Potential and development

 I am really enjoying this post season of NBA.  So many great games, the resilience of Clippers, KD's grand standing, Joker and Damn's performance.  Those are highlights.  But there're others that's interesting as well, like BenSimmon being called out, or Giannis's team good with him or better without him.  

I kind linked Ben and Giannis together.  Because they are both slashers, they are both not good at shooting.  There's fundamental difference though.  Ben is said to be unwilling to shoot, but not Giannis.  76ers could not give up Ben for good reasons.  He's a good distributor and defender.  But this unwillingness to shoot is shone in this post season glaringly.  Because the game is so competitive, any missed shots was analyzed to death.  While watching bEn, I was constantly reminded of Magic Johnson.  I remembered in '84, when they were beaten by Celtics, Magic took the blame.  But Magic is a player who'll find any way to win, which included improving his shots and learned to recognize the moment he needed to score for his team.  I hope Ben will follow the suit as well.  He's able to dribble the ball, he has the height advantage to shoot over people, and he's a distributor for his team.  Even Stockton knew when to shoot the ball.  He gotta be able to recognize and seize the moment.  Or otherwise, he'll be just that, a potential.  Ben kept mentioning his defense on Trae Young.  But TY averaged 29 points in the postseason against 76ers.  TY's regular season average is 25.3.  Where's the defense?  So, yeah, Ben either swims or sinks.  

Giannis on the other hand I think improved a little?  In terms of shooting?  At least he dared to shoot.  But the reason they were able to go to the Final this year is because the Bucks learn to play along side of him.  He's one of the greatest slashers of all time.  But he still lacks a go to moves when the teams put wall around him.  I keep imagining if he could do skyhook.  I know, it's kind a cliché, he's with Bucks, he's lanky, athletics, a bit like Jabar.  But seriously, I just saw him commit an offensive foul on Crowder, like he crashed into a wall.  What if he turned sideway, and hook?  Those hook shots are not even skyhook.  It's only 3 feet away from basket.  What if he's learned Olajuwon's turn, counter, turn, even more counter?  He has all the athletic ability, including explosiveness.  The slasher I remembered the most was Shawn Marion, when SM was playing with JKidd, it was an awesome sight.  I feel that Giannis needs to have someone like that.  Can you imagine if JKidd with Giannis?  Or CP3 with Giannis?  Or Steph Curry, or Nash??  It's like unleashed the titans!  But slasher's potential is only a side dish.  No pure Slasher can score this much like Giannis in a consistent base.  The Buck team needs to sacrifice a lot in order to put Giannis up as a main dish.  This is why Bucks suffered all these times.  But just to imagine, Giannis shoot skyhook and moved like Dream-shake??  But of course, I felt that Kris is coming up nicely, at least up until the Finals.  So yeah, as long as Kris Middleton and Jru Holiday can start to find way to dominate when needed, then Bucks may be okay.  Because, if Giannis still cannot score in a trench war, Kris and Jru will need to learn from Magic, which is to recognize the moment for themselves.  I don't think Giannis mind.  But I just can't stop imagine what would it be like for Giannis to shoot skyhook??