PG: The streak lives

[Dalek]

I think Jay is experimenting with the line-ups in the fourth too much. He should stay with his starters after the 8 min mark and let them go the rest of the game. This whole mix and match routine is not working out and there needs to be better cohesion with our starters. Barbosa seems like he is only good for one quarter of basketball then he significantly cools off. Kleiza is a guy we have invested in, yet we only play him limited mins. I know he hasn't shot it well, but he is a streak shooter who can get hot with more mins.

[MEDIC]

It says a lot when everyone agrees that Julian Wright was one of the best players because he pulled some pretty stupid BS out there.

Frustrating game to watch. These guys didn't play as a team. Lots of selfish play.

- Bigs forcing things (Reggie forcing up a shot in the post with 2 defenders on him, Bargnani trying to lead a fast break, Julian Wright trying to lead fast breaks)
- Too many one on one plays
- Too many outside shots
- Bigs not putting pressure on post defence (namely Bargnani)

If everyone just played within their roles, we would have been a lot better off. The stupid plays killed a lot of momentum.

What the hell happened to trying to get Bargnani looks in the post early in the game? He was just floating around out there.

[ATLTimekeeper]

^I only remember Julian botching one fast-break, which doesn't make him any different than anyone else on the team. What were his other stupid moves? Leading a fast-break? The guy's one of the few players on this team with the actual skillset to properly lead a fast-break. He played well and helped bring us back in the game, so he deserves some credit.

[Mr.Raptorsingh]

Julian Wright's offensive game is lacking; I like his ability to create, looked very comfortable running the fastbreak (even though he made a poor decision on one of them), but he needs to get a jumpshot. He missed two FTs that killed a possession for us in the 1st half, and nearly airballed a 3 pt attempt in the corner. If Wright improves his jumper, particulary his 3pt shot, he can be a James Posey-type.

Defensively though, Wright is awesome. Really, he disrupted quite a few possessions of the Blazers, using his length to play passing lanes.

[Hypz]

We're going streaking!!!

[Dalek]

Julian Wright is deserving of some run because he can create turnovers and make decent outlet passes which help the ever-important transition game. He isn't there for his shot, but if he can lock up a player like Roy or Kobe then it helps to free up Demar or Barbosa who can focus on offense.

His best attribute is his hard shows on defense and his ability at help defense. I like having him and Amir on the court at the four and five. It makes it very interesting on defense and on the break. I'd opt for this as a bench front court line-up over David Anderson who is increasingly looking lost out there.

[Courtside]

I agree about Bargs needing to stay inside even when he is being ignored in there. It has to be a mindset that it's his territory. Our guards do need to drive inside, but part of the reason they sometimes do so recklessly is because Bargs will have gone in and then come back out, creating space when a big cheats out towards him. Drives need to happen when he's in there and can set screens for the guard, because what happens now is the guard sees all that space only to have the entire D collapse around him, cutting off passing lanes and forcing then into a difficult shot, pass or turnover.

Bargs can float out on occasion - that's part of being a decoy - but it can't be near as often as last night. If there's less space for guard to get sucked into a reckless drive, it might force them to create something through movement and passing - whether it goes into Bargs or not.

[Kabookalu]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wavpWRK6IX8[/youtube]

[MEDIC]

^I only remember Julian botching one fast-break, which doesn't make him any different than anyone else on the team. What were his other stupid moves? Leading a fast-break? The guy's one of the few players on this team with the actual skillset to properly lead a fast-break. He played well and helped bring us back in the game, so he deserves some credit.

I agree. I liked the way he played....especially defensively.

He was forcing things offensively though...beyond his capability. He looked out of control. I'm just grouping his out of control plays in there with everybody elses.

I don't agree that he has the "actual skillset to properly lead a fast break". He has a decent enough handle to take a few dribbles & get to the basket, but other than that, his handling skills are not adequate.

I guess my point is this: If Julian Wright attempted some of the things that he did last night on a good team, his butt would be sitting on the bench. That's how bad the rest of the team was last night.

Jack, Bargnani, Reggie, Barbosa, Wright & Kleiza all looked out of control at various times in the game. You add all those mistakes up, it's what cost us the game.

