As a reminder, the starting 5 still kept the game close. It was the same 2nd unit that lead the comeback who also allowed the lead to blow out to 20 points. But let's look at what we were doing right in that 4th quarter in hopes the team can build off it.
Here is a play by play breakdown of each offensive touch in the 4th. (I think I skipped 1 or 2 of the missed shots, though).
Spoiler:
4th Quarter Success
- Good spacing, Biyombo setting screens on the perimeter and that completely opens the paint up for attack.
- Now in this sequence, Mario is about to get stripped. But look at the difference there is in spacing with just Biyombo in the paint in comparison to the mess that happens with Vuc and Ibaka in the paint at the same time.
- Pushing after defensive rebound, before defence is set, Augustin uses a Biyombo screen to attack the rim on a Love switch (makes, And-1). Cleveland defence is lazy, they don’t stay home on players or make a move to provide help.
- With just Biyombo in the paint, it clears space for lobs once he gets in position. Notice that defenders are staying home on all players, including Elfrid (who everyone made such a point about being a liability on offense during the summer), and Augustin who's 10ft behind the arc.
- Magic load up one side, Biyombo sets a screen and opens up the paint for Augustin to drive and attack.
- Augustin takes Jefferson on an ISO. Defense is spread, but they're sagging enough into the paint that they could collapse harder if they wanted to, but they don't. Cavs did play some lazy defense in this quarter on certain possessions.
- Green sets a screen for Augustin. (I'm not sure what happened in this play, pretty sure it was a miss of some sort. I'm just highlighting how many more screens we implemented into the 4th quarter).
- Biyombo sets screen for Augustin, giving him a clean look from the top of the arc. Love drops back, anticipating a drive, giving Augustin plenty of room to take and make a 3. Notice that LeBron has sagged off the perimeter and is anticipating a drive, too.
- Biyombo setting off-ball screen for Augustin. There were a lot of off-ball screens run in this quarter, even some double screens.
- Notice Ibaka and Green crowding the paint, similar to what happened in the 1st quarter. Irving sagging off Augustin on the weakside, too.
- Ibaka sets a weak screen and this PnR fails early on. Fournier tries to split LeBron (sagging waaaaay off Green) and Love. Irving drops down to help on Ibaka, providing a brief bail out to Augustin, but Irving closes out to quick forcing a bad shot from DJ.
- Someone teach Ibaka how to set a screen. Thankfully, Payton's passing is that good he managed to throw a nice pocket pass into Ibaka to complete the PnR. LeBron, again, sagging off Green.
The Starting 5
HIGH-LOW POST CROWDING
- Paint Crowding. Ibaka and Vuc are actually a horrible combo the way they're being currently used. The high-low game crowds the paint, neither are active in setting screens for other players (Vuc will set screens for Fournier but almost nobody else), and nobody seems to know where they are most of the time. This is our biggest problem right now. It makes the entire offense a mess.
You will notice, however, that AG's man sticks to him even out on the perimeter. So he's not hurting spacing as people would suggest.
POOR SPACING
- The spacing in general is poor, but no, it's not because of AG and Payton not being respected from 3. You'll notice that their defenders almost always stick with them even out on the perimeter (in the first picture, LeBron has left him, because AG has run into the same corner as Fournier, which was a dumb move on his part). What the real problem is, is that our guys have no sense of when they should cut into the paint and when not to. This is generally because of the confusion and crowding caused by Ibaka and Vuc both camping out in this space.
- In this sequence, Fournier is inexplicably trying to set a screen whilst two defenders already have free access to both Payton and Vuc. It's achieving nothing but clogging up the paint, and blocking passing lanes. This is a good example of the kind of confusion amidst our offense.
- In this sequence, everyone seems to come off the perimeter all at the same time. Like, wtf? Where's the communication? Ultimately, it ends in a clogged paint. Vuc makes a pathetic attempt at a screen on Smith (who manages to walk through it backwards, without even looking at it. If you can't screen a guy who's not looking, then you're doing a bad job). Gordon and Ibaka are crowding the same corner for some reason. Meanwhile, Thompson and LeBron are both inside their men, ready to collapse on Payton if he tries to attack.
AG AT THE 3 IS NOT THE PROBLEM
- For some reason, nobody wants to set AG a pick. Most times he touches the ball, Vuc or Ibaka decide that their position in the paint takes priority. Admittedly, Gordon doesn't seem ready to beat guys off the dribble with his first step just yet, so he needs the help of PnRs, but we don't give it to him. In general, defenders respect him and will stick with him on the perimeter, so the 'spacing' argument doesn't hold with him. His playmaking isn't the strongest yet, as he forces things too often, but these are the learning curves that are to be expected.
- In this sequence, AG gets a screen (and should've taken a 3), and probably could've made it down that lane if he moved quickly, but he hesitated. Love and Thompson were both on the inside of their men and pretty close, though. Ibaka should've been out on the perimeter, pulling Thompson away or getting open for a look from deep.
- In this sequence, AG has room to go right and try to take LeBron and probably should have, but Payton is crossing through the paint bringing his defender with him and Ibaka is already camped in the paint. Again, not a screen in sight.
- In this sequence, AG gets the ball on the perimeter, right as everyone decides they need to be in the paint at the same time. The only player outside the perimeter is Vuc, who isn't setting a screen for AG.
SOLUTIONS
SPACING, SCREENS & SMART OFF-BALL MOVEMENT
- If we keep the same starting 5, for the love of god, can we get a plan on where our guys should be and when? There's no need to have both Ibaka and Vuc in the paint at the same time. Vuc has made some sweet passes from outside the perimeter, and his defenders generally follow him out. Ibaka is a known 3pt threat, but he's hardly ever out on the line, so let's have him out there on every other play, too. We just need that, good screens, and off-ball movement at the right time, and things will open up for us a lot more.
Ultimately, I think the best solution is to start Biyombo and Ibaka, make Ibaka play on the perimeter A LOT more. Biyombo will set screens for ball handlers to open things up, whilst Ibaka, Gordon, Fournier and Payton will draw enough respect to keep defenders out of the paint. There's nothing that Green, Mario, Wilcox and Augustin were doing the other night that Ibaka, AG, Fournier and Payton can't do, too.
