The 2012-2013 NBA Random Thoughts Thread
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triplehate
Superstar
Time to get the Grizzlies' offense moving - TrueHoop Blog - ESPN
@holidayinn21
Trading Rudy Gay freed Memphis from one of the NBAs largest contracts. It could also free them from an underperforming offensive style that includes way too much standing around.
The Grizzlies do a lot of things right. Lionel Hollins has a reputation for being a players coach, and the tenacity of his teams defense and rebounding speaks to his ability to keep players hungry and motivated. But the Xs and Os of his offense, which is overseen by Henry Bibby, seems stuck in an NBA past that is not coming back. Walking the ball up and banging it into the post is just not a viable way to consistently generate great offense.
The Grizzlies generate a ton of turnovers, which for most teams would lead to a ton of easy buckets and offensive efficiency. But not on this team, which struggles to score both on the break and from the 3-point line.
The problem is stagnation.
The Grizzlies attempt fewer 3s than every team but one -- and also make them at the seventh-worst percentage in the league. Some of that has been about personnel -- there's a reason the newcomers are shooters like Tayshaun Prince (43 percent), Austin Daye (53 percent) and Jon Leuer (47 percent in the D-League). More quality long-range shooting helps. But good offense doesn't require it. Just ask the Utah Jazz, who have long achieved good offensive efficiency through player movement.
Utahs flex-driven motion offense generates spacing and opportunities through a system of movement and screening. Thats how the Jazz far outpace the Grizzlies in free throw rate and transition scoring -- two areas where Memphis lags badly.
Memphis shows all kind of grit on defense, but the offense is all grind -- to a halt.
The problems start at the beginning of most possessions, when the Grizzlies choose to walk the ball up court. Very few of the NBA's best offenses regularly do this, and it's not just about shooting early in the clock. Here's Kevin Arnovitz describing the Spurs:
And even when Memphis does get into a set, the team struggles to generate snappy ball movement. The departed Gay and the remaining Zach Randolph, in particular, both have sticky hands and tendencies to seek one-on-one scoring opportunities.
This was particularly ineffective for Gay, a slasher who'd like to find his way to the rim. He was fed the ball often enough to lead the team in shot attempts, but so often his drives ended in a less efficient midrange jumper because Marc Gasol, Randolph and their defenders were hogging the paint. Like all slashers, Gay would come off a screen looking for daylight, and instead he'd see a clogged lane with muddled driving angles.
Randolph is fairly productive as a post-up or isolation threat, as are the Grizzlies as a team. They rank above average in both categories according to Synergy. But heres the thing: Those two ways of scoring make up the least efficient ways to get buckets in the NBA. Having a great isolation player is most useful when he can distract multiple defenders and create open looks for teammates. In Memphis, that just has not been the case.
The lack of movement also contributes to a lack of free throws because while the Grizzlies have a number of players who can get decent shots, they dont really have a lights-out go-to scorer who can consistently create from nothing. Conversely, a motion-heavy offense like the modified flex sets that Utah runs rely on off-ball movement to generate advantages for players before they even catch the ball.
Most people consider Gay to be a superior player and athlete to Gordon Hayward, but Ill take Hayward catching the ball with a step on a recovering defender over Gay or Prince on the wing in isolation against a set defense. And indeed, Hayward draws 5.7 fouls per 36 minutes to Gays 3.6.
There are moments of genuine fluidity and grace in Memphis offense, particularly when Mike Conley and Gasol work together on pick-and-rolls or Gasol, a genius passer, operates from the high post as his teammates cut around him. But too often, the offense seems dedicated to seeking advantages in one-on-one matchups, rather than a group effort to find one-on-none.
The Grizzlies start four good offensive players and Tony Allen, which ought to be enough to carve up most NBA defenses. An offense like the flex, in particular, with all its screening and cutting and passing from the high post would also perfectly suit Gasols gift for finding the open man, while keeping guys like Randolph in position to attack the offensive glass.
With Gay gone, Memphis has a chance to infuse more motion, ball movement and life into its offense. If the Grizzlies can, this deal might pay off on the court as much as on their cap sheet.
The Grizzlies do a lot of things right. Lionel Hollins has a reputation for being a players coach, and the tenacity of his teams defense and rebounding speaks to his ability to keep players hungry and motivated. But the Xs and Os of his offense, which is overseen by Henry Bibby, seems stuck in an NBA past that is not coming back. Walking the ball up and banging it into the post is just not a viable way to consistently generate great offense.
