Zion Williamson NBA Predictions

[seaborneq]

Does anyone consider Zion’s rookie year a success?? Should he have been able to lead the pelicans to the playoffs since he is one of the top 3-4 players in the league. What grade does he get for his rookie year??

[rm18]

Does anyone consider Zion’s rookie year a success?? Should he have been able to lead the pelicans to the playoffs since he is one of the top 3-4 players in the league. What grade does he get for his rookie year??

He was better than expected but could not stay on the floor, I think they said the Pelicans had a +/- of a win 70 win team with him on the floor but that was pre bubble might of went down a little. He scored almost a pt a minute.

[seaborneq]

He was better than expected but could not stay on the floor, I think they said the Pelicans had a +/- of a win 70 win team with him on the floor but that was pre bubble might of went down a little. He scored almost a pt a minute.

Most in this thread think Zion is a hall of famer and all time great. So the expectations are very high for him.

[Goat Milk]

This guy is a problem....

No one can guard him.

It's funny because he can't shoot, just like Giannis, but he's way faster, way stronger, and way more explosive.

Plus his stroke is more fluid than Giannis, if he ever decides to develop that part of his game, and stays healthy, he'll win championships for sure, and mvps.

[seaborneq]

Zion’s game is so 80’s. He is dominating the 2 point area in a 3 point league. Bad timing. A guy hitting 40-45% of their 3’s will always beat a guy shooting 55-60% of 2’s over the long run. Bad for the pelicans to have a power post player in a long range league. Zion is not a great rebounder which is not good either.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Zion’s game is so 80’s. He is dominating the 2 point area in a 3 point league. Bad timing. A guy hitting 40-45% of their 3’s will always beat a guy shooting 55-60% of 2’s over the long run. Bad for the pelicans to have a power post player in a long range league. Zion is not a great rebounder which is not good either.

Sea, plz check the #s. Zion hitting a good % on 3s. As u say, he dominates the 2s.

I'm coming to appreciate his game. Surely, one of the top players in the game today.

[Goat Milk]

Zion’s game is so 80’s. He is dominating the 2 point area in a 3 point league. Bad timing. A guy hitting 40-45% of their 3’s will always beat a guy shooting 55-60% of 2’s over the long run. Bad for the pelicans to have a power post player in a long range league. Zion is not a great rebounder which is not good either.

Incorrect. Zion gets to the free throw line, causes foul trouble for teams, gets his team in the bonus, and also he takes the wind out of teams. I don't know if you've ever guarded explosive basketball players, but it's much more tiring to guard a big strong fast player who plays in the paint than a skinny 3 point shooter. When. you guard players like that, it takes it's toll on you physically and mentally.

You're talking about stats, and I'm talking about real basketball.

[Goat Milk]

Zion’s game is so 80’s. He is dominating the 2 point area in a 3 point league. Bad timing. A guy hitting 40-45% of their 3’s will always beat a guy shooting 55-60% of 2’s over the long run. Bad for the pelicans to have a power post player in a long range league. Zion is not a great rebounder which is not good either.

Lakers didn't win the title last year by shooting 3s. They won in the paint.

The only team of this generation to win titles shooting 3s is the warriors, and that's because they had the 3 best 3 point shooters of all time, not 3 of the best, the 3 best.

All these teams trying to copy that formula are failing, and failing hard. So everything you're saying is wrong.

[seaborneq]

Lakers didn't win the title last year by shooting 3s. They won in the paint.

The only team of this generation to win titles shooting 3s is the warriors, and that's because they had the 3 best 3 point shooters of all time, not 3 of the best, the 3 best.

All these teams trying to copy that formula are failing, and failing hard. So everything you're saying is wrong.

Since you went there with the Lakers. Check back in when Zion leads the Pelicans to the finals and wins. Zion finals MVP.

[seaborneq]

Incorrect. Zion gets to the free throw line, causes foul trouble for teams, gets his team in the bonus, and also he takes the wind out of teams. I don't know if you've ever guarded explosive basketball players, but it's much more tiring to guard a big strong fast player who plays in the paint than a skinny 3 point shooter. When. you guard players like that, it takes it's toll on you physically and mentally.

