Sasha was fantastic last night - we would've been down 15 on that last shot if not for him. He knows the Triangle. Galloway knows it pretty well. But Sasha has played in the Triangle for a winning team and it shows.

Jose shoots well, doesnt turn it over and is in the right places. When the games are this close its hard to put wildcards in like Gallo/Grant when you feel like you can win if your guys just execute.

How many open 3's did we brick last night down the stretch in the 4th? 4? 5?

fishmike wrote:Galloway and Grant's sporadic play put Fisher in that position. He benched Jose in crunch time a few games early on... hell it won us the Houston game but Galloway simply played himself to the bench.

Jose shoots well, doesnt turn it over and is in the right places. When the games are this close its hard to put wildcards in like Gallo/Grant when you feel like you can win if your guys just execute.

How many open 3's did we brick last night down the stretch in the 4th? 4? 5?

Jose shoots the ball well only when he is wide open and uncontested. I would argue that he'd be more effective playing the off guard in this point in his career (not the primary ball handler duties) and play a Steve Kerr like role spotting up as a floor spacer and sharpshooter. He cannot create his own shot or beat anyone off the dribble.

However, the problem is he's not athletic or quick enough to guard young, explosive point guards anymore (heck even in his prime he had trouble with his foot speed) and he is exposed late in games. Also, when he is the ball handler, there is no pace on the team and opposing guards just pressure him late in games because they don't fear he can get around them.

Gallo is more of a combo guard but he can push the ball up the court and Grant can blaze down the court. They can also defend young, athletic players. The more they play, the more comfortable they will feel and better they will play. They are young. Let them make mistakes and learn. We will struggle closing out games as long as Jose is the point guard down the stretch.

In the off season, the biggest hole on the team was PG. I can't believe Calderon has actually played this much because I figured you couldn't count on him for anything at this point of his career, given the injury plagued season last year.

Heck, Jeremy Lin would have looked awesome on this squad - and if Melo had a problem with him before, would have been a nice way for the FO to send a message that this is a team, and not a personal marketing vehicle for the Brand of Carmelo Anthony.

The more I think of it, I'm willing to lay a bunch of the blame (and credit for what he did get right) on Phil's desk. There were plenty of available, cheap upgrades at PG and we waived them off as though our back court was a strength.

in other words, we need to continue to upgrade our roster
I was never a big fan of the signing of Lopez or Affalo, while I like Derrick Williams, I wasn't a big fan of the player option and price tag of him and Affalo
But looking at how the new contracts work, it is hard to understand what is the market for players and what is the actual value with the upcoming cap exploding
Anthony Davis and Lillard are 2 players that are going to be making an average of over 30m per year for their 1st contracts, along with many other likely talents like Andre Drummond

Lopez is simply dead weight on Offense, unless he can get the ball in DEEP POST position, he is completely useless
Affalo has been much better than I anticipated after he struggled much last season, however, he is an undersized SF that will continue to lose physical abilities that would decline much in the next couple of years as many do

As we upgrade talent, we need to have better ball and player movement with spacing
We need to upgrade the roster in order to effectively come up with different philosophies that we can execute in addition to the philosophies of the Triangle to impliment

Teams like Golden State and Spurs *taking Dantoni's philosophies and perfected them with other philosphies and DEFENSE

Dallas *they do not run plays and move the ball very efficiently the past couple of years, while they lacked DEFENSE*
IMO, KP needs to learn how to set screens like Dirk does and the many different ways he can score in different scenarios that Dirk has mastered
Along with taking bits and parts of Gasol/LMA/a young KG/Anthony Davis *especially training int he gym and his body*

even a team like Houston last year, that took scored mainly on 3pters, free throws, and in the paint

Calderon has been playing better, however, he is no longer a PG, he is a a backup SG as a secondary or 3rd ball handler, used to space the floor, similar to how Kidd was in his last 2years in the NBA

