Category: NBA

In general, in the NBA, posting up is a strategy of a bygone era.

Just ask Rick Carlisle (and a reporter did!).

The Dallas Mavericks coach was criticized during the team’s win over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night by the Inside the NBA crew, who wanted to see Kristaps Porzingis play inside more instead of hanging out at at the perimeter.

It would seem counterintuitive when the 7-foot-3 Porzingis — not the bulkiest of big men despite putting on some muscle this offseason —  is most effective hitting from distance and creating offense from the perimeter (that’s what makes him the Unicorn!). And that’s exactly what Carlisle said when asked about that — he went on a rant about Porzingis and the post-up play in general (WARNING: There’s an NSFW word in there):

Rick Carlisle responds to @NBAonTNT criticism of Porzingis needing to play more in the paint and back opponents down pic.twitter.com/xNbsqKEdif

— The Advocate (@JustTheAdvocate) December 27, 2019

Here’s the full transcript, via The Athletic:

“The post-up just isn’t a good play anymore. It just isn’t a good play. It’s not a good play for a 7-3 guy. It’s a low-value situation. Our numbers are very substantial that when he spaces beyond the 3-point line, you know, we’re a historically good offensive team. And when any of our guys go in there, our effectiveness is diminished exponentially. It’s counterintuitive, I understand that, but it’s a fact. I think there’s certain situations where it makes sense. If we can get him on a roll in the paint towards the rim, that’s a good situation. And that’s what we’ll try to do with all our guys.

“We don’t post anybody up. We post Luka up every once in a while when he has a real small guy on him. But even those situations, the value of those situations has plummeted. We’ve got to realize that this game has changed. It’s changed. It’s just a fact. And he’s a guy when he spaces beyond the arc, above the break, is a historically great all-time 3-point shooter with unbelievable efficiency. And the thing I like about his game now is his reads have gotten better. His spacing is such that when people run at him, he’s now driving the ball directly for dunks. He’s throwing some really cool lob passes to (Dwight) Powell. I mean, you’ve got a 7-3 guy throwing to a 6-10 guy on a lob? That’s pretty (expletive) cool if you ask me.

“Let’s get off of all this stuff that KP needs to go in the post. He doesn’t. He doesn’t. I’m OK with him going in there once in a while, but we don’t post anybody. It’s nothing personal against him. Look, he’s used to doing it because they ran the triangle for two or three years when he was (with the Knicks). Who’s running the triangle now? Has anyone seen anyone running the triangle offense? The triple post? If you do, raise your hand, because I wanna see who you are. Because I haven’t seen it. Because that offense is extinct. Look, it went extinct when Phil Jackson retired. He’s the only one who ever had any success with it. He’s a genius and a master of it, but look, we’ve got to get off of this thing. We’ve got to treat KP with some respect. And respect him for what he is. He’s a historically great player. And quit criticizing him because he’s 7-3. That’s what everybody’s doing. I don’t care who it is. I don’t care if it’s people on TV or anything else.”

The thing is, he’s right, both about the play and Porzingis’s effectiveness:

I think the disconnect between this (aka reality) and the Cult of the Infinite Post Up is the latter think the rim area has been devalued offensively, whereas Carlisle & others realize best way to use that space is to attack *into* it, not have a large dude plant himself there. https://t.co/wd18QKnuJD

— Anchorage Man (@SethPartnow) December 27, 2019

According to Second Spectrum data, Kristaps Porzingis has averaged 0.606 points per direct postup this season.

That ranks last among 66 players with at least 35 postups this season. Next worst efficiency? Boban Marjanovic at 0.700. For context, Porzingis has 84 total postups. https://t.co/k6yYcrxtQP

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 27, 2019

Big men these days are more prized when they can stretch the floor, not if they can post up inside, save for the occasional mismatch.

[jwplayer rPV04Ib5-q2aasYxh]