GT#73: Nets @ UTAH |3/30| 9:00pm | YES

[CalamityX12]

I just want PJ gone...

Can't believe we play like this... easily crap.

Brook, someone needs to take his comics away.... seriously he's been awful.

JJ or not, a lack of an offense mix in with our 6th pick idiotic plays(wallce) just is unwatchable...

[Paradise]

if you dont think defense was the reason we lost the last new games you need to take up watching another sport

Don't use lack of defense to hide behind you just said we are a better team because we shot a high percentage without Joe which is laughable. That logic tells me we were a better team without Deron when we beat Indiana and Denver with a CJ and Joe backcourt.

I just said a few posts back we run no defensive schemes at all. So, either your trolling or just not that with it. Please don't tell me to watch another sport when you actually believe we are a better team without our only competent wing player.

[PetroNet]

Don't use lack of defense to hide behind you just said we are a better team because we shot a high percentage without Joe which is laughable. That logic tells me we were a better team without Deron when we beat Indiana and Denver with a CJ and Joe backcourt.

actually, no, i never said or implied that. all i did was disagree with someone elses post that stated our offense struggled severly because johnson was out, which clearly isnt the case.

I just said a few posts back we run no defensive schemes at all. So, either your trolling or just not that with it. Please don't tell me to watch another sport when you actually believe we are a better team without our only competent wing player.

again, reading is fundamental. never said that. in fact, i said the obvious, that we are better with joe johnson. it couldnt be more clear:

We average 103 ppg on 54% shooting this month in 5 games without joe johnson. obviously we are a better team with johnson, but id hardly say offensive struggles have been our problem the last 2 nights

[Antti22]

Say what you want about JJ, but our offence really is bad without him. The last two games now against Denver and Utah were one of the most unwatchable games Ive seen this season. Without JJ we have no consistant shot-taker and shot-maker. Even when JJ himself is not making shots, he creates offence for others and is much better option with shotclock down below 5 sec left then Wallace shooting airballs on threes and layups.

I dont think that offence was the reason we lost those games, especially looking at the scores, but it was a part of it, as there were so many careless turnovers and really bad possessions which led to other team scoring easily.

Really hoping JJ will be back soon, its kinda boring and not exciting to watch this team play without him.


PS. After reading this post, it really looks like I have become a fan of JJ. Thats weird.

We average 103 ppg on 54% shooting this month in 5 games without joe johnson. obviously we are a better team with johnson, but id hardly say offensive struggles have been our problem the last 2 nights losses. our defense has been horrific. although, johnson is our best defender, so missing him on that end doesnt hurt

As I said, I dont think that offense has been the reason, but if you look at the amount of turnovers we have suffered last few games. ( 17 vs 10 @ UTAH and 21 vs 12 @ DEN) Then you see, that even though we have been shooting extremely well, our offense hasnt been looking very good and we have given up A LOT of points off careless turnovers on offensive end. So yes, the problem is defense, but it is very hard to defend after a bad turnover and if the other team is running. So the problem hasnt been the shot making, but when we dont get to take the shot, or our shot is just so bad, that the other team can run ( like after a bad airball the opposing team just gets it and runs out) .

Our bad handling of the ball on the offensive end has caused our problems on the defensive end! Even tho we are making a good share of our shots...


Sorry if it is difficult to understand, I have had a lot of issues expressing myself lately, dont know why .. Used to be quite good and writing analysis

EDIT:
That being said, as I gotta give some respect to Pacers and Knicks for getting the job done and winning some games I was sure they gonna drop. Then I wouldnt mind resting up our core before playoffs a bit more and dropping few more games so ATL and CHI can pass us . Even tho I hate any kind of tanking and all that crap.

[Paradise]

again, reading is fundamental. never said that. in fact, i said the obvious, that we are better with joe johnson. it couldnt be more clear:

We average 103 ppg on 54% shooting this month in 5 games without joe johnson. obviously we are a better team with johnson, but id hardly say offensive struggles have been our problem the last 2 nights

My mistake there but it is our problem.

The starting lineup the last 2 games:

Deron
Keith
Gerald
Reggie
Brook

-Keith Bogans is 2 for 10 in the last 2 games in 3s.

-Gerald is being terrible at shooting as usual. His good games have been against bad defensive teams like Portland. Go figure.

-Reggie has finished alot better around the rim but the more he makes shots, the more selfish becomes at not passing when he gets an offensive rebound. Teams with competent bigs block him and force him to turn it over.

So, basically we are playing 2 on 5 offensively without Joe Johnson's skillset at outside shooting, creating his own shot and ball handling, on court spacing for others.

