CoolBreeze44 wrote:I came to a realization tonight during the game. I think turning this season around comes down to two basic factors. This is going to sound overly simplistic, but here are the keys as I see it:
1) Ball movement on offense. Our big 3, especially KAT, are much too focused on trying to do too much. Not because they're selfish, but because they think they have to play that way. Once they realize that the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts and play with each other, the improvement will be dramatic.
2) Bring the same intensity to the defensive end of the floor as the offensive. The talent is there as well as the athleticism. It just comes down to expending the energy. There is no reason this team can't be at least sound defensively.
It's really not more complicated than this.
Seems like the bench has realized these two points over the last two games. They've been playing hot potato with the ball more often than not. Our starters need to take notice.
CoolBreeze44 wrote:I came to a realization tonight during the game. I think turning this season around comes down to two basic factors. This is going to sound overly simplistic, but here are the keys as I see it:
1) Ball movement on offense. Our big 3, especially KAT, are much too focused on trying to do too much. Not because they're selfish, but because they think they have to play that way. Once they realize that the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts and play with each other, the improvement will be dramatic.
2) Bring the same intensity to the defensive end of the floor as the offensive. The talent is there as well as the athleticism. It just comes down to expending the energy. There is no reason this team can't be at least sound defensively.
It's really not more complicated than this.
Seems like the bench has realized these two points over the last two games. They've been playing hot potato with the ball more often than not. Our starters need to take notice.
I think you're exactly right. The big 3 need to follow suit.
CoolBreeze44 wrote:I came to a realization tonight during the game. I think turning this season around comes down to two basic factors. This is going to sound overly simplistic, but here are the keys as I see it:
1) Ball movement on offense. Our big 3, especially KAT, are much too focused on trying to do too much. Not because they're selfish, but because they think they have to play that way. Once they realize that the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts and play with each other, the improvement will be dramatic.
2) Bring the same intensity to the defensive end of the floor as the offensive. The talent is there as well as the athleticism. It just comes down to expending the energy. There is no reason this team can't be at least sound defensively.
It's really not more complicated than this.
Seems like the bench has realized these two points over the last two games. They've been playing hot potato with the ball more often than not. Our starters need to take notice.
I think you're exactly right. The big 3 need to follow suit.
I'll add that defensively they have to figure out what to do mentally. Various players just have mental lapses but Inafree often the next level efffort isn't there.
Lip one thing you can't see from the box score with Lavine was there were long stretches of time he was really dialed in defensively. He had a couple poke aways and a couple shots guys hit Lavine was all over them they were crazy shots. In fact I thought there weee some good signs from this team defensively. Wiggins had some pretty good defensively possessions when he got switched on Kaminsky.
monsterpile wrote:Lip one thing you can't see from the box score with Lavine was there were long stretches of time he was really dialed in defensively. He had a couple poke aways and a couple shots guys hit Lavine was all over them they were crazy shots. In fact I thought there weee some good signs from this team defensively. Wiggins had some pretty good defensively possessions when he got switched on Kaminsky.
A lot of the 4th and overtime they were all great on D. I saw a lot from everyone, including Zach as you mentioned.
monsterpile wrote:Lip one thing you can't see from the box score with Lavine was there were long stretches of time he was really dialed in defensively. He had a couple poke aways and a couple shots guys hit Lavine was all over them they were crazy shots. In fact I thought there weee some good signs from this team defensively. Wiggins had some pretty good defensively possessions when he got switched on Kaminsky.
A lot of the 4th and overtime they were all great on D. I saw a lot from everyone, including Zach as you mentioned.
Agreed and the bench defense in the 2nd half was really impressive they were extended up on guys making rotations. It was pretty sweet.
It was a great win and like Jim said a number of times if the bench can show up like they have it's going to help the team in a bunch of ways.
One other observation. After one of Towns transition dunks I noticed Bazz was up on the bench cheering the team on. A couple possessions later there he was up again waving a towel during a good defensive possession. Jim called him out earlier when he was showing frustration when a teammate knocked a rebound from him so seeing Bazz cheering guys was interesting to me. At one point late in the forth he came up to Zach during a timeout and was patting him on the shoulder picking him up like Zach tends to do.
Rubio was the guy that many of us have loved for all these years. In general he was pretty fantastic. Was he perfect? No but he was plenty good enough. He really came through late in the game.
Dunn. I thought the previous game was his best game but he went out and had an even better game. He looked like he knew what he wanted to do and made some terrific passes. His jumper isn't the greatest thing but it looks a hell of a lot better than Rubio. What he has given us the last couple of games was more what I thought we were getting from him this year. Solid but not spectacular (offensively) and then defensively he can really make an impact. Let's hope he can keep improving there have been some good signs the last couple games. He could easily have a stinker the next game but there is a little bit to be excited about with him now.
Crazy win: a lot of stuff went our way in the last minute of regulation. OT was better basketball. Too bad the upcoming games will probably not allow us to string any positive streak. Spurs own us, we never win in Toronto, back to back with Pistons, Warriors are Warriors.
Brooklyn_Wolves wrote:Crazy win: a lot of stuff went our way in the last minute of regulation. OT was better basketball. Too bad the upcoming games will probably not allow us to string any positive streak. Spurs own us, we never win in Toronto, back to back with Pistons, Warriors are Warriors.
Agree 100%. We wasted a lot of good opportunities in the first 20 games. As much as last night's win feels good, I don't think it moves the needle much on our trajectory for the season. Our starters looked horrible again for the most part until an incredible series of things finally went right late in the game.
