GAME 13: LAKERS (7-5) VS SPURS (9-3) 11/18/16 7:30PM

[danfantastk32]

I don't understand where all this comparing comes from. You watch Clarkson, and he get's into 1v1 matches too much. And put a period on that. I don't care what Russell does. I'm talking about Clarkson. Russell could jack half-court shots every time he touches the ball, and it wouldn't have the slightest impact on the fact that Clarkson needs to move the ball more. I think he's a great shooter, and I have no problem with him shooting a bunch. I have no problem with him attacking the basket. But it has to come in the flow of the offense. He does too much dribbling, too much hanging out behind the 3 letting the clock run down. Last 3-minutes...thats fine. But I'm talking about all the time. He's also forcing too much action, instead of just moving the ball.

There are a couple other players that have been doing this as well....but it doesn't change the fact that Clarkson has been doing it more and more, so I don't understand deflecting the fact by saying "yeah, but what about so and so?"

Look at our season:

24-assists on 87 FG = Loss
55-assists on 92 FG = Win
16-assists on 71 FG = Loss
36-assists on 94 FG = Win
42-assists on 74 FG = Win
20-assists on 78 FG = Loss
22-assists on 90 FG = Win <----our opponent went 20-assists on 91 fgs.
26-assists on 95 FG = Win <---GS game. They actually had a better assist/fg stat. The one game I can't explain.
41-assists on 89 FG = Win
14-assists on 89 FG = Loss

You take away the one GS game, and you can see how our movement is clearly our best weapon. We beat ourselves when we lose. Clarkson, Williams, and Russell are our worst offenders. Especially since they are supposed to 'run the offense' when they are out there, for the most part.

Again...things are going well.....and nobody is being a total ball-hog, but there's been too much stagnation the last 3-4 games, and you can see it CLEARLY in our assist to FG ratio. Guy's gotta move that ball. Get everyone involved.

[Landsberger]

Assists are an overrated statistic. So is the thought of "moving the ball" in a vacuum. What I've been saying is that I see no issue with a player who is one of the only 2 true scorers on the floor who is currently shooting nearly 50% on the season not passing more. Black, Nance and Ingram are not going to provide you with a lot of assists. My guess is that the second unit's assists most come from the 2 guards making shots or when those players are on the floor with Randle and Russell.

I've coached AAU ball for over 23 years and I can tell you that I have never looked at an assist to FG ratio and determined anything from it without also looking at the players on the floor. My day job is as a Quantitative analyst as well so I think I know just a little about running numbers too. I've got a data base on each unit I put on the floor and I review some of the stats from the unit....not the individuals. Sports statistics, even the "advanced ones" without context are worthless. Stats examined singularly without context in a team sport is not analysis.

Assists take some making a shot to be registered. Blocked shots are a similarly misleading statistic. Anything derived off of them is similarly flawed viewed individually IMHO.

Clarkson is playing is just fine by my estimation. He's a young guy and does need to find a rhythm at times in a game but his play and that of the second unit has been nothing short of fantastic all things given this year. He is one of our few guys who can get a decent look most of the time. The last thing you want going through his head is "pass first". He's not a PG.

The biggest issue on our team is defense. This is where I think we all can agree everyone out there needs improvement. We've got a couple guys doing some individual stuff but the team aspect of it and overall effort is lacking. The coaching staff needs to get our guys working together on that end. A little defense and this surprising year could be even more surprising.

[danfantastk32]

So..I said ""I think he's a great shooter, and I have no problem with him shooting a bunch. I have no problem with him attacking the basket. But it has to come in the flow of the offense. He does too much dribbling, too much hanging out behind the 3 letting the clock run down. Last 3-minutes...thats fine. But I'm talking about all the time. He's also forcing too much action, instead of just moving the ball.""

And you come back with ""He is one of our few guys who can get a decent look most of the time. The last thing you want going through his head is "pass first". He's not a PG.""

It's all well and good that you coach and analyze...but you gotta read what your arguing first! I'm not saying pass first. But when you get the ball....shoot, or move it. Don't stand there dribbling.

And by the way......I'm in no way /shape / form saying that Clarkson is alone in this either. And for the record, I think Clarkson is a STUD. I am very happy with Clarkson overall.

But to turn around and say "well what about Russell" does as much good as Russell fans saying "What about Clarskon". We're just stuck in a circle. BOTH need to move the ball more. That's my issue. Each person needs to be taken individually not compared to others.

And I respectfully disagree with you on your analysis. I think assists are important. Like all good things, you can develop tunnel-vision...but I think that it's clear that this team runs much better when everyone is getting involved, and the ball is moving. Assists are a good indication of that. I'd argue that defense is unimportant. The game is designed to be offensive, and you need to have decent defense, and nothing more. Yes...you need to have DECENT defense. I am not saying defense is worthless, but the law of diminishing returns rears it's ugly head awful quick, with defense. The list of TRULY GREAT defensive teams that have won it all, are pretty small. It's an offensive game, with the rules skewed towards offense, and allowing offense to do its thing. Your swimming upstream when you focus too much on defense.

Good defensive help....good defensive effort...and decent overall schemes. I think that pretty much sums up 90+% of champions over the last 30 years. Offense gets it done in this game.

[Landsberger]

So..I said ""I think he's a great shooter, and I have no problem with him shooting a bunch. I have no problem with him attacking the basket. But it has to come in the flow of the offense. He does too much dribbling, too much hanging out behind the 3 letting the clock run down. Last 3-minutes...thats fine. But I'm talking about all the time. He's also forcing too much action, instead of just moving the ball.""

And you come back with ""He is one of our few guys who can get a decent look most of the time. The last thing you want going through his head is "pass first". He's not a PG.""

It's all well and good that you coach and analyze...but you gotta read what your arguing first! I'm not saying pass first. But when you get the ball....shoot, or move it. Don't stand there dribbling.

And by the way......I'm in no way /shape / form saying that Clarkson is alone in this either. And for the record, I think Clarkson is a STUD. I am very happy with Clarkson overall.

But to turn around and say "well what about Russell" does as much good as Russell fans saying "What about Clarskon". We're just stuck in a circle. BOTH need to move the ball more. That's my issue. Each person needs to be taken individually not compared to others.

And I respectfully disagree with you on your analysis. I think assists are important. Like all good things, you can develop tunnel-vision...but I think that it's clear that this team runs much better when everyone is getting involved, and the ball is moving. Assists are a good indication of that. I'd argue that defense is unimportant. The game is designed to be offensive, and you need to have decent defense, and nothing more. Yes...you need to have DECENT defense. I am not saying defense is worthless, but the law of diminishing returns rears it's ugly head awful quick, with defense. The list of TRULY GREAT defensive teams that have won it all, are pretty small. It's an offensive game, with the rules skewed towards offense, and allowing offense to do its thing. Your swimming upstream when you focus too much on defense.

Good defensive help....good defensive effort...and decent overall schemes. I think that pretty much sums up 90+% of champions over the last 30 years. Offense gets it done in this game.

We difffer and I must not be making myself claer. I'm tapping out rather than state the same stuff again. I will sat that the game is more than stats, moving the ball and sharing. There is a good selfish. I teach my kids this after the fundamentals are in place. Someone needs the kill instinct.