Let Me Be The First

[Porckchop]

An article from 11/30/15. The total aggregate w/l since Ricky's been here was 120-208, in games he's played in 93/120. Add in this years record 13-28 with him it comes too 106-148.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Ricky Rubio among NBA point guards this year.

- 12th in ORPM
- 1st in DRPM
- 5th in RPM
- 6th in RPM Wins
- 15th in PER
- 14th in Value Added (T-14th in Estimated Wins Added)
- 2nd in Assist Ratio
- 6th in Rebound Rate
- 59th in TS%

These things tell us what we already know. Ricky's an elite facilitator, elite rebounder for his position and arguably the best defender at his position. He's bottom of the league (among qualified) when it comes to scoring efficiency. We know all of these things. Nothing's really changed about him, BUT...

The guy does have value on the basketball court and he legitimately has an impact. The majority of advanced stats tell you that he produces greatly (compared to other NBA point guards) when he's on the floor. Do not lose sight of that because of your growing fatigue of watching him blow a layup or miss 16-footers. He's still a top-15 point guard in the NBA and very valuable to this team.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Ricky Rubio among NBA point guards this year.

- 12th in ORPM
- 1st in DRPM
- 5th in RPM
- 6th in RPM Wins
- 15th in PER
- 14th in Value Added (T-14th in Estimated Wins Added)
- 2nd in Assist Ratio
- 6th in Rebound Rate
- 59th in TS%

These things tell us what we already know. Ricky's an elite facilitator, elite rebounder for his position and arguably the best defender at his position. He's bottom of the league (among qualified) when it comes to scoring efficiency. We know all of these things. Nothing's really changed about him, BUT...

The guy does have value on the basketball court and he legitimately has an impact. The majority of advanced stats tell you that he produces greatly (compared to other NBA point guards) when he's on the floor. Do not lose sight of that because of your growing fatigue of watching him blow a layup or miss 16-footers. He's still a top-15 point guard in the NBA and very valuable to this team.

This is the same debate that guys like Love and DJ and Drummond have. Love's defensive deficiencies make him borderline unplayable to close out games for Cleveland against any good teams because they know how to attack Love. DJ and Drummond's free throw deficiencies make them borderline unplayable to close out games. Ricky's offensive deficiencies make him borderline unplayable to close out games. And they all make too much money to sit at the end of games. So I think it is time to move on from Ricky because I can't imagine a world where he's cool with sitting out to close games because his offense is such a liability that he can't be out there. And people talking about Rondo winning a title. That was 2008. It's 2016 and the league is just different from how it was back then. Your primary ball handler has to be able to put the ball in the bucket in today's game and Ricky just can't do that. PG defense is a luxury while primary ball handling offense is a necessity in today's game.

[Coolbreeze44]

Ricky Rubio among NBA point guards this year.

- 12th in ORPM
- 1st in DRPM
- 5th in RPM
- 6th in RPM Wins
- 15th in PER
- 14th in Value Added (T-14th in Estimated Wins Added)
- 2nd in Assist Ratio
- 6th in Rebound Rate
- 59th in TS%

These things tell us what we already know. Ricky's an elite facilitator, elite rebounder for his position and arguably the best defender at his position. He's bottom of the league (among qualified) when it comes to scoring efficiency. We know all of these things. Nothing's really changed about him, BUT...

The guy does have value on the basketball court and he legitimately has an impact. The majority of advanced stats tell you that he produces greatly (compared to other NBA point guards) when he's on the floor. Do not lose sight of that because of your growing fatigue of watching him blow a layup or miss 16-footers. He's still a top-15 point guard in the NBA and very valuable to this team.

