Is Yao the only NBA player getting constant double team this year?

I can tell you:

A. Spacing -- their players have more discipline, play within the system (esp. SA) and hence have much better spacing. Hence, when the center is doubled, they can swing the ball around and create an open look. We do that too but since the spacing is not as good, sometimes we don't create good shots and settle for contested jumpers.

B. Passing -- we can't compare to the Laker's in this category, they have so many veterans and Karl Malone is a great passer. For the Spurs, they have Ginobli who is a good passer in addition to Duncan and Parker, who are good passers. For us, Cato is good but he's a bad passer, Jackson has adapted to becoming a role player but his passing is just average, Mobley is only an OK passer. We don't have good passers to pick apart zones and make consistently good entry passes.

C. Yao -- Shaq and Duncan post hard every time. Sometimes Yao is running around to the other side opposite to where the guards are. He's not in position to get the ball. So it's partially his fault. When he has good posistion, the guards are pretty good about trying to get it in there like 2/3s of the time. Now the difference is Shaq and Duncan get good position much more often, and when they do they get the ball 9/10 of the time. Also, sometimes it seems that Cato and Yao are trying to occupy the same spot in the post, they needs to work on that in practice.


Solutions:

Coaching -- good coaching solves spacing problems. I don't think great passing can be coached at this level, it's a fundamental that needs to be perfected in high school and college, but better passing can be coached in the NBA I guess.

Shooting -- when Piatowski comes back hopefully he can hit the outside jumper and take some pressure off of Yao and the other guys. This point is kind of obvious though.

Passes over the top -- this isn't always available because of the zones, but when people try to front Shaq and Duncan, the release to the basket and the pass comes from up ove the defender, then they get easy dunks. Yao needs to be better conditioned and stronger and work on footwork before they do this though because he'll have to catch it in traffic sometimes. I don't know if this will work because he's not as athletic as the other two.

Time -- all these things will take time. Hopefully then can work the kinks out. But things are going the right direction. The key is to establish Yao early and then open things up for the shooters, and they've been trying to do that. Yao's just been missing some shots that he normally hits.

100 posts! ... I think I'm gonna take a break.

 

Mobley isn't big enough to get that many rebounds, not many shooting guards not named TMac or Kobe do.

Brent Barry is a special player (50% FG, 40% 3P) he's a better shooter and more efficient than Mobley, but Mobley HAS better stats I think... Ginobili is really good... Doug Christie is like 6-9 or something so can play better D... Mobley is already better than DA and McKie, significantly...

 

U'd better ask Francis this question.He controlles the ball from back half-court.

 

yipengzhao,


Superb post.


Am I to assume from your points that if we replaced Cato with MoT (mid-range J) and Mobley with Pike (deadly range), that our spacing and passing would improve dramatically, hence making it easier getting Yao the ball?

Wouldn't this also give us one of the best benches in the league, featuring Cato, Braggs, Boki and Mobley?

It would also free up more shots for both Steve and Yao, plus help our FG% since MoT and Pike are notoriously high FG% players, correct?


I admit that our defense would take a hit. However, Mobley would backup both backourt positions playing big minutes, so he'd still be playing more defense. Pike is a better defender than Mooch. Only thing I'd be worried about is MoT's rebounding/defense, which I think can be offset by this new well-structured offense.

Yao
MoT
JJ
Pike
Francis

That team can burn anyone on the league regularly. Yao plays down low, MoT is mid range, Pike from down town, Francis slicing through defenses. JJ is an all-round threat, and the type of veteran that brings it all together.

Listen, I don't hate Mobley. But I think he's just NOT for this team, just like Shaq would NOT be a good addition to this team.

 

I'm certainly not a Mobley defender, but I think you keep him in there because you do need people to create off the dribble.

If Pike get 25 minutes off the bench that should be enough.

Meanwhile... MoT... I don't know... he doesn't space that well either and clogs the low post just like Cato does. Cato is a better defender though (he embarassed Josh Howard last night that was nice).

I think you keep Cato and Mobley in there and improve spacing as it is... it'll be hard though...