Head Coach Darvin Ham Discussion: Hot Pockets

I actually liked the 3 guard lineup this game. Dennis bugging CPFlop is excellent. BUT... Dennis should NEVER EVER playmake. He is terrible at it.

 

I did too but against teams with bigger wings, I don't want to see that (Clippers).

I hope next game will feature KD/Ayton and Bron. That will be a lot of fun to watch.

 

AR move paid off right out of the gate. Well coached game.

My only complaint and it's a theme throughout the season, we do not attack players who are in foul trouble nearly enough. We didn't go after CP at all in the second half. I would've gotten DS in screen action and see if he can get him to hack him or push the tempo, get him back peddling and see if you can get him on a cheap one that way.

 

If we can get Lebron, AD, Dlo, Austin and Vando as a starting line up with a few games for continuity we will be a tough out for anyone.

 

If Lebron cared about what’s good for the team, he’d probably suggest coming back and playing off the bench to reintegrate.

 

(Probably)

 

well

 

no, no. i've been assured he just isn't alpha enough to get in the post and demand the ball and then dunk on 4 guys with his buttcheeks. as do all other real alphas that definitely exist and do this nightly for many other teams.

it couldn't be that we weren't actively pursuing that strategy as a team. that's an absolutely crazy assertion that i will not abide. no sir.

 

I think it can be both and also Ham stepping in front of the bullet a little. Before the injury when AD looked like belonged in the discussion, no matter for how brief a window, as best player in the game. On both ends, he was other worldly. It's not like Nurse held the secret game plan against AD and everyone has copied it since that game. When AD was a one man wrecking crew, other teams threw every look they had available at him. It simply didn't matter. On that heater, with that level of assertion, you were not stopping him. Full stop.

The guys in the conversation for best player get doubled and tripled every night. They overcome and they still produce. Do teams only run single coverage against Joker, Embiid, and Antetokounmpo? This is not exclusive to AD or a valid excuse for him not rising to the occasion. He has to be that. Luckily, we went out and got a real team at the deadline so he doesn't have to do as much. A lot of nights he can wait until 18 minutes left in the game and then go to work offensively. It needs to be more sporadic, in bursts to keep the offense open and the defense on their toes. In the second, just remind Bismack that he's not Dikembe, catch him fouling you and send his a** to the bench. Catch and go, don't wait. Don't let the double get to you.

Again I'm not asking for him to play like he did the entire game like he did the final 18 minutes(ish), that's not sustainable and he'll get hurt again. But there has to be a middle ground between passive and dominant. He needs to find that spot.

 

From Darius Soriano ( before the Suns game)

 

Well coached game but some of the in game stuff: arrgh
Not having D Lo in the game to finish the first half - arrgh
Not adjusting to Phoenix ball pressure when you have two guards: arrgh

On the plus, reaves starting which should his minutes was huge
Using Vando now on guards: huge
Calling plays for AD in the post: finally

 

Agreed. This seemed like a well coached game because it was really good in comparison to others. Ham's best game I can remember. Just finally putting Austin in the starting line up was enough for me to give him props...lol.

 

He had to start him. Ham lurks here like everyone else in the organization and you been banging upside his head on this forever …. finally couldn’t take it any more.

 

The three guard lineup has actually crushed it every single game..

Dennis, AR, DLo 3-man lineups:

Since the trade deadline:
Games: 9
Minutes: 93
Ortg: 131.4
Drtg: 92.5
Net: +38.9

The last game:
Games: 1
Minutes: 9
Ortg: 155.6
Drtg: 94.1
Net: +61.4

 

Hopefully Reaves remains in the starting lineup when Lebron returns. He's a great connector piece. Very good all-around player, our 3rd best player overall.

I can see Lebron setting screens for him and Dlo and then cutting to the basket. With AD in the dunker spot, that can open up so many things with our offense.

 

Yeah I'm thinking Reaves gotta remain the starter...he does too many things well to not be in there. Let Beas come in with 2nd unit and have one of LeBron, AD or D-Lo remain out there with Beas to get him open looks. He can cook with that 2nd unit too...and that 2nd unit gonna be really good now with Schroder, Beas, Brown, Rui and Wenyen.

Credit once again to Ham for making a smart change to the starting lineup, and also using Reaves as a PG multiple times even with D-Lo out there with him (because D-Lo can play off ball just as well as he can play on ball).

 

No credit to Bacon Pimple. AR should have been in the starting lineup all year. Over the likes of PatBev, Dennis and Westbrick. We probably would have won more games that way too.

It took AR to score 35 and average nearly 8 FTs/game to force the moron's hand.

 

This is true lol. But there was a time when Reaves was injured so Bacon Pimple was playing the midget lineup a lot more. But I agree...he should have just been the starter to begin with...