Last season the Suns had the best offense in the NBA by every category. Yet they would go through periods when they were not very effective. The Suns biggest problen is that they score in spurts but they wwould go through periods when it seems like they get shut down and give up big runs. 3rd quarter in Game 6 of the Spurs series was an unmitigated disaster.
The Suns offense stagnates when they are not getting good shots in their early offense. They get too predictable and lacked the patience to get open shots. In particular, the longer the Suns are very poor with the clock running out especially in the last four seconds of the clock: (stats are from http://www.82games.com/0607/0607PHO3.HTM
Suns 21+ seconds: 9% of shots and 40.2% shooting
Spurs 21+ seconds: 16% of shots and 46.5% shooting
During the regular season that's not terribly important, but in the playoffs where the refs let so many fouls go without being called and thus delaying shots, this is fatal.
One of the biggest problems of the Spurs series was the lack of productivity from Barbosa. Whether it was due to his injury or the Spurs defense, without his offense coming off the bench, the Suns could not sustain momentum. But beyond that, the Suns offense was too streaky and too vulnerable to physical defense. But this coming year they should become better. One obvious reason will be Hill.
During the Spurs series, Bowen was moved over to cover Nash because the Spurs did not fear Jones and Bell is not a threat unless left open. This meant the Spurs could use a weak defender like Finley on Jones with Parker available to deal with Bell.
Finley cannot guard Hill and Manu Ginobili would struggle. The Suns never could exploit Finley's defense (with his slow foot speed) because Jones is strictly a catch and shoot guy. Hill would just chew Finley up and Parker is just too small to deal with Hill. In other words, Bowen has to cover Hill.
Bowen on Hill would mean putting Parker on Nash, which is not nearly as effective. But even that is hard to sustain once Barbosa (the Brazilian Blur) comes it, because it means Finley or Manu will have to deal with the Blur.
Against the small ball Suns, this presents some serious problems for the Spurs. Assuming Oberto or Elson are put on Amare, they either leave Amare alone at the elbow or come out to guard him. But this leaves Duncan guarding Marion or (as is more likely) just leaving Marion unguarded.
In the Suns big ball lineup, Marion was guarded by a wing or Parker and often does not produce much offense. But against a small ball lineup by the Suns the Spurs would have little choice but to leave Marion uncovered.
The most obvious way to exploit Marion being left open is to do "drive and dump" plays. In those cases, when Duncan comes out of the inside circle to defense the man attacking the basket. Marion cuts in from the weak side for a dump pass and a jam. Even if the path is not completely open to the basket, Marion is pretty good at very short jump shots.
Marion is not a good three point shooter, but he is "less bad" when left wide open in the corner. If he hits even a moderate percentage of threes to force opponents to come out to guard him, it will force opponents to go small.
Some of the time the Suns will go to a lineup with Amare and Boris. My guess is that this year D'Antoni will use Boris exclusively at center and move Amre to PF in place of Marion. Diaw is not the finisher that Amare is, but would be vastly more effective at doing dump passes off the pick and roll. For the Spurs big defense, it would mean either Duncn comes out to guard Diaw or it forces them to use Duncan to guard Stoudemire and risk foul trouble.
If the Spurs drop back into a zone, the Suns are still the best three point shooting team in the NBA. With Diaw as high post center, he has the tools for tearing zones up with backdoor passes and open jumpers from the foul line..
In the end, the goal for the Suns is to force their opponent to go small. In the Spurs series they failed to do that. Adding Hill may change that dynamic even if he does not have a big series scoring. The Spurs defense is designed to take away primary offensive options, but the Suns may have more options than ever.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Sports Accounting
When talking about "making money" in discussing sports team, it is very important to keep several related concepts straight.
Accounting Profit
Economic Profit
Cash Flow
Adjsted Cash Flow
Accounting Profit: Accounting profit is what is reported according to generally accepted accounting principles. This number involves things write-offs of intangibles such as depreciation, goodwill, ietc. and does not include unrealized capital gains.
Sports accounting is very complicated because of the way player contracts are valued for both tax purposes and reporting purposes. Ordinarily, the only things that can be written off are physical assets. But when buying a sports team, the player contracts at the time of the purchase are considered assets that can be written off against taxes. Since sports teams are generally organized as partnerships. This means that accounting losses can be used to offset profits from other sources.
Economic Profit is the total increase in shareholder value net of all dividends and capital infusions. It includes all the values received including unrealized capital gains (the team is worth more but not sold), the tax benefits of accounting loses, and all other benefits transferred to the owners.
Cash Flow is all the cash received after all cash payments including interest. It is the actual cash received and the actual cash paid out. A team can show major accounting loses while having large economic profits while cash flow could net zero. It takes cash to pay bills, so high economic profit does not help if the team has to borrow money to pay bills.
Adjusted Cash Flow is relevant when depreciation is involved. In theory, depreciaiton is what is needed to replenish physical assets.
Questions about whether the Suns are "making money" or not cannot be answered with determining which definition of "making money" is being used. Due to the increase in value of major sports teams, it is quite likely the Suns are experiencing economic profits but may not be doing so well generating positive adjusted cash flow.
Teams that do no produce positive adjusted cash flow end up having to borrow or dilute equity by selling pieces as a way to keep going. If they cannot, then their only option is to sell to somebody with adequate outside income that can use the tax losses. As a rule, ownership groups do not want to be forced to sell out.
However, owners are likely to cry "we're losing money" when all they are referring to is accounting losses. But cash flow is a better measure, but it can also be distorted by selling players or other assets for cash. This is a process that in accounting terms is considered an "extraordinary" gain and reported differently.
[NOTE: My undergraduate degree was in economics and my MBA was in finance and accounting.]
Accounting Profit
Economic Profit
Cash Flow
Adjsted Cash Flow
Accounting Profit: Accounting profit is what is reported according to generally accepted accounting principles. This number involves things write-offs of intangibles such as depreciation, goodwill, ietc. and does not include unrealized capital gains.
Sports accounting is very complicated because of the way player contracts are valued for both tax purposes and reporting purposes. Ordinarily, the only things that can be written off are physical assets. But when buying a sports team, the player contracts at the time of the purchase are considered assets that can be written off against taxes. Since sports teams are generally organized as partnerships. This means that accounting losses can be used to offset profits from other sources.
Economic Profit is the total increase in shareholder value net of all dividends and capital infusions. It includes all the values received including unrealized capital gains (the team is worth more but not sold), the tax benefits of accounting loses, and all other benefits transferred to the owners.
