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Austin Rivers Will Only Get Better In Due Time
Posted on 2/13/13 at 9:28 pm
Posted on 2/13/13 at 9:28 pm
I don't really post much on here but I do love to visit everyday to see whats going on for my Tigers and also with Our Hornets and Saints. I notice allot of people love to criticize Rivers for making Rookie mistakes but the key word here is Rookie and were also dealing with a teen as well. No one here started any of their Jobs or Profession that took skill to master while they were that age Im sure. My point is Dell and Monty are professionals as well and lets give him a chance. He and Anthony Davis were 1 and 2 coming out of high school depending on what site you were browsing. I watched him Vs. North Carolina in this video and Im sure this is what Mr. Demps and Monty visualize for the future when they saw him. Austin Rivers Vs. North Carolina
6
Posted on 2/13/13 at 9:32 pm to LSUBOI
I've been one of his biggest critics, but he really has been showing some nice improvement lately. His defensive effort has been a pleasant surprise.
Posted on 2/13/13 at 9:33 pm to eyeran
On the phone, but there was a good article on him in the TP today if someone wants to link it
Posted on 2/13/13 at 9:36 pm to GynoSandberg
Posted on 2/13/13 at 9:43 pm to eyeran
Another article on Rivers.
LINK
quote:
“I can honestly say going into the second half of the season, I have gotten so much better,” Rivers said. “I feel good. My tempo and my pace is way better. Back when the season started, I just went at one speed. I went 100 miles per hour. Every time I got the ball, I tried to go 100 miles per hour and make the play where now I change speeds and read the defense and let the game come to me, go get it or be aggressive, whatever the defense is giving me. I am starting to figure it out a lot more and my mid-range game is starting to improve. Where I used to just shoot threes or attack the basket and finish at the rack, now I am starting to pump fake and make moves in the paint, floaters and mid-range, stuff like that is really coming along. I just have to continue to improve, continue to get that tempo and pace even better.”
It isn’t easy being a rookie in New Orleans. There are no grizzled veterans to pass on their years of experience and mentor the young players. The rookies have to rely on the coaching staff and their own resources to figure things out. If Rivers has taken longer to emerge or seems to being taking steps backwards after every step forward, it shouldn’t really come as much of a surprise.
“Our team is so young that our coaches have become the vets, so from that standpoint, even the young vets that we have are still trying to figure it out,” Hornets head coach Monty Williams said. “For the most part our young core they look to our coaches for leadership. It is just the way the league is now. You got 19 and 20-year-old guys who want answers and sometimes you have to make sure you are around to give them the right stuff.”
“[Learning] is just from experience, watching and just being coached,” Rivers said. “You watch film. Film is the biggest thing in this league. You watch after the game and you look at yourself and you ask, ‘Why am I going 100 miles per hour?’ I am a two/one, so I am playing against Deron Williams and [Russell] Westbrook and all these guys. If you watch the pace they go, they come down slow, change their speeds and let the game come to them. You just look at them and go, ‘I need to play more like that.’ Just from watching film and learning and that’s the best way you can do it.”
Experience can be a great teacher, if the student is willing to accept the lesson. Playing against Kobe Bryant recently had a big impact on how Rivers now views the game. He probably will not be able to implement everything he witnessed, but the lessons learned will certainly take him in the right direction.
“I had the opportunity to guard Kobe in the Lakers game about two weeks ago,” Rivers said. “I was really going at him and being physical and it was a learning experience because you just see greatness. After the game, you just watch him [on film], you see the way he just lets things come to him. He can go two miles per hour and score as many points as he wants from his footwork and the way he approaches it. In his mind he feels he is better than everybody, so it is pretty cool.”
LINK
Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:03 pm to LSUBOI
I'll say that his passing is night and day compared to earlier in the year.
If he turns into a guy that gives us 10+ off the bench and plays solid D i'll be happy.
If he turns into a guy that gives us 10+ off the bench and plays solid D i'll be happy.
Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:05 pm to LosLobos111
Anyone else think his future is better suited as a point guard first?
His shooting form is still ugly as all hell, but his court vision and his ability to drive and kick can make him a good PG off the bench for the future.
His shooting form is still ugly as all hell, but his court vision and his ability to drive and kick can make him a good PG off the bench for the future.
Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:07 pm to LosLobos111
quote:
If he turns into a guy that gives us 10+ off the bench and plays solid D i'll be happy.
Man, lets aim a little higher than that. He will be a solid starter in due time.
Tons of rookie SGs had similar stats in the past. Guys like James Harden comes to mind.
Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:08 pm to Broski
quote:
Anyone else think his future is better suited as a point guard first? His shooting form is still ugly as all hell, but his court vision and his ability to drive and kick can make him a good PG off the bench for the future.
You're right about that.
That would be a deadly combo with Ryno. He needs to work on these things in the offseason:
Free-Throw Shooting(Priority #1)
Shooting
Finishing(Has been a bit better)
Ball Handling(This has gotten better recently)
Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:22 pm to LosLobos111
I see him as a point guard.
Monty called him the point guard of the future, as well.
Monty called him the point guard of the future, as well.
Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:23 pm to GynoSandberg
quote:
Tons of rookie SGs had similar stats in the past. Guys like James Harden comes to mind.
That is just flat out wrong.
Harden didn't light the world on fire, but his numbers were much better.
LINK
That said, I think Rivers has developed quite nicely just in half a season.
Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:28 pm to corndeaux
The good defense over the past few weeks is what makes me happiest. It was pretty much impossible for him not to improve his close range shooting. He's had a terrible year overall but some bad luck and low confidence were a big part in the missed layups. He's cut down on the turnovers as well, which is good. He REALLY needs to get a consistent shooting form, though, and his court vision still isn't great (missed AD under the basket for an easy one tonight).
The best thing about his development, though would be only needing to add one guard to the team next offseason. Roberts/Mason have their moments, but if we want to make a playoff push, they can't be getting big minutes.
The best thing about his development, though would be only needing to add one guard to the team next offseason. Roberts/Mason have their moments, but if we want to make a playoff push, they can't be getting big minutes.
This post was edited on 2/13/13 at 10:31 pm
Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:34 pm to corndeaux
Every player in the history of the world had better numbers than Rivers.
I said they were similar. They are. His FG% and FT% are anomalies. He's at 46% and 68% his last 5 games. His numbers eventually will fall between those and his overall shitty numbers.
Anyway, the point is players get better.
I said they were similar. They are. His FG% and FT% are anomalies. He's at 46% and 68% his last 5 games. His numbers eventually will fall between those and his overall shitty numbers.
Anyway, the point is players get better.
Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:41 pm to corndeaux
quote:I agree.
That said, I think Rivers has developed quite nicely just in half a season.
I just want him to stay aggressive. There's been way too much of the ball swinging to him, then jab step, jab step, jab step, jab step, followed by a drive and dump off pass to somebody at the end of the shot clock.
He seems terrified that he might take a bad shot. Monty's begged the guy to shoot more, so he has the green light. Guys like Waiters are out there chucking! I wanna see Rivers put it up more.
Has also needs to spending the offseason dribbling a tennis ball around his house with his left hand.
This post was edited on 2/13/13 at 10:45 pm
Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:43 pm to eyeran
Rivers works. That's why he's gotten better.
Posted on 2/13/13 at 11:31 pm to 42
I want to see him really work icon finishing and FTs. He can get to the cup, his defense is actually good, and his court awareness is improving greatly.
If he can finish, it will force defenses to collapse on him and open up shots for everyone else.
If he can finish, it will force defenses to collapse on him and open up shots for everyone else.
Posted on 2/14/13 at 6:58 am to touchdownjeebus
He played pretty well last night. A couple of bad defensive rotations that I noticed but the TOs were down and he was getting to the basket pretty well. I think he will end up being a very good bench player until he is forced to start at point when General V takes a big contract elsewhere. Then he will be forced to develop a full arsenal of skills. 2-3 years and he will be an above average NBA player.
Posted on 2/14/13 at 7:08 am to LSUBOI
Rivers has looked so much better in the last couple of weeks. I'm optimistic that he will, at the very, least be a solid contributor. The kid apparently works his butt off, and that makes all the difference in the world when you've got his natural athleticism.
Posted on 2/14/13 at 7:09 am to LSUBOI
Except his shooting form is awful
Posted on 2/14/13 at 7:11 am to The Future
quote:
Except his shooting form is awful
That can improve in a full off season. Hopefully, that's one of the things he works on.
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