Everything Round 2 (2016)

[Scraptor]

That Scola quote, like a lot of stuff that comes out of our locker room, has one big problem:

It's telling every other guy in that room that they aren't good enough. That we're better off having DeMar and Kyle take awful shots then letting JV, Powell, Carroll, Joseph and Ross try to run the offense.

I think there's a big difference between a show of support from a teammate and an actual strategy we've seen used by our coach over and over again. I doubt any of the other guys read anything into it.

Besides, we had all year to get other guys involved. The pecking order has clearly been established so this wouldn't be news to them.

That said, the day is coming when JV stands waving under the basket, turns green, hulks out and turns the ACC to rubble.

[Miekenstien]

That Scola quote, like a lot of stuff that comes out of our locker room, has one big problem:

It's telling every other guy in that room that they aren't good enough. That we're better off having DeMar and Kyle take awful shots then letting JV, Powell, Carroll, Joseph and Ross try to run the offense.

but it doesn't. and every other guy in that room would say the same thing. it is called being a teammate. you support your teammate. you don't say "yeah lowry is playing bad. we need him benched because he is hurting the team". you don't say that. reading beyond player a supporting player b publicly and what it does to the rest of the teams mentality is a lesson in futility.

[Miekenstien]

Raps with Lowry on floor in playoffs: 101.5 points/100, 100.5 allowed. With him on bench: 84.8, 109.0. Benching him is not an option.

— Eric Koreen (@ekoreen) May 4, 2016

then you have this where broken beaten lowry is still carrying this team.

[golden]

I think there's a big difference between a show of support from a teammate and an actual strategy we've seen used by our coach over and over again. I doubt any of the other guys read anything into it.

Besides, we had all year to get other guys involved. The pecking order has clearly been established so this wouldn't be news to them.

That said, the day is coming when JV stands waving under the basket, turns green, hulks out and turns the ACC to rubble.

.... as an opposing team's best player.

[Barolt]

Is there any debate though that JV isn't our best player so far in the playoffs?

Not DeMar, not Lowry(although he's been way better than given credit for), it's been JV.

[Miekenstien]

Is there any debate though that JV isn't our best player so far in the playoffs?

Not DeMar, not Lowry(although he's been way better than given credit for), it's been JV.

i think if there was a debate it would be with cojo, but his boneheaded mistakes in a couple games drop him below jv's bad games because jv was taken out through fouling him constantly and played through it like a man.

[slaw]

Is there any debate though that JV isn't our best player so far in the playoffs?

Not DeMar, not Lowry(although he's been way better than given credit for), it's been JV.

JV would be at the top of the list. Joseph also deserves some recognition. Carroll's played about as well as could be expected coming off the injury. Powell has been good.

Overall, everyone else has underperformed, though, almost everyone has had some good moments.

[psrs1]

Is there any debate though that JV isn't our best player so far in the playoffs?

Not DeMar, not Lowry(although he's been way better than given credit for), it's been JV.

I agree. Overall JV is our best player. We need to keep feeding him in low post . That's the key to opening up shooters. If the double comes he passes if not he attacks.

[DanH]

Is there any debate though that JV isn't our best player so far in the playoffs?

Not DeMar, not Lowry(although he's been way better than given credit for), it's been JV.

He's separated himself from CoJo (the early co-leader in many stats). He's now by far the WS/48 leader (.249 - CoJo at .193 is next closest and Biyombo at .157 is the only other above average player), and even being the player with the 4th most minutes, he leads the team by a mile in total WS (1.2 - Joseph is next closest at 0.7).

Only Joseph and Biyombo have higher TS% (BB is basically tied with JV at 57.8 and 57.7%, CoJo at an insane 67%) on usages of 19 and 12%, while JV is putting up a career high 23%.

He's also leading the team in BLK% at 5%, higher than Biyombo's 3.5%. Also barely turning the ball over - only Ross and Powell have turned the ball over less per possession used.