Cash Flow is all the cash received after all cash payments including interest. It is the actual cash received and the actual cash paid out. A team can show major accounting loses while having large economic profits while cash flow could net zero. It takes cash to pay bills, so high economic profit does not help if the team has to borrow money to pay bills.
Adjusted Cash Flow is relevant when depreciation is involved. In theory, depreciaiton is what is needed to replenish physical assets.
Questions about whether the Suns are "making money" or not cannot be answered with determining which definition of "making money" is being used. Due to the increase in value of major sports teams, it is quite likely the Suns are experiencing economic profits but may not be doing so well generating positive adjusted cash flow.
Teams that do no produce positive adjusted cash flow end up having to borrow or dilute equity by selling pieces as a way to keep going. If they cannot, then their only option is to sell to somebody with adequate outside income that can use the tax losses. As a rule, ownership groups do not want to be forced to sell out.
However, owners are likely to cry "we're losing money" when all they are referring to is accounting losses. But cash flow is a better measure, but it can also be distorted by selling players or other assets for cash. This is a process that in accounting terms is considered an "extraordinary" gain and reported differently.
[NOTE: My undergraduate degree was in economics and my MBA was in finance and accounting.]
Monday, July 23, 2007
Playoff Rules And The Officials
The officials call the playoffs differently than the regular season. Beyond the ccurrent gambling scandal, this is one of the reasons why the NBA officials get so much criticism. No one knows what the rules are because they are not what is written in the regulations.
No rule is less consistently enforced than the rule against "hand checking". Hand checking is where a perimeter defender pushes the man with ball in order to obstruct his movement. This is permitted in international basketball, but is against the rules in the NBA "some of the time". Like the rule against grabbing players cutting across the lane, the hand checking rule was designed to opne the game up and permit a more free flowing style of game.
The problem with the hand checking rule is that defense oriented coaches hate it. Their strategy is to do hand checking from the opening whistle and dare the referees to call it. Some do, but most referees seem unwilling to foul everybody out so they eventually they let it go - most of the time.
One of the ways to get the referees to call fouls is by flopping. Manu Ginobili of the Spurs is widely regarded as the NBA's premier flopper in that he will fall over from the slightest contact. So while teammate Bruce Bowen will continually hand check and bump his man without calls, Manu falls at the slightest tap.
Some of Ginobili's flopping is just manipulation of the referees. But some of it is the inconsistency in the way the rules are enforced. In international basketball where hand checks are permitted, they actually outlaw flopping offensive players. (Taking charges is a different issue).
The NBA rules writers apparently wanted to eliminate hand checking, but international rules had the advantage that they could be enforced evenly. The NBA rules are not and it creates a tremendous opportunity for referees to manipulate the game. Something that is a foul according to the rules but only enforced in the exception makes it impossible to catch referees fixing the games or point spreads.
This inconsistency in enforcement of the rules is a double whammy on the Suns. First, allowing a large amount of contact on Nash really hurts the Suns offense. Second calling fouls on the Suns defenders for using the same tactics on Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili makes them very vulnerable to dribble drive penitration. Obviously the Spurs have more experience at using hand checks and lots of contact without fouls being called, but by calling games differently in the playoffs it is hard for other teams to learn what they can get away with.
As much as I would prefer the curernt hand checking rules to be enforced, I suspect going to the international rules might be preferable. It seems obvious that the NBA referees are incapable of enforcing the current hand check rules consistently. The NBA cannot afford to let referees have discretion which might very well be for sale.
No rule is less consistently enforced than the rule against "hand checking". Hand checking is where a perimeter defender pushes the man with ball in order to obstruct his movement. This is permitted in international basketball, but is against the rules in the NBA "some of the time". Like the rule against grabbing players cutting across the lane, the hand checking rule was designed to opne the game up and permit a more free flowing style of game.
The problem with the hand checking rule is that defense oriented coaches hate it. Their strategy is to do hand checking from the opening whistle and dare the referees to call it. Some do, but most referees seem unwilling to foul everybody out so they eventually they let it go - most of the time.
One of the ways to get the referees to call fouls is by flopping. Manu Ginobili of the Spurs is widely regarded as the NBA's premier flopper in that he will fall over from the slightest contact. So while teammate Bruce Bowen will continually hand check and bump his man without calls, Manu falls at the slightest tap.
Some of Ginobili's flopping is just manipulation of the referees. But some of it is the inconsistency in the way the rules are enforced. In international basketball where hand checks are permitted, they actually outlaw flopping offensive players. (Taking charges is a different issue).
The NBA rules writers apparently wanted to eliminate hand checking, but international rules had the advantage that they could be enforced evenly. The NBA rules are not and it creates a tremendous opportunity for referees to manipulate the game. Something that is a foul according to the rules but only enforced in the exception makes it impossible to catch referees fixing the games or point spreads.
This inconsistency in enforcement of the rules is a double whammy on the Suns. First, allowing a large amount of contact on Nash really hurts the Suns offense. Second calling fouls on the Suns defenders for using the same tactics on Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili makes them very vulnerable to dribble drive penitration. Obviously the Spurs have more experience at using hand checks and lots of contact without fouls being called, but by calling games differently in the playoffs it is hard for other teams to learn what they can get away with.
As much as I would prefer the curernt hand checking rules to be enforced, I suspect going to the international rules might be preferable. It seems obvious that the NBA referees are incapable of enforcing the current hand check rules consistently. The NBA cannot afford to let referees have discretion which might very well be for sale.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Boris to Play a Bigger Role This Year
By adding Grant Hill and trading away Kurt Thomas, the Suns' rotation is going to be radically changed. No player will be more dramatically impacted than Boris Diaw.
The Boris Diaw story is a curious one. Drafted by the Hawks in 2003, he spent two "forgettable" seasons on the hopeless Hawks. He suffered trying to be a team player on a team of guys trying to pad their stats to go elsewhere. When the Suns asked for him in the Joe Johnson trade, the Hawks were shocked because he was not very effective.
Things changed during the summer of 2005 when he led his French national team to the Eurobasket final four and was just edged out by
Dirk Nowitzki for their MVP. What surprised people was how well he played on the inside against NBA players like Kirilenko and Okur.
In 2005-06, injuiries to Amare Stoudemire and later Kurt Thomas left Boris to play center, where he proved to be remarkably effective. His statistics improved dramatically:
2004-05 18.2 minutes (with the Hawks)
4.8 ppg
42.2% shooting
2.6 rpg
2.3 apg
2005-06 35.5 minutes
13.3 ppg
52.6%
6.9 rpg
6.2 apg
He was selected as "Most Improved Player" and got a great contract. But om 2006-07 his statistics went down, although nothing like his Hawks performance.
