Concerns with the offense
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:48 pm
My main concern with this team is that our offense either works for Pierce or for Rondo... and not for both at the same time. If it is working for Pierce, then Rondo has the ball taken out his hands most of the time (and therefore struggles), Ray tends to disappear and our turnovers jump up. If it works for Rondo he does very well, Ray gets going abnd our turnovers go down, but Paul tends to disappear. It goes deeper, but I thought that I'd start there.
Doc was waxing on over the last couple of weeks that our offense was working so well because Rondo was pusing the ball up the court and getting us into our sets faster. That was a load of bunk. The offense was working well because Rondo had the ball in his hands and the freedom to make decisions for the team. We were running a ton of his stuff, and the team was running with him. K.G., especially, was setting him a lot of picks in the half court, and the kid was making the most of it. Ourt pick and roll offense was, and continues to be, primitive, but it still worked OK. The reduction in turnovers that the team experienced was directly tied to the ball being in Rajon's hands so much.
Over the last few games, though, we have reverted back to something much more akin to Doc's early seasoon offense, and what we were running last season. That is where Paul's comfort zone is. Not surprisingly, after not doing much for quite a while, he's had a few good games in a row. The problem being, though, that Rondo suffered in consequence, and our offense has been sloppy overall. Ray, not surprisingly, was the invisible man against the Hornets because of this. Personally, I think that Garnett plays better with Rondo holding the reins, but he still does OK playing the Paul friendly style.
Why did we revert? I think some of it had to do with trying to get Paul involved, and a lot had to do with the fact that Doc LIKES to run his offense this way. It the style we started the season off with, and the style which had us ranked 27th in offensive efficiency going into the Knick game. If you think that I'm against it, then you are correct.
I don't want Rondo to dominate the ball like Chris Paul, but at the same time this offense needs to flow through him. As Ray has said many times, how he plays is linked directly to Rondo. Getting Rajon going means getting Ray going. Going away from Rondo could not only get him playing badly over an extended stretch, but could also result in Ray slumping right along with him.
Rondo also needs the ball in hi shands to be effective, and he needs picks in the half court. The thing is that when these picks are being set for him, there isn't much action happening off of the ball. A lot of people think that the pick and roll/pop is just a play for the two guys running it. In fact, the guys who usually get the shot off of it are the other three offensive players. We'll be playing the Jazz tonight, and no one runs it better than them. Pay attention to how much is happening off of the ball when they run the pick and roll. The Celtics need to adopt some of that for their own offense. Having Rondo dribble drive without a pick is next to useless anyways. The only guy who moves off of the ball in those situations is Ray, and stationary players are easy to defend. The pick doesn't just help Rajon get free, it also lets all five players get on the same page offensively, and thereby make generating passing angles easier.
Personally, I would like to see Pierce being involved in a lot of off the ball cuts and for other Celtics to set screens for him. When Rajon has the ball Paul usually demands it in a spot, or spots up to spread the floor and doesn't move. This limits his effectiveness. We hardly run anything like this, yet I believe it would do a lot to get Paul and Rajon on the same page.
When we run our sets with the ball movement being initiated by Pierce or Ray, what is happening is that Riondo is clearing out to the weakside and no one is looking for him. That is 4 on 5 basketball by design. The defense isn't going to guard someone who isn't being passed to. If they double off of Rondo, our guys are opting to turn the ball opver or jack up bad shots isntead. IMO, this isn't just happening with Rondo in there either. This happens a lort with Eddie in the game. If he is in teh weakside corner, our opponents are attacking the strongside ball handler banking on being able to fiorce a turnover, bad shot or bad decision. Eddie has been getting open lookls on this tactic all season, and will continue to get them. Why? Our opponents are playing the percentages, and would rather giove up an occasional House three while deriving the benefits of jamming Paul and Ray. Eddie at least has the ball passed to him, though. I don't care for these sets too much.
Rondo definitely needs to shoot more. I'm confident in his ABILITY to hit his shots (check out his hot zones from last season), but his willingness is another story. I wonder what it is he is being told behind the scenes. If Doc is telling him "not to settle for jumpshots", then he'd better change his tune. Rajon isn't the kind of dude who settles for them. He should take any that he feels comfortabkle with, and should be pusnished when he turns them down. He needs the ball to be effectivbe, though, and we're going to need him being effective this posteason, as it is going to be even tougher than last season.
