The LaMelo Ball assignment has always been a little different because defenders are not only trying to stop him from scoring, they are trying to stop him from seeing the floor the way he wants to. He is constantly looking a pass ahead, so the on-ball defender has to think about more than keeping him out of the paint. Every time the defense shifts, LaMelo is searching for the next read. The possession can change quickly because one defender loses balance, one help defender steps too far, or one cutter finds an open lane. Against players like LaMelo, the first defender is often trying to delay the play just long enough for everyone else to stay connected. Everything is shown per 75 possessions rather than per game because per-game numbers are influenced by pace, minutes, and how often two players actually shared the floor. Looking at the matchup per seventy five possessions gives every defender the same workload, making it easier to compare what tends to happen over a similar number of ...