Not sure if anybody caught Rudy's show last night on 610 but I didn't see any discussion of it. There were several questions regarding the ISO's and the new offense. Basically Rudy expressed what I've been thinking all along so I'll paraphrase. Rudy stated, there are very few offenses, if any, that don't rely on ISO including the triangle. Rudy goes on to say that his goal is to get some sets to free up somebody at which point they'll try to ISO. Everybody has been screaming ISO but that is false this season, IMO. Last season we cleared out 4 people on one side and let Cat/Steve try to break down their man. I don't beleive I've seen that once this season on a set play. There is always a pick involved and then they finish the play w/ an ISO if the man gets free. Typically, I've seen 2 men cleared out on the opposite side...never 4. I'm already getting sick of everybody complaining about the ISO's and we aren't running any. I would agree that we aren't always effectively utilizing our picks and the offense isn't too smooth (esp the latter games) but it does look better than last season, IMO.
I guess you didn't quite comprehend. Rudy claims ALL offenses are essentially geared towards freeing up a man so they get a step on the defense. ie ISO (if that's what you want to call it). He claims the famed Triangle offense is geared towards finishing w/ an ISO. Last year's ISO's were 4 people on the weakside. We haven't seen that this season.
Man, some form of ISO is still ISO, but you need great players like Drexler, Barkley, Dream to execute those and be effective. I don't even think Francis is in that level yet nor does Mobes. You will win some but not all player's talent will be utilized. Which will lead to frustration (like Anderson.... or hate to say this.... Quitten).
I was at the Sixers/Rockets game. There were definitely times when we cleared out for an ISO. The main problem I have with the Rockets offense is that there are still many times where the ball is passed 1 time before a shot. This is a horrible offense to run. Look at the Kings and Lakers, they pass the ball 6-8 times before someone fires up a shot.
I sat on the front row for that game and the only "clearout" I saw was when they gave Mobley the ball on the elbow of the freethrow line. That isn't close to a traditional clearout where everyone goes to the opposite side and stands as far back as possible. Mobley still used picks and back screens to get to the ball.
So he used a pick? There were still 3 guys on one side of the court. Bottom line is that it wont work. And my whole point isnt about the clearout, its about Francis or Mobley keeping the ball for the whole shot clock. Its an ineffective system.
Assuming you have no one in the middle, the closest thing to balance is 3 guys on one side and 2 on the other. I think the clear-out ISOs have been significantly cut down, which is very good. I still think we have too much dribble, dribble, dribble, and not enough movement away from the ball. It seems when Steve/Cat get the ball, everyone else sort of just stands there.
krosfyah, regarding your signature - this is Iverson's actual quote: ALLEN IVERSON On Yao Ming: "Yao Ming comes to play. He’s a great player. He does a lot inside and outside and has such soft hands. It’s amazing, his God-given ability. He’s special. He should thank God everyday." http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/RocketsSixers_Postgame_Quotes-56199-34.html
This seems to be a problem still. When Francis or Mobley take the ball out, and come down and just jack-up a 3 pointer without even setting up the offense. Or, they come down and immediately go into a ISO. It has been better, though. At least they are utilizing the pick and roll more. But, playing as a team, requires discipline. And if the players don't buy into it, it will never work. Right now, in Francis's eyes, he only has to keep one player happy. His chum, Mobley.
That was my assumption as well, when he pertrained to ISO. That is exactly what Jackson was running in LALA Land.
Rudy is correct. There are very few offenses in the NBA, if any, that don't utilize ISO. What makes us ISO-only last year, is the frequency and immediacy that we went to it. but... Jordan to Paxson was an ISO Jordan to Kerr was an ISO Jordan losing Byron Russell was an ISO Kobe destroyed the Spurs on ISO The Triangle incorportates ISO. Eliminating the ISO 100% is called the Kings and the Timberwolves not being able to win it in the 4th Quarter. Embrace the ISO...just not the frequency we had last year.
Right on HP, but we don't have guards like Jordan or Kobe that can take over the game like they can, although I have always believed Mobley can be that kind of player. No one else on this squad should rely on the ISO, outside of our post players. No team, not even the Kings or T-Wolves run a 100% non-ISO offense. C-Webb, Peja and Bibby run ISO's. KG and Wally run ISO's. Every offensive scheme in the NBA utilizes the ISO to some extent. It's just not strategically wise to totally eliminate them because they do work. I agree that the ice play needs to be held closely in the playbook, however like you suggested, it should not be run into the ground like last year where we were predictable a good 80% of the time. Without diversity in any offensive scheme, it will come to a point where the defense doesn't have to work as hard to adjust. That point in the last two preseason games has come in the third and fourth quarters, like we frequently saw in the first half of last season.
It comes down to how you define ISO. There is the broad sense that means freeing up a scorer from being double teamed. There is the narrow sense that means clearing out one whole side of the court for a player to go one on one. The complaints are about the latter, not the former. Rudy was talking about the former, not the latter. So I don't think Rudy's comment actually squared with the complaints. The question is: did Francis even try to involved other players to set up an ISO (the broad sense) for either himself or someone else? He as the PG should try to do that EVERY possession except fast breaks. I didn't see the games. So you guys tell me.
I dont know whether it is ineffective or not. But with an L dribble, dribble, put shot to sleep offense surely sends the crowd home. I dont' know why Les, despite being a smart guy, can't figure this one out. Its not whether we cler out crowd on one side or not. It's not even a question of using 3 guys on side and 2 on another. Its a question of making the defense work an honest effort...and the offense using as many guys as needed to fool them. If you look at our turnovers (I guess one category we led the league last year), most of them are silly turnover (overpass, desparation miss, misreding a teammate, running the shot clock over etc.) more than opponents winning it from us. Subjectively, its those kind of stupidity coupled with a stagnant offense (and low offensive rebounding) makes a nice recipe for disaster. I hope Rudy starts mixing the right 'tonic' in his couurtside drink, and recognizes the true meaning of the iso question people are asking him about!!
Exactly. That is why you run an offensive set, i.e. to get someone open or create enough space to get your player able to take the opponent one-on-one and beat the team defense.
I'm glad we seem to have come to some concensus that we are not running ISO this season. Some have argued that we run the shot clock down too often w/ too much dribble. I disagree with that too. I'd say we too often take quick shots. I would agree that we are not running this new offense very well, however, because too often we had only 1-2 pass possesions that resulted in quick shots. I would like to see more passes. That probably should come with time because Yao's presence will dictate that. One thing Rudy understands is getting big men involved. So I'm not worried...I think it'll come around. But I was getting annoyed with everybody bashing the ISO, as if that was some sort of evil, despite the fact that we weren't running any pure ISO's.
