KG, Ray, and the Pick & Roll

[johnnyrondo]

I was wondering why Kg and Ray don't seem to ever do pick and rolls. I fell Allen is wasted as solely a spot up shooter. KG, if I recasll correctly used to do pick & rolls with Sam Cassell back during their Minny days (when Sam was younger and still good). I'd think that Ray Allen would be dynamyte off KG picks.

A few years ago Allen's Sonics actually had a better record than Kobe's Lakers. Neither team really had much else (Kobe had Lamar. Allen had Lewis). Has Ray Allen gotten that old that quick? I mean when Wally was guarding him, shouldn't the C's be able to either run iso's for Allen or have KG pick Wally (I'm sure KG would have liked that)?  So regarding KG, Ray, and pick & rolls, is their a reason not to go to this? KG seems like the perfect player to be setting the picks and Allen seems like the perfect player to be using the picks. Am I missing something? This is not a rhetorical question. I'm genuinely interested in people's responses.

[Frontierboy]

The reason is, everytime Ray does a pick and roll with anyone, there is a hard trap on Ray and he doesn't seem to know how to get it to the Picker.... too late to be teaching a 33 year old how to play pick and roll basketball

[ma11l]

For whatever reason they seem to do it more with Pierce.  It is harder to cover a pick and roll when the dribbler is apt to bring the ball hard to the lane off the pick.  It is easier to cover a shooter in the same situation.  Paul has been doing well with it and his decision making has been solid, his only trouble is coming when he is double teamed and trapped, and like you said they seem to be doing that more with Ray than with Paul.  I also love Rondo coming off a KG pick.  He is a hard cover with his quickness and his passing is better than that of Paul and Ray's.  Also he doesn't receive as much attention coming off the screen.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I think they do plenty of pick and pop with KG and Ray though, and Ray has gotten KG good looks consistently, with his sky-hook pass.

[tanner]

The reason is, everytime Ray does a pick and roll with anyone, there is a hard trap on Ray and he doesn't seem to know how to get it to the Picker.... too late to be teaching a 33 year old how to play pick and roll basketball

Yup.  Doesn't pass out of the trap quickly before the defensive rotations can adjust.  Cannot turn the corner or split the traps either.  But he's improved dealing with double-teams recently.  In the Detroit series, he's been looking to pass immediately w/o taking a dribble or two.

[BASSTHUMPER]

i've seen scal and powe run a pick n roll so smooth~


but yall forgot about that one too~~

[fairweatherfan06]

they do it with Pierce more, and it  makes since because he is physically stronger than Ray.  Funny enough they do it more often with Ray on the 2nd unit and PJ setting the picks (he's very good if he gets in position in time).

[BudweiserCeltic]

Another thing to notice is that Ray for some reason likes to not use the pick. Quite often someone goes to set a pick on him, and instead of dribbling over the pick, he simply chooses to go the other way for whatever reason... so it's not for lack of trying.

[fairweatherfan06]

True that has been a habit of his for his entire career, it befuddles the defense (and opens up the pick and roll more later in the game) but it is only effective if his shot is falling.