Thread: The key to Jarrett Culver is Karl-Anthony Towns.

Culver/Towns lineups have a net rating of +10.5 (89th %)
• Off. Rtg: 115.8 (78th %)
• Def. Rtg: 105.3 (85th)

W/o KAT, JC lineups have a NR of -9.0 (13th %)
• Off. Rating: 107.0 (27th %)
• Def. Rating: 116.0 (17th %)

Even last year, the same held with a significant, representative sample size.

On: KAT, JC

• NR: +2.4 | 67th %
• OR: 115.8 | 89th %
• DR: 113.4 | 32nd %

On: JC | Off: KAT

• NR: -6.3 | 21st %
• OR: 103.6 | 9th %
• DR: 110.0 | 60th %

Culver plays with a different mindset with Towns on the floor. He's far more confident for a few reasons:

1) he can score more easily as a cutter
2) there's more room for him to operate as a ball-handler driving to the rim
3) there's less pressure on him defensively

KAT has as much scoring gravity anywhere on the floor as any player in the NBA.

Culver is so smart as a cutter and uses this to his advantage frequently.

JC sees DeRozan get into the RA to help, so he flashes to the open space for an easy layup.

Doesn't happen w/ Ed, Naz, etc.

Culver offers value as a guy who can pressure the defense off the bounce and make smart kick-out passes in 5-out or well-spaced offenses.

It's hard for him to thrive when the paint is clogged (esp. Ed Davis minutes).

Towns is above the break, so Culver goes strong for an and-1.

Culver far too often plays in lineups where the defense can pack the lane, like the Spurs do here.

4/5 defenders are either below the nail or have a foot in the paint. When this happens, Culver has no chance driving.

Play him more w/ Rubio (passing), Malik + KAT (shooting).

When Ed Davis plays, defenses will almost exclusively play heavy drop coverage because he isn't a scoring threat outside the RA.

Culver almost always tries to finish *around* these bigs, rather than going into them or climbing the ladder.

Spoiler: it usually doesn't end well.

I'd love to see more of this from Culver. Getting a pass and wasting zero time attacking the rim.

Here, he *expects* contact from Plumlee based on how he jumps, but he is athletic and coordinated enough to adjust and finish.

He'd draw more fouls driving like this.

As a playmaker, Culver has a good understanding of how to attack space with the ball and create open shots for his teammates.

You will see him make plays like this frequently when KAT returns. I like him as the first guy off the bench for JO/JV to create shots like this.

The Red Raider can play and be a difference-maker, too, but it all hinges on spacing that is largely created by Towns.

When Karl-Anthony Towns returns, expect a more impactful Jarrett Culver.

If the jumper/confidence ever comes consistently, he'll be a damn good player.