if you saw the first 3 quarters, you know why. despite yao struggling, we were balling. like i said, we had 6-7 in and outs or else it would have been a blowout. but again, the 4th remains a problem. if we want to be an elite team, we have to learn how to close out games. this problem remains since the JVG years.
Hey, I didnt see your opinion on the 5.8 secs end game play. Was is RA's fault? Tmacs fault? Teams fault. Yeah a lot of unlucky shots and ofcourse in a fans opinion bad calling (i counted three travels by Brand). But I am sure we got some uncalled stuff too.
No ones fault.... It should not have come to that, SamDale(come back to me!) made a big play.... What do you do, you know?
it's both. there are 5 seconds left. why do you waste 2-3 seconds setting a screen at the 3pt line? that's just stupid. if he wanted the ball in tracy's hands, set a screen to get him open BEFORE the inbounds so when he gets it, he has the full 5.8 seconds to do whatever play is drawn. instead, tracy got the ball and used a screen -> when tracy was getting ready to shoot, it was around 1.5 seconds left. you need to give tracy more time to do some moves and whatever to get a shot off. it's also tracy's fault b/c as a player, that's just a stupid shot. you don't jack up a 3 over a guy who's been blocking shots all game. as a player, in the back of your mind, "my shot might get blocked" must be ringing through his head. if anything, RA should have screened for tracy before the inbounds, let him catch the ball at the top of the key and which 5.8 seconds, i'm sure tracy would have driven. that would give him a lot of options either to take a shot, or cause the D to collapse and pass to the shooters in the corners or maybe yao for a short shot. the point is: you have to put yourself in a position to have MULTIPLE options. with that play, a tracy's 3 was inevitable. both of them were at fault.
Okay, I can live with that. Ok no I cant. So did Sam make a play or did Tmac give up a play? Orrrrr, did RA create a bad play. Did Tmac make the best decision? Could he have created a foul? Or a assist. Did he have enough strength to pass up Dalembert. Could have Yao made a better PnR? Sure Sam create the play play for them. But where did our play start and stop.
The problem is Adelman is playing this lineup of Yao+Battier+Artest+T-Mac+Alston down the stretch, and this combination got no chemistry whatsoever. If this is Adelman so-called best lineup, he better play them more together to develop better chemistry.
So maybe that was his play. I wont deny that it could have been but I wont agree that it was. (RA) Maybe also the team didnt move around enough or the 76er's just hella guarded them. Do you think Tmac had the strength to pass up who ever would have been on him if drawn out differently? I kinda think the first 3 quarters worn him out a lil especially on his hurt leg.
2 of the shots he took late in the 4th were in the paint off penetration so no, he still feels pretty good. it was just that play was very odd, esp how it progressed.
And that is when the offense goes down the drain. Why? Because Scola is now out. Scola is the only one that consistently moves around and gets open. Battier, T-mac, and Artest usually camp out at the 3 pt. line. Which is what happened a lot towards the end of the game. We also went back to the high post stuff with T-mac at the end instead of running the offense.
I used to think Battier and Artest on the floor together would equal to shut out defense but now I think their game are too similar to each others. Now it's more like no offense.
Thanks It's frustrating right now, but this team has the talent to turn it around. The question is are the mentally tough to turn it around? Yao latest quotes make it seem like he is a beaten man. The only positive thing I can take from tonight is that T-mac and Artest improved when it came to moving without the ball and getting the ball out of their hands for the 1st 3 quarters. The question is will they continue to believe in Adelman's system? Also when it gets tough like it did tonight in the 4th will the guys on the court run the offense like they did earlier in the game. A lot of questions about this team that will be answered in the next few games.
Von Wafer also plays less defence, is less physical, and loses every single physical aspect in comparison to Artest.
hahah, didnt we just have a debate about ball movement? Or maybe that was someone else but I thought it was you thats why I replied to your post with a smiley. Friends? heh heh! umm i agree we have enough talent. I think we have enough talent to make it to the conference finals but like you mentioned we lack chemistry. /sigh, someday. maybe I will just play NBA2k9 and have my own championship.
Lol yeah but this time I wasn't arguing with you about ball movement. I was just saying tonight they bought into it more than any other game and I hope they continue to buy into it and improve at it. The smoothness of the offense made life a lot easier.
Opp fg% 45%. That means most of the opponents are are always shooting from 43% low 47% high. Defense is a huge problem right now, but people don't want to listen.