2006-07 31.1 minutes
9.7 ppg
53.8%
4.3 rpg
4.8 apg
In 2005-06 while playing center, Boris played mostly at the "elbow" (corner of lane next to the foul line) where he was used in the pick and roll as well as at the high post. His mid range shot was good enough to force bigger guys come out to defend him, whereby he could simply drive the basket. When smaller guys tried to defend him, he could take them down to the bakset and post them up. If anything, Boris showed more low post moves than anyone else on the team.
What happened last season? Some of it was that he came to camp out of condition and was not as quick as he had been. But the other problem was more subtle, in 2006-07 he was being asked to play small forward rather than center.
Boris Diaw looks like a small forward. He's 6'8" and under 230 pounds. But on the floor, he does not have a comparative advantage to most small forwards. Typically opposing small forwards are quicker than he is. At the same time, he's not aggressive at making shots and tends to pass rather than attack. At small forward this seriously limits his offense.
As long as Amare Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas were playing center and Shawn Marion was at power forward, Boris was forced to play a position he was not that good at. Eventually, coach D'Antoni made the decision to start James Jones at small forward, but this did not really solve the problem of Boris.
How were they going to use Boris in the coming season. If they moved Boris to center backing up Amare Stoudemire, then what happens to Kurt Thomas? With Hill getting much of the minutes at small forward so that Marion gets most of the power forward minutes, it was going to be hard to get Kurt Thomas many minutes if Diaw was to play much. The most likely scenerio was that Kurt Thomas would see his minutes drop to closer to 10 per game from 18.
If this scenerio is accurate, it becomes all the more disconcerting to pay $8 million in salary and $8 million in luxury tax for a guy who will play at most 10 minutes a game. So while the trade was heavily motivated by the money, it was also motiviated by the declining role of Kurt Thomas that was being anticipated.
None the less, can Boris get the job done? On offense there seems to be little doubt he can. The real question is on defense where the jury is still out. In 2005-06 the team defense fell dramatically when Kurt Thomas was injured. Boris was a below average rebounder for an inside guy and was not physically able to keep guys like Brand off the glass.
Since the end of the season, Diaw has been working out with Stoudemire in preparation for his stint with the French national team. Kerr has had a lot of time to watch him try to defend against Stoudemire one on one. It is not clear what he has been seeing, but it must have been enough to plunge into the unknown by dumping Kurt Thomas.
It is a gamble that could easily blow up in Kerr's face - even before playing the Spurs. In a very real sense, Steve Kerr is betting the season on Diaw's performance at center. I would never do that, but I certainly hope he knows what he's doing.
The Boris Diaw story is a curious one. Drafted by the Hawks in 2003, he spent two "forgettable" seasons on the hopeless Hawks. He suffered trying to be a team player on a team of guys trying to pad their stats to go elsewhere. When the Suns asked for him in the Joe Johnson trade, the Hawks were shocked because he was not very effective.
Things changed during the summer of 2005 when he led his French national team to the Eurobasket final four and was just edged out by
Dirk Nowitzki for their MVP. What surprised people was how well he played on the inside against NBA players like Kirilenko and Okur.
In 2005-06, injuiries to Amare Stoudemire and later Kurt Thomas left Boris to play center, where he proved to be remarkably effective. His statistics improved dramatically:
2004-05 18.2 minutes (with the Hawks)
4.8 ppg
42.2% shooting
2.6 rpg
2.3 apg
2005-06 35.5 minutes
13.3 ppg
52.6%
6.9 rpg
6.2 apg
He was selected as "Most Improved Player" and got a great contract. But om 2006-07 his statistics went down, although nothing like his Hawks performance.
2006-07 31.1 minutes
9.7 ppg
53.8%
4.3 rpg
4.8 apg
In 2005-06 while playing center, Boris played mostly at the "elbow" (corner of lane next to the foul line) where he was used in the pick and roll as well as at the high post. His mid range shot was good enough to force bigger guys come out to defend him, whereby he could simply drive the basket. When smaller guys tried to defend him, he could take them down to the bakset and post them up. If anything, Boris showed more low post moves than anyone else on the team.
What happened last season? Some of it was that he came to camp out of condition and was not as quick as he had been. But the other problem was more subtle, in 2006-07 he was being asked to play small forward rather than center.
Boris Diaw looks like a small forward. He's 6'8" and under 230 pounds. But on the floor, he does not have a comparative advantage to most small forwards. Typically opposing small forwards are quicker than he is. At the same time, he's not aggressive at making shots and tends to pass rather than attack. At small forward this seriously limits his offense.
As long as Amare Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas were playing center and Shawn Marion was at power forward, Boris was forced to play a position he was not that good at. Eventually, coach D'Antoni made the decision to start James Jones at small forward, but this did not really solve the problem of Boris.
How were they going to use Boris in the coming season. If they moved Boris to center backing up Amare Stoudemire, then what happens to Kurt Thomas? With Hill getting much of the minutes at small forward so that Marion gets most of the power forward minutes, it was going to be hard to get Kurt Thomas many minutes if Diaw was to play much. The most likely scenerio was that Kurt Thomas would see his minutes drop to closer to 10 per game from 18.
If this scenerio is accurate, it becomes all the more disconcerting to pay $8 million in salary and $8 million in luxury tax for a guy who will play at most 10 minutes a game. So while the trade was heavily motivated by the money, it was also motiviated by the declining role of Kurt Thomas that was being anticipated.
None the less, can Boris get the job done? On offense there seems to be little doubt he can. The real question is on defense where the jury is still out. In 2005-06 the team defense fell dramatically when Kurt Thomas was injured. Boris was a below average rebounder for an inside guy and was not physically able to keep guys like Brand off the glass.
Since the end of the season, Diaw has been working out with Stoudemire in preparation for his stint with the French national team. Kerr has had a lot of time to watch him try to defend against Stoudemire one on one. It is not clear what he has been seeing, but it must have been enough to plunge into the unknown by dumping Kurt Thomas.
It is a gamble that could easily blow up in Kerr's face - even before playing the Spurs. In a very real sense, Steve Kerr is betting the season on Diaw's performance at center. I would never do that, but I certainly hope he knows what he's doing.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Committed to Speed
Fan reaction to the trade of Kurt Thomas to Seattle has ranged from disappointment to bitter outrange. No one doubted that he is grossly overpaid, but he played pretty well in Spurs series and it leaves the Suns with a vey small lineup.
The general reaction has been that the Suns are being cheap, which is probably true. What has not been discussed is just how big a committment the team has made to speed.
