From Phantom11 post on O'live. I think he is right on. The two biggest problems for the blazers are a lack of a flexible offense and less than emphatic defense. Roy and Aldridge have been struggling because they have become too predictable on offense. We should have more options out of the pick and roll, but when its defended, Roy just dribbles at the top and looks around. When the defense comes up, the offense needs to react and move into another play to take advantage of the shift. That's how Parker/Duncan and Nash/Stoudemire operate it. Move the pick and roll down closer to paint for a bounce pass/dunk ala Nash/Stoudemire or move it out to the free throw edge with a drive kick for an easy lay-in or glass shot ala Parker/Duncan. Run an off the ball screen for Blake or Outlaw/Fernander and if the defense rotates, kick it to the open cutter for an easy layin, or let Fernandez stay at the three point line to knock down the three. We did that with the 26 seconds left but Rudy missed it. McMillan shouldn't have to draw that up out of a time out. It should be in the playbook. Automatic. The isolation one-on-one is getting tiresome as well as nobody else does anything to help out. More guys need to crash the O-glass and if you're not going to do that then at least sprint up court. Don't just stand around watching. Blake has no excuse for not crashing the glass as he has to be down there to take the ball up the floor but he just stands flat footed. The other problem is the defense where guys can not stay in front of their man and won't commit to a double team. It's incredibly weak and nobody is bodying up. Roy has been particular aweful with pathetic run outs to his man on the jump shot. I feel like it is half assed to make it look like he is working. The defense needs to get into the their players and then quickly back off to give the illusion of pressure. So many times have I seen Roy and others reach instead of moving their feet. They are not giving 100% and they can talk all they want about defense but I just don't see them forcing the issue. They stand and wait for the offense to make their move and then they are too late. Batum has been huge in slightly aleviating both these problems with great positioning on both offense and defense. That he wasn't in during the 4th quarter stretch was a huge mistake by McMillan. Forget that he's a rookie, he's at least one player who knows what to do out there. g
I think that guy needs to coach. I have been screaming about this for over 2 years now. Our offense is antiquated at best. Nate is a great motivator, but an absolute horrible X's and O's guy
I think you might be able to say the same thing about a lot of good coaches. I don't think that Phil Jackson is exactly a genius at strategy (except for Jedi mind games). The difference is, he has always had one of the few "geniuses" (Jerry Krause's description) of basketball, Tex Winter, as his assistant coach. Can't we get us one of those? Let Nate do the motivating (which he is undeniably great at) and get some basketball nerd with not much people skills design the offense?
