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I think Kyrie and Dion should play against each other every day in practice. Man to man and then they will learn to play better with each other in games whether Dion is the first guy off the bench, or beside Kyrie in the backcourt. This starting together right now, where they are in each of their individual development, is square peg in round hole to me. I think they dont have a healthy enough respect for each other's game right now. Which I can understand a little. Their skill set is pretty redundant and their limitations match pretty well, with Kyrie just being overall better at all of the offensive skills than Dion. I dont think Dion has the personality to just concede that, irregardless of the accolades and acclaim Kyrie is starting to get.
Putting them against each other every day in practice will inspire both to engage on D, and really start putting the effort in on that end. It is a pride thing.
When I was a Senior, we had a freshman PG who started out the season on JV and dressing Varsity and by January, he was starting to play a little and started running the 2nd unit in practice scrimmages. So I started abusing him in practice, when before I treated him like all the other freshmen and just didnt pay him any mind. I knew he was being groomed to start the next year, but I didnt like that he was tip toeing on my time in the driver seat as much.
By playing him head to head, I learned to respect the advantages to his game, like he was quicker than me and could get his little floater off in the tiniest of spaces when we were attacking a zone. I also picked up on how quick he was laterally and how even though he was like 5'6/5'7 he was hard to get around once he was locked in his little defensive stand on the perimeter. Through January, he started playing more and more until he was in the rotation. He was playing more as a off guard who was at the front of our diamond press (1-2-2) but because I had learned his game inside and out, I had developed a healthy respect for what he could do and how he could help me/us when he was out there getting meaningful minutes. We had a game at the very beginning of February, against Norton Panthers at home, that was almost snowed out so nobody really showed up and the team as a whole was very lackluster and disengaged like the Cavs were last night. Norton played a 2-3 and a Box and 1 pretty much the entire game because they were slow and disciplined, and they lulled us to sleep. So Little Gary came in, and the minute he came in, I told him to shoot that floater anytime he got an inch of penetration, and his bulldog D was more effective as the lead of our diamond press and we started getting some turnovers. He turned the tide in that game, but I got the game ball, because I found a way to use his skill set to attack a type of team we had been having trouble with all season. By the end of the season we were complimenting each other better and working together in practice even though we were usually head to head. We would single guys out who werent catching passes and FIRING the ball at our big men who were disengaged in practices and games. Bringing him along and me respecting his game allowed us to plow through teams like Norton and Manchester in the state playoffs who had a style that usually gave us fits. I learned to respect his skill and we played together and attacked teams together by going head to head.
Lil G has the ball, Im to his right. I was definitely the Kyrie to his Dion :chuckles:
I say all that because right now, I see two guards who arent working together. I dont want our backcourt to be considered finished because I dont ever think it would be making best use of either of these two guys skill sets, however, if they are going to play beside each other ALOT, I think they could be doing more to put each other in better position to play better and attack better knowing each others strengths. And I dont see that right now.
Im spoiled because Delonte had such a high bball IQ, and it showed in the unsung way he made Mo Williams better. However, Dion doesnt have the long arms, ability to post, or the IQ that Delonte had, so Im trying to temper my expectations for how I want to see him play off Kyrie. Kyrie doesnt give effort alot and I see some REALLY bad habits creeping into his game in regard to how he communicates with teammates.
I think the best thing for both of them would be Dion going to bench, being the first guard off in games, and being put at the head of a strong veteran 2nd unit when they scrimmage (Dion, Livingston, Ellington, Walton/KJ, Speights) and tell him to not hold back and go after Kyrie. Kyrie will learn a healthier respect for Dion's game and will learn how to incorporate it better when they are sharing the court, and Dion will get his ass busted just as much by Kyrie and will learn to play better D, learn to play D within a team structure with the help from his veteran teammates, and will learn to incorporate Kyries game into his by getting a taste of his strengths first hand.
One of the plays that Kyrie got frustrated at, was when he released the Detroit ball handler to Dion right in front of the Cavs bench out on the perimeter in the first half, and Dion just watched the guy go around him to the baseline and throw up a oop, without so much as engaging him. From the language on Dions body, it looked like Dion felt Kyrie could have stayed with his man and he didnt trust that Kyrie really needed him to switch in that case. That kind of thing between backcourt mates is indicative of a lack of trust and a lack of knowing your teammates ability.
