Any thoughts on Timelord’s performance?

[wdleehi]

The size and allowed physical-ness plus returning from injury has hurt his game.   Not only is it hard for him to get in position to catch a lob, it is hard for the passer to get a good look at the pass.   


If the NBA would cut down on the grabbing and clutching they are allowing in this series, this game would open up and maybe we would see a Rob dunk.


Honestly, it would be better for the product when even the national media is talking about the officials.     

[Vermont Green]

It is interesting that both Smart (-10) and RWill (-13) had "bad" games in terms of +/-.

If you break this down, both were on the court together for 13 min and were -12.  For Smart without RWill, 16 min/+2.  For RWill without Smart, 9 min/-1. Without either, 10 min/+9.  For whatever reason, the team was at its worst when both Smart and RWill were on the court, -11 when one or both were on the court and +9 when neither was on the court.  For most of the year, the team would have been at its best when these two were on the court together, certainly at their defensive best.

I hope this is not a trend that continues.  History would say it will not continue.  I acknowledge that these +/- stats are "noisy".  But for this game, this is where the game did turn.

[Moranis]

It is interesting that both Smart (-10) and RWill (-13) had "bad" games in terms of +/-.

If you break this down, both were on the court together for 13 min and were -12.  For Smart without RWill, 16 min/+2.  For RWill without Smart, 9 min/-1. Without either, 10 min/+9.  For whatever reason, the team was at its worst when both Smart and RWill were on the court, -11 when one or both were on the court and +9 when neither was on the court.  For most of the year, the team would have been at its best when these two were on the court together, certainly at their defensive best.

I hope this is not a trend that continues.  History would say it will not continue.  I acknowledge that these +/- stats are "noisy".  But for this game, this is where the game did turn.

because they are mostly terrible unskilled scorers and you can't play 2 of them on the floor against a team like the Bucks that have great length defending.  It just puts too much offensive pressure on the other 3 guys and Horford is well past his prime (and was never a great scorer, very good shooter, but not a shot creator), it just puts a lot of strain on Tatum and Brown. 

[Vermont Green]

It is interesting that both Smart (-10) and RWill (-13) had "bad" games in terms of +/-.

If you break this down, both were on the court together for 13 min and were -12.  For Smart without RWill, 16 min/+2.  For RWill without Smart, 9 min/-1. Without either, 10 min/+9.  For whatever reason, the team was at its worst when both Smart and RWill were on the court, -11 when one or both were on the court and +9 when neither was on the court.  For most of the year, the team would have been at its best when these two were on the court together, certainly at their defensive best.

I hope this is not a trend that continues.  History would say it will not continue.  I acknowledge that these +/- stats are "noisy".  But for this game, this is where the game did turn.

because they are mostly terrible unskilled scorers and you can't play 2 of them on the floor against a team like the Bucks that have great length defending.  It just puts too much offensive pressure on the other 3 guys and Horford is well past his prime (and was never a great scorer, very good shooter, but not a shot creator), it just puts a lot of strain on Tatum and Brown.

Fair point but line ups with Smart and RWill were fine most of the season.  I understand that the playoffs are different, weaknesses get magnified and exploited.  Smart and RWill were +335 in 58 games in the regular season.  So far in the playoffs, 4 games, -18 overall.

So what is the answer, adjust the rotations so that it is either RWill + White or GWill + Smart?

I am inclined to chalk this up to Smart being not quite right due to coming back from injury.  Maybe this made the issue you describe worse.  RWill is not 100% either.  But they should and I expect will both play better, and play better together.

[sgrogan]

It is interesting that both Smart (-10) and RWill (-13) had "bad" games in terms of +/-.

If you break this down, both were on the court together for 13 min and were -12.  For Smart without RWill, 16 min/+2.  For RWill without Smart, 9 min/-1. Without either, 10 min/+9.  For whatever reason, the team was at its worst when both Smart and RWill were on the court, -11 when one or both were on the court and +9 when neither was on the court.  For most of the year, the team would have been at its best when these two were on the court together, certainly at their defensive best.

