter of good offense/defense, Melo shooting well, PG shooting well, etc. But they haven't been able to piece it all together yet.

It's gonna take some time, probably around Christmas or so, until they get rolling. I know the gnashing of teeth is coming, so I want to try and put some perspective out there. No need to panic, folks.

Dankrukta

Like Thomas.vu said a while back. I think I have made a poor attempt at expressing my thought. So instead of drafting extensive paragraphs to expound on my thoughts lets keep it simple..... We can debate whether or not he is an elite defender or simply solid or even good. Nonetheless, I'm suggesting that maybe his offensive challenges handicap OUr half-court offense so much that it not only cancels but isn't even worth him playing. A solid defender who can contribute 15 points a game from the shooting guard position and will demand the opponent guarding him to not sag in the paint might be a better option!

That's as simple as I can state it.

By the way, my old statistics professor taught me that stats lie. 

Yes, two things here: I don't agree there's an argument as to whether Roberson is an elite defender, but I do agree that his offensive challenges make for an argument of his overall value. So, we can agree on one of two. ;) And, I also agree, stats can show whatever someone wants, which is why interpretation is important. I tried to provide that.

To all this discussion, Donovan sat Roberson for the first time in a long time. We'll see how it works out. I don't see who can get his minutes that will help the team more, but I'm not against experimenting. We will see. For the franchise, hopefully Robes bounces back because he just signed a new three year deal.

Tough game in Minny. Thunder offense was great, defense was awful. It's a long season though. No need to panic. Personally, I think the key to this team is Melo stepping back a bit offensively and looking for more threes instead of twos, but I'm not sure I expect his game to change.

Yep, glad I skipped this game and went to watch game 3 of the WS at a bar

My memory must be fickle, I thought it was me and one other guy preferring Kanter over Roberson vs everybody else (in this thread). Outside of this thread I could see it going the way Dan mentioned for the reasons he provided. I since gave up on that position and tried to demonstrate that there are two sides to the court and they are literally on each side of the coin.

It's not my intention to start another discussion about it, as it recently occurred to me that "fan" is short for "fanatic" and that most discussions involving a fanatic usually falls on deaf ears either way.

If you could merge Alex Abrines' offensive ability with Roberson's defensive ability, we'd be all set.

^^^^I know right!

That NBA2k created player might be this years mvp lol

.

Oklahoma City Thunder 101 - Chicago Bulls 69

Box score: http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400974830

Westbrook's 3rd Triple Double - Points 12, Rebounds 13, Assists 13

Paul George shot his way out of his mini-slump, Thunder was raining threes as a group - GSW style - during the first half, D was swarming and much-improved for most of the game, team as a whole picked up rebounding slack that had appeared post-Kanter departure - including Carmelo, notably, though Westbrook was a rebounding machine - and Melo notched his 6th game in a row above 20 points, the only player in Thunder history to start a season like that. Granted, the Bulls are awful, but really nice progress in this game. Oh, and Steven Adams: good at basketball. Thunder perimeter threats are allowing him FEAST on offense.

https://i.imgur.com/Pts04eW.png
These charters, my God; just thankful by the looks of the nose of that plane we didn't have some casualties. If they hit a bird, it must have been one of Godzilla's flying sea monsters.

Defense looking real damn good. Steven Adams is a beast. Middleton just through the ball at Steven Adams lol; maybe I've had too many ultimate long island ice teas here at TGIF but I kind of wanted Steven to fold him up like a pretzel!

Just once to put the whole league (draymond green) on notice

.

Oklahoma City Thunder 110 - Milwaukee Bucks 91

Box score: http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400974854

Bucks struck by lightning.

Excellent job of pushing Giannis out of his comfort zone and getting him into early foul trouble. He still got 28, but was much less of a dominant factor than he’s been in every other game this season.

Two post-game quotes stuck with me:


”When we play the grown-ups, we've got to be ready, and we weren't. They played the grown-ups tonight.” - Bucks coach (and noted spousal abuser) Jason Kidd


”Russ, Russ pushes the tempo. Nobody can push him from the paint, and we're getting wide open looks.” - Paul George

There is going to be a narrative emerging soon in the media that Russell Westbrook has “made over his game.” That he’s “no longer so selfish,” or “finally realizes he needs to involve his teammates to win.” Don’t believe it. He is the same Russell Westbrook he as always been. Obviously a little more developed and crafty, but essentially the same. The difference is that now he has MATURE All-Star teammates around him who appreciate the opportunities that HIS game brings to THEM. Russell hasn’t changed; the experience level and mindset of his TEAM has.

Russ is (and always has been) my favourite athlete and NBA player; but even I think Russ HAS changed in that he's more mature, he's more patient, and he seems to have developed (or developing) more basketball IQ to where he doesn't need to panic as much when the going is tough.

In years past (even last), he'd look up at the scoreboard and if OKC was losing - he'd take it upon himself to be Russ and expect the rest of the team to match or at least try (and when they wouldn't he'd have a significant tantrum which would cause him to lose bball focus and chunk up ill advised, heavily contested, miss shots).

