Whats Up with our First Quarters?

[Anderson Silva]

I'm not great at compiling stats, and I'm sure one of you other clever people could do a deep dive into this, but over out last 12 games, we have been giving up an average of 31 point in the first whilst scoring only 27

On top of that if you take out our last Utah game which seems to be an aberration we've been giving up 32.4 and only scoring 27.9

Our first quarters Defense is Putrid. Our offense is generally not much better.

I'd be interested in a break down of other quarters, and I might do if I get time.



I cant belive its the team not being ready to play, at least not so often. Perhaps its the coaching? However we do seem to adjust in all games and make them close. So coaching seems like an inadequate reasoning.

Thoughts?

[Osirus89]

As funny as it sounds it seems like guys need time to warm up on defense. Similar to getting into an offensive rhythm. The team just starts sluggish on both ends. Possibly part of it is that it feels like Russ defers quite a bit early in the game which I imagine is to get guys engaged early, but it seems to have the opposite effect.

We already know PG is very rhythm oriented with his game. Even his best games this year, he wouldn’t start the game on fire. He builds up to it.

I would want to blame coaching, but the team does seem to make adjustments throughout the game (especially the second halves) so it can’t just dumped on the coaching staffs head.

I have no definitive proof but my theory is that at least on offense it comes down to our two best players either not being aggressive enough or needing time to get into a rhythm. The offense would be less of a concern if the defense wasn’t so much of an issue.

The defensive issues I think are just a lack of focus to start the game most of the time. They have shown recently that they can be really good on defense when they need to be as evidenced by the team being able to make so many comebacks. They just don’t start off the game on the right foot for whatever reason. They just foul a ton and give up a bunch of free throws instead of being solid on D

[SecondTake]

Billy pretty much answered this himself;

"We start game planning during half time. I could game plan before, you know, uh, coaches do, but smart teams change things up. I feel, you know, it'd confuse our guys if we got a gameplan and then change it at half time. So we do it at the half. We go out every night, with the goal of, uh, not digging ourselves in to, uh, a hole. Keeping close. We go in to the second ready to comeback."

[Anderson Silva]

Billy pretty much answered this himself;

"We start game planning during half time. I could game plan before, you know, uh, coaches do, but smart teams change things up. I feel, you know, it'd confuse our guys if we got a gameplan and then change it at half time. So we do it at the half. We go out every night, with the goal of, uh, not digging ourselves in to, uh, a hole. Keeping close. We go in to the second ready to comeback."

Oh god so it is coaching. I hate that re-active style. Some holes are going to be too deep to dig out of.

[Anderson Silva]

The Trend continues. Its actually disgusting me. No reason to tune in until after half time.

[timO]

The team is playing like trash since the ASG.

7-11 record