Doc is going to have to find a point of balance with regards to these issues. What are your thoughts.
Doc was waxing on over the last couple of weeks that our offense was working so well because Rondo was pusing the ball up the court and getting us into our sets faster. That was a load of bunk. The offense was working well because Rondo had the ball in his hands and the freedom to make decisions for the team. We were running a ton of his stuff, and the team was running with him. K.G., especially, was setting him a lot of picks in the half court, and the kid was making the most of it. Ourt pick and roll offense was, and continues to be, primitive, but it still worked OK. The reduction in turnovers that the team experienced was directly tied to the ball being in Rajon's hands so much.
Over the last few games, though, we have reverted back to something much more akin to Doc's early seasoon offense, and what we were running last season. That is where Paul's comfort zone is. Not surprisingly, after not doing much for quite a while, he's had a few good games in a row. The problem being, though, that Rondo suffered in consequence, and our offense has been sloppy overall. Ray, not surprisingly, was the invisible man against the Hornets because of this. Personally, I think that Garnett plays better with Rondo holding the reins, but he still does OK playing the Paul friendly style.
Why did we revert? I think some of it had to do with trying to get Paul involved, and a lot had to do with the fact that Doc LIKES to run his offense this way. It the style we started the season off with, and the style which had us ranked 27th in offensive efficiency going into the Knick game. If you think that I'm against it, then you are correct.
I don't want Rondo to dominate the ball like Chris Paul, but at the same time this offense needs to flow through him. As Ray has said many times, how he plays is linked directly to Rondo. Getting Rajon going means getting Ray going. Going away from Rondo could not only get him playing badly over an extended stretch, but could also result in Ray slumping right along with him.
Rondo also needs the ball in hi shands to be effective, and he needs picks in the half court. The thing is that when these picks are being set for him, there isn't much action happening off of the ball. A lot of people think that the pick and roll/pop is just a play for the two guys running it. In fact, the guys who usually get the shot off of it are the other three offensive players. We'll be playing the Jazz tonight, and no one runs it better than them. Pay attention to how much is happening off of the ball when they run the pick and roll. The Celtics need to adopt some of that for their own offense. Having Rondo dribble drive without a pick is next to useless anyways. The only guy who moves off of the ball in those situations is Ray, and stationary players are easy to defend. The pick doesn't just help Rajon get free, it also lets all five players get on the same page offensively, and thereby make generating passing angles easier.
Personally, I would like to see Pierce being involved in a lot of off the ball cuts and for other Celtics to set screens for him. When Rajon has the ball Paul usually demands it in a spot, or spots up to spread the floor and doesn't move. This limits his effectiveness. We hardly run anything like this, yet I believe it would do a lot to get Paul and Rajon on the same page.
When we run our sets with the ball movement being initiated by Pierce or Ray, what is happening is that Riondo is clearing out to the weakside and no one is looking for him. That is 4 on 5 basketball by design. The defense isn't going to guard someone who isn't being passed to. If they double off of Rondo, our guys are opting to turn the ball opver or jack up bad shots isntead. IMO, this isn't just happening with Rondo in there either. This happens a lort with Eddie in the game. If he is in teh weakside corner, our opponents are attacking the strongside ball handler banking on being able to fiorce a turnover, bad shot or bad decision. Eddie has been getting open lookls on this tactic all season, and will continue to get them. Why? Our opponents are playing the percentages, and would rather giove up an occasional House three while deriving the benefits of jamming Paul and Ray. Eddie at least has the ball passed to him, though. I don't care for these sets too much.
Rondo definitely needs to shoot more. I'm confident in his ABILITY to hit his shots (check out his hot zones from last season), but his willingness is another story. I wonder what it is he is being told behind the scenes. If Doc is telling him "not to settle for jumpshots", then he'd better change his tune. Rajon isn't the kind of dude who settles for them. He should take any that he feels comfortabkle with, and should be pusnished when he turns them down. He needs the ball to be effectivbe, though, and we're going to need him being effective this posteason, as it is going to be even tougher than last season.
Doc is going to have to find a point of balance with regards to these issues. What are your thoughts.