The Toronto Raptors have started the season off 3-13, alienating many fans. Compared to last year, offense is a little better and defense is a few points worse but the record is a disappointment. The difference comes down to a few minor points: conceding open baskets, allowing a little more penetration and needing too much help while rotating too slowly.
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As usual, the Air Canada Centre became a scene of disappointment as the Raptors wasted a double-digit fourth quarter lead and lost to the Jazz in triple overtime. Concerns remained the same: allowing an offensive rebound at a critical time (Utah’s game-tying possession in regulation), post-timeout execution (several times late in the game) and allowing dribble penetration too easily (forcing an unnecessary rotation and providing Paul Millsap with open looks • Millsap doesn’t always shoot corner threes, but when he does, he makes over half of them). At the end of the fourth quarter, Toronto appeared disorganized after Utah missed …
In the N.B.A., the small details make a difference in whether a play is successful or not. Offensive Rebounding Amar’e Stoudamire gets to the weak-side of the rim and grabs the offensive rebound in traffic. He chins the ball, takes a front pivot and goes up for the putback. Post Defense Tyson Chandler uses his size to move the offensive player away from the hoop and towards the hash mark on the baseline. He remains balanced and uses his hands on contest the shot. Pick & Roll Defense Kevin Garnett hedges the screen and roll and recovers to his man. …
Don’t give a great shooter time and space to get a good shot off and don’t help off a great shooter and let them take an open shot. It seems as if the Lakers had not read the scouting report – as not only did Metta World Peace give Kevin Durant enough room to do whatever he wanted but left other viable options like James Harden and Russell Westbrook open – but were unaware of the time and the score. World Peace could have lowered Durant’s shooting percentage by making him dribble and rush a shot, or, even better, made …
Playoff reality is fleeting: one moment a team is poised for Linsane success defined by fluid ball movement and excitement, before they have realized what has happened, a broken fire extinguisher case symbolizes the lost promise of another failure defined by selfish play and ball-stopping. One moment a team is first overall, the next last season’s Most Valuable Player is felled by another step in a series of unfortunate injuries. Teams which win – especially those who win consistently over the long-term – are those who remain true to their philosophies and rise above the fray. Acting without Thinking: Some …
Despite the trouble that the Grizzlies had with this play, it is not that difficult to defend. The Spurs gave up 47% in the paint and 44% mid-range to the Clippers during the year.
Miami is a top ten team in fast break scoring and Toronto is in the top ten of fast break scoring defense. However, during their game on March 30th 2012, the Raptors had trouble coping with the Heat’s speed and aggression, in addition to their good habits while pushing the ball.
What is Syracuse missing without Fab Melo? It may be time to re-do the East Regional part of your bracket given Melo’s ineligibility.
In contrast to how Toronto defended a Jeremy Lin on February 14th, Miami caused significant problems for the Knicks point guard by blitzing New York’s ballscreens. The Knicks are running “Short” (Steve Novak is coming up behind the screen but since Lin is off-balance and unable to see the entire court, he cannot make a good pass and turns the ball over.
Toronto was entirely unprepared for Jeremy Lin’s first visit to the Air Canada Centre. On the final play of the game, with the score tied and the clock winding down, Jose Calderon backs off in case Lin drives but he should note how little time is remaining. It is unlikely the Lin will make it to the rim so Calderon should play the shot. Furthermore, Toronto did not demonstrate good team defense. What was the plan? They would have been better to help more aggressively and force Lin to pass to a weaker shooter, such as Landry Fields or Iman …
With an N.B.A. lockout underway until further notice, hockey and football must substitute as excitement for basketball fans these days. Also, Canada is a hockey country and the sport is destined to get all the love on television.
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Competition matches up teams against players who may be very skilled and those who need to work on their game. Every game is unique: a team which has a clear physical advantage in the first game of a tournament might only be evenly matched with their second round opponent. Certainly, practice and training can improve physical performance factors. Another way to generate an advantage on the court is to establish a mental edge. Teams that get into the heads of opposing players benefit from errors due to frustration, aggressiveness and resignation. Move Constantly: Fitness is a physical performance factor but …
When the criteria of what makes a great defender is discussed, statistics like blocks, steals and charges taken are usually considered. Bill Russell focused on changing the opponent’s shot. Some coaches grade the quality of shot taken. Even against excellent defense, if the ballhandler gets a slight advantage, help is needed or the shot taken, the ball can still get inside. When the player never gets the ball, they can’t score. Steals that result in lay-ups and dunks at the other end of the court result from stolen passes. Picking someone’s pocket is as likely to result in a foul …
Defense is possessions. Every possession is a battle and good defenders win every possible battle. Contesting a shot, tipping a pass, stripping a ballhandler, bumping a cutter, hitting the floor, and boxing out comprise the countless battles which occur during a game in order to secure possession of the ball. Good defense equates to fewer possessions for the opponents and less points on the scoreboard. If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew to fight for the ball every play like it’s the last one of the game, you can become a good defender. Defense is pressure. Great …
The Lakers may have played a poor game, Kobe Bryant may have forced too many bad shots, and Pau Gasol taken too many fadeaways. For forty minutes, Ron Artest may have kept Los Angeles in the game with key plays (despite how unlikely that may have seemed based on his play throughout the season). But when it counted, the Lakers got to the line, found the open shooter, and made clutch baskets. Whatever happened earlier in the game – and it was terribly ugly – is irrelevant now. Like the Portland Trail Blazers in 2000, the Boston Celtics blew a …
Association Finals have proved anticlimactic in recent memory; even the Spurs-Pistons and Rockets-Knicks series that went the distance were tedious and tiresome. Yet I have higher hopes for tonight’s game between the Lakers and Celtics. None of the games in the series so far have been truly exciting. There have been excellent individual performances but no true back-and-forth battles between equal squads, like the 1984 or 1969 Finals. The series has been a disappointment but the increase in intensity shown in Game 6 offers a chance for redemption tonight. Both teams are banged up but others stepped forward, especially the …