D21's video

[JoshB914]

Not sure if you guys caught this, but he gave a real nice video on the last minutes of the game. Here is what I noticed.

1) Portland hit a ridiculous amount of tough shots. Outlaw hit two shots with Zaza in his face, Jones with Marvin on him, and LMA with Smoove right in his grill in the lane.

2) The rest of their points were the result of Roy driving. He had two three point plays, and two lay ups.

This says two things to me. The first is that Portland were a little lucky. We played good D on them (other than Roy) and they kept knocking down big shots.

Secondly, star players need to take it to the cup in crunch time. We all know that guys like LBJ and Wade can do it, but guys like Roy help their teams the most when they do that down the stretch as well. For some reason, JJ will not do this. A lot of people compare JJ and Roy's games saying they are very similar. So why is the the 6-year pro not attacking? Meanwhile, a second year guy is putting his team on his back when they need him most like a star should.

The great players earn their reputation in crunch time. Roy continued to build his. JJ is looking more and more like a guy who doesn't have what it takes.

[conleyorbust]

Different types of players, something to keep in mind. Roy may play under control but he has a 41 inch vertical leap and a quicker first step than Joe. Joe is a better shooter, and thus takes more jump shots. Joe has hit some tough shots down the stretch in some games, not as often as I'd like but then again when you put the ball in his hands and run obvious iso's for the last 12 minutes of every game where you have a lead, you are gonna see some "un-clutch" moments. You are also gonna see some very clutch ones like the Minny game or the Miami OT win. Again, we changed our style of play from a style that had them on their heals to one that allowed them to hit "lucky" shots. We don't play to increase our leads, whether that is wise or not is in the eye of the beholder but it is blatantly obvious that we very rarely push it when we are up, instead we walk it up and burn clock (and often get shot-clock violations at the end of games).

[JoshB914]

We didn't run isos for JJ for the last twelve minutes. We actually were fine offensively until the last two minutes. That is when your #1 option is supposed to assert themselves. Roy did that and JJ didn't.

It was clear in the last Portland game that JJ has most success late in the game when he drives. He is a good player, so he is not a pure jump shooter. He can do other things. He just doesn't want to do it for some reason in crucial situations.

People want to call JJ an all star. And then say that he isn't good enough to drive to the hole in crunch time.

[tontoz]

And then say that he isn't good enough to drive to the hole in crunch time.

That is a lot easier to do when you have guys around you who can hit 3s. Portland is one of the best 3 pt shooting teams in the league, and outlaw had just hit 3 in a row from 3. We are the worst 3 pt shooting team in the league so it is easy for the other team to crowd the lane.

Of course you really aren't interested in facts and are just looking for an excuse to spew hate at JJ.

The first time we played them JJ took only 4 more shots than Roy but scored twice as many points but we still lost. but obviously everything is JJ's fault.

[Skyhawk1]

Zaza was NOT in Outlaws face when he was shooting those 3s. He was at the top of the key, tring to double Roy. He hurt our defense in every way possible. You don't double a guy who's 2-5 ft away from the 3point line. But that's also coach's fault. I can't wait to see both of them gone.

[D21]

Video Link

Josh, I disagree a little bit on the two 3's made by Outlaw. Zaza is still in the paint when Outlaw gets the ball. What I see is the two times, Portland manages to make easy shoot for Outlaw, because even if Zaza could come faster, we are talking about our C coming from the paint to stop a guy on the corner...that's lots of time.
The first mistake is Zaza leaving Frye to double Roy. It creates another problem: Marvin being on the left with Outlaw, and at the start of system, he goes under the basket to lock the way, and as the right side is open, he goes there, leaving Outlaw. This is the same thing each time.

[conleyorbust]

I don't think JJ has been an AS this season. For one. I also think He has been better at getting to the line than in the past. Last night there are a lot of things he could have done better at individually, I think he should have passed more towards the end instead of taking off balance 19 footers for one. On the other hand, look at the shot-clock. If we spend the fourth quarter using 20 seconds per possession, what makes you think that it isn't by design? In that case, we are limiting the amount of possessions that Portland has so for the most part, Joe is intentionally waiting til 18 seconds tick of the clock before initiating. Look at the clock on Roy's layup conversions after 3 minutes (crunch time). 7 seconds, 9 seconds, 9 seconds, 7 seconds (this one is more game-clock induced) but regardless. It's obvious that he had the green light to push the pace. Portland also had possessions of 19 seconds and 17 seconds (full disclosure).

Atlanta's possessions in that area? 20 seconds, 20 seconds, 4 seconds (Josh's fast break dunk), 22 seconds, 24 seconds, 24 seconds, 2 seconds (end of game). It's a little simplistic but basically gets the job done. Atlanta used as much clock as possible and put Joe in a position where he couldn't drive as easily. He could have driven earlier but the systemic nature of it makes it hard to believe it was a "player-driven" strategy, no? Now its fair to say that he could have done better with the rock in his hands but to ignore the fact that this is something that happens in every game we have a solid lead and it never works well is just dead wrong.

[JoshB914]

WHAT? Zaza is in Outlaw's face on that shot. Of course he went do double Roy... Both were great challenges he just drained the shot. What more do you want Zaza to do? Outlaw isn't even his man in the first place. He did all he could.

[D21]

WHAT? Zaza is in Outlaw's face on that shot. Of course he went do double Roy... Both were great challenges he just drained the shot. What more do you want Zaza to do? Outlaw isn't even his man in the first place. He did all he could.

I don't blame Zaza, that's just it has not to be him there. Even if Zaza is here when Outlaw is shooting, it is too late. The mistake is before this shot.
And Sergio is right in the tempo on both.

Even in the third, when Roy goes to the basket, the first problem is due to Zaza ending on Roy, they play with him because they know that if they can put him out of position, he will be too slow compare to them. Zaza is here because he's guarding Frye, but it's between FT's line and the arc. Maybe they should have switch before, or use a zone defense (exactly what POR was doing right after the second shot).
The hurting thing is we can't run this play. The success goes through the fact they have both Outlaw and Jones on the corners, two 3pt threat, and when the ball goes to Frye, everybody is focused on him and Jones, while Sergio comes behind the arc free. Then Frye gives him the ball, while everybody is forgetting Outlaw. If you want to run something like that with ATL, you need AJ or Law starting the system with Zaza, and... and... and... here comes the problem: Joe on the wing, and who ? Salim who is not playing at all. And who would be our Sergio in this case ? Lue...
This team can run, but can't have lots of systems due to lack of shooters.