I see him this year, more patient - yes there's still the out-of-control dash to the bucket (and miss because he went too/so fast, no foul) Russ that we all know and love BUT he's managing the game AND TEAM much better and I think it is due to PG13 and Anthony not necessarily lending their talents but that the EXPECTATION of the team itself is much higher/better due to the other two. It's almost like if you visit NYC or Chicago, they could have an off-day and not be what you expect but if there's a major event happening then NYC and Chicago shine better than any City because; well that's what we expect from NYC and Chicago. OKC seems to be developing this team cohesion around Russ where its starting to work and it is due to the presence of George and Melo star power IMO that has raised the bar for the team.

With OKC now having a legitimate Big 3 and the #3 media spot (including being the definite media darling for at least this year), I can see players stepping up in ways that didn't happen last year. I can see players wanting to shine, because the level OKC must be on having Russ, Melo, and Paul G. And as others have noted, the biggest beneficiary besides us fans is Steven Adams - he's well on his way to being the dominant center in the league (again) this year ala 2015 playoffs; and if he keeps this up then OKC will be the only team in the NBA to have legitimate, solid big 4.

disclaimer - I know some may say; wait, Golden State has a big 4 too. But I disagree, because OKC has (or looks like will have) four players in unique positions having superstar status in Russ-Point Guard, Paul G-Small Forward, Anthony-Power Forward/Scorer, and Adams-Center. GSW doesn't have it that way, Curry at Point and Durant at Small Forward/Scorer are the only positions that are truly defined. What is Clay Thompson? He's great, budding superstar but he does best when one of the others sits, more like a 6th man since he cannibalizes Curry or (to a lesser extent) KD. Dreymond 'the nutcracker' Green a PF or a Center - he's an Allstar facilitator but a superstar at neither.

Most would probably agree that GSW does best when it has 3 of their big 4 on the floor [Curry, Livingston, Durant, Iggy, Green come to mind]. Whereas, OKC is at its best with it's core starting lineup and that is because there is no cannibalization - as long as the team performs and the superstars be themself (just like Melo said) then OKC really has a big 4 that works and likely will be the team that unseats GSW as the nba's superteam (particularly if the bench continues to develop). ..

Kudos to Presti (and Bennett's funds) believing in Russ, letting him mature but still be his-self, and him with other star players (btw, I knew Melo would sign with OKC back in July shortly it was disclosed he 'might' include OKC in his trade list, I knew Houston would f-up and OKC would swoop in). Anyway, I sure hope it gels and OKC surprises the world with a chip and long term contract signatures from the 'new 2'. Good times!

To your point, I think the biggest change in Russ' game is that he trusts his new teammates more than his old teammates. Russ just did not trust Sabonis so he didn't pass it to him in certain spots. I think Russ' changes are less that he's a different player then that he's in a different situation. And, Steven Adams is a huge beneficiary of this new situation because other teams can't clog the lane with Melo or Paul George on the wings. They pull a lot of attention away from the paint that allows Adams to roam.

I disagree on the Warriors analysis. Unfortunately, their pieces fit perfectly together, all of their big 4 are top 20 players in the league, and their best lineups include their big 4 playing together. I really like how OKC is coming together. Having said that, it's probably going to take a Warriors injury for any team to compete with them. They're still in a league of their own (don't let early season games fool you). But I would love for nothing more than to see OKC find a way to take down the Warriors... it'll certainly be an interesting season.

After league review, Russell was awarded an assist that was missed against the Bucks.

Add another triple double for the season.

To your point, I think the biggest change in Russ' game is that he trusts his new teammates more than his old teammates. Russ just did not trust Sabonis so he didn't pass it to him in certain spots. I think Russ' changes are less that he's a different player then that he's in a different situation. And, Steven Adams is a huge beneficiary of this new situation because other teams can't clog the lane with Melo or Paul George on the wings. They pull a lot of attention away from the paint that allows Adams to roam.
fool you)...

100% agree with this assessment. The maturation and patience that Hot Rod is talking about actually happened years ago. Again, Russ is pretty much EXACTLY the same player he’s been for the past 4-5 seasons. The only thing that has changed is the combination of personnel around him.

Bad Loss. Blew an 18 point half-time lead.

If you recall, terrible officiating started the Celt's recovery.

If you recall, terrible officiating started the Celt's recovery.

Agree,

Don't like to harp on the officials; however it was obvious that on many of Boston's fouls the officials swallowed their whistles along with the balls inside of them.

Got to give it up to Horford, he was clutch down the stretch.

We have GOT to get out of this funk.

I don't say this often, but the refs were ridiculous last night. Melo's ejection was absolutely absurd and this is right after the refs refused to even look at Russ getting hit in the face.

I'm not worried too much. The Thunder are 0-4 in close games. OKC's point differential is the third best in the NBA, which is usually a better representation of a team than their record. Close games will start going OKC's way. They're still figuring things out.

Russ needs to stop attending the Roberson School of Free Throw Shooting too.....

The Tuesday game in Sacramento should theoretically be an easy win. But we shall see.