The Suns started with a fast team with some amazing athletes, but in exchanging Jones for Hill and Kurt Thomas for Sean Marks (apparently), it looks like they are going for even greater speed or at least open court skills.
It's not clear this will work against the Spurs, but that is mostly due to Amare Stoudemire's inability to stay out of foul trouble. It seems clear the Suns are making a committment to find a way to have Amare guard Tim Duncan one on one when Duncan is on the floor. If that fails, they must be hoping that Sean Marks' experience as Duncan's backup will be helpful.
The small "speed" lineup is a big gamble, but if it works, the rewards are huge.
The central problem with the way the Suns lineup is structured. Shawn Marion is far better at power forward than small forward. At small forward, his limitations as a shooter and "make his own shot" scorer create a problem. Without a major offensive threat at power forward, Marion is too easy for other small forwards to guard.
But with Marion at power forward, the Suns create a major mismatch against opponents with big, but slow power forwards. Against slower power forwards he has little trouble getting by them for mid range shots or to get to the basket. He's remarkably good at fronting big guys and is a very good rebounder.
Typically a team like the Spurs would like to use their power forwards (Oberto and Elson) to guard the primary low post threat (such as Stoudemire) and not worry too much about the second big. Against the Suns big lineup, Duncan is left to simply hang around the basket and block shots. They never really worried about Kurt Thomas beating them.
The problem with defending against the Suns' small lineup is that it leaves Marion completely undefended, since the opponent's bigs cannot stay with Marion. For the Spurs, it means either using the PF's on Marion or Duncan. In short, if they can't force the Suns out of their small lineup, the Suns create major problems.
Two years ago the Spurs tried to go small against the Suns. The Suns lacked Joe Johnson and Q Richardson had a terrible series, but the solution of Duncan guarding Stoudemire was not very effective. They won, but it is not so clear their small lineup would be so effective with current Suns with a lot more offense.
With or without Kurt Thomas, it seems clear that coach Mike D'Antoni wants to force the Spurs to go small. Unlike the Mavericks who have no small ball lineup to speak of, the Spurs can play small. But they are not geared to play small.
Can the Suns figure a way to defense Duncan without Stoudemire getting into instant foul trouble? That is the $16 million question, because if they can't, there is little chance of them getting by the Spurs. But if they can for the Spurs to play small, the Spurs will have a vastly harder time stopping the Suns.
The general reaction has been that the Suns are being cheap, which is probably true. What has not been discussed is just how big a committment the team has made to speed.
The Suns started with a fast team with some amazing athletes, but in exchanging Jones for Hill and Kurt Thomas for Sean Marks (apparently), it looks like they are going for even greater speed or at least open court skills.
It's not clear this will work against the Spurs, but that is mostly due to Amare Stoudemire's inability to stay out of foul trouble. It seems clear the Suns are making a committment to find a way to have Amare guard Tim Duncan one on one when Duncan is on the floor. If that fails, they must be hoping that Sean Marks' experience as Duncan's backup will be helpful.
The small "speed" lineup is a big gamble, but if it works, the rewards are huge.
The central problem with the way the Suns lineup is structured. Shawn Marion is far better at power forward than small forward. At small forward, his limitations as a shooter and "make his own shot" scorer create a problem. Without a major offensive threat at power forward, Marion is too easy for other small forwards to guard.
But with Marion at power forward, the Suns create a major mismatch against opponents with big, but slow power forwards. Against slower power forwards he has little trouble getting by them for mid range shots or to get to the basket. He's remarkably good at fronting big guys and is a very good rebounder.
Typically a team like the Spurs would like to use their power forwards (Oberto and Elson) to guard the primary low post threat (such as Stoudemire) and not worry too much about the second big. Against the Suns big lineup, Duncan is left to simply hang around the basket and block shots. They never really worried about Kurt Thomas beating them.
The problem with defending against the Suns' small lineup is that it leaves Marion completely undefended, since the opponent's bigs cannot stay with Marion. For the Spurs, it means either using the PF's on Marion or Duncan. In short, if they can't force the Suns out of their small lineup, the Suns create major problems.
Two years ago the Spurs tried to go small against the Suns. The Suns lacked Joe Johnson and Q Richardson had a terrible series, but the solution of Duncan guarding Stoudemire was not very effective. They won, but it is not so clear their small lineup would be so effective with current Suns with a lot more offense.
With or without Kurt Thomas, it seems clear that coach Mike D'Antoni wants to force the Spurs to go small. Unlike the Mavericks who have no small ball lineup to speak of, the Spurs can play small. But they are not geared to play small.
Can the Suns figure a way to defense Duncan without Stoudemire getting into instant foul trouble? That is the $16 million question, because if they can't, there is little chance of them getting by the Spurs. But if they can for the Spurs to play small, the Spurs will have a vastly harder time stopping the Suns.
Referee Betting Scandal Should Be Used To End Subjectivity
The FBI investigation of a referee who is accuses of gambling on games he has been covering is a huge story.
The League office has been in such self righteous denial about problems with the refs for so long, this is going to be huge. With all of their reviews of refs and grading, the fact that calls remain so terribly subjective is a terric opportunity for refs to cheat.
The sad part is that Commissioner Stern et al are likely to focus on "off court" policing rather than the underlying problem which is the excessive subjectivity in the way games are called. If they don't address it, the NBA will suffer irreversable harm.
My suggestions include:
1. CONSISTENCY: Set standards for what is a foul and what isn't independent of who it made by, who it is against, where the game is being played, and whether it is during the regular season or the playoffs. Fine officials who deviate from these standards.
2. CHANGE THE RULES TO DEFINE THE DEGREE OF CONTACT: One guy gets mugged without a call while a "ticky tack" call gets called at the other end. One of the reasons flopping is such a big deal is that it is a way players can draw foul calls on incidental contact.
3 BE PREPARED TO KEEP CALLING FOULS: Almost every basketball brawl has been due to players getting upset when they are clearly being fouled and it is not being called. As games get intense, it seems like the refs stop trying to control the physical contact. This is not only causing the on court problems but also give the refs a huge opportunity to cheat.
4. CONSIDER ADDING A FOURTH OFFICIAL: The pace of the game is such that officials are constantly out of position and making calls from 40 feet away or more. A fourth official would reduce the number of "blind spots" and thus the excuses for missing calls.
There is no way that anybody is going to be completely happy with the way games are called, but they will accept the calls more easily if the excessive subjectivity is reduced. The fact that the league did not catch this says a lot.
The League office has been in such self righteous denial about problems with the refs for so long, this is going to be huge. With all of their reviews of refs and grading, the fact that calls remain so terribly subjective is a terric opportunity for refs to cheat.
