MartinToVaught wrote:og15 wrote:The Clippers can get more production by playing Jamal a lot less, unless he's hot. If he's off, he sits. A player shooting 29% FG / 00% 3PT and who does nothing else isn't helping you win
I think it's time to accept that Jamal is never going to be "on" against a playoff defense. He should never get any playoff minutes unless injuries or fouls force Doc's hand. And I think "off" is the wrong word. "Off" implies that Jamal is just missing shots he could reasonably be expected to make. In reality, Jamal's shooting percentages are the predictable result of chucking up inefficient, low-percentage shots against playoff defenses.
I like Jamal the man, but I've wanted him moved since 13-14 summer, so I have no partiality towards him. He can be useful as a heat check, but a player like him consistently being on the floor for half the game or more is not conducive to playoff success, that's the reality.
Austin actually would be helpful right now if he was to take Jamal's minutes, but Doc would probably just pay both, soo...
This exemplifies what I mean with your analysis though:
MartinToVaught wrote:He's developed some bad habits because he's never really been coached at this level. The way Blake plays in the 4th is giving me Kaman flashbacks. Down the stretch, he either tries to put the ball on the floor and ends up turning it over, or he settles for too many jump shots. The latter is definitely Doc's influence at play;
Honestly, this is more of a Doc problem than a Blake problem. Blake is a hard worker and a great player who's practically begging to be coached. Every improvement he's made has been in spite of Dunleavy, VDN and Doc.
So, Blake has struggles down the stretch, and at first you say a little bit about Blake turning it over, shooting jumpers, but then the final conclusion is that it's not primarily or more about his own decision making or tentativeness, etc, but it is actually more about the coach. Now, you are setting a precedent on how to analyze a players decision making and performance and where we should give them leeway. So let's use the exact same standard for his teammate Paul. Chris Paul has been coached by Byron Scott, VDN and Doc. Who is better, Byron Scott or Mike Dunleavy? Yea, so why have you never given us this breakdown and explanation of any struggles Paul has had and said it is "more" a Doc problem? Why were none of New Orleans' issues more of a Byron Scott problem? Is that answer that "well Paul wanted Doc and forced the team to bring him", so it's his own fault! Of course the majority thought it was a good move including Blake himself and many others, but why do we have different standards, because Paul makes $1-2 million more? I'm really curious...
Understand this though, I actually don't care for this line of argument. I don't think Paul should be "excused" because of his coaching in terms of his own skills and decision making as it relates to attacking the defense, and I disagree with blaming a coach for limitations a players game. I'm just wondering it you see that you might be so ingrained in your biases, positive or negative that you consistently contradict yourself and use clear double standards but are seemingly unaware of it. Do you not realize it or are you just content with the double standards and contradictions?
There is no double standard. Blake's problem down the stretch is mechanical. He's not quick enough with his moves and tries to put the ball on the floor with consistently poor results. This is where a coach needs to step in, show him the tape and explain to him what he's doing wrong. It doesn't seem like any coaching staff has done that yet.
In contrast, Chris' passiveness is a mental flaw as opposed to mechanical. We know Chris can consciously flip the switch and choose to be aggressive, because he just did it last night. It's not something a coach can fix, because it's ultimately up to Paul to be self-confident enough to look for his own shot from the beginning. Doc has asked him to be more aggressive, his teammates have asked him to be more aggressive, he's acknowledged he needs to be more aggressive, yet it still isn't happening enough.
Do you really think Blake and the whole coaching staff are all oblivious to his struggles and that no one has shown him that? Even if the coaching staff didn't show him that, which they likely have, and they shouldn't have to for him to be aware, players are quite self aware. If Blake can't figure that out himself, that's a problem, but I don't think Blake is dumb and he certainly is quite aware of his current limitations. You speak of the guy like he's a child or a rookie, he's an 8 year vet in the league, he knows basketball, he can analyze film himself.
Blake does not and has never had great isolation skills. He's a good ball handler, but he doesn't have isolation handles, sometimes people don't understand the difference, but there is a difference. He's also not good at shooting off the dribble, and he doesn't use any consistent pull up game or consistent set up to create good separation. Those skills are what can allow a player to be a consistent threat down the stretch from a face up position or attacking off the dribble.
With his back to the basket, he's unconventional, but I've always argued that he is effective. The problem there is that ideally he needs to get low post position, and he's not huge and can't always get good enough position where he can make quick moves. Mid-post is fine if he has the touch and length of Dirk, but for him it can be problematic when the defense starts clamping down.
If he's further out in a post-up, he has to start backing down, and then he's now turnover prone, he can't see the floor or see help defenders well. In the closer mid-range with his back to the basket, he doesn't have the length or touch to be utilizing turnaround jumpshots or short fade aways. Then you have to account that posting up uses up time.
A lot of the stuff he's been doing all game still works late in games. Pick and pop if you catch and are open, fire, don't hold and start to think too much. I know Blake likes to be a passer and ball mover, and it is not necessarily a bad thing, but you can't neglect scoring angles or space when you are the teams leader in USG and FGA. He gets tentative about shooting the same shots he's been taking all game and his confidence in his jumpshot is not the same. So we have a Blake who at times thinks he must get to the basket, he forces against traffic or at poor angles, and that's why he has more games than you would expect where he's struggling, or he just keeps moving the ball and setting screens / doing dribble handoffs instead or looking at the rim, and people say "where's Blake in the offense".
He has to trust the same shots and opportunities that he's taken advantage of all game.