You're talking about stats, and I'm talking about real basketball.

Doesn’t matter how big, fast, and strong Zion is. His baskets still count for only 2 points 90% of the time. Teams are shooting and hitting nearly 40% of 40+ 3 point attempts a game. No one cares if Zion scores 25 points on nearly 20 shots. Being efficient at 2’s just doesn’t beat 40% on 3’s today. That’s why the Pelicans are under.500 despite Zion scoring 25 ppg. He has to hit 2/3’s of his shots just to break even with someone scoring on 40% of their 3’s. Id rather have the explosive 3 point guy than the efficient and dominant 2 point guy.

[seaborneq]

Sea, plz check the #s. Zion hitting a good % on 3s. As u say, he dominates the 2s.

I'm coming to appreciate his game. Surely, one of the top players in the game today.

I checked the stats. Zion has made 8 3’s in 42 games. I don’t see where his percentage is even a factor if he doesn’t even average an attempt per game. That’s not HIS game when nearly half the field goal attempts are 3’s in the league.

[jjgold]

end of thread

Lakers didn't win the title last year by shooting 3s. They won in the paint.

The only team of this generation to win titles shooting 3s is the warriors, and that's because they had the 3 best 3 point shooters of all time, not 3 of the best, the 3 best.

All these teams trying to copy that formula are failing, and failing hard. So everything you're saying is wrong.

[SamsNCharge99]

Zions a monster on low market team

needs to be on competitor unless pelicans want to make moves to make them competitive

[Itsamazing777]

Lakers didn't win the title last year by shooting 3s. They won in the paint.

The only team of this generation to win titles shooting 3s is the warriors, and that's because they had the 3 best 3 point shooters of all time, not 3 of the best, the 3 best.

All these teams trying to copy that formula are failing, and failing hard. So everything you're saying is wrong.

I agree. But who is the third? Kerr? Steph and klay yes.

[Chi_archie]

Zion IS making 2's at a better % to score than any other team other than maybe LA Clippers are getting from behind the arc as a whole.

Pelicans needed to surround Zion with 2 super sharp shooters.

having a guy that the defense has to collapse on so drastically, will increase the open looks at good shooters get. Pelicans aren't built quite right yet. But he has time to solidify that shot, and they have time to build the proper type of team around him in the next 2-3 years

[Hu$tle]

he gets pussy fouls called every play when he just barrels to the rim...

but nobody can guard him with tick tac calls

[jackpot269]

barkley was a 6'6 power forward

Was more like 6'4 1/2 but was still a bully in the paint!!

[Goat Milk]

Doesn’t matter how big, fast, and strong Zion is. His baskets still count for only 2 points 90% of the time. Teams are shooting and hitting nearly 40% of 40+ 3 point attempts a game. No one cares if Zion scores 25 points on nearly 20 shots. Being efficient at 2’s just doesn’t beat 40% on 3’s today. That’s why the Pelicans are under.500 despite Zion scoring 25 ppg. He has to hit 2/3’s of his shots just to break even with someone scoring on 40% of their 3’s. Id rather have the explosive 3 point guy than the efficient and dominant 2 point guy.

And how do you suppose you're going to get good 3 point shots without a guy who can draw double teams in the paint? Are you just expecting every player to be the next Curry and create their own 3 pt shots off the dribble?

Utah is the best 3 point shooting team in the league, right?

They will not win the title, plain and simple.

You're saying 25 points on 20 shots. You're not factoring in the elements I just said. The toll it takes on a defense, physically, mentally, to guard a player like Zion, or Shaq. You cannot guard these players. You get demoralized. You also didn't have anything to say about getting in the bonus.

3 point shooting teams who just shoot jumpers don't get in the bonus.

Kawhi won a ring (which was a fluke cause KD and Klay got injured) shooting midrange shots and getting to the free throw line.
Lakers did the same, except replace midrange shots with layups and dunks.

And the nets, who will win this year, are gonna win because they are gonna average the most points in the paint in the playoffs.

Your formula literally makes no sense with no evidence to back it up.

This is why Harden never won in houston. All they did was surround him with 4 3-point shooters. So with harden, that made 5 on the floor. They tried to put PJ Tucker at the 5.

