Foye Struggling with Pick&Roll <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Kevin Garnett jostled for position against Kevin McHale at the end of Thursday's Timberwolves practice, setting a screen for rookie Randy Foye. Garnett and McHale seemingly talked non-stop, pointing at various spots on the court, as they discussed the nuances of playing the pick and roll. Foye paid close attention to the instructions from Garnett, a 10-time NBA all-star and six-time member of the NBA's all-defensive first team, and McHale, the Wolves' vice president of basketball operations who earned seven NBA all-star appearances during his hall of fame career with the Boston Celtics. "You look so much better when you play fluid," Garnett told Foye. "You don't even know." Defending and executing the pick and roll has been a bugaboo of late for the Wolves, who figure to see much more of it tonight against the Seattle SuperSonics. During Wednesday night's 100-97 loss at Toronto, Foye didn't play the pick and roll correctly in several situations, which prompted the lesson from Garnett and McHale. They see the potential in Foye, whose skills have drawn comparisons to a younger Dwyane Wade, and want to teach him how to be a better player. "Last night, I got beat a couple times on the pick and roll, and they scored some big baskets," Foye said. "Basically, it was like a learning session. They were trying to give me knowledge, and I think it's going to help me a lot." Toronto point guard T.J. Ford caused problems for the Wolves with his quickness and speed. Ford scored 28 points, his season high, and added seven assists. Ford is one of the quickest players in the NBA, and he used that to his advantage against Foye and Timberwolves point guard Mike James. But playing the pick and roll correctly on offense and defense demands more than physical ability. It's a play that most often engages a guard as the primary ball handler who uses a screen set by a bigger teammate. When the guard comes off the screen, he can penetrate, pass or shoot. Taller opponents sometimes get caught in a mismatch trying to defend a quicker guard. And sometimes a guard can use the pick and roll to gain a bit of separation. "It doesn't always have to be about being faster than somebody to stop a fast person," Foye said. "It's about making them take tough shots and getting to the angles." Aside from defending the pick and roll, Foye has room for growth in executing it on offense. At this stage of his career, he's a better one-on-one player. "The point is to make things easier for your teammates," McHale told Foye during the teaching session. Garnett and McHale weren't picking on Foye. He's a young player and is learning, said Wolves coach Dwane Casey, who added that playing the pick and roll is an issue not just for Foye but for his team. "He's going to make mistakes, and that's the growing pains you have of developing a guy like Randy, who's got great potential," Casey said. "You've got to take his good decisions with his bad decisions. I thought he made great decisions against Chicago (Tuesday night during a 100-98 win). And then last night, there were some decisions I'm sure he wishes he could take back." Foye used a screen from Garnett to score the winning basket against Chicago with 1.8 seconds remaining. He had 25 points that night, his season high.</div> Source
