Why not try these adjustments for the game 7? 1) Post Shane Battier. He would probably either have Deron Williams or Derek Fisher guarding him if Okur is on Yao, Kirilenko on McGrady and Boozer on Hayes. Battier is much bigger than either guard. 2) Hayes guard Boozer full time. Put Yao on Okur because even if he's drawn away from the paint, Okur isn't quick enough to drive past Yao. 3) Get Snyder in the game somewhere to D up the much smaller Deron Williams. Snyder is big and athletic and it's not like he would be much of a drop off from what Luther Head has been providing offensively. Just my two cents on the eve of game 7.
most of it makes sense, but Van Gundy is still JVG...adjudstments are always made too late!!!! However, Battier has to be more involved in the offense...Ou execution is piss poor most of the time due to coaching scheme. We have to give Boozer different looks, he has become too comfortable against Yao, Hayes has done a good job on both of their guys, we just need to shut down 1 of them, (Boozer being the 1)
1) You need to understand who Battier is. A post threat and 3rd scoring option is NOT what he is. Sure he can make some occasional hooks and floaters, but he is much deadlier as a three point shooter. He will get open looks when the defense collapses on T-Mac/Yao. 2) NO 3) NO
I think T-Mac should guard Deron EXTENSIVELY in this game. Rafer can D up on Fisher while Battier stays with Harpring/Kirilenko. Which works nicely because if Kirilenko is cheating off his man, then I want that man to be Battier in the corner.
Battier has 5 and 7 inches on each of the two guards that would be defending him. I'm sure Battier could back them down with Yao at the high post ready to catch and shoot if they double down on him. Battier should be scoring more than 10 points a game. His size and skill is wasted as just a catch and shoot player especially when the rockets need more scoring. That is what the Pistons do with Tayshaun Prince when a mismatch is presented
Here's an adjustment: Yao needs to play BIG....i mean what happened to the variety in his game? Okur even said that he pretty much knows what yao's gonna do when he gets down on the right or left block....that's why okur's getting the charging fouls and block shots on yao....
ZERO ADJUSTMENTS T-Mac, our one and only play maker shouldn't be guarding the other teams' point guard. That would exhaust him. If this was a video game, and we could set T-Mac's stamina level to infinity, then I might suggest that. My bigger point is Rafer is playing solid defense on Deron. The pick and roll defense is what has been killing us. Notice that Deron has only put up huge numbers in 1 of the 6 games so far. Rafer is doing a fine job. No need to make adjustments there. Game 6 was the best road game we've played in the series BY FAR... yet that was the game that Okur and Kirilenko both actually showed up offensively. They combined for 33 points. Keep T-Mac on AK-47. Hayes played terrible defense on Okur in Game 6. That will not happen again, as Okur actually draining shots in that game will be a wake up call to Chuck. It's not all on Hayes though, the defensive rotations also stunk. Battier should guard the best shooter on the floor. His ability to keep a hand in the shooter's face will be very valuable. In order of best shooter IMO, it's Giricek, Harpring, and then Fisher.
Prince is a better scorer than Battier. He has a better assortment of moves. Battier's job on offense mostly is to get open for threes. Shane may have the height advantage, but if that really was the sole factor in who can score points, then Yao and Okur would be putting up monster games offensively.
