I figure we can all chip in on what we feel about our matchups and tactics going into game 6. For me, I've noticed the way Okur is guarding Yao. Okur is not directly behind Yao most of the time, but is instead cheating to the side of Yao, to reach around and jab at the ball when Yao puts it on the floor. Yao is spinning and trying to dribble right into Okur. If Yao would possibly spin or pivot the opposite way, Okur would be in terrible position to contest a quick shot. On the defensive side, Yao is having a tough time on Boozer. This has the potential to really hurt us in close games. Perhaps a new strategy should be used, or mix it up a little, much like Jerry Sloan is throwing several looks at Tracy. Thoughts? Other areas of concern? ROX IN 6!
Yao needs to learn to fake the ball one way and spin the other, ala the greatest player in Rocket History the Dream. Okur automatically goes for a quick reach on the fake and is out of position on the spin. Also, Okur cannot stop Yao's jump hook, and please feel free to have Yao run down the middle of the paint, seal okur, get the rock and shoot a layup.
David Hasselhoff anybody? I know, I know, but my thinking is that Dirk is playing so badly as of late, he'd ditch the game against GS just to see DH. At game 6, their eyes would meet and they would share a loving embrace. Mortified by the experience of man on man action, the strictly conservative Mormon Jazz institution would have to forfeit the game just to end the spectacle. This is why normal people drink alcohol during games, to suppress the stupid.
when yao gets teh ball he's gotta go straight to work. it's simple. he was doing that before the injury, but for some reason now he's hesistant
i wana see yao have at least 5 straight plays of no dribble, turnaround shots/hooks. mix it up, but stop giving them a time to set-up.. when you get in rhythm, so do the defensive players, and this gives them an opportunity to time the block.
He is waiting for double then pass to outside. You are right, when the double comes slow, he should do it quickly.
Yao has not owned the foot work of dream yet even though before the injury look like he was on his way there. Yao needs to fake the shot more often before shooting the ball because Orkur is a smart shot blocker if you shoot it straight up.
Did you see on TNT when they showed Okur holding Juwan's leg? Anyways, I want to see Yao own Okur, Collins, Boozer. On the both the offensive end and the defensive end. It's sorta hard when they foul so much, but Yao should take over!
Yao is very hesitant to spin, I've also noticed that Okur cheats on one side of Yao (usually the outside) and it could really open up an opportunity for Yao to do a quick baseline spin like he did against Milsap when he got fouled. When it's Okur though, he seems to completely rely on the turnaround jumper which is a tougher shot
From my "Eating Crow" thread: I actually think we're only one defensive adjustment from winning in Utah or Houston. If Yao will stick like glue to Boozer, no matter where he goes, and if he gets picked let the man who guarding the pick-er take Boozer till Yao can recover... that's it. Nobody on Utah is coming anywhere close to beating us besides Boozer, and if they can shut down TMAC for large parts of games like they did in Utah, then damn it, there's no reason we can't do the same to Boozer. The Jazz consistently run a pick and roll with a guard or sometimes Giricik rolling to the hoop with the ball, and Yao fades toward the P/R whether the guard is coming to the hoop or not, and boom, Boozer gets a pass for an easy 12 ft (or frequently much shorter) jumper. If Yao will stay in physical contact, (feel his Jersey, hell hold his Jersey, or just an arm) all game long, I guarantee you that Boozer will have far fewer layups and open jumpers!!!/I] If Yao will "STAY HOME" on Boozer, and stop wandering toward their pick and roll, he will have fewer fouls and give up fewer easy buckets to their number one scorer!! Thoughts?
I don't know if Yao's knee really allows him to spin. But at the end of the game today, he was getting very, very deep post position against Okur, and that's why he was hitting easy shots instead of missing fallaway 14-footers the way he was earlier in the game. Hopefully he can do that in Utah without getting called for offensive fouls. Okur is like a 7-foot tall Derek Fisher--he must be his flopping Padawan. I didn't think Boozer could score this consistently the whole series. We have to put different guys on him--sometimes Yao, sometimes quicker guys like Hayes or Howard. And we definitely have to FOUL HARD when he drives and make him shoot free throws.
tmac - I'm totally with you on mixing up the coverage for Boozer, but also and even more passionately for the HARD FOUL on Boozer!!! How many GD times has Boozer made layups without paying the price of at least getting hammered for his trouble? None that I'm aware of, and again it's because Yao has a BAD, BAD habit of "drifting" away from Boozer when he's watching the pick and roll. Jerry Sloan has coached every player to take advantage of even the tiniest distraction so the moment an eye is glanced toward someone else, that player bolts straight for the rim. It's how Chuck Hayes makes a living off of TMAC's assists, unfortunately, everyone on the Jazz know that play and will exploit it. If Yao will stick with Boozer like glue, and we keep EVERY SINGLE BODY in front of us (or behind if we're rebounding), we'll be more than fine, but our laziness on the Boards and the Jazz execution is an absolute killer if we don't focus 110% or the time!!! So, to sum up, The Dred Pirate Roberts is half-dead but coming around, we have 1 holocaust cloak, your strength, my steel, and his brains.... even on my best day I could not handle more than 10 men....!!!! This will have to do - We're off to storm the castle!!!! (References from the The Princess Bride) Hello! My name is Indigo Montoya. You killed my father.... prepare to die!!!
Mostly, I agree with the analyses of how Okur is guarding Yao. But you guys are right, it's quite baffling how Yao doesn't seem to notice this. Either that, or he gets flustered by Okur's constant reaching. Even his makes, most of the time he's dribbling INTO Okur's strong side. Come on Yao, you have that spin move, use it! Just pivot back for a jumper, or take it up all the way for the bucket or foul! Oh, and the guy to put on Boozer? Chuck Hayes. You can't have Yao on him the whole game, because we HAVE to limit his fouls and keep him in the game, if only just for offense. Throwing different looks at him would help. Yao can use his length to bother him, and Hayes has the strength to play him straight up and make him take tough shots.
It's imperative that we dump it in to Yao a bit to tire Okur, but I don't know if it should be our offensive game plan. When we opened it up, we played a lot better offense (tonight).
In the 1st quarter, Craig Sager said that Yao was too predictable, so Okur and AK could predict what Yao does and block the shot. What do you know? Right after that, I see Yao post up and go for a hook shot and gets rejected by AK47. What was really disturbing was watching the replay. AK47 actually jumped for the block before Yao even started his shot attempt. Kirilenko literally guessed when Yao was going to shoot and he guessed right! This is unacceptable for 2 reasons. If AK is just going to run at Yao before he even goes up for the shot, the player that AK is supposed to guard should simply cut to the basket or get open for a three. For Yao, he has enough moves to diversify them to be unpredictable. I don't know what he's doing this summer, but I can't emphasize enough how much Hakeem could help him with his moves and especially his footwork.
I noticed that Okur was playing Yao to the inside. Usually the entry pass should Yao where the defender is. If the pass is to the right then the defender is on his left & visa-versa. If the pass is on Yao's body then the defender is behind him. For the life of me, I can't remember good the entry passes were. Can anyone comment on that?
there were couple of fouls on Okur in the game but the refers simply ignored that. Okur had been playing dirty towards yao.
