Let them think what they want to think. The truth is, this offense has so many more dimensions to it, now that the players have confidence in one another.... if the Pacers spend all their time game-planning for Yao, Wesley, Barry, Sura, and McGrady will get their share of wide-open shots (and they've been hitting those lately)
You are totally correct. JVG has basically discovered the best way for Yao to beat the fronting D. Pick'n'Roll is gold in this case. So, if you don't front him, Yao will eat you up inside. If you do front, Yao'll do the Pick'n'Roll can unleash his outside shot and destroy you from there. The key for the success of Pick'n'Roll, however, is T-Mac. He makes excellent passing/driving/shooting dicisions within a short amount of time, and the defense simply has no answer for that. The dicision making of T-mac and the addition of good outside shooters is the main difference between this year's team and last year's.
Yeah its a waste of time for him to battle the fronting defense, he never gets the ball in that situation anyway. Better to just roll off a PnR or something.
This is where I love JVG. Expect to see a change in game plan. He is one of the best in the league in changing game plans especially after playing and losing to a team. The Pacers did a lot of things to frustrate us in the first battle but I expect to see us ready for those kinks and disguised defenses they will throw at us. Carlisle is a great coach as well in his own right - a great Xs and Os mind. It will be interesting to see the coaching sub plot and how each team adjusts and readjusts to what the other is doing. In the end we will win handily. Sorry Reggie..
It is interesting you mention Mac's decision making late because in the last 5 games he is averaging 6.6 assist per game, 1.8 turnovers per game and 1.8 steals per game. His assist to turnover ration in the last 5 games is a healthy 3.67/1. All of that while averaging 41.6 points per game and handling the ball over 55% of the time.
Damn I don't think I've heard of someone having a 1 to 1 steals to assist ratio. It's only over 5 games but still, that's pretty impressive.
