(01-05-2020, 11:39 AM)hakeemfan Wrote: However, where I disagree with you is the philosophy. That is on RC. It is sad to watch a coach who has a ring and watched Dirk/JeT get a ton of close to the basket shots (along with long distance shots) now acting as if D'Antoni (who hasn't won a thing in his life) wrote the book on modern basketball. This team struggles to hold leads late because we are not a great defensive team to begin with and in the half court (which is what most close games and playoff games come down to) we seem to have no clue what to run. That is clearly on RC.
(01-05-2020, 11:39 AM)hakeemfan Wrote: The biggest issue I have with both RC and Cuban blathering about how the game has changed (even though in reality in the playoffs defense and tough baskets via half court sets are still and will always be needed), is that it affects the type of players we try to get too. Smaller, finesse players are suited for an outside in game. More tough minded and stronger players are needed for a half court based offense. So you can't treat the roster and coaching in vaccuum. If you're trying to blame Cuban or Donnie for the roster, then RC is to blame too.I think RC is a part of the FO decision making, so yes, RC is to blame too. Once we get the players to put on a balanced attack, we will start winning titles. Balanced in offense and defense, balanced in defensive responsibilities, balanced in offensive responsibilities. Stop getting one-way players to bandaid the issues and get more MK and KP and DWs (and this year so far, DFSs). Specialists like Kerr and JJ Reddick and Curry are fine to have once you have the defense to cover for them. We've shown we can score with the best of them (and actually beyond). It's time to allow ourselves to let go of some of that offense (if it's necessary) to shore up the defense with balance and as you have been preaching Hakeem, to change up the offense enough to be multifaceted (balance).
People talk about 5 out. Well, Powell is one of the 5 right now because he sets a good screen beyond the arc. That brings his man up because he might have to cover the ball handler who is the threat from 3, not Powell. Powell is insignificant in that aspect of the play. He makes himself significant when he rolls hard to the basket, which he hasn't been as proficient in doing to this point in the season (against starters of the league). The 5 out like we're doing is just fine as a primary offense (obviously), but we need the offense to be balanced with more than just that primary style of play. If it's analytics that is saying what we're doing is what we need to do, I think the balance of relying on analytics has gone too far to that side.