Regardless, we should always be looking to acquire value talents

Ish Smith has been bounced around in the league and the past couple of years, when he gets consistent playing time, he has shown he is capable of producing
Whether it was on Philly last season or on New Orleans when they needed a PG while Holiday is still getting in NBA shape and Tyreke Evans just came back
Young fresh legs that has some experience and looking for a solid value, while he can be a stoppage PG like Felton's 1st time around in New York, signed on a cap friendly deal
Running the PnR with KP and CA would do wonders for him, especially if we have the shooters to spread him out and fully utilize his ability to penetrate and finish
He has shown he is capable of producing double doubles in points and assists, along with some steals, much rebounds for a PG, and PUSHING TEMPO

Mike Conley is a UFA this summer
while Westbrook (could force his way out like CA did, whether Durant stays or leaves)
Kyle Lowry, CP3, Teague, (Dennis Schroedder may eventually be available) are some FA's the following year

And I believe Dragic has set the market for those TOP Tier PG's in this new market, at about over 15m to about 20m per year
While Ish Smith could be signed for much less
Giving time for Grant to develop

(would work well with Calderon, Galloway, and would allow us to push tempo, and help our team much, along with facilitators like Odom was utilized along with Pippen)
Some other under the radar players that could provide penetration in other positions include

I cannot tell if he isnt nearly the same player as he once was prior to his injury or of he just simply isn't getting the role he once had while Lavine/Wiggons/Towns/Rubio are their futures with the Duke PG as well)
Shabazz Muhammad *will be a RFA 1/2 years from now* (along with many of other talents in Twolves that we they could be available, like Dieng, and trading them Calderon *as veterans like KG/Andre Miller used to mentor their young squad, is not that far fetched, for a player like Kevin Martin or at least a bad contract like Pekovic that we can likely amnesty in 1 1/2 more seasons with the new CBA)
Prior to his injury he was a beast, playing at SG, SF, while he can penetrate/finish/ and post up, and finish through contact

Wroten
Lance Stephenson

quality backups
Sessions/DJ Augistine/Bayless on cap friendly backup PG's prices,
Mario Chalmers/Vasquez/Shved
while Jarret Jack can also play some positions from PG, SG, SF at times

Manu

Norris Cole

Jeremy Lin

RFA's
Ray Mccallum
Tyler Johnson

Mike James *the young one*

David Lee/Josh Smith, as point forward/centers, and can be utilized like and provide what Odom did as a Laker

Troy Daniels/Cannon, Harrison brothers

now for STARTING material talents, possibly max to near max, that cost much more include

Battum
Conley
OF course there is always Lebron

Giannes or MKW, they simply do not fit together, and once they got cute and traded Brandon Knight they have been lost the chemistry as a team due to lacking a playmaker that could also shoot with good size/versatility/athleticism, they are unlikely to pay both of them huge contracts and if they continue to struggle, once could be available, though I would prefer Giannes even though he may not be available

There are so many Centers available this summer and I do not think that we would be able to trade Lopez with his 4year deal this summer as a positive contract
Phil Jackson along with management likely are thinking to continue to go BIG for the Triangle along with adding versatility for small ball lineups
Whiteside will get paid and could be a target to pair with KP, and will likely get a contract from at least the Lakers
Miami will likely try to add a TOP TIER FA and if it is someone like Durant, they will not be able to resign WHiteside without his bird rights, along with paying Wade a decent amount either

There is also the draft and International talents as well, with the combo guard that brigggs and others liked that withdrew from the draft
Along with Mike James and some other D League talents

I keep saying we should upgrade our development staff with former players that would fit like

McHale, JO, possibly Bynum (if we sign Whiteside)
Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Battier *for defense and role players* would fit in any system with their play
Along with other triangle players from Ron Harper, Pippen, Horry, Fox, etc....