I hope this is not a trend that continues.  History would say it will not continue.  I acknowledge that these +/- stats are "noisy".  But for this game, this is where the game did turn.

because they are mostly terrible unskilled scorers and you can't play 2 of them on the floor against a team like the Bucks that have great length defending.  It just puts too much offensive pressure on the other 3 guys and Horford is well past his prime (and was never a great scorer, very good shooter, but not a shot creator), it just puts a lot of strain on Tatum and Brown.

Fair point but line ups with Smart and RWill were fine most of the season.  I understand that the playoffs are different, weaknesses get magnified and exploited.  Smart and RWill were +335 in 58 games in the regular season.  So far in the playoffs, 4 games, -18 overall.

So what is the answer, adjust the rotations so that it is either RWill + White or GWill + Smart?

I am inclined to chalk this up to Smart being not quite right due to coming back from injury.  Maybe this made the issue you describe worse.  RWill is not 100% either.  But they should and I expect will both play better, and play better together.

+/- are heavily dependent on who the player is playing with and against.
The C's starting 5 have good +/- because they play well as a unit, and play a lot together, each with their roles.
I think Mo on to something that RWIII and Smart aren't shot creators. Normally Tatum/Brown mitigate this.
So the solution is for Tatum to shoot better. 

[Moranis]

It is interesting that both Smart (-10) and RWill (-13) had "bad" games in terms of +/-.

If you break this down, both were on the court together for 13 min and were -12.  For Smart without RWill, 16 min/+2.  For RWill without Smart, 9 min/-1. Without either, 10 min/+9.  For whatever reason, the team was at its worst when both Smart and RWill were on the court, -11 when one or both were on the court and +9 when neither was on the court.  For most of the year, the team would have been at its best when these two were on the court together, certainly at their defensive best.

I hope this is not a trend that continues.  History would say it will not continue.  I acknowledge that these +/- stats are "noisy".  But for this game, this is where the game did turn.

because they are mostly terrible unskilled scorers and you can't play 2 of them on the floor against a team like the Bucks that have great length defending.  It just puts too much offensive pressure on the other 3 guys and Horford is well past his prime (and was never a great scorer, very good shooter, but not a shot creator), it just puts a lot of strain on Tatum and Brown.

Fair point but line ups with Smart and RWill were fine most of the season.  I understand that the playoffs are different, weaknesses get magnified and exploited.  Smart and RWill were +335 in 58 games in the regular season.  So far in the playoffs, 4 games, -18 overall.

So what is the answer, adjust the rotations so that it is either RWill + White or GWill + Smart?

I am inclined to chalk this up to Smart being not quite right due to coming back from injury.  Maybe this made the issue you describe worse.  RWill is not 100% either.  But they should and I expect will both play better, and play better together.

Did they play Milwaukee every game?  They aren't a good matchup together against the Bucks, because the Bucks are big long and excellent defensively.  You can't play 3 on 5 offensively and win very many games (and I get Smart can do other things offensively, but his lack of shooting is just glaring and magnified against a great defensive team like the Bucks).  So yeah, I think Grant should start.  He can still hold his own defensively, but his outside shooting helps open the floor.  I also don't think it is a coincidence that in the 4th quarter when Boston outscored Milwaukee by 11, that Robert Williams played all of 4 seconds, while Grant played the entire quarter. 

[Vermont Green]

It is interesting that both Smart (-10) and RWill (-13) had "bad" games in terms of +/-.

If you break this down, both were on the court together for 13 min and were -12.  For Smart without RWill, 16 min/+2.  For RWill without Smart, 9 min/-1. Without either, 10 min/+9.  For whatever reason, the team was at its worst when both Smart and RWill were on the court, -11 when one or both were on the court and +9 when neither was on the court.  For most of the year, the team would have been at its best when these two were on the court together, certainly at their defensive best.

I hope this is not a trend that continues.  History would say it will not continue.  I acknowledge that these +/- stats are "noisy".  But for this game, this is where the game did turn.

because they are mostly terrible unskilled scorers and you can't play 2 of them on the floor against a team like the Bucks that have great length defending.  It just puts too much offensive pressure on the other 3 guys and Horford is well past his prime (and was never a great scorer, very good shooter, but not a shot creator), it just puts a lot of strain on Tatum and Brown.

