If a player has elite handles, a good post game, and great vision, why couldn't he drive straight to the low block where Hakeem used to be. If you can get by your opponent, great, but if you can't, just slow things down in the low block. From there try to score or if attracting a double team kick it out. The Rockets have a player that can do this--Harden. I seem to remember games where Magic and Barkley used to employ this strategy. Barkley wasn't quick enough to get there, so he backed the opponent down to the post (which is now out legislated out of the game). Magic used to orchestrate from the post with his vision. Harden and the Rockets can do this as a wrinkle to the offense. I seem to remember D'Antoni's offense allowing some of this with Boris Diaw.
Times have changed. The days of Olajuwon getting the ball in the post, kicking out to Kenny or Mad Max, re-posting & getting deeper position.....backing up, backing up.....are over. In those days defenders had to be about a foot from their assignment. If they came to double, it was easier to recognize. Now with zones allowed.....guys sit half-way from their assignment & others. You see it on the weak side where one defender is guarding two players spread out along the 3-point line. This is one of the problems with Okafor. Okafor last yr had a high PiTP (points in the paint)..... very few points outside the paint. He was getting 17 points a game (w/12 of them PiTP). That leaves for a few points outside the paint & FT's. Phil Jackson tries to force the triangle offense which gets interrupted for the same reason. Now the Warriors implement some aspects of the triangle offense.....so does Houston this yr; but GSW's & Houston run it like Utah ran it with Stockton/Malone/Hornacek....spread the triangle over a big distance-extended to the 3-pt line. Phil tries to focus at the elbow with Melo. Knicks do better when Porzingis is more involved/focus near the 3-pt line. Stan Van Gundy (Detroit) played big guys lined up at the FT line as Harden brought the ball up. SVG said he saw OKC do this & saw it as effective. A wall to discourage Harden from driving & disrupt back door cuts (triangle cuts). I was thinking the Rockets could go with some (not much) Princeton offense elements w/backdoor cuts (back picks) along the baseline to counter that wall. As teams use this strategy more often, Harden & D'Antoni are getting better @ handling it. Rockets have changed the angle of attack from the side with more regularity vs this tactic. I'm very impressed with D'Antoni & the staff. Kudos to them. Just one persons interpretation. Others may see it different. Now if the zone rule changes....things may go back to favor the post game again. Right now the NBA has promoted the perimeter game. That's why I favor a pool of wing players that are almost interchangeable along the perimeter. Cavs and Warriors also find it successful to have a group of wing players.
Having said all that; there is a however. The Warriors and Cavs each had a big center to counter big post up teams like Memphis. If not for only 20 mins of Mozgov or Bogut time. Each team respectively have dropped the big center and have gone with cheaper versions. I'm interested in this years playoffs. Can Memphis/San Antonio/Utah surprise and throw a wrench in the works? Teams allow pts/game: 3) Memphis 98, 2) San Antonio 97, 1) Utah 95 Can a Boston trade of Cousins make things interesting?
