Playoff Eric Gordon

UNLIKE

 

He gets foul on every drive and he doesn't foul

 

As a Hoosier/Texan, I know Hoosier basketball. Eric Gordon is a former Mr. Basketball for Indiana. You can't be an Indiana Mr. Basketball unless you are a "tournament (playoff) player". I'm not surprised he is playing well and is handling the playoff pressure. I expect him to improve every game during the playoffs. His best is yet to come.

I have never thought Ariza as a playoff player. He is a great regular season player, but his shot seems to disappear during the playoffs. His defense is great, so he is useful as a defender. I'm beginning to think Anderson may be a great regular season player. I will wait a bit before I assess his playoff performance. But for now, he has not impressed me as a playoff player.

 

There is none better off the bench than Big Dick Gordon

 

Ariza is a champion and plays his role very well in the playoffs. #NeverForget our Game 6 v LAC - Ariza was a big contributor there as well.

I would like Ryan to start playing better in this series, specifically to start hitting those open 3's that Harden and the others get for him off that pick and pop they always run. But this might not be the best match up for him so I'll reserve judgment. He is a known Warriors killer so, if we make it that far, Ryan may justify his USD 18M contract (somewhat) then.

Back on topic: Big Dick Gordon is a bad bad man

 

i THINK THERE ISNT A SINGLE POSTER ON CF THAT ISNT SECRETLY IN LOVE WITH BBHOLIC

 

Easily a one time or two time Allstar without his major injuries.

 

hes relentless attacking the rim....i like it ...(clyde voice)

 

LoL

 

You are wrong about Ariza. He is a clutch, dependable player. The problem is twofold: 1) he is getting older 2) he has average a crazy number of minutes for all the teams he has played for over the years -- a testament to coaches' confidence in his game.

 

Understand what you're saying. But we're in the playoffs. There's no advantage to them coming off the bench if we're down big when they get in there.

I don't look at the team as starters/bench players when we get in the playoffs (or really anytime). To me it's about who gets the minutes, who actually plays the game. You gotta have 7-9 guys consuming the minutes.

Before the playoffs started I felt like we were going to have to make two adjustments to our rotation.

1. Nene was going to have to play more minutes and Capela less minutes than in the regular season.

2. We were going to have to play primarily one big lineups with Ariza/Harden playing at the 4 a lot of minutes.

That means Gordon and Williams getting more minutes as a consequence and both Capela and Anderson getting less minutes. Off the bench or starting really doesn't matter. They have to get more minutes with Capela/Anderson getting more limited minutes for us to win a championship.

In the playoffs defenses are better and defense becomes a much bigger factor because they can adjust better. We're seeing it right now. Even though we're up 3-1 and we'll likely take this Thunder series, we're only a couple possessions away from 2-2 or 1-3 and facing a must win scenario tonight. Because OKC, as mediocre as they were in the regular season, has stepped up their D, they're covering our shooters tight and they're making it difficult for us to run our stuff simply by manning up and dogging us and taking Capela to task defensively in the blocks when they've got the ball.

It's already playing out like I thought. We've got four guys that are either over or are pushing 60% TS%, Harden, Gordon, Lou, and Nene. Everybody else is struggling to maintain or get to 50%, including Anderson at 48% and Capela at 50%. This after Anderson was over 58% and Capela over 63% during the regular season. Gordon's and Lou's TS% has increased while the starters, except for James has decreased.

When you put this picture together, combined with watching the games, and analyzing and isolating regular season data when we played competitive teams fighting for the playoffs versus non-competitive teams playing for ping-ping balls and you eliminate the lottery team numbers in favor of just the real games the picture emerges real clear. We were at a deficit in the middle.

Incidentally, I personally believe that most of Anderson's inefficient offense has been dictated by Capela's break down in the pick and roll. Anderson is being forced to take difficult contested shots because the pouch and roll isn't there. I think Anderson's efficiency would improve if he were running with Nene in the middle. But the bottom line still is to beat playoff defenses you have to have multiple guys that can put the ball on the deck and go make a play, even when you have a solid big. Which means Gordon and Lou have to continue to play increased minutes since they can handle and finish. And since defense is an even greater priority in the playoffs, Ariza and Bev (who can handle some too) have to still get their minutes. Than comes at Anderson's expense regardless of whether Capela or Nene are in there because Anderson can't really out the ball on the deck and go make a play except for an occasional secondary drive off defensive overplay and he's not a plus defender.

We have to play primarily one big lineups to have any chance of winning anything this post season.

 

I dunno -- A.J. Ratliff was the much-hyped Mr. Basketball stud at IU, and my fondest memory of him was helping to hold his legs up while he did a keg stand.

 

He also came into the NBA at 19. One and done guy... this is his 15th season and he's made the playoffs a lot over those 15 years. He has a TON of miles on his odometer. To be exact, it's 875 regular season games and 74 playoff games. Dude is at the end of his career and we have him playing major minutes.

I like when plays power forward.

 

Amen.

What people don't realize is that our bench is a playoff worthy starting lineup.

I feel bad for the hate on the OKC bench. They deserve minor disdain, rather than full on hate.

 

You make some good points, but I'm not sure we should start all of our best offensive players at once. That'll leave the bench to be roasted. I think a better lineup would be Bev, Gordon, Harden, Ariza, Nene or Capela. I still like Capela and even tho he has had some problems in this series he is a better player with someone like Harden on the court. Either way I prefer Lou coming off the bench bc he is a better playmaker imo than Gordon. I prefer Gordon spotting up and shooting than putting it on the deck. It's not the worst problem to have tho... And Anderson will eventually turn it around...hopefully TONIGHT!!!

 

I love watching Lou, Gordon and Nene DESTROY teams off the bench.

I really love how Bev is beginning to learn his place too. Play D and let Lou/Gordon run the offense.

 

Your starting line-up is fine as long as it's Nene. If OKC goes to Kanter we might be able to try Capela again. But if they play with Adams/Taj taking all the center minutes then we've got to counter with Nene and somebody else like Harrell or Nanu or just concede a few minutes of play to them. Because both Adams and Taj will roast Capela.

 

Why hasn't the dunk by Eric Gordon last night shown up in his thread? Will we need a "deserves its own thread" just for his dunk?