Russ needs to stop attending the Roberson School of Free Throw Shooting too.....

There was a rule change this year which does not allow the player to walk outside the top of the free throw key is what he says is bothering him. Russ claims his entire life he has walked in and shot his free throw, then walks back out and comes in for the next one. The rule is intended to speed up the game but Russ needs to adjust.

It seems like a fair excuse, as he is an 82% career FT shooter.

I've also noticed he wasn't taking that deep calming breath before free throws like he used to. Which I think might be affecting his shots more than walking outside the circle.

Taking that deep breath from the stomach is a technique I use quite a bit in billiards and while it may be as much psychological as it is calming. It's a technique that works very well for me.

Free throws are so much more about psychology than most of the rest of the game. Sure, you can have an off night from outside or people can get into your head during a game or whatever, but most of the rest of the game is (or should be) played with a certain amount of mindlessness. Meaning they are automatic with as much preparation and experience as these guys have. Free throws, on the other hand, are so deliberate that self-doubt has much more room to take you out of muscle memory. That's why routine is so important; it helps keep the mind clear.

I don't say this often, but the refs were ridiculous last night. Melo's ejection was absolutely absurd and this is right after the refs refused to even look at Russ getting hit in the face.

I'm not worried too much. The Thunder are 0-4 in close games. OKC's point differential is the third best in the NBA, which is usually a better representation of a team than their record. Close games will start going OKC's way. They're still figuring things out.

Agreed on all counts.

This team's offense is broken. What a horrible performance.

The only thing I think I can say about this game is you gotta hand it to the Kings bench. They did better than their starters.

Embarrassing performance. We'll see how the team responds. Will Russ be stubborn when things are going poorly or can he stabilize the offense? Is Russ going to run back on defense after a mistake? Will Melo realize that he's got to move the ball when a shot isn't initially there instead of pounding the rock for an iso, contested jumper? How will the team get PG integrated? Will the team completely abandon Steven Adams on offense when he was dominating? The answer to all these questions tonight was no. Again, it's still early, but it's going to take some humility from the Russ and Melo especially to figure this thing out.

Funny thing is that I don't think Russ was bad. +2 overall, 20/12/6, and maintained composure after that ridiculous flagrant 1. Melo was bad, the statistics show that PG shouldn't be taking game winners, and the Kings got to their average in points scored.

Funny enough, I thought the Kings offense looked a lot better than ours. Extra passes were made, and they were getting open shots. The shots just weren't going in for them resulting in Joerger swapping out all of the starters 10 minutes in.

Looking at the box score again, bench scoring was bad too. Outside of Grant, the combined scoring was 10.

Yeah, it's amazing Russ was a +2, but I think it's just an anomaly. He had so many really bad turnovers in the first half, but what really disappointed me is seeing him not even try to get back on defense a couple times when the team was struggling. He's just got to be a better leader and set the tone.

But, yeah, the Kings played like a team and the Thunder didn't. Off nights happen, but I was more concerned about the lack of execution in general and lack of effort in spots.

You'll see more teams go after the franchises stacked with super stars like the Warriors, Cavaliers, Celtics, Rockets, Spurs, Thunder & Timberwolves. Face it, they can afford to gamble because they don't have anything to lose.

Dude. Were down 96-92 to the nuggets. What the piss trainee?! Like, what is the problem ? We gotta get out of this slump

The offense is garbage. The Nuggets are one of the worst defensive teams in the league and they may not even get to 100.

The offense is garbage. The Nuggets are one of the worst defensive teams in the league and they may not even get to 100.

We are a bunch of All-stars but no team. This could have the makings for a very long and disappointing season.

^^^^^say it ain't so

**sigh**

Bench scoring, not great again. On the plus side, it was somebody else who scored the majority this time.

We traded several very promising players and are left with no reliable 2d unit and no team identity or cohesion. But it's only 10 games. ��

The team always seems to start out well, but completely forgets how to play the longer the game goes on. Is that on the coach? Players? Both?

Well on the bright side this is making George’s decision to stay or go much easier

I decided before the season I would give them until the All Star break to start complaining.... I'm sticking too that plan..... Well that and Jayhawk basketball starts tonight... So I won't be watching as much pro ball until April. ;)

Our crunchtime offense is really bad. Billy and Russell are still figuring out how to get a flow going. There was one possession either late third or early fourth where we ran an actual play that had the ball passed like 6 times before getting to an open Melo who knocked down the three.

We need more plays. We are for sure stuck in a "you, then you, then me" type of ISO offense.

Andre needs to cut more, he will randomly do that sometimes and we are deadly, then he will just camp on the 3 line and of course not even be guarded.

I decided before the season I would give them until the All Star break to start complaining.... I'm sticking too that plan..... Well that and Jayhawk basketball starts tonight... So I won't be watching as much pro ball until April. ;)

i'm a bit worried about KU's ability to penetrate on offense. Malik Newman looks clumsy as hell when he drives, and Graham has always been more of a spot up guy. I'm not saying the offense will be bad, just that it seems like the team will miss Jackson's and Mason's ability to create off the dribble.