The Grizzlies generate a ton of turnovers, which for most teams would lead to a ton of easy buckets and offensive efficiency. But not on this team, which struggles to score both on the break and from the 3-point line.
The problem is stagnation.
The Grizzlies attempt fewer 3s than every team but one -- and also make them at the seventh-worst percentage in the league. Some of that has been about personnel -- there's a reason the newcomers are shooters like Tayshaun Prince (43 percent), Austin Daye (53 percent) and Jon Leuer (47 percent in the D-League). More quality long-range shooting helps. But good offense doesn't require it. Just ask the Utah Jazz, who have long achieved good offensive efficiency through player movement.
Utahs flex-driven motion offense generates spacing and opportunities through a system of movement and screening. Thats how the Jazz far outpace the Grizzlies in free throw rate and transition scoring -- two areas where Memphis lags badly.
Memphis shows all kind of grit on defense, but the offense is all grind -- to a halt.
The problems start at the beginning of most possessions, when the Grizzlies choose to walk the ball up court. Very few of the NBA's best offenses regularly do this, and it's not just about shooting early in the clock. Here's Kevin Arnovitz describing the Spurs:
The Spurs force their opponents to defend for a good 18 seconds. Theyre all discipline and patience and slow-playing their hand in a half-court possession. They know that, more times than not, even a capable NBA defense will make a bad decision at some point, especially if the Spurs keep moving, picking and cutting.
Many Memphis possessions dont really start until the shot clock is close to single digits. The defense has less work to do and less time to make mistakes before a shot goes up. And even when Memphis does get into a set, the team struggles to generate snappy ball movement. The departed Gay and the remaining Zach Randolph, in particular, both have sticky hands and tendencies to seek one-on-one scoring opportunities.
This was particularly ineffective for Gay, a slasher who'd like to find his way to the rim. He was fed the ball often enough to lead the team in shot attempts, but so often his drives ended in a less efficient midrange jumper because Marc Gasol, Randolph and their defenders were hogging the paint. Like all slashers, Gay would come off a screen looking for daylight, and instead he'd see a clogged lane with muddled driving angles.
Randolph is fairly productive as a post-up or isolation threat, as are the Grizzlies as a team. They rank above average in both categories according to Synergy. But heres the thing: Those two ways of scoring make up the least efficient ways to get buckets in the NBA. Having a great isolation player is most useful when he can distract multiple defenders and create open looks for teammates. In Memphis, that just has not been the case.
The lack of movement also contributes to a lack of free throws because while the Grizzlies have a number of players who can get decent shots, they dont really have a lights-out go-to scorer who can consistently create from nothing. Conversely, a motion-heavy offense like the modified flex sets that Utah runs rely on off-ball movement to generate advantages for players before they even catch the ball.
Most people consider Gay to be a superior player and athlete to Gordon Hayward, but Ill take Hayward catching the ball with a step on a recovering defender over Gay or Prince on the wing in isolation against a set defense. And indeed, Hayward draws 5.7 fouls per 36 minutes to Gays 3.6.
There are moments of genuine fluidity and grace in Memphis offense, particularly when Mike Conley and Gasol work together on pick-and-rolls or Gasol, a genius passer, operates from the high post as his teammates cut around him. But too often, the offense seems dedicated to seeking advantages in one-on-one matchups, rather than a group effort to find one-on-none.
The Grizzlies start four good offensive players and Tony Allen, which ought to be enough to carve up most NBA defenses. An offense like the flex, in particular, with all its screening and cutting and passing from the high post would also perfectly suit Gasols gift for finding the open man, while keeping guys like Randolph in position to attack the offensive glass.
With Gay gone, Memphis has a chance to infuse more motion, ball movement and life into its offense. If the Grizzlies can, this deal might pay off on the court as much as on their cap sheet.
Last edited by a moderator:
muzikfrk75
#4080
poor lil chap
Dillah810
Flat Girther
Never seen Ernie got so mad.
Recalling some of the NBA's most memorable players and franchises, adidas is brining back seven bold and unique NBA uniforms from the 90s. The uniforms capture a distinct era in basketball history and will be worn during NBA Hardwood Classics Nights — 10 nationally televised games played through March.