[MEDIC]

I agree about Bargs needing to stay inside even when he is being ignored in there. It has to be a mindset that it's his territory. Our guards do need to drive inside, but part of the reason they sometimes do so recklessly is because Bargs will have gone in and then come back out, creating space when a big cheats out towards him. Drives need to happen when he's in there and can set screens for the guard, because what happens now is the guard sees all that space only to have the entire D collapse around him, cutting off passing lanes and forcing then into a difficult shot, pass or turnover.

Bargs can float out on occasion - that's part of being a decoy - but it can't be near as often as last night. If there's less space for guard to get sucked into a reckless drive, it might force them to create something through movement and passing - whether it goes into Bargs or not.

There were a few times in the 2nd half when Bargnani was in the post, but he was just standing around. He wasn't fighting for position, keeping the defenders occupied. The post defenders were easily able to focus on the perimeter ball handler & not allow penetration.

You have to at least act like your attempting to be a scoring threat, even if you don't get the ball. Just to keep the defense occupied. The post defenders didn't even have to think about switching because they didn't have to defend anyone in particular.

[RapsVC15]

Demar, sigh. It could only go up from here. If your not going to score, at least give the team something else. 4 bounds, and a assist with defense that makes Bargnani look all world ain't going to cut it. The guy's averaging 3 rebounds and an assist on the year, I honestly see nothing in him that makes me excited having him on this team going forward.

Calderon was by far out best player, how long before we start talking about him starting?

Bargnani was frustrating, 8 boards in 30 minutes was at least something you could take away, but he was horrible.

[Tacoma]

Bargs can float out on occasion - that's part of being a decoy - ...

There were a few times in the 2nd half when Bargnani was in the post, but he was just standing around. He wasn't fighting for position, keeping the defenders occupied. The post defenders were easily able to focus on the perimeter ball handler & not allow penetration.

You have to at least act like your attempting to be a scoring threat, even if you don't get the ball. Just to keep the defense occupied. The post defenders didn't even have to think about switching because they didn't have to defend anyone in particular.

To be fair, Bargnani has been floating around looking disinterested less this year. Congrats to Courtside though... for a new excuse for Bargs that I've never heard before. Yes, Andrea "The Decoy" Bargnani. He's was never floating and playing lazy all those years. No, no, no. It was all a decoy.

[TMMC]

I agree about Bargs needing to stay inside even when he is being ignored in there. It has to be a mindset that it's his territory. Our guards do need to drive inside, but part of the reason they sometimes do so recklessly is because Bargs will have gone in and then come back out, creating space when a big cheats out towards him. Drives need to happen when he's in there and can set screens for the guard, because what happens now is the guard sees all that space only to have the entire D collapse around him, cutting off passing lanes and forcing then into a difficult shot, pass or turnover.

Bargs can float out on occasion - that's part of being a decoy - but it can't be near as often as last night. If there's less space for guard to get sucked into a reckless drive, it might force them to create something through movement and passing - whether it goes into Bargs or not.

There were a few times in the 2nd half when Bargnani was in the post, but he was just standing around. He wasn't fighting for position, keeping the defenders occupied. The post defenders were easily able to focus on the perimeter ball handler & not allow penetration.

You have to at least act like your attempting to be a scoring threat, even if you don't get the ball. Just to keep the defense occupied. The post defenders didn't even have to think about switching because they didn't have to defend anyone in particular.

He got 17 shots laast night but it certainly didn't seem like it to me... There never seems to be any sort of reason as to why or when he gets the ball and gets a shot attempt.. Its really maddening sometimes you see the guy start out a game lookin like he can't miss, maybe going 4-5 or somthin and then suddenly he doesn't get a touch for 7-8 minutes, then he will get 4-5 more shots up and then again not get a touch for another 5 minutes... Its really strange I don't understand why our guys seem to just ignore him at times out there... When you got a guy like Bargnani starting out a game on fire you should be lookin for him on every possesion.. There were times in the third quarter last night where I wanted Bargnani to just walk over to Jack and bitch slap him for ignoring him for such long stretches.. I think alot of his inconsistancies at times are due to the fact he can go for example 4-5 then not see the ball for a quarter and then is expected just turn it on again.. Even the leagues best would struggle with not getting touches on a consistant basis, difference with them is they would bitch slap their teammates if they didn't touch the ball for 5-6 minutes straight...

