How will this team function offensively???

it's gonna be tough initially b/c all 3 guys are primarily half-court players

(tmac loves the pick and roll, going off screens, and post ups; yao loves post ups, artest loves post ups).

but adelman is so bright that he'll create something. remember, our offense got better as the season went along. i'm sure we'll struggle initially to find that balance of incorporating all 3 guys (and we're forgetting another great offensive option in scola).

i think tracy has got to stay healthy next yr and hopefully he'll run more. i think yao will def. has a lesser role (less minutes so less load for him so he can stay healthy and have more impact in the playoffs) b/c adelman will play more smaller lineups.

 

One thing I expect to see with Artest's addition is him being given opportunities to drive to the basket and draw fouls/draw interior help, thereby allowing easy layup opportunities. Basically, a bit more of what we've been wanting to see T-Mac do lately.

By the same token, this may also open up some drive opportunities for Tracy as well.

I also expect Rafer to be a lot more comfortable running the offense and Scola being a lot more consistent with his midrange jumper.

 

Ball movement and high % shots. Artest is going to be a beast taking the ball to the cup, and we will continue to be a great offensive rebounding team.

Yao will be a dominate presence in the paint, and Mac will be the electrifying perimeter playmaker that he can be due to the acquisition of more relevant scoring threats.

Scola, and (Landry) will get open layups and jumpshots because of Yao, Mac, and Artest's presence. And I our defense will force long contested jumpshots and turnovers leading to transition buckets.

Theoretically of course...

 

Just thought I would quote myself from another thread instead of restating everything in a different way.

 

No no, Battier's game is not suitable to be a sixth man. We need Ron to fill in scoring in the second unit, AKA Manu Ginobili. Battier's our version (cleaner) of Bruce Bowen.

 

I see Tmac still being the main guy. He will still create offense for others and get his own. With the addition of Artest I see TMac maybe doing more without the ball like running off more backcuts and screens and going to the rack more, because he doesn't have to save energy for the 4th quarter because he has Ron Ron who can take over for him.

Yao will have his same role, but will benefit from Artest also. He will get his touches in the post, but will probably get alot more mid range jumpers with Artest in the post, which will keep Yao from getting beat on and he will be fresh for the end of games.

Artest will play the role of Yao and Tmac at times. He will be the guy that sets up the offense and also get post plays called for him. When Yao or TMac has an off game Artest will be able to step in.

Everyone else role wil be the same from last year. Basically to play hard, hustle, get def/off reb. and hit open 3's, which they will get alot of.

 

That's not Yao benefiting from Artest. That's Artest forcing Yao to play a way that is ineffective for Yao. Yao shot ~35% from midrange last year, check NBA Hot Spots, and we want him to shoot more from there, where he can't draw fouls and dominate the paint? We know he can do that, and we don't like it when he plays soft, so why do we want him to play a style that is way softer than the way he plays now?

 

A random thought, but how about McGrady coming off the bench as he did for the first few games back from the injury last season? Running with Brooks and Landry really seemed to energize him.

The starting lineup:
Alston
Battier
Artest
Scola
Yao

The second unit core players would be:
Brooks
Barry
McGrady
Landry

McGrady would, of course, get starter's minutes and finish up games with either Battier or Artest sitting.

Not so sure about that starting backcourt, though.

 

These are the places I want to see these players:

Yao--in the post 75% of the time, rest of the time at the high post or opposite block when scola/tmac/artest are in the post

Tmac--he looked awesome at the elbow all year. Adelman needs to play Tmac at the elbow 60% of the time (he's great at the triple threat from the elbow) or running pick n'rolls with Landry or iso on the wing

Artest--post ups preferably when Yao is not in the game but playing the weakside when Yao is in the post, lots of cutting to the basket away from the ball and some iso's on the wing/elbow to let him do his thing

Scola--pick n rolls with Tmac, playing the high post area when Yao is in the post (scola can knock down that 15 footer and make defense play Yao 1on1) also cutting to the basket and running the baseline

Alston--control the tempo, strech the D, pick n roll every once in a while but limit his offense to finding the open man and setting the table. If he is taking 14-16 shots a game, we're in trouble.

Battier--chill in the corner, chill at the top of the key, chill on the wings, cut to the basket every now and again

Brooks--push the ball, pick n rolls with Landry/artest/scola, pick n pops

Barry--see Battier

Landry--pick n rolls, hit the 10-15 footer, crash the boards

Deke-waive the finger from the bench

Head--fill in spot minutes, basket cuts, strech the D, please don't handle the rock

I like the way this team is constructed. I think Artest is better suited for the 6th man type roll but I would rather have him as the third option on offense than Rafer. Like I said, I just want to see Tmac at the elbow, Yao in the post, and Artest getting the occasional iso/postup but more or less being the active body on offense. I think this team can really be something special if everybody plays to their strengths. I'm talking to you tmac, no pull up 3's!

 

Oh yeah, I really like Tmac coming off screens and popping. He looked great in game one against LA specifically doing that. We can't have him/artest being ball stoppers.

 

This is the worst group of players put together that i have read on this site.
No hard feelings but what are you thinking?

 

LOL at deke and head's

 

No worries. I was getting tired of the "Battier or Artest as starting SF" debate so I thought I'd try out something different.

McGrady did look great in the "Manu" role for those few games last year, coming in with Brooks and Scola off the bench IIRC.

But you're right, I doubt we'd ever see that starting lineup I put up. Even if McGrady did go out with an injury, it's more likely that Barry or Head would be starting SG.

 

i don't think tmac will trigger the offense from the top of the floor anymore b/c we have so many playmakers now. i think you'll either see him mostly at the elbow/triple threat or going off screens without the ball. he did that A LOT in the utah series with rafer playing point.

artest hopefully will provide that post presence on the other perimeter defender when the best perimeter defender sticks tmac. i mean, imagine artest punishing ginobili or lamar odom. it's gonna be ridiculous.

i don't think they can front yao anymore if we put our best offensive lineup out there.

 

I believe with luther Head as our floor general, we don't need to worry about anything











except scoring, rebounds, and winning

 

If Tmac and Yao each average 35 min/game next season, then Artest can come off the bench and get 26 minutes with only one of them on the floor at the same time. We could then also have all three on the floor for the last eight minutes or so. So we can always have at least two stars playing at all times.

It's quite possible for Artest to fit next to either or both of our stars because he's versatile. He can spot up, or he can play in the high post, or he can drive and put the opposition in foul trouble (something that will really help Yao). If he can move well off the ball (I'm confident he will), then he can really fit perfectly in the offense, but in any event he can get most of his minutes with just one or the other of Yao and Tmac.

 

player always follow the ball running.
PLST makes the ball running fast ,not the athlete

 

not trying to be offensive, but i nominate this as post of the year!

 

I think offensively, they'll be like the 00-02 lakers and modern day spurs. Both teams were half court teams with set offenses that could get in transition. This will never be a high scoring team, but they could score 100 and give up 93. The scoring droughts will be fewer and shorter. The team will be efficient, I expect more low/mid post from tracy and artest to give yao a break down low. Rafer and scola will be what they are, 4th and 5th options.