Nobody’s cracked the code. The only code is when they realize they can muscle us and we’ll fold. But this is more that we’re beating ourselves and not having a killer instinct. This has been a problem for a couple years. It’s not unknown. It’s always been there. We felt this way to start the season. We were able to overshadow it (but not overcome it) with great okay.It is fools gold. Teams have cracked the code and the team has crumbled.
It's depressing.Nobody’s cracked the code. The only code is when they realize they can muscle us and we’ll fold. But this is more that we’re beating ourselves and not having a killer instinct. This has been a problem for a couple years. It’s not unknown. It’s always been there. We felt this way to start the season. We were able to overshadow it (but not overcome it) with great okay.
The team and coaching staff need to ensure that we put forth at least the modicum of effort to allow us to continue to overshadow it, since I do not believe we can overcome it.
The defense has been the big issue... Locke outlined it. The defense has been below average for a month or so.Nobody’s cracked the code. The only code is when they realize they can muscle us and we’ll fold. But this is more that we’re beating ourselves and not having a killer instinct. This has been a problem for a couple years. It’s not unknown. It’s always been there. We felt this way to start the season. We were able to overshadow it (but not overcome it) with great okay.
The team and coaching staff need to ensure that we put forth at least the modicum of effort to allow us to continue to overshadow it, since I do not believe we can overcome it.
While one issue is personnel, I think rigidity of rotation is going to be the next barrier. Unless it's an obvious guy that can come in and play like an OPJ, in the same way that Quin immediately put Jae in (though Jae definitely had less people in front of him), I just have a really hard time thinking the kind of guy we can pick up would allow Quin to feel comfortable either moving Niang out of the rotation or cutting anyone else's minutes. This is why OPJ really is our only hope, otherwise all these other guys will be the same desert mirage that Shaq was.The overall softness really only has two rotation spots that we can improve on imo... either Bojan or Niang. As others have mentioned... I am not sure how much bang for your buck you get replacing Niang spot with some toughness.
We need the defensive version of JC... a defender that can make some energy plays to get us going.
Scheme and rotation rigidity is an issue imo... I don't think it helps when we suck in the 1st quarter because Quin will not have the cushion to get wild.While one issue is personnel, I think rigidity of rotation is going to be the next barrier. Unless it's an obvious guy that can come in and play like an OPJ, in the same way that Quin immediately put Jae in (though Jae definitely had less people in front of him), I just have a really hard time thinking the kind of guy we can pick up would allow Quin to feel comfortable either moving Niang out of the rotation or cutting anyone else's minutes. This is why OPJ really is our only hope, otherwise all these other guys will be the same desert mirage that Shaq was.
This.The defense has been the big issue... Locke outlined it. The defense has been below average for a month or so.
IDK what the solution is, but as a contender we are semi fraudulent.
We've lacked a physical defensive disruptor on the perimeter. Royce is solid positionally but we don't have a disruptive energy guy anywhere in the rotation. I had hoped Shaq would be that and would get an opportunity but he apparently wasn't good enough or Niang was so good he can't be replaced.
It just feels like a tough disruptive perimeter guy would do so much for us. Pat Bev, Jevon Carter, Thybulle, Caruso, Bruce Brown... the rockets have 3 guys I'd be curious on Nwaba, Tate, Brown. We just need someone that is going to pressure guys at least a little and get some deflections/steals... or a guy that's gonna start a fight. Even just a disruptive agitator like Campazzo or TJ McConnell would infuse some energy (we have no rotation minutes at guard so I am eyeballing wings).
Do you really think that the raptors roster from last night (that they haven't had all season long) isn't a playoff team?I stand by it. Donovan was awesome.in the last three possessions and Rudy was also equally great defensively. But it was against a non playoff team..and until they can pull this off during the mundane portion of the game then I will think they are easily beatable by all the top tier teams.