1-2-2 Zone AB out top Shane on right at free throw line extended (Roy loves going to his left) Artest on left at free throw line extended Yao on left block Scola on right block Force Roy to his left and everyone drop into paint, this also takes Aldridge away in the PnR. Run Utah PnR with AB and Yao with Shane throwing to Yao. If Przy goes behind AB easy post up for Yao. If Przy goes over the top, hopefully we can lob to Yao or Scola can come to the free throw line for an easy jumper that he missed last night. TC should make a difference.
just play some defense. And try putting Lowey on Roy. Roy is just toying artest and battier tonight with his speed.
Gary Payton, hit it right on the spot last night when he said "too much one-on-one basketball". And as it's been stated the Free Throws.
First off, if the Blazers are going to front get Yao the hell out of there. No, not out of the game. I mean move him at least 15-feet away from the basket and run your offense from there. We all know Yao gets no love from the officials. I am sick and tired of seeing Yao go body-to-body against defenders attempting to front him and getting whistled for offensive fouls. He's good for at least two of those a game! It's a problem, a problem we seemingly just have to deal with. Move him away from the basket if they're going to front since we can't afford these chippy, 50/50 positioning fouls that go against us just as much as they do in our favor. Yao's 20-footer is nearly automatic. We need to take advantage of all the PnRolling, PnPopping this type of positioning creates. I'm somewhat perplexed as to why we're not attempting to involve Yao more in a Brooks/Yao PnR. I know Yao's feet aren't as quick as they used to be back when a Tracy/Yao PnR was unguardable, still...I think using Brooks' speed and Yao's mid-range game on a PnR set makes too much sense not involve at least a little. Second, let Roy get his and challenge a LaMarcus Aldridge type to beat you. Aldridge is a jump shooting softy. Aside from a couple post up-hook shots, his game is almost entirely mid-range jumpers, turnarounds and fadeaways. He had the benefit of some shaky calls in his favor too. Whatever. The point is you have to challenge a player like that to beat you. Is he really going to be so "lights out" the rest of the series taking jumpers and turnarounds? You tell me. The odds don't seem to stack out in his favor, though. Especially considering both he and Roy have to go nuts simultaneously in order for them to beat us. Play him the same way, perhaps involve a little more Chuck action. Chuck at least won't let Aldridge back him down like Scola/Landry do. As for Roy: I agree with switching to make Battier his primary defender. Given how Roy uses picks better than any player in the league, I like the idea of having Battier's smarts and his methodical approach to playing defense better than I like Artest's brute power/intimidation. We're just going to have to hope for a bad shooting night or two. For as GREAT of a player Roy is, he's still human and susceptible to one of those 7-20 type droughts any star is prone to having. Let's hope the combination of Battier's wits and playing on the road will get Roy in a brief funk since this Portland team is simply nowhere near good enough to beat us if his game isn't completely "on". Third, somebody lock Artest in a padded room with game tape from games one/two. Do not let him out until he understands the difference between why he was effective in game one and not in game two! Game one he played pretty much ideal, smart basketball. He looked for Yao, limited his dubious boneheaded jumpers, moved without the ball and waited for spot ups. Result: 17 points on 12 shots. Not out-of-this world "great" or THE model of efficiency but definitely a solid night. THEN, THERE WAS GAME TWO. ISO-ing, dribble-dribble, ball stopping, not looking to reverse the ball to counter the Yao fronts. Correct me if i'm wrong but did he attempt only TWO shots inside 10-feet of the basket the entire game? His shot selection and submarining were at their absolute worst last night. Result: 19 points on 20 shots. (I know Artest isn't exactly the most cerebral player in the world but this type of disparity is pretty glaring) Fourth, time to get Landry involved. He's been virtually nonexistent this series so far having played only 26 minutes so far in two games. With Deke out, Landry's energy/rebounding off the bench is going to be vital here on out. Given that Landry is 25 now (26 by next season) I think we're pretty much at point where it's time for Landry to define his career as a Rocket. Is he just a dime-a-dozen inconsistent reserve forward or is he more? Is he a career backup or starter in this league? We're at the point in Landry's career where it's time for those questions to be answered. What better time to do it than the playoffs?
