mkot wrote:The problem is that Shaq isn't out of the game enough. He is getting too many minutes, for too long of stretches. He should be in for 6-7 minutes and then sit. And when he sits, we should run like hell. This is one of my main beefs with Porter right now, is that he plays everybody for too long of stretches. We've seen him going with a lineup of Dragic-LB-Hill-Boris-Lopez/Amundson for almost the whole quarter. Yes our starters need rest but you can't take them out too long and expect them to step right in and light it up. And then add that the 2nd unit usually gives up lead and couldn't score, it's very frustrating to see.
Right now our offensive strategy minimizes the talents of several of our players who used to be effective under MikeD's system: Nash, Raja, Hill, LB, maybe even Barnes. It's a decent offense for Shaq and Amare and even then Amare isn't getting enough touches often. Basically we are a confused team, and have looked like it for a few games now. They don't know how to run anymore. In the half-court, they dump the ball to Shaq way too much. The spacing isn't there. We don't know how to play the pick and roll anymore because everyone is in the wrong place! Basically, the spacing is very horrible. And that's another reason why no one can complete a pass resulting our high TO rates. Everyone just stand and watch. No one is moving. No one is cutting. Teams are collapsing in the lane because our guys ain't active when Nash is dribbling.
Again, this offense shouldn't focus on Shaq THIS much. We are wasting our offensive talent on our roster. The offense now is focused too much on Shaq to the point where everyone else isn't involved. Again, there has to be variation. When MikeD is here, people said we played too much pick and roll that made us too predictable. Well, with Porter's new offense, our offense looks even more stale and predictable...We need balance. We can run, we can play slow, we can run the "used-to-be-so-deadly" Nash-Amare pick and roll, and we can dump to Shaq. Mix it up!!!
Porter's rigid rotations annoy me every game, win or lose. He has to be willing to play guys at spots other than their natural position....there's a reason we used to crush Houston pre-Porter. We could've do some damage with a lineup of Amare-Boris-Barnes/Hill-Raja-Nash. We didn't. We played into their hands. Boris was the 9th guy off the bench tonight...and again, who's our sixth guy? He hasn't figure out yet! Frustrating.
You can see players are frustrated as well....Nash's frustration really came out tonight. He was jacking up jumpers he wouldn't usually take, he was pushing and shoving in that brawl...
I know it's early, it's a transition period, but I'm worried.
I'd have to agree with everything you said here. Like I said before if we want to be a top team we're going to have to play in a system that suits Nash and Amare not Shaq.
-SDU- wrote:^ dont kid yourself - amundson and lopez would never see the court in our system with dantoni
dantoni would be great for regular season, but thats not what we are after
Dragic wouldn't get PT either. MD would most likely play Barbs again at the point when Nash is out and have Barnes at the 2.
Through these last few games I feel that we're 6-3 purely on the fact that we have vets on our team who know how to run a good offense because they were so good at playing MD's system. Porter just seems to be trying to fix something that isn't broken. Nash just isn't built for this slow half-court game. Maybe if it was back 6-7seasons ago, he would've made the transition quite easily, but right now, his body just can't handle this grind it out play for 82games. He needs help in the form of a scoring 2 or 3 who can get his own shot and pass out when he needs to.