PLAYOFFS ROUND 2: #1 PHX (3-4) vs. #4 DAL (4-3) | DAL advances to WCF!

[Winter]

I thought the TNT crew had a pretty fair take.

 I was OK with it until Barkley went on a rant about Luca having too much time holding the ball.

While it sometimes seems that way, our entire game plan is predicated on Luca or Bunson getting to the paint and either kicking out for a three or scoring themselves. The offense is massaged by Luca making sure people are in position. Bullock and DFS are supposed to be on the wings. This is our offensive system.

Barkley mistakenly thinks that Luca isn't moving the ball around enough. That's what the eyeball sees, so I kind of get that. But the fact is, Luca (and Brunson) quarterback everyone's positions and then they try and find the likely mismatch or open shot. It doesn't do Dallas much good to just move the ball around the perimeter so that everyone touches it. There has to be a strategy - usually one where Luca or Brunson make it to the paint and force Phoenix defenders to collapse a little so that they continue pushing the ball in and out with pick-and-rolls and push the ball out of the wing.

Barkley should know this really. After all, Luca had 11 assists in this win. It's not like the system is ineffective.