How did that work out?

It didn't.

Those analytics literally don't mean shit.

You can dream all you want about shooting 40% on 3s -- you're not going to do that in the playoffs. It's very easy to take away the 3 point line. It's simple. No one gives a shit in the reg season.

Your basketball logic is built for the regular season.

My basketball logic is built to win titles.

[chargers4222]

I think he's a bust. He's only 6-6 and he can't shoot. If you look at the players who bust the most in the NBA they are players who dominate with size and athleticism at college but against bigger and stronger NBA players their inability to shoot gets them exposed.

Predictions are strong across the board, dumb shits.

[Goat Milk]

Predictions are strong across the board, dumb shits.

Finally something we agree on.

[Goat Milk]

Morino, Zion is the strongest and fastest player in the league. There's no one who can match his strength, not even any centers. He eats them alive.

[Chi_archie]

fastest

[seaborneq]

And how do you suppose you're going to get good 3 point shots without a guy who can draw double teams in the paint? Are you just expecting every player to be the next Curry and create their own 3 pt shots off the dribble?

Utah is the best 3 point shooting team in the league, right?

They will not win the title, plain and simple.

You're saying 25 points on 20 shots. You're not factoring in the elements I just said. The toll it takes on a defense, physically, mentally, to guard a player like Zion, or Shaq. You cannot guard these players. You get demoralized. You also didn't have anything to say about getting in the bonus.

3 point shooting teams who just shoot jumpers don't get in the bonus.

Kawhi won a ring (which was a fluke cause KD and Klay got injured) shooting midrange shots and getting to the free throw line.
Lakers did the same, except replace midrange shots with layups and dunks.

And the nets, who will win this year, are gonna win because they are gonna average the most points in the paint in the playoffs.

Your formula literally makes no sense with no evidence to back it up.

This is why Harden never won in houston. All they did was surround him with 4 3-point shooters. So with harden, that made 5 on the floor. They tried to put PJ Tucker at the 5.

How did that work out?

It didn't.

Those analytics literally don't mean shit.

You can dream all you want about shooting 40% on 3s -- you're not going to do that in the playoffs. It's very easy to take away the 3 point line. It's simple. No one gives a shit in the reg season.

Your basketball logic is built for the regular season.

My basketball logic is built to win titles.

Zion won’t make the playoffs. Scoring is up on every level of basketball for one reason and its not because teams are more efficient on shooting 2’s.

[Goat Milk]

Zion won’t make the playoffs. Scoring is up on every level of basketball for one reason and its not because teams are more efficient on shooting 2’s.

Zion is 20 or 21 years old. He will win a title and he will be a finals MVP doing exactly what he's doing, mixing in an occasional 3. Scoring is up because the pace is faster mostly, and also the change of the shot clock to 14 after an offensive rebound. Which saves several minutes total every game, which results in at least 15 more points on that alone.

It isn't because of 3s. You got it backwards bro.

Again, you failed to respond to all my points. Why hasn't harden ever won a championship when for the last 8 years in houston they did the 3 point experiment?

How about Dantoni with the suns -- the suns shot more 3s than anyone during that time period, and Kobe and the Spurs both shit on them, denying them a finals birth year after year despite them always having one of the highest seeds.

Kobe and the Spurs weren't 3 point shooting teams. They killed you in the paint.

The formula doesn't work bro plain and simple. It worked for one team, and we know why that was.

[seaborneq]

Zion is 20 or 21 years old. He will win a title and he will be a finals MVP doing exactly what he's doing, mixing in an occasional 3. Scoring is up because the pace is faster mostly, and also the change of the shot clock to 14 after an offensive rebound. Which saves several minutes total every game, which results in at least 15 more points on that alone.

It isn't because of 3s. You got it backwards bro.

Again, you failed to respond to all my points. Why hasn't harden ever won a championship when for the last 8 years in houston they did the 3 point experiment?

How about Dantoni with the suns -- the suns shot more 3s than anyone during that time period, and Kobe and the Spurs both shit on them, denying them a finals birth year after year despite them always having one of the highest seeds.

Kobe and the Spurs weren't 3 point shooting teams. They killed you in the paint.

