I was out during most of the game and didn't get to see much of it at all. When we were shuttling between destinations always able to catch Jim & Gene on the radio. I got home and flipped on the TV in the last 20 seconds. The post game Bill and Bull talked about the Yao TMac side pick and roll alot and how they were using that to beat the fronting defenses on Yao. (1) Does anyone have some video to break the play down? (2) Is this a new wrinkle that Adelman has put in compared to the pick and rolls that the two superstars have run in the past? (The way it was being described it seemed like it is different than the ones they've run in the past.) I'll metaphorically "hang-up and listen" .
It looked pretty similar to the one they ran against Dallas in the playoffs, if i'm remembering correctly.
It's basically same pick and rolls that they've always run. The only difference is that they've run more side pick and rolls than we did in the past. JVG seemed to prefer the high screen and roll over the one on the side. I'm not sure why. When you run a side pick and roll perfectly, you get a layup or dunk for Yao. When you run a high screen and roll perfectly, you get an open jumper for T-mac. You tell me what's a higher percentage shot.
I like what Rick is doing to help our stars, it will help the rest of the team too as the season goes along. DD
The high screen and roll got plenty of layups for Yao as well... but teams started laying off Chuck and clogging up the lane. T-mac also had more angles to pass to the 3 point shooters (esp. Battier) on the pick and roll where he goes down the middle. The side pick and roll has the same potential to be defensed (when the defense comes off Chuck), and could potentially limit T-mac's passing lanes. It does, however, put T-mac into a more favorable position to score (less defenders are there to run over and double-triple off the screen).
Let's face it: The Bobcats defense was poor. After the first two times in a row, they should have forced Tracy to dish the ball to someone else. You won't see that play work more than once against a good defensive team. Still, when the other team keeps giving up the same play, you keep going to it just like we did tonight.
I remember a play where they cheated over to Yao on the roll and Tracy went to the other block where I think Scola got an easy bucket or free throws (memory's kind of hazy). So there's still plenty of angles available on the side. Regardless of whether they run the pnr on the side or the top, I think the most important thing is for Tracy to not get trapped. Because if he's running free in the lane, good things usually happen. Whether that comes about due to Tracy attacking hard, or from good spacing I guess it's kind of beside the point on where they run it. So I kind of take back what I said.
ROFLMAO....the Jazz used that play OVER and OVER again against the Rockets in the playoffs and it worked all the damned time. DD
I think that serves to prove the point - JVG didn't do the best job of adjusting to the PNR, as you (and others) so vociferously informed us in the aftermath of the series. Proper adjustment might be able to limit the effectiveness of the play...unless you have Malone and Stockton out there, in which case you have to worry about the Malone "fadeaway kick where the sun doesn't shine".
Was a great thing to witness this game. Should be a much bigger % of the initial set early in the ofense. Not only do the two stars get better shots, but if the opposition commits to doubling the pick and roll the weak side open ups for wide open shots almost every time. T-Mac is really the only Rocket than can run the guard side of the PnR effectively. Must be nice to be 6'9", have great court visions and be able to pass very well!
I agree, i think this is why the pick and roll is ineffective against better teams, they tend to "blitz" tmac, forcing him to pick up his dribble and effectively "break" the play. The majority of the time the pick and roll seems like it hurts tracy more than helps him because all it serves to do at times is bring a second defender to him and allow for easier double teaming.
i think when u run it at the middle of the floor, there's less room for tracy to turn the corner. on the other hand, if u run it from the side, he has the entire court to turn the corner if he wanted to even if blitzed.
There's some truth to that. Tracy's "relaxed style" gets him in trouble sometimes, however. Where he takes a situation too lightly and gets trapped. I've seen it probably 10 times this year. Dallas game it happened like 2-3 times late in the game. I'd say that actually cost us that game. It's gotta be driving RA crazy. That said, TMac has got to have a light bulb go off soon. I think he'll get better about identifying a trap way away from the basket. When he does, the PnR will be that much more effective. As DD said, the Stockton/Malone made hall of fame careers from the PnR. So to say good defensive teams can stop it is crazy. I've always wondered why JVG didn't play TMac and Yao on the same side of the court more often. I'm really happy to see it.
