Defensive Scheme Change

[blake]

The Spurs have completely changed the way they play the Hornets.  They have stopped keying in on CP3, and focusing on his surrounding players.  They are letting him do whatever he wants and staying with their man.  Would this work against Lebron?  He seems to find the open man everytime we over commit to him and punishes us.  I think it would be worth a try to put the tandem of Posey/Pierce/TA on him and not double.  Let him get 40pts, but make him have 0 assists by not doubling him immediately.  This would allow us two things:  1-to stop giving up wide open looks to everyone else on the team and 2-  stop giving up easy offensive rebounds because of the shifting of the post players.

Just a thought.

[libermaniac]

That's an interesting question.  My guess is that would work better in Boston than in Cleveland, cause in Cleveland he'll draw way too many fouls.  To me, it boils down to the fact that he's a 48% shooter this year ... if we continue to double him, do you think the rest of the team would average > 48% on open looks or not?  Tough call.

[Mr October]

The Spurs have completely changed the way they play the Hornets.  They have stopped keying in on CP3, and focusing on his surrounding players.  They are letting him do whatever he wants and staying with their man.  Would this work against Lebron?  He seems to find the open man everytime we over commit to him and punishes us.  I think it would be worth a try to put the tandem of Posey/Pierce/TA on him and not double.  Let him get 40pts, but make him have 0 assists by not doubling him immediately.  This would allow us two things:  1-to stop giving up wide open looks to everyone else on the team and 2-  stop giving up easy offensive rebounds because of the shifting of the post players.

Just a thought.

I kinda follow that. For the most part I like the doubling plan. Only sending help when Lebron is making a move into the paint. He can jack as many jumpers one on one as he likes.

The difference between Lebron and Chris Paul is that Paul is not going to average 30-50 points a game in single coverage. Lebron can. If he gets 40 a night and the final scores are in the 83-78 range, the Celtics could be playing with fire.

I think it is more important to make Lebron play defense. Pierce, Posey, etc need to drive to the basket. Maybe work off of some screens.

So far I'm happy with the way the C's are playing. They just need to attack the basket a little more.

[wdleehi]

Celtics don't have to change what they do.  They have to execute like they do when they are at home. 


That means hands up on defense.  Make it harder to throw crisp passes. 


With slower passes, Celtics with energy in their defensive movement, can get to the shooter before they can take an open shot. 


Wally and West are going to kill you if you are always late getting there. 

You like your chances with hands in their faces and on their shooting hand.

[blake]

OK he absolutely punished us last night.  It doesn't matter how fast you can run.  The rotations can never catch up to that kind of ball movement.  LBJ had 13 assists.  I think the only way we can beat them in Cleveland is to change up our defensive scheme and take the focus off of LBJ. 

Another thing about last night that impressed me about LBJ is that he never went Charles Oakley on PP after the wrap up.  A lot of young players could have started trash talking, but Lebron told his mother to sit down and made it cool with Paul after the play.  Kudos to him.

[celticmaestro]

what we really need to do is learn how to play on the road.

i don't think our d was bad in game 4. our main problem is not being able to handle the atmosphere in cleveland (or atlanta). i mean, these arenas aren't exactly notorious for their support!

if anyone can help explain this to me please do because i truly don't understand why this team sucks on the road in the playoffs.

[wdleehi]

what we really need to do is learn how to play on the road.

i don't think our d was bad in game 4. our main problem is not being able to handle the atmosphere in cleveland (or atlanta). i mean, these arenas aren't exactly notorious for their support!

if anyone can help explain this to me please do because i truly don't understand why this team sucks on the road in the playoffs.

I though the Boston D was ok last night, but the more I look at it, the more I think it was not very good.


Cleveland shot a to high of a %.  Boston didn't force them into TOs (especially down the stretch).  They didn't shoot that many FTs.  They made 12 less fts then game 3.  Add those in, and they would have scored 100 again. 

Boston played average defense and fouled less.