LA Clippers: Players for Landry Shamet to study in isolation

Jrue Holiday

One area of his game Shamet should be seeking to improve whether or not he’s looking to add more offensive skills to his arsenal is his perimeter defense.

Shamet doesn’t lack the effort on the defensive side of the floor, and he’s learned the Clippers schemes well enough to fit in and not be a liability, but with some added strength and studying of a defender like Jrue Holiday, he could thrive.

The six-foot-three inch Holiday is able to guard multiple positions because of his superior strength and effort. He’s averaging 1.7 steals and .8 blocks per game from the guard position and takes pride in stopping (or at least slowing down) the opposition’s best scorer most nights.

Holiday spoke about what makes him such a great defender, saying that part of it is athleticism, having quick hands and feet, being quick off the ground, and knowing how to use his hands. He also said that experience and studying the tendencies of his opponents is a major part of his defensive excellence.

“I watch how players move and their (tendencies)” he told NBA.com “if they like to drive left or right, whether they prefer to do a step-back going left or right. There are (offensive opponents) who can do everything, but for me it’s about instinct and in that split-second, kind of knowing what that person wants to do.”

Part of that should come for Shamet with time and experience in the league, but with time to study now, he can take to game film to start learning the intricacies that can help lift his defense closer to the level of a player like Holiday.