DJ & his (Lack Of) Assists

[spectre]

http://blogs.charlotte.com/inside_th...i-suspect.html

I keep getting emails saying D.J. Augustin is this team's best point guard. Nope. Augustin is a talent, but he has nine assists in the past six games. Felton has that many in last night's loss.

It's actually worse; 11 assists in the last 8 games.

*Last night...1 assist in 24 minutes which came on Boris' last 3 at the end, and it was a shot Boris wouldn't normally have taken (semi-contested).

*Boston...19 minutes, 1 assist

*LAL...20 minutes, 0 assists

*NYK...26 minutes, 4 assists

*Philly...16 minutes, 0 assists

*WAS...24 minutes, 3 assists

*Indiana...21 minutes, 1 assist

*Toronto...14 minutes...1 assist

He has had a couple of good assist games in the past...notably vs. Toronto (6 in 20 minutes) and against the Clips (8 in 27), but for the most part he's been kind of weak for a PG who everyone considered "pass first".

Thoughts on why?

[ohara831]

I've beenwondering the same thing. I wish someone would put LB on the spot in an interview and just ask him. Is he trying to make DJ more of a small 2 and telling him to focus more on scoring? Is DJ just not getting the ball to the people in the right position? I know for much of the time he is in there with the 2nd team so he's not in there with our best, but he does get a good bit of time with the starters when he plays, so I cant give him that excuse. Dont know, but not happy about it either. Gotta improve.

[dnbman]

First off, I like Augustine as a player.

However, I NEVER understood why people thought he was a pass first pg, other than winning the Bob Cousy award. He looked like a score first guard all of the college games I saw him play. So, I didn't understand why people thought he was going to be a lot different than what we had in Felton, other than his ability to stroke it from outside.

So, I don't think it's any problem with his development. I just think he is who he is. I definitely think he can be a quality pg. However, it was a bit disingenuous by folks to label him pass first just because he was a good guard in college.

At this point, I'm see him as a Ben Gordon type, though less prolific a scorer and a bit better creator.

[amour217]

First off, I like Augustine as a player.

However, I NEVER understood why people thought he was a pass first pg, other than winning the Bob Cousy award. He looked like a score first guard all of the college games I saw him play. So, I didn't understand why people thought he was going to be a lot different than what we had in Felton, other than his ability to stroke it from outside.

So, I don't think it's any problem with his development. I just think he is who he is. I definitely think he can be a quality pg. However, it was a bit disingenuous by folks to label him pass first just because he was a good guard in college.

At this point, I'm see him as a Ben Gordon type, though less prolific a scorer and a bit better creator.

I agree with you completely: I figured out pretty quickly that Augustin wouldn't be racking up the assist totals. While his offensive game is refined, particularly for a smaller player, his playmaking skills could use improvement (and honestly, whose wouldn't?)

[TattoodCats4life]

DJhas been playing a lot of time with Felton on the court, so his first pass is to Felton, who then passes it to Diaw (for another pass) or wallace for a drive, or Oakfor for a dunk.... He is also fantastic at scoring, so he gets balls passed back on the 4th and 5th pass and puts them up for long 2, 3, or occasionally (less since the ab strain) a run to the rack for a fade away... DJ doesn't have the defense to play very much off the ball, but playing felton off the ball still leaves DJ without assists because he is a rookie and sends his first pass to Felton. I see him getting 5+ assists/night next year as he defers to felton less and less,but does lacking assists really mean he's not a great PG?

[spectre]

In Larry Ball it does. Remember Billups' story where he thought he'd had a bad game, scoring low points on a bad % yet LB was ecstatic because he'd racked up a lot of assists?

DJ played most of the 2nd quarter last night without Felton...no assists.

I pretty much concur with DNB...the Texas games I saw Rick Barnes played him off the ball for the most part. I understand he was much better when Durant was there, but we don't have that "go to" scorer who can bail you out.

Not saying he can't pass...he can. He can make some really sweet passes. He seems very conservative tho, like he's afraid to do anything that's not a sure fire catch.

[dnbman]

but does lacking assists really mean he's not a great PG?

No. However, his mentality is to score. He's not selfish. However, he's not the pass first point guard that people were thinking he was.

Of course, I'm one of those people that doesn't put a lot of stock into the whole "need a pass first point guard" approach. I just want my pg to try and make the best decision for whatever the situation is. If that means he doesn't take a shot or takes 30, it's all the same to me.

Part of Felton's problem is that he'll get frustrated if the offense doesn't execute for a while and then start trying to take over the game. However, when guys are moving and the offense is working, Felton will go for long periods with relatively few shots.

[davcbow]

Ive noticed when he is in the game along with Felts, his assists are low, when he is in the game without Felton his assists go up. So I think it all depends on how he is being used on the court at the time....

[110oldeast]

dnbman,

I agree with every single word you've said on this thread with regard to DJ and Felton. Great posts man.

Are you the one who compared DJ with Jason Terry before? If so, I agreed with it then and now.

I think DJ is a MONEY shooter and terrific scorer. I saw him as that in UT's system and never got the "pass first" thing other than it being a way of saying we need an alternative to Felton. And this was the easiest justification. I'm convinced that they could have drafted a young Starbury (not comparing DJ to him by any means) and folks would have said it was b/c we needed a "pass first pg."I think he is who he is. He is a guy who brings the ball up and "lets the offense run itself" while providing value as a scoring threat. If you double off him, you're in trouble as he is a knockdown shooter and can get by you if you buy the pump fake. He can make plays, but that is a secondary strength.

The tough thing is that when he and Felton are on the floor, the team would be better served if LB said "Ray, just keep playing pg the way you have been" and "DJ be ready to knock down shots."

Unfortunately, I think LB is gunshy to do this as this is the exact concept that started the notion of Felton being a "shoot first" or "combo" guy. He doesn't want to take DJ down that same path and stunt his development as a pg. Furthermore, the difference in strength/playing size b/w Felton and DJ leads to Felton seeming to be the more logical 2g choice despite the reality that Felton is the better creator and DJ is the better shooter.

As to Felton being on the floor affecting DJ, it seems that DJ's better stretches often occur with Felton on the floor with him.

[110oldeast]

I will agree that he defers as a playmaker to Felton when in there often. He also often defers to Diaw as a playmaker when he is in there as well.

I just think he is more comfortable with the role of offensive scoring threat more so than facilitator. Part of this may be concerns over TOs as well. The reality is that the more you pass and try to make plays for others, the more you are going to make TOs. You have a lot better chance of avoiding TOs if you aren't adventurous in making plays for others. As a rookie fearing LB's wrath related to his TOs (see the 2nd quarter stretch where he had a couple in a short stretch as the lead dwindled), it's likely easier to allow others to take those risks.

Ive noticed when he is in the game aong with Felts, his assists are low, when he is in the game without Felton his assists go up. So I think it all depends on how he is being used on the court at the time....