Rockets - 1-on-1 play; Kings - Flawless running/passing offense

what? even if he's capable of doing that, you need guys that can execute. what's so special about the kings is that everyone in their rotation, besides peeler (former Mizzou player) is good at passing. So they can keep doing that motion stuff all the time.

For that to happen with us, we'd need to get rid of half our roster!

 

Why did they play like that? Don't be selfish, pass and run, as Bill Walton would say...."That's the worst offense in 100 years".

 

I don't mind the ISO if everyone else is moving around, trying to get open when Steve or Cat drives. What I don't like is that Steve and Cat only pass Yao the ball when they are on the wing. Usually Yao is just behind the freethrow line waiting for a pass, but he has to move around to either wing before anyone will pass it to him.

If they just throw it up high enough (Najara was able to get so many steals because of bad low passes) it shouldn't matter where Yao is on the floor. Divac gets the ball at the top of the key while the rest of the team moves without the ball. Yao is an underrated passer, and he would do great running the offense while Steve, Mo, and Cat slash to the basket.

 

We didn't lose because of our offense.

While we may have gone a little bit too much one-on-one, we scored 95 points... which should be good enough for this "defensive" team to win with.

We're not gonna outscore anybody in the playoffs... we're only going to win when our defense shuts them down.

That didn't happen yesterday.

 

The one on one is killing us at the end of games. Good examples in the NCAA. North Carolina dribbled for their last shot in NCAA. Just like we do. So when he faked, he had to shoot an up an under three to get under the defender. However had they they passed the ball into that situation like UAB did, you pump fake, step to side, and bang down an open shot. So much easier out of passing offense to get a good look down the stretch. The Vanderbilt game was another classic example. And many more this year. All the teams that dribble for that lost shot seem to fail. Van gundy seems to pick and roll when it would be better to dump down or pass for a three. That way we still have a dribble bail out.

 

Nothing personal...just a wild guess but I've come to the conclusion that you have no idea how the Kings got to be the Kings so here is a little clue...

The Kansas City Kings moved to Sacramento for the start of the 1985-86 season. They never got above .500 from 1985-86 until Rick Adelman took over for the 1998-99 season. But the real architect of the Kings offense is the former 30 year NCAA coach Pete Carril. Carril (who coached SAC President of Basketball Operations GM Geoff Petrie at Princeton from 68-70) joined the Kings two seasons before Adelman arrived.

The half-court offense run by the Kings (still the same basic one run by Princeton and the Air Force Academy) requires a bit of learning and a specific set of player skills. There are numerous reads and cuts within the multiple sets which are designed to get a player open (usually on a back door cut).

The Kings started to "populate" Carril's offense with the drafting of Peja (who was drafted in 96 but spent 2 years in Greece), then adding the much maligned Webber in a traded with WAS for Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe prior to the strike shortened 98-99 season when they also signed Vlade Divas as a FA.

IOW, the Kings had the system in place and then found players whom they felt could learn it (shooters who could move without the ball and who can pass).

IMHO even if we could kidnap Carril...Yao, Jim Jackson and maybe Mark Jackson are the only Rockets who could probably learn and run it well in less than a season.

 

GATER you beat me to it (the Kings are the Kings because of Pete Carril. End of story).

On the same vein...

I've heard from some posters that they can't stand JVG offense. They say it's boring. But an offense can go only as far as the players you have. Sure, the coaches philosophy lays the ground work. And it's also true that a coach can implement a "simple" offense thus pigeonholing a team into predictability. But I don't see that with JVG's system. I see a balanced offense and defense. It's just that the players we have don't know how to run it that well. Especially Francis. Mobley has picked up a lot of nuances and made the most improvement as far as Rox vets are concerned. MoT and Francis are pretty much playing the same style that they've always played: ISO. Although, JVG doesn't allow "clear-outs" anymore like Rudy did. But thoes two still use ISOs as their signature moves. As far as Yao. He needs players that can get him the ball in the right position (he's not a guard). So, that's why he seems to struggle at times in JVG offense.

I'd be very interesting to see JVG's offense in action after augmenting this team with some shooters. Players that can actually learn how to move without the ball (Redd, Barry, Allen).

I really believe that, with the right offensive players meshed with the "east coast bruisers" -- that JVG seems to like so much -- that the Rox could be a much better offensive team than even the 1999 Knicks were (Which were NOT very good offensively, IMO).

I never thought that the JVG lead Knicks (1999) had *enough* outside shooters. They had Allen Houston(48%FG/42%3PT). That was it. All the rest were slasher/athletic types: Camby, Ward, Spreewell, Johnson, Childs...plus they were in transition from a old Ewing team. That's why I think having the right mix of shooters (Allen, Barry, Yao) with strong defensive bruisers (Oakley, Weatherspoon, Cato, JJ) will bring a new type of JVG-ball that we've never seen before.

I mean, JVG teacher was Pat Riley. And Pat used an up-tempo offensive style with the Lakers. But when he went to the Knicks, he had to do the best with what he had: Ewing, Oakley, Harper, Mason, Starks... So, the team leaned toward that "post/defense" style. With the Lakers, he had Worthy, Magic and Kareem mixed with Scott, Cooper, and Green (offensive players mixed with defense players).

JVG needs to follow that recipe. But we need the offensive players that have range, pass and can move without the ball!

 

Hmmm... Let's get Riley to coach us ehhh? lol just kidding... I honestly thought the Kings were just too good. They are the best team right now in the West and the fact we kept that close to them I am honestly really proud of the rox. I think in a couple years our offense will improve by adding and subtracting a few players. I believe alot of the old veterans we have aren't going to be with us for longer than this season and possibly next. We just need their experience to train these young rocks and pups. Next year by adding a stronger bench than the one we have, we'll have a team that'll eat up just about anyone in this league. Our main offensive option is just a year old and is just hitting up his second year. Francis and mobley are learning a new offence with Van Gundy who is also adding defence into their routine. Add some height with youth and playing skills on our bench we'll make the kings cry next year. I love M.Jackson and what his ability to teach Francis and Mobes the art of teamwork but as WE all know his age is just eating him up. Hopefully next year Francis will have improved a great deal on this offence and passing ability and we'll be looking for a back up pointguard that'll be just perfect for backing up steve and won't have weary legs and abilities due to age. Once Cato, Yao and Mo Tay get enough info out of Oakley on how to protect the paint and stay tough, we'll have a great set of front court players that'll be almost impossible to penetrate. I really like how this team is improving and the only problems I see right now is a little more experience with the new offence and maybe a stronger bench.