This is the same debate that guys like Love and DJ and Drummond have. Love's defensive deficiencies make him borderline unplayable to close out games for Cleveland against any good teams because they know how to attack Love. DJ and Drummond's free throw deficiencies make them borderline unplayable to close out games. Ricky's offensive deficiencies make him borderline unplayable to close out games. And they all make too much money to sit at the end of games. So I think it is time to move on from Ricky because I can't imagine a world where he's cool with sitting out to close games because his offense is such a liability that he can't be out there. And people talking about Rondo winning a title. That was 2008. It's 2016 and the league is just different from how it was back then. Your primary ball handler has to be able to put the ball in the bucket in today's game and Ricky just can't do that. PG defense is a luxury while primary ball handling offense is a necessity in today's game.

When you're right, you're right.

[thedoper]

Ricky Rubio among NBA point guards this year.

- 12th in ORPM
- 1st in DRPM
- 5th in RPM
- 6th in RPM Wins
- 15th in PER
- 14th in Value Added (T-14th in Estimated Wins Added)
- 2nd in Assist Ratio
- 6th in Rebound Rate
- 59th in TS%

These things tell us what we already know. Ricky's an elite facilitator, elite rebounder for his position and arguably the best defender at his position. He's bottom of the league (among qualified) when it comes to scoring efficiency. We know all of these things. Nothing's really changed about him, BUT...

The guy does have value on the basketball court and he legitimately has an impact. The majority of advanced stats tell you that he produces greatly (compared to other NBA point guards) when he's on the floor. Do not lose sight of that because of your growing fatigue of watching him blow a layup or miss 16-footers. He's still a top-15 point guard in the NBA and very valuable to this team.

Isn't the real problem that most everyone believes that Rubio should be a top 5 PG with his feel for the game? I think we need a top 10 PG, shooting from the PG position weighs heavily in today's game. We can celebrate his strengths, but his lack of ability to hit a shoot, especially when teams extenuate weaknesses in the 4th is a problem. And it affects everyone to have someone on the floor who can't shoot when you need to score. I go back and forth constantly about many players on this team, but Rubio has to be the toughest. I think the right system could help, but it is frustrating to see someone who could be great just be good.

[Monster]

I think it's still about 40-60 games from us knowing if we should move on from Rubio or not. Rubio has been a big key in the wolves playing better basketball lately. Can Rubio defend guards in the playoffs next to Lavine? Lavine as someone else suggested could be the closer. I think we need to think more outside of the box at times. I've never gotten the feeling that the Wokves are completely sold on Rubio. They like him they love what he brings but they aren't stupid he has stuff to worry about. They aren't just going to give him away though and try shouldn't his contract isnt really a problem at this point either. I have the worries everyone else has here but even if Rubio has the same flaws he always had I want to see him more with this group.

[TAFKASP]

Rubio has an immense weakness in his game, one that unquestionably makes life more difficult for the four players on the floor with him, especially late in close games. I think if we take a step back, take a broader look at the team we see that the players he's on the floor with have their own weaknesses, thus Rubio is not able to compensate for them anymore than they for him. I don't think guys like Wiggins, KAT, Bazz, nor Lavine are ready to be the man late on either end of the floor thus Rubio's weakness is magnified. If they can bring in a quality 3 or 4, someone with reliable outside shooting and the continued maturing of Wiggins and KAT's games Rubio becomes less of a liability and his positives will be magnified.

Thinking back to the stretches in which the Wolves with Rubio have been very good offensively they had players that could stretch the floor with consistent outside shooting. Love and Martin on the floor with Rubio means teams cannot pack the paint, cutting off lanes for Rubio to drive and dish. Rubio needs space to maximize his assets, without it, yes, his weakness becomes a major part of the problem. I believe Rubio can be the driver for a high powered NBA offense, even late in close games once the correct players, with mature NBA games surround him.

I still believe Rubio can be the starting 1 for this team, just not as this team is made up at this exact moment.

You can consider me frustrated with Rubio, maybe 50.1% Porkchop, but I remember what he can do in the right position, thus I'm still opTIMistic!!