The sad part is that Commissioner Stern et al are likely to focus on "off court" policing rather than the underlying problem which is the excessive subjectivity in the way games are called. If they don't address it, the NBA will suffer irreversable harm.
My suggestions include:
1. CONSISTENCY: Set standards for what is a foul and what isn't independent of who it made by, who it is against, where the game is being played, and whether it is during the regular season or the playoffs. Fine officials who deviate from these standards.
2. CHANGE THE RULES TO DEFINE THE DEGREE OF CONTACT: One guy gets mugged without a call while a "ticky tack" call gets called at the other end. One of the reasons flopping is such a big deal is that it is a way players can draw foul calls on incidental contact.
3 BE PREPARED TO KEEP CALLING FOULS: Almost every basketball brawl has been due to players getting upset when they are clearly being fouled and it is not being called. As games get intense, it seems like the refs stop trying to control the physical contact. This is not only causing the on court problems but also give the refs a huge opportunity to cheat.
4. CONSIDER ADDING A FOURTH OFFICIAL: The pace of the game is such that officials are constantly out of position and making calls from 40 feet away or more. A fourth official would reduce the number of "blind spots" and thus the excuses for missing calls.
There is no way that anybody is going to be completely happy with the way games are called, but they will accept the calls more easily if the excessive subjectivity is reduced. The fact that the league did not catch this says a lot.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
No Trades Until Camp Expected
Nothing gets more response from fans than trade discussions. Much of June was spent talking about trading for Kevin Garnett (KG) with every possible option explored. In the end it never happened because the Timberwolves wanted more than the Suns were willing to give up.
Recent reports are that the Suns kept Amare Stoudeimre informed about the discussions and the he definitely was NOT being offered in the deal. There is nothing firm, but it looks like the Suns offered Shawn Marion, Kurt Thomas, Marcus Banks and the Atlanta pick for KG either straight up or in a three way trade. This offer is undoubtedly still on the table, but it seems clear that the Wolves want something different. As much as the Suns would like to get KG, it is unlikely they will sweeten the deal short of giving up a future first round pick.
In theory anybody could be traded, but it seems unlikely that there will be any deals until training camp or later.
BANKS: In two games Banks first scored 42 points and in the second shot 7 of 8 from the field (officially a scrimmage). He had a minor injury and was held out for the next couple of games. When asked about him, both Weber and D'Antoni talked about how talented he is. Weber also talked about the transition to the Suns system. At this point they just don't know if Banks is the guy they thought they were signing or if this was just a flash in the pan. But if he has made real progress, it would not make sense to trade him until his value is more obvious to the rest of the league. Two games won't do it, but training camp might.Of course if he has made HUGE progress they might want to hang onto him. None of the other deep bench players are proven offensive threats and the Suns do need some actual depth beyond the main eight. But if the last several months are an indication, it would be hard to trade him unless he shows some serious progress.
KURT THOMAS: There have been rumors that the Sonics are interested in Kurt Thomas (KT) and due to having a trade exception (TE) could actually take him without the Suns having to take back a contract. This deal could get the Suns out of the luxury tax.
However, this would make the already small Suns absolutely tiny. KT did a credible job against Duncan in the playoffs when no one else did. It is possible the Suns would feel free to sign a free agent if KT was off the books, but only PJ Brown is even close to being good enough and there is not much evidence that he’d come to Phoenix even if KT was traded.
PIKE: Eric Piatkowski has only a veteran minimum contract so he could get traded to a team needing a three point shooting specialist. This is feasible only if the Suns decide they need another inside banger and are not prepared to carry more than 13 guys.
So other than unloading Pike, I am doubtful there would be any deals before training camp that would make a lot of sense. First, the Suns don't really know what they've got in the rookies. Second, a lot of good pickups when teams decide that somebody is redundant right before the start of the season.For the Suns, it is hard to make mega deals anyway.
The two most popular guys to trade are Marion whose big contract, and ability to opt out next summer, make him hard to move for value. And Diaw who is subject to the base year contract situation which kills most deals. (Contracts have to match up, but players in the first year of their contract count for 100% of their salary on the team that gets the player but only 50% on the trading team).
At this point I think the Suns are convinced their starting eight has a real chance of winning a championship. Therefore I would not expect them to do anything dramatic until well after the season started at the earliest.
Recent reports are that the Suns kept Amare Stoudeimre informed about the discussions and the he definitely was NOT being offered in the deal. There is nothing firm, but it looks like the Suns offered Shawn Marion, Kurt Thomas, Marcus Banks and the Atlanta pick for KG either straight up or in a three way trade. This offer is undoubtedly still on the table, but it seems clear that the Wolves want something different. As much as the Suns would like to get KG, it is unlikely they will sweeten the deal short of giving up a future first round pick.
In theory anybody could be traded, but it seems unlikely that there will be any deals until training camp or later.
BANKS: In two games Banks first scored 42 points and in the second shot 7 of 8 from the field (officially a scrimmage). He had a minor injury and was held out for the next couple of games. When asked about him, both Weber and D'Antoni talked about how talented he is. Weber also talked about the transition to the Suns system. At this point they just don't know if Banks is the guy they thought they were signing or if this was just a flash in the pan. But if he has made real progress, it would not make sense to trade him until his value is more obvious to the rest of the league. Two games won't do it, but training camp might.Of course if he has made HUGE progress they might want to hang onto him. None of the other deep bench players are proven offensive threats and the Suns do need some actual depth beyond the main eight. But if the last several months are an indication, it would be hard to trade him unless he shows some serious progress.
KURT THOMAS: There have been rumors that the Sonics are interested in Kurt Thomas (KT) and due to having a trade exception (TE) could actually take him without the Suns having to take back a contract. This deal could get the Suns out of the luxury tax.
However, this would make the already small Suns absolutely tiny. KT did a credible job against Duncan in the playoffs when no one else did. It is possible the Suns would feel free to sign a free agent if KT was off the books, but only PJ Brown is even close to being good enough and there is not much evidence that he’d come to Phoenix even if KT was traded.
PIKE: Eric Piatkowski has only a veteran minimum contract so he could get traded to a team needing a three point shooting specialist. This is feasible only if the Suns decide they need another inside banger and are not prepared to carry more than 13 guys.
So other than unloading Pike, I am doubtful there would be any deals before training camp that would make a lot of sense. First, the Suns don't really know what they've got in the rookies. Second, a lot of good pickups when teams decide that somebody is redundant right before the start of the season.For the Suns, it is hard to make mega deals anyway.
