fwiw: Bledsoe did the same thing in our first match-up, and Harden scored 42 points. We wrote off that loss, because Paul and Gordon were out. As I recall, some other teams tried the heavy shade immediately after, too...and then teams stopped doing it. I think this is only a Bucks strategy, as it's kinda gimmicky to just let Harden have the lane and floater, and open up that many wide open threes. It's a good strategy to limit his FTs and 3FA, but you need length like Lopez fronting Capela and Giannis dropping in to help for it to have a chance. I wouldn't worry about other teams doing this. Bucks won't make it to the Finals.
1.MORE PACE/FASTER TEMPO to hit them before their defense is set. Can’t have that big of disparity in fast break points. 2. Shoot the floater until it’s not effective. I don’t care if you don’t shoot one three pointer as long as that’s falling. When they counter drive and kick and hope we shoot better. 3. Harden doesn’t bring the ball up court. Start him in the paint run back screen actions to get him catch and shoot looks like the Warriors do with Steph and Klay. 4. Harden needs to make quick decisive decisions to either get that step back or drive to the hoop off those screen actions. 5. Run the double screen action at the free throw line. Capela roles to the rim for the basket/offensive rebound. Second screener steps out to the three. Should open up a easy floater or 8-10 ft jumpshot.
I think attacking them in transition would really help get them off balance defensively. Although they are real good at transition D. Still it forces the mismatch and doesnt allow them to set up under the rim. I like it. Yeah I feel like while harden used the floater a LOT it was still plenty more available. Yeah, preserving him from taking it up court could help if they are gonna full court the entire game. I agree on the double screens as well, even if he doesnt shoot but attacks the rotation defender. Great points. Thanks for the input.
Make shots...They cooled off. Think the Bucks unearthed something other teams will exploits in the playoffs. They keep their hands back but will keep their body close to his left side until Harden starts his step back. They immediately closed hard to the shooting hand. Smart move to counter Harden's side step shot. The way Harden can combat this is the hard shot fake..We shall see.
Harden should have just kept putting the floater on them. I know he was trying to get his teammates involved but he has got to keep the pressure up on a team trying to take things away until they make an adjustment. When he forces the adjustment then it will be time to get the teammates involved
MDA has a series called Thru. We see that a lot with Capela out front, and Harden goes "Thru" the lane and curls around a Gordon pick to come out front again to get a hand-off pick from Capela, and he loses Bledsoe. The Thru Series is available, and we ran it. Plus, just letting Paul run the offense in a 4 on 4 game, as Bledsoe sticks to Harden 35' out. I just think MDA said, fckk it, if they are going to heavy-shade Harden and give him the lane with no resistance, let's run the floater and oop...with scores of open three point shooters, including Paul. we have counters...that's why no other team has tried it since a few did after our last meeting with Bledsoe/Bud revealed it first.
All 30+ year olds, Gordon is younger but sometimes he plays like this. As long as this team is not rejuvenated and the philosophy is a one trick pony, other than making shots is the only method. Or pray Harden, CP3, House and Green go off. And Gordon has tons of fun. Man, I wish we could play All team ball movement. I am not sure as Quitten said it is the right way but it is helluva good way.
I would have liked to see what a big lineup would do. Capela and Faried in together. Tucker on the bench where he belonged this game. Let your guys shoot bricks but have size under the basket to grab boards. Get physical. Push and shove and make Yanny and Lopez muscle around in the paint. Make it an ugly ass 90's game for a few minutes. Harden, House, Clark, Faried, and Capela. Just for a little while to see if you can change up the flow of the game. Do something different. Don't just keep dishing to wide open brick layers. Don't stay small. Mix things up a bit.
Some midrange shots by harden as they forced him right would've helped. Also when he is going to the rim and Bledsoe right behind him, I felt James could've stopped a few times and Bledsoe would've ran into him and thus some fouls generated.
Tonight our shot was not falling. I expect our shooting to return to norm. They were only better because we didn't shoot like we usually do.
I think we took too long to attack off those actions though. A quick decisive decision to either take the shot or drive to the paint was needed. We would get the handoff then stop and survey the court negating the momentum of the play allowing them to get back into our passing lanes. My suggestion with Harden not bringing the ball up the court doesn’t cut him from the offense. It would just allow for a different look he may be able to get off one of those screen actions opposed to taking away his left the whole time. CP is more then capable of orchestrating the offense, and Harden is more then capable of catching and shooting. The offense was just too repetitive tonight, and on a normal night when we are making shots that’s not a problem. I just feel we needed a little more variation tonight with us having a bad shooting night. Either way I don’t blame coaching for the L, Dantoni was just taking what the defense gave him.
Find ways to create / protect Harden's left. Perhaps through multiple screenings? [Head scratching] Open threes have to be falling. [Random event] Maniac perimeter defense. [Low faith] I do think the Bucks are harder to beat than the Fubs....
We're so doomed in the Finals against this defense it's going to be like that last Harry Potter universe movie that was so bad it actually erased the goodwill of the previous movies. Patrick Ewing will get his ring. Thanks for nothing DARYL
We've seen the hard shade to the left all season. We've seen Harden score mammoth numbers against it - he was just having a bad night tonight. His floater didn't fall in the first Q and he forced a couple of threes, but his 3 shot was off a bit as well. If he's off, someone needs to be on. If PJ and EGo combine for 1-13 from 3 point land, to go with Harden's off night, then we'll fail to score big. If just one of the three of them made some shots, hellishly close game. If all of them are 'on', we win. Hopefully we play the Bucks again and get the chance to fix the result!!!!
Didn't see it once this game but Harden in the post would have gotten the defender behind him and off his left side. Arty that point he can create back to basket lord face up and attack. Not once tonight. Other options, back picks on Harden's defender with Harden reverse pivoting around the pick. Pick with a shooter and you can play a nice two man game. Also, give and slip since his defender is way out of position. Help comes, pass to the corner. Tons of options none of which include iso.
few things are more frustrating that playing good d - and still giving up the bucket... conversely, rewarding defensive hustle with steals and easy buckets just increases a teams desire to play tenacious d... so dont be so careless and lazy when passing... Bucks just seemed to get more and more pumped with every steal and that energy carried into their overall defense... we've been guilty of trying stupid lazy passes all year... whether its hail marys from the opposite end of the court to CC... or bouncing it between 2 defenders.... too many high risk passes that look great when they work... but energize the other teams defensive efforts when they're able to pick them off... oh... and make open shots...
Yeah I think Harden initiating the offense from the post could have opened a lot of things. I think for one it would force the defender into a normal defensive stance rather than the hard shade. But also it makes it harder to camp the big in the restricted area since there's more refs eyes on the interior.