Edit: If you could trade Rubio for a better shooter, but lesser facilitator it would benefit this team as constructed, and with it's level of immaturity, but no benefit this team when the rest of the roster fills out and matures.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Rubio has an immense weakness in his game, one that unquestionably makes life more difficult for the four players on the floor with him, especially late in close games. I think if we take a step back, take a broader look at the team we see that the players he's on the floor with have their own weaknesses, thus Rubio is not able to compensate for them anymore than they for him. I don't think guys like Wiggins, KAT, Bazz, nor Lavine are ready to be the man late on either end of the floor thus Rubio's weakness is magnified. If they can bring in a quality 3 or 4, someone with reliable outside shooting and the continued maturing of Wiggins and KAT's games Rubio becomes less of a liability and his positives will be magnified.

Thinking back to the stretches in which the Wolves with Rubio have been very good offensively they had players that could stretch the floor with consistent outside shooting. Love and Martin on the floor with Rubio means teams cannot pack the paint, cutting off lanes for Rubio to drive and dish. Rubio needs space to maximize his assets, without it, yes, his weakness becomes a major part of the problem. I believe Rubio can be the driver for a high powered NBA offense, even late in close games once the correct players, with mature NBA games surround him.

I still believe Rubio can be the starting 1 for this team, just not as this team is made up at this exact moment.

You can consider me frustrated with Rubio, maybe 50.1% Porkchop, but I remember what he can do in the right position, thus I'm still opTIMistic!!

Remember, however, that the 2014 team despite all those 30 point blowout wins and solid ratings... ended up below .500 because of the team's almost universal struggles in the 4th quarter.

PG play... from both Rubio and Barea... was a very big problem.

[TAFKASP]

Rubio has an immense weakness in his game, one that unquestionably makes life more difficult for the four players on the floor with him, especially late in close games. I think if we take a step back, take a broader look at the team we see that the players he's on the floor with have their own weaknesses, thus Rubio is not able to compensate for them anymore than they for him. I don't think guys like Wiggins, KAT, Bazz, nor Lavine are ready to be the man late on either end of the floor thus Rubio's weakness is magnified. If they can bring in a quality 3 or 4, someone with reliable outside shooting and the continued maturing of Wiggins and KAT's games Rubio becomes less of a liability and his positives will be magnified.

Thinking back to the stretches in which the Wolves with Rubio have been very good offensively they had players that could stretch the floor with consistent outside shooting. Love and Martin on the floor with Rubio means teams cannot pack the paint, cutting off lanes for Rubio to drive and dish. Rubio needs space to maximize his assets, without it, yes, his weakness becomes a major part of the problem. I believe Rubio can be the driver for a high powered NBA offense, even late in close games once the correct players, with mature NBA games surround him.

I still believe Rubio can be the starting 1 for this team, just not as this team is made up at this exact moment.

You can consider me frustrated with Rubio, maybe 50.1% Porkchop, but I remember what he can do in the right position, thus I'm still opTIMistic!!

Remember, however, that the 2014 team despite all those 30 point blowout wins and solid ratings... ended up below .500 because of the team's almost universal struggles in the 4th quarter.

PG play... from both Rubio and Barea... was a very big problem.

True, but how ironic that one was a shoot first PG, the other a facilitator, and neither were the solution to the problem. Unless a CP3 falls in your lap you're going to be making a trade off by moving on from Rubio, what you gain in scoring you're highly likely to lose, at least partially, in most other areas. 99.9% of NBA players have weaknesses, it's a team game and the good lineups balance each other out.

Edit: I'm not saying Rubio will ever be the perfect guy for this or any team, just that I don't automatically believe somebody else will not bring their own deficiencies.

[Porckchop]

If and when this team makes the playoffs, is Rubios defense against guys like Westbrook, Curry, Parker,Lillard, Conley etc.. good enough to cancel out his 2-7 6pt nights?
Fact is when it comes to match ups in the playoffs he's gonna lose his almost every night. Can't score 6-8 when the opposing guard is scoring 20-30.