Warning: Offenses in mirror are worse then they appear.

Is it possible that we just aren't a good offensive team, healthy or not?

If we end up being average that would be an improvement over the last few years.

If we can't maintain elite defensive status as well as improve from being a below average offensive team like we have been for the last several years, it's hard to see us doing damage in the postseason.

 

Artest and Barry should come around eventually. Looks like just a bad slump, better to get it out of their systems in November.

 

our coach sux.

 

Artest has never been a great jump shooter but he has taken a crap load of em this year. We need to get him in better scoring position.

Also, I think we can stick a fork in Barry.

 

CHEMISTRY.....the pieces don't fit.

Watch how much better the team plays when Battier gets back and Artest goes to the bench.

DD

 

Have you guys noticed how difficult it is for us to make passes? I don't care who the passer is or who is receiving the ball.

With our starting unit, they are so slow and stagnant that they can't create space between themselves and the defender to receive the ball. Whether it's McGrady, Scola, Yao or Artest, they end up having to post up with their feet flat and we have to make careful passes just to move the ball. Often times the ball gets poked away. We are just too slow, especially with the injuries, to move the ball cleanly. More often that not, the passes are sketchy and need to be placed perfectly to get any kind of ball movement. As soon as a possession starts, the ballhandler has to make a difficult first pass then the second and third passes are usually just as difficult and sketchy. Every once in a while we are able to find an open man but it's way too rare.

With the second unit, they are just inexperienced so there are some sloppy plays but at least guys like Brooks, Wafer and Landry are able to move, create some space between themselves and their defenders and get open for an easier pass. Tonight, it was Brooks and Wafer in the backcourt when we got back into the game to start the 4th quarter. Brooks was able to penetrate and was hitting guys like Wafer, Barry and Landry for wide open looks. They just missed their shots but they were some of the cleanest looks we got all night long.

Basically, our starting 5 are slow and unathletic, even when healthy. With the injuries, they look like statues compared to almost every other team. The second unit is inexperienced and less talented. I don't know what we can do to overcome these issues. All the practice in the world won't help the first unit become more athletic.

Our starting 5 are almost like an aging starting pitcher that needs to locate his pitches (perfect passes, low TOs) perfectly because he doesn't have the velocity and movement (speed, athleticism) to bail him out at times.

 

severe lack of identity.. severe lack of direction.. due to severe conflicting levels of dedication to the execution of the offense..

 

isn't it obvious..? mix it up... make a change.. take out some of those slow 'dated' pieces from the starting 5.. upgrade with pertitent speed/athleticism off the bench.. and use those dated pieces as models of experience for the bench..

 

Something in the recipe is spoiling everything. It's time to look at the history of everyone involved with what happens on the court. I see a coach that has has success any time he has decent talent so he gets a pass...for now. I see a bunch of unproven "stars" who have not had success anywhere so the magnifying glass needs to be on these guys. Artest gets a pass as well because he just got here and he was expected to be a 3rd option on offense and a defensive maniac. The defense is there and the offense is too early to judge.

Tmac and Yao, I'm looking at you. If I'm Rockets management I'm inclined to keep the guy who actually stays in shape during the off season and doesn't cry to the media every chance he gets. I keep the guy who actually cares. Guess who that is?

 

I think this team will eventually work everything out in spite of Coach Adelman's terrible coaching.

 

Couldn't agree more! Remember last year? We were 6-0 to start the season only to fall to 14-15. Then we steadied the ship and had the best record after the All Star break. That's when we were trying to incorperate Scola and Landry into the lineup. Now we're trying to mix in Artest and Shane hasn't played yet. There'll be another adjustment period when Shane gets back. I'm looking for another run after the AS break.

 

A handful of people have suggested that, including myself numerous times, but most people think it's insane to start Brooks over Alston or Landry over Scola. Wafer is the only other good athlete on the team.

Watching the young Blazers execute so well on top of being loaded with athleticism and deep at every position makes me puke in my mouth a little. I knew we weren't as athletic as them but it's pathetic to see how poorly we execute our offense with all the experience we have.

If a team isn't quick and athletic, it better execute well kind of like a pitcher that has lost his velocity and needs to locate. In our case, not only do we lack athleticism but we haven't had good offensive execution in about 10 years. We are too slow and unathletic, overall, to play small ball effectively. If you play small, you need to have quickness at basically ever position. Rafer, McGrady, Artest, Scola and Hayes are hardly quick and athletic. Our starting 5 is big and slow, especially at the 2 and 5. If we are going to be successful at big and slow, we need to get bigger and play over people. We can't do that right now, either. I really think we need to sacrifice one of our better forwards and one of the guards and bring in a two-way 6'11+ PF if we want to make this offense function. I am sure that won't happen though.

 

Just wanted to get in on a Northside Stor thread, one of my fav posters.

and to add, yeah, we can blame it on Adelman. I mean, not to be blaming him vs other coaches but to say that it is a natural problem with his offense. It has a tendency to take awhile to work...especially with new players...which might not have been too much of a problem had battier not gone out.

but really, Adelman's offense is (relatively speaking to other offenses) more sensitive to chemistry building that can only happen in live game situations. That's one of its flaws, among others.

Plus we had the most difficult schedule of all the NBA to start.

 

Agree with a lot here. Disagree with a lot.
Just to add... Our #1 weapon is basically neutralized due to injury, the Yao/T-Mac pick and roll. Hell that alone nearly beat a better Dallas team in the playoffs a few years ago. That has to be the backbone, a 2 man game... At least with that group.

 

our offense sucks cuz were not 100%. key players injured, new roster which means RA is trying new things to see wat works and wat doesnt.

its the beggingng of the season too and we usually dont do good in november mainly cuz the team always changes their roster, injuries, and its always the hardest month or 2nd hardest.

team is still good, i didnt expext things to be this bad but i did expect us to have a good record and thats wat we got.


shouldnt expect the rox to be a top 10 offensive team in the beggingin of the season anyway. we always start the season banged up and pple tryna learn the system. later part of the season is when the team starts monsterballing, as we showed last season w/ the 22 winning streak. had a 4game and 5game winning streak before that fyi

 

This game was very hard to watch, I knew we had lost about half way through the third quarter. I know most people want to wait and see how this team evolves but I really think we need someone bigger and stronger in there when Yao goes out. Chuck Hayes is not the answer for a back up center. A point guard with some leadership and direction would be a great investment also. Those are the only two positions I would touch.