Fair point but line ups with Smart and RWill were fine most of the season.  I understand that the playoffs are different, weaknesses get magnified and exploited.  Smart and RWill were +335 in 58 games in the regular season.  So far in the playoffs, 4 games, -18 overall.

So what is the answer, adjust the rotations so that it is either RWill + White or GWill + Smart?

I am inclined to chalk this up to Smart being not quite right due to coming back from injury.  Maybe this made the issue you describe worse.  RWill is not 100% either.  But they should and I expect will both play better, and play better together.

Did they play Milwaukee every game?  They aren't a good matchup together against the Bucks, because the Bucks are big long and excellent defensively.  You can't play 3 on 5 offensively and win very many games (and I get Smart can do other things offensively, but his lack of shooting is just glaring and magnified against a great defensive team like the Bucks).  So yeah, I think Grant should start.  He can still hold his own defensively, but his outside shooting helps open the floor.  I also don't think it is a coincidence that in the 4th quarter when Boston outscored Milwaukee by 11, that Robert Williams played all of 4 seconds, while Grant played the entire quarter.

I am agreeing with you, mostly.  There was clearly an issue when Smart and RWill were on the court together this last game and through out the playoffs, which is 3 games against MIL and 1 against BKN.  R.Will is clearly not the same player he was all regular season and MIL may be a particularly bad match up for him.  But in the regular season, Smart/RWill were +8 in 3 games against MIL, clearly better than what they have done in the playoffs.  For the playoffs overall, Smart and G.Will as a pair have not been that good either, -14 in six games.  In the 2 games against MIL where Smart and GWill played (both losses) they are +0 overall, +10 in the regular season against MIL.

Skill set, match up, injury recovery, playoff magnification are all contributing factors to this outcome of Smart and RWill loosing ground on the scoreboard when they are on the court together.  I don't see this as a all about the MIL match up though.  I think if they both play better, play more to their season long norm, that they can overcome the match up just fine and at least hold their ground when they are on the court.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

It must be the refs fault

No, it's legal to kick TIMELORD in the nuts and bash his head so I can't blame the refs.

also just fine to not give giannis the 10 fouls he committed. I MEAN WHO WILL WATCH IF HE FOULS OUT?? right??

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

timelord need a post game badly. he needs to learn how to shoot and score  down low.

[action781]

The Bucks game plan with Brook Lopez is a terrible matchup for Timelord.  Libermaniac already mentioned how Brook and Giannis' length have made it hard for him to catch his lobs. 

If Brook Lopez is going to keep playing drop coverage (which he has to), we need to counter by playing shooting bigs on the floor that can pop off the screen and knock down a jumper.  I'd mostly/only be playing Timelord when Lopez sits in this series.

That is a interesting point.  So would you start Theis?  Bring Timelord off the bench when Lopez sits...

Ime hasn't played Theis hardly at all in this series.  So there is pretty much no chance it will happen.  Theis has played 6 min the whole series so far, and he had a DNP in game 2.  What did Theis do to get benched?

No, I'd start Grant.  Who does Lopez guard if we start Marcus-Jaylen-Tatum-Horford-Grant?  He's not going to be able to camp in front of the rim if we start that lineup which will open up a lot more driving opportunities for everyone.

[droopdog7]

I just think it’s a tough matchup for Time Lord. Lopez and Gianni’s’ length makes it much harder to throw a lob pass to him, so you aren’t seeing as many lobs. Otherwise I think he looks fine.

Lopez is surprising me. Back in his Nets days, I don’t remember his being a great defender. But he’s been looking pretty tough.

I guess you've skipped his entire Mil tenure.  Lopez has been a TOUGH defender for awhile.  Not surprised AT ALL.

[flybono]

Get his arse in the weight room!

[mef730]

I just think it’s a tough matchup for Time Lord. Lopez and Gianni’s’
length makes it much harder to throw a lob pass to him, so you aren’t seeing as many lobs. Otherwise I think he looks fine.

Lopez is surprising me. Back in his Nets days, I don’t remember his being a great defender. But he’s been looking pretty tough.

I guess you've skipped his entire Mil tenure.  Lopez has been a TOUGH defender for awhile.  Not surprised AT ALL.

Yup, pretty much.