Doug Christie would be so proud.
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I will never understand the level of hype around this guy. Completely average young player, but it feels like all of social media is convinced he is some future superstar.
Get off social media then. Sane fans don't see Max as a future superstar.
Crazyday, it appears you spend your free time in the Lakers sub 🤣🤣
It cannot be overstated how toast 99.999% of people would be trying to defend an NBA guard on the perimeter.
Mitchell would’ve already been at the rim by the time Average Joe set his feet.
Mike Trudell (the Lakers' beat reporter) told a story last week on the Laker Film Room podcast about how when he was covering the Wolves, he challenged a mid-40s Teresa Weatherspoon (former WNBA star) to a game of one on one, and how he was absolutely blown away by all the technique and tricks she had in her bag. He referred to how she knew how to position her elbows and hips to move him as a defender completely out of the way so he couldn't contest her shots.
His point was just that the reps that pros get in playing against other pro competition is not something the average person can really comprehend. Then when a normal player goes up against them they get absolutely demolished just because they don't have the ingrained knowledge and muscle memory to really understand how to play against that.
Toast? I’d blow out both knees and pop a hip trying to move like that.
is it better to bounce off each leg (right-to-left; vice versa) in single step bursts like Max does at the start?
noticed he opts for that over sliding his feet over laterally whenever Donovan tries a cross
Offensive players want to attack the defender’s high foot, making them switch their hips - which takes time to do and gives the offensive player a step while the defender is opening their hips to then slide. Max is flipping his hips as Mitchel is trying to gain an advantage - this clip is less about sliding vs stepping, and more about the ability to flip your hips to negate an advantage . Most nba players might be able to flip their hips once but after that they’ll get beat by another change of direction - it’s impressive that Max was able to flip his hips at every change of direction.
Sliding is a bit outdated though; it’s unnatural, you’ll get to any stop faster by stepping sideways.
as the other guy said, Donovan never went in one direction for long enough for Max to have to slide. He did kinda do it towards the end and Max slid his feet once before completely turning his hips to run with him. Like the burst step is for recovery cause while flipping the hips takes time so you have to catch up.
Maybe if Max were a smaller defender with smaller and faster steps he would have slid more before flipping his hips with a following big step to recover.
Kevin Love is shedding a tear somewhere
He had really nice D on Kyrie a few games ago, definitely caught my eye
Hol up
That was good D but Mitchell got a clean look, he just missed. It’s so hard to guard these elite guards
Mitchell also went 4/18. Max did a good job all game.
Max still got a contest up on the actual shot, it wasn't like Mitchell shook him free and had a wide open look at it. That was definitely a contested J.
Still looks like a good shot. He got a decent separation for a jumpshot
I’m sure this random ass post has nothing to do with Kobe’s illegitimate son
I would've popped at least 13 tendons, ligaments, and other unnamed things trying that.
Those hips were made for clamping.
Good recoveries by Christie but if Spida did one more crosseover, hesi or stepback, Max looks like his ankles would’ve snapped.
That repeated step change is Thriller dance level
Great job of staying in front of him and contesting the shot. It's the best you can do in that situation against a guy like Mitchell. Spida still managed to get a good look too. Just didn't fall.
I’ve seen this clip many times at the Lakers sub, but what I noticed now is Mitchell limping after the shot. Pretty amazing to see how fast he was moving when he needed to.
_insert gif of The Rock clapping_
That is good shit. Really impressive ~~footwork~~ feetwork
Oh my that reaction time and ability to burst laterally is..special for sure. Kids going to get better
I could do this
Mitchell looking hobbled afterwards…
Great clip, OP. My legs fell off just looking at that.
That was such good defense and Mitch still got an ok shot off. The NBA is crazy talented
Great defense, but he didn't stop DM from getting a great look off, he just simply missed.
if herb jones were on the lakers he'd have made 2 all defensive teams already.
That is why a team of old geezers can't win a championship.. Somebody has to play defense and it requires the knees of a man in his 20s
This is one reason I have no faith in the Clippers going forward. Their dudes are all too old.
Wow that inside-out to overhand cross would have put me in the hospital. That was SHARP. Unreal defense there especially in the open court and backpedaling.
He shot 31% from 3 in college and 38% from the field. It's incredible the Lakers staff can identify projections of some players and their strengths like this. This is something not one Laker scout could see in a box score yet they found it and nailed a 35th pick.
From what I've heard, the thought was if he'd stayed in school for a 2nd season, he'd have likely wound up a lottery pick (his great performance in Summer League seems to support this), but by deciding to come out after just one year, he fell to where he did. Also, the Lakers apparently factored in his low 3-pt attempts (only 3.5 per game in college) in thinking that his shooting stats were probably fairly noisy. He was an 82% FT shooter, so I think they figured they could probably work with him and bring that shooting around.
Ft shooting is far more accurate as well as shot prep form n mechanics in predicting young guys shooting ability ( and touch is important). Max you’d expect to shoot well so 40% last year wasn’t a surprise hope he can be near thst again
Could they call a foul when he reaches out and touches his shoulder?
Oh god yes love this shit
Great defense because that crossover is working 98% of the time anywhere else 😂 do that on a fast break your defender is definitely falling. Especially with him backpedaling.
That’s the Izzo difference
Made dmitch look like a quality plate of poke
I pulled a hammy just watching that.
Yeah Donovan would have left my ass.
I broke my ankle three times watching that
The opposite of being put on skates, mans was floating
Great D
I’ll never get tired of false highlights.