The team has devolved into a lot of "getting their own". We have KD who wants to be KD and play Iso, we have Sengun who wants to be All-NBA, we have Jabari trying to extend his game beyond being a 3&D guy and we have Amen trying to learn PG and get his. We played very unselfish earlier in the season, which is why it looked better than it does now. We routinely passed up good shots to get great shots. The only players that do this now are Reed and Okogie. Everyone else is mainly concerned with getting theirs.
Since I'm usually focused on Reed when he's in the game, I see a lot of plays where Alpi is inside being triple-teamed and still won't pass the ball to an open Reed. Also Alpi gives Reed almost none of the "you and me, bro" interaction KD does. I love Alpi's game, but it's time for him to take on that next level of team-oriented leadership.
Everyone is tripping over themselves trying to be the franchise player. Ime needs to put foot to ass and squash this nonsense. These numb nuts need to realize that it’s okay to be the Chauncey Pistons.
Senguin, Jabari are probably the two biggest offenders Amen is playing out of position so he gets a pass. Trading Jabari is probably not just better for the team but it’s a wake up call to all these people thinking they are untouchable
I've noticed the same, and not just with Sengun. I think the team has pretty bad ego problems, a bunch of guys more interested in their own opportunities than winning games.
Yeah, I find it odd too. They all talk like they want him to succeed. But they visibly NOT trying to get him going on the floor. When Sengun going to the basket, at least two, sometimes three defenders are waiting for him. Reed is always open on the wing and Sengun never even looks that way. (With Sengun's court vision, I refuse to believe he's unaware where Reed is.) Durant also seldom look Reed's way when he's trying to cook. But to be fair, Durant seldom look anybody's way when he's trying to cook. Amen is probably the most willing to pass to Reed. But Amen's decision making on offense is still hit and miss. On a few rare occasions when Reed actually had the ball and was open, he passed up the shot and gave it back to Durant or Sengun. Very frustrating.
But, but, but Amen shouldn’t be initiating the offense. If last game didn’t show you a thing, then it show you that Reed cannot generate his own shot. You have to have someone that can drive to the hoop and pass to the perimeter. We had only one guy last year that could do it in Jalen and we have one guy this year that can do it, but you guys want to put Amen in the corner and let him rot on offense, because he hasn’t been finishing in the lane (except the last 3 games where he has been near perfect). The problem is not personnel, it is coaching.
PG or not he is better at initiating the offense than Reed, who cannot get into the lane on a steady basis and disappears whenever the defense extends and takes the ball out of his hand. You are the clueless one. Amen has one flaw that can be corrected. Take a look at his most recent games and see that he is now finishing on a consistent basis. Reed has multiple flaws, some that are nature that cannot be overcome. He was drafted for his shooting and he is elite at it. Ime should be creating space for him to take advantage of his elite skill, not forcing him to try and create one on one, a role that does not fit his skillset or physicality. He is fools gold as a PG, but is elite as a sharp shooter off the bench.
I think it’s a 50 50 there are a lot of days where Reed is better and then some where I’m like no I’ve noticed when they have him camp the corner 3 he just plays timid. either way we have big problems
Yes, Durant is very clearly the worst offender when it comes to this but Sengun is a close 2nd despite averaging 7 AST. Just in general - and i know how crazy this sounds - in many ways i prefer rookie year Sengun over this current version. Seems like he was a little more creative back then and im sure that version of Alpi would find Reed for the open 3s.
Same with Amen. They have him camping in the corner and waiting for the 2 or 3 opportunities to cut in the game. In the meantime, we have Sengun and Durant trying to create from the half-court line. Sengun is best in the lane and operating from the low block or free throw line. Unfortunately, that is also where Durant wants to play. Bad fit and bad coach.
The problem is exploiting the defense when they decide to trap the ball handler at half court. Not only are we not taking advantage, it’s leading to turnovers.
I agree that it’s an interesting point. Sengun still makes the occasional flashy pass, but he used to be much more willing to share the ball. we need to be coaching more motion around him and accept that this will cause a few extra turnovers, but it is something to monitor and a different perspective that may be accurate.
Having Amen spotting up at the 3pt line is criminal. Nobody is going to guard him there. It's like playing 4 on 5. He should be driving when he has the ball, and cutting when he does not have the ball. They should do drills in practice on what to do when Durant is being trapped at half court and what to do when Sengun is triple-teamed down low. Last night, when we try to double team Harden, the Clippers ended up with a wide open shot. There's no reason why we can't do it when teams try to double team our guys. Udoka said that Durant was embracing too much of the blitz. Maybe he could tell the other guys on the floor what they could do to help and take advantage of KD's gravity.