You look at his box score and say well he got his chances he got 17 shots but when, where and why did he get those shots.. I would say his shots were in bunches and to far spread out, when he did recieve the ball from his teammates he was in a position to force the issue and it seemed like when he was standing there wide open waving his hands in the air he never got it... I counted atleast eight possesions in the 3rd quarter alone where Jack just completely ignored the one side Bargnani was on despite him jumpin up and down prolly screaming "look at me I'm wide open, look at me!".. Instead Jack either would force the issue himself or pass it off to someone else on the opposite side...

Maybe our guys sometimes get ticked off at bargs if he misses a defensive assignment or misses a rebound and refuse to give him the rock on offense.... Hard to explain sometimes, I just wish trhey would give him the rock and keep giving him the rock when he is on hot...

[TMMC]

I had an issue with the officiating last night as well.. It seemed as though the new tech rule was not in affect last night for the Blazers... Roy and LMA were constantly raising their arms in frustration at the refs and even barkin at them but they never got a tech call...

If this rule is here to stay then it needs to be enforced at all times, in every game, no matter who the players otherwise get rid of it all together!

[DG88]

With Philly wining today we are last in the east lottery time

[dagger]

There were a few times in the 2nd half when Bargnani was in the post, but he was just standing around. He wasn't fighting for position, keeping the defenders occupied. The post defenders were easily able to focus on the perimeter ball handler & not allow penetration.

You have to at least act like your attempting to be a scoring threat, even if you don't get the ball. Just to keep the defense occupied. The post defenders didn't even have to think about switching because they didn't have to defend anyone in particular.

Here's the rub. We run pick and roll a lot, like most NBA teams. But on this road trip, for reasons known only to our guards, the big man would set the pick, and then break for the sideline or paint - exactly what he's supposed to do. And almost never got the ball. If you set a big man adrift like that, and the guard doesn't take a shot, then everything is improvised, like Barbosa trying to dribble around the universe, and no one knows what to do. So everyone is drifting. Check it out next time. Watch the pick, watch the roll, and see if the big gets the ball.

What makes the pick and roll so common is that it's hard to cover - providing you

a) have a guard who is hitting shots or penetrating open lanes to the bucket


or


b) have a big who can go to the basket on a drive or hit a rhythm jump shot.

It stands to reason that a big like Bargnani, is going to have a better chance making a shot that he takes in rhythm as opposed to something improvised, late in the 24-second clock.

This team is not executing plays, is not exhibiting patience and is playing selfishly.

That sounds like a young team but even young teams should be capable of good execution, patience and selfless play. That's the basis of over-achievement and learning how to play as a team.

[Jakay]

ALL HAIL THE GLORIOUS 3 POINT STREAK!

May this horrible curse be lifted some year.

[J-Roc]

ALL HAIL THE GLORIOUS 3 POINT STREAK!

May this horrible curse be lifted some year.

The way this team is setup right now, we should expect that streak to end this season. And probably even go more than a couple of games without 3's.

[Courtside]

To be fair, Bargnani has been floating around looking disinterested less this year. Congrats to Courtside though... for a new excuse for Bargs that I've never heard before. Yes, Andrea "The Decoy" Bargnani. He's was never floating and playing lazy all those years. No, no, no. It was all a decoy.

I'm not sure what the rolleyes are for. Basically every player on the court who doesn't have the ball or isn't about to get the ball is a decoy. Just like a receiver who knows the play is going the other way, he has to see his pattern through to occupy the defense and spread the field. So if it's Bargnani or DeRozan or whoever else that is supposed to 'spread the floor' or be some place specific for spacing - that's what I mean by decoy.

In Bargnani's case - the coaching staff has probably said a hundred times that they like to use him to draw big men away from the basket. What is that if not a decoy?

Another example... any player who sets the pick in a pick and roll is a decoy if the guard keeps the ball.

There's no new excuse here, just a convenient opening for you to be a dick.

[pass first]

We scored 58 pts in the paint against the Lakers. We were basicly the first team that exposed the absence of Bynum in their paint and Gasol's biggest weakness as a center. Odom not helping him out there had a lot to do with that.