http://nba.si.com/2013/12/11/all-ni...nce-kevin-garnett-kendrick-perkins/?eref=sihp
The All-Atrocious Team
PG: Raymond Felton, Knicks
Settling on the right point guard was clearly the toughest roster decision, which says a lot about the quality of depth at the position. Injuries complicated this one, too: Players such as John Lucas III, Jamaal Tinsley and Tyshawn Taylor were ruled out because they were/are stand-ins; Milwaukee’s Brandon Knight, a very strong candidate thanks to his 10.3 PER, 34.8 percent shooting and 17.1 turnover percentage, was ruled out because he just hasn’t played that many minutes. Ditto for the Lakers’ Steve Nash.
Felton has dealt with injuries this year, but he’s played in all but four of New York’s games. His fundamental credentials are strong: He’s shooting just 39.4 percent from the floor and a pitiful 27.9 percent from three-point range, his PER is well below average at 12.1 and he’s a starter for one of the NBA’s three worst defenses. More important, though, he’s not going to accidentally win games with his offense or defense. Other poor early-season PER performers such as the Lakers’ Steve Blake or the Celtics’ Avery Bradley offer legitimate value with their three-point shooting and on-ball defense, respectively. That Felton is averaging a career-low 10.3 points and that he has never averaged at least 16 points for a season are both big: The last thing I want is a point guard capable of putting a team on his back.
GOLLIVER: Grading the Rudy Gay trade
While the 5-15 Knicks have been better with Felton on the court than without him (New York went 0-4 when he was out), the biggest key to this selection is turning him into a fish out of water. In New York, Felton plays a majority of his minutes alongside ball-dominant, high-usage players like Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith. On this team, he will have no shooters to bail him out and the full responsibility of running an offense will be on his shoulders. That’s where his shaky outside jumper, inconsistent decision-making and poor finishing at the rim will come in handy.
Much like the real Knicks, but taken to the extreme, the All-Atrocious Team will squander Felton’s ability to work in transition by playing at a snail’s pace and surrounding him with inferior athletes who won’t be able to keep up when he pushes the pace. Get ready for a bunch of failed one-on-three fast breaks that end with Felton’s sprawled out on the baseline beseeching the officials for a call.
The puffy-chested over-confidence, side-eye scowls, emphatic frustration dribbles and a total willingness to speak his mind — no matter how bad things get — are the icing on this cupcake. Unlike his teammates on this squad, Felton isn’t dramatically overpaid at $3.6 million, but, all things considered, he’s still the right guy for the job.
The All-Atrocious Team
PG: Raymond Felton, Knicks
Settling on the right point guard was clearly the toughest roster decision, which says a lot about the quality of depth at the position. Injuries complicated this one, too: Players such as John Lucas III, Jamaal Tinsley and Tyshawn Taylor were ruled out because they were/are stand-ins; Milwaukee’s Brandon Knight, a very strong candidate thanks to his 10.3 PER, 34.8 percent shooting and 17.1 turnover percentage, was ruled out because he just hasn’t played that many minutes. Ditto for the Lakers’ Steve Nash.
Felton has dealt with injuries this year, but he’s played in all but four of New York’s games. His fundamental credentials are strong: He’s shooting just 39.4 percent from the floor and a pitiful 27.9 percent from three-point range, his PER is well below average at 12.1 and he’s a starter for one of the NBA’s three worst defenses. More important, though, he’s not going to accidentally win games with his offense or defense. Other poor early-season PER performers such as the Lakers’ Steve Blake or the Celtics’ Avery Bradley offer legitimate value with their three-point shooting and on-ball defense, respectively. That Felton is averaging a career-low 10.3 points and that he has never averaged at least 16 points for a season are both big: The last thing I want is a point guard capable of putting a team on his back.
GOLLIVER: Grading the Rudy Gay trade
While the 5-15 Knicks have been better with Felton on the court than without him (New York went 0-4 when he was out), the biggest key to this selection is turning him into a fish out of water. In New York, Felton plays a majority of his minutes alongside ball-dominant, high-usage players like Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith. On this team, he will have no shooters to bail him out and the full responsibility of running an offense will be on his shoulders. That’s where his shaky outside jumper, inconsistent decision-making and poor finishing at the rim will come in handy.
Much like the real Knicks, but taken to the extreme, the All-Atrocious Team will squander Felton’s ability to work in transition by playing at a snail’s pace and surrounding him with inferior athletes who won’t be able to keep up when he pushes the pace. Get ready for a bunch of failed one-on-three fast breaks that end with Felton’s sprawled out on the baseline beseeching the officials for a call.
The puffy-chested over-confidence, side-eye scowls, emphatic frustration dribbles and a total willingness to speak his mind — no matter how bad things get — are the icing on this cupcake. Unlike his teammates on this squad, Felton isn’t dramatically overpaid at $3.6 million, but, all things considered, he’s still the right guy for the job.
