Our offense is what it is and unless the shooting fairy visits a few of our guys in the middle of the night I don't see any reason it's going to just magically get better. So let's talk defense.
A lot of focus on the result: we're giving up way too high a percentage on three pointers, but the result isn't the cause. Some folks act like our defense just stands there with their hands in their pockets hoping the opponent misses. But for most of the year we have been VERY good defensively, and good at holding our opponents to a decent percentage from outside. The magic number for us seems to be about 33-35%.
But lately that's fallen apart. So what's the problem?
The result might be too many open threes, but the core problem is we can't stop dribble penetration with one defender. We have to help on the ball, that pulls someone out of rotation, and then we give up the open three. It wouldn't matter if we were running a man, a zone, a hybrid defense or some kind of new defense as yet undiscovered. If you have to help on penetration, you're going to give up open looks from places you don't want to give them up from.
So how do we think we adjust? I think we go one of a few ways:
A) Press higher. This is what we did toward the end of last year. Cause more chaos. Put Solo, Manny or Phelps out front. Yes that's going to lead to more breakdowns and open shots, but should also lead to more turnovers which could help our absolutely terrible offense.
B) Don't help on the penetration. Just live with the opponent getting to the rim sometimes. I think this would be my preferred option to start with. Another compounding problem a lot of the time this year is we foul too much and a lot of the time it's our helping guards fouling by reaching. This is going to give up some open layups, but should cut down on fouling and open perimeter looks.
Any other theories on what we will/should try?
A lot of focus on the result: we're giving up way too high a percentage on three pointers, but the result isn't the cause. Some folks act like our defense just stands there with their hands in their pockets hoping the opponent misses. But for most of the year we have been VERY good defensively, and good at holding our opponents to a decent percentage from outside. The magic number for us seems to be about 33-35%.
But lately that's fallen apart. So what's the problem?
The result might be too many open threes, but the core problem is we can't stop dribble penetration with one defender. We have to help on the ball, that pulls someone out of rotation, and then we give up the open three. It wouldn't matter if we were running a man, a zone, a hybrid defense or some kind of new defense as yet undiscovered. If you have to help on penetration, you're going to give up open looks from places you don't want to give them up from.
So how do we think we adjust? I think we go one of a few ways:
A) Press higher. This is what we did toward the end of last year. Cause more chaos. Put Solo, Manny or Phelps out front. Yes that's going to lead to more breakdowns and open shots, but should also lead to more turnovers which could help our absolutely terrible offense.
B) Don't help on the penetration. Just live with the opponent getting to the rim sometimes. I think this would be my preferred option to start with. Another compounding problem a lot of the time this year is we foul too much and a lot of the time it's our helping guards fouling by reaching. This is going to give up some open layups, but should cut down on fouling and open perimeter looks.
Any other theories on what we will/should try?
