Official Wmc Thread: Um Those Too Many W's! Fix The Tank!

67 shots out of 165 attempts have come midrange ... 31% of them made

 

We haven't the slightest offensive identity at all.

Lin defers to Kobe too often, is not as aggressive as he should be.
Kobe doesn't trust anyone enough on offense except maybe Boozer to pass to.
I'd rather have Smush Parker than Wes Johnson. I'm not even kidding.
Boozer is lost.
Hill just does his thing.

Price can't shoot.
Clarkson is still too raw.
Henry is all over the place
Davis just does his thing.

This is a young team, and although Byron's mantra is defense first, any player gets dejected if the ball is not going through the basket, and assignments are missed all over the place.

Stop the Princeton garbage, and go to the basic pick and roll and motion offense, it's really not that hard.

 

You're right, but it doesn't help when you're coach doesn't know what he's doing schematically on both ends to put players in position to be successful or at least give them a chance. Our offense and our defense are atrocious. Grant it, we're devoid of any type of talent, and we are fielding a D-league roster, but I expected more from Byron. It's incredibly troubling what I've seen this preseason and the last 2 games.

 

The problem is, Byron doesn't know what he wants to do with Kobe. I'm sure any coach would have a problem of how to focus the offense around Kobe, meanwhile, getting production from other players.

He's pretty much our only effective option at this point, though Lin has the ability.

Trying to implement an offense like the Princeton takes away from both of their strengths, and it doesn't help that we don't have any proper spacing at all out there. Wes is lost on all accounts, I'd rather start Ryan Kelly instead of Wes for his shooting, than whatever Wes is even attempting to achieve defensively, nothing.

 

Look, Byron is in a tough spot cause he has mostly players that can't defend or create any offense (AKA play basketball well) so I want to go easy on the guy. But basing your strategy of settling for mid-range jumpers is so dumb I would rather watch us miss threes all game.

 

When they hired Scott I was happy yet concerned. His history of being inflexible and not doing in game adjustments due to match ups was what got him run out of New Jersey, and New Orleans. If he is going to stubbornly stick with this pressure D on the perimeter , with no decent defenders out on the perimeter, and none in the paint, they are doomed to give up as many points as D'antoni's teams did.There is no Mutombo, or Chandler as the last line of defense. This cast of characters should be going to the pseudo zone that Carlisle uses with the Mavs to have any success at all. On offense his Princeton like sets will work well with guys like Jason Kidd and Chris Paul running it,A young Richard Jefferson, Kenyon Martin,Kerry Kittles, David West, Peja Stojakovic, and Bobby Jackson, spacing the floor and hitting open looks, but they have an underwhelming Lin and Price, with "shooters" like Johnson, Boozer, and Hill. Kobe is just starting to do his thing outside the offensive game plan because of what he's seeing. I hope Scott goes back to the drawing board and fits some game plans together that work with the "talent" he has.

 

I'm hoping Kobe goes up to Byron and has a convo with him. Give more freedom on offense.

 

I respect your opinion and agree with you to a certain extent.. But you cant jump the gun out of slight desperation to get Thomas/Lowry because what if than youre able to land another star PG, or needed that money these following years for other stars. Most likely those guys wanted multi year deals and we werent willing to do so which is smart because once again, those guys werent going to lead us to a championship this year anyways.

Its not as hard as hard to build a contender IMO in basketball, say compared to football because theres 5 starters. If Randle can develop into a great player he can be a future piece in our lineup or you never know as far as a tradeable asset. Heat won two championships with a grandpa Wade, Chris Bosh who honestly is a good player but nothing GREAT IMO, no true center,no true point guard and below average depth on the bench... I think you catch my drift. We got to stay patient.

 

Like you points about adjusting your system to match your talent. It's been said a lot but obviously needs to be said some more. Clearly these guys don't have the talent to do what Byron's asking. Need to better utilize whatever stregths you have while minimizing your weaknesses (or limit the other guys ability to exploit your weaknesses). Any successful business does that.

 

we're gonna have a real hard time in the Finals if we keep playin like this

 

I agree the real deal. The year was truly meant to, "Hey Byron, utilize what you have to the best of your ability. We know theres not a lot of great talent, but if you can establish the system for the future and we can find a few gems to keep or perhaps trade,the year will be considered a success."

Is it too early for any college guys out there to throw out there the top 5 college prospects?

 

Lets take a look at our next 10 games....

Vs. Clippers
@ GSW
Vs. Suns
Vs. Hornets
@ Grizzlies
@ NO*
Vs. Spurs
Vs. GSW
@ Hawks
@ Rockes

Bold=BACK 2 BACK

The way we're playing, realistically, we can lose all those games.

 

Lets say we get the top 5 pick, it pans out along with Houstons first round pick(Hopefully a PG/SF,possibly C).. Randle comes back strong and shows us and the rest of the league what hes all about and maybe at worst on a conservative approach Clarkson turns into a solid bench/borderline starting material guard. Thats 4 young future cornerstone pieces on rookie contracts for the future with a boatload of cap room, I have faith, just staying patient and not worrying about the things I cant control.

Line up.

Rookie PG
Kobe
Rookie SF
Randle
Gasol/Aldridge even if its a serviceable Center or Davis continues to flash thats not too bad.

 

Stanley Johnson (Arizona) and Cliff Alexander (Kansas) are two more to keep an eye on this season. I like Johnson and Okafor a lot and I certainly wouldn't be upset if we ended up with one of the other guys. Alexander has played well when he and Okafor went head to head.

 

Man, how depressing. Two games in we're already talking lottery. Sigh...

 

Okafor and Towns to me from the videos I just watched seem like theyre going to need a decent amount of time. Im definitely not an NBA scout but thats just my opinion from my eye test. Mudiay I think would be the most ready to play right away.

Mudiay/Veteran PG
Kobe/Clarkson
Young/Veteran SF(Sign through F/A or Trade for via Houstons 1st)/Rookie SF via Houstons 1st
Randle/Kelly
Gasol/Davis

 

I would be very content with Mudiay. He definitely has game. I just think we would draft size if we had the first pick. Okafor is very skilled though.