How would you gameplan against this Blazers team?

I just can't see how you can double 2 wing players and rotate quick for the post to leave just the small-forwards open. I think the only teams I have seen that were able to do something like that were the last championship years for the Celtics and the Spurs - and these were elite defensive teams with elite post and perimeter defenders (Bowen/Duncan and Rondo/KG).

Most teams just can not do it.

 

You misread my post. I never said to double Miller and Roy. I said to pressure them (in other words, play tight defense) and double quickly on Oden, from different directions, when receives the ball.

You really can't effectively double wing players without fatally compromising your defense unless you are a truly elite trapping defense.

Only if and when Roy or Miller penetrates do you roll another player over to cut them off...and that should generally be the player defending the small forward. If the penetration comes from the other side of the floor from the small forward, you roll and rotate...the closest wing defender rolls over to the penetrator and the small forward defender rotates to cover the player vacated.

 

...just wanted to say that I have enjoyed this discussion! I'm a pretty weak X's and O's spectator, but I find a lot of times I can read something here and then look for it during the game. In the spirit of the other thread, Kudos!

 

The key to beating the Blazers thus far has been getting the bigs in foul trouble. This is easily achieved by guards if they slash, or by big men if they flop. I noticed Jefferson never flopped on Oden. That was a mistake. The refs seem to buy it most of the time. Flynn is too much of a rookie to realize that he can get our front court in trouble by driving into them. Most veteran teams have seen this weakness and exploited it.

 

The first 5 games, and most of last season, yes. But with this 3 guard starting core, they are doing a much better job of taking away dribble penetration from the guards. Keep in mind that Tony Parker was playing, one of the best slashing and penetrating guards in the league. Blake, Miller and Roy's help defense made sure that Parker had no "IN" during that game. The Blazers are letting them take those "outside shots" but even still a little contested, but making sure they completely take away any dribble penetration.

So that worked in the past, but if the new line-up protects the penetration like they have the last 2 games, we will be extremely hard to stop.