Why wont Brad let Pritchard be a pg??

[Tr1boy]

Pritchard was pushing the pace and making things happen (like he did earlier in the season with Walker out).  Without Brad constantly scripting plays.  Or forcing Tatum to bring up the ball

Why does Brad do this??  Pritchard is a natural pg.  So why not let him play to his comfort level/push the pace?

Tatum brings up the ball quite a bit.  He is slow doing it.  For one, he is not a pg and might be overthinking.   

Another issue is this constant drop offs at the top of the 3 point line.  Slowing down the pace and begging for 1 on 1 basketball

So my question is... why cant Brad just let a natural pg like Pritchard go to work. Who likes to dive to the basket and then find the open man.  Tatum, Smart or even Walker can then wait for an open look or cut to the basket or swing the ball around.  TL can alley dunk.

Love the bounce pass to TT for the easy dunk today

I just dont understand why Brad is trying to reinvent the wheel.

Can someome explain what I'm missing?

[liam]

Pritchard was pushing the pace and making things happen (like he did earlier in the season with Walker out).  Without Brad constantly scripting plays.  Or forcing Tatum to bring up the ball

Why does Brad do this??  Pritchard is a natural pg.  So why not let him play to his comfort level/push the pace?

Tatum brings up the ball quite a bit.  He is slow doing it.  For one, he is not a pg and might be overthinking.   

Another issue is this constant drop offs at the top of the 3 point line.  Slowing down the pace and begging for 1 on 1 basketball

So my question is... why cant Brad just let a natural pg like Pritchard go to work. Who likes to dive to the basket and then find the open man.  Tatum, Smart or even Walker can then wait for an open look or cut to the basket or swing the ball around.  TL can alley dunk.

Love the bounce pass to TT for the easy dunk today

I just dont understand why Brad is trying to reinvent the wheel.

Can someome explain what I'm missing?

You just did. Brad is always trying to outsmart people but he's outsmarting himself this year. Keep it simple.

[Tr1boy]

Pritchard was pushing the pace and making things happen (like he did earlier in the season with Walker out).  Without Brad constantly scripting plays.  Or forcing Tatum to bring up the ball

Why does Brad do this??  Pritchard is a natural pg.  So why not let him play to his comfort level/push the pace?

Tatum brings up the ball quite a bit.  He is slow doing it.  For one, he is not a pg and might be overthinking.   

Another issue is this constant drop offs at the top of the 3 point line.  Slowing down the pace and begging for 1 on 1 basketball

So my question is... why cant Brad just let a natural pg like Pritchard go to work. Who likes to dive to the basket and then find the open man.  Tatum, Smart or even Walker can then wait for an open look or cut to the basket or swing the ball around.  TL can alley dunk.

Love the bounce pass to TT for the easy dunk today

I just dont understand why Brad is trying to reinvent the wheel.

Can someome explain what I'm missing?

You just did. Brad is always trying to outsmart people but he's outsmarting himself this year. Keep it simple.

Argh. Thanks for the reminder

Especially without a legit stretch 3 and D big. His system stands on one leg

But Danny wont give up one of his precious picks for a guy like Christian Wood either.

[gouki88]

It's especially weird because we're missing the high-post playmaking from Horford and the playmaking at the wing from Hayward. PP isn't an elite passer, but he's a point guard. It's weird.

Cramming Tatum into being a point-forward is fine as long as it's supplemented by good playmaking elsewhere. This season it has not been. Fournier was a step in the right direction as he's a solid passer and good mover off-ball.

[mr. dee]

Even before Al arrived, we have bigs with good passing skills like KO and Sully. Danny's failure to replace Al was the biggest downfall of Brad's plays.

[Tr1boy]

Even before Al arrived, we have bigs with good passing skills like KO and Sully. Danny's failure to replace Al was the biggest downfall of Brad's plays.

Agreed

When asked by T&R... what the team biggest need was.  Danny did mention a big shooting target. 

Instead traded for Fournier(sg) and traded Theis, because all he could stomach to give up was two 2nds. 

[Rikibellevie]

Because, maybe Brad doesn't think at this stage he is viable as the 2d ball handler in the PO... Last matches he looked terrible. It may have been Teague role I guess, a little too much, maybe too early, for his shoulders.
 There is a big buzz with Payton, but is he that strong ? He has had a wonderfully shooting skills during the first half of the season, being more irregular since this time. He is proper, good shooter, smart guy... But can he really creates for other ? For himself ? Can he really defend ? His lack of physical is still a problem. He may just be a futur JJ Barea at the begening of his career. I don't think Pritchard underperformance are the fault of Brad, it is more the argument of people who were expecting skills and potential in a rookie that may be too big.

