Warriors vs. Bucks Nov 8, 2005 (FSN 5:00 PM)

Bucks got like 3 times as many points in the paint than us. Our perimeter shooting saved us.

 

Best game and win of the young season.

Awesome.

 

Thanks you too, Schaddy. Good game.

How about Jrich, Baron and Murphy? Those guys were clutch tonight. Fisher was money too and even got Redd in his 5th foul in crucial game minutes. You have to love the fact that Murphy made all the right shots at the right moments, Jrich got 14 rebounds + 23 points, Baron Davis got 15 assists, 20 points and looked to post up TJ Ford every time he could. Dunleavy also had a few flashy plays like the behind the back dribble, smooth right to left crossover, but couldn't convert anything inside or outside until later. I loved that shotblock he put on Mo Williams (or TJ Ford?).

Bucks tried to push to exploit our poor transition D, but the W's stepped it up. I think honestly they could have won if they slowed it down and gone to the big men first because when we're forced to play slow we kind of suffer. The thing is Magloire isn't a heavy duty scorer and Bogut is still a work in progress, so I guess as long as Redd, Simmons and TJ Ford are touching the ball, they'll look to get out on the break on slow transition teams. If TJ Ford and others besides Redd had a jump shot it would help the Bucks immensely in their ability to set the bigger men up for points in the post.

The Bucks defense was what I expected. I think without DMase their perimeter defense suffered a bit and guys like Magloire and Bogut had to really scramble to cover Murphy on the perimeter. Then with TJ Ford and Mo Williams, Baron Davis simply is too strong to handle in the post and too tall to contest. He also had the advantage of the size of his first step to get around the quicker guy.

 

It was a good game, but as AnimeFanatic pointed out, we lived on the perimeter, which is quite scary to think about. Also, I'm a little concerned with the heavy minutes the starters are playing. I know Monty said that the dropoff from the starters demanded that they play big minutes, but I think it may wear on the starters a bit much. It almost seems like trading for some quality reserve help may be necessary, with so many young guys on the bench that Monty doesn't fully trust with the game on the line? Or maybe Diogu will be able to step in and at least take some minutes for the team.

 

Getting Diogu and Biedrins back will help the bench.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting BDiddyJRich:</div><div class="quote_post">Getting Diogu and Biedrins back will help the bench.</div>

It should also help in rebounding and inside scoring.

 

i hope we never trade baron, murphy or richardson =] plz dont mullin.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Zhone:</div><div class="quote_post">It was a good game, but as AnimeFanatic pointed out, we lived on the perimeter, which is quite scary to think about. Also, I'm a little concerned with the heavy minutes the starters are playing. I know Monty said that the dropoff from the starters demanded that they play big minutes, but I think it may wear on the starters a bit much. It almost seems like trading for some quality reserve help may be necessary, with so many young guys on the bench that Monty doesn't fully trust with the game on the line? Or maybe Diogu will be able to step in and at least take some minutes for the team.</div>

The W's had established long ago that they will take a lot of 3's. Live or die, it doesn't matter. Expect the W's to do this all year long.

As far as the starters and PT, I think part of the reason was they played as much as they did is because they all played so well! Murphy, Richardson, and Davis all had 20+ points...why would you want to take them out!?!?!

PT will be dependant on who is playing well and it just so happened all starters sans Foyle were playing exceptionally well. I wouldn't be concerned as it's their JOB to play heavy minutes. The only one I am concerned about is Baron as he's still a bit gimpy, but we needed him tonight.

Diogu and Biendrins' return will certainly help with spreading out minutes and hopefully keep the starters from too much fatigue.

Expect to see more minutes distributed to the bench tomorrow night against the Bulls. I wouldn't be surprised if Monty uses the entire roster...yes, even Cheaney and Ellis, which should be a welcome surprise.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Run BJM:</div><div class="quote_post">Hopefully Dun shows up, he is doing a good job so far defending all of his assignments, he just needs to penetrate more. Hes not going to get going very often when he starts the game with 3 contested 3 pointers. He is a good FT shooter so he really should take it to the rack more.</div>

This is a good point about Dunleavy. He seems very tentative and his timing on his shots are off, IMO. He's either rushing or hesitating, neither of which are good for your FG%. The easiest way to find one's 'groove' is to take it to the hole. On one instance tonight, he had a 2-on-1 with Foyle and he stopped at the FT line to take a shot (that he missed), instead of A) taking it to the hole or passing it to Foyle. I think A was the best option. (I apologize if my re-enactment of that play wasn't very accurate).

Anyway, for those Dunleavy naysayers, I can totally understand your frustration/concerns/doubts, but he will come around. He's just playing very sloppy and that's not his style. Remember today's article on Dunleavy? It mentioned that when J-Rich and Murphy both signed their contract extentions, they played horribly the next game or two. Dunleavy is "pushing" too much to try to prove his worth. Expect him to settle in shortly as he is showing signs of a very complete game despite his poor MAN-TO-MAN DEFENSE. I stress that because he plays very smart TEAM DEFENSE, which IMO, outweighs one's individual defense.

 

Nobody expect Dun to average 9 pts and 29% from the field while averaging more than 36 mins per game. But the problem is that he just signed 9 mils per year extension, and he is curretnly playing like a guy who receives 0.9 mils per year. He needs to do far and beyond from what he did last year to meet 9 mils worth, and frankly, I seriously doubt that he will ever meet that goal.

Currently, there is no question that Dunleavy is just sitting around 3 pts line and shooting 3 pts, since half of his shots have been 3 pts (29%), while attempting only 2.5 fts per game. At least, he showed little bit of life in today's game.

