Post by joshrblabber on Dec 15, 2016 18:57:18 GMT -5
I hate to write this but I can't put it off any longer. Those of us (me) that expected Stevens to seamlessly transition the team from "rebuilding" to "contender" status have been disappointed. I see distressing signs that Stevens is becoming another Pitino. He seems incapable of dealing with many key issues:
- Too many 3's. 40-50% of our shots are 3's, it's rediculous. That number has to come down to maybe 25%.
- Too much IT. 25ppg on 20+ shots may help IT get a good contract but it does not help us win games. We have to spread those shots across 7 or 8 players.
- Mis-use of Al Horford and Amir Johnson. Al is a wonderful player but he is not, and has never been, a volume scorer. His skill, and it is a rare one, is that he makes his teammates better. Amir is also a player that doesn't score much but makes his teammates better. Both players are being asked to do things that are out of their comfort zones.
- Rebounding woes. Our schemes at both ends are leaving our bigs out of position. I am awed by AB, but the fact that he is our best rebounder is an indication of a deeply flawed system.
- Rookie confusion. Read&react is not working for this team, or maybe I should say that it only works in spurts. Players like Brown and Rozier (and KO) are being asked to find their own way, just figure it out. Young players need direction to bring out the best aspects of their game. Left to their own devices it will take 3 or 4 years for them to figure it out.
- Superstar pampering. The league pampers superstars, top to bottom, but the C's have always had a culture that treats all players equally. IT is being pampered despite the fact that his defense is atrocious and his passing is barely adequate. Look at Pops - if a Spur makes 2 sloppy passes or misses 2 defensive assignments he sits. Period, no exceptions. That's called coaching.
I think the next couple of months will tell the story. Can Stevens break through the wall?
- Too many 3's. 40-50% of our shots are 3's, it's rediculous. That number has to come down to maybe 25%.
- Too much IT. 25ppg on 20+ shots may help IT get a good contract but it does not help us win games. We have to spread those shots across 7 or 8 players.
- Mis-use of Al Horford and Amir Johnson. Al is a wonderful player but he is not, and has never been, a volume scorer. His skill, and it is a rare one, is that he makes his teammates better. Amir is also a player that doesn't score much but makes his teammates better. Both players are being asked to do things that are out of their comfort zones.
- Rebounding woes. Our schemes at both ends are leaving our bigs out of position. I am awed by AB, but the fact that he is our best rebounder is an indication of a deeply flawed system.
- Rookie confusion. Read&react is not working for this team, or maybe I should say that it only works in spurts. Players like Brown and Rozier (and KO) are being asked to find their own way, just figure it out. Young players need direction to bring out the best aspects of their game. Left to their own devices it will take 3 or 4 years for them to figure it out.
- Superstar pampering. The league pampers superstars, top to bottom, but the C's have always had a culture that treats all players equally. IT is being pampered despite the fact that his defense is atrocious and his passing is barely adequate. Look at Pops - if a Spur makes 2 sloppy passes or misses 2 defensive assignments he sits. Period, no exceptions. That's called coaching.
I think the next couple of months will tell the story. Can Stevens break through the wall?
