Travis has hit some big 4th quarter shots but I would prefer Rudy be the 2nd option at the end of games. Like Roy, Rudy is able to get a shot off any time he wants. He's also a very good passer and decision maker.
Aldridge was hitting all night long, zero excuse for them to continue to do Roy isos over and over and over again. The defense is going to react. Ruy or Aldridge should have had a play drawn up for them, or they should have started the Roy Isos later than they did.
Well, the really big problem is that we currently have only one player that can handle the ball and attack the rim - and that's Roy. Rudy is a lot less effective doing it in a half-court set, Aldridge can not attack the rim off the dribble - he is not as good facing up to the basket as Bosh is, Blake can handle the ball but it is a lot harder for him to attack the rim - Travis really needs to work on attacking the rim from the dribble - since he has all the athletic gifts to do it - but I would not want to see him as the one trying to pass off to team-mates. Last year - in these situations - if Roy's penetration failed we had Jack attacking the rim and getting to the FT line where he iced many games for us. In other words - we really need to get to the point where we can have Bayless at the end of games next to Roy - the defense will have a much harder time doubling Roy with the dribble when Bayless is there as well and he can pass the ball to him to attack the rim and create. Can't wait for him to be ready.
The play failed because no one came to get a pass from Roy's Iso when they trapped him. This is not a failure of the play - it is a failure of execution. If Travis (or Rudy) came to the middle to get the pass - they would be able to fire a shot or pass it around for an open man. Iso with a superb shooting guard that can handle the ball and make great decisions are a fine play - he will either get to the rim to score, be fouled or if trapped - find someone open. You can't really argue with Roy's execution. The problem was that no-one ran to relieve him when they trapped him.
Yeah Rudy needs to be more of an option after Roy...especially if teams are going to try and take Roy out of the play at the end of the game... and I say Rudy over Aldridge b\c Rudy has the ability to create an opportunity for Aldridge or other players, more than vice versa.... having him stand around at the 3pt line at the end of games is not making effective use of his remarkable abilities....
I like Rudy being a third or, if Oden's playing well, fourth option. Roy can break his man down and most power forwards can't stop Aldridge when he's hitting his jumper and Oden is great at getting to the line. Rudy is best playing off of others... spotting up for threes or going backdoor when his defender's attention is the other direction. I don't think making him the second option is wise. Ed O.
If you have the ball in your hands at the end of the game you must be able to do 3 things well. 1. Shoot 2. Dribble/create 3. Pass (find the open guy) Roy and Rudy qualify on all 3. Aldridge qualifies for maybe 2. If I'm giving the Aldridge the ball at the end of the game it's only in a post up opportunity or pick and roll. Rudy can get his shot off anytime he wants. He's also one of the few players on our team that can drive to the hole and finish. Nate should have had Rudy flashing to the ball instead of Travis.