The two most popular guys to trade are Marion whose big contract, and ability to opt out next summer, make him hard to move for value. And Diaw who is subject to the base year contract situation which kills most deals. (Contracts have to match up, but players in the first year of their contract count for 100% of their salary on the team that gets the player but only 50% on the trading team).
At this point I think the Suns are convinced their starting eight has a real chance of winning a championship. Therefore I would not expect them to do anything dramatic until well after the season started at the earliest.
Kerr's Next Tasks
So far Kerr has not made any major blunders. Considering all the land mines involved in unloading Jones before having Hill being confired, he's either lucky or "cheated" with some back door contact. The deal with the Bobcats was trumped by a bizzare move by the Warrriors. And only time will tell if Tucker is the guy the Suns should have taken, but he seems like a reasonable choice.
Other than being committed to give a roster slot to Marks who seems more like an assistant coach than a player, there is not much to complain about. Sure he could have traded Amare for KG, but that would not have been a particularly popular move nor necessarily a good one.
So other than looking for a banger to replace Burke, Kerr's remaining tasks may be more focused on getting D'Antoni to make some changes. Many people believe D'Antoni is so stubborn that he just refuses to do what is necessary to win the championship. IMHO those charges are unfair, but it still may take some nudging by Kerr.
1. Devloping Depth: D'Antoni has an extremely quick hook, so if guys don't do something the instant they hit the floor they get yanked. However, with a Hill being older and having a history of injuries, D'Antoni needs to give Tucker the minutes so he can be ready. Tucker is mature guy for a rookie and can play defense, so he should not a big liability. But Kerr may have to remind D'Antoni that every game is not a playoff game.
2. Increase the Diversity of the Offense: One of the big atrractions to getting Hill will be to diversify the offense so it is not just Nash making plays. The Spurs showed how limited that can be if the refs allow them to mug Nash. Adding alternative tactics is important so they will be harder to defense. This may include so isolaiton plays, using Diaw at the high post, designing two man games with Amare at the low post, etc.. But in any case, Kerr needs to remind D'Antoni that the season is just preparation for the real season.
3. Develop a Big Ball Lineup: It was not a great idea to wait until the playoffs to play a big like KT with Amare. The Suns don't need to this against most opponents, but when it is needed they must be ready.
4. Increase the Emphasis on Defense: The Suns have not yet hired a replacement for Iaveroni and should focus on getting a defense guru. D'Antoni needs to buy into the need to play defense the entire game and not just in spurts. Kerr is hardly the ideal preacher of defense, but someone has to keep it at the top of the priority list.
I know there are many people who think D'Antoni will simply refuse to change, but he is no fool. Kerr's job will be to nudge him in the right direction.
Other than being committed to give a roster slot to Marks who seems more like an assistant coach than a player, there is not much to complain about. Sure he could have traded Amare for KG, but that would not have been a particularly popular move nor necessarily a good one.
So other than looking for a banger to replace Burke, Kerr's remaining tasks may be more focused on getting D'Antoni to make some changes. Many people believe D'Antoni is so stubborn that he just refuses to do what is necessary to win the championship. IMHO those charges are unfair, but it still may take some nudging by Kerr.
1. Devloping Depth: D'Antoni has an extremely quick hook, so if guys don't do something the instant they hit the floor they get yanked. However, with a Hill being older and having a history of injuries, D'Antoni needs to give Tucker the minutes so he can be ready. Tucker is mature guy for a rookie and can play defense, so he should not a big liability. But Kerr may have to remind D'Antoni that every game is not a playoff game.
2. Increase the Diversity of the Offense: One of the big atrractions to getting Hill will be to diversify the offense so it is not just Nash making plays. The Spurs showed how limited that can be if the refs allow them to mug Nash. Adding alternative tactics is important so they will be harder to defense. This may include so isolaiton plays, using Diaw at the high post, designing two man games with Amare at the low post, etc.. But in any case, Kerr needs to remind D'Antoni that the season is just preparation for the real season.
3. Develop a Big Ball Lineup: It was not a great idea to wait until the playoffs to play a big like KT with Amare. The Suns don't need to this against most opponents, but when it is needed they must be ready.
4. Increase the Emphasis on Defense: The Suns have not yet hired a replacement for Iaveroni and should focus on getting a defense guru. D'Antoni needs to buy into the need to play defense the entire game and not just in spurts. Kerr is hardly the ideal preacher of defense, but someone has to keep it at the top of the priority list.
I know there are many people who think D'Antoni will simply refuse to change, but he is no fool. Kerr's job will be to nudge him in the right direction.
Becoming More Efficient
One of the most frustrating aspects of the Suns is their imability to hang onto big leads. Commentators say the Suns can overcome a big lead and give up a big lead faster than any other team in the NBA. This inability to hang onto big leads is one of the reasons why they can't seem to play their backups. No lead is safe.
The problem is that the Suns style lets teams back into the game. It is a common sight, the Suns get up by twenty and an opponet comes down and hits three to get it back to 17. The next three possession the Suns brick quick three pointers and in less than two minutes the lead is down to under 10 so Nash is brought back into the game.
If things go well, the Suns will hit a few threes and the lead gets back up, but nothing is ever safe. IMHO, the Suns need to change their style once a team starts to make a run rather than continuing with their seven seconds or less approach. To me, stopping runs by opponents is the number one thing the Suns can do to ensure victory and also reducing starter minutes.
When the Suns are behind big, then it makes sense to shoot fast to get the game going. But when they are ahead, slowing the pace and making high percentage shots is the best way to dampen the mood of the other team.
When teams are behind, they tend to gamble more in an attempt to get steals. This is generally the best time to attack the basket to get layups and attract fouls. Standing around watching the Suns shoot foul shots is a real wet blanket on the enthusiasm generated by a run. After a while, trading baskets or staying even on the scoreboard gets frustrating and their energy falls. But even if the other team creeps up, slowing the game down means the starters can rest longer.
None of this matters if the Suns cannot score in a slower paced offense. But with a healthy Amare and the addition of Hill, this should be a much more efficient half court offense. They should make use of it and not just shoot themelves out of big leads.
The problem is that the Suns style lets teams back into the game. It is a common sight, the Suns get up by twenty and an opponet comes down and hits three to get it back to 17. The next three possession the Suns brick quick three pointers and in less than two minutes the lead is down to under 10 so Nash is brought back into the game.
If things go well, the Suns will hit a few threes and the lead gets back up, but nothing is ever safe. IMHO, the Suns need to change their style once a team starts to make a run rather than continuing with their seven seconds or less approach. To me, stopping runs by opponents is the number one thing the Suns can do to ensure victory and also reducing starter minutes.
