Pillendreher wrote:The one thing that has been an absolute constant throughout the Donovan era is the lack of mental fortitude of this team. They have shown resiliance this season, fighting, not backing down to deficits, but at the same time this is a trouling sign: Good teams avoid playing from behind. This whole mess was apparent in the Miami game: They lead by 13 or so after the first 7 minutes and suddenly the whole thing goes off the rails and the Heat go on a 37-8 run (!) over the next 8 minutes or so. And everybody just lets it happen. What worked well for them to start the game (moving, passing the ball, getting into good positions to take shots) is suddenly completely disregarded and nobody adjusts. Donovan took a timeout while up 17-8 with 4:32 to go in the 1st quarter and then didn't take a single timeout for the rest of the first half (!) while his team got destroyed. The team just let it happen and so did the coaching staff. That is simply unacceptable. This team is not going anywhere until it sheds this mental stain. There have been way too many games in which they looked totally unprepared on both sides of the floor and looked they were "just playing", ie not playing with a purpose, but like they were just playing pick up with some friends. That simply can't happen. This is a billion dollar company. And year after year we get horrible returns on our investments. Imagine if Apple or Microsoft or Audi worked like that.
Russell Westbrook may commit a brainfart from time to time, but at some point it's unreasonable to assume that every player on this team is an idiot that's too stupid to play well.
No doubt, they are and have been one of the worst run teams in the league since I can remember from a coaching and management perspective. There was the Perkins era, playing defensive specialists at the 2 (which was phased out in about 2010......they started thabo over harden who was clearly an all star at the time), routinely having an awful bench, ignoring obvious problems in the rotation, and playing iso ball every season. They have just always had stars to mask it. Once Westbrook stops performing,it'll be ugly. The only prospects with potential to improve they have are grant and maybe ferguson.
I think it's what makes me so optimistic about them though. I know they can play better than they do, largely because of their coaching holding them back. They show glimpses of it all the time, and their stars truly have done some amazing things over the years considering all the flaws in coaching and management. I think the organization is a joke honestly, I've just liked their players, and root for them to succeed in spite of their management and coaching. Westbrook is the last remaining piece. Once he no longer is great, I'm done with them. Thinking I'll be a kings fan, maybe as soon as next year.
he played 6 minutes. He's a role player. Nice stat/sample combo. I'm sure the -13 was entirely on him. I see adams managed to attempt 6 fgs! Way to step it up and be aggressive stevie!! That's why he gets the big bucks!