The formula doesn't work bro plain and simple. It worked for one team, and we know why that was.

More 3’s are being taken than ever before and more 3’s are being made than ever before, but that’s not a reason that scoring is up?? You stick to sniffing Zion’s ass and I’ll look at the NBA objectively.

[asiagambler]

Harden never had much help and still nearly beat the greatest team of all time. That has to count for something and I don't think you can completely dismiss 3 point shooting philosophy because of it

In the end, having great players matter more but analytics very nearly evened the score between a team with 4 superstars and a team with 1.5. I wouldn't call that failing hard

[captrobey]

He is tough to stop at the rim but i see him miss a lot of mid range shots . Free throws were bad but he has looked to get a bit better with those lately.

[Goat Milk]

More 3’s are being taken than ever before and more 3’s are being made than ever before, but that’s not a reason that scoring is up?? You stick to sniffing Zion’s ass and I’ll look at the NBA objectively.

1	Houston	45.5	37.3	49.0	43.7	46.6	45.1
2	Dallas	41.0	36.7	37.0	40.4	41.4	36.6
3	Minnesota	39.7	35.0	35.0	40.0	39.4	28.7
4	Milwaukee	38.7	35.0	33.0	39.1	38.5	38.2
5	Brooklyn	38.6	47.3	50.0	35.8	40.6	36.0
6	Toronto	37.4	38.3	28.0	37.2	37.5	33.9
7	New Orleans	36.9	29.3	34.0	38.0	36.0	29.9
8	Atlanta

Those are the top 8 teams from one year ago in terms of 3 point attempts. Not one of those teams even made a conference finals.

[Goat Milk]

Harden never had much help and still nearly beat the greatest team of all time. That has to count for something and I don't think you can completely dismiss 3 point shooting philosophy because of it

In the end, having great players matter more but analytics very nearly evened the score between a team with 4 superstars and a team with 1.5. I wouldn't call that failing hard

Paul was a superstar, they lost when Paul went out. Paul still is a superstar today. He's the best floor general in the league, he took the worst team in the league PHX to one of the best teams, with no other additions, just him.

[jtoler]

Was more like 6'4 1/2 but was still a bully in the paint!!

if that’s the case then so was mj but I know that isnt the case. I forgot I posted a pic of both together in this thread

[asiagambler]

Paul was a superstar, they lost when Paul went out. Paul still is a superstar today. He's the best floor general in the league, he took the worst team in the league PHX to one of the best teams, with no other additions, just him.

He is and has been MVP level this year but last year in Houston he looked like he was declining. Shooting percentages way down and defensive liability

Still Rockets had a big lead in Game 7 even without Paul

[jackpot269]

if that’s the case then so was mj but I know that isnt the case. I forgot I posted a pic of both together in this thread

It was in the run-up to the 1992 Olympics that the world finally learned what the cognoscenti had long suspected -- that Charles Barkley was more like 6-4 5/8 than 6-6, and Magic Johnson closer to 6-7 than 6-9.
- Sports Illustrated

[jackpot269]

if that’s the case then so was mj but I know that isnt the case. I forgot I posted a pic of both together in this thread

American Basketball Legend. At age 18 he was being described as 6ft 4, and in the NBA regularly called 6ft 6, a height he himself claimed in 1994 "I'm 6-foot-6". Pat Riley was once quoted saying "Did you know that when Jordan was measured he was only 6-4 and a half, not 6-6 the way he's listed". For the Barcelona Olympics, he was listed as 6ft 4.75

[jtoler]

American Basketball Legend. At age 18 he was being described as 6ft 4, and in the NBA regularly called 6ft 6, a height he himself claimed in 1994 "I'm 6-foot-6". Pat Riley was once quoted saying "Did you know that when Jordan was measured he was only 6-4 and a half, not 6-6 the way he's listed". For the Barcelona Olympics, he was listed as 6ft 4.75

I can believe it in the sense that listed heights are usually not barefoot heights and always adding at least an inch and a half so basically height with shoes. mj seems a legit 6’6 on the golf course and at the racetrack but I guess we just areused to only visualizing heights with shoes

[cincinnatikid513]

already has more than 5 times as many made 3 pointers as ben simmons