If you believe what I'm saying is not accurate...Visual aid:




Brook had 5 turnovers last night which is very rare...Because they triple teamed him and forced Reggie and Gerald to be irrevelevant offensively and with Bogans in a mini slump that literally creates ANY team and I mean ANY team to look like defensive juggernauts.

In this GIF:


ZERO spacing. Deron is being trapped in the upper right corner before the pass, they rotate and trap Brook and he luckily makes it. Now, if he misses it looks like he's soft by not being able to dunk or finish it but in reality, it's poor spacing and poor offense. Look at Gerald in the GIF...He's wide open for a reason.

In games where they scored over 116 points and limit an opponent defensively, we average 10 turnovers for the entire game. In the last 2 games, they have had 10 turnovers at halftime. Turnovers = fastbreak points which equals higher FG% for the other team. We lost these last few games due to turnovers more than anything.

Reasons for the last 2 losses:

-2 on 5 offensively
- 4 on 5 defensively (Reggie's help defense is just disgraceful)
-Turnovers
-Coaching....And the reason why I put in coaching is because it was PJ's idea at double teaming the Utah bigs to allow guys like Foye and Williams to make those 3s. You'd rather let their bigs make jumpshots than their guards shoot threes. That's why Reggie Evans and Lopez can get 27 points and Bogans, Wallace, Deron have poor 3 point shooting numbers in the same game.

The Hawks two years ago let Dwight Howard have 46 points in the playoffs and they lost badly because they denied Nelson, JJ Reddick and their shooters 3 point shots. Any smart coach takes a big in the paint rather than letting his other teammates shoot 3s all night long. It's just BBIQ that is simply lacking all across the team.

We win games off talent not a system, not coaching not anything and I'm using "talent loosely" because it's the Deron, Joe, Blatche, Brook show. Nobody else adds anything.

9 points in 27 minutes from the role players last night was disgustingly bad. You won't win doing that.

[PetroNet]

we might be playing 3 on 5 offensively, but we are playing 0 on 5 defensively. we wont win a single game in the playoffs if that doesnt change.

once we get to the post season, scouting intensifies. teams will be well aware we cant defend a screen, and run it to death.

bulls ro hawks are beating us in 5 games or less. it might be for the better moving forward. get pj fired and but our stars on the hotseat

[NyCeEvO]

I just want PJ gone...

Can't believe we play like this... easily crap.

Brook, someone needs to take his comics away.... seriously he's been awful.

JJ or not, a lack of an offense mix in with our 6th pick idiotic plays(wallce) just is unwatchable...

I was watching the Association and the players were talking about how Brook is different because he separates basketball from the other stuff that he does.

They were talking about how you usually have guys who just talk about and play basketball all of the time, and they found it interesting/cool that Brook has something else to go to.

While I don't think all players should be basketball-focused all of the time, if a player has another major outlet to go to and be interested in other than his regular profession, it could affect his play because it makes you question that player's desire to really be dedicated to his craft. While Lopez has improved, I don't see him as the top of guy who wakes up everyday and says to himself "I'm the best center and I'm not going to stop until everyone know it." I see him as a guy who wakes up and reads a comic book, goes to practice and gets up some extra shots, but doesn't think about basketball every night.

It should bother him that after he has one dominant game, he then has a few crappy games in a row. He should desire to be great all of the time and I don't see that in him.

[PetroNet]

I just want PJ gone...

Can't believe we play like this... easily crap.

Brook, someone needs to take his comics away.... seriously he's been awful.

JJ or not, a lack of an offense mix in with our 6th pick idiotic plays(wallce) just is unwatchable...

I was watching the Association and the players were talking about how Brook is different because he separates basketball from the other stuff that he does.

They were talking about how you usually have guys who just talk about and play basketball all of the time, and they found it interesting/cool that Brook has something else to go to.

While I don't think all players should be basketball-focused all of the time, if a player has another major outlet to go to and be interested in other than his regular profession, it could affect his play because it makes you question that player's desire to really be dedicated to his craft. While Lopez has improved, I don't see him as the top of guy who wakes up everyday and says to himself "I'm the best center and I'm not going to stop until everyone know it." I see him as a guy who wakes up and reads a comic book, goes to practice and gets up some extra shots, but doesn't think about basketball every night.

It should bother him that after he has one dominant game, he then has a few crappy games in a row. He should desire to be great all of the time and I don't see that in him.

brook needs someone to push him. he has never had that..first playing for horrible teams that tank, and now playing for a team that doesnt have a vocal lead, strong veteran presence, or motivating coaches.

we have heard often from brook and others how much reggie pushing him in practice has improved his game. its clear he needs to be pushed. we would benefit greatly from a coach that gets on him to improve and play with high effort all the time or a veteran bigman to do the same.

[MrDollarBills]

This thread has been a great discussion about mediocrity.