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Let's talk ISOs and Kyrie. It's time for a #thread.
Typically, ISOs are a low-value play. Defenses are too good to get beat one on one, but Kyrie breaks the mold in a number of ways. 2/
He is an otherworldly finisher out of isolation. He scores 1.123 points per possession from isos, good for the 95th (!!!) percentile.
Typically when you see such superior production in such a low-value play type, chalk it up to high-variance/low volume. Not so with Kyrie.
Even with his high production level, Kyrie takes a monstrous number of isos. In fact, only five players iso'd more than he did last season.
Kyrie took 367 isos last year. No player who had more isos scored more than .987 points per possession (Melo, in 391 possessions).
Conversely, Kyrie's incredible efficiency was such that with the exception of Isaiah Thomas, the only players more efficient were all...
...beneficiaries of low-volume/high-variance usage. Aaron Gordon and his 71 poss has the most isos of all players with more than Kyrie/IT.
Much of the Cavaliers' offense is formed around the iso (skillfully, as @T1m_NBA has revealed), and Kyrie facilitates effectively as well.
When Kyrie passes out of the iso, the Cavs scored 1.231 points per poss, good for the 79th %ile. Also of note, Kyrie takes care of the ball.
Of the top 19 ISO players in terms of attempts/volume, Kyrie has by far the lowest TO% at just 4.6% when in isolation.
A benefit of ISO is that you're less likely to turn the ball over (less ball movement, fewer turnovers), but Kyrie takes that another level.
So in summary, while ISO reliance is usually a losing play, Kyrie Irving rewrites that rule, and does so overwhelmingly.