If they are already going head to head, then I think the stakes need to be raised, somehow. Even when they are playing winning and engaged unlike last night, I see them taking turns initiating and attacking and the off ball guard is never involved or invested in the play when the other has it.
I dont put that on Byron.
Putting them against each other every day in practice will inspire both to engage on D, and really start putting the effort in on that end. It is a pride thing.
When I was a Senior, we had a freshman PG who started out the season on JV and dressing Varsity and by January, he was starting to play a little and started running the 2nd unit in practice scrimmages. So I started abusing him in practice, when before I treated him like all the other freshmen and just didnt pay him any mind. I knew he was being groomed to start the next year, but I didnt like that he was tip toeing on my time in the driver seat as much.
By playing him head to head, I learned to respect the advantages to his game, like he was quicker than me and could get his little floater off in the tiniest of spaces when we were attacking a zone. I also picked up on how quick he was laterally and how even though he was like 5'6/5'7 he was hard to get around once he was locked in his little defensive stand on the perimeter. Through January, he started playing more and more until he was in the rotation. He was playing more as a off guard who was at the front of our diamond press (1-2-2) but because I had learned his game inside and out, I had developed a healthy respect for what he could do and how he could help me/us when he was out there getting meaningful minutes. We had a game at the very beginning of February, against Norton Panthers at home, that was almost snowed out so nobody really showed up and the team as a whole was very lackluster and disengaged like the Cavs were last night. Norton played a 2-3 and a Box and 1 pretty much the entire game because they were slow and disciplined, and they lulled us to sleep. So Little Gary came in, and the minute he came in, I told him to shoot that floater anytime he got an inch of penetration, and his bulldog D was more effective as the lead of our diamond press and we started getting some turnovers. He turned the tide in that game, but I got the game ball, because I found a way to use his skill set to attack a type of team we had been having trouble with all season. By the end of the season we were complimenting each other better and working together in practice even though we were usually head to head. We would single guys out who werent catching passes and FIRING the ball at our big men who were disengaged in practices and games. Bringing him along and me respecting his game allowed us to plow through teams like Norton and Manchester in the state playoffs who had a style that usually gave us fits. I learned to respect his skill and we played together and attacked teams together by going head to head.
Lil G has the ball, Im to his right. I was definitely the Kyrie to his Dion :chuckles:
I say all that because right now, I see two guards who arent working together. I dont want our backcourt to be considered finished because I dont ever think it would be making best use of either of these two guys skill sets, however, if they are going to play beside each other ALOT, I think they could be doing more to put each other in better position to play better and attack better knowing each others strengths. And I dont see that right now.
Im spoiled because Delonte had such a high bball IQ, and it showed in the unsung way he made Mo Williams better. However, Dion doesnt have the long arms, ability to post, or the IQ that Delonte had, so Im trying to temper my expectations for how I want to see him play off Kyrie. Kyrie doesnt give effort alot and I see some REALLY bad habits creeping into his game in regard to how he communicates with teammates.
I think the best thing for both of them would be Dion going to bench, being the first guard off in games, and being put at the head of a strong veteran 2nd unit when they scrimmage (Dion, Livingston, Ellington, Walton/KJ, Speights) and tell him to not hold back and go after Kyrie. Kyrie will learn a healthier respect for Dion's game and will learn how to incorporate it better when they are sharing the court, and Dion will get his ass busted just as much by Kyrie and will learn to play better D, learn to play D within a team structure with the help from his veteran teammates, and will learn to incorporate Kyries game into his by getting a taste of his strengths first hand.
One of the plays that Kyrie got frustrated at, was when he released the Detroit ball handler to Dion right in front of the Cavs bench out on the perimeter in the first half, and Dion just watched the guy go around him to the baseline and throw up a oop, without so much as engaging him. From the language on Dions body, it looked like Dion felt Kyrie could have stayed with his man and he didnt trust that Kyrie really needed him to switch in that case. That kind of thing between backcourt mates is indicative of a lack of trust and a lack of knowing your teammates ability.
If they are already going head to head, then I think the stakes need to be raised, somehow. Even when they are playing winning and engaged unlike last night, I see them taking turns initiating and attacking and the off ball guard is never involved or invested in the play when the other has it.
I dont put that on Byron.