Jerseys have been updated with revolutionary performance technology for today's game. Fans can grab their own Hardwood Classic Retro jerseys at NBAStore.com and team shops for $100. Uniforms include Atlanta Hawks “Spreadwings,” Chicago Bulls "Pinstripe," Indiana Pacers “Classic Pinstripe,” Miami Heat “Deep Red,” Milwaukee Bucks "Full Buck," Phoenix Suns “Steaming Sun” and Sacramento Kings “Checkerboard.”
Hardwood Classics Game Schedule:
Wednesday, Jan. 30: Los Angeles Lakers at Phoenix Suns (ESPN)
Friday, Feb. 1: Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers (ESPN)
Friday, Feb. 8: Los Angeles Clippers at Miami Heat (ESPN)
Saturday, Feb. 9: Utah Jazz at Sacramento Kings (NBA TV)
Thursday, Feb. 14: Miami Heat at Oklahoma City Thunder (TNT)
Wednesday, Feb. 20: Atlanta Hawks at Miami Heat (ESPN)
Thursday, Feb. 21: Miami Heat at Chicago Bulls (TNT)
Saturday, March 3: Chicago Bulls at Indiana Pacers (ESPN)
Sunday, March 10: Chicago Bulls at LA Lakers (ABC)
Saturday, March 30: Indiana Pacers at Phoenix Suns (NBA TV)
Read more: adidas Rolls Out '12-'13 Hardwood Classics NBA Uniforms | Sole Collector
holidayinn21
:SmugMoneyMike:
Time to get the Grizzlies' offense moving - TrueHoop Blog - ESPN
@holidayinn21Trading Rudy Gay freed Memphis from one of the NBAs largest contracts. It could also free them from an underperforming offensive style that includes way too much standing around.
The Grizzlies do a lot of things right. Lionel Hollins has a reputation for being a players coach, and the tenacity of his teams defense and rebounding speaks to his ability to keep players hungry and motivated. But the Xs and Os of his offense, which is overseen by Henry Bibby, seems stuck in an NBA past that is not coming back. Walking the ball up and banging it into the post is just not a viable way to consistently generate great offense.
The Grizzlies generate a ton of turnovers, which for most teams would lead to a ton of easy buckets and offensive efficiency. But not on this team, which struggles to score both on the break and from the 3-point line.
The problem is stagnation.
The Grizzlies attempt fewer 3s than every team but one -- and also make them at the seventh-worst percentage in the league. Some of that has been about personnel -- there's a reason the newcomers are shooters like Tayshaun Prince (43 percent), Austin Daye (53 percent) and Jon Leuer (47 percent in the D-League). More quality long-range shooting helps. But good offense doesn't require it. Just ask the Utah Jazz, who have long achieved good offensive efficiency through player movement.
Utahs flex-driven motion offense generates spacing and opportunities through a system of movement and screening. Thats how the Jazz far outpace the Grizzlies in free throw rate and transition scoring -- two areas where Memphis lags badly.
Memphis shows all kind of grit on defense, but the offense is all grind -- to a halt.
The problems start at the beginning of most possessions, when the Grizzlies choose to walk the ball up court. Very few of the NBA's best offenses regularly do this, and it's not just about shooting early in the clock. Here's Kevin Arnovitz describing the Spurs:
The Spurs force their opponents to defend for a good 18 seconds. Theyre all discipline and patience and slow-playing their hand in a half-court possession. They know that, more times than not, even a capable NBA defense will make a bad decision at some point, especially if the Spurs keep moving, picking and cutting.Many Memphis possessions dont really start until the shot clock is close to single digits. The defense has less work to do and less time to make mistakes before a shot goes up.
And even when Memphis does get into a set, the team struggles to generate snappy ball movement. The departed Gay and the remaining Zach Randolph, in particular, both have sticky hands and tendencies to seek one-on-one scoring opportunities.
This was particularly ineffective for Gay, a slasher who'd like to find his way to the rim. He was fed the ball often enough to lead the team in shot attempts, but so often his drives ended in a less efficient midrange jumper because Marc Gasol, Randolph and their defenders were hogging the paint. Like all slashers, Gay would come off a screen looking for daylight, and instead he'd see a clogged lane with muddled driving angles.
