"He came into tonight's game leading the NBA in screen assists per game (4.9). The underrated part of his game, I think, is that he is the high point in the soft underbelly of defenses. A big, wide catch radius. A soft touch to make that area dangerous. The Raptors don't have many players who can deliver layups to their teammates in the halfcourt, but they have a lot of players who benefit from a roaming, competent big man in Poeltl."
"The truth exists squarely in the middle of all of this. Yes, Mamu has been a great spacing big and the minutes alongside Barnes have been fun. A spacing big can change how defenses and offenses align themselves, of course, and they can help open up driving lanes. They are not, however, guaranteed to give automatic paint touches to your on-ball players, nor are they guaranteed to lead to better offense."
The Raptors are finding success through an unconventional blend of bigs and spacing. Jakob Poeltl limits perimeter spacing with a limited jumper but compensates by creating massive advantages through screening, rim finishing, and a wide catch radius. Sandro Mamukelashvili provides valuable spacing off the bench and pairs well with Scottie Barnes, yet spacing alone does not guarantee better offense or paint touches. Poeltl led the league in screen assists per game (4.9) and frequently becomes the focal point in defenses' soft interior, allowing guards and drivers to exploit created lanes and deliver easy finishes.
Read at Raptors Republic
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