TeamBall wrote:dk7th wrote:i think it's fine for melo to guard gasol. but he didn't guard him properly, didn't three-quarter or front gasol. when you are outweighed that much and the guy is taller this is the only way you can defend. if the ball gets in there in spite of this techniques you just tip your hat and move on. on the tech play melo was behind gasol under the rim.if he is to be the leader that everyone wants him to be he has to do what his coach asks him to do even if he dislikes it and not allow a made basket to get under his skin.
on another note hubie brown noted several times that felton did not recognize mismatches presented to him quickly enough, most of all when melo had a mismatch. poor court vision and/or slow recognition will be an achilles heel against elite defensive teams like memphis.
the knicks played great in the first half-- i loved their intensity-- but when the pressure ratcheted up they went iso a bit too much, and when the cracks appeared it did not take long for the team to implode.
I watched that match-up closely for a bit during the game trying to figure out what possible advantage Woody could have seen. Melo tried a few times to front him or at least get to the side of him but Gasol was doing a great job sealing him off.
Yeah he tried to front him more in the second half but he needs to start doing that to start the game. It frustrates players and often they get offensive fouls because they push off to get separation. The problem fronting the Grizz is that Randolf is a good passer but he really shouldn't be able to pass over a taller and lanky Tyson when he is locked in.
Woody needs to get Melo to front earlier in the game. I liked Melo's D in the second half when they made the run although he did cost the team points by throwing away a pass to Kidd just after he stolen an entry pass. Maybe 4 yrs ago Kidd would have ran that down. lol.
