Donovan caught saying "Can't play Kanter" to assistant Cheeks

less Kanter=less bench scoring for OKC

more Kanter=more easy layups for the Rockets at the rim

either way, OKC is f*****

 

This would be a very big disappointment. Any minute Kanter is on the court is a huge plus for us.

 

I'm not sleeping on him. In fact, I think at the moment he's been dealt a VERY difficult hand. Of course, he was dealt a VERY great hand initially.

The problem now is, as far as I can tell, the team isn't really coachable. Because they've spent the past 82 games with the sole identity of the Angry West tour. Now that's it's time to fall back on an identity in the playoffs... they're super confused. Are they a great rebounding team?? Or not really?? Should Roberson be taking open 3 pointers?? Or not really?? [to be clear, I'm not advocating leaving him wide open on threes... but as plenty others have noted, if Roberson is their 2nd leading scorer, they have a problem and even though the make him score strategy didn't work great...well at the end of the day it worked]. What is Adams role?? What is their halfcourt offense?? [I truly can't tell if they even have one]. Sabonis started 66 games in the regular season - now he doesn't play.

I mean I get that Oladipo was 1-12 and as a coach you can't do anything about that. On the other hand, Oladipo hasn't had anything resembling a rhythm all year, cause there is none in that offense. On this ROckets squad Oladipo could be a real beast. He shot almost as well on 3's as Gordon. He'd be having a "Gordon" year here, and Gordon would be confused about his role there.

And Russ isn't the most coachable player in the first place, but even if he was, when its the Angry Russ tour it doesn't matter.

As for Donovan... well it's a little too late to try and find your identity as a team. For all OKC fans complained about Brooks, I have yet to see anything out of Donovan that is meaningfully better. Did Pops get out-coached last year? Debatable. Sometimes a team is just more talented. Thunder plus KD, plus Ibaka.... even though they didn't all like their roles, everyone knew their roles on that Thunder team last year. Brooks also beat the Spurs in route to a Finals appearance. Even Bellicheck doesn't win every year.

If the adjustment is not to play Kanter... the Thunder have a problem. W ho are they going to play? Jerami Grant? If Kanter was problematic last night, Grant was disastorous, team wise... even though he individually was ok. He got 27 minutes for some reason and put up a -25.

Anyway... long post... which mainly says it doesn't matter how good Donovan is, it's too late to find that team's identity. Not sure exactly how I'd coach them. I guess having watched the Rockets all year, and recognizing what talent the Thunder have, my strategy might honestly be to back off the 3 point line a little bit. Rockets have been in a 3 point funk for a bit, and the Thunder don't have the talent of a better defensive team to both play the 3 line tight and still guard the paint and rebound. Meaning those plays where Harden simply cooks Adams, or Kanter... I'd still switch but I'd let my bigs know... hey, take a step back, if Harden nails the 3 he nails it... but statistically, especially over the last half of the season, he's more likely to shoot 3-11 (like last night) than 5-11. Just don't let him ALSO get easy drives to the basket, easy lobs to Capela, easy swing passes, etc. This is especially true if it seems like Harden or Bev or Gordon or whomever is starting to drive. Don't just trail them. Start a step back, and then get back even faster and quicker. Encourage that mid range shot the Rockets are so reluctant to take.

Prime example is foul on the 3 point attempt, which I believe Grant did on Harden. Why even attempt to fight through that screen? 45 feet from the basket?? Harden isn't Steph Curry out there. Allow the switch, and have the big step back a bit.

That lets you keep playing Kanter.

 

Please Charles Darwin switch into a zone... PLEASE...

 

Not to follow-up on my long post with another post, but oh well.

I'm not a Kanter super fan by any means. That kid STRUGGLES defensively. But I just can't excuse Donovan for not "coaching him up". Kanter has the ability to be their 2nd best player. He's an elite low post scorer, and a near elite rebounder. It's not like LMA was ever considered a good defender in Portland. It's not like Kevin Love was every considered a good defender in Minnesota. And those dudes still aren't good defenders, but in those systems, with the right rotations and coaching, etc. their defensive liabilities were masked.

Donovan needs to figure out how to play Kanter, not just complain about how he can't play him.

 

What would Kanter be on the Rockets with Dantoni and Harden?

Rocket River

 

He would be great with rockets. Their philosophy is to outscore their opponents.

 

You guard the perimeter and keep a big guarding the paint...if Capela goes out to set a screen you don't go with him you stay attached to the rim.

Probably should have been more specific, play a matchup zone on the perimeter and leave a big in the paint to guard the rim.

DD

 

I'm not sure Kanter is best suited for an MDA system. Which is somewhat of a system that OKC tries to do at times, where they are trying to do pace and space, 3&D type stuff. As someone else noted, he'd fit into the all offense little defense component. But would it be the best fit??

Whereas I think he could beast on a team like the Grizzlies. Or ironically, like this year's Jazz. You might say he was on the Jazz and they chose Favors over him. Which is true, but I'd guess they'd change that choice in retrospect - Gobert injury notwithstanding. Because you can probably hide his defensive liabilities next to Gobert, and he's a much better offensive player than Favors. He might do well next to Townes in Minnesota. Depends on Thibs - he'd either make him ok defensively or be so pissed at him that he wouldn't play him, lol.

 

He's a post up player. not our style. clog the paint. NeNe and Capela are pick and roll.

 

OKC just doesn't have many bigs that can switch onto the perimeter and recover, no more Durant or Ibaka. I think Adams does a decent job at it, but Harden is just too crafty.

 

Get the Ryan brothers to resurrect the 1985 Bears 46 Defense ...

 

Yahoo just picked up on this

got a notification on the app

 

Yea on second watching, Capela slipped the hell outta that screen. Knew Cole was no threat to fight through or go under with Kanter so far back and it virtually turned into a mini fast break with Russ pinned to Lou Will.

 

So, he "Kant" defend?

 

Huh, seems to be they beat us this year.......doing pretty much what I am suggesting.

DD