Can we talk game, yet?

hey Smeggy, I've seen us run that play (except for the pnr part, Mobley just waits instead). The alley-oop plays were very successful in April...that's what has me giddy about our prospects using a 3 guard line-up.

Many alley-oops were coming from us flooding the strong side with everyone and Cato spinning out of the high post to find a vacated lane. The timing has to be perfect, but we did about 5 alley-oops against Mutombo doing that. Sometimes Francis does it by simply passing the ball and running around a flank of Rockets. No fancy stuff like setting it up with pnr's is necessary.

It looks so simple on tape and became possible only when we the chemistry kicked in and everyone could read the defense and knew their roles.

the Rocket alley-oop is not a defensive mistake that just happens by chance...it is a featured option that Rudy seemed to install in March/April to really get our guards exploiting defenses that forgot about the weakside.

watch for that one, it is beautiful.

 

that it is not the Utah pick-n-roll. the difference is in what the defense is forced to do. What is with the tendency to call all pick-n-rolls the Stockton/Malone p-n-roll. Watch where the center is. There's the difference.

There is so much more in this world than the Stockton/Malone p-n-roll. btw: MManal, do you know why we don't run it and many other teams don't run it, because it is too easy to defend unless you have a floor general like Stockton and the best PF in the game like Malone. We need to do what fits with us.

....a passing, high post player is much more suited to our offense. Sure, low post this and low post that, roll this way, roll that way is something hard to argue against, but I contend that the high post is where we need that PF and we need him to handle the ball while Francis and Anderson are running around him. and that player is not Fizer.

Forget the low post or even rolling to the low post...that is clogging the middle...no matter who it is. The better thing to inject into the offense is Francis running without the ball around a big, high-post passer who can read a defense....and make the correct decision about shooting, handing off, or passing into the low post. Some high post moves would be great, too. But then that describes Duncan.

[This message has been edited by heypartner (edited July 27, 2000).]

 

Hottoddie,

I gotta tell you: it is thrilling for me to see comments like yours. Many of us want more of these discussions, and hopefully this year we will have even more of them. Being a season ticket-holder, I'd like to assist everyone by drawing up plays as they unfold throughout the season, so we have something visible to discuss. I look forward to all comments.

I will tell you what I stay away from, and that is speculation what Rudy will do. I am just happy to watch it and figure it out.

With that said, I feel all Cato should do is worry about defense and rebounding and getting up with the horses, all of which will help our transition game. His nine points will come the same way they did last year, by our guards burning the defense for paying too much attention to them.


As for Kenny Thomas, he has the skills to be an excellent high post player where his height disadvantage is not as much an issue. But he did say in a recent interview that he is working on close-in shots. The key to understanding the value of Thomas in our system is his passing and quick footwork. I look for him to play a more prominent role in setting high post picks and in handling the ball in that area. I have seen some plays that can utilize his passing. He has the ability to do quick drop steps and pass out of it; that is rare.

[This message has been edited by heypartner (edited July 28, 2000).]