Celtics rookie Max Strus was among best shooting off screens in NCAA

https://therookiewire.usatoday.com/2019/10/14/boston-celtics-max-strus-scouting-report-depaul/



Celtics rookie Max Strus was among best shooting off screens in NCAA




(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)




By: Bryan Kalbrosky | October 14, 2019




The Boston Celtics signed rookie Max Strus to a partially guaranteed two-year deal. He is a sharpshooting, undrafted guard from DePaul.

As we noted before the draft, the guard was lethal on attempts shooting off screens during his two campaigns with DePaul. Strus averaged 4.3 points per game shooting off a screen, per Synergy, which ranked No. 6 overall among all NCAA D1 players last season. With the same qualifications, Strus ranked Top 10 the year prior as a junior.


He did the most damage when the screen was set to his left before the shot, where only former Virginia standout and current Sacramento Kings two-way player Kyle Guy averaged more points per game.



Professional Basketball Combine made a compilation sharing some of his best highlights in this type of offense, showcasing his range and versatility when shooting off screens.

This likely projects as the biggest role for Strus on the Celtics. Last season, only two teams in the Eastern Conference had more attempts per game than Boston did on this play type.


The Celtics lost their two best screen setters during the offseason as Al Horford (3.3 screen assists per game) and Aron Baynes (3.1) were both among the most prolific last season. They added Enes Kanter, however, who will be able to help in this regard considering he averaged 2.9 per game.

https://streamable.com/z70c3

Boston also drafted Grant Williams from the Tennessee Volunteers. Last year, per Synergy, only nine D1 teams finished more possessions per game than the Vols did with a shooter coming off a screen.

The No. 22 overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft used what he learned at Tennessee to help with a screen assist for Strus during a summer league win over the Memphis Grizzlies back in July.

During his most recent preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Strus once more connected on a three-pointer coming off a screen set by sophomore big Robert Williams.

https://streamable.com/aah6w

The guard ended the game against the Cavaliers with 14 points in just sixteen minutes of action.

This builds on the success he had during the summer league games, where he averaged 19.6 points per 36 minutes while also connecting on 45.0 percent of his field-goal attempts from long range.

Strus is reportedly not a lock to make the regular-season roster for Boston, but if he does, he could fit in well given the prowess he has as an ace from three-point distance.



bob
MY NOTE:  Max Strus, not Tremont Waters, was the first player Danny signed to a two-way contract.  He signed him almost immediately after the draft, didn't even take his time to look around to see who else might be available.  We saw what he can do yesterday vs Cleveland.  If Carsen Edwards is our Vinny the Microwave could Max Strus be our JJ Redick?  No SG catches-and-shoots off screens like Redick.  Redick is listed at 6'4", but that's the old measurement which includes the extra 1 1/2" - 2" that air-cushioned sneakers give you.  Strus is now 6'5" with the new measurements shrinking him an inch from 6'6". Redick is also 35 years old, Strus is 23.



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