I blame Cliff (final rant)
Posted: Tue Mar 4, 2014 3:17 pm
Ok fellas, I have a few issues with this team, they are some of the same issues I've mentioned before, so I promise to do my best to make this my final rant over these topics, if the mods wanna lock this up, I'll understand.
1. Cliff is too stubborn and isn't coaching up the players we have, he's coaching a system and I believe that is hurting us. What do I mean? Cliff was a assistant coach in Orlando to Stan Van, they had a philosophy that I hated where they had one big, Dwight, and 4 perimeter shooters. This is what Cliff is pushing on Charlotte, the problem is we don't have the perimeter shooters Orlando had, so what gives? The system or the players? Cliff wants Zeller to be a perimeter big, has no use for MKG cause he's no Rashard Lewis, and Biz wont ever be paired with Jefferson who is not a rim protector so we're actually sacrificing our defense for offensive spacing.
2. MKG is being held back. This is the story of the season to me. The 2nd overall pick last year is relegated to being a role playing defensive player. Why? MKG has game, Hendo said MKG needs to develop a skill. This coming from a guy who 's only offensive is a mediocre 2 step pull up. MKG is NOT just a defensive player, but Cliff wants shooters, MKG is not that, so because the 2nd overall pick isn't a pure jump shooter he has to suffer? he can be used in cuts to the rim, post ups, getting the rock around the elbows, or the free throw region where he can work. This is the coaches job to be creative and make it work, we owe it to our young 2nd overall pick to make him better, and we owe it to the fans to develop our picks, not muzzle and relegate them to scrub roles.
3. Biz. Another young pick that I don't think weve been very creative with. Cliff wont consider playing him at the 4 cause he's not skilled like the perimeter oriented bigs Cliff helped foster into the league in Orlando. This is why we like Mcbob, cause he's a big who can shoot the long ball. Cliff will never play Biz with Jefferson for this reason, and that's showing a lack of willingness to adapt. Jefferson needs a rim protector with him someone to help him rebound, but if we bring in Biz to play with Jefferson, we lose the "spacing" Cliff needs to make this Van Gundy style work, so again, if we don't have the guys to make Van Gundy ball work, shouldn't we just change the style to fit the players we do have?
4. Zeller, this is the same story for me. We drafted this guy with the 4th pick, and we are trying to make him something he isn't. He has the ability, size, and athleticism to have a long productive career. What I think we're doing is not this guys strong point. We are teaching this big, to play even more finesse than he already is. I'd have him backup Jefferson at center, and have Mcbob play more PF with Zeller. Zeller is 7ft tall, why the heck is he a perimeter oriented big. He should be told to hit the weight room with Charles Oakley or Ewing, and he and Biz should be taught grown man basketball by the ex Knick center. I guess Cliff wants Zeller to be a Hedo Turkoglu or Rashard Lewis type big.
5. Kemba. Kemba is a small point guard, so a lot of factors are against him. But he has two weapons working for him, he's got blazing quickness, and he is a scorer. Kemba said many times hes a true PG, his most loyal supporters here say he's a true PG and always has been. I'll say that a player with his quickness should be able to get players easy shots. We shouldn't have to run a pick and roll offense that caters to him as a scorer and where the bulk of the playmaking duties are left to our PF. Kemba has to do better as a floor leader. I don't want to see Kemba taking 15 plus shots, I want to see 7 plus assists every night, it should be easy with a big like Jefferson who's just dominating on a nightly basis. Kemba needs to be a pass first guard, if we need buckets then he should go for his cause when he gets hot and gets HOT.
Another thing we have to know about Kemba, is that this season he's been good for a few weeks, then bad for a few weeks, then good for a few, and then bad for a few. That has to change, he has to be a facilitator first, too many times if he isn't scoring he's not doing much,and it's even apparent with his body language. He needs to leave his mark on these games in a positive way if hes gonna be a premiere PG in this league.
1. Cliff is too stubborn and isn't coaching up the players we have, he's coaching a system and I believe that is hurting us. What do I mean? Cliff was a assistant coach in Orlando to Stan Van, they had a philosophy that I hated where they had one big, Dwight, and 4 perimeter shooters. This is what Cliff is pushing on Charlotte, the problem is we don't have the perimeter shooters Orlando had, so what gives? The system or the players? Cliff wants Zeller to be a perimeter big, has no use for MKG cause he's no Rashard Lewis, and Biz wont ever be paired with Jefferson who is not a rim protector so we're actually sacrificing our defense for offensive spacing.
2. MKG is being held back. This is the story of the season to me. The 2nd overall pick last year is relegated to being a role playing defensive player. Why? MKG has game, Hendo said MKG needs to develop a skill. This coming from a guy who 's only offensive is a mediocre 2 step pull up. MKG is NOT just a defensive player, but Cliff wants shooters, MKG is not that, so because the 2nd overall pick isn't a pure jump shooter he has to suffer? he can be used in cuts to the rim, post ups, getting the rock around the elbows, or the free throw region where he can work. This is the coaches job to be creative and make it work, we owe it to our young 2nd overall pick to make him better, and we owe it to the fans to develop our picks, not muzzle and relegate them to scrub roles.
3. Biz. Another young pick that I don't think weve been very creative with. Cliff wont consider playing him at the 4 cause he's not skilled like the perimeter oriented bigs Cliff helped foster into the league in Orlando. This is why we like Mcbob, cause he's a big who can shoot the long ball. Cliff will never play Biz with Jefferson for this reason, and that's showing a lack of willingness to adapt. Jefferson needs a rim protector with him someone to help him rebound, but if we bring in Biz to play with Jefferson, we lose the "spacing" Cliff needs to make this Van Gundy style work, so again, if we don't have the guys to make Van Gundy ball work, shouldn't we just change the style to fit the players we do have?
4. Zeller, this is the same story for me. We drafted this guy with the 4th pick, and we are trying to make him something he isn't. He has the ability, size, and athleticism to have a long productive career. What I think we're doing is not this guys strong point. We are teaching this big, to play even more finesse than he already is. I'd have him backup Jefferson at center, and have Mcbob play more PF with Zeller. Zeller is 7ft tall, why the heck is he a perimeter oriented big. He should be told to hit the weight room with Charles Oakley or Ewing, and he and Biz should be taught grown man basketball by the ex Knick center. I guess Cliff wants Zeller to be a Hedo Turkoglu or Rashard Lewis type big.
5. Kemba. Kemba is a small point guard, so a lot of factors are against him. But he has two weapons working for him, he's got blazing quickness, and he is a scorer. Kemba said many times hes a true PG, his most loyal supporters here say he's a true PG and always has been. I'll say that a player with his quickness should be able to get players easy shots. We shouldn't have to run a pick and roll offense that caters to him as a scorer and where the bulk of the playmaking duties are left to our PF. Kemba has to do better as a floor leader. I don't want to see Kemba taking 15 plus shots, I want to see 7 plus assists every night, it should be easy with a big like Jefferson who's just dominating on a nightly basis. Kemba needs to be a pass first guard, if we need buckets then he should go for his cause when he gets hot and gets HOT.
Another thing we have to know about Kemba, is that this season he's been good for a few weeks, then bad for a few weeks, then good for a few, and then bad for a few. That has to change, he has to be a facilitator first, too many times if he isn't scoring he's not doing much,and it's even apparent with his body language. He needs to leave his mark on these games in a positive way if hes gonna be a premiere PG in this league.