Could we have CP guard LA? his speed should help with denying the ball, and when he does get the ball, TJ could come double team off Batum
Yes. And I watched how he got those shots. His postups start 20 feet away and end with a fallaway jumper that he's putting up OVER a 7 footer. Tell me how does sending a double help alter that shot? And if you think anybody in the NBA can get away with doubling someone without the ball 20 feet away from the basket and not get murdered with the amount of space you just created you're crazy. Or do you mean when we get lost in no man's land after a PNR and he get's a wide open closer midrange shot. (That's where most of those shot attempts came from) Are you sending a double team there? On a catch and shoot after a pick and pop? It's too late. If LMA beats his man there should be help at the rim, but that's not the same as "sending a double team."
Whatever we can do to limit his possessions will help. This is done in soccer typically by FC Barcelona. They try limit the opponent's possessions to the point that when the opponent finally gets the ball, they hasten their shot selections and miss big time. By doing combinations of fronting, shadowing, doubling etc., hopefully we can discourage LMA's teammates from passing him the ball, and once he gets the ball, surely we double him and force him to pass or to make tough shots. Even in P&R, our big shouldn't switch, just stay with the guy and let their smaller guard get the shot if he can blow by our guard. Also make it very punishing and physical if their guard attacks. We will leave their other average players beat us if they can hit their shots consistently.
LaMarcus Aldridge is the 3rd player in the NBA to score 40+ in Games 1 & 2 of a playoff series on the road. The others: Tracy McGrady & MJ.
It helps in terms of Ball Denial. You want a 2nd defender shadowing him or threatening to double team so that you force them to look at a 2nd action instead of just dumping it to LMA without resistance. Sure, they'll pass to someone else for a potential 3 pointer, but that can be offset somewhat with good help defense rotations and if the doubler is fast enough to get back to contest. That and if he puts the ball on the floor you double him immediately. Like I said, not every single possession, but enough possessions to make them think twice about passing the ball to him as often, or to make LMA pause to see if a double team is coming.
Watching the game and i can't believe how they LOST him on like 3 straight possessions to start the game. He just rolls to the corner and the defense acts like Lillard is Lebron. How do you guard him? By guarding him. He should NEVER be left alone. When he's not the one shooting, he's rolling to the rim and getting put backs. Put DMo out there and tell him his one job is to get between LMA and the rim, period.
Let's see if we agree on what are the opportunities in which there is a chance to double team? Off any catch and shoot situation? No. It's too late. Off the high post before the catch? I say no, because I believe that Lopez dunks and wide open threes by their shooters are better shots than contested LMA midrange shots. Off the high post after the catch before the dribble? I say no for the same reason as above. In this case it would be LMA finding the open man. Off the high post after the dribble? Yes. We could potentially send a double team here, if LMA takes his time backing his man down. The problem with this situation for me is that it never happens unless Jones is guarding him. (Which I already stated, I don't want Jones guarding him. I want Asik or Dmo on him.) When LMA catches in the post,he usually puts the ball down only once or twice to make a move and get into his fadeaway jumper. By sending a double you're not affecting that shot, you're only taking a player out of position to box out his man. To me the times when we double should be 0. But if we're stuck with an undersized player on him and he's getting backed down, then sure we should double on that. But even when we had Jones out there, it's very rare for LMA to ever to do this. I feel like I only saw it once yesterday. He's just not backing down Asik or Howard.
also, LMA is a great basketball player, he's going to get his 27-28 pts a game. The problem is the extra 6-7 buckets he's getting because NO ONE IS GUARDING HIM.
Sad but True ......He has been lights out .Cant stop a guy whos only equal is himself on the court ( in this serious).
You put a guy like Dmo stuck to him like a disease, with no regard of being fouled out. Don't ever, ever let him turn and face up like Asik did. Are you kidding me? Can we at least make it difficult for him? Crowd him, double team him when at corner. I am also mad at TJones, but he is only a kid. McHale is an idiot, that's all I can say. JVG slowed Dirk down with Ryan freaking Bowen for crying out loud. LMA is not Dream.
Time to see what DMo can do. DMo has the type of offensive game that can make LMA work and expend energy. It's not so much "guarding" LMA as making him work so he can't be just free stroking on the offensive end all game long. Make him work. Run him, go at him. Make him play defense. Give him some hard fouls, knock him down. Go at him. We basically need the PF version of Pat Beverley. Wolverine his ass.
Dmo ain't gonna stop LMA, Asik is a way better defender and LMA was still raining jumpers....the problem is once such a good shooter gets on a roll, it becomes a big problem, and Houston didn't do anything to break his rhythm....some people say double and some said not.....you absolutely needed to double him, just to throw him off....give him a different type of look. I watched the last two games, and especially in Game 2....it's no one's individual defensive fault, LMA was on that 2011 Dirk shizzle..... also Ryan Bowen would not have stopped 2011 Dirk, just like he would not have stopped LMA in game 2....
No double off pick and roll, should be a double when he catches in high post...not from Lilliards's defender, should be off Batum...as i wouldn't leave Matthews or Batum.....mind you Batum is a pretty good shooter too...
Asik can't do anything on offense though. It's basically 4 on 5 on offense when Asik is in the game. LMA doesn't pick up any fouls guarding Asik and expends no energy at all guarding Asik. The game is both ends of the floor. One end impacts the other. It's not just LMA shooting jumpers.
Asik was flat footed. You ought to be watching a different game than I did. Did you see how LMA turn around and just shoot in Asik's face and spun around him like a bee. There is no body-up and move around to even bother LMA. LMA is good, but he does not have nearly the same quickness as Dream. We need a guy like DMo bodying him up all game along, stick one hand to his waist to make him work. Asik is simply too slow and too heavy to counter LMA. I will even put Howard on LMA and let Asik check Lopez, better than Asik guarding LMA.
Dwight is a good help defender, I don't rate him much for guarding someone like LMA....these spin move leading to jumpers....cough cough..no one is stopping those....seriously... I though Asik took away as much space from LMA as he could, as for Asik being flatfooted, that's how he plays.... Hell, even though I don't think DMO is any good on D, there was no harm in giving LMA a different look...anything!! Also, I think we should try the twin towers more when Lopez and LMA are in the game together....it didn't work earlier in the season as Asik didn't care, he looked like he was engaged and locked in game 2.....