Randolph is fairly productive as a post-up or isolation threat, as are the Grizzlies as a team. They rank above average in both categories according to Synergy. But heres the thing: Those two ways of scoring make up the least efficient ways to get buckets in the NBA. Having a great isolation player is most useful when he can distract multiple defenders and create open looks for teammates. In Memphis, that just has not been the case.
The lack of movement also contributes to a lack of free throws because while the Grizzlies have a number of players who can get decent shots, they dont really have a lights-out go-to scorer who can consistently create from nothing. Conversely, a motion-heavy offense like the modified flex sets that Utah runs rely on off-ball movement to generate advantages for players before they even catch the ball.
Most people consider Gay to be a superior player and athlete to Gordon Hayward, but Ill take Hayward catching the ball with a step on a recovering defender over Gay or Prince on the wing in isolation against a set defense. And indeed, Hayward draws 5.7 fouls per 36 minutes to Gays 3.6.
There are moments of genuine fluidity and grace in Memphis offense, particularly when Mike Conley and Gasol work together on pick-and-rolls or Gasol, a genius passer, operates from the high post as his teammates cut around him. But too often, the offense seems dedicated to seeking advantages in one-on-one matchups, rather than a group effort to find one-on-none.
The Grizzlies start four good offensive players and Tony Allen, which ought to be enough to carve up most NBA defenses. An offense like the flex, in particular, with all its screening and cutting and passing from the high post would also perfectly suit Gasols gift for finding the open man, while keeping guys like Randolph in position to attack the offensive glass.
With Gay gone, Memphis has a chance to infuse more motion, ball movement and life into its offense. If the Grizzlies can, this deal might pay off on the court as much as on their cap sheet.
there are 2 guarantees in this offense:conley dribbles has the ball for 18 seconds. z-bo and marc have about 5 seconds to make something happen.
in november we had a top-5 offense.
hollins for reasons unknown changes the philosophy, and we're back to forcing the ball in the post. anemic offense.
Last edited by a moderator:
Mic-Nificent
I didn't eat nobody
So basically Ernie is a sensitive dumb ass white liberal who thinks the rest of America is just like the tiny ass bubble he lives in?
America IS still largely segregated (especially our school systems). It's just not legally mandated now and most racism isn't as blatant as it was back then.
Chuck was actually right on that one.
Th3G3ntleman
Superstar
The fukk kind of bubble is he living under? Your disagreeing with his premise that back in the day was much more segregated than it is now? Wtf did he say that was so wrong? There is obviously still some racial undertones left in America but to compare it to shyt back than is stupid as fukk and is just a way for false militant brothers to conjure up some bum ass struggle that they can claim to fight against.
Sonny Corinthos
Superstar
Recalling some of the NBA's most memorable players and franchises, adidas is brining back seven bold and unique NBA uniforms from the 90s. The uniforms capture a distinct era in basketball history and will be worn during NBA Hardwood Classics Nights 10 nationally televised games played through March.
Jerseys have been updated with revolutionary performance technology for today's game. Fans can grab their own Hardwood Classic Retro jerseys at NBAStore.com and team shops for $100. Uniforms include Atlanta Hawks Spreadwings, Chicago Bulls "Pinstripe," Indiana Pacers Classic Pinstripe, Miami Heat Deep Red, Milwaukee Bucks "Full Buck," Phoenix Suns Steaming Sun and Sacramento Kings Checkerboard.
Hardwood Classics Game Schedule:
Wednesday, Jan. 30: Los Angeles Lakers at Phoenix Suns (ESPN)
Friday, Feb. 1: Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers (ESPN)
Friday, Feb. 8: Los Angeles Clippers at Miami Heat (ESPN)
Saturday, Feb. 9: Utah Jazz at Sacramento Kings (NBA TV)
Thursday, Feb. 14: Miami Heat at Oklahoma City Thunder (TNT)
Wednesday, Feb. 20: Atlanta Hawks at Miami Heat (ESPN)
Thursday, Feb. 21: Miami Heat at Chicago Bulls (TNT)
Saturday, March 3: Chicago Bulls at Indiana Pacers (ESPN)
Sunday, March 10: Chicago Bulls at LA Lakers (ABC)
Saturday, March 30: Indiana Pacers at Phoenix Suns (NBA TV)
Read more: adidas Rolls Out '12-'13 Hardwood Classics NBA Uniforms | Sole Collector
Bucks, Kings and Suns got some ill 90s jerseys