Great post. I agree with pretty much everything you said here. I never understood why, when teams start fronting Yao, we don't just pull him away from the basket, and let him take an 18 ft jumper. It's obviously worked the few times we've done it, and it would be a hell of a wrinkle for the Blazers defense to overcome. All you have to do is, the second he sees a front coming, run out and set a pick at the top of the key, and then if his man rolls over to help on the ball, the guard (I'm envisioning Wafer) can simply kick it back to Yao for a jumper. If Yao's man doesn't roll over to help, then Wafer (Brooks, Lowry...any of our guards really) can take it strong to the basket.
i also envision von benefiting the most from a high PnR. his burst of speed around a screen and his ability to finish can definitely put up some pts or at least get him some FTs. the rockets have got to get yao involved. if not more shot attempts more touches.
Phoenix actually defends the pick and roll good... if oden is gaurding yao and they call for pick and roll then instead louis should run with oden so he can defend off the pick..when oden runs out to give a pick aldridge runs in for rebounding so yao is there to cover that.
I don't think we need to make radical adjustments and even though we lost we kept it very close. If Portland's plan is to put it all in Roy and Aldridge's hands they will lose the series. Those guys are great players but if the Rox play consistently we win the series. Obviously hitting more free throws is critical but that's not something that can be adjusted. Scola and Artest need to hit their open outside shots. Again not something that can be adjusted they just need to work on it. Getting Yao more touches is always good but we are showing we can score even without Yao having a great game. I don't want to have our whole offensive focus end up being getting Yao the ball when Portland is doing everything they can to prevent it. We need to continue to have balanced scoring and force Portland to spread out their defense. IMO the more other players score, especially if Landry and Scola can really get it going we will find it easier to get the ball to Yao. That said I wouldn't mind seeing some high PNR with Yao and Yao sliding out to the high post like Sabonis did on Adelman's Blazer teams. That will open up the driving and passing lanes for our PF's and cutters while also pulling away Portlands' shot blockers. Scola, Landry, and Hayes just need to be more physical on Aldrige. As far as Roy I'm not sure there is much that can be done about him. He abuses Artest and Battier with his speed and abuses Brooks and Lowry with his height. He uses his screens well and is shooting lights out. I think we need to take a page from the UNC OU Elite 8 game and live with Roy scoring a bunch while we play as a complete team. Game 2 was a tough loss but we are still in great shape to take this series. ONE GAME AT A TIME!
so far, they can not contain Brooks. They can not defend Lowry and Wafer's drive while fronting Yao. They have no defense on Artest and Scola. They solved Yao problem, merely. I don't think Yao can stay his scrub mode in home games. The only real adjustment is for Yao. He needs to play like a $15M player or just one thirds of it.
Dude, get a grip. If Yao is taking 2 to 3 guys with him and opening the whole floor for his teammates, he's earning his paycheck AND THEN SOME.
I don't think Yao can jump the PnR cause he'll get in foul trouble... remember earlier in his career when he used to do that under the JVG system? It's the right thing to do, but he's just too slow.
Scola was trying to be physical on Aldridge as he did in game one, but the refs called him for 2 fouls in the first couple of minutes for elbowing Aldridge in the back. I think they were trying to set a tone and make it less physical, which in turn gave an advantage to the less physical Blazers
Good point but I don't think we go away from that. IMO if Aldridge gets hot we should put Hayes on him and have Hayes muscle him. Even if Hayes fouls out
I'm watching the replay on nba tv and noticing Yao is not aggressive at all on D. He can't get in foul trouble, example he didn't come over to block Blake's shot, he is guarding Oden, Oden doesn't shoot the ball at all from 15
That was because of the fronting. When Yao was fronted, it took away Yao's offense, defense, rebounds, breath and everything.
