hayward’s absence is a significantly underestimated factor in these playoffs. due to his contract and his playoff performances during his final year in utah, c’s fans expected a different player. his injury hasn’t helped in staving off his critics, but we’re now witnessing firsthand the significant and nuanced impact gordon has on this young c’s team.
without gordon, this team is less efficient offensively, frenetic, plagued by far too much one-on-one hero ball, too reliant on the three ball, and doesn’t get to the rim enough. he’s third in APG, only trailing our two point guards, which doesn’t adequately convey the impact he has on offensive efficiency when the offense runs through him. stats aside, when the ball goes through gordon on an offensive possession, the c’s offense is more fluid and efficient, less frenetic, and the team typically gets easier buckets.
gordon is the second leading defensive rebounder, which is an area that too often hurts the c’s in close games. he’s also a better defender than people give him credit. he’s a solid but not standout on-ball defender, and he excels in playing high-IQ, team defense. he’s not at larry’s level but he’s similar in his defensive play, funneling offensive players into the strength of the defense and being an opportunistic off-ball help defender. not easy to notice but it has a major impact. it’s one of the reasons his +/- is usually so high, even when he’s not scoring.
it’s clear from his utah days, gordon has purposefully altered his game for the betterment of the team. he could easily be a top two scorer on this team (he’s fourth) but he’s deferring to the younger guys. his presence and play make jayson and jaylen better, more consistent players. he’s not flashy but his impact is indisputable and critical to this team’s success.
if he hadn’t sprained his ankle, the c’s beat the defending champs 4-0. get well soon, gordo.
Topic: Gordon Hayward- just what the Coach Ordered (Read 2809 times)