I said right when Rose went out, with the ankle, lets see if something changes without Rose.
It was obvious that Jennings when he's engaged plays better defense and he moves the damn ball.
Rose is a shooting guard who plays zero defense. Melo is a shooting guard as well. They just don't fit because they like to take turns and it kills ball movement, makes players ball watch and lose energy for defense. When players watch 2 guys just take turns they lose their involvement into the game.
We need to play or strive to play like how we did without Rose and BJ a point. BJ isn't the answer but he atleast tries to play the right way. It's the same reason I like Baker. As limited as Baker is, he tries to move the ball. And we finally set some plays for others like Lee and he went off.
It was a fun game. I also don't want to knock Melo. Because the guy is clearly affected by the trade talk, and I felt he played really hard. His defensive effort was better and he was engaged. That's all I can ask. He is who he is. He will never change. We have to find a way to get the ball out of his hands, and into the hands of someone who will make the right calls.
This team is one point guard away from being really good. We thought it was Rose. He's a shooting me first guard. He plays no D no leadership. Great individual skills and scorer. BJ tries to play the right way, but lacks the consistency and level. We need to keep looking for a point guard.
Major shout outs to O'Quinn and Lee. What a great effort. I loved it. Nice stuff from KP. KP played good defense in this one, took really good shots. Hit a clutch shot with 43 seconds. I loved that we went to him.
I know I'm wasting my time saying this, but when will Horny and the staff simply see how much better the team plays without Noah? Just run a 3 man rotation of O'Quinn/Willy/Plumlee. Any 3 of them are better when on than Noah.
Rose -14
BJ +12
Even the role players who play the right way, like Kuz, you like to watch them make mistakes because they play or attempt to play the right way.
All that said, this was Lee playing out of his mind. We were losing this one if not for Lee. Until Hornachek commits to benching Noah, either forcing Rose to play like a real point or benching him as well, trusting his bench, this team will continue the same old stuff. I just hope we don't make a bad Melo trade, because for all that his isolation ball frustrates me he is a legit all star level talent and he can play the right way in a right system with a point guard. BJ showed that tonight, Kidd in the past, Billups. We need that floor general so bad it's scary. Someone that can go away from Melo iso ball, someone that will set up the coach's playbook. Someone that will challenge the team defensively. I've come to despise Rose from a team stand point.
1/27/2017 9:51 PM