First, opposing teams are guarding Gallo with their SGs anyway and putting their SFs on Wilson Chandler because there really isn't a mismatch created by doing that. Even though Gallo has a height advantage because Gallo doesn't post up smaller SGs the height advantage doesn't do much.

Second, I am considering the role of Anthony Randolph. He could be a very good SF and create good mismatches using his size at the SF position. I think it is clear that Amare is not intended to be the C, so you can't start a line of Amare/Randolph/Gallo/Chandler/Felton.

Third, if Melo is the next piece of the puzzle now that this offseason has shaped up, do you play Melo off position at SG or at SF... even then, how do Gallo, Randolph, Melo and Stat co-exist? I mean clearly a lineup with Amare at C could run all day--- Amare/Randolph/Gallo/Melo/Felton would be pretty sick.

I guess the thought is that either Gallo or Randolph have to guard the SG position, or Randolph has to come off the bench...

Gallo cannot guard SG's.

He is pretty good at following his man and gets a lot of tips, and he actually has pretty quick hands on D. In case anyone has not been watching the game for the past few years, it is difficult to guard anyone 1/1 with the hand checking rules, but for a 6'10+" kid with "stiff legs," he does a pretty good job staying in front of his opponent and gets his share of charging fouls, which you can only do by moving your feet. Another consideration from last year was that in our zone, he was constantly looking inside to keep our whore of an interior D from being penetrated, and I remember a number of times when he was not able to get back outside if the ball was kicked out because he seemed intent on looking inside, even though he is good at getting a hand up in a shooter's face in that situation.

With that said, I expect that he could hold his own at times- don't see why he could not guard a Joe Johnson or Mike Miller type SG, but in the end you figure that he is going to have foul issues, and he simply won't be able to keep up with some of the quicker SGs. More importantly, his offense will suffer if he is out there getting tired guarding SGs or PGs.

EwingsGlass wrote:

AnubisADL wrote:Gallo could barely guard SF's and you want him to guard smaller faster guards?

Gallo cannot guard SG's.

Where did I imply that I wanted it? I asked the question.

Don't mind him dude...AnubisADL is one of those posters that don't watch games, and don't read posts fully before replying. He probably thinks "Gallo" is that dude that draws the sports caricature in the daily news.

nixluva wrote:Gallo isn't a stopper but he's not a matador either. How soon we forget. What Gallo often does is back off smaller quicker players and uses his length to get a hand in their face. We're gonna use zones a lot too so who cares about man 2 man? With all the length we'd have on the floor it would be hard for teams to get all the way to the basket. Felton, Gallo, AR, Amar'e n Turiaf would be a nightmare on D cuz all of our guys can move well and block shots. The MDA Zone could work real well for long stretches.

To me- this is the thing I'm most worried about.

We're going to play zone a lot- and plan on everyone switching on defense. That is the philosphy of MDA, I guess. And something about that just made players last year, I think, lazy about defense because guys switched when there was no reason to.

And I'm sorry, good defensive teams don't use gimmicks and don't switch at every instance.

I agree we have better defenders- but the question is can we maybe have a better game plan for playing defense?

What do the #'s say?

In a small sampling Gallo did pretty good against opposing SGs.

Gallo played 5% of the Knicks minutes at SG. Thats a sampling of about 8 games playing there. During which time he held opponents to a .511 EFG% which scoring at a rate of .683 EFG%.

Its not a good sampling because it would only take a few games for him to play some minutes at SG, have one of those 6-10 nights from downtown and his FG% #s are totally skewed.

He cant certainly play SG on offense. He can spot up, handle the ball, post up... he's very good at shooting over smaller guys and driving past bigs.

I think with Chandler/Amare/Gallo/AR you have 4 guys who dont have or need a set position. All can rebound, score and defend. All can swing from one position on the floor to another.

franco12 wrote:

nixluva wrote:Gallo isn't a stopper but he's not a matador either. How soon we forget. What Gallo often does is back off smaller quicker players and uses his length to get a hand in their face. We're gonna use zones a lot too so who cares about man 2 man? With all the length we'd have on the floor it would be hard for teams to get all the way to the basket. Felton, Gallo, AR, Amar'e n Turiaf would be a nightmare on D cuz all of our guys can move well and block shots. The MDA Zone could work real well for long stretches.

To me- this is the thing I'm most worried about.

We're going to play zone a lot- and plan on everyone switching on defense. That is the philosphy of MDA, I guess. And something about that just made players last year, I think, lazy about defense because guys switched when there was no reason to.

And I'm sorry, good defensive teams don't use gimmicks and don't switch at every instance.

I agree we have better defenders- but the question is can we maybe have a better game plan for playing defense?

Can't be argued that the best defensive teams in the NBA play man coverage and have great help defense. That said, there are a lot of non-NBA teams that play excellent zone defense. I don't know enough to say that one form of defense is far superior to another, but I think it is clear that playing good man-to-man coverage requires skilled defenders at every position, otherwise use picks to switch the assignments until they have a favorable matchup. It seems like zone defense is the easiest to coach (and if players are lazy--- whether in zone defense or man coverage) the defense fails. The switch off of picks concept is not exactly a zone defense, it is just man-coverage without specified defensive assignments. In that sense, Gallo has to guard the SG at various points-- the question is still whether it is worth starting him there so you can put arguably your best 5 on the court at the same time or whether either Randolph or Gallo have to come off the bench.

Maybe this is a better question-- is it better to have Gallo initiating defense at the SG with a lineup of

Felton
Gallo
Randolph
Amare
Turiaf

or

have Randolph (or Gallo--but I am opposed to Gallo and his back) playing Center? I think both Randolph and Gallo are too young and fragile to have banging in the paint.

or

just have Randolph be the first big off the bench?

Finestrg wrote:Yeah I don't think he can guard 2s..

EG -- I read what you wrote up top and I'm not sure I agree..Time will tell, but I actually think the best lineup on paper right now is in fact Amar'e/Gallo/AR/Chandler/Felton.

Amar'e manned the middle for a 60 win team in Phoenix, Gallo will serve as the stretch 4, I agree on AR at the 3, Mayor (Auz is a definitely factor if/when healthy), then Felton. That looks like the best lineup to go with right now to open and close games. Anything can happen though..Maybe a guy like Jordan or Mozgov steps up eventually to assume a bigger role than anticipated, maybe we find out we're not putting enough toughness/rebounding on the floor with that lineup specifically with Gallo at the 4...We'll have to see how it shakes out. But I think you're just asking for trouble putting Gallo on 2s defensively.