Will TRoss go M.I.A. in playoffs yet again? And is DC smart enough to react in time if he does?

[distorsun]

tross is our floor spacer according to raptors staff but can we really expect to win if he fails to contribute yet again?

i'd say it's 50/50

[distorsun]

I think Ross and OR Pat was supposed to be in the Corner if I remember right.

Something I never noticed:

Vasquez was completely open for 3 and Lowry should have passed with 2.5-2.2 left on the clock (not sure if this was a failsafe on the play if it was, Lowry missed it.

[Nilanka]

WALL IS EVERYTHING.
Unlike the raps, if Kyle sits (lou GV and DD can keep the O humming)
A smart coach WOULD FORCE THE BALL OUT OF WALL'S HAND. That would cripple their offense.
Watch how Harden will be guarded in the Poffs.

Shot selection and playing inside would be key (THINGS THAT CASEY HATES) to slowing down Wall, cause if we miss those long 2s, HE'S OFF TO THE RACES AND NO ONE IS GONNA CATCH HIM.

I don't know if we need to go that far defending Wall. Just back off him and turn him into a jump shooter. Give him a 3 foot cushion and dare him to shoot.

He's shooting 0.620 at the rim, and a combined 0.375 everywhere else on the court.

Make. Wall. Shoot.

[Jrice9]

Four different players all comfortably challenged the ball handler because they knew Lowry wasn't gonna pass it. Only Anderson was concerned about staying home on Ross, and he still managed to take a swipe at the ball.

That's the concern with the ISO offense in the playoffs. The defense (and Washington has a pretty good one) can zero in on the ball.

Ironically with Ross being covered and PP rolling into the paint, the two best outside shooters on the floor weren't available for an outside shot. (Theoretically speaking - enter Ross' shitty series disclaimer here.)

Well Iso ball or not the play always allow the extra pass. Its on Lowry for not making that pass (look he almost made it and he was our heart and soul that series I'm not blaming him for taking it ), Vasquez was ready to shoot it.

[Jrice9]

I think Ross and OR Pat was supposed to be in the Corner if I remember right.

Ross' positioning is really bad, he's too far behind the 3 point line and thus does not draw a defender and lets Anderson kinda help. DeMar spacing is fine and largely makes Joe Johnson irrelvant.

Patterson weirdly after the screen dives to the post rather than for a pick and pop and thus sort of crams the floor with Pierce guarding him eventually allowing for Pierce's help block. Lowry could have passed to him for 1 v 1 in the post with 2.5 seconds rather than trying to split the defense (which he did sucessfully).

To be honest it isnt a terrible play and could have led to a better shot than it did.

Obviously, its probleamtic that they lined it up backwards initially but I don't totally blame Casey for that. Thats a mistake that happens in the heat of the moment.

Ultimately when your season comes down to 1 play, bad things can happen

[yertu damkule]

probably.

probably not.

/fin

[yertu damkule]

I don't know if we need to go that far defending Wall. Just back off him and turn him into a jump shooter. Give him a 3 foot cushion and dare him to shoot.

He's shooting 0.620 at the rim, and a combined 0.375 everywhere else on the court.

Make. Wall. Shoot.

as much as that sounds good, you can't give guys as quick/fast as wall that much space to get moving. you give him three feet of space, and it invites a drive without necessitating a pick. i think you need to pressure him up high, make it hard to get their offense set up & challenging for him to get into the lane. if you slough off him, by the time he's made his move, he's already into an area of the floor where if the help comes, it creates a rotation issue. if he's pressured up high & gets around his man, there's still time for the defense to react & rotate without (necessarily) getting out of position down low. also forces the pick (if it comes) to take place outside of the area where the screener would be comfortable popping, so the pick defender can either back off to prevent a wall drive, or hedge hard for a trap 25+feet from the hoop.

biggest challenge will be if either DD or ross can contain beal, or if casey will need to go to JJ for that...and if neither ross or DD are able to, that DC actually makes that move. doesn't leave a great option for defending pierce, but at this point in his career, if paul fucking pierce is beating you, then you've got bigger problems anyway.

[Superjudge]

I don't know if we need to go that far defending Wall. Just back off him and turn him into a jump shooter. Give him a 3 foot cushion and dare him to shoot.

He's shooting 0.620 at the rim, and a combined 0.375 everywhere else on the court.

Make. Wall. Shoot.

Yup. this is what I'm saying. You suffocate a team that has only one true superstar when you take away every other option away. Let Wall jack it up all night, let him drop 60 if he needs to. Dont let him drive and dish and get his mates going. Don't let PP get ANY shots off, keep him cold. Don't let Beal get going. don't give Gortat and Nene easy dunks off penetration, and don't let the scrubs like porter and butler get going with easy corner three's.

You let Wall be a star.
You choke his options to allow the rest of his team to be a factor.

[Superjudge]

This entire board is giving Paul Pierce WAY TO LITTLE respect.
Simple.

[Nilanka]

This entire board is giving Paul Pierce WAY TO LITTLE respect.
Simple.

I read this with a Rodney Dangerfield voice.

[octothorp]

Fuck Paul Pierce.

[Superjudge]

You can fuck um, just don't forget him on the floor.

[yabadabayolo]

Man if ross begins to go over screen on wall, this series will be done realy quick.

If goes under screens like he has been doing when he shouldn't be doing it. This series is a lock. It all depends on ross IMO.

[MACK11]

Man if ross begins to go over screen on wall, this series will be done realy quick.

If goes under screens like he has been doing when he shouldn't be doing it. This series is a lock. It all depends on ross IMO.

Putting your hopes on someone like Tross is almost suicide

[GLF]

This entire board is giving Paul Pierce WAY TO LITTLE respect.
Simple.

I agree. It's the same thing they did with Brooklyn last season. Hall of Fame players know what time it is. Trust me the Paul Pierce you say in the regular season will not be the Paul Pierce we see in the playoffs. He has been backing up his words all his career. He will be ready, believe that.