A week after his complaints about the referees after the match against the Thunder, Jusuf Nurkic was frustrated again. This time because of his coach's choices in the defeat against the Celtics, which he did not understand.
The subject of discord? His playing time. With 28 minutes spent on the floor, he is about average. On the other hand, he played less than two minutes in the last quarter. He who finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds is logically taken aback.
“I don’t feel like the Celtics took the lead when I was on the court, but I can’t control my minutes”, he judges. “Frank Vogel is the coach. He has every right to do that. He does what he wants and I must respect his choice. »
The technician made a simple choice for the home stretch of the game: play “small ball” with Kevin Durant, remarkable offensively (45 points), at the pivot position, and shooters around him to support him and sanction d Possible two-way take: Eric Gordon, Royce O'Neale, Grayson Allen and Bradley Beal.
Kevin Durant abandoned by shooters
It didn't work – which probably further explains Jusuf Nurkic's frustration – since the first three finished the quarter with 5 points at 2/6 on the shoot in total.
More generally, Eric Gordon did not score in the match, despite his 29 minutes on the field, and the O'Neal – Allen duo was in great pain with a terrible 1/10 at 3-pts…
“We were behind in the score and they are playing with five behind the 3-point line” explains Frank Vogel. “(It’s hard) for a pivot like Nurk to cover the 3-point line. »
The former Portland pivot is not the only one to have undergone this choice. Bol Bol for example, who was interesting with his 13 points, only played a little more than three minutes in the second half. And Drew Eubanks not even fifty seconds more than his teammate after the break.
“We have to have the right matchup or defend in zone”, explains Frank Vogel on the use of Bol Bol, still crumbly in defense, which is unforgiving against Boston. “ He is unique but must be in the right situation. Nevertheless, I liked his performance. »
| Jusuf Nurkic | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2014-15 | DEN | 62 | 18 | 44.6 | 0.0 | 63.6 | 2.0 | 4.2 | 6.2 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 6.9 |
| 2015-16 | DEN | 32 | 17 | 41.7 | 0.0 | 61.6 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 5.5 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 8.2 |
| 2016-17 * | All Teams | 65 | 21 | 50.7 | 0.0 | 57.1 | 2.4 | 4.8 | 7.2 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 10.2 |
| 2016-17 * | DEN | 45 | 18 | 50.7 | 0.0 | 49.6 | 2.0 | 3.8 | 5.8 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 8.0 |
| 2016-17 * | POR | 20 | 29 | 50.8 | 0.0 | 66.0 | 3.3 | 7.1 | 10.4 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 15.2 |
| 2017-18 | POR | 79 | 26 | 50.5 | 0.0 | 63.0 | 2.4 | 6.6 | 9.0 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 14.3 |
| 2018-19 | POR | 72 | 27 | 50.8 | 10.3 | 77.3 | 3.4 | 7.0 | 10.4 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 15.6 |
| 2019-20 | POR | 8 | 32 | 49.5 | 20.0 | 88.6 | 2.9 | 7.4 | 10.3 | 4.0 | 4.9 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 17.6 |
| 2020-21 | POR | 37 | 24 | 51.4 | 40.0 | 61.9 | 2.3 | 6.7 | 9.0 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 11.5 |
| 2021-22 | POR | 56 | 28 | 53.5 | 26.8 | 69.0 | 3.0 | 8.1 | 11.1 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 15.0 |
| 2022-23 | POR | 52 | 27 | 51.9 | 36.1 | 66.1 | 2.2 | 6.9 | 9.1 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 13.4 |
| 2023-24 | PHX | 59 | 27 | 51.7 | 24.1 | 66.7 | 2.8 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 11.7 |
| Total | 522 | 25 | 50.4 | 27.9 | 67.1 | 2.6 | 6.3 | 8.9 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 12.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
