We don't close games very well

pooteeweet · Post #1 » by **pooteeweet** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 8:38 pm

I don't think it's an accident that we're 4-7 in games decided by 3 points or less. The decision-making down the stretch in games sometimes leaves me scratching my head. I don't know if it's because the players tighten up, or if they're playing not to lose, or what the root cause is. Both offensively and defensively some egregious errors are made. I think Phil should spend some time during practice running a "two-minute drill." The issue doesn't seem to be resolving itself, like Phil likes to let things do. There's no reason that game last night should have gone to OT. It's an issue that can really come to haunt them during the playoffs, and I'd dearly like to see it remedied before then.

slifersd · Post #2 » by **slifersd** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:38 am

They can start things off by actually read the scouting reports. Remember Sunday night's game, they left Stephen Jackson wide open for two three pointers to close the game out for GS. Between Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson, GS has possibly the most clutch two players in the entire league. On defense, there should be no reason for us to give either one of them any space to operate at all. But some of the players decided it might be better if they leave their best three point shooter open. That's just low basketball IQ.

Heyvoon24 · Post #3 » by **Heyvoon24** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:55 am

Well one reason can be because Phil always leaves in Luke Walton in during crunch time. Thats just a recipe for disaster.

EHL · Post #4 » by **EHL** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 5:00 am

Or it could be the fact that Gasol, Bynum, Ariza, and Mihm aren't playing. Just a wild guess.

tnayrbrocks · Post #5 » by **tnayrbrocks** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:49 am

EHL is spot on. Phil is running an 8 man rotation and fatigue is the obvious culprit here.

slickgreek · Post #6 » by **slickgreek** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:04 am

because the Lakers out of bounce play is the same one every single time....and it always gets us a bad shot...

Erik Eleven · Post #7 » by **Erik Eleven** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:41 am

Defense is the reason. Especially the three point line.

We look eerily much like the Suns of last year defensively

pooteeweet · Post #8 » by **pooteeweet** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:34 pm

EHL wrote:Or it could be the fact that Gasol, Bynum, Ariza, and Mihm aren't playing. Just a wild guess.

Or it could be that the decision-making down the stretch is poor. Adding bodies, no matter how long they are, isn't going to solve that problem.

KB20 · Post #9 » by **KB20** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:36 pm

One of the biggest problems is keeping Luke in during crunch time. He doesn't do well under pressure and his defense is horrible.

The perimiter defense is horrible as well. The additions of Pau, Andrew, and Ariza will definitely help but we can't keep making excuses. The Cavs don't have any great individual defenders but they know how to rotate and play TEAM defense. That's what we need to learn to do.

hermes · Post #10 » by **hermes** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:37 pm

what if their great decision making bodies

dingclancy · Post #11 » by **dingclancy** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:24 am

Statistically we are among the top in defense. The mindset will come once Bynum comes back.

Phil Jackson has a different approach to defense. I remember during a Bulls finals game, he told his team to loosen the defense for a certain stretch. During the Laker 04 matchup against the Wolves in the WCF, the Lakers were told to flip the switch and they pressured like crazy it rattled the Wolves!

Weird I know. But the guy picks his spots and it is part of his strategy. I am not sure if the team out there is smart enough to play that kind of mind game.

JellosJigglin · Post #12 » by **JellosJigglin** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:37 am

Phil is definitely unorthodox in his approach to playing defense. Plus during the regular season, he likes to test his players. He puts lineups out there in clutch that have you scratching your head. But he uses the regular season to test his players so they go through experiences that they can grow from. During the playoffs, obviously, he sticks with his big guns in the clutch.

And as has already been mentioned, 2 out of our top 3 defenders have missed most of the season. Winning close games usually comes down to making a stop, and with Phil experimenting, and our top defenders out, those stops have been hard to come by.

Farsi Man · Post #13 » by **Farsi Man** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:38 am

Our half court offense is bad too. The triangle just melts down and no one wants to handle the ball besides Kobe. Fish can handle the ball but it's futile since he can't do anything with it.

Farsi Man · Post #14 » by **Farsi Man** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:38 am

Our half court offense is bad too. The triangle just melts down and no one wants to handle the ball besides Kobe. Fish can handle the ball but it's futile since he can't do anything with it.

Dexmor · Post #15 » by **Dexmor** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:33 pm

Maybe Phil is slightly overrated?

dub81 · Post #16 » by **dub81** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:22 pm

Kalel24 wrote:Maybe Phil is slightly overrated?

naw

islander009 · Post #17 » by **islander009** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:28 am

i feel the same with a couple people here that are defense isnt great. We were playing great defense when everyone was healthy, but of course just like past years the injury bug decided to hit us again. Well in any case that is something we cannot control but we can control team defense. I feel we heavily rely on those guns that we have on the shelf for now. but we did sign ira as a defense, why isnt he in there just to play defense when we need someone, or why is mbenga shooting jumpers when it should go to someone else and let him clobber any opposing center who trys to dunk on him? im just confused as to if we are really using the strengths of our team now that we are really shorthanded.