Out of all our rotation players, only Dwight's game has significantly stepped up for the playoffs. It's not that our players are not trying hard, there is a fundamental flaw in team construction that maximises regular season performance at a detriment to playoffs. 1. Dwight Howard, has significantly stepped up his game. He is a lot more physical in the playoffs and takes less plays off. In the regular season, you can see that he is only trying at about 80% effort, he doesn't really go after all the rebounds and only get them in his own area, in the playoffs, he really get physical and abuses people on the boards. In the regular season he would get called for offensive fouls a lot, in the playoffs, the same offensive fouls are no calls so he is able to be a lot more physical. The more physical the game is, the better Dwight plays as he is stronger than nearly all his opponents. 2. James Harden, in the playoffs, he still hits his midrange isos and 3s, but his opportunities at the rim and transition opportunities drop through the floor. Opposing defenses can game plan for his foul drawing and are a lot more disciplined to not foul hack at his drives. Without cheap free throws and transition opportunities, he becomes very inefficient, and his defense is still very bad. 3. Jeremy Lin, with the Physical play in the playoffs, his high dribble is a huge problem for turnovers, with the lack of transition opportunities, his playmaking is less valuable. 4. Chandler Parsons, lack of transition hurts him, his defense is exposed more as coaches can gameplan how to exploit his lack of strength. 5. Pat Beverly, his defense is less effective in the playoffs because the high energy style he plays is less effective as everyone now is playing with higher energy. Coaches can game plan how to render his ballhawking less effective, I don't think beverly's defense has been a difference maker in any games this series. 6. Omer Asik, he plays defense the same way, but so far doesn't have the respect of the refs, they dont let him get away with more stuff like they do Dwight so his defense hasn't really been any more effective than regular season. Of our top 6 players, only Dwight has raised his play, everyone else has declined from the regular season.
This team isn't really built for anything, we still have leftovers from our tanking attempts much like the Clippers last year. It's two guys, two decent pieces and a bunch of square pegs for round holes.
Agree 100%. I said earlier in the season this is not a championship team. Regardless of what people want to believe even if you remove JLin from the equation there is still no championship ring.
