This may be one of the reasons we are winning. No one has scouting reports on any of our players, because most of them have not played much before. It will be interesting to see how teams try to stop bayless going forward.
I don't know if it's so much a lack of advanced scouting, I think players only have so much time to practice, game plan, and learn defensive strategies. NBA players have to be so prepared when they are on the court that their reactions are instictive and second nature. A teams scout giving you a quick 5 minute analysis two days before a game doesn't have the same effect as watching 40 hours of film to understand a teams top players stengths. But I do agree that teams will become more prepared with Bayless and develope better defensive schemes to contain him. He will need to make the proper adjustments if he wants to continue his recent production.
I give a lot of credit to Nate. He always gets the team prepared and they seem to be at their bests when they are playing over their heads. People may grumble about lineups and all that... but if you look at who he has out on the floor I don't think any other coach could do better. They trust each other... and they almost always play hard.
Bayless has made himself more difficult to stop by working on that jumper. Now, he ca go to penetrate, and stop and pop that 18 footer, and you have confidence in him making it. Last season, he threw it up there in the hopes the D would buy it the next time down. And you're not going to stay in front of him. No scouting will help.
Bayless will get more attention going forward, no doubt about it. The real question will be what kind of counter adjustments he and the coaching staff will make. Every young player (that plays) goes through this.
If all it takes is a little advanced scouting, or god forbid experience on the court with him, why isn't he getting shut down at halftime of these games? Bayless is good. He's not Roy good (it obviously took everything he had to get to 31 last night, whereas Roy can get to 31 a lot easier), but he is Roy Lite, and all the plays we run for Roy to get him free and clear to score work for him as well. So in closing, I think he's been scouted already. Tape already exists of Bayless. But I don't see a team guard-focused enough outside of Houston to be able to shut him down completely. Now, will he let down tomorrow? Probably. That's normal. But, when the chips were down last night, he stood and delivered.
Bayless is back to his form in the first summer league when he was MVP. Don't laugh... but he looked better than Parker last night. I'm not saying he is... but in a couple of years I don't think it is too unreasonable that he can have the same impact. He has always had that pullup jumper but now he has added 3 point range. And 7 assists with 0 TOs last night. He could have probably done it sooner if given the chance. Imagine how the Houston playoff serious would have went with Bayless vs Brooks. Blake just can't guard the quicker PGs.