There is no way team defense is more important than individual defense, because team defense means that your teammates have to pick up your slack. Also, it's not like Dunleavy's team defense is impacting the game or anything. Besides, in order to utilize good team defense, first you need to do a decent job at defending your man, instead of being a revolving door and ask for a team defense from the beginning, because that put awful a lot of pressure on players like Foyle or Murphy and potentially collapse entire team defense scheme. If you really want to talk about team defense, today is the night where role players like Dunleavy or Pietrus should have guarded Redd. Instead, Richadson had to work his butt off to carry the scoring and defending their most dangerous player. Dirty jobs like defending their best offensive players should belong to the role player instead of your primary offensive players...

 

Well I did not get to listen to the game at all. I came home just in time for NBA Fastbreak to come one and the first game they show was the Bucks/Warriors. Glad to see the Warriors did not fold in the 4th quarter like we did last year. I feel good about this win because we beat an undefeated team and both teams played well, we just got hot from 3pt range. Again it is kind of scary, but I will take it if we are shooting it well. If we are not shooting it well we can make adjustments. Defense looked ok from what I saw on the highlights. Most of the shots were contested except for a wide open look for Simmons with Dunleavy not really getting out there to put a hand up because he was in the paint helping out on D. I can handle that...

 

I just feel that Dunleavy should be more assertive offensively in taking it to the rack. From what I've seen, he takes a few dribbles then passes the ball to someone else. He needs to live up to his facial hair, and just do or die like Air France does. If you watch Air France, he seems very determined to do what he's going to do. As from Mike D, he seems to not be aggressive enough. I hope we will resign MP though, I really like his explosiveness along with his finess. Let's hope we finish off the Bulls tomorrow night as well.

 

Talk about crazy crazy West.

Anybody saw the record for the Western conference?

Utha 3-1
Minny 2-2
Lakers 3-1
Clippers 3-1
Memphis 3-1
Hornets 2-1

I know it's very very early, but all those teams are projected to have worse rec than us, in order for us to make a PO. It will be a tough tough road to make PO, if any of those teams are real...

 

Problem is that Mike can't drive it inside, he's not athletic nor as quick as a guard.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Kwan1031:</div><div class="quote_post">There is no way team defense is more important than individual defense, because team defense means that your teammates have to pick up your slack.</div>

I respectfully disagree. I think your concept of team defense is skewed a bit. Team defense has nothing to do with "slacking" or not being able to play individual defense. It's about being able to rotate, knowing where your teammates are. It's not about giving up on a play and hoping that your 4 or 5 will cover the shot. Yes, if you get beaten off the dribble, you will need to rely on your guys inside to close the gap, but that is only half of what team defense is.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Besides, in order to utilize good team defense, first you need to do a decent job at defending your man, instead of being a revolving door and ask for a team defense from the beginning, because that put awful a lot of pressure on players like Foyle or Murphy and potentially collapse entire team defense scheme.</div>

You say this will put a lot of "pressure" on Foyle and Murphy or whoever else may be playing inside. Well, I've got some breaking news for you, IT'S THEIR JOB TO DEFEND THE BASKET. If they crumble to the ground and cry because they have to, dare I say, cover the guy with the basketball going full speed down the lane, then they don't deserve to be in the league.

Really though, team defense is about rotating, playing into your opposition's weaknesses, knowing when to help or not help. It has little to do with an individual's lack of man-to-man defense.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Also, it's not like Dunleavy's team defense is impacting the game or anything.</div>

You say Dunleavy's team defense is not impacting the game...hmm. How many times has Dunleavy taken a charge because he KNEW where the player (that he is not assigned to) is going? I have seen him do this more than any other player on the team.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">If you really want to talk about team defense, today is the night where role players like Dunleavy or Pietrus should have guarded Redd. Instead, Richadson had to work his butt off to carry the scoring and defending their most dangerous player.</div>

Again, you are misinterpreting "team defense." But, I'll play with your definition in this context. Dunleavy or Pietrus should have guarded Redd to be "team players?" Hmm, considering how well J-Rich was defending Redd, that would A) make no sense and be quite an insult to J-Rich and the coaching staff if Dunleavy or Pietrus suggested that they defend Redd in order to play "team defense." Also, Richardson and Redd play the same position, so it would be quite the mismatch for Dunleavy to defense Redd. I don't recall, but Pietrus might have guarded Redd in the game, but he played minimal minutes. So, do you think J-Rich was upset that he had to "carry the scoring and defending their most dangerous player?" That's a rhetorical question. I'm sure Richardson was esctatic that he played so well and would gladly welcome the challenge again (next week).

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">
Dirty jobs like defending their best offensive players should belong to the role player instead of your primary offensive players...</div>

And once again, you are misinformed on the concept of team defense, team play, and basketball in general. I completely disagree with this statement as you'd want your best defender (for a respective position...i.e. you'd want your SG to guard their SG) guarding their best offensive player, period. So, do you suggest since Richardson is so ELITE, that he shouldn't succumb to playing defense at all? That he's "too good" to have to guard Redd and that his little minions, Dunleavy and Pietrus, should do that? Your statement makes little sense.

 

i think Dun is over-rated and the contract is a ripoff but hey we're 3-1, time to be happy!!!

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AnimeFANatic:</div><div class="quote_post">Problem is that Mike can't drive it inside, he's not athletic nor as quick as a guard.</div>

That's true but, common if Murphy can't drive it inside, why can't Mike D? Many times he's being mismatched with smaller players, he must take it inside. Not to mention he has such great court vision so when the other team's defense collapeses on him he can find the open man for the freebie shot. But obviously, i'm not an NBA baller, I'm guessing what we see as easy on tv must be very hard at full speed.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting jzblaze:</div><div class="quote_post">but hey we're 3-1, time to be happy!!!</div>

Yes, the past week I've heard too many people whining, but look at our record! Jesus, people are sounding like spoiled brats now.

 

No need to call names now.