Delaware
02-16-2009, 05:52 PM
This would be a major mid/late season gamble and course correction, but we have seen K make them before (Duhon replacing Nate and going small/quick when Boozer went down). This one might be more drastic, but worth a shot.
It seems to me that either Nolan is hurt or slowed by something and we know Paulus has the heart of a lion, but is limited on defense in the man to man. Z is a bit too slow in his post moves on offense as well as on defense to recover in our man to man.
The backcourt trap and the half court trapping zone actually looked effective for stretches in recent games, but we are not comfortable with it as man to man is the main defense, so we don't fully commit. This team has some long, lean fast bodies. Singler, Thomas, McClure, Plumlee and G can all run, defend, block shots, recover quickly and get out on the break and finish.... so here goes....
Start a long, quick, lean line-up of Jon, G, Singler, Thomas and Plumlee and come with Williams and McClure (and Nolan and Pocius if and when they get healthy) off the bench and commit to trap full court and zone trap half court constantly. Play fast and loose... get turnovers, run, block shots, recover on defense.
If and when in the half court, Jon can be a good playmaker off our high ball screens and drive the ball rather than settling for corner 3's.
It would have to be a full commitment, buy-in and a massive change in thought process, but it is bold and I think it would be worth a try. It could completely blow up and not work and might be suicide. But.... simply tweaking what we are doing now is not going to provide significant upside.
Thoughts?
It seems to me that either Nolan is hurt or slowed by something and we know Paulus has the heart of a lion, but is limited on defense in the man to man. Z is a bit too slow in his post moves on offense as well as on defense to recover in our man to man.
The backcourt trap and the half court trapping zone actually looked effective for stretches in recent games, but we are not comfortable with it as man to man is the main defense, so we don't fully commit. This team has some long, lean fast bodies. Singler, Thomas, McClure, Plumlee and G can all run, defend, block shots, recover quickly and get out on the break and finish.... so here goes....
Start a long, quick, lean line-up of Jon, G, Singler, Thomas and Plumlee and come with Williams and McClure (and Nolan and Pocius if and when they get healthy) off the bench and commit to trap full court and zone trap half court constantly. Play fast and loose... get turnovers, run, block shots, recover on defense.
If and when in the half court, Jon can be a good playmaker off our high ball screens and drive the ball rather than settling for corner 3's.
It would have to be a full commitment, buy-in and a massive change in thought process, but it is bold and I think it would be worth a try. It could completely blow up and not work and might be suicide. But.... simply tweaking what we are doing now is not going to provide significant upside.
Thoughts?