Keys to Winning the Series

Some observations after three games:

DEFENSE:

  1. Pierce is their top scorer and threat, but we’ve made it very easy on him by defending him with quite possibly the worst defender in the NBA. Take Radmanovic out and Pierce will have to earn his points.
  2. Single coverage KG unless he gets the ball deep in the post. Let him shoot jumpers, and don’t get discouraged if he makes a couple. Percentage-wise, he’ll miss more than he makes. It also puts pressure on him to make shots and we know how he handles pressure, and it limits offensive boards by keeping him on the perimeter.
  3. Put Kobe on Rondo or House and let him roam. This was pure genius by Phil Jackson. While we did get burned a couple times, like Mark Jackson said, stick to the game plan. Make Rondo a shooter, and that disrupts Boston’s offense. Kobe’s double-teams on KG were very effective. Kobe as a rover gives KG and the Celtics a bit of their own medicine.
  4. Defend Allen properly. On screens, please go over. On rotations, close out on him and contest his threes without fouling. If he hits them, tip your hat. The player who should guard him primarily is Vujacic, since he does a very good job staying close to Allen. In fact, having Vujacic and Kobe at the same time allows switching on defense instead of trying to fight through Boston’s illegal screens. But trying to make Allen a high-volume scorer helps our team, because Boston has had most success with the low post game of KG and Perkins, and Paul Pierce. Ray Allen taking a lot of perimeter shots takes away from both.

OFFENSE:

  1. Substitute Vujacic for Radmanovic. He’s more consistent, and he stretches defenses or makes them pay. He’s not just an afterthought like Radmanovic, Boston must pay attention to him now. He’ll open up lanes for Kobe and Odom.
  2. Play Farmar more. Fish has had his troubles offensively. Farmar has a much more dynamic offensive game, with his drives, movement off the ball, and he’s shooting more consistently. Farmar could be a major factor when the team is searching for offense outside of Kobe.
  3. Get the ball in Kobe’s hands. This is a very high priority. Triangle execution is a moot point when Boston is taking away Gasol’s post game and completely taking Odom out of the game. Put the ball in Kobe’s hands, run the high screen and roll with Gasol, let him create, penetrate. Shooters spot up for the kick out after double-teams. I’m not sure how many possessions we waste when the ball does not go through Kobe’s hands. Especially late in games. I’ll accept a few tough shots from Kobe or missed kick out shots by spot-up shooters, rather than watching Walton or Odom do something very awkward.
  4. Gasol and Odom just need to contribute more offensively. There’s no excuse. Whether it’s attacking the basket or shooting, they need to find ways to help our team. Gasol actually found better success when guarded by KG than by Perkins. Perkins completely shut him down. I’m surprised Gasol didn’t step back and go to his face-up game. That doesn’t necessarily mean play soft. The problem with Gasol is he’s trying to play a power game all the time and failing. He needs to mix it up. Kill them from the outside. Bring them out. Then go back in hard. He needs to be a more dynamic offensive player than just trying to back down KG or Perkins.
  5. Odom needs to change directions to avoid foul charges. This is a problem throughout his career. Change directions away from the defender. Related to Pau, if Pau can get that high post game going, defenses will have to pull away from the basket, and that may allow some more cuts down the pipe for Odom. But most of all, Odom can’t force. He needs to play within himself. Boston has great help defenders, plus they get calls around the basket. Odom can’t expect to get bailed out.
  6. Fish is a great hustler, but he needs to stop taking pull up perimeter shots in transition and forcing his way to the basket. He’s not making the former, and he’s not getting calls for the latter. Just be patient, move the ball, and be a spot-up shooter. He needs to play a disciplined, smart offensive game.