Energy and Physicality?

[DocWilkins]

You can certainly see the frustration in Larry's drew face at the most recent press conference and I can't blame him.

I am sick of hearing him lament about energy, focus and our lack of physicaility. I never thought I would say this but I think he has done a fabulous job in trying to motivate our players to take it to the next level. There is no doubt that we are offensively gifted but we certainly lack the team cohesion needed to be a Champion. There is just way too much isolation and poorly executed offense down the stretch. I am not sure what happens, but I do not believe it has anything to do with our energy level.

I am somewhat disappointed in Al's play on the boards. He is giving up way too many offensive rebounds and I don't believe he has really administered a "hard foul" this whole series. Al is playing softer than my 10 year old in his driveway pick up games. This has to change. My point is that the level of coaching is there and these players have to play at a higher level while sharing the ball. It is the only way we can possibly advance. I am still holding out hope but last night was a major blow.

As Dennis Green would say "We had 'em...but we left them off the hook"

GO Hawks....

[Diesel]

Edited May 11, 2011 by Diesel

[TRUEINTELLECTPLAYA]

Well, I disagree that the level of coaching is there. I think he sounds like a broken record, at some point you have to come up with better strategies. Maybe, you start the game with a trapping or pressing defense to get energy. Maybe you script your first 5 plays on offense and if they mess it up you call timeout right then and let them know the focus is not there. Maybe you tell guys that it does not matter who makes the rotation but the first time Rose gets to the rim he either hits the floor or everyone comes out. My personal opinion is that Drew is just reacting and

:beathorse:

[DocWilkins]

Well, I disagree that the level of coaching is there. I think he sounds like a broken record, at some point you have to come up with better strategies. Maybe, you start the game with a trapping or pressing defense to get energy. Maybe you script your first 5 plays on offense and if they mess it up you call timeout right then and let them know the focus is not there. Maybe you tell guys that it does not matter who makes the rotation but the first time Rose gets to the rim he either hits the floor or everyone comes out. My personal opinion is that Drew is just reacting and

:beathorse:

I agree with you to some extent but I feel his efforts to "motivate" have been there. I think he has done a pretty good job with in game coaching. At some point it is on the players. The deadhorse is definitely being ripped to shreads at this point. I am hopeful the players are willing to listen but i do feel LD has done the best he can...(Whether that is good enough is still yet to be seen)...

[Diesel]

Well, I disagree that the level of coaching is there. I think he sounds like a broken record, at some point you have to come up with better strategies. Maybe, you start the game with a trapping or pressing defense to get energy. Maybe you script your first 5 plays on offense and if they mess it up you call timeout right then and let them know the focus is not there. Maybe you tell guys that it does not matter who makes the rotation but the first time Rose gets to the rim he either hits the floor or everyone comes out. My personal opinion is that Drew is just reacting and

:beathorse:

I disagree.

Drew has done a very good job of coaching thus far. You claim that he is reacting... That's what all coaches do. In fact, your suggestions of what he should do are nothing but mere reactions. I mean, didn't he switch from playing the normal lineup to playing the big lineup (with success). Didn't he change the way we approached the pick and roll and Derrick Rose ... with success?

Had LD not reacted to what was going on that caused us to lose games and instead just tried to come up with new stuff to do... we would call him an idiot.

Coaching is about reacting, adjusting, and predicting. That s*** you're talking about is BS for a messageboard.

This is not Bill Walsh and the 49ers where you have enough possessions to script what works on your offense without losing much ground. This is basketball where 1 bad possession is the same as a turnover. Where leads can be built in a few possessions and not be overcome.

You need to take those ideas to a football messageboard.

[TRUEINTELLECTPLAYA]

When did running a press become something for a football game or message board. When did committing a hard foul become something for a football game or message board. Sounds like somebody took one thought of many and tried to make a crusade out of it.

:sarcastichand:

[lethalweapon3]

I'd just start spiking the Gatorade with 5-Hour Energy, if that's really all it is.

LD I believe has retained his job for now. The assistants and staffers responsible for conditioning, player development, and helping LD with strategy? No way should they be off the hook.

~lw3

[Diesel]

When did running a press become something for a football game or message board. When did committing a hard foul become something for a football game or message board. Sounds like somebody took one thought of many and tried to make a crusade out of it.

:sarcastichand:

My friend, running a press is simply a reaction to what they are doing. Committing a hard foul is simply a reaction to them driving.

When I talked about the football message board, I was responding to your Bill Walshlike idea of " Maybe you script your first 5 plays on offense and if they mess it up you call timeout right then and let them know the focus is not there." That's something tha works in football, not basketball. Basketball has the ability to score on every ball handling incident. Whereas in football, you have up to 20 ball handling incidents on 1 drive. That gives you time to run a script. Basketball, you have 5 offensive plays and they all fail, you could be down 12 before you have time to react. That's not how you coach offense in basketball. Basketball is about doing stuff that works until it doesn't work any more. Go talk to Jerry Sloan about the success of the pick and roll. Do you think he or Popp ever came out with 5 different plays to try?? No.. They would come out with their main play and they would run it and if it didn't work, they would make adjustments... Because that's what Basketball is. Making adjustments. Not making random moves to see if you can catch somebody off guard... Because you probably won't and when they adjust, you will probably get killed. So like I said, that belongs on the football messageboard with the 2nd half onside Kickoff and the statue of Liberty play.