[Celtics4ever]

Pritchard was pushing the pace and making things happen

Was this the case or did the Nets being up a bench let some things happen as they had a comfortable lead.  I think this is far more likely.  Pritchard has not been very solid in these playoffs.

He has shot poorly and seems to be having the rookie playoff wake up that so many rooks get their first time into them.  Sure, he had 4 assists last night but he was 0 for 5 from the field and the game was well out of hand when those assists happened.

Playoff basketball is much harder on smaller guards because it is more physical

[tazzmaniac]

It's especially weird because we're missing the high-post playmaking from Horford and the playmaking at the wing from Hayward. PP isn't an elite passer, but he's a point guard. It's weird.

Cramming Tatum into being a point-forward is fine as long as it's supplemented by good playmaking elsewhere. This season it has not been. Fournier was a step in the right direction as he's a solid passer and good mover off-ball.

Timelord can provide some high-post playmaking.   Tatum isn't a point-forward so trying to force him to be one is a problem. 

[nickagneta]

Pritchard was pushing the pace and making things happen

Was this the case or did the Nets being up a bench let some things happen as they had a comfortable lead.  I think this is far more likely.  Pritchard has not been very solid in these playoffs.

He has shot poorly and seems to be having the rookie playoff wake up that so many rooks get their first time into them.  Sure, he had 4 assists last night but he was 0 for 5 from the field and the game was well out of hand when those assists happened.

Playoff basketball is much harder on smaller guards because it is more physical

I think you hit the nail on the head here. Pritchard was given his chance to run the offense once the team was down around 27-29 points in the 4th. The Nets stopped even thinking about playing defense and then threw in the deep bench.

Before that, in the other 7 quarters of playoff basketball Pritchard, Nesmith and Langford looked every bit of the seriously overwhelmed, inexperienced players that they are, Pritchard especially. He hadn't scored a point and had dished out only 1 assist in about 13-14 minutes of play before yesterday's 4th quarter.

It's easy to say "oh boy, look at what Pritchard did running that offense....bad Brad", but put it into context, and it's not impressive at all and Brad did nothing wrong. Pritchard was playing against a team that care about giving a defensive effort because they were up 30 in garbage time.

[nickagneta]

It's especially weird because we're missing the high-post playmaking from Horford and the playmaking at the wing from Hayward. PP isn't an elite passer, but he's a point guard. It's weird.

Cramming Tatum into being a point-forward is fine as long as it's supplemented by good playmaking elsewhere. This season it has not been. Fournier was a step in the right direction as he's a solid passer and good mover off-ball.

Timelord can provide some high-post playmaking.   Tatum isn't a point-forward so trying to force him to be one is a problem.

Stevens isn't trying to force Tatum to be a playmaker, he is teaching him to be one. Brown too.

They are both super young yet and their games still growing. Playmaking is the next step and, unfortunately for some fans, they are going to have to live with the mistakes as both players go through growing pains in this area.

My guess is in a couple years you could see both Jays averaging over 5 assists per game with Tatum being at maybe 6+. There's a learning curve and patience is needed. Even guys like Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Bradley Beal and tons of others throughout NBA history took 5+ years to get as good at playmaking as Tatum is right now.

[Tr1boy]

It's especially weird because we're missing the high-post playmaking from Horford and the playmaking at the wing from Hayward. PP isn't an elite passer, but he's a point guard. It's weird.

Cramming Tatum into being a point-forward is fine as long as it's supplemented by good playmaking elsewhere. This season it has not been. Fournier was a step in the right direction as he's a solid passer and good mover off-ball.

Timelord can provide some high-post playmaking.   Tatum isn't a point-forward so trying to force him to be one is a problem.

Stevens isn't trying to force Tatum to be a playmaker, he is teaching him to be one. Brown too.

They are both super young yet and their games still growing. Playmaking is the next step and, unfortunately for some fans, they are going to have to live with the mistakes as both players go through growing pains in this area.

My guess is in a couple years you could see both Jays averaging over 5 assists per game with Tatum being at maybe 6+. There's a learning curve and patience is needed. Even guys like Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Bradley Beal and tons of others throughout NBA history took 5+ years to get as good at playmaking as Tatum is right now.

The question is why??

