Attn: Coach McHale!…..D-mo is NOT a three point shooter!

The last page of commentary acting like Dmo is Hakeem in the post is hilarious. Only made more hilarious by the idea that McHale wouldn't want to get a talented big guy in the post. And only made totally ludicrous when people say he gets great post position and holds it.

 

DMo has shown an ability to score in the paint. That has been obvious and it's hilarious you can't see that. Perhaps in practice he has shown to be inconsistent in that area.

He is not anyone close to Hakeem. But clearly he is the best post up player we have and there are times it just makes sense to use him. Most of us who want a few more plays run for him in the post are very clear on that but again he is the best we have on this squad and that is what is relevant and unhilarious.

Yeah it's against McHale's offensive game plan which mostly works. But in the playoffs there will definitely be times when posting up will be needed so I think he should incorporate and DMo's number should be called at least a few times during the game IMO.

 

Ok, no one has ever answered this question that I have about Dmo in the post, but I'll try yet again to get an answer.

If we are posting up Dmo, where do you want Omer to be on the court/in the offense? You want Omer at the high post? Do you want him on the weak side block (something no one ever does)? He can't knock down a free throw jumper and his guy will inevitably just help off him on the block. Should we space him to the weak-side short corner, where no one worries about him and he messes up our perimeter spacing (can't fill weak corner)? How about put him in the slot for a 3 ball?

It's not as much about Dmo (who honestly can't hold post position) as it is about our offense not having the correct pieces to run a 2 post offense with Dmo down low. Omer has no passing, catching, or shooting abilities from the perimeter, why does anyone think another team wouldn't play 5 on 4 in that situation?

I can only conclude that people want Dmo to play the 5 for us...

 

I disagree with you, but I think this is a great question, so let me try to field it.

The answer in my opinion is that there are a lot of options. The best one though, and the one that will not require any roster or rotation changes, is that Asik can be a cutter towards the basket when his man goes to double Asik in the post. DMo is excellent at passing from the post and in a crowded paint, and then Asik will serve the same offensive role he does now in the guard oriented offense -- namely, cut to the basket, catch a pass in stride or underneath the hoop and try to finish.

2 other answers though which are also very relevant. One is that DMo can catch the ball in the post in transition situations before the opposing defense has a chance to set up and try to double. DMo gets up the court so fast that he might be able to get the ball in the post, make a move and score before Asik and his defender are barely past half court.

The last answer I'll give would focus on rotation. Right now the Rockets are sitting Harden and Lin at the same time often. This leaves the team with no playmakers, but they still play with the same offensive style, but rely on Beverly and Delfino in place of Lin and Harden. This of course does not work at all since these two players are not shot creators. If DMo played more with that lineup however, they could run the offense through him during these situations. That way the post offense does not get in the way of the Lin-Harden offense, it just substitutes for it when the primary style is unavailable.

 

I totally 100% agree with you on transition post-up opportunities. I've been saying that Dmo is great at getting an early, duck-in post and I think it's a shame when the guards don't give him (or any other big man running the court that hard) the ball.

As far as playing with the 2nd unit: I think if you are actually looking to get half court post-ups for Dmo, this is the place it'll happen. Not just because the other team will likely roll out their weaker 4s and 5s, but also because G Smith is able to play off the ball better than Omer in a situation like this. He catches passes in traffic, can both cut and catch simultaneously (novel huh?), and can finish. That being said, I'd say weak side elbow/short corner would be the best spots for him to get those cutting lanes and make himself available.

I agree there are a lot of options (infinite right?), but with Omer in the game, I do not see what you are talking about to be viable. Dmo has to be able to hold his guy on his back (by literally driving his hips down in to his guy's thighs, which I never see him do) for extended periods of time for a lot of post plays to work. I seriously don't believe Dmo can do that. Also, Omer can't catch/finish, so you have to count at least half those cuts ending poorly.

For a specific example: We can set cross screens for the weak side big off our floppy set to get a quick post (go to the playbook thread if you need clarification on floppy action), but our wings tend catch the ball so high on the perimeter with our 1st unit that we would have absolutely no passing angle and the timing would be goofy. The timing would have to be at about the time the wing catches the ball, Dmo is flashing open. We don't care at all about passing angles in to the post (we like driving angles) and our spacing would make it hard to actually get deep post-ups. All things considered, I don't ever see our 1st unit getting Dmo open on plays designed for post-ups.

I personally don't think it's worth it to design plays for Dmo and install new principles in the offense, even if just for one play, this late in the year. He has not shown nearly enough in the post for the coaches to rethink how we run our offense.

 

I think he is a 3 point shooter. He isn't making many yet. But it's part of his game.

 

to think I came into this thread looking for photoshops of Asik The Merman.

CF fails to deliver.

 

He'll improve as a 3pt shooter. Remember when Patterson couldn't shoot the 3? Hell remember when Lowry/Morris/Parsons/Lin couldn't shoot the 3?

Having a stretch 4 that isn't undersized is a huge advantage. Definitely worth developing.

 

I've been thinking about starting a poll thread. But since there are so many redundant threads already, I'd just post it here.

Why is Motiejunas not playing much in the low post?

1. The coach's choice
1a. DMo has not shown his ability to be effective playing in the low post, in practice and/or in game.
1b. Posting up a guy in the paint will hinder the guard oriented offense.

2. The player's choice
2a. DMo is not strong enough to stay in the low post. He gets pushed out.
2b. DMo loves to shoot the 3 too much.
2c. DMo is afraid to go into the woods.

What do you all think?

 

It could be anyone of those, its hard to say. Asik clogs up the paint too as he's hungry for those rebounds (I'm not mad though) but that could be another reason.

 

You make good points, but I agree with this one the most. DMo has real potential as a post presence, but he is not good enough at it now to warrant the team radically tinkering with one of the best offenses in the NBA. I feel confident he will come back next season stronger, more confident in his shot and with his post game more integrated into the offensive scheme (that is assuming he is not replaced in the starting lineup -- a tenuous assumption at best).

It sounds like we are agreed on the transition post up opportunities and the plausibility of him getting some post opportunities with the offensively challenged 2nd unit. I get your criticism of him in the post with the starting unit, but they are so effective without him in the post, it is really a moot point. Our offense is not typically stagnating with the starting lineup, it is doing so when that team sits. I think someone as skilled as DMo should be utilized to fix that problem, but then he would not be doing so along side Asik -- which was your whole point. He would, aptly be doing so either along side Smith (which you advocated) or Robinson.

 

I would not be so sure. Motiejunas has always had 3 point range and he's always loved the 3 point shot. He's also always been very inconsistent with that shot.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/freshyetsoclean">freshyetsoclean</a> the team wants that I spread the court and that's what I'm doing</p>&mdash; Donatas Motiejunas (@DonatasMot) <a href="https://twitter.com/DonatasMot/status/313745151946276864">March 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/freshyetsoclean">freshyetsoclean</a> I love to play under the basket</p>&mdash; Donatas Motiejunas (@DonatasMot) <a href="https://twitter.com/DonatasMot/status/313745543480373249">March 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/freshyetsoclean">freshyetsoclean</a> I'm play my best when I play in the post .</p>&mdash; Donatas Motiejunas (@DonatasMot) <a href="https://twitter.com/DonatasMot/status/313745969072193536">March 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Good to see him drive to the basket more in this game. Nifty assists to Omer.

If only they could improve their FT shooting. But DMo-Asik combination can sure wreak havoc on defenses

 

I've been saying it for awhile and I'll keep saying it because it's true: the thing DMo needs to work on most is his shot.

His current post game is very weak; if the defender doesn't fall for the pump fake, DMo is screwed. To develop a few go-to moves in the post will take a few years, and I'd rather not see him be relied upon to score regularly in the post until he has a chance to succeed at it.

Strength and conditioning will come with time, and that will also help him in the post. So in the meantime, he'd do well to put some freakin arc on that shot.

 

Not a terrible idea. Basically, this team is being conditioned to be ambidextrous. Equally proficient inside and outside (as awkward as it is now, it's growing pains). Next year will be a better year for the entire team.

JLin is being conditioned to work on the outside since his inside is elite. Harden is not a point guard, but is being conditioned to play to take pressure off Lin when he gets doubled. Now DMO shooting 3s. I heard TRob is moving to Small Forward making use of his handles.

Not a bad formula, just takes time to get right.