I agree. We didn't have stellar athletes when JVG was here, but we still got the job done. This time around, the team is just too lazy or too slow to react, and they don't run back in time to defend, and even if they get there, it's a lackluster effort at best to defend. This should be a key point defensively. Hopefully Adelman works on it. Fast break points are the easiest and often times they lead to easy and1's. We can't let teams score points off the break. On another note, T-Mac is going to be a defensive liability against the Celtics...who's he going to guard? Pierce or Allen? No way he's chasing Allen around and as slow as Pierce is (yes I think he's slow), he will run circles around T-Mac and blow right by him all night.
Are there any site that shows stats like fast break points in each quarter? I think we gave up a lot less fast break points in the fourth quarter. If there is data that backs this up, then it might be that the players were simply not as focused in the first 3 quarters. Our defensive intensity switches to high gear in the 4th, and that allows us win games.
I think that observation is right. Don't know where you'd find those numbers, other than just going through the play by plays.
Next time Rafer jacks up a stupid 3-pointer and goes for the offensive rebound, he should get slapped in the back of the head. He's lost his shot and his mind. That said, Tracy is probably the #1 culprit. Understandably, running is the last thing he wants to do now.
Adelman coached some strong defensive teams, too. If we somehow manage to improve the offense more than the defense gets worse, then mission accomplished by Morey and Adelman. Even better would be maintaining top-tier defense and becoming an above average offensive team. That could turn us into champions. Van Gundy is one of the greatest defensive coaches of all-time but he was never given enough offensively gifted players to make his rigid offensive schemes work. The bottom line is that our bread 'n butter is still defense. As long as we stick to that, we will dominate a lot of games this season.
Well let the Adelman bashing begin, heypartner and has written eloquently here about how Adelman's offense will hurt our transition D. But of course the offense is still struggling (it will for about a month at least) so it's fun to get all misty-eyed about JVG. So far we're 3-0 and holding opponents to 30-something percent shooting in the 4th quarter. And we've won by 10+ points in each game. Life sucks.
Ok, if you are going to bring up JVG, then you need to look at the flip side at al the offensive rebounds we are now getting. JVG gave those up for stopping the transition game. Our 2nd chance points are winning games. DD
Hmm...interesting. The only guy we had going for offensive boards back then was Chuck and maybe Battier... But would you put potential offensive rebounds over potentially stopping the fast break? It is interesting because if the offensive rebound is secured, whether we score or not , the fast break is stopped already...
I think we need more communication on the court, it will take time for everyone to get on the same wavelength.
Last 2 games, our team OREB% has been 21% and 22% respectively. In our last season with JVG (06/07), it was 25.6%. We were a significantly better offensive rebounding team last year (29%), but I don't think you can excuse our transition defense the last couple games based on offensive rebounding.
Our transition is horrible because on offense we take ill advised stupid quick shots which result in bricks . main culprits are alston and mcgrady. we've got to milk the shot clock a little more.
on another note, Alston needs to go and shoot 500 3s a day this is our year, I dont want him to be the party pooper
I've never been a Rafer-basher, but his play making the worst of Clutch's and leebigez's criticisms seem like relative love letters. Forget his abysmal shooting, he can't be as bad as he's playing, can he? A few more games like this and Morey's going to have to do something soon.
I agree with this, but I also think its the product of our new offense. Theres not set transition D anymore. Before when we ran offensive sets people always knew who was supposed to run back and when. Now we see sometimes 3 or 4 ppl just watch the ball as it is shot instead of running back. They feared this last year but we didnt use the offense that much so it was never an issue but this year it is. Also tracy being lazy is part of it.
When Shane gets back on the floor again our transition defense will probably get a lot better. He was often the one that gets back, and either takes a charge or forces the opponent to slow down a bit. Also he was the leader on defense. He tells people what to do all the time. Without Shane, sometimes the defense looks out of sync, especially in transition. Hopefully he will be back soon.
That is spot on, imo. Our starting 5 needs to execute well and take advantage of mismatches. Bad shots and turnovers will kill that group.
A couple of years ago when JVG was still coach, Rafer went through a stretch of 10-15 games that was horrific at best. I mean he was just terrible and pretty much couldn't do anything right. The only person in the world that stuck up for him was JVG. Eventually, Rafer brought his play up to mediocre. Maybe he has enough fumes in the tank to do that again.