When Leonard was with the Spurs or Raptors he was not the pg.  At times when he wanted to go 1 on 1.  There was plays for him to do just that

Right now with the Clippers without a bonafide pg, Leonard and PG are forced to play the pg role.  From what I see(playoffs)... it hasnt worked smoothly.

I can understand running the show through non traditional pgs like Jokic. He is a natural.  But forcing/teaching others ... when the team already has one (since they started playing basketball) is puzzling.   

How many times has Tatum been stripped of the ball late in games? Or made the wrong read. Or didnt pass and chooses to take a tough shot??

Let PP or Yam(next season) have some decision making autonomy.   Having them bring up the ball midcourt, just to quickly drop of the ball to Tatum or Brown is .... I mean what is that?

Would it not be better if TL or Tatum for example set a pick for a PG.  Tatum can roll or find an open spot on the court.  Pritchard drives to the net, pull defenders towards him.  Kick out, pass pass

Or after an inbound play push the pace himself and find Brown trailing for an easy layup or and 1.

Right now its just so stactic and unorganized.  Too reliant on 1 on 1 type ball.

[cons]

i agree w the OP
i think they've mis-managed PP since early on
beginning of the season - he looked great, was playing well, it was really exciting

and since then, erratic

i dont think brad or the whole coacing staff has used him effectively and its a shame bc i think he could've really been a better contributor.

[RJ87]

It's especially weird because we're missing the high-post playmaking from Horford and the playmaking at the wing from Hayward. PP isn't an elite passer, but he's a point guard. It's weird.

Cramming Tatum into being a point-forward is fine as long as it's supplemented by good playmaking elsewhere. This season it has not been. Fournier was a step in the right direction as he's a solid passer and good mover off-ball.

Timelord can provide some high-post playmaking.   Tatum isn't a point-forward so trying to force him to be one is a problem.

Stevens isn't trying to force Tatum to be a playmaker, he is teaching him to be one. Brown too.

They are both super young yet and their games still growing. Playmaking is the next step and, unfortunately for some fans, they are going to have to live with the mistakes as both players go through growing pains in this area.

My guess is in a couple years you could see both Jays averaging over 5 assists per game with Tatum being at maybe 6+. There's a learning curve and patience is needed. Even guys like Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Bradley Beal and tons of others throughout NBA history took 5+ years to get as good at playmaking as Tatum is right now.

The question is why??

When Leonard was with the Spurs or Raptors he was not the pg.  At times when he wanted to go 1 on 1.  There was plays for him to do just that

Right now with the Clippers without a bonafide pg, Leonard and PG are forced to play the pg role.  From what I see(playoffs)... it hasnt worked smoothly.

I can understand running the show through non traditional pgs like Jokic. He is a natural.  But forcing/teaching others ... when the team already has one (since they started playing basketball) is puzzling.   

How many times has Tatum been stripped of the ball late in games? Or made the wrong read. Or didnt pass and chooses to take a tough shot??

Let PP or Yam(next season) have some decision making autonomy.   Having them bring up the ball midcourt, just to quickly drop of the ball to Tatum or Brown is .... I mean what is that?

Would it not be better if TL or Tatum for example set a pick for a PG.  Tatum can roll or find an open spot on the court.  Pritchard drives to the net, pull defenders towards him.  Kick out, pass pass

Or after an inbound play push the pace himself and find Brown trailing for an easy layup or and 1.

Right now its just so stactic and unorganized.  Too reliant on 1 on 1 type ball.

Is it not obvious?

Kawhi had the benefit of playing next to Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Boris Diaw in San Antonio. In short, Kawhi was allowed to develop slowly because he had better playmakers and passers next to him. Even in Toronto, he had a great PG in Kyle Lowry. Although by then, he was a far better playmaker himself.

Right now, there's just a talent gulf on this team and I think you're expecting a lot of younger players who aren't capable of playing at that level on the playoff stage. Pritchard has been very underwhelming in his first 2 playoff games - that's okay, he's a rookie. I don't think he's earned Brad's trust to have the ball in his hands primarily when the game is still competitive and picking up a few assists in garbage time isn't enough for him to get there.

As Nick said, putting the balls in the Jays hands is the best bet for the future of this team and the right choice right now. They're the best players on this team by far and allowing them to play through hiccups to learn is the right move.

[td450]

I think the problem is that Stevens simplified the offense to make it easier for Tatum to make reads. This team doesn't cut much. One guy comes up for a high pick, but nothing else happens.

Tatum has gotten into some bad habits. He slows the ball down, and he looks to pass only at specific points in his moves.