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OK, haven't posted for a week or so due to a slow recovery from a minor surgery I had ....but...I wanted to contribute what I've seen from a coach's viewpoint ...seeing as though I have been coaching the game at the high school and college level now for close to 18 years.
We see loads of what is being termed 'lack of energy' on defense during this streatch of the season ....the more appropriate term is that they are playing with 'low confidence', and in a 'state of confusion'. The onlty player I can honestly say that really never likes to lay it out defensively is Damon Jones, and it isn't just a recent lapse ....his entire career he's been a guy that doesn't give a sh*t about playing any form of defense. The only contribution he will ever make to this team will be on the offensive end, so get used to it and accept it ...it's his modus operendi. Alwaysa has been always will. No other way to skin that cat.
Other than that,.,.this is where I see the players ....Ilgauskas- he's willing to play the defensive game and give what he can give ....but his handcuffed by very slow feet, and a power forward in Drew Gooden who doesn't look like he'll ever have the ability mentally to learn any defensive system. He makes learning his defenisive responsibilities on the court look like it must be riocket science to him ...he just can't seem to ever grasp where he is supposed to be given the situation ...he's incapable of helping Z out, and Z needs help. So, they shouldn't ever be on the court together for any extyended periods of time, because they can be picked apart, and have been picked apart very very easily on any form of pick and roll that relies on them having any form of cohesion. It just doesn't work, and it's why Drew Gooden or Z need to be paired with defensive minded individuals or the team will continue to suffer. I see little hope that Drew will ever magically 'get it' ...he's slow ...basically.
Eric Snow knows what to do and how to do it ....he's a consummate pro in his understanding of the game. He's limited by a poor outside shot ...but, as far as playoff ready type players ...he's one of the few that has a game that translates to a winning style of basketball ...even though he is limited offensively and doesn't have the lateral quuickness he once possesed.
Larry Hughes is in a confidence rut, but will get it back. He knows how to play the game but right now he's just not right on his game and his confidence is low .....but I have alot of confodence in what he can do, on a team that hopefully will eventually learn how to play winning basketball.
Now on to what will be the focus of what I think our problem is ...and that is Lebron James. And ....it's not because he is our worst performer ....it's because he's by far our best ...and our leader. As he goes and plays is how our team will go and play basically. Right now he doesn't have a game that translates to winning basketball ....at this point in his career I liken what he does on the court to what Pete Maravich did in his career. He has all the intangibles that add up to great personal success, and very limited team success. He doesn't do as advertised, and that is ..make the team better by doing the little things that ,ake a team better. If and when he ever realizes that winning basketball starts and ends with consistent defensive energy, that will be the moment that this team follows his lead and also plays with that same devotion and passion for playing the game. Because with anything in a team game ...what becomes contagious with your leader becomes contagious throughout the team. Lebron doesn't enjoy laying it out on defense with strong and passionate energy. He can do it ...and he has natural game slarts, but he only brings defensive energy to the court it seems mid to late 4th qtr. Other than that he's on cruise control on the defensive end ...going through the motions but not playing with a defensive fervor. If the team sees him laying it out with the energy say ...Drew Gooden plays with ...they will ikely follow suit. The problem with Drew is he plays hard, but plays dumb as a board ...
But, don't think the additions of Newble and Varajao will be a hige lift or major change in the course of events ..they will help, but not to the degreee needed to make a huge impact. The huge impact needed will have to come with Lebron James ...and when he either comes to the reralization that he wants to be a Pete Maravich or Wilt Chamberlain of the game, that has great individual success but fails at bring a winning style basketball to his team ...or be a Michael Jordan/ Bill Russell type player that brings strong team effort on the defensivee end that leads to winning basketball come playoff time .....he's gotta learn to play the game the winning way ....and he hasn't learned that yet .....it's gotta sink into his skull at some point or he'll never realize his potential as a team player.....
We see loads of what is being termed 'lack of energy' on defense during this streatch of the season ....the more appropriate term is that they are playing with 'low confidence', and in a 'state of confusion'. The onlty player I can honestly say that really never likes to lay it out defensively is Damon Jones, and it isn't just a recent lapse ....his entire career he's been a guy that doesn't give a sh*t about playing any form of defense. The only contribution he will ever make to this team will be on the offensive end, so get used to it and accept it ...it's his modus operendi. Alwaysa has been always will. No other way to skin that cat.
Other than that,.,.this is where I see the players ....Ilgauskas- he's willing to play the defensive game and give what he can give ....but his handcuffed by very slow feet, and a power forward in Drew Gooden who doesn't look like he'll ever have the ability mentally to learn any defensive system. He makes learning his defenisive responsibilities on the court look like it must be riocket science to him ...he just can't seem to ever grasp where he is supposed to be given the situation ...he's incapable of helping Z out, and Z needs help. So, they shouldn't ever be on the court together for any extyended periods of time, because they can be picked apart, and have been picked apart very very easily on any form of pick and roll that relies on them having any form of cohesion. It just doesn't work, and it's why Drew Gooden or Z need to be paired with defensive minded individuals or the team will continue to suffer. I see little hope that Drew will ever magically 'get it' ...he's slow ...basically.
Eric Snow knows what to do and how to do it ....he's a consummate pro in his understanding of the game. He's limited by a poor outside shot ...but, as far as playoff ready type players ...he's one of the few that has a game that translates to a winning style of basketball ...even though he is limited offensively and doesn't have the lateral quuickness he once possesed.
Larry Hughes is in a confidence rut, but will get it back. He knows how to play the game but right now he's just not right on his game and his confidence is low .....but I have alot of confodence in what he can do, on a team that hopefully will eventually learn how to play winning basketball.
Now on to what will be the focus of what I think our problem is ...and that is Lebron James. And ....it's not because he is our worst performer ....it's because he's by far our best ...and our leader. As he goes and plays is how our team will go and play basically. Right now he doesn't have a game that translates to winning basketball ....at this point in his career I liken what he does on the court to what Pete Maravich did in his career. He has all the intangibles that add up to great personal success, and very limited team success. He doesn't do as advertised, and that is ..make the team better by doing the little things that ,ake a team better. If and when he ever realizes that winning basketball starts and ends with consistent defensive energy, that will be the moment that this team follows his lead and also plays with that same devotion and passion for playing the game. Because with anything in a team game ...what becomes contagious with your leader becomes contagious throughout the team. Lebron doesn't enjoy laying it out on defense with strong and passionate energy. He can do it ...and he has natural game slarts, but he only brings defensive energy to the court it seems mid to late 4th qtr. Other than that he's on cruise control on the defensive end ...going through the motions but not playing with a defensive fervor. If the team sees him laying it out with the energy say ...Drew Gooden plays with ...they will ikely follow suit. The problem with Drew is he plays hard, but plays dumb as a board ...
But, don't think the additions of Newble and Varajao will be a hige lift or major change in the course of events ..they will help, but not to the degreee needed to make a huge impact. The huge impact needed will have to come with Lebron James ...and when he either comes to the reralization that he wants to be a Pete Maravich or Wilt Chamberlain of the game, that has great individual success but fails at bring a winning style basketball to his team ...or be a Michael Jordan/ Bill Russell type player that brings strong team effort on the defensivee end that leads to winning basketball come playoff time .....he's gotta learn to play the game the winning way ....and he hasn't learned that yet .....it's gotta sink into his skull at some point or he'll never realize his potential as a team player.....
But he never made an all defensive team or won a DOPY...Oh yeah, and he never won a ring... (But he did get to a conference finals or two)