Isaiah Thomas Could Be The NBA’s Best Pick-and-Roll Ball Handler
By Liam O'Brien
Isaiah Thomas’ effectiveness as a pick-and-roll ball handler supersedes that of NBA MVP front-runner James Harden.
Throughout the coaching career of Houston Rockets head man Mike D’Antoni, the 65-year-old has been utterly unparalleled in his usage of the pick-and-roll. When D’Antoni led the Phoenix Suns to consecutive Western Conference Finals appearances in the mid-2000s, he rode the dynamic screen-and-roll duo of two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire.
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Currently, D’Antoni is making the case for NBA Coach of the Year with a new pick-and-roll destroyer, James Harden, who currently accounts for a league-leading 56.4 points per game when you combine his points and assists totals. However, despite Harden’s seemingly masterful grasp of handling the ball and obliterating defenses when receiving ball screens, Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas has managed to eclipse Harden’s efficiency on the pick-and-roll.
For players averaging at least 3.5 possessions per game as the ball handler in a pick-and-roll set, Thomas has posted the highest points per possession figure, averaging 1.07 points for each time a Celtics teammate sets a ball screen for him. This shadows Harden’s average of 1.02 points per possession while also topping Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry’s mark of 1.05 points per possession on 8.1 such situations per night and Eric Bledsoe’s 1.01 points per possession on 10.1 pick-and-roll attempts per outing.
While a substantial 35 percent of Thomas’ play types coming as the ball handler in a pick-and-roll situation, many would anticipate teams to adjust to his effectiveness and find ways to limit his ability to score in these types of scenarios. However, this methodology has eluded teams over the course of the season.
Thomas’ effective field goal percentage of 53.2 percent is first among players who average at least nine points per game as the ball handler in pick-and-roll situations, emphasizing the inability of defenses to quell his ability to capitalize on these opportunities in an efficient manner.
The reason for Thomas being such a thorn in defenders sides pertaining to the pick-and-roll is the fact that he has the ability to take advantage of each tactic that defenses use to defend him in this position. When the man guarding the screener decides to sag off to prevent the drive, Thomas is able to stroke a three-pointer directly in the face of the defense. If you provide him with any breathing room whatsoever, he can obliterate a defensive front with his quick release and career-high 38.1 percent three-point percentage.
Once defenders are forced to recognize Thomas’ lethal nature from three, they then alter their approach, with the defender guarding the screener flaring out at Thomas once the screen is set. This takes away Thomas ability to spring up and release a deep jumper. While the two-time All-Star is prevented from taking an open three, he has seemingly perfected the hesitation dribble going in either direction. With one head fake, Thomas probes his defender to leave his feet, coaxing him out of position as he leaves him in the dust with a drive to his left or right.
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While you would anticipate for scoring in the paint to be a tall task for such a small figure, Thomas has perfected the art form of utilizing the basket to his advantage, skirting past shot-blockers with an array of reverse finishes. He also has developed a dangerous pull-up jump shot from 10 feet away from the hoop. This jumper will be critical in the postseason when officials are not as quick to blow the whistle, as will Thomas’ capability to release a quick floater over the teeth of the defense.