When the Suns are behind big, then it makes sense to shoot fast to get the game going. But when they are ahead, slowing the pace and making high percentage shots is the best way to dampen the mood of the other team.
When teams are behind, they tend to gamble more in an attempt to get steals. This is generally the best time to attack the basket to get layups and attract fouls. Standing around watching the Suns shoot foul shots is a real wet blanket on the enthusiasm generated by a run. After a while, trading baskets or staying even on the scoreboard gets frustrating and their energy falls. But even if the other team creeps up, slowing the game down means the starters can rest longer.
None of this matters if the Suns cannot score in a slower paced offense. But with a healthy Amare and the addition of Hill, this should be a much more efficient half court offense. They should make use of it and not just shoot themelves out of big leads.
Three Point Shooting
DX (Draft Express) criticizes the drafting of Tucker becasue he's not a three point shooter. The Suns trade Jones who is a good three point shooter and sign Hill who is not. At the same time, Banks shoots 4 of 5 for three on Monday after shooting only 5 of 29 last season.
If Tucker learns to shoot, he's considered a steal at #29. The question is whether the Weber and the Suns coaching staff can teach guys who are not long distance shooters to hit their threes. My guess is that it does not happen over night, but if Banks can be taught then anybody can be taught.
My impression is that three point shooting is like swinging a golf club. The first step is to get the right form and mechanics (which is why Marion doesn't improve). After that, it is repeated practice and maintaining focus.
A lot of defense oriented coaches do not like their team to shoot three pointers. The Magic for example took only 962 three point shots compared to 1965 by the Suns. Almost 30% of the Magic three point shots were by Turkoglu. Three point shootinw as not emphasized on the Magic and they certainly did not run an offense designed to creae opportunities to shoot the three. I doubt Hill worked on his three point shooting.
BTW, the Spurs shot 1561 three pointers. I'd guess that shooting threes is a function of both good three point shooters and a system that gets the shooters open shots. The Spurs have added shooters and have focused on kicking out when they are open.
Can Hill be taught to shoot the three? Tony Parker is a guy who was not considered a three point threat until this year when he raised his three point average from a carer 31.8% to 39.5%. Of course It was only 15 of 38, but it was enough to force opponents to come out to guard him. But his 4 of 7 in the finals was still pretty important.
Last season Hill took 12 three point shots, which is just under 1/3 the number Parker took. If he's going to shoot any, he needs to be more accurate and it would not take many more to make teams come out to defend him.
If Tucker learns to shoot, he's considered a steal at #29. The question is whether the Weber and the Suns coaching staff can teach guys who are not long distance shooters to hit their threes. My guess is that it does not happen over night, but if Banks can be taught then anybody can be taught.
My impression is that three point shooting is like swinging a golf club. The first step is to get the right form and mechanics (which is why Marion doesn't improve). After that, it is repeated practice and maintaining focus.
A lot of defense oriented coaches do not like their team to shoot three pointers. The Magic for example took only 962 three point shots compared to 1965 by the Suns. Almost 30% of the Magic three point shots were by Turkoglu. Three point shootinw as not emphasized on the Magic and they certainly did not run an offense designed to creae opportunities to shoot the three. I doubt Hill worked on his three point shooting.
BTW, the Spurs shot 1561 three pointers. I'd guess that shooting threes is a function of both good three point shooters and a system that gets the shooters open shots. The Spurs have added shooters and have focused on kicking out when they are open.
Can Hill be taught to shoot the three? Tony Parker is a guy who was not considered a three point threat until this year when he raised his three point average from a carer 31.8% to 39.5%. Of course It was only 15 of 38, but it was enough to force opponents to come out to guard him. But his 4 of 7 in the finals was still pretty important.
Last season Hill took 12 three point shots, which is just under 1/3 the number Parker took. If he's going to shoot any, he needs to be more accurate and it would not take many more to make teams come out to defend him.
NBA Offenses Improving?
I was puzzled by finding that the Suns opponent's shooting percentage in 2004-05 was 44.5% and in 2006-07 was 45.7%; yet it certainly seemed like the Suns were playing better defense than when Q Richardson was on the team and KT wasn't.
But apparently the Suns weren't the only team to have a change in defense shooting percentage. In 2004-05, the Spurs held opponents to 42.6% while last season they held them to 44.3%.
It sure seems like shooting was up league wide. In 2004-05, only 7 shot better than 45.8%. This year 14 teams shot 46% or better.
In 2004-05, there were four teams that held opponents to under 43% and another 5 that held opponents under 44%. This year there were only two teams that held opponents to under 44%.
I don't have a theory as to what has changed, but I think it is interesting.
But apparently the Suns weren't the only team to have a change in defense shooting percentage. In 2004-05, the Spurs held opponents to 42.6% while last season they held them to 44.3%.
It sure seems like shooting was up league wide. In 2004-05, only 7 shot better than 45.8%. This year 14 teams shot 46% or better.
In 2004-05, there were four teams that held opponents to under 43% and another 5 that held opponents under 44%. This year there were only two teams that held opponents to under 44%.
I don't have a theory as to what has changed, but I think it is interesting.
Poor Year to be an RFA
Last summer I argued that there was little risk in waiting to extend Diaw because there was so little likelyhood that any team would offer more than the Suns could match. If anything this summer is even worse to be an RFA (Restricted Free Agent) than I projected.
Unless I'm missing something, there have been no RFA offers from other teams so far this summer. Anderson Varejao has had some interest from teams like the Griz, but, nothing has come of it. Andray Blatche's name comes up, but there are no reports of direct negotiations let alone signings.
As it is, there are not many teams with cap space left; Charlotte and Milwaukee being the only two and neither seems like great prospects for making a "you won't match this" offer to either guy.The growing reluctance of teams to overpay RFA's may be due to the best guys being already taken off the market through extensions. But it could be that teams don't like the economics.
Unless I'm missing something, there have been no RFA offers from other teams so far this summer. Anderson Varejao has had some interest from teams like the Griz, but, nothing has come of it. Andray Blatche's name comes up, but there are no reports of direct negotiations let alone signings.
As it is, there are not many teams with cap space left; Charlotte and Milwaukee being the only two and neither seems like great prospects for making a "you won't match this" offer to either guy.The growing reluctance of teams to overpay RFA's may be due to the best guys being already taken off the market through extensions. But it could be that teams don't like the economics.
Why Is It So Hard To Play Suns Basketball?
A few years ago the Suns rented Waler McCarty during their playoff push. Walter said it was easy to learn the Suns system, "They just run around and shoot a lot of threes". Walter was wrong.
