This week we offer our solutions to the Yao problems and closers...also find out what team has the hardest road to the playoffs. <object width="500" height="375"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3624610&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=ff9933&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3624610&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=ff9933&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="751" height="563"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/3624610">No Layups Episode XVIII: Scoops</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user484766">Chance McClain</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.
We just wanted to bring some good Anal.ysis of the yao situation...what do you guys think about the Closers? How should the Rockets handle it?
Artest is too wild at times to be a closer, it's either hit or miss.... Yao can't be a closer when the defense dictates when Houston can get him the ball or not. Artest isn't going to change. And who knows if Yao is capable of being consistently great at the post. Sounds like the only choice is to not have a closer, but just several options, which goes against history, but then again we've seen crazier things happen.
Nice work. guys. Here are my solutions. Solution 1: do not ask for the ball if you are not sure that you can hold the firmly. Solution 2: hit someone's face if some guards try to steal your ball. Solution 3: practice your middle range jump.
LOL!!!!!!!! Kobe already left Raheel!! Keep the J in your P's!!! BTW, great episode and breakdown fellas!!
This was a great episode compared to what I normally see. The goofy location seemed out of place. I was looking for them to plug ice cream 5 or 6 more times. DD, When is your next episode coming? DG
Two days ago Don, it got pushed down due to the Lakers loss Thanks for asking and my apologies to No Layups for pimping on the coat tails of their ride. DD
Take Yao out of the game when he is not contributing in either offense or defense just like you would take any other player out. Take Artest out also when he decides again and again to play 1 vs 5 on offense and screw his teammates just like you would take any other player out. The problem is the coach being unwilling to sit his stars when they are a detriment to the team. There is no discipline, just a double standard. You think that sits well with the other players? Certainly the stars of a team are gonna get more leeway... but there are limits... unless you are coached by Rick Adelman in which case you can suck just as much as you want to.
That is actually the BIGGEST problem and it may kill us in the playoffs. We have nobody to finish the game without McGrady. I mean yes, sometimes his decisions down the stretch were bad but at least we had that guy who could always find an open man or score himself. The thing is, he drew double teams which made guys open. Right now it is not that easy anymore. As you guys mentioned, Yao Ming is usually completly taken out of the last 4 , 5 minutes so we can't relay on him and we can't force passes to him. Ron Artest? Oh no ! As you guys said, he has the ability, but his ALWAYS goes crazy late in games. The problem is, he thinks he is MUCH better than he really is and he belives he can make EVERY SHOT which killes us for example in Chicago. He doesn't trust his teammates late in games. I think we should bench him for about 1-2 minutes to just get his mind set. What I want to see late in games is more pick and rolls wih Brooks/Lowry and Scola. We have to make something happen at the basket instead of jacking up well contested shots.
I think the best closer is the "team." What I mean by that is by now it is obvious that when it's crunch time, and every defensive player's attention is on Yao, you cannot still force it into Yao and expect success. You have to turn the defense's attention on Yao against them and attack somewhere else in the defense that is weaker. I think it all starts with Kyle Lowry, the best decision maker on the team. Let him choose which area of the defense to attack. Then the finisher can be Ron Artest spotting up, Carl Landry attacking the rim (I would add a mid range jumpshot but I remember he passed a game winner up a few weeks ago despite being automatic all game long so I don't know if he can make it in crunch time), Luis Scola with a mid range jumper or a post up, or Yao. We can also substitute in Aaron Brooks (but not Shane Battier until he snaps out of this funk) for matchup purposes. We need the team to execute like a well oiled machine at the end of games. That will raise our efficiency to a level above the throw it to Yao at all costs mentality.
Thanks for the comments guys. It is an issue that isn't always exposed but when it does, it shows up big.
