The Key Problem

[Rastapopoulos]

...as far as I see it, is lack of defense in the backcourt. Jason Kidd is, by one measure currently the MVP of the playoffs. I can't help but think this has something to do with our defense. And one reason Brandon Roy can't be given minutes is because he can't be played alongside Miller, because then BOTH guards would be hopelessly slow in defense. Matthews is supposed to be a good defender, but doesn't seem to be showing it. What's the solution? Playing Batum in the backcourt?

What's the solution down the road? Does defense have to be the key criterion of whatever PG we regard as PGOTF? Have we already given up on Johnson? I gave up pretty quickly on Bayless ever becoming a PG, and Johnson seems to have the same "tunnel vision" problem. I had high hopes for Petteri once, but he wasn't even an all-star in the Italian League, and with no Summer League this year, it's unlikely he'd just be handed a contract.

 

[Blaze01]

Tighten the rotation...unfortunately

Miller, Matthews, Wallace, Aldridge, Camby & Batum should play a majority of the minutes.....Maybe through Rudy in there for a heat check....I would say the same for Roy, but the guy is such a mental case it is probably better to just bench him....

 

[RR7]

I don't mind the guys we have out there. They just need a better understanding of what they are doing and being asked to do. You don't fight over a screen on Barea, go underneath it and make him shoot. And since Kidd is slower, you can guard him with a bigger player like batum or Wallace, so with him, you fight over the screen to not allow a shot, and switch if needed, since those guys are better on Dirk than Miller, Rudy or Roy.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Better understanding of what they are supposed to do is both right and absolutely unacceptable. At this stage of the season, a team should know how to defend different players.

 

[magnifier661]

Game one we should have won. The Refs blew that for us. So if we just did what we did in game 1; with the exception of closing out on the perimeter players; we should win easily.

 

[HailBlazers]

Less Switching, More Closing out, Doubling Dirk down Low, NO easy buckets.

 

[magnifier661]

Less Switching, More Closing out, Doubling Dirk down Low, NO easy buckets.

I don't know if I like the "double Dirk down low" position. I've always been a fan of letting the superstar get his and suffocate the other players. I think Aldridge can play Dirk one on one and do a fine job. A bit risky because Aldridge could get into foul trouble; but I think Aldridge has paid enough dues to neutralize the "superstar treatment" Dirk may get. Dirk can't score 80 right?!?! Maybe he can. LOL

 

[HailBlazers]

LMA owns Dirk agreed on that. Wallace on the other hand needs some help. Camby needs to step it up too, more minutes and more aggression.

 

[RR7]

I agree on the letting Dirk get his. It's a strategy that seems to work well against Orlando with Dwight, I am all for it. Let him get 75, and let nobody else get a rhythm. The rest are all guys that tend to rely on kick outs and such for baskets.

 

[magnifier661]

This is my humble opinion on the keys to the game.

1.) Aldridge is always on Dirk. The moment Dirk sits out, Nate should take Aldridge out.

2.) Batum is always on Kidd. I think Batum's quickness, length and ability to run after a Dallas miss and have Kidd chase him down will wear on his old legs.

3.) Miller/Roy should be assigned to Peja whenever he is on the floor. Miller and Roy can guard him and make damn sure he is never left open. Peja will not drive to the basket, he doesn't create his own shot anymore. So he is arguably the easiest guard on the floor.

4.) Wallace needs to punish Matrix everytime he is defending him. Get the Matrix in foul trouble and make him a non-factor.

5.) Camby should always be in the game when Chandler is in the game. Camby is just as much a rebounder and defender as chandler and he can cancel him out.

6.) Fernandez/Matthews should be assigned to Barrea and Terry. I think Fernandez and Matthews has the capability to get under their skin and personally I think in game 3, Dallas will try and use them more.

7.) This is a fucking jump shooting team! Why are we playing zone or switching?!?! Play these players "straight up" and stay in front of them. It's not like they are going to score in the paint.

8.) Take advantage of their "dry spells". In both games, Dallas had 2-3 dry spells and Portland didn't step on their throat. During those spells; the focus gotta be on Wallace and Aldridge in the post. Those are the "Money plays" that will give us the highest percentage score.

9.) Remember the first half of game 2. We punished them for their terrible transition defense. Aldridge and Wallace need to run from the start to finish. They proved they can't get back quick enough to lock down on those two and both are strong enough to score when the guards are trying to help and stop them from scoring. Possibly getting their guards in foul trouble.

 

[HailBlazers]

Great List MAGS!

Especially like this one:

7.) This is a fucking jump shooting team! Why are we playing zone or switching?!?! Play these players "straight up" and stay in front of them. It's not like they are going to score in the paint.

Camby needs to average 2 blocks a game already.

 

[mook]

Not a bad list, mags. Some points:

I don't like the Wallace/Marion matchup for Portland. He's their team's best man defender. He only averages 1.8 fouls a game, so he's pretty tough to get in foul trouble. Wallace should get the green light whenever he's facing anybody but Marion, and of course any time he's in the open court.

I agree that Aldridge should always be on Dirk. I don't know about pulling him out, though, when Dirk sits. Dirk played about 5 fewer minutes all season. But you may have a point there--maybe if we play LA fewer minutes in the first three quarters he'll have the juice to contend with Dirk in the fourth.

 

[B-Roy]

I agree on the letting Dirk get his. It's a strategy that seems to work well against Orlando with Dwight, I am all for it. Let him get 75, and let nobody else get a rhythm. The rest are all guys that tend to rely on kick outs and such for baskets.

Dirk is a much better and versatile offensive player than Howard. Any coach that plays Dirk straight up and "lets him get his" will eventually change their defense on him because he'll be scoring everytime.

 

[magnifier661]

Dirk is a much better and versatile offensive player than Howard. Any coach that plays Dirk straight up and "lets him get his" will eventually change their defense on him because he'll be scoring everytime.

Howard scored 52 game 1 and 30+ game 2. So Dirk will do better than that?

 

[B-Roy]

Less Switching, More Closing out, Doubling Dirk down Low, NO easy buckets.

A lot easier said than done, especially for a tram not used to doing much of this in the regular season.

Honestly, i think a lot of people just underated the Mavs. Whoever thought this was going to be easy is getting a cold slap of reality.

 

[B-Roy]

Howard scored 52 game 1 and 30+ game 2. So Dirk will do better than that?

He's definitely capable if you let him get what he wants. Dirk also has better teammates and is a great passer for a big, so if you make any tiny mistake, he can take advantage.

At the very least I would run doubles at Dirk when he gets a smaller guy on him. Letting him go 1v1 on Miller or Matthews is a bucket or a foul everytime.

 

[e_blazer]

A lot easier said than done, especially for a tram not used to doing much of this in the regular season.

Honestly, i think a lot of people just underated the Mavs. Whoever thought this was going to be easy is getting a cold slap of reality.

Well, yeah, if reality involves Mark Cuban having discovered a way to grab a version of Kidd and Peja from five years ago and teleport them into this time to replace the current versions.

 

[B-Roy]

Well, yeah, if reality involves Mark Cuban having discovered a way to grab a version of Kidd and Peja from five years ago and teleport them into this time to replace the current versions.

Chandler, Terry, Marion, Barea, and Haywood have all been bad compared to their regular season selves. In any case, the Mavs have been consistently better than the Blazers all season. They're just showing it now.

 

[HailBlazers]

When I say easy buckets, I mean if their in the paint and gonna score just foul the $hit outta them, this is playoff basketball.

 

[magnifier661]

Not a bad list, mags. Some points:

I don't like the Wallace/Marion matchup for Portland. He's their team's best man defender. He only averages 1.8 fouls a game, so he's pretty tough to get in foul trouble. Wallace should get the green light whenever he's facing anybody but Marion, and of course any time he's in the open court.

I agree that Aldridge should always be on Dirk. I don't know about pulling him out, though, when Dirk sits. Dirk played about 5 fewer minutes all season. But you may have a point there--maybe if we play LA fewer minutes in the first three quarters he'll have the juice to contend with Dirk in the fourth.

Thanks, but I'm no coach and I can see your point about Marion. I can tell you Wallace actually got Matrix in foul trouble in game 2, then somehow we went away from attacking him.

 

[magnifier661]

He's definitely capable if you let him get what he wants. Dirk also has better teammates and is a great passer for a big, so if you make any tiny mistake, he can take advantage.

At the very least I would run doubles at Dirk when he gets a smaller guy on him. Letting him go 1v1 on Miller or Matthews is a bucket or a foul everytime.

And that would be a great thing then. Howard scored 52 and Orlando lost. He score high 30+ and they came close to losing. Actually proves that even if a player like Dirk scores 30+ a game, hell even 50; you have completely taken out the rest of the team. From watching all the two playoff games, it wasn't Dirk that beat us, it was their guards.

 

[B-Roy]

And that would be a great thing then. Howard scored 52 and Orlando lost. He score high 30+ and they came close to losing. Actually proves that even if a player like Dirk scores 30+ a game, hell even 50; you have completely taken out the rest of the team. From watching all the two playoff games, it wasn't Dirk that beat us, it was their guards.

You're comparing two completely different teams....that are playing two different teams. It's not as simple as you make it sound, and it certainly isn't "proved" by a two game Dwight Howard sample size...