Along with upgrading our training staff *in the gym* with the way we want our players to develop physically and mentally with comparable talents

We could have about 20m to spend and if we can trade anyone from Calderon, Lopez, CA *if we waives his no trade clause to go to a contender*
With another 20m, 2years from now while they are many talents to build around

DMO is a player that we may be able to buy low on, coming off of injury that will be a RFA this summer
His ability to post up, hit wide open 3pters, and do a bit of everything, would be a great addition if he can get back to his former shape he was in last year after his back surgery

I believe we signed Fisher because we had interest in using him to recruit Durant or/and Westbrook *who loves attention and would love to media in MSG*

If Kobe gets back his legs and is willing to play a smaller role, I believe he can still contribute as a backup if he can tweak his game and mentality
While adding back talents like Pau Gasol, Matt Barnes, maybe WHiteside for Bynum's role, or even Bynum on a vet min contract, possibly Odom as an assistant/development coach
Along with David West who ran some Triangle when the lead assistant was Brian Shaw, and The Pacers were elimited by The Heat and Lebron down to every last possesion in each playoff game for a couple of years

mreinman wrote:

SocraticBallin22 wrote:

fishmike wrote:Galloway and Grant's sporadic play put Fisher in that position. He benched Jose in crunch time a few games early on... hell it won us the Houston game but Galloway simply played himself to the bench.

Jose shoots well, doesnt turn it over and is in the right places. When the games are this close its hard to put wildcards in like Gallo/Grant when you feel like you can win if your guys just execute.

How many open 3's did we brick last night down the stretch in the 4th? 4? 5?

Jose shoots the ball well only when he is wide open and uncontested. I would argue that he'd be more effective playing the off guard in this point in his career (not the primary ball handler duties) and play a Steve Kerr like role spotting up as a floor spacer and sharpshooter. He cannot create his own shot or beat anyone off the dribble.

However, the problem is he's not athletic or quick enough to guard young, explosive point guards anymore (heck even in his prime he had trouble with his foot speed) and he is exposed late in games. Also, when he is the ball handler, there is no pace on the team and opposing guards just pressure him late in games because they don't fear he can get around them.

Gallo is more of a combo guard but he can push the ball up the court and Grant can blaze down the court. They can also defend young, athletic players. The more they play, the more comfortable they will feel and better they will play. They are young. Let them make mistakes and learn. We will struggle closing out games as long as Jose is the point guard down the stretch.

Then Calderon much be wide open this year cause he is shooting freakin unbelievable. We need to get him more shots.

He won't take him. He'll just go into his slow pump fake and dribble dribble miss an open Kp and pass it out. He is basically a less defensive version of Pablo.

yellowboy90 wrote:

mreinman wrote:

SocraticBallin22 wrote:

fishmike wrote:Galloway and Grant's sporadic play put Fisher in that position. He benched Jose in crunch time a few games early on... hell it won us the Houston game but Galloway simply played himself to the bench.

Jose shoots well, doesnt turn it over and is in the right places. When the games are this close its hard to put wildcards in like Gallo/Grant when you feel like you can win if your guys just execute.

How many open 3's did we brick last night down the stretch in the 4th? 4? 5?

Jose shoots the ball well only when he is wide open and uncontested. I would argue that he'd be more effective playing the off guard in this point in his career (not the primary ball handler duties) and play a Steve Kerr like role spotting up as a floor spacer and sharpshooter. He cannot create his own shot or beat anyone off the dribble.

However, the problem is he's not athletic or quick enough to guard young, explosive point guards anymore (heck even in his prime he had trouble with his foot speed) and he is exposed late in games. Also, when he is the ball handler, there is no pace on the team and opposing guards just pressure him late in games because they don't fear he can get around them.

Gallo is more of a combo guard but he can push the ball up the court and Grant can blaze down the court. They can also defend young, athletic players. The more they play, the more comfortable they will feel and better they will play. They are young. Let them make mistakes and learn. We will struggle closing out games as long as Jose is the point guard down the stretch.

Then Calderon much be wide open this year cause he is shooting freakin unbelievable. We need to get him more shots.

He won't take him. He'll just go into his slow pump fake and dribble dribble miss an open Kp and pass it out. He is basically a less defensive version of Pablo.

Exactly. This is beyond frustrating. When he is open, he needs to shoot it. I cannot stand when he does that pump fake and wastes dribbles after running down the shot clock. He needs to score to offset his atrocious D when he's playing. He has two strengths right now as a player: 1) good outside shooter 2) good ball mover (that's it).