Shaqdaz wrote:On the surface, this is going to look like a negative post. Its really just things I've noticed recently, and some changes I would like to see. I really want to emphasis how happy I am that Orlando has been able to win games without Paulo, and beat the teams we should be beating. This is one of the marks of a well coached and poised team - the ability to not play down to the opposition. Any win on the road is a good win in the NBA.
In saying that though, I'm not completely sold on Mosley's offense. A great coach excels at calling plays on the fly and drawing up situational plays. Often, these plays appear to be our normal motion offense, with little change. This wont cut it come playoff time. Its not all on Mosley - Orlando's youth shows in their lack of organization and reads sometimes too. For example, a play that has stuck with me was against the Lakers; Orlando kept running a staggered down screen, which is supposed to switch a less mobile big on to the player receiving the stagger, and for them to then come up and set an on-ball screen for Franz. This resulted in Davis switching onto the smaller guard, which brought him to Franz for the high screen. Instead of realizing AD had switched to the designated screener, and making someone else come to the ball instead, they kept bringing Davis to the ball. One player who is normally really good at making reads on the fly is Mo - his intelligence is really underrated, and he constantly organizes the offense on broken plays. You'll often see him on such plays lift from the elbow and push the guard on the strong side through for a back door cut and dribble hand-off, or create for himself. This kind of offensive awareness isn't something you typically see from a 5, and something I think Orlando acquiring a more traditional point guard can make a big difference with. I'm also not sold on the offensive principles against a zone. The offense is predicated on Orlando getting the ball to someone (usually Franz) at the foul line/extended. If Orlando doesn't catch the ball there, the offense becomes self-creation. I'd like to see the wings play a lot higher and create a three-man front instead of trying to create space for the foul line catch. This would be better for guards like Suggs and Black, who are quick and athletic enough to create off the catch for straight line drives, where their lack of on-ball creativity won't hinder the offense.
I'd also like to see simple flex cuts used more, especially when Paolo returns. This would get Franz closer to the block with a possible mismatch, instead of the current strategy of passing to the wing and walking his man down to the post. Flex cuts will also get Franz on the move, and if he's not open, you'll have Paolo coming up off the pin-down either on the move where he can turn the corner, or with a catch on the elbow.
Orlando has issues when their opposition plays up and in to the player initiating the offense. It often results in Franz with the ball in his hands with 8 seconds on the clock and no movement. Another guard who can get Orlando into their offense faster would be really beneficial. Further development for Black would be huge to help counter this. He does generally do well however protecting the ball to initiate the offense with the second unit. I didn't like his role on the team last year as just a connector. I know it's tough for a rookie to play a meaningful role on a team with playoff aspirations, but more on-ball reps would have helped extensively in his development this year in these situations.
I don't know why Orlando was so willing to switch WCJ and Goga onto Sixers guards at the end of the game; they went over every screen with the big in drop for the majority of the game, and for the majority of the game, played it right. You often see WCJ switched to the guard, who moves his feet OK, but Goga struggles in these situations.
Overall though, a fantastic win. I'm excited to see how the offense looks once Paulo returns.
Good analysis. I agree with pretty much everything you laid out.
That said... I admit that I am not finding myself getting all that frustrated with anything negative that's happening right now.
Why?
Because PAOLO FREAKING BANCHERO is coming back at some point in the next 3-4 weeks and everything is going to look so different once he gets back anyway.
Even if I don't get the fascination with hairstyles