3pt_chucker wrote:I don't want to agree with a 6ers fan but I was just about to post this. Just because the 76ers had a low scoring game it doesn't mean the Nets were locking them down.
In the first half Philly made it much easier to double Embiid by where he was catching the ball. That made it easier to filter 3s to PJ Tucker and Harris. Maybe Philly just wanted to see how things looked but once they went back to how they did things in Game 1(Embiid catching it from the top of the key area) it spread out the Nets defense and made it hard to cover so much ground. Swing, Swing and it lead to an open 3. When JV contoured by playing a basic zone(his only counter ever), they placed their worst shooter in the dunker spot (Harris/Tucker), with Embiid out top and that lead to multiple open 3s, particularly to Maxey. When no double came, Embiid got multiple free driving lanes to the rim.
If the Nets do the same stuff again in G3, I'm expecting another L because Philly is a good 3pt shooting team and they have the formula that works. Harden probably won't be that bad either. JV has to do something actually different. Either we switch up the doubling scheme or the Nets pivot to try to out score Philly.
Personally, I rather go with the outscore option, mainly because (i) I don't think the Nets are flexible enough to start playing more complicated defensive schemes when they haven't done this all season and (ii) the Nets have the tools to put up better offensive output.
Here are some things off the top of my head we can do:
1) Play Sumner and Cam. They both put real pressure on Philly to defend. Sumner's speed and Cam's shot making could take advantage of Philly's defensive weaknesses. Throw them in early in game and see if they can catch a rhythm. If not, then you can bench them.
2) Lean all the way into small ball. I would start Royce/Joe over Claxton and play 5 out from the start.
3) If you must start Claxton, the put Claxton in the Timelord role by having him guard Tucker, leaving DFS as Embiid's primary defender. Having Claxton as the roaming help defender puts in him in a far more advantageous position than being swallowed in the post vs Embiid. Clax can easily cheat off Tucker and should be athletic enough to close out and affect Tucker's 3.
4) Play Yuta in small spark plug mins. Whether you play him at the 4 or 5 to spread the floor, use him in a smart way. His hustle/effort plays can energize the crowd and the team. He doesn't have to play big mins to do this. If his shot is falling, ride the wave.
5) Run plays for our shooters!!! It's really annoying that JV insists on playing Joe but he has almost never gets designed actions to free him up properly. Most of his 3's come after Din pounds the ball or a rushed shot in transition. One thing that made him so effective under Kenny(and low key S1 under Nash), is that they would run at least 1 play per quarter for him where he gets an open 3 in his spots. Same thing for Seth Curry. Seth is not a PG!! Run plays for him to get him open instead of asking him to initiate offense and shoot off the dribble. Where are all the Iverson cuts he was so lethal at in Philly??! Ughh
We'll probably come out and be vanilla again on offense and defense but I'm going to hope JV shows us he's not a rigid coach who can only do 2-3 things.
Like MDB, I particularly agree with number 5. I've been somewhat surprised and disappointed with Kokoskov's motion offense. It too often seems stagnant and unimaginative. But it's possible that much can be attributed to so many new players, without the benefit of a preseason to acclimate. I remember when Havlicek came into the league many thinking he would not last, because he never stopped moving. A modern day example is Steph Curry. Watch him after he gives up the ball. All we have is someone coming out to the perimeter to give Spencer an outlet, or him penetrating to create an open man.
With this team I also like the idea of going even smaller by occasionally playing O'Neale with Claxton out. We have successfully done that on occasion. And Royce seems to annoy Embid at least as much as Nic. I have mixed feelings, however, about Joe Harris. He plays hard and smart, and I think was the only plus on court player we had last game. But he's getting paid for making threes and I've waited two years with few examples of what he once did.
On the other hand, I think our biggest obstacle in competing with too many teams is the fact that we are too small even with Claxton. I believe our first goal this summer should be to find a "big" center and/or power forward, preferably one who is also an inside scoring threat. In addition to helping our rebounding problem, it would diversify our offense with an inside out threat, while also helping our perimeter shooters.
I'm less convinced with going deeper into our bench against good teams, except maybe rarely for purposes of rest. I think there is a consensus that we are out-talented in the playoffs this year. It seems counter intuitive, to me, to play lesser caliber players more, thinking they will do more than that of which they are probably capable. Our subs lost to the 76er subs in the last game of the season by 29 points. That was with Cam T getting an efficient 46 points, but the rest of the team shooting 38%, and having twice the turnovers that our regulars had last game against the 76ers.
