Kevin Martin crunch time disappearing acts

Look, Martin's offense in the fourth quarter is not what I am worried about. Actually, Im not worried about him at all. Mainly because surprisingly his defense has not been that bad so far this season.

Martin is not an isolation shooting guard. He works off of picks and screens to get to the hoop or shoot a jump shot. He's not the guy you give the ball to and say go to work. Thats why Scola, Brooks, and now Yao are having plays called for them in the fourth quarter instead of Martin.

What Im worried about is the PATHETIC defense from Scola. I love Scola as much as anyone on here but watch the first couple games again and see how terrible he has been on defense. There was times last night when Jordan Hill was basically guarding two post players because Scola was floating around the baseline. Just pathetic.

Brooks is bad on defense mainly just because... well he's short and cant put a hand in the face of a shooter, but at least he has been trying trying the past game against the Hornets.

You have 3 guys that should be able to close out games offensively and open things up for Martin, the only problem is those three guys cant guard my little sister right now.

 

exactly right. when he tried last night, he couldn't get past his man and ended up getting called for a charge. he is not the kind of player you can give the ball to late in the 4th quarter and say, "make something happen."

he can spot up and shoot...that's about it. oh, and he'll hit free throws if you foul him. but don't ask him to play defense. and don't expect him to penetrate and create space for someone with that.

as for AB...i love AB...but if AB is the best ya got, it ain't enough.

 

1. the talent is not there. as much as you want it to be...it's just not. good with no great doesn't do a whole lot in the NBA.

2. i'm with you on Melo not wanting to come here...just pointing out how flipping ridiculous it was to suggest you wouldn't part with this guy for a chance at a guy who is 2nd team all NBA

 

I dont think Martin played in the 4th quarter until about 5 minutes left. But agreed, Martin really should be a 3rd option on a good team simply because he's not a take over the game type guy, he can help you build the lead during the game but doesn't impose his will in the final minutes. Brook has the personality to do it but gets frustrated and makes mistakes. So far the only offensive closer we really have is Scola who can simply be a beast but than he gives up just as much on the defensive end. If the other team has a guy that can consistently hit open jumpers, we have a problem

 

Adelman needs to be a better coach, they have the same problem every 4th quarter and it's not all on Kevin Martin. It appears no one knows who should take full control.

 

I 2nd that....

 

Hold on a minute here: Wasn't this the way he was sold to everyone after DM traded for him to be the supposed replacement for MeMac?

Hmm, then will someone please explain just why he's here?

Uhhh, Yeah...

 

Ofcourse not, Martin's per efficiency stats are better than Melo's. So that would mean he's the better player

 

My definition of "Talent is there" is enough to win games against the teams they have played.

Whether or not we are a contneder is not what I meant.

I don't like Melo and think he would add to the problems on this team, his committment to D is not exactly all in.

I am not against trading anyone on the team if it made us better.



DD

 

Martin can do a lot more than spot up and shoot. Come on.

We are just looking for something to point the finger at and I guess it's Martin's turn. He hasn't done anything exceptional in the 4th quarter, but I don't know that I would say he's a "disappearing act". Last night, that charge play - that play was completely blown from the start. AB had no idea what he wanted to do with it, so he handed it off to KM and proceeded to run right into him. It was doomed from the start, whether we had Martin with the ball or Reggie Miller himself. There's not much KM can do when AB drags his defender over with him to the corner.

Frankly, crunch time needs to be all Scola with Martin feeding him in the post. This way Martin can spot up or cut through the lane after the pass. Scola is the best we have at getting to the basket. It was a huge mistake last night trying to go to Yao when he came back in in the 4th. There is just no way to expect our team to be in sync when you're trying to make Yao a #1 option for only 6 minutes at a time. That stretch he came in the 4th absolutely killed us, offensively and defensively.

 

Martin isn't a playmaker. That's the problem. At the end of the close games, you usually want to put the ball in the hands of a playmaker. Someone who can not only create a good shot for himself, but also for others when the defense closes in. When was the last time Martin penetrated, drew the defense, and got the ball to the open man for an assist?

Brooks is the one who needs to make the plays in crunch time, but passing doesn't come naturally to him either. What we see, as a result, is a lot of 1-on-1 plays in key moments and poor ball movement.

Anyway, the execution on offense isn't where it needs to be in the 4th quarter, but defense is the much bigger issue. We've had problems closing in the past as well, but we could always rely on being a good defensive team. But if you can't defend, and you can't close on offense, that's a really bad combination. Its no wonder we've lost 4th quarter leads 4 games in a row.

 

he also passed up a wide open three right after making a tough 3. that would have tied the game and changed the game. instead, like he always does he tried to draw a foul and just happened to get the call this time

 

I mean what did you expect out of him he is NOT a closer. The guy can't even create his own shot so how do you not expect him to disapear in the 4th.

 

Martin can create his own shot. He's pretty good at that, I think. But because he has tunnel vision, he's easier to defend in the 4th quarters. Team will close on him without having to worry that he'll pick them apart with the pass.

 

I can sense that when we're losing...he doesn't want to take responsibility...it's like he want to defer. Like the last mins when we're only down by 3 or 4 and he didn't want to take over and pass to Brooks instead. I dunno man...this team need some fire bad...

 

C Lee can handle the rock too

 

I would like to see a swingman rotation of Kmart, CBud and Lee and leave Battier as a situational sub.

But hey, not my team.



DD

 

This why the whole "efficiency" argument is flawed. Because when defenses tighten up, all that goes out the window.

There aren't many players that can create in those situations. Martin isn't one of them. Tighten the defense hard on him and allow more physical play, and he doesn't have a great game all of a sudden.

That's why we need Melo.

 

I made a thread about this last year. This is who Kevin Martin is. He'll give you 20 points a night and you won't even notice until you look at the boxscore. I think he tries too hard to draw contact for fouls, instead of trying to finish the play. Always looking for the foul. Not to mention he missed a crucial late game tech free throw. He's usually money from the free throw line. I use to hope KMart to be that guy, but not anymore. I'm still hoping Brooks can be, but if he keeps up his questionable shot selection late in the games, that hope might be gone too.