The Skyforce have started the regular season 7-0 for the first time in the G-League era. That is very impressive considering the amount of roster movement that takes place in this league. I asked Head Coach Kasib Powell about how he can keep everyone on the same page, “communication is key, and trying to get in front of everything as much as we can, but being able to speak with our guys on a daily basis helps a lot.” The Skyforce has a chance to do something special if they continue to stay on the same page. They are a very deep team and have very few holes because of it. Let’s take a look at what is contributing to such a great start. 

 

The Skyforce can put up a lot of points. The Skyforce rank 5th in points per game, 6th in FG%, 5th in True Shooting, and 10th in offensive rating. Simply put the Skyforce are a top 5 offense in many categories. What is interesting is how they get their points. They are middle of the road in FGA, 3PA, 3P%, FTA, and FT%. So how do all of these numbers lead to a top 5 offense? They make their 2 point shots at a good clip. Whether it is Alondes Willaims breaking down his defender and finishing smoothly inside the arc or it is Orlando Robinson when on assignment from the Heat, dominating the post and getting easy baskets, it is evident they have players that know how to create quality looks. They do a good job of not settling for shots and getting to their spots. As I mentioned earlier this team also has great depth, they have numerous guys that can go off any given night. They have 4 players averaging over 20 points, and 7 players averaging over 10 points.

 

When there are so many formidable scorers on the same team it is impossible to guard. Jamaree Bouyea is a dynamic playmaker for them and puts a lot of strain on the defense. His quickness is unguardable and it allows him to break down a defense to create quality shots. Justin Chmpagnie can get as hot as anyone and put up points FAST in a multitude of ways. Bryson Warren has a smooth stroke from deep and is always ready to let it fly. They also have arguably the two best scorers in the G-League. I mean Alondes Williams just dropped 55 (franchise record) and in the same game, Cole Swider put in a cool 37. Pick your poison, you’ll die either way. 

As good as the offense has been their defense has been better. I honestly did not think I would be commenting on how good their defense is considering how the games leading up to the regular season played out, but here we are. The Skyforce are the #6 defense, according to defensive rating. They also are one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the league, coming in at #3 on defensive rebounding percentage.  So they do a good job of limiting possessions to 1 shot. In the games leading up to the regular season, the Skyforce had a bad habit of gambling for too many steals and at times getting burnt for easy points. I noticed this and Asked Manny Camper if going for steals was something that Coach Powell stressed. Camper stated, “He wants us to be solid and straight up for the most part but if we do feel like we have an opportunity to be disruptive or feel like we have a break on the ball he wants us to be aggressive.” Since the regular season has started the players have had better discipline on when to gamble. They have improved their defense tremendously with this discipline. Coach Powell should be very proud of how they have locked in. 

 

*****

 

Player highlights

Alondes Williams

The only way to start is by mentioning the new owner of the scoring record. I mean come on, Williams was in the ZONE and nothing was stopping him on his way to 55 points against the Stars on January 7th. Williams was unguardable finishing 21-30 from the field and 4-6 from three. He excels at taking his defender one one-on-one and getting a good look inside the arc. He typically is not a three-point shooter, but when his three is falling there is nothing the defense can do. I love watching Williams, his game is so smooth and looks natural. Not many people ever score 55 points in a game, much less a professional basketball game. To Alondes Williams it was just another day in the office telling me after the game  “I just try to take everything day by day and let it flow. I just played the game and if they fall in, cool, if not I am going to try to find a way to help the team win.” Maybe that explains why he didn’t even smile for his celebratory photo, to Alondes it was just another day of basketball. 

Manny Camper

Mr. Grit and Grind, Manny Camper is one of my personal favorites. It isn’t because of sexy numbers or eye-popping plays it is because of all the little things he does. Camper is just a winner, that is all he cares about and it is evident when you watch him. He will do anything required to win. His defense is spectacular and, in my opinion, a large reason why the defense has turned around for the Skyforce. Camper deserves his flowers, and I’m going to make sure he gets them. 

Cole Swider

Cole Swider is one of the best shooters on the planet and it is only a matter of time before people realize it. Swider is shooting a ridiculous 55.3% from three in the regular season on 9.5 attempts. There is not a three-point shot that he can’t hit. He reminds me so much of Duncan Robinson. When asked about the comparison to Robinson, Swider stated “I love the comparison to Duncan, he’s been in the same situation as me and has been very successful in the NBA. He has a great work ethic and has been a great role model for me to model my game after.”