Passing into the post. Boxing out. You learn those things fairly early on in a basketball career, like junior high/high school level, no? And yes, I know we are technically a good rebounding team, and we don't turn the ball over a lot. We get good results. It's just aggravating to watch passes into the post get stolen. That seems like it should be a pretty standard and easy pass to make. Bayless had two or three knocked away last night, but it's not just him. I've seen Blake fail to get the ball into the post. I feel like we've gotten maybe 3 steals all year from that pass, and 76ers got 3 just last night against us. Happens way too often. As for boxing out, I've harped on it a lot with friends, and I'm sure they're annoyed with me for it by now. When a shot goes up, our guys go to the rim. Most of them, anyways. What I have seen from Greg is he immediately starts looking around for his guy, or the nearest big guy to put a body on them. Only to have someone else from the team not box out there man, and they steal the rebound in front of Greg, adn it looks like it's Greg's fault for a man getting in front of him. Their technique seems to be get around the rim, and then hope to touch someone and prevent them from getting there. Whereas if they each bodied up their man, the ball would drop to them more easily. I dunno. Two little things that are frustrating to watch happen on a consistent basis. I suppose it could be blamed on youth, but Greg seems to get in on occasion. Not always, I am by no means saying Greg is perfect, but he often looks for a body before running to the rim. Should be an interesting game tonight. PG play will be interesting, and I look forwarsd to seeing Greg and Brook go at it. Could be a rpetty good matchup between them two. Here's hoping for a Rudy miracle.
Don't worry, Nate is a really good teacher. In another 3-4 years these guys will have this stuff down pat.
I couldn't believe how many Bayless passes into the post got knocked away/tipped/stolen... it was atrocious. But Philly just stepped up and had energy and ran us out of the gym. THey were the better team.
Anyone that has been paying attention to Philly lately could have predicted this outcome. They are the quicker and more athletic team and Andre Miller has been playing great.
It was bad to watch. If it was only last night, I would shake it off as a bad outing, but we tend to get alot of those passes knocked away. And I don't think it's a thing at all to blame on Nate. Just an annoyance of mine when watching.
What's funny about Philly vs Portland is that everyone says the reason we aren't very good at defense and that we don't run is because we are so young. When Mo got fired the new Philly coach changed their defense MID SEASON and they started to be a very good defensive team, that runs and attacks the basket. While older, their core isn't that much older at all.
Trust me, I know what you're saying MM. Coaches are capable of changing a team, based on their offensive and defensive philosophy. Look at D'Antoni in New York. If he had any kind of talent on that team, they would probably be in the top four or five in the east.