[golden]

but it doesn't. and every other guy in that room would say the same thing. it is called being a teammate. you support your teammate. you don't say "yeah lowry is playing bad. we need him benched because he is hurting the team". you don't say that. reading beyond player a supporting player b publicly and what it does to the rest of the teams mentality is a lesson in futility.

Yeah, but why did Scola have to go THERE? Just say something cliche, like "....Kyle's going through a rough shooting patch right now. He's carried us all season and now it's our job to carry him until he gets back to form. Which I'm 150% sure he will."

That is, in fact, exactly how the Raps got by the Pacers last series who are, IMO a much tougher matchup for the Raps than the Heat. The OTHER guys carried us.

Why did Scola have to draw attention to Lowry being mentally weak and make that the "issue du jour"? This gives the entire team and coach an excuse to lose the series and a convenient scapegoat if that actually happens.

[MixxAOR]

Yeah, but why did Scola have to go THERE? Just say something cliche, like "....Kyle's going through a rough shooting patch right now. He's carried us all season and now it's our job to carry him until he gets back to form. Which I'm 150% sure he will."

That is, in fact, exactly how the Raps got by the Pacers last series who are, IMO a much tougher matchup for the Raps than the Heat. The OTHER guys carried us.

Why did Scola have to draw attention to Lowry being mentally weak and make that the "issue du jour"? This gives the entire team and coach an excuse to lose the series and a convenient scapegoat if that actually happens.

We can't beat Heat without Lowry. He can't pass up shots and if his shot is not falling he can't let it affect everything else in his game.

[slaw]

Yeah, but why did Scola have to go THERE? Just say something cliche, like "....Kyle's going through a rough shooting patch right now. He's carried us all season and now it's our job to carry him until he gets back to form. Which I'm 150% sure he will."

That is, in fact, exactly how the Raps got by the Pacers last series who are, IMO a much tougher matchup for the Raps than the Heat. The OTHER guys carried us.

Why did Scola have to draw attention to Lowry being mentally weak and make that the "issue du jour"? This gives the entire team and coach an excuse to lose the series and a convenient scapegoat if that actually happens.

Scola seems like a pretty savvy guy, so I would assume there's a method here. Then you've got Carroll publicly telling Lowry to man-up. I trust that guys like Scola and Carroll, who have been around for years and played on a lot of different teams, have the pulse of the locker room better than we do and if they are saying this stuff there's some reason for it.

[Miekenstien]

Yeah, but why did Scola have to go THERE? Just say something cliche, like "....Kyle's going through a rough shooting patch right now. He's carried us all season and now it's our job to carry him until he gets back to form. Which I'm 150% sure he will."

That is, in fact, exactly how the Raps got by the Pacers last series who are, IMO a much tougher matchup for the Raps than the Heat. The OTHER guys carried us.

Why did Scola have to draw attention to Lowry being mentally weak and make that the "issue du jour"? This gives the entire team and coach an excuse to lose the series and a convenient scapegoat if that actually happens.

if it's an injury it's a target. it also means the shot doesn't need to be respected. if it's mental he could "break out" of it and then the heat have to respect it.

[DanH]

Yeah, but why did Scola have to go THERE? Just say something cliche, like "....Kyle's going through a rough shooting patch right now. He's carried us all season and now it's our job to carry him until he gets back to form. Which I'm 150% sure he will."

That is, in fact, exactly how the Raps got by the Pacers last series who are, IMO a much tougher matchup for the Raps than the Heat. The OTHER guys carried us.

Why did Scola have to draw attention to Lowry being mentally weak and make that the "issue du jour"? This gives the entire team and coach an excuse to lose the series and a convenient scapegoat if that actually happens.

To be fair I think Scola also basically guaranteed that they would win the series. I got a lot more confidence out of him than doubt in that interview.

[007]

Just waiting for that Lowry three that gets him rolling again...