The single #1 way the refs are influencing this game. Nate has to take a fine.

[thecampster]

I tried to not watch the game last night, but instead, watch Embiid and Howard on defense. Its hard, really hard but I did it for about 60% of the game.

I counted at least 10 different times a defensive 3 second call was warranted. The officials are really stretching the definition of guarding someone.  See the below video which I'll point out a few. Unfortunately they are highlights, the Hawks scored so you won't see nearly as egregious of violations. This video break down is to show you the defensive scheme and not the violations (working with what I have).

 

38 second mark.  OO is 4 feet from the lane. Howard stays in the lane the whole time through the 44 second mark.

1:30 mark. This one isn't bad but its similar to what I saw them doing for much longer periods of time. They would track the ball handler, completely unaware their man left the lane. This one the ball handler just drove too fast. Ends 1:34. Again, we make a shot which usually means the violation wasn't occurring.

1:43 mark. No violation here but it does expose Philly's defensive scheme. They are using lane traffic to disrupt the Hawks. On this play, Milton completely leaves Bogie to traverse the lane to stop the drive. Its as though he knows Williams will not pass to the corner. His move the middle, he recognizes Dwight has vacated the middle, he is quick to react....obviously not something he is use to seeing.

2:10 mark. Easy see they don't care about the 3 second call. Howard backs into the lane, guarding nobody. He is tracking the ball handler at the 3 point line and back peddling to set up in the lane. At 2:14 he is still not guarding anyone, just meandering around back peddling watching the ball carrier. 2:15 he steps out of the lane in the direction of Collins. He doesn't see him but assumes he's there.

2:58 mark. Philly has blown this illegal coverage with nobody dropping in the middle. Its an easy drive to the basket for Trae. Its the illegal setup in the lane that's killing the Hawks, not the 76ers players. With no center clogging the lane, its an easy score.

3:08 mark. Really easy to see what Philly is doing but Collins just beats it down the floor. Howard is so not guarding his man (Collins) that he's completely surprised the log comes in behind him. He has moved to the lane to set up shop but Collins was running the floor and beat him down. Howard isn't guarding anyone, he's setting up an illegal zone.

3:25 mark. Embiid is in the lane already but leaves Capela, he is tracking the ball again from inside the lane. On this play, his momentum tracking the ball carries one foot right outside the lane at 3:28. Only the pass direction helped him avoid the 3 seconds. If Trae just dribbles up top, Embiid never would have left the lane.

3:45 mark. This play its Harris. Harris enters the lane at 3:45 guarding no one. 3:50 Collins drives, enters the lane and Capela comes from behind. Harris is not guarding Capela, isn't even sure he's there, he's tracking John. Its a clear 5 seconds not guarding anyone, standing in the lane.

4.36 mark. Embiid beat everyone down the floor and set up shop in the lane. He steps out to greet the ball handler. Nothing illegal here, its just showing the tendency. Because Embiid comes all the way out, Collins is able to beat it from the backside for a lob. On both of the Embiid broken up lobs last night, he'd been camping the lane the whole time, not following his man out.

5:22 mark. It seems Capela got wise to this. He sees Embiid is staying in the lane. So he steps a bit farther out seeing if he can draw the defensive 3. The second Embiid steps out, Collins drives.

8:14 mark. This one is interesting because it shows Philly blowing this coverage. Howard has not dropped into the lane and is actively guarding Collins at the perimeter. He is expecting Harris to be sagged off into the lane. Its a misread because Harris has to stay close to Gallo on the perimeter, he is spotting up for 3. Neither sags to the middle per the scheme and its an easy pick n roll dunk for Collins. Williams in the game confused Philly. He doesn't run the high pick n roll like Trae but did he to perfection. It shows the stark contrast when they don't run the middle defender, sag the safety scheme.

 

Again, sorry I don't have my own video to show the violations but highlight videos show makes, not misses. If you recorded the game, go back an watch the Hawks offensive sets. You'll see at least 10 easy 3 second calls that could have been made. Nate needs to say something, someone needs to say something. Capela needs to drag Embiid out and they need to start pointing it out or this series is over.

 

 

 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

This is great analysis.

Maybe talk to some of the guys on Twitter like Bob Rathburn and Steve Holman, and see if they can drop a bug in some of the assistant coaches ears about this point.

This also leads me to believe that playing small vs the Philly starters might be their kryptonite.

I need to make my own thread about this, because I have extensive thoughts on this subject.

[JayBirdHawk]

33 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

 

I need to make my own thread about this,

Get on it, we've got a lot of time to kill until the next game.

[hawkman]

That may explain why Capela always seems to be out of position for offensive rebounds. I was upset that he was always out of position and was attempting to tip the ball in the rim. But that makes sense if Philly's bigs never really leave the paint. The coach as well as the players on the court need to be calling this out as it happens. I've also noticed a few momentum killing foul calls whenever the Hawks cut into a lead. Of course, plenty of the Hawks' issues the past 2 games are self inflicted but that's something else to make note of.

[Diesel]

Yeah, the evidence is there.   It's easy to get rebounds if you camp in the lane and nobody calls it. 

 

[Spud2nique]

4 hours ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

This also leads me to believe that playing small vs the Philly starters might be their kryptonite.

Which lineup should we run out there to go small.

Trae

Huerter

Bogi

Collins

Capela

?

[hawkzlova123]

I'm borEd

[thecampster]

I have some thought to how I'd beat the illegal D situation and I'm thinking with an old college 3, 1 and 1 ISO offense. How this offense works? There are 3 zones all around the 3 point area. left, top, right.  You stack one of the 3 zones with 3 players (regardless of whether or not they can shoot). The ball handler gets another zone and a spot up gets the 3rd zone.  In my example we'll stack 3 players on the left zone at the 3 point line along the line. Trae at the top in ISO and Bogie in the right corner.  Starting with the left corner, we have John/Capela/Solo. Capela floats to John's man and sets an off ball screen, forcing defensive player movement to stop the off ball. After the screen, Capela rolls, John comes toward Trae. If free he spots up, if not he continues to Trae and sets the pick. Trae chooses whether to pass to John, take his man off of iso or move toward John's screen. This sets a double roll to the basket pulling the possible double defenders back to the basket. This will either free up Trae to pull up off the dribble or push to Solo in the corner.  Alternatively, if Trae is at the top and no double comes, he is free to ISO score. If he drives right and Bogie's man comes to double, Trae kicks to the corner to Bogie.

 

The idea of this setup (not setting a post player) is to make Philly pay for doubling. If the double comes from the left as the center leaves his man, it opens a cutter or an off ball screen to a cutter, spot up. By pulling a screener up to Trae, we are allowing the Philly defensive bigs to sag into the lane. The fix for this is to bring our big out to the 3 point line and force their big to make a choice of coming to double or following his man out of the lane. This is Michigan State early 90's basketball.