McGrady himself has said this and commentators and game experts have chimed in on this topic. Some agree, some don't. Maybe he's just speaking up now because he's finding this particular season to be a struggle. Or because he has less talent on his team and MORE teams are using the ZONE. Dallas was a fan of it last year. Maybe more are today....? Not sure. But he's frustrated. You can see it in his stats and his game. He's only at 21pp at 35% shooting. Scoring 21ppg is not easy task, but he's doing it while taking a lot of shots. Oh, and his team is losing!
I don't think it matter much unless your team only have 1 guy that's going to do most of the offense. Like Magic. Zone or no zone, Rox are tough to beat with several guys that are capable of busting the zone by some hot outside shooting
Which is exactly the ADVANTAGE of the zone! It means that the team with the better players wins basketball games - you can't get torched by one guy while 4 helpless teamates look on - instead you can make that guy pass the ball. If he's a good passer, then he'll find the open man, if they're a good player they'll hit their shot/ make the next pass. Athletic players will still make exciting plays in a zone, and dribblers will still be able to break down the man who is guarding them. The NBA will certainly have its big stars, and the more shooters in the league, the more room will open up for people (like McGrady/ Francis et al) to drive the lane and flush it on the big guy!
freaking hilarious. The same people who complained about iso ball or "dribblemania" as we call it,are now actually FOR man to man D so guards can go iso more and make scores go up. Some people . If man to man was the new rule,then teams like the 2000 rockets would have 1 great guard just go iso clear out ALL game long and dribble the hell out of the basketball. If you watch Jordan in 1993 finals,he would score 50 points,and everyone said how fun and entertaining it was. Problem was if your not a fan of the bulls then you HATED the nba for Jordan always iso'ing and then HATED shaq for always pummeling his man guarding him. Everyone outside of LA hates shaq for bullying his way over 1 guy. You need zones to make the game more balance. Like when Hakeem would score 30 over and over,he was doing it against 1 guy. But thats why you cant compare Ming to Hakeem anymore because Ming is tripled teamed nearly every play and still gets 20. I think Hakeem would look WORSE than Ming right now in the new zones. But the fact is Id rather see more passing and fairer play and guys like Padgett and Pike and Jackson get their open shots instead of 1 guy going iso all game long trying to get 50 points like Francis used to do and Hakeem did in mid nighties. And with that,this argument is now closed. I win.
What are you talking about? "Same people...." Who are these "people?" Players or BBS posters? There are BBS's posters that wanted iso's to go away, reglardss of what type of defense that was used. Bring in the zone if that's what it will take. There are PLAYERS that are complaining that they can't go ISO because of the Zone and thus prefer man-to-man D because it helps their ISO game. Now there maybe some posters that like hard nosed DEFENSE on man-to-man because, well, that's just plain good to have. Players that actually can play defense man-to-man. That's a learned skill. But that has nothing to do with "helping isos" or "not helping isos." That's just wanting an improved defense period! Some feel that Zone is a method of "cheating" on defense without really playing hard defense. That's why Francis dislikes it. Average players can get an advantage. But even he is learning how to get around it with the help of his team.
By the way, contrary to popular believe. Jordan did not go iso like some of the guards today have be doing. There's a difference between giving the ball to your star player and having him dribble the ball between his legs...then shooting up a forced shot.......versus giving the ball to your star player and having him run a perfect pick and roll for an open jump shot. Jordan used his screens, pick and rolls perfectly. Jordan rarely used the between the legs dribble. He used the cross-over, but usually to set up a pick or screen and pass to the basket. Jordan's isolations were quite different that todays (last years Rockets) isos.
But who cares whether or not a guy dribbles it between his legs, isn't an Iso stilll an Iso? Jordan's defining moments in the finally generally consisted of Iso-drive and dish (paxson, kerr) or Iso pull up jumper. I don't recall many pick and rolls at all being run for Jordan; his signature move during his second run was the fadeaway, it required him to back his man down and then shoot. A pick and roll wouldn't have worked with that any more than it would work with a dream shake.
Yes you are right. But there are things that need to be pointed out... For one, Jordan was just a FREAK OF NATURE. The guy could get 40 points on a "bad night." His offensive ability was just so out of this world he could get away with things that other can not. Secondly, if you read or watch some of Jordan's teaching vids or manuals (same with Isiah's), he always stresses the fact about "wasted motion, using angles, and ball control." That's getting into technique. It wasn't just about "out quicking your opponent" it was about "using your speed to out DECEIVE your opponent." Always watch your opponents feet. Watch how they are positioned. Use their weight as a disadvantage to them in order to get them off balanced. Make them over commit. Make them back-off. Look for every conceivable weakness on "how" your opponent is playing you. No wasted motion. So, just merely trying to out-quick (dribble between the legs) in an effort to "confuse" your opponent doesn't really work. If fact, in the past, I've seen Francis cross-over a defender (out of his shoes) only to cross-over right back into coverage (that's confusing ones-self! ). So, over-dribbing is wasted motion. As far as Jordan's 2nd run. I don't remember much post play during his 4th and 5th rings, as I do on his 6th. And especially during his time with the Wizards. Yes, he just didn't have the legs anymore to drive past people. So he started using other methods. A "slow" small forward compared to the Jordan of old.
I don't know, in I think the lack good of good big man has really pansied the game down in the last five years. I still remember a game between Knicks and Miami in the mid 90's, Ewing and Mourning was interlocked and yes practically wrestling, it was known that if you're big men, you'd must be able to take some punishment. I see way to many touch calls when players are fighting for position these days. Also, while there are a lot fouls called in the 80's, I really don't seem to see a lot of flagrant fouls called. In the last few years, I saw a lot of good old fashion hard fouls become called flagrant. In the 80's, while there might be a couple of cheap fouls here and there, when you go up for a shot, and the defense fouls, they really foul you and forces you to miss the shot and earn your two. I think recently the NBA have fell in love with the "and 1" and letting to many 3 point plays happening by not allowing the players to fould hard.
DavidS, I am not exacly sure what you are trying to say in your last post--I'm not sure if you are agreeing or disagreeing with me. The final point I made in my last point is that I think the reinstatement of the zone by the NBA has (maybe by accident) led to improved passing and/or team play. I don't know if it has truly led to less ISO ball with superstars, but I appreciate the side effect of forcing a more "team-oriented" playing style. I guess I'm nostalgic like that. --rhad
I like how you say that the team must run through Yao for the Rox to be effective against the zone when the whole reason they cannot get the ball into Yao is the zone that is allowing them to double him top and bottom. Without the zone -> Yao gets ball whenever he wants it just like Dream did With the zone -> Yao doubled and Steve and Cat must make it happen from the outside Overall the zone is a bad rule for the Rockets, but as far as the NBA goes I personally think it is a decent rule just because I hated to see teams like Seattle play the "Zone" and never get called for Illegal-D. At least everyone can play it now But bottom line is that the zone hurts Yao tremendously and is a big reason the ball cannot go through him first, as much as I wish it could.
No matter who we go through or who should be featured we need our guards and esp wingmen to be "zone busters" to hit open jumpshots and threes to stretch out the D so we can effectivel run the O through big YAOZA