Compared to teams with huge play books, the Suns system looks amazingly simple. However, with standard plays all the player needs to do is learn what his assignment is. In the D'Antoni system, he has to learn floor recognition and be able to react immediately to what everybody is doing. IMHO, that's harder.
In the Suns offense, once a player gets a ball he has to decide three things instantly:
1. Am I open in a position to shoot? If sho, he needs to shoot instantly before the defense recovers.
2. Is there someone else WITH A BETTER SHOT open? If so, he needs to pass him the ball immediately.
3. Is there an open lane to the basket (such as if someone is running by and can be beaten with a pump fake)? If so, he needs to drive before the defense reacts and still look for dump or kickout opportunities.All of this is just when receiving the ball.
It is even more complicated without the ball in deciding whether to set up to receive a catch and shoot shot, set a pick, or cut based on reading the defense.The result is a need for constant and total court awareness. There is not enough time to consider all the options AFTER getting the ball. You don't know if you or your teammates are open without being aware of where all the defenders are. Plus, you have to be ready to get the ball at any time.
My guess is that this approach is more alien than anything new playes have ever seen. Total court awareness is usually left to the point guard, but D'Antoni wants everyone to think that way and not wait until they get the ball to look around. Almost every player has something to work on in this regard.
1. Banks - He still has the old "man on man" offensive orientation and lacks awareness of where his teammates are until after trying to break his man down. Even off the ball, his skills are somewhat of a mismatch for the Suns but could be a big deal on other teams.
2. Diaw - He has great instincts but is still not comfortable with "catch and shoot" and is too indecisive when going to the basket. It is great to pay attention to where the weakside help is coming from, but he needs to know if he can finish before the help arrives.
3. Marion - He doesn't cut to the basket enough and doesn't pass out quickly enough when covered. He also lacks a basic awareness of where his best locations for shooting are.
4. Bell - He has good awareness of when he's open but not of where open teammates are.
5. Stoudemire - He still struggles with recognizing double teams and where the open man is.
6. Barbosa - He tends to challenge weak side defenders in the race to the basket even when it would be better to dump off to a teammate.
7. Thomas - He plays within the offense well but doesn't pass much.
In addition to the "stand or cut" decisions, there is a recurring issue of whether to set picks or clear out. Too often guys would come over to set picks for Leandro even though no one can stop him anyway. The pick just pulls a defender over.
One of the issues is how to properly spread the floor and still move without the ball. It takes court awareness to know who is covering and where to go to a place that does not diminish the floor distribution.Rebounding is also an issue of floor awareness.
Most rebounds are a result of positioning, so once the ball is shot it means going to a likely location for a miss. Long shots tend to bounce wider, so standing under the basket is not the most likely place. When a player is driving, following in is a way to be in a position for a dump pass or to get the offensive rebound.In drafting Tucker and Strawberry, it is easy to be converned about their shooting. But it appears they have the temperment to play this style of basketball.
Compared to teams with huge play books, the Suns system looks amazingly simple. However, with standard plays all the player needs to do is learn what his assignment is. In the D'Antoni system, he has to learn floor recognition and be able to react immediately to what everybody is doing. IMHO, that's harder.
In the Suns offense, once a player gets a ball he has to decide three things instantly:
1. Am I open in a position to shoot? If sho, he needs to shoot instantly before the defense recovers.
2. Is there someone else WITH A BETTER SHOT open? If so, he needs to pass him the ball immediately.
3. Is there an open lane to the basket (such as if someone is running by and can be beaten with a pump fake)? If so, he needs to drive before the defense reacts and still look for dump or kickout opportunities.All of this is just when receiving the ball.
It is even more complicated without the ball in deciding whether to set up to receive a catch and shoot shot, set a pick, or cut based on reading the defense.The result is a need for constant and total court awareness. There is not enough time to consider all the options AFTER getting the ball. You don't know if you or your teammates are open without being aware of where all the defenders are. Plus, you have to be ready to get the ball at any time.
My guess is that this approach is more alien than anything new playes have ever seen. Total court awareness is usually left to the point guard, but D'Antoni wants everyone to think that way and not wait until they get the ball to look around. Almost every player has something to work on in this regard.
1. Banks - He still has the old "man on man" offensive orientation and lacks awareness of where his teammates are until after trying to break his man down. Even off the ball, his skills are somewhat of a mismatch for the Suns but could be a big deal on other teams.
2. Diaw - He has great instincts but is still not comfortable with "catch and shoot" and is too indecisive when going to the basket. It is great to pay attention to where the weakside help is coming from, but he needs to know if he can finish before the help arrives.
3. Marion - He doesn't cut to the basket enough and doesn't pass out quickly enough when covered. He also lacks a basic awareness of where his best locations for shooting are.
4. Bell - He has good awareness of when he's open but not of where open teammates are.
5. Stoudemire - He still struggles with recognizing double teams and where the open man is.
6. Barbosa - He tends to challenge weak side defenders in the race to the basket even when it would be better to dump off to a teammate.
7. Thomas - He plays within the offense well but doesn't pass much.
In addition to the "stand or cut" decisions, there is a recurring issue of whether to set picks or clear out. Too often guys would come over to set picks for Leandro even though no one can stop him anyway. The pick just pulls a defender over.
One of the issues is how to properly spread the floor and still move without the ball. It takes court awareness to know who is covering and where to go to a place that does not diminish the floor distribution.Rebounding is also an issue of floor awareness.
Most rebounds are a result of positioning, so once the ball is shot it means going to a likely location for a miss. Long shots tend to bounce wider, so standing under the basket is not the most likely place. When a player is driving, following in is a way to be in a position for a dump pass or to get the offensive rebound.In drafting Tucker and Strawberry, it is easy to be converned about their shooting. But it appears they have the temperment to play this style of basketball.
All About George
My name is George O'Brien and I regularly post under the handle of azirish. My usual haunt is Suns forum for http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/. About three years ago I was an official columnist for the board but discontinued due to time constraints. My other big passion is Irish music and I host the website for the Arizona Irish Music Society, http://www.azirishmusic.com.
As a heavy contributor on http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/ I was initiating a number of threads with items that might be better suited to a blog. I hope that by putting my writing together it will make more sense than separated into literally hundreds of threads.
I hope readers of this blog find it interesting but I certainly do not expect everyone to agree with my views.
As a heavy contributor on http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/ I was initiating a number of threads with items that might be better suited to a blog. I hope that by putting my writing together it will make more sense than separated into literally hundreds of threads.
I hope readers of this blog find it interesting but I certainly do not expect everyone to agree with my views.
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