For Aldridge lovers and haters. The debate about power forwards really begins with the size surplus in the NBA. We drafted Oden and Leonard because they were big, not because they were skilled. The currency of size has been debased to the point that Leonard is listed at 7’1”, but Aldridge at 6’11” appears bigger than Leonard in every way. With the emphasis on size and not skill, no small wonder that there seem to be no dominant offensive centers in the league right now, least of all power forwards. The flood of big men was what moved the game to the perimeter; Aldridge would have been a true center twenty years ago, and so would Nowitski. Instead of using their height inside, they use it to get easy looks from midrange. Lebron James would have been a frontcourt player years ago, but his size makes him difficult to guard on the perimeter because defenders are forced to give way. There is no reliable equation of size and position anymore, and positions are becoming irrelevant the more that teams spread the floor. In theory, the game is about skills, where your job on the court is what you do and not where you stand. So forget about whether we should build on specific positions. We don’t have a great inside scorer, a great rebounder, a great shot blocker, a great assist man, a pure midrange threat, or a floor general. We don’t have a specialist of any kind. What we have are athletes who can shoot pretty well, who always seem either too unselfish or too hasty because there aren’t enough options in the offense. Players and coaches talk about execution, but they should worry more about adjustment and focus more on the skills game. If all of our plans are ineffective, which they usually are, at least guys are hitting shots, getting boards, making the extra pass, and so on. Aldridge is an easy target because his offense isn't dynamic and the play calling for the left wing is too predictable. A possession shouldn't depend on a single player getting his own shot from fifteen. Nowitski has always seemed to exist in chaos and hit that unlikely turnaround. Aldridge could do the same, but suffers from a routine that doesn't keep him on his toes.
Welcome. You are correct, in theory. But after you identify the skills present, the real game is the strategy and tactics to utilize the skills to maximum advantage. There is where we are more than a little short.
actually, you guys are both wrong. its about confidence, or as i like to call it, "penis size". crunch time performers always have enormous meat hammers. the blazers need to only get players with huge hogs, that way at the end of the game, the other team wont know who is getting the ball.
All crunch time performers have huge meat hammers, but not not all huge meat hammers belong to crunch-time performers. Hence, having a huge meat hammer does not guarantee crunch-time performance. QED
The best strategy depends on the players we have, not on standard sets. We're better off reacting to the defense and exploiting the seams. It's 'attack first', but staying aware